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we were in there, particularly the fact that mail, medication, meal and recreation was called every day at the same time, forcing women to choose between the four services, in order to either achieve their antidepressant medication or to eat that day or to spend the 45 minutes we’re allowed outside in the sun that day, to correspondence from their family and loved ones. So, by the time that I was moving towards leaving, we had had sort of a Zuccotti Park-like participatory democracy where we really did discuss the fact that there was no rehabilitation effort whatsoever that was realistic associated with our punitive system, and what were some demands and changes that could be put forth in order to make those changes. And I firmly believe that those who struggle understand the source of their struggle best, and therefore understand its solution. So I sat there with 53 little pieces of paper on the phone with my team reading out what these women said. And they essentially called for basic tenets of what, you know, we have been talking about, the Democratic Party, for at least as far as I’ve lived. We talked about healthcare, access to healthcare, to emergency medical services, to— AMY GOODMAN: One woman died while you were in prison? CECILY McMILLAN: Yeah. Well, not one woman died. I mean, that’s—I mean, one woman that I personally witnessed died. Another woman died the day that I left, a 17-year-old. So, Judith came into our dorm, and she seemed fine. She was happy. She was very funny. And within three days, she had been reduced to vomiting blood, what looked to be chunks of her liver. At this point, she hadn’t eaten for over 24 hours. She was so confused that she would sit on other people’s beds, didn’t know where her bed was. And when two medical professionals came up, and she, you know, was not enthused about the idea of going down with people who had denied her her medical services before, they said, “OK, well, she said she didn’t want to come with us, so she denied medical service, and we’re not going to take her down.” And it was very clear that she was absolutely delusional, that there’s no way that she could have made any sort of decisions for herself. And it was not until all of the inmates rose up, I mean, got her dressed and carried her down and said, “This is a medical emergency. You have to take her to the hospital.” And even then, the doctor, as she’s standing there covered with her own blood, said, “Huh! You call this a medical emergency?” And they waited there with her until they made sure she went to the hospital, where she remained in critical care condition until her death a couple of weeks ago. And this, though, I would like to say, is not an anomaly. I witnessed women that had stomach cancer, that could not help themselves up, that had been crying out for hours, their bunkies—roommate, their family, until medical professionals showed up with a gurney and would not help her up on the gurney as the gurney moved to two wheels. They said, “We’re not helping her.” And, I mean, again, every single day there was something like this. AMY GOODMAN: So, where do you go from here? CECILY McMILLAN: Well, on behalf of the inmates, I will be calling on the Mayor’s Office, City Council, the Board of Corrections. We have already started looking into what community oversight councils they have—and there are few, and not at all very working. We’ll be calling for every inmate to have a full and thorough physical examination and psychosocial examination upon entering the facility. We’ll be asking that the protocol that governs Rikers is reviewed and made sure that it’s in the best interest of all of the inmates. We’ll also be asking for a grievance process. At this point, the director of grievances told me point-blank she’s not accountable to uphold the inmate handbook because she didn’t write it. We will also be calling for resources, career training as well as domestic abuse resources and housing resources for women who are returning to their families and would like nothing better to stay out of jail, be happy and take care of their families. I don’t understand what we think of as prisoners in this country. AMY GOODMAN: We have to leave it there. The system might be very sorry you ultimately were imprisoned. Cecily McMillan, I want to thank you for being with us, Occupy Wall Street activist who was recently released from Rikers Island after serving nearly two months behind bars, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.Newspaper Page Text 39 rr..t-s, 'I : ''. r :! "4 i. ; -; V (' VM' 'i'''t' V 1 j Li t ;'; M v.- J I. Li w y ui u iJ Li Lf U U Cm tt n tt tt tt It 5f"u"Trj I'KOSl'BH'TY TALK fntupcritv, At Irmt in kcpuhlirnn rmiku, in i ni v itii hi i- if M c irw run tin tie to u lti.1 mi 1 1 urn k at rvery turn "f llif rin rt I lx final rhupliT will f vnni-Xvtl t Itii' tutu cull Vt uliim. WEATI1EU REPORT OKLAHOMA Hnmbiy fair, cooler; Muiiilay fair, liflit rlitiiKia in line l-rr nir. Tl'I.HA, March 18 The b mpene tare: Maxiiiitini Sll, minimum 50; north wiiidn and cli-nr. 33 ITLIO-N- PRIG E F I V E CENTS VOL. XI, NO. 158 tt tt tt tt FF3 II MM w PERSHING TO CHANGE HIS TACTICS AS VILLA IWT ENGAGE IN OPEN BATTLE Bandit Chief Fleeing With a Lead ot More Than a Hundred Miles; Everything Is Censored PLAYS THE ROLE OF A COMMON FUGITIVE If Military Necessity Demands the Invasion of Carranza Town i Funston Will Back Him SAX ANTONIO. Mun li 18. I allure hy FtiiihIm-o VIIIh. on wlioso trail niiirt- tluui four lhi)iianl troops uro iniircliiiis. t tnuUc a sluml and flKliI lirfon? Ihf! -nl of nrxt wvvk, will rniliciilly alU'r ll iiirllioils i fur i iiiployrd by the fomiiiunilt'r of tin- iiinitivc xM-ilitloii. WIihI (.ciii iuI lVi-sMiui's )lnn Is. Iiiiwovt-r. lias not Im-'ii rrvralil and will not he If lien cral I llusion ran prevent it. Kvery effort will lie inaile to keep wwl tlie ino'iiii'iils of troop if It Heeomes in--esary to alwinloii the ill reel line of I'liisiiU with the mills of the little army priu tleally In i-onlaet. When (ieneral I'erslilntf led tlie exiMMlltloniiry forii- over the iMiimilarv linn into Mexico the jiiiietni-e of troop which Ihih taken place near I'nsas (iraiulc.H was planned with little eM-ctatlon that Villa would lie slulileil In-fore tills time. It was realized that the only chance for the American to catch him at that tane of the operations was that he would Rather his foni'M and resist their advance. Not only did he not do that Imt, accord Iitjr to CJenernl Funstoir reMirts. not a Hhot was fired at the invaders. VIM. V IS IlirrUKATIXti. (ieneral lersliln's scouts may have hroiixlit him liiformallon as to Villa's location, lint such Infoiniailon as has Imhmi received at the general lieai)uarlcrs here makes an assertion on the subject little better than a icuess. There Is reason to Ik-IIcvi- that he has retreated as the Americans advanced and that now lie Is somewhere In the (ialeana district south of C'lsas (irandes in the environ of which a cavalry rorce under Colonel Iliuld rested today. Information received hy (ieneral I'unstoii from till liiiiiliua indiciited that he was al Colonia (iracias but most of those rcHrt ini; contented thimsclves hy placlnu him "In the niouiitiiins from fifty to line hundred miles south of Casa tiramlcs." To fonv Ilia to flu lit or to trap him in one of his many lildiinc places lias now iHi'ome the object of (ieneral rcrshing's plan. Whether Villa will risk a flulil or play out the role of a common fugitive Is a subject for t-peculation. wil l, hack 1 1' i'i:iisiut;. I'nofficial reports that (icucral 1'crsliiiis did not insist upon seiidini; into Casa l.iunili-s the advance cavalry force after (ien eral (iavlra had intimated such entry would meet resistance low ered the tension at (ieneral I'linston's licadiiiarters. (ieneral l iiiiston was convinced that (ieneral IN-rsliIng would not pass his troops through any Mexican town unless he rcitardcd it as a military necessity, but in case of such necessity he was prepared to endorse the action of the man on the smi(. (ieneral I'ershlns continued his reports of routine development of the plan, none of his rcMrts dcalini; with any unexpected or unusual Incident. (ieneral Funston replied to thousands of petitioners from scores of towns in Texas where the inhabitants wanted troops for protection, that It -would Is- impossible ( grunt their wishes. In nil cases he suggested that If they felt the need of protection it miKlit In- well if they were to organize liM-al defense forces., To Donate Automobiles. Members of the local automobile lull called a meeting for next week for the purpose of ascertaining how many members will promise to turn over their automobiles and provide drivers In caso desired by the war de partment. riiu.stial activity displayed by the do facto government of Mexico In adding to Its stores of ammunition is shown in reports from customs of ficers at different border ports of entry. According to these reports and to Information secured by army offi cers shipments of rifle ammunition in carload lots by express have become common In the past three weeks. This apparent haste was being shown he fore Villa raided Columbus. Much of the new ammunition entered ut points on the New Mexico and Arizona border und was supposed to be in tended for the troops In Soiiora..Since the Columbus raid three million rounds passed through the customs bouse at Laredo. I 'Irn I y of Ammunition. 1'ar from being a shortage of am munition in Mexico, army men esti mate Hint there is more small arm material thero now than there has been to:' iimriy years. Consul C. A. Williams, who aban doned his post at Torreon and led a party of 40 Americans from tin re Into the I'nlted States, arrived here todav where he will await Instructions from the slalo department. So tar as.Mr. Williams knows thore are 25 Ameri ci.ns left In Torreon. Those who came out wern employes ot the Tlnhualll i plantation, tlie Continental Huhiier company and' the Torreon smelter. They were uc-ompaiiied by their children. Majority I t ft. Mr, Williams said that when the pews of the intention to dispatch u punitive expedition Into Mexico reached Torreon lie railed together the Americans. H nppeared generally tbut the lives of Americans would bo rrndered unsafd and the question of leaving was discussed. He was asked if bo intended to leave, lie told tho Americans he would go if a majority of thi-m voted to leave. Five Years For IVrJury pil to Thi World. KINOLINO. OXIu., March IS. J. I Mathlsbarber of Orr. was found guilty of perjury in aismoi court bi Marietta today and sentenced to flvo venrs in orison..Mat his was prose cuted by Dr. K. F. Oross.whom Mathls na nn itnA etinrara of nuilrjrac- tlee. resulting from the setting of broken urn, Ilooiu for ('handle -. Special to Tlie World. VINITA. Okla.,.March IS. The boom for Hert Chandler of lniia s a candidate for the Republican nomina tion for eongrcssman from the first congressional district was launched today when tho county convention of Craig, itogers, Mayes, Ottawa nnJ lu lawure counties passed a resolution endorsing him and requesting him to make the race. Chandler hud with stood the pleas of his friends for sev eral mouths to "throw his hat in the ring' until tho last few days when lie ameed to net in if the Republicans showed they wanted him. SAILOR'S FIANCEE WILL CROSS OCEAN TO MARRY . MISS IDA BOYD. After waiting several years for an opportunity to marry Lewis K. Hhuw, V. S. A., Miss Ida Hoyd of Brooklyn, X. Y., has decided to travel to Hon olulu for her wedding. Mr. Shaw, attached to the I'nlted States sub marine K-7, has been shifted about so much that It has been impossible to arrange the nuptials, but recently he cabled that his boat would be at Honolulu for a long stay, and Miss Boyd Immediately decided to cross the sea. She is en route now ana the weddlmr will take place as soon J . TULSA, OKLAHOMA, SUNDAY. MARCH 19, 19 l(i Army Chaplain at Columbus, N. M., ReoHi".,;. - Bodies of American Troopers Slain in Night Raid by IP I ,CS- "TIT i 1 FVtiEML OF SolsDiCfzs KILLED JV CoWJJQVS JZAiD. TULSA DELEGATES ALL FOR M'GRAW ( ounty Kepuljlican Conven tion Jleiv Yesterday;1 One-Sided. OPPOSITION SCARCE Stirring lvesolutions Were Adopted; Anti-Harris Section Included. THIItTY-TVO delegates to the state Kepublicun convention to be held at Oklahoma City next Wed nesday and the same number to the first congresslon.il district convention to bo held In Tulsa early In April, were elected and instructed to work and vote for James.1. McOraw of I'onca Citv us the national comniii. toeman ut the Tulsa count v Republi can county convention held In Con vention hall yesterday afternoon. A. A. Small was elected unani mously us county chairman to suc ceed John II. Simmons. (J. It. Mc- Culliiiigh was selected us tho mem ber of the stale committee from Tulsa county und K. W. Kolloiigh will serve, as congressional committeeman from this county. M. (J. Shrewsbury was selected by the county central com mittee us the new secretary of that body and he presided In that capac ity at the convention yesterday. lUnly Test Vote. Little time was lost by the MrOruw forces in precipitating a test vote und shortly after county chairman Sim mons called the meeting to order tho test came on the selection of n tem porary chairman and the McOraw delegation won out by u vote of 103 to 47, -tlie bitter figure being the (Continued on I'ngo Ten.) J. B. RUTHERFORD DIES AT SAPULPA Once Leader of Liberal Faction But Later I'roM'd u Itigid Ijiw Kuforccr. Special to The World SAf'l.'LCA, Oklu.. March 18 J. B. Rutherford, noted criminal and polit ical attorney nnd for two years past stute committeeman und louder of tho Republican party In Creek county, died at his home here early Saturday morning, following a stroke of apo plexy on Thursday." I'or most of his life he was a bold advocate of a wide-open town and championed the cause of tho liquor interests, but a few years ago ho experienced a change of heurt and hud since been fighting tho element which he so long led. Ho had planned a big fight in the Repub lican convention which met Saturday and was stricken while in the act of telephoning some Important directions in connection therewith. He never re covered consciousness. Funeral serv ices will be held at the First Baptist church Sunduy afternoon. MISTIUXI. Tiuii:i: TIMIOK. One Juror Holds Out ami Toledo Mayor is Not Convicted. TOLKllO. Ohio, March 18. F. K. Wells, a wutchman. and the Juryman who alone was responsible for dis agreement in the bribery triul of former Mayor Curl 11. Keller, was dis missed from further duty in com mon pleus court this afternoon. The Keller Jury was the third disagree ment credited to Wells at this term of court. The Jury disagreed after deliberat ing 6S hours, Weils being the only ma who favored acquittal. Short of Votes, the Harris Faction at Muskogee Brings Riot and Rebellion Into the County Convention Saturday Speeiul to The World. MUSKOGEE, Oklu.. March 18. liiot and rebellion broke out in the Republican county convention this afternoon pfter the supporters of Jumes A. Harris, candidate for na tional committeeman, being decisive ly beaten by James J. McOraw udher- ents in the county central committee attemptcd to organize u rump con veniion. The net result of the whole matter is that two contesting delegates will go to the state convention from Musko gee county, tho'regulars" unin structeil but strongly leaning toward the lu-ininati in of J. J. McOraw, tha 'rumps-' instructed fifr Harris. The rioting first broke out in the county central committee meeting this morn ing when J. A. Sponsler, a Wagoner iill,iriuv nfifl.1 I ll.,nt,tti (i la.l2ruur l..w.b...,.,.,., 4.. I.l,,u ll,..,..n u,iu knocked through a section of book cases und from there half out of a window. He was saved from falling liy friends who caught him. Sponsler was knocked to the floor and badly injured when about twenty excited adherents of O. o. I principles mixed In the fight. iH-iiion was taken to a hospltul where a cut on his face was treated and he was then dismissed. 1 he McOraw lies poceeded to elect K. II. Butts chairman, tho meeting be ing held in his office. The Harris men went over to a corner of the room ami tried to elect otto K. Sump their chairman but Butts ord ered them out of bis office and they left. ELECTION FRAUD TO MEAN PENITENTIARY Election lioard Will Make Xo Discrimination; Treat All Alike, "Anyone who attempts to practice fraud of any kind In the coming city primary und genorul election will be prosecuted by the county election board and sent to the stale peniten tiary, if possible." This declaration was made yester day by Ray Short. Republican mem ber of the county election board, which board will have charge of the election. It was made hi answer to newspaper charges that false regis tration certificates were out und that other Illegal methods 'were to he used to defeat the Will of the people. "Von an't make it ton strong for me." declared Short. "This will be one election that will be run on the square, if It Is In the power of the election bourd to make It so. We are of one accord in this mutter and 1 euro not whether tho culprit be nn election official or otherwise, we In tend to use every power possible' to prevent frauds and punish those who perpetrate such funds." KILLED MAN IN K POKER GAME; GUILTY Special to "t he World. ItlKOUNti. okla.. Much lt. John Allen, accused ot murdering l'.tor Rowland neur Oswull last No- I veinber, was tound guilty ot mun islugbter by u Jury in the district eou t I at Marietta today, and sentenced to years In prison. R-u hind and some oi:icr tanner boys were piuyitiif poker In the brush. Alien and u masked man attacked them und Row. land wps killed while trying to es ripe. Allen's wife and seven children sat la the courtroom during the trial. Two Seel, ( hair. When time for culling the conven tion camu Sump and Butts utnmptcd to rowd into the Judge's chair the convention being held In the county ronrtrooiu and before anyone knew v.hut hud happened the Judge's chair bod been broken ami mini tremen dous yelling the battle royal began. Heiilon, who had been released from ,le ',,!,,, junipe.i n the Judge s belied and pollen a six shooter, f... I'ixby jumped ii-i the press t.llle mil the two began shouting at each otbi r. Semecino bulled nil Inkwell lit llixby. Another stalw;;it bit Pcnton a blow nilli his lit 1 1 i n i behind and that in dividual went sprawling clear to Ihu end of the Jury box. Denton Arrested At this Junc ture Tarns llixby slipped away to u Justice court and got out a wan ant for I'ciilnn. charging him with currying u revolver. A lieini 01 alio constable forced his way into the crowd to arrest Ix nton ami was licurlv mobbed I'eloro be accom plished his pinpo.se. lie searched lii-iiimi Ciiiiid no vcvnlvcr i j ii him. I I. ut i, iiNtel liim 1, ii V U':i v. This quieted proeeediims. but only for a minute. Tin- I m laetinns at tempted to hold their convent inns in the same room. The Mi l ii e.wi'es ap peared to have tin. belter hints as i-oll as the most votis and quickly dis posed of their busiii'ss. Tlnv then let t the hall ami the llai'i'ls men pill thiouuh their progrmi. Tains liixl.y is chairman of Ihe "rump delegation," while It. B. Bulls leads I lie regulars. RADICAL STEP TO LOWER GASOLINE (BV JOHN W. FI.F.XNKItl WASHINGTON. March IS. A sweeping proposal for the reduction of prevalent gasoline pi ices Is con tained in a resolution introduced in tlie house by Congressman Randall of California. lie usked the secretary of interior to give his opinion on the purchase by eondi-innat ion proceedings of tin entire oil producing area of the Cnit ed Stales and says tbut these resnur- ces should be protected from mon- j opolistic control. He usked Score- i tary l.ano to report on the ud isa Oil- it y of having u bureau of mines es- I tuldisli oil pumping plants and of! making gasoline by the Kittmuu pro-! cess. Data us to all the oil lands In the country is desired. He claims i that the Standad till company wasj offered the opportunity to test out j the Rlttmun process but dec lined lie cuuse the government insisted on a clause in the contract prohibiting the monopolistic use of the proec ss. ALLEGED ROBBERS ARE SENT TO JAIL Spoiiul to The World. VI AN. Okla., March ver. real estate dealer; shaw, cattleman: W. S. IK.- I'M Cul Jarnis l'.i'ad I'uyne, livery- man,' F.minctt Crittendoii, the ('i 1 1 tit mi ami Will former three of Vian and the latter from Muskogee, waived examination before Justice Wallace Thornton here today on a charge of robbing the First National bank of this city In broad daylight, on March K and were held to the district court. Their bonds were fixed ut 3.000 each. Hayne wus the only defendant to give bond. Hon Anderson of tbls'ciiy also waived exaiulnutlon and was held to tho district court on u charge of con cealing funds stolen from the bank". Anderson lias confessed be found ll.UOO, part of which he spent. l,ess than JOUO of his find was recovered. Anderson's bond was fixed at I:', 000. He was unable to muke bail und wus remanded to jail with Culver. Brad thaw, Compton and Crlttcndoo. 'two' sKi'n.iss Over the Dead the Villista Bandits M'GRAW BIG WINNER IN OKLAHOMA CITY .Instruct Delegation to State Convention to Vote for Ponea Citv Man. HARMONY PREVAILED "New Deal" Candidate Wins First ly Elect in;; Fields as Chairman. Spi-eiul to The World. OKLAHOMA CITV. March IS. James J. McOraw for Republi can national eoinnilth cnian, ami his supporters won a decisive victory in the Oklahoma county convention this evening when, by a vi le of HIS to :, the county delegation.of (ia was In structed to cast tlp'ir vole In the state convention for McOraw for national commitli eman. The resolutions euin iniltee wrote in a paragraph declar ing the convention for McOraw. Judge Hainer. a Harris man, offered a sub stitute for that portion of Hie resolu tion, changing lb" name of Aldlraw for Harris. The vole was taken bv precinct delegation and McOraw won by HI majority. The Mc(! raw forces scored their first victory In the selection of a temporary chairman of the conven tion. Judge Halncr. representing the Harris men, offered Ihe name of Rev. 10. T. Lull:' and Kd S Vunglit placed ill liiuiiin.'.l ion John Fields as repre senting the McOraw side. The Vote n this proposition showed KiS for Fields and 1 4 for Lane. Iii a four-sided contest for member I f the state central committee from Oklahoma nty. in which thnre weie Henry Asn, Fred!!e;,rley, W. T. Hassitt ami I'orter Morgan. Beatley won over bis opponents. Hearley re cell eil 1 2 1 Miles, llassell 117, Asp 57, and Morua n 40 I ii Ids is I anliit'-cd John Fi' lds was endorsed as one of the delegates at lame to the na tional convention, and he also re ceived decidedly favorable mention in ihe resolutions for the splendid cumpaiun he made for governor. An addition wi's mad- to the reso lutions from the floor of the conven tion. Alien Jtnlee J. T. Iiickirson of fi red ti resolution commending tho splendid tcrvice of Arthur II. Oeis- slor as chairman of the state commit tee and ii rued that the delegates and Republicans work to continue his hadeis), Ip. 1 1. -legates selected to the state con vention wore Kiven the authority to select their own alternates. Flection of u chairman of the county commit tee, which bad been included In tho call, was referred to the county con tr.il committee. The convention was harmonious In I'VC'I'V respect. The M'draw and Harris furies were early on the scene nnd the twci divisions worked faithfully and con scientiously for their leaders, but tho Mcdraw men wire in the lead, and although the division was closely drawn there was no question as to tho result after the first test In tho selec tion of the temporary chairman. Fields led for tho first half of the list of the delegates and then Ivino gained until the two were together. At one time they tied tho vote, then one would forgo ahead und then tho other. But Fields showed strong at the finish and passed lino. ;mhI Natural Fight. The contest between the support, em of the two mon, McOraw nnd Harris, was good nntured throughout, but there was no compromise. It whs (Continued on Page Eleven) RETURNS CINCH THE ELECTION OF JIM M'GRAW Forty-fivo Counties Show Delegates for l'oiica Citv Man. MUSKOGEE MEETING RESULTS IN FIGHT Districts Yet to 15e Heard From Will Swell the Majority. JAM KA J. MCRAW clinched his election as Republican national committeeman over James A. Harris of Wagoner In tin- Republican county conventions held throughout tho statu yesterday to elect delegates to the slato convention to bo held In Okla homa City next Wednesday. Returns from 45 counties from all parts of the state last night showed lift'.! delegates instructed to veto for I lie I'onca City man, while Harris, the incumbent, had only 127 votes with SI vol is unlnstriieted. McOraw, from tho returns received last night, al ready has more than enough votes to control tho state convention but his total will be well past tho six hun dred mark when all the counties are Inn rd from. it was u wonderful victory for Mc Oraw and ills associates who aro de manding a new deul in Kepublicun politics in order that tho O. O. 1'. may lie made u vital und fighting organ ization for the purpose of redeeming Oklahoma from the misrule of tha Democratic party. On n I "lay at Muskogee. Cherokee and MiiKkogee counties, right in Jtarrls' own home country, wero tho only two counties to report n contest. In -Muskogee the battle for Votes was accompanied by gun play but from Impartial reports It Is evi dent that Met; law hud the majority of delegates and tho Harris crowd boiled. Tho same thing occurred to a lesser degree In Cberokeo county. Oklahoma county with tin delegates went solid for Mcdruw after u flvo hour battle in the convention and us each county reported yesterday the only thing In doubt was the size" of Mcdraw's majority. Kvery congressional district which has not already held its convention Is today foiiiel in the Mcdraw camp which will give McOraw all but four of the deb-gales to the national con vention In addition to control of the stale convention. The total vote in the state conven tion is li.Mi of which McOraw is al ready certain of 531! which Is 64 more than u majority. Harris head quarters were notably silent last night ufter having boasted all week that (Continued on I'ugi- Seven.) DR. CHARLES EVANS SPOKE TO STUDENTS lvt inordinary Inducement Offered Students to In crease Enrollment. Doctor Charles Fvans. president elect of Kendall college, was the guest of honor at u rousing reception given hy the students of the school in Rob ertson ball Thursday night. During the evening Doctor Fvans addressed the pupils and put a world of in w spirit into the followers of the Mack and gold. He Inaugurated a campaign for new pupils at the college and promised u banquet on next St. Patrick's day to every one who had been instru mental in bringing a new man or woman to Kendall. Frizes of K'O anil in gold will be awarded to those who have the most conversions their credit. He exprtssed Ins dour ininatlon to double the enrollment In the next year and his cheering words brought the ininirdlnte support of the student body. It is Doctor Kvans" Intention to make a xlsil to tlie college every two weeks until the close of school. LOCAL MARKSMEN MAKE HIGH SCORES I.oeul (lull Member Are Imlted to Attend the Stute 'lour, numciit. Franchot, J. A Campbell and VV. A. Rotirke lied for high honors in the weekly shoot at the Country club yesterday afternoon. Their score was Si " breaks out of 100 shots. Franchot with!l out of L'5 won tho play-off of the tie with Campbell training with 23 and llourke with 21. The other scores made were: J. On ver S7. J. Duffy Tt. II. Duffy 7. Davis W ullary 8S. W. A. llourko of Okmulgee was In the city yesterday and extended nn Invitation to the local club to at tend the state touitmment to be hold under the auspices of tho Ok mu I gee club. It Is probable that the Till." marksmen will accept the Invitation and open their season there.The goal of the negotiations, moderated by Egypt, were to clinch an agreement for the release of Cpl Gilad Shalit - an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants and smuggled into Gaza almost three years ago - in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The talks, stepped up in recent weeks, were seen as a last-ditch effort by the outgoing Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert to secure a deal while he was still in power. Cpl Shalit's family, which recently moved into a protest tent next to the prime minister's official residence to step up pressure for a deal, fears the incoming government of the hardline prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu will be less amenable to agreeing to the terms of a prisoner exchange. Both sides blamed each other for deadlock in the talks. Mr Olmert's office said that Hamas had made new demands at the eleventh hour despite what they termed as Israel's "generous proposals". "It became clear during the discussions that Hamas had hardened its position, reneged on understandings that had been formulated over the past year and raised extreme demands," said a statement issued by Mr Olmert's office, after two senior envoys returned on Monday night from talks in Cairo. Hamas officials rebuffed the criticism, saying it was Israel that had failed to deliver. "As soon as there is a serious offer from Israel, we will deal with it," said Ossama Hamdan, the Hamas representative in Beirut. Israeli media said that the
load times, then the Seagate Game Drive for Xbox SSD will do you no wrong.IT’S BEEN seven weeks since Secretary of State John F. Kerry charged that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was waging “a war of starvation.” Hundreds of thousands of people in areas controlled by rebel forces were under siege by the government, which was refusing to allow in supplies of food and medicine. “The world must act quickly,” Mr. Kerry warned, because the regime’s tactics “threaten to take a humanitarian disaster into the abyss.” Since then, there has been no action — not by “the world” nor by the United States, which possesses the means to break the siege but chooses not to employ them. The consequence is that Syria, as winter begins, has descended into Mr. Kerry’s abyss. Consider the Dec. 4 report by Valerie Amos, the United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator: Seven million Syrians, or 40 percent of the population, are in urgent need of food and medical assistance. By year’s end, 3 million will be refugees in neighboring countries. Only a fraction of those in need are getting international aid. Some 290,000 people are in besieged areas near Damascus that have been cut off from food and medicine for more than six months. According to Human Rights Watch, “people are suffering from an increasingly severe shortage of food and... are dying from lack of medical care because of the siege.” Residents told investigators in telephone interviews that they were eating tree leaves. Mr. Kerry, who devoted most of the past two weeks to shuttling unsuccessfully between Israelis and Palestinians, hasn’t shown much interest in Syria’s human catastrophe since writing an op-ed about it that was published Oct. 25. U.S. policy has narrowed to extracting the Assad regime’s chemical weapons from the country and promoting a peace conference next month in Switzerland. A strategy once supported by Mr. Kerry of bolstering the rebels has all but collapsed, along with the moderate forces it was aimed at; the administration is now forced to talk to an Islamist coalition that has overtaken its allies. Mr. Kerry’s strategy is for the peace conference to agree on a transitional government with representatives from all sides. Always a long shot, this goal is now quixotic. With no following on the ground, moderate opposition leaders lack the standing to propose such a coalition, while both the regime and the Islamist groups reject the idea. Russia and Iran, which have helped the Assad forces win a series of tactical military victories in recent months, show no sign of withdrawing their support. The peace conference has become a fig leaf concealing the absence of a U.S. strategy for Syria — and it is not scheduled to begin for six weeks. During that time thousands more Syrian civilians will undoubtedly die of hunger, exposure or a lack of medicine, when they are not killed by the regime’s indiscriminate shelling and bombing. The United States has options it has not used: It could demand that Russia stop blocking a U.N. Security Council resolution ordering the Assad regime to allow relief convoys as the price of going forward with the conference, which was Moscow’s initiative. It could threaten missile and air strikes on the forces that are conducting the sieges. “The world cannot sit by watching innocents die,” Mr. Kerry wrote. Yet that’s exactly what he and the Obama administration are doing.People like simplicity. Each decade, corporate logos grow progressively minimalistic, pop songs use ever simpler melodies, and visual arts embrace simpler compositions as Monet gives way to Picasso, and Picasso to Rothko. This zeitgeist, summarised in the phrase ‘simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’, shapes our perceptions of the human body in interesting ways. The thumping of a beating heart is often celebrated as nature’s beautifully simple rhythm. And yet, a heartbeat that is too simple and too rhythmic might be a warning sign of congestive heart failure. Perhaps the heart is an anomaly, you say. But moving from cardiology to neurology, epileptic seizures manifest in the brain as highly organised electrical activity in contrast to the chaotic electrical patterns of a flourishing brain. Continuing to psychiatry, new research shows that individuals with autism have highly regular speech patterns as compared with healthy controls. Life is complex, but why is complexity healthy – and why does orderliness suggest pathology in the brain? A concept called self-organised criticality (SOC), first described in 1987 by the physicists Per Bak, Chao Tang and Kurt Wiesenfeld of the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York, helps to explain. To understand SOC, imagine a sandpile at the beach. If we add sand to the sandpile until the slope is too steep to support more sand, avalanches erupt, ranging in size from a few grains to a large portion of the pile. These avalanches result from a slow process (adding sand) that builds energy, and a fast process (the force of gravity overcoming the force of friction) that dissipates energy. The instability of the sandpile is a complex state that is formally known as criticality. As with complex brain activity, avalanches exist at all spatial and temporal scales and cannot be understood merely by studying constituent parts of the system. Like the sandpile, the brain is poised at the edge of criticality. But while sandpile avalanches do not process information in any meaningful way, neural avalanches – cascades of complex brain activity described by researchers at the US National Institute of Mental Health in 2003 – might be vital for a brain that transitions rapidly between many cognitive states and motor programmes. In other words, in a living system such as the brain, SOC is not disorder but, rather, a mechanism for carrying out rapid computations, not unlike the self-organising behaviour of financial markets rapidly ‘determining’ prices, or electorates rapidly transitioning between political majorities. For the brain, a loss of criticality – and, thus, of complex behaviour – is pathological. It is unsurprising, then, that complex behaviour observed in electrical brain activity might serve as a useful biomarker of disease risk or prognosis. This doesn’t mean that having a crazy, erratic brain signal is healthy! A useful definition of complexity is a balance between opposing tendencies such as order and disorder, or stability and instability. Using mathematical tools that quantify complexity, researchers at leading institutions across the globe have already identified potential biomarkers of psychiatric disorders, including autism and schizophrenia, in EEG signals recorded non-invasively from the scalp. In one particularly promising study, William Bosl and other colleagues at Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston University used EEG complexity to classify infants according to their risk of developing autism. While SOC is a very abstract mechanism for explaining complex behaviour, a more concrete explanation for neural complexity might be found in the physical architecture of brain networks. Imagine anatomical brain regions as Facebook friends connected by anatomical fibres. As in social networks, 20 per cent of the regions (or Facebook profiles) account for 80 per cent of the connections. Like social networks, brain regions form densely interconnected ‘cliques’, mini-networks embedded within the larger network. These cliques are often part of still larger cliques, a condition known as modularity. On Facebook, your closest friends might be part of a larger, looser collection of friends, who in turn are part of an even larger community, such as a town or university. In both social networks and brains, it is the complex interactions between parts that give rise to phenomena at all scales. Both brains and social networks are somewhat analogous to an ant colony: organised activity occurs across spatial scales, and you cannot study just one ant to grasp the colony as a whole. In fact, across all scales of brain organisation and activity, scale-free distribution abounds. Recordings of electrical activity from the scalp and cortex fluctuate such that no average frequency exists. Scale-free distribution has been shown in measurements of neural spiking, opening and closing of ion channels, and neurotransmitter release at the synapse. While it is unclear exactly which mechanisms give way to neural complexity and healthy behaviour, keeping track of complexity is important to understanding and identifying brain disorders such as epilepsy, autism and schizophrenia. Measuring the complexity of brain activity could soon allow doctors to predict which infants will develop autism and how schizophrenia patients will respond to medication. As the physicist Emerson Pugh said: ‘If our brains were simple enough for us to understand them, we’d be so simple that we couldn’t.’MAURO FERMARIELLO/SPL / Getty Images After decades of focusing almost exclusively on treating HIV, public health experts are now considering a new approach, moving to establish more effective prevention strategies to curb spread of the disease. Recent tests show that anti-HIV drugs that can hamper the growth of the virus responsible for AIDS may also prevent progression of the disease if given to infected individuals soon after their exposure to HIV. The same drugs can also prevent infections from taking hold among healthy people who are exposed to the virus; both approaches would be critical ways of controlling spread of the virus and keeping new cases of HIV to a minimum. With this potential in mind, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued a draft recommendation urging that all people between the ages of 15 and 65 be tested for the virus as part of routine health screening, even if they are not at high risk of exposure to HIV. (MORE: Treatment as Prevention: How the New Way to Control HIV Came to Be) The independent panel of health experts examined recent scientific evidence, including trials that aimed to use anti-HIV drugs to prevent the disease (so-called pre-exposure prophylaxis), and concluded that prompt diagnosis leads to earlier use of effective treatments — and more promising outcomes. Their conclusion: Making HIV screening as routine as cholesterol testing will allow more people to know their status and take advantage of favorable therapies. One in five people living with HIV in the U.S. are not aware of their positive status, and even among those at higher risk, such as gay and bisexual men, testing rates are low: nearly 75% had received medical care but 48% were not tested for HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). (MORE: Early Treatment With Anti-HIV Drugs Stops Transmission Between Partners) The task force released a draft of their recommendation proposal, which is open to public comments through December 17. The new guidelines recommend doctors screen individuals over age 15 and under 65 as well as all pregnant women. “Screening individuals between ages 15 and 65 is likely to improve the health of the population because it’s going to find people that don’t know they’re positive,” says Dr. Virginia Moyer, the chair of the task force and pediatrics professor at Baylor College of Medicine. “What we didn’t know when we made our previous recommendation that we know now is that treatment earlier in the course of the infection can substantially improve outcomes.” (MORE: HIV Drugs May Prevent Infection In Health Individuals) That knowledge is helping public health campaigns to adopt more prevention strategies and shift away from focusing primarily on treatment as the way to stop the spread of HIV. And it provides campaigns leverage to promote measures beyond safe sex and abstinence, which have only been marginally effective in reducing new infection rates. “The fact is that the best way to deal with HIV is don’t get it in the first place,” says Moyer. “Yes, we can screen and treat, and it makes a difference, but it still involves treatment that if you could avoid it, you wouldn’t want to have. If we can really focus on prevention, that would be great.” (MORE: U.S. Panel Recommends More Routine HIV Testing) Since 2006, the CDC has pushed for more widespread HIV testing for patients as young as 13, citing the fact that many are unaware they are living with HIV, and that available therapies can extend their lives, especially if begun early. In 2005, the task force recommended screening for adolescents and adults who were at a high risk for HIV. But it wasn’t until 2011, when the latest studies on the power of AIDS drugs to prevent infection were released, that health officials could begin devising practical ways of making prevention a priority. “We started looking at getting treatments before symptoms and it turns out it does improve things,” says Moyer. “Our treatments have gotten better and they’ve gotten easier. All those things have worked together to change the balance so that it now appears that general screening makes it likely that across the whole population we will have healthier people.” (MORE: AIDS Trial Halted: Anti-HIV Pill Fails to Protect Women) According to Kali Lindsey, director of legislative and public affairs for the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC), which provides information and research to public health clinics, the recent trial results, and the USPSTF recommendation represent a critical change in managing HIV. “Despite decades of behavioral interventions, infection rates have remained relatively stable, and are increasing among gay and bisexual men, especially young black gay men,” says Lindsey. “Treatment as prevention, pre-exposure prophylaxis, and microbicides offer exciting new ways to slow the spread of HIV. But no prevention strategy can truly be effective without an expanded push for scaled-up HIV screening.” The shift in emphasis toward prevention is timely as well, since combination drug therapies have created a sense of complacency about the disease that continues to fuel 50,000 new infections each year even in the U.S. About 20% to 25% of people living with HIV are unaware they are HIV positive. “The general sense of urgency around HIV/AIDS seems to have dissipated,” says Lindsey. “Much of this has to do with improvements in treatment that have made it possible for those who can access it to live long, relatively healthy lives. But some of this also has to do with a perception that has persisted since the onset of the epidemic–that HIV is a disease of ‘others.’ That it only affects gay men or injection drug users. Too many people underestimate their own vulnerability to infection.” (MORE: How the Global War on Drugs Drives HIV and AIDS) That might change if testing for HIV became routine. “I don’t think most Americans realize how serious this epidemic remains,” says Chris Collins, vice president and director of public policy for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. “The good news is we have the tools, including testing, treatment and targeted prevention that could really begin to end this epidemic in America. The question is whether we get those interventions to the people who need it.” Testing for HIV is the first step toward expanding those interventions. “This recommendation and its approval will be one more important step towards reducing the stigma of HIV testing both for people in the general public so they are more likely to get a test, and for healthcare providers who currently don’t offer the test automatically because they don’t perceive their client to be at risk, or they don’t want to talk about sex and sexuality,” says Collins. Collins say normalizing testing and making it an active part of quality medical care will greatly expand the reach of testing and identify more people in need of treatment. As part of a preventive health care strategy, the routine HIV testing would be reimbursed by insurers under President Obama’s proposed health care program; currently only those at highest risk are not required to provide a co-pay for the HIV test. “We have to make sure it is reimbursed in all cases so that financial concerns never stand in the way of a doctor offering a test and person accepting it,” Collins says. “This proposal is an important step towards that.” (MORE: Truvada: 5 Things to Know About the First Drug to Prevent HIV) Recent developments, like the first at-home HIV test OraQuick–which can identify antibodies that signal HIV infection from saliva in 20 minutes–also helps reduce stigma around the disease. “Any development that normalizes HIV testing is exciting,” says Lindsey. “The last couple of years have brought a number of exciting developments in our fight against HIV. From health care reform and the National HIV/AIDS Strategy to treatment as prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis, science and policy have aligned like never before, making it possible to realistically envision an end to this epidemic.” Collins agrees that the recommendations represent a first step toward turning around the AIDS epidemic in the U.S. “These policy changes mean we can really can start to talk about the end of AIDS,” he says.Story highlights Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons vows to buy unsold ad time Lowe's cites "lightning rod" worries for decision to pull its ads from the TLC show A Florida group says the show tries to "manipulate Americans into ignoring the threat of jihad" The 8-part series follows five Muslim families living in Dearborn, Michigan Ad time for next Sunday's "All-American Muslim" episode is apparently sold out, despite Lowe's decision to pull its commercials from the TLC reality series, a TLC network spokeswoman said. Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons announced his intentions Monday to buy up any unsold commercial time on the controversial show in response to the withdrawal of the home improvement giant. He would use the ads to promote his prepaid Visa "Rush Card," he said. "He has tried to buy," TLC's Laurie Goldberg told CNN in an e-mail Tuesday. "We are checking inventory. Still don't know on that one. I do think it was already sold out, but still checking." If any ad time is left, Simmons said he was standing by to take it. Simmons' website posted a statement Tuesday saying "TLC has announced that Rush Card will not be able to purchase the remaining ad space as they have all been sold out." "All-American Muslim" is an eight-part series that follows five Muslim families living in Dearborn, Michigan. JUST WATCHED Lowe's pulls ads from Muslim TV show Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Lowe's pulls ads from Muslim TV show 01:48 "Each episode offers an intimate look at the customs and celebrations, misconceptions and conflicts these families face outside and within their own community," TLC said in the show's description. The controversy, and Lowe's decision to pull their spots, followed a complaint by the Florida Family Association. The group warned Lowe's in a letter that the show "is attempting to manipulate Americans into ignoring the threat of jihad and to influence them to believe that being concerned about the jihad threat would somehow victimize these nice people in this show." Lowe's, a national home improvement chain, defended its decision in a statement to CNN last Saturday. "Lowe's has received a significant amount of communication on this program, from every perspective possible," the company said. "Individuals and groups have strong political and societal views on this topic, and this program became a lightning rod for many of those views. As a result we did pull our advertising on this program." Simmons, who is an outspoken social activist, sent a series of Twitter messages over the last several days urging Lowe's to reverse its decision: "Dear @Lowes, we got over 21k signatures standing up against ur poor decision. Do right thing: apologize & put $ back in #AllAmericanMuslim" Simmons called the controversy "a press nightmare" for Lowe's in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "This country is built on religious freedom," he said. "This is the kind of hate that tears this country apart."< ► > A groundbreaking ceremony was held recently for The Corner Store at Shops at 493, a public/private partnership between the City of Donna, Donna Economic Development Corporation and Terracor Development. DONNA, RGV – A golden age appears to be dawning for the City of Donna with more vehicles using the international bridge, sales tax revenues increasing, retail development springing up along Expressway 83, and renovations underway for recreational areas. Two more examples of the progress being made have been announced: a groundbreaking for a travel center that will be located at the new $52 million development, Shops at 493; and a new phone app that allows smartphone users to access a live view of the international bridge. The City of Donna has created the new phone app. Cameras located at the Donna-Rio Bravo bridge will allow users to see a live stream of current traffic entering the U.S. Thus, Mexican tourists entering the U.S. will be able to see how long the lines are. The app is currently available to users with iOS and Android software. Users are able to download the app for free. The application can be found in the app store search bar under “Puente Donna.” Other features that users can expect to find on the app are information on tolls, contacts, announcements, and bridge hours. The new travel center, to be known as The Corner Store, is part of Shops at 493, a public/private partnership between the City, Economic Development Corporation and Terracor Development that is being developed at the corner of Interstate 2 and Salinas International Boulevard. Lyle Garza, director of economic development for Donna, said the Corner Store is unveiling a new prototype in the Rio Grande Valley. “The new Corner Store is on the main corridor between Donna and the Donna/Rio Bravo International Bridge. Travelers will be able to take advantage of its convenient location and friendly atmosphere. It is going to be a whole new shopping experience for commuters,” Garza said. Garza and Donna Interim City Manager Ernesto Silva attended the groundbreaking. “The C-Store opening is going to be a great asset to the City because it gives members of the community an opportunity to have more options to shop in Donna. It will ease congestion from the other service stations in the area, another great day for Donna,” Silva said.Situated halfway between the gym and the nightclub, pre-workout supplements have taken on a remarkable popularity amongst gym goers in recent years. Labelled with ‘hardcore’ names such as ‘Anarchy’, ‘Mr. Hyde’ or ‘Rage’, the pre-workout supplement has become a staple amongst portions of the lifting community. Indeed, one may be forgiven for thinking that bodybuilders, powerlifters, weight lifters and just about anyone else who has ever graced the gym floor have been using these supplements since the dawn of gym going. This however, is not the case. In fact, the first major pre workout supplements did not hit the markets since the 1980s. So what came before the pre-workout supplement? What did bodybuilders do in the time of physical culture or the time of Arnold and co.? Furthermore when did pre-workouts hit the market? And why did they become so popular? An ambitious set of questions, which today’s article seeks to answer. The Early Beginnings of Gym Going Though men and women have been weightlifting it seems since the dawn of time, we shall begin today’s post in a relatively more modern period for the sake of convenience and indeed my sanity. This time being the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. A time when our modern habit of going to the gym is largely believed to have originated. So who better to examine then than people like Eugen Sandow, George Hackenschmidt, Minerva and the Saxon Brothers, some of the biggest names in physical culture during the early 1900s. What did they advocate before working out? Well like all good things in life, opinions differed. For some such as Hackenschmidt and Sandow the legal stimulant of choice back then, namely coffee, was largely off limits. According to Hack, Tobacco, coffee, and alcohol are all deemed poisons and are to be avoided. Similarly Sandow supposedly never touched coffee, which aside from cocaine, is perhaps the only pre-workout one could have used in those days. Likewise the father of American physical culture Bernarr Macfadden saw coffee as inherently baneful. Some of the biggest names in physical culture at that time seemed steadfast then in their belief that coffee was bad for the system. Nevermind for your workout. But some physical culturists, those of the epicurean disposition, did take to coffee. Indeed Minerva, the late nineteenth and early twentieth century strongwoman was said to enjoy two strong cups of coffee a day. Though we’re not sure how this was timed. Minerva was in good company too as when they weren’t drinking beer mid workout, the Saxon trio were said to enjoy a coffee or two. These men however were famed for their laissez faire approach to food and their remarkable strength. Perhaps not the best role models? Into the Golden Age Remarkably it was the coffee drinkers who won the day and moving into the ‘Golden Era’ of bodybuilding from the 1960s to early 1980s reveals just how normalised the practice had become. In an excellent article, Ric Drasin recalls that Arnold Schwarzenegger would drink coffee with his breakfast before training. A practice he shared with Frank Zane, himself another iconic figure of the time. Kicking things up a notch was ‘The Myth’, Sergio Oliva of whom it was said that During training Sergio would carry around a thermos of hot coffee, when asked why, he said it gave him energy and also made him sweat. Water was saved for after the workout. It was also during this time that alternatives to coffee began to be used as a pre-workout supplement. The most obvious being the B Vitamin Niacin which Vince Gironda would recommend for both before and after workouts. His logic being that Niacin helped to temporarily enlarge the blood vessels and thus enable a greater pump. Having taken Niacin myself I can attest to his logic but must stress that the red flushing which accompanies the Niacin is far from comfortable! So pre-workout stimulants were beginning to creep into the bodybuilders’ bag of tricks. The stimulant of choice however, coffee, was relatively mild by today’s standards and indeed it came without the bells and whistles of the modern pre workout supplements. Interestingly some still eschewed coffee to a certain extent such as Clarence Bass who in 1979 revealed that while he did consume coffee occasionally, it was always decaffeinated. Nevertheless, the tide was turning and within a decade, bodybuilding began to experience the pre workout hype. Ultimate Orange and the 1980s In 1982 in Venice California, bodybuilding got its first taste of pre-workout stimulants and the effects seemed remarkable to say the least. People claimed to gain muscle mass out of thin air, rep out more at heavier weights and shed body fat. Furthermore they cited increased energy, focus and drive within the gym. Such reviews came from both steroid and non-steroid users alike. Formulated by the original drug guru Dan Duchaine, Ultimate Orange became a mainstay in the bodybuilding community until a number of lawsuits in the late 1990s, early 2000s. Focused primarily on the inclusion of ephedra in the formula, Ultimate Orange was blamed for a series of heart attacks amongst seemingly healthy men and women. Notwithstanding the possible side effects, the pre-workout boom had begun during a time, which Randy Roach has pointed out, coincided with the low-fat/high-carb bodybuilding craze. A coincidence? Maybe? Or perhaps with the vilification of fats, bodybuilders turned towards stimulants in a bid to retain their energy and focus. Just a thought. In any case, the late 1980s and 1990s saw a series of products emerge beginning really with creatine in 1993. Though creatine had been used experimentally with athletes for at least two decades, it wasn’t until 1993 that a small supplement company, Experimental & Applied Sciences or EAS, began to produce a rudimentary creatine supplement for bodybuilders. Creatine blends quickly became the standard pre workout by the end of the 1990s and start of the new millennium. Though by 2000, creatine monohydrate was no longer the only powder in town. Indeed a series of other blends emerged, each mixing the creatine which various forms of sugar or other carbohydrates in a bid to feed the muscle cells. Changing Times In a fascinating piece of work, MindandMuscle details the emergence of new stimulants within pre workout formulas from the early 2000s onwards. Whereas the creatine pre workouts of the last decade had been relatively mind. The new millennium saw newer stimulants such as Arginine AKG, Arginine Malate and Citrulline Malate appear on the ingredient list. These compounds promised to temporarily enlarge the blood vessels and hence encourage a much greater pump during the workout. Similar in a sense to the Niacin Gironda was recommending back in the 70s but far more potent. That being the case, although the effects of these new compounds varied greatly, the era did give rise to the more extreme pre workout supplements emerging such as BSN’s NO-EXPLODE, itself a combination of creatine and arginine AKG. What is significant about NO-EXPLODE is the marketing campaign which accompanied the product. You see, BSN managed to secure the signature of Ronnie Coleman, the then Mr. Olympia and contender for the title of GOAT. Coleman’s endorsement helped encourage thousands of budding gym goers to pound a few scoops of NO-EXPLODE prior to a gym session. Needless to say, NO-EXPLODE was the market leader. Kicking things up a notch In 2005 Patrick Arnold, a chemist-cum-designer drugs scientist, introduced a compound called DMAA into the supplement market. To the initiated, the term DMAA will is old hat, as the compound has been banned and unbanned several times over the last decade. Though Arnold’s own supplements met with mixed success, USP Labs soon utilised the compound to the nth degree and included it in a workout formula entitled Jack3d. Jack3d soon gained the notoriety that Ultimate Orange enjoyed in the 1980s as it seemed that every Dick and Jane was taking it prior to working out. And just like Ultimate Orange, Jack’d was eventually banned and reemerged reformulated. Over the next few years Jack3d became the market leader and every pre-workout supplement seemed to include DMAA. Heck even when DMAA was banned, pre workouts continued to use various stimulants which mimicked the effects of DMAA. Reflecting on the Pre-Workout Craze Though pre-workouts have become the latest fad supplement over the last two decades, there are a number of things to consider regarding its utility for gym goers. While the supplements are inherently effective in that they temporarily increase your focus and energy, the long term effects need to be taken into account. In the first instance, a common trend and indeed meme amongst the workout community revolves around people’s absurd dependencies on pre-workout supplements. While the tub may say 1-3 servings per use, people soon fall into much higher dosages. This is perhaps why Sandow, MacFadden and Hackenschmidt all eschewed coffee and similar stimulants. It is easy to gain a dependency and few people consider the effects this has on the body. Secondly and something which Randy Roach noted in his excellent World of Muscle podcast, lifters need to ask why they are using the pre workouts in the first place. Surely one would be better served psyching themselves up to workout rather than rely upon outside factors such as pre-workouts. Why not save the preworkout for the times when they are truly needed.?Thus you’ll be getting a greater bang for your buck. Finally one needs to consider the stage they’re at in the training cycle. All to often one sees beginners entering the gym loaded on pre-workouts. Such trainees would surely be better served focusing on the fundamentals before dabbling in the finer arts. Okay I’ve firmly entered soapbox territory. A sign I’ve written too much. In the interest of brevity, here’s some relevant Broscience As always, happy lifting! AdvertisementsTesla CEO Elon Musk is making good on his threat and will be parting ways with President Trump's advisory councils moments after Trump announced the U.S. would break with the Paris climate agreement. "Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world," the billionaire electronic car magnate said in a tweet Thursday afternoon. Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 1, 2017 A day earlier, responding to reports that Trump was going to go through with leaving the international accord to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, Musk said he would have "no choice" but to depart the President's Strategic and Policy Forum, comprised of some of America's leading business leaders to advise Trump and help him put together his economic agenda, as well as Trump's manufacturing jobs initiative. Musk previously resisted criticism for his participation in the councils, saying he would bring a progressive view to the table. Speaking to Fox News from the Rose Garden of the White House following Trump's announcement, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross downplayed the loss. "There are no end of businessmen who wanted to be on that council," he said. "I don't think that there will the slightest problem replacing them, not that we won't miss their participation."There were three games in the NHL on Sunday. The Stars narrowly eliminated the pesky Wild, the Capitals knocked out the Flyers, and the Isles upset the Panthers in double OT. Every game resulted in an elimination last night, so each game chart will be followed by a series chart as well. Before digging into the game charts, here’s how they work: A couple of notes on reading the charts: the Corsi differential is based on 5v5 play and is score-adjusted, as per war-on-ice. players at the top (with bars extending to the right) posted positive differentials (good) players at the bottom (and to the left) posted negative differentials (bad) the colour of each bar represents the player’s time on ice (see legend at the bottom) each players individual Corsi For attempts are included in parentheses a player with a strong C +/- but a (0) for iCF didn’t directly contribute to his strong showing. a player with a weak C +/- but a strong iCF score (i.e. greater than 5) may have been hindered by linemates. Maybe. like any reasonable person, I don’t believe that Corsi is everything. But it’s a very important part of the everything. On to the games… The Stars were up very, very big and very, very early. Then, in peak Stars fashion, the Wild were allowed to steamroll back into the game. The Stars won 5-4 but there’s lots of reason to think that the Wild actually tied the game late. Klingberg led the puck possession battle overall and Goligoski, Eaves, Spezza, and many other Stars littered the plus side of the game chart. Sharp and Niederreiter posted 6 iCF each, though Niederreiter managed to finish in the negatives. Ryan Suter was easily the worst in terms of Corsi differential in this game. He accumulated a mark worse than -15 with no other skater worse than -10. With that, the Wild bow out and the Stars move on. Dallas fans must wonder about their goaltending moving forward though… Stars win series 4-2. click here for a larger view The Capitals squeezed the Flyers right out of this game, grinding their way to a 1-0 win. Ovechkin was the best, Niskanen and Alzner were strong, and most Caps finished in the pluses. TJ Oshie led with 6 iCF – not an enormous number, which gives a sense of the breathless, tight hockey played in this one. On the negative side, Schenn was worse and Simmonds, MacDonald, and Ghostbear were close behind. Only Schenn was worse than -10 though. This series looked like it could be a walk. The Flyers plucked their way into a couple of wins and made a series of it. Small consolation, I suppose. Capitals win series 4-2. click here for a larger view Huberdeau was excellent, pacing all in Corsi differential and amassing 13 iCF over five periods of hockey. Barkov and Petrovic joined him at the top of the game chart. For the Isles, Okposo, Quine, Hickey, and Tavares were best. Okposo managed 14 iCF and Tavares had a…noticeable impact on the game as well. At the negative end, Logan Shaw stood out alone. No other skater was worse than ~-8. Despite an excellent, magical, oft-PDO-fueled run, the Panthers bow out. Still, this is a (mostly) young group with a bright future ahead. The Islanders get the rested Tampa Bay Lightning in round two. Isles win series 4-2. *click here for a larger view Read more… NHL Playoffs Game Charts – Saturday, April 23 NHL Playoffs Game Charts – Friday, April 22 Playoff Predictions using Corsi Differential and xGF% AdvertisementsImmigration restrictionists sometimes claim that noncitizens have no rights under the Constitution, and that the US government is therefore free to deal with them in whatever way it wants. At least as a general rule, this claim is simply false. Noncitizens undeniably have a wide range of rights under the Constitution. Indeed, within the borders of the United States, they have most of the same rights as citizens do, and longstanding Supreme Court precedent bans most state laws discriminating against noncitizens. There is little if any serious controversy among experts over this matter. Noncitizens undeniably have a wide range of rights under the Constitution. The more controversial issue is whether the Constitution provides any protection for noncitizens outside US borders, particularly in regard to immigration issues. Rights That Protect Aliens and Citizens Alike The First Amendment prevents the government from censoring noncitizens’ speech or suppressing the practice of their religion. The Fourth Amendment protects them against unreasonable searches and seizures. The Fifth Amendment ensures that noncitizens’ property can only be taken by the government for a public use, and only if just compensation is paid. Should a noncitizen be charged with a crime, he has exactly the same Fifth and Sixth Amendment procedural rights as a citizen, including the right to a jury trial, the right to counsel, and protection against self-incrimination. If convicted, the Eighth Amendment prevents the government from subjecting aliens to “cruel and unusual punishment” in exactly the same ways as it does with citizens. Rights Reserved to Citizens The Constitution reserves a few rights for citizens alone. Most notably, the Privileges and Immunities Clause of Article IV, Section 2, and the Privileges or Immunities Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment both protect the “privileges” and “immunities” of US citizens against various types of interference by state governments. The Second and Ninth Amendments indicate that the rights they protect are those of “the people.” While the Supreme Court has never addressed this issue, lower courts have disagreed over whether “the people” entitled to the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms includes noncitizens, especially undocumented immigrants. That a few constitutional rights may be specifically reserved to citizens underscores the broader principle that the vast majority are not. There would be no need to specify such a reservation if the Constitution had a default rule limiting rights to citizens. In reality, the vast majority of rights outlined in the Constitution are phrased as general limitations on government power, not special
tissue from his abdomen. Dennis Allen had said Hayden would be ready to go for camp. It's possible his recovery from the surgery is complete but he has not had time to get back in shape. It was assumed he would be brought along slowly regardless. Watson's injury is not yet known. It's not a good start to his NFL career. He was already going to be in a battle with incumbent starter, Khalif Barnes, at right tackle. He needs all the practice time he can get. Hopefully Dennis Allen can shed some light on the injuries in his press conference following Friday's practice.Image copyright Royal Berkshire Hospital Image caption All 2p coins struck between 1971 and 1981 have the words 'NEW PENCE' rather than 'TWO PENCE' on their reverse A two pence donation left in a collection box at a hospital in Reading has fetched more than £800 in an online auction. The 1971 coin, which is silver in colour rather than bronze, was found in a donation box used for unwanted foreign currency. Donations made to the box are used to purchase equipment and fund research at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. The 2p, which was auctioned on eBay, was bought by a collector for £802.03. Last year, a silver 2p coin found in a new packet of coins minted in 1988, which was found by the owner of a petrol station in Poole, sold at Charterhouse auction house in Sherborne, Dorset, for £1,200. Silver-coloured coins can be mistakenly struck if a cupro-nickel blank is left inside a barrel during the minting process.One of the latest revelation in the ordeal of over 250 abducted Chibok girls and another 250 Christian girls abducted in villages near Chibok was that they are being gang raped and shot for being Christians. This was the summary of the revelations by Senator Zanna representing Born Central Senatorial District According to an interview he granted an online media, the senator said that “.Actually the information I’m getting, some of them are very disturbing. Although I don’t want to mention but they are just raping the girls on camera and even showing them on video, releasing it to the public”. “Somebody told me that they were shown being raped, and in turn, it is the girl who was raped that came out kneeling down and begging the man to be patient. Do you know the reason why? They said when they rape them they shoot them. Therefore the girl after being raped, she curled down to the man, kneeling down and begging him to please be patient. So disturbing”. Senator Khalifa Ahmed Zanna, though a Muslim, was previously accused by former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff of being a Boko Haram sponsor who sponsors people outside the country for trainings in terrorism, but since this Chibok abducted started, he has shown great concerns over the fate of the abducted girls even more than the Federal Government and had almost on weekly basis released information that might aid in the release of the girls to the security agents. Senator Zanna just like Dr Peregrino Brimah, another Muslim, have tried all with their powers to know whether the Federal Government can step up in its fight against Boko Haram and permit the arming of local hunters and vigilante to go after the abductors of the girls The sympathy shown by these Muslim leaders are commendable and if many others had shown the same interest, probably this monster called Boko Haram would not have risen.. I want to insist that all Muslims are not in support of Boko Haram and will never be, however, the infidels raping, videoing and shooting my fellow Christians of the opposite sex are Muslims and they are doing it in the name of Allah. Initially these girls were abducted to be used as sex slaves because they are Christians and in the name of Allah. Boko Haram avoided all Muslim dominated schools and targeted Chibok to kidnap and rape innocent ‘infidel’ Christians. Later they were married to some old men with syphilis, gonorrhoea and staphylococcus in the name of Allah. A man whose age was past sixty was captured by Civilian JTF in Borno in May and he confessed that he has married two of the girls. Obviously, with his capture, the two girls would be rotated to other sex starved insurgents all in the name of Allah. Later they were forced to convert to Islam and now they are being raped and killed. The latest news from sources within CAN and others claimed that insurgents who couldn’t share in the Chibok girls wife spoils have convinced the leadership of Boko Haram to bring out the girls for serial raping and execution. Senator Zanna confirmed that one of the girls so raped was begging her rapists to be patient for her to recover from the just concluded rape and surrender willingly for another round for fear of being shot like others. This is the level of atrocities being committed in the name of Allah and yet the Muslim communities in Nigeria have not deemed it fit to fight these murderers and protect the name of Allah from being desecrated. Adherents of this religion of peace have not deemed it fit to enforce the peace in their faith by declaring all out war against these Boko Haram members whose activities are inimical to the peaceful co-existence of Nigeria. This Chibok issue has brought about the heartlessness of certain sections of adherents of this religion.It has also brought about the powerlessness of moderate and conservative Muslims who have found it difficult to tame these groups of persons dragging the name of Allah to the mud. Shehu Shagari, Muhammadu Buhari, Atiku Abubakar,Raji Fashola,Bola Tinubu are all adherents of Allah and during the periods they held sway in government, they did not disgrace the name of Allah. While Buhari was known to have fought corruption, Shagari gave the South East infrastructural boost. Tinubu fought Obasanjo’s hegemony and executive recklessness while Fashola developed Lagos astronomically, and when he illegally deported some Igbo destitutes, he later apologized for his mistakes. Therefore there are many good adherents of Allah but the evil ones like Mallam Shekau had dragged the name of this deity to the mud. Abducting, serially raping and now mercilessly shooting some forcefully impregnated Christian girls in the name of Allah is a time bomb that will consume both the sponsors of Boko Haram and all the persons who through acts of commission or omission aided the spread of this wickedness God is warning those playing with the issue of these abducted girls that if the blood of these girls are wasted as we carry on our normal businesses, we are opening doors of unimaginable violence in the nation such that everybody will bear the consequences. The patience of the Christian community in Nigeria should not be taken for granted. The Muslim community in Nigeria should lead the onslaught against their brothers who have gone astray from the tenets of Islam and became rapists and murderers and President Jonathan and his Federal Government should not hesitate to arm the Borno residents who have shown willingness to pursue Mallam Shekau and his band of killers. The earlier we do that and deliver these Chibok Christian girls and others from serial gang-raping and death,the better, before the consequences of this evil falls on the entire nation. Obinna Akukwe [email protected]Movie Review Movie Review Get Out B+ Movie Review Get Out B+ B+ Get Out Director Jordan Peele Runtime 103 minutes Rating R Cast Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener, LilRel Howery, Caleb Landry Jones Availability Theaters everywhere February 24 Suburbia at dusk. A nice neighborhood, if property values determine such a thing. It’s quiet. A little too quiet, to be cute about it. Someone walks alone through this residential idyll. But are they really alone? The voyeuristic slink of the camerawork suggests otherwise, and sure enough, it’s not long before an ominous vehicle appears in the background, creeping down the block, a silent stalker on four wheels. Even without an eerie synth soundtrack to hammer the reference home, it’s clear we’ve stumbled into John Carpenter’s neck of the genre woods. Except that aforementioned someone isn’t Jamie Lee Curtis or any of her lily-white friends, but Lakeith Stanfield, one of the young black stars of TV’s Atlanta. And it’s not Michael Myers behind the wheel this time, but a more communal evil—the kind that prowls affluent streets, watching for anyone that fits a certain description, anyone that “doesn’t belong.” We’re meant to think of Halloween. Of Trayvon Martin, too. Advertisement These kind of dual associations are all over Get Out, the wildly entertaining directorial debut of sketch-comedy chameleon Jordan Peele. For every moment that sparks the recall function of horror buffs, there’s another that may provoke, for some portion of the audience, a much less pleasant twinge of recognition. The cold open described above could have come straight from the comedian’s brilliant, defunct variety show, Key & Peele—especially one of its Halloween episodes, which put culturally pointed spins on scary-movie tropes. Here, though, a punchline never arrives. And that’s because Peele, who also wrote the screenplay, has made a bona fide fright flick with dashes of cringe comedy, not the other way around. Maybe he got tired of laughing at the living, breathing reality of racism in America. Screaming is a good reaction, too. That’s not to say that Get Out is devoid of humor. Coming as it does from an expert parodist, the film is often funnier around its edges than most full-blown comedies are at center, even as Peele largely resists playing his scenario—a kind of town-with-a-secret spin on Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner—strictly for laughs. After that disquieting prologue, Get Out switches focus to photographer Chris (Daniel Kaluuya, from Sicario and the terrific exercise-bike episode of Black Mirror) as he prepares to accompany his girlfriend on a weekend trip to her hometown. Rose (Allison Williams) insists that her parents will have no problem with him being black. But once the two arrive at the massive suburban estate of Missy (Catherine Keener) and Dean (Bradley Whitford), Chris is put through the casually racist wringer. On top of the insensitive questions and embarrassing attempts at small talk (“I would have voted for Obama for a third term,” Dean proudly declares, minutes after introducing himself), there’s just something vaguely… off about the whole place. Could it have something to do with the family’s black maid and gardener, both of whom exhibit personalities that oscillate from robotically ingratiating to unnervingly unhinged? Or maybe the way Missy, constantly stirring her tea, keeps trying to get Chris to agree to hypnosis to cure him of his smoking habit? There’s a nefarious conspiracy here for audiences to unpack, and it’s all part of the way Peele uses a genre framework to explore how racism survives and mutates in an All Lives Matter culture, taking different insidious shapes. Early into the film’s terrific first hour, Chris and Rose run afoul a bullying bigot of a state trooper—an offhand encounter that drips with the implicit (and sadly headline-topical) threat of police brutality. But Get Out also gets into more submerged forms of prejudice in the charged interactions between Chris and Rose’s family. Whitford, even more perfectly cast here than he was as a white-collar cog of The Cabin In The Woods, performs a tireless display of paternalistic smarminess, managing to slip a couple subtle variations on “boy” into a single two-minute stretch. The social discomfort feeds directly into the suspense: Chris, valiantly struggling to keep his cool, can’t be sure if the unease he feels about the whole situation stems from a genuine danger or just a growing impatience with these condescending assholes. Advertisement Get Out turns out to be more fun, and more provocative, than it is scary, at least in the traditional midnight-movie sense: The film works so well as a gauntlet of social horror that Peele almost didn’t need the more traditional thriller elements he introduces in the third act, when a carefully calibrated build in just-because-you’re-paranoid dread gives way to some disappointingly conventional survival games. (Here, the involvement of the prolific exploitation purveyors at Blumhouse Productions is most strongly felt.) There’s also a fairly needless subplot involving a TSA agent, played by LilRel Howery, who dual-functions as an exposition delivery system and a tension-breaking comic-relief sidekick; it’s the only part of the movie that betrays Peele’s sketch-comedy roots, plainly visible in his script for last year’s Keanu. On the other hand, the very nature of the film’s hero-villain dichotomy lends its climax a rare cathartic chill. Continuing a lineage of progressive horror that extends from Night Of The Living Dead to Bill Gunn’s Ganja & Hess to Attack The Block, Peele doesn’t just subvert a genre often dinged for making people of color expendable cleaver-fodder. He also flips pearl-clutching, white-flight anxiety about predatory black men on its ear, turning a gated community into the real danger zone. To that end, the supernatural component, once it officially arrives, almost feels like a reprieve, stealing Get Out away from the actual, everyday nightmares it otherwise evokes. Opening at a time when white supremacists have crashed the White House, Peele’s clever, incisive foray into genre cinema makes a point much more frightening than any jump scare or torture chamber: Being black in America is often its own horror movie.The Pirate Bay is at the center of a new lawsuit filed at the District Court in Helsinki, Finland. Music industry representatives have filed suit against one of the major Internet Service Providers in the country, demanding that it blocks subscriber access to the BitTorrent site. The Pirate Bay is currently one of the most visited websites in Finland. If there’s one site that has felt the wrath of Internet censorship the most, it’s The Pirate Bay. The popular BitTorrent site is currently censored in Ireland, Italy, Turkey and Denmark, and almost lost its domain name to the U.S. Government last year. If it’s up to a group of Finnish Music Industry representatives, Finland will be the next country to join this growing list. Yesterday, the Copyright Information and Anti-Piracy Centre (CIAPC) and the local IFPI branch announced that they have filed a lawsuit at the District Court in Helsinki. The legal action targets Elisa, one of the largest ISPs in Finland, and demands that the Internet provider stops allowing its subscribers to access The Pirate Bay. The BitTorrent site is hugely popular in Finland where it’s listed as the 31st most-visited website according to traffic reports. According to the music industry there’s no other viable option to stop the mass-scale copyright infringement other than to censor The Pirate Bay. “We’ve waited and hoped that the Pirate Bay’s admins would cease the service in November 2010, after the criminal conviction at the Swedish Appeal Court,” said music producer representative Lauri Rechardt in a comment. “That did not happen, on the contrary, the number of Finnish users increased instead.” “The development of a legitimate online market in Finland will not be successful if illegal services such as the Pirate Bay can continue to operate,” Rechardt added. The President of the Finnish Musicians’ Union Ahti Vänttinen further stressed the need for effective legislative tools to crack down on ‘rogue’ websites. “It is somewhat tragicomic that, although the illegal activities of Pirate Bay’s founders have been sentenced to imprisonment, the site is still operational in Finland,” Vänttinen said. “Unless this is addressed in Finnish legislation, credibility is at stake. Or is the Internet outside the law?” Thus far several lawsuits throughout Europe have resulted in a Pirate Bay blockade, but not all. A Dutch court ruled last year that two of the largest ISPs in the Netherlands don’t have block customer access to The Pirate Bay. According to the court, there was no evidence that the majority of the ISPs’ users are infringing copyright through The Pirate Bay, so a block would not be justified. But the tide is changing to the benefit of the entertainments industries, and increasingly lawmakers are warming up to broader censorship tools. In Europe there are talks to adopt a China-like firewall to block websites deemed ‘inappropriate,’ and in the US blocking ‘illicit’ websites will be simplified if the PROTECT IP Act is passed. Although The Pirate Bay team has weathered worse storms, they are worried about said proposals and told its users earlier this month that “The Battle of Internets is About to Begin.”The German was forced to revert to an older specification power unit for the Italian Grand Prix after a leak in the cooling system of his new engine led to problems in final practice. Rosberg faced further trouble in the race though, with the older unit failing in the closing stages and costing him a podium finish. Singapore tests Early analysis of the removed Monza engine has suggested that it can be used again, but the team is still not sure about whether its performance will be compromised of if there are reliability risks. The power unit is set to be fired up ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix so detailed checks can be done, after which a decision will be made on where and when the engine can be used again. It is possible that the engine could be given the all clear to run in Friday practice, but it is highly unlikely that the team will want to risk running it in the Singapore race. The uncertainty means that Rosberg will therefore take his fourth power unit of the season for the Marina Bay race, which will be to the updated specification that was introduced at Monza. With seven races remaining, Rosberg will need at least two engines to see out the season, so if the Monza unit is not cleared to race then it means he will face a grid penalty later in the campaign if he has to take a fifth unit.For over a year now the UK has been wracked with a host of political scandals which rival the most intricate episodes of Yes, Prime Minister. Yes, Britain is apparently leaving the European Union (a matter knife-edge enough). Yes, there are questions about the tenability of the Prime Minister’s position, and who will usurp her. Yes, the Paradise Papers have long ago told us what we already knew: the rich aren’t paying tax. Yes, our government is regularly implementing and justifying racist policies. But the hottest of the hot topics was, at least for a time, this: “Why has the sexual harassment and abuse of (mostly) women been prevalent in British parliament for decades?” Our government has been dealing with everything from rape to groping and sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sexual or inappropriate comments. Women set up a WhatsApp group specifically to share information about whom to be cautious of. The Secretary of State For Defence (that’s right, the person responsible for defending the United Kingdom against attacks) resigned on November 1st, 2017 before the full range of allegations was even made public. The media has, of course, sought answers, ranging from It was the culture to Women need to toughen up to a disappointingly modest mainstream smattering of power, privilege and toxic masculinity. Some outlets have linked this (to some, unsurprising) spurt of public revelations to the infamous Harvey Weinstein allegations. This is a man whom, for decades, sexually harassed and abused (mostly) women in Hollywood. His behaviour was known-yet-unknown, referenced in public but never revealed. Given this, Hollywood responded with the full spectrum of shock, anger, feeling ‘sad’ and ‘bad for’ Weinstein, expressing renewed curiosity about women’s dress codes and naïveté of ‘the culture we live in’. This British Bank Holiday, on the 25th May 2018, he was finally charged, with rape, sex abuse, and sexual misconduct pertaining to two women. Two. However, we now know about comedian Louis CK, actor Steven Segal, and the once-beloved Kevin Spacey. Morgan Freeman is on the list of those accused. Heartbreakingly, there will be others to come. To what extent can we continue to suggest it’s women’s responsibility and women’s fault – when it’s happening to a whole spectrum of people? Let’s be clear: every single accused person is a man. And we are all – no matter our personal gender – at risk of the violence of male power. As Judith Hermann writes in her seminal work Trauma and Recovery, “It is now apparent that the traumas of one are the traumas of the other. The hysteria of woman and the combat neurosis of men are one. Recognising the commonality of affliction may even make it possible at times to transcend the immense gulf that separates the public sphere of war and politics – the world of men – and the sphere of private domestic life – of women” (p. 32). It should be noted here that Hermann’s usage of ‘hysteria’ was of hysteria a debunked and oppressive conceptualisation of women. She discusses how a range of traumas, apparently so different, are linked by the political – they are characterised by fear and threat, power and violence. Her words ring true, except now the traumatic event is the same for both men and women. The personal world of child sexual abuse – largely perpetrated by men – has become political. And, unfortunately, that is meant both metaphorically and literally. For Britain, however, this does not follow the Hollywood accusations as some have suggested. Its cultural foundations more likely rest on the ‘watershed moment’ of the British Jimmy Savile story. Between 2011-2013 Jimmy Savile – an English radio, TV, and media personality who was an avid charity fundraiser – was posthumously exposed as having perpetrated prolific sexual abuse. Some of the abuse happened live on air, with cameras rolling. Some was with unconscious and disabled children. He was buried as Sir Jimmy Saville, just two months before the truth of his abuse was unearthed to the public. This case was unprecedented; ghastly, shocking, unspeakable and yet the country could speak of little else. The grim reality of the tale started to unravel with one small thread: a ‘handful of cases’ in the 1960s. At first, people couldn’t believe it. Then, eventually, nobody could question it. His final victim count – following a snowball effect of increased confidence in reporting, public attention, support and helplines – was around 500. At least, that we know of. It is to the shame of Britain this happened. It is to the shame of Britain nobody listened until it was too late. Consider now the current political mess. Consider the heated discussions about everything from consensual flirting to discomfort to harassment to rape. At once point, these discussions consumed the media as much as the media is consumed by its audience. Now, the attention has cooled in light of the scandal-machine that is our current government. However, the sexual consent movement has been built upon the backs of those who were brave enough to stand up and say: this happened. It was real. It is also built upon the humiliation and isolation we heaped upon so many hundreds of thousands of others, by not believing them in the first place. Arguably, such open discussions about child sexual abuse could not have happened before. They repeat an age-old story, except this time people are compelled and able to hear it. The personal is political and the political is personal. The social and cultural context for victims, survivors and survivor-victims to finally unburdening their stories is ripe. And abuse is rife. What does this tell us? It tells us we have a problem with how we teach our men. And it tells us we have a problem with power. Judith Hermann predicts every few decades, society can acknowledge traumas and set the stage for action and reparation. However, the unspeakable nature of trauma begs that we push it back into our collective unconscious. And we can’t. We simply can’t let that happen. Not in my country. The original meaning of ‘watershed’ is an area of land which separates rivers which flow in two different directions. Politically, culturally, socially, morally, we need to make sure things flow in the right direction. Crucially, we can’t let this stop with perpetrators who are famous, who have pockets of accusers sharing their stories together for their own safety. We need to support ordinary people (ordinary women, particularly), to share their stories outside of the limelight where the public’s support is less tangible. We need to support the poor, the less ‘credible’, the young, those of ethnic, gender and sexual minorities, those already in sex work, those with ‘bad reputations’. Let’s continue to bring those in power to task. Let’s support and donate to groups like Refuge and Broken Rainbow, the NSPCC, and other local charities in your area. Let’s protest the closure of women’s shelters. Let’s give our gratitude to groups like Sisters Uncut. And for goodness’ sake, for all that is healthy in this world… Stop blaming women. Stop blaming victims. Start listening. Don’t let us forget what it felt like when these allegations and stories were fresh. Let’s turn the political back personal again.Ted McMeekin says Hamilton is getting $1 billion for its light rail transit (LRT) plan, and if city council wants it for a different transit plan, it has to ask for money all over again — and it may or may not get it. The provincial funding for Hamilton's LRT project is no different than applying to build a hospital, says the Liberal Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale MPP. If you want to build an arena instead, you have to reapply for the money all over again. And seven cities are already in line for the transit money Hamilton is currently debating. I remember the angry days when people were screaming at the province to get off its derriere and get this done. - Ted McMeekin McMeekin made the comments at a government announcement at LIUNA station Monday. "If you decide you want to build a hospital, for example, and you get a billion dollars in funding, and then you decide you want to build an arena somewhere, that's a different project and you have to go back to the drawing board," he said. The fate of Hamilton's $1 billion LRT allocation if the city rejects the project is a key question heading into a critical council vote Wednesday. Some members of city council say Hamilton accepts it for LRT or loses it. Those opposed say that rejecting LRT is not rejecting a $1 billion investment — the money will come back around again for other uses. McMeekin tried to dispel any confusion or uncertainty. "The billion dollars was for — and let me make this categorically clear — the light rail transit project," he said. "If they have another plan down the road, they'll have to … make another request." In doing so, he said, Hamilton will compete with seven other cities asking for money for rapid transit projects. However, McMeekin did concede that the idea of returning to the original plan of a line extending as far east as Eastgate Square would be considered part of the existing plan and wouldn't force the city to the back of the line. Mayor Fred Eisenberger said the city is choosing to accept a $1 billion Metrolinx project, not being given a $1 billion blank cheque. "It's not Hamilton's money," he said. "It's the province's $1 billion." McMeekin said the allocation is specifically for this project, which the city requested the province fund. If the city wants money for another transit project, it goes to the back of the line to request the province fund it. "We had the debate in Hamilton over many years," he said. "I remember the angry days when people were screaming at the province to get off its derriere and get this done." City council will decide Wednesday whether to approve an updated environmental assessment, which lays out the design plan for the $1 billion LRT system. The plan has an LRT from McMaster University to the Queenston traffic circle, although some have said plans are still afoot to follow the original plan to Eastgate Square. McMeekin said there have been "discussions" with the minister, the mayor and others to add Eastgate to the plan again. "Stay tuned," he said. "Who knows?" samantha.craggs@cbc.ca \| @SamCraggsCBCWednesday, January 28, 2015 · by Tamara Aparton San Francisco, CA — San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi today released video showing a deputy public defender being unlawfully arrested outside a courtroom as she attempted to protect her client’s right to counsel. The cell phone footage, taken Tuesday afternoon inside the San Francisco’s Hall of Justice, shows San Francisco Police Inspector Brian Stansbury arresting Deputy Public Defender Jami Tillotson for refusing to let her client, a young African American man, be questioned without the presence of his attorney. Stansbury, the subject of a 2013 federal civil rights lawsuit filed by a black SFPD officer alleging racial profiling, cites Tillotson for resisting arrest as a uniformed officer places her in handcuffs. Tillotson, an 18-year veteran of the San Francisco Public Defender’s office, remains calm and courteous throughout the video, telling Stansbury and five officers that she is representing her client and is not resisting arrest. Officers took Tillotson to a holding cell in Southern Station, where she remained handcuffed to a wall for approximately an hour. After Tillotson was led away, Stansbury photographed and questioned her client and another young man who did not have an attorney present. Officers refused to tell the young men or Tillotson the reason for the detention. “Public defenders have a duty to protect the constitutional rights of their clients,” Tillotson said at a noontime press conference Wednesday. “It was surreal to be led away in handcuffs for doing my job, something I do every day.” Adachi called Tillotson’s arrest “outrageous” and “disappointing.” “This is not Guantanamo Bay. People have an absolute right to have their attorneys present during questioning,” he said. The Public Defender has requested a copy of the police report in the incident and has demanded both an explanation and an apology. “A uniform does not give you a license to bully innocent people into submission,” Adachi said. “If this happens to a public defender in front of her client, I can only imagine what is happening on our streets.” Video of the incident can be found at http://bit.ly/18vHKXS or watch it below. ###There was a request on a HN comment for more info about “real world Clojure” so I turned what started as a comment and got long into a post about our experiences at Revelytix… We started using Clojure at the beginning of 2010 building a new set of enterprise data integration and analytics products at Revelytix. Initially we had 5 developers and we are currently up to 10. We have 9 people doing Clojure full-time creating enterprise data integration software at Revelytix. I will be doing a talk about some of our work at Devoxx next month. David McNeil, my colleague, is talking about it at the Clojure/conj conference next month as well. We have about 60,000 lines (just with wc -l, so including comments and blanks) of Clojure, roughly half test code. We started on Clojure 1.2 pre-release and tracked the daily snapshots. Since then we’ve been on 1.2, slowly moving towards 1.3 right now. We used 1.2 early to get access to new (at the time) features like records and protocols. In no particular order, some observations: Clojure code is about 1-2 orders of magnitude smaller than the equivalent in Java, depending on what you’re doing. If you focus on it, you can go further by building better abstractions (often ones that would be impossible or highly impractical in Java). This is in some ways a superficial comparison but is actually fairly important. I’m confident that it would be harder for us to understand and maintain our system if it was 600k lines of code rather than 60k loc. The reason we chose Clojure was that I, in particular, had built a similar system previously at MetaMatrix (later sold and open-sourced as JBoss Teiid) using Java. In the area of query planning and optimization, I found that at some point I hit a wall with what I could do in Java. There was latent abstraction that I understood but could not express in the code. I was determined to walk down that path this second time in a language that had more powerful abstraction capabilities to let me get closer to talking in terms of my problem. I don’t think we’ve really gone after that as an objective very hard yet but even so, we’ve had clear success when we have. At the time we started, the initial 5 developers were all new to Clojure, although all of us had some experience with Scheme, Lisp, OCaml, or other functional languages. I don’t think any of us found it difficult to “learn Clojure”. I feel like we’re all still learning every day how best to leverage it. As we’ve on-boarded new people, I feel like it probably took longer than it would have with Java, but not orders of magnitude different. I find it challenging to find ways to express designs for Clojure (and maybe more generally FP). I think UML in all its glory is pretty much a waste of time, but I think the core class / sequence / component diagrams, when done as a description rather than a spec, are incredibly useful as a way to communicate design at a higher level than the code. Some parts of Clojure code are easy to represent as record structures or function signatures. Data flow diagrams work well with other parts. However, once a design starts to leverage HOF (as good abstractions inevitably do), it is difficult to both describe the high-level intent while staying accurate to the low-level code. I’m open to ideas. :) I don’t find that using Clojure making the overall process of writing new code faster. My thinking/typing ratio is much higher though. I think the reason is that I have a huge confidence in Java refactoring tools and my abilities to morph the code towards where it should go. In Clojure, if you start writing code there is no ceremony and within two minutes you realize that your first idea was dumb and your data structure should be totally different and it drives you back into the thinking phase. Clojure tooling is acceptable. I did serious stints using TextMate+REPL, Netbeans+Enclojure, Eclipse+CCW, and finally gave up and learned Emacs so my teammates would stop making fun of me. Thanks to sitting a few feet from guru Emacs users, I was proficient within a few days. I don’t think I could live without paredit and I am pretty happy with Emacs when I am in the mode of single source file + single test file + REPL. When I am doing larger more architectural work, I find using something with a graphical browser like Eclipse+CCW much easier. Debugging tools are hard to set up (not that I don’t greatly appreciate the work people have put into them so far) and light years from Java tooling. Profiling works just fine with JVM profilers but the results can be very difficult to interpret. Build stuff with leiningen is very good if you’re on the 80% path. More than anything with Clojure I’ve come to appreciate the data-centric approach to building software. This is deserving of a much longer and more exploratory post someday but I can now see how Java locks your data away in boxes and makes you use keys (and write key factories and key adapters and key factory bridge adapters) to get it back out again. Like I said, need to write this up in more detail. Performance has been generally good so far although we do have “slow” parts of the system that we need to investigate more. Laziness can be a pain in understanding where time is going and understanding stack trace sampling. We’ll be doing more work on performance in the coming year I’m sure. If you have questions that I didn’t think to answer, please ask…You sly fucking bastard. You incredible, beautiful beast. record scratch You might be asking yourself how I got here, sitting in my living room with a fork in Val Kilmer's crying face. It's a long story. Background: I love cake and I tolerate Benadryl fairly well. All of that culminates in the strange description I wrote in my Val Kilmer exchange information which rambled on about an imaginary date I had planned with the poor guy involving an animal shelter, brunch, a cake with his face on it, and beer made from his tears, and then I promptly forgot about it and went about my day to day life, cakeless and bored. And then the messages started coming. They were cryptic at first. I didn't know if Val Kilmer himself was wooing me from afar. But then a pattern appeared. There was a mission in place. A destination. A package to pick up. The messages continued. We discussed sandwiches and sandwich-related controversy. The day came. It was a rainy Sunday, it was gloomy. I pre-gamed with brunch and a bomb-ass Mexican coffee. I walked into the shop. I glanced at the receipt- "tear drops on the cake." What is happening. We opened the box at home and promptly FLIPPED A SHIT, because not only did it have Val Kilmer's face on it, it had TEARDROPS ALL OVER THE CAKE, thus proving that there is still magic in the world and the magnificent staff at the Bean Counter procured Val Kilmer's ethereal tears via my mysterious conduit so that I could bask in the joy and wonder of Huckleberry. Santa, you have made my week and inadvertently provided me with a new band name; "Tear Drops on the Cake". But more importantly, you have intrigued and surprised me, and I cannot possibly thank you enough for that. I want to write more, so much more, but I have to go eat Val Kilmer's neck now. I love you. I love you so much it hurts.Is your usual morning cuppa joe just not cutting it anymore? Do you still feel groggy and listless no matter how large — pardon me, how grande — your Starbucks eye-opener is? Sounds like you need a Death Wish. Marketed as the “world’s strongest coffee,” Death Wish boasts 200 percent more caffeine than the typical cup of coffee, with a “strong and robust” dark-roast flavor. Latching onto the so-strong-it’ll-kill-you marketing technique employed by extreme hot sauces and bacon-wrapped food monstrosities, Death Wish is squarely aimed at the subset of consumers who enjoy the thrill of gradual self-de
and, last but not least, in which to hold and to voice minority views does not involve any mortal danger. In such an atmosphere the man in the street has no real understanding of things like concentration camps, mass deportations, arrests without trial, press censorship etc. Everything he reads about a country like the USSR is automatically translated into English terms, and he quite innocently accepts the lies of totalitarian propaganda”. (The Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters of George Orwell, p. 458) Orwell quite clearly felt that the British public were too stupid to understand about Russia what he was qualified to pronounce on only from his reading of the bourgeois press! This from a man who obviously had no understanding of the society he himself lived in and certainly no understanding of the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism, which he pretended to defend. It is worth noting here that Orwell’s understanding of fascism and the threat it posed during the 30s was entirely negligible, as is pointed out by Bill Alexander in his article George Orwell and Spain: “Orwell went to Spain largely ignorant of the background, situation and the forces involved. He admits ‘when I came to Spain I was not only uninterested in the political situation but unaware of it.’ Unlike many European intellectuals he had not understood the essential clash between liberty and fascism. Hitler’s brutal destruction of democracy in Germany and even Mosley’s violence against opponents in Britain in 1934 must have passed him by. Crick, his biographer, could write that before March 1936, when Orwell saw Mosley’s blackshirts beating up questioners at a Barnsley meeting, `there is no indication before this incident of any great concern in Orwell with the nature and spread of fascism. “Orwell had no understanding of the world-wide significance of the struggle in Spain, he knew little of the national efforts of the Popular Front government to achieve a united front against fascism, he had never seen the Republican flag, he did not agree with the actions of the POUM – he took a rifle in the role of an outsider, a journalist looking for experiences to figure in a future book... “His aloofness from the common spirit of Popular Front Spain is strikingly exposed in his cynical dismissal of the fact that wounded soldiers demanded to return to the front. It happened! Without this spirit the Republican forces, outnumbered and outgunned, could not have fought on for eighteen more months after Orwell had gone home. Resistance to Franco would not have persisted despite forty years of terror and repression following his victory... “The fundamental reason for Orwell’s attitude to the war – on top of his British upper-class arrogance and overriding personal objective to write a book – was his lack of understanding of anti-fascist feeling. He had visited, with an eye to a future book, the down-and-outs in London. Commissioned to write a book, he had briefly visited the distressed industrial areas of the North of England. But there was no sense of identification with the men and women caught in the capitalist crisis – no sense of ‘there but for my family background go I’. The horrors of fascism in Italy and Germany do not appear to have made him angry, emotionally concerned to do something. This lack of deep feeling, almost one of neutrality, shows itself throughout his writing... Orwell feels no anger at the man who wounds him – indeed wishes to congratulate him on his good shooting. He is certainly not concerned at his own absence from the battle line. Orwell saw the war as a game, material for a book”. (Inside The Myth, ed. Christopher Norris: London, 1984, pp.85-97) Orwell’s lack of understanding of politics, combined with his rabid anti-communism, meant that he was trying to get Animal Farm published in 1943, just as the future of humanity was being decided and the USSR was sacrificing all at Stalingrad. Publisher after publisher rejected it, until the war ended and the book’s usefulness as a tool in the coming Cold War was recognised. Writing in The Guardian in August 1995, Stuart Jeffries says that although “many of those who read the book were right-wingers eager for a novel which appeared to show an ex-socialist recanting his beliefs... the book was chiefly aimed at the faithful, those who believed that the Soviet Union was the way and the truth”. (An Arable Parable, Stuart Jeffries: The Guardian, 9 August 1995) Orwell the State Informer As if more proof were needed of Orwell’s anti-communist credentials, it was revealed in 1996 that in 1949, Orwell offered to provide a secret Foreign Office Propaganda Unit linked to the intelligence services with the names of writers who could be trusted to write anti-communist propaganda, and also with the names of writers and journalists whom he regarded as being ‘crypto-communist’ and ‘fellow-travellers’. This unit had been set up by the Attlee government in response to the “developing communist threat to the whole fabric of Western civilisation”. Well-known writers, such as Bertrand Russell, Stephen Spender and Arthur Koestler were employed to disseminate misinformation about the USSR, the East European Peoples’ Democracies and the communist Parties of Western Europe. Papers release also show that the IRD (Information Research Department) actively promoted the foreign language publication of Animal Farm in places such as Saudi Arabia, where anti-imperialist activity was threatening the oil revenues of imperialism. Thus we can see that “What attracted the bourgeoisie to this third-rate writer was not his pretended support for the ideals of the October Revolution, but his real driving hatred for the ideals of communism. Had Orwell’s characterisation of Stalin, and the CPSU that he led, corresponded to the truth, that would have made Stalin the darling of the imperialist bourgeoisie; had there been a steady erosion of revolutionary principles and had the dictatorship really collapsed into the dictatorship of a cynical few, Stalin’s Russia would have been warmly embraced to the point of suffocation by imperialism”. (Lalkar, September/October 1996) It was precisely because Stalin’s USSR did not conform to the picture painted by Orwell that it posed such a threat to imperialism, and this in turn explains the bourgeoisie’s joyful embrace of Orwell’s tawdry novels and their continued place as compulsory reading for students the world over. It is the duty of all Marxist-Leninists to refute the slanders contained in Orwell’s work and to arm our young people with the knowledge they need to defend the Soviet Union both in and out of the classroom. Continuing in the vein pioneered by Trotsky of attacking the Revolution from the Left, showing the same all-pervading contempt for ordinary people and demonstrating the same lack of faith in the ability of the working class to free itself, Orwell has served imperialism just as well as many more openly reactionary writers, and has more than earned the honours that have been heaped upon him. Presentation made to the Stalin Society in February 1998 Back to top AdvertisementsThe Lexicon Subscribe: iTunes or RSS The Three R’s, Reading Writing and ’Rithmetic, have formed the basis of formal education for centuries, at least since they were mentioned by Sir William Curtis in 1795, even if he probably used Reckoning instead of ‘Rithmetic. Most of the time though the three R’s can be simplified down even further to the two Glyphs, Letters and Numbers. For most people ‘Rithmetic or reckoning or mathematics or what ever you want to call it, falls directly under the umbrella of numbers. That is not incorrect. Numbers are very much mathematics brand. Numbers are how mathematics is represented to children from a young age and when you show an aptitude for the subject you are often branded a numbers person. There is even a youtube channel featuring videos about cool mathematics called Numberphile. But mathematics is more than numbers, and before you go making a joke about how of course it is otherwise we could never solve for x, mathematics is more than individual letters too. Letters, and that thing you get when you put a bunch of letters together and make them into words and then you take those words and you put them together according to some set of rules called language, plays a very important role in mathematics. This episode of Relatively Prime, The Lexicon, explores this role. The Trans-Atlantic Battle Lynne Murphy is an American born, University of Sussex employed linguist. This made her the perfect person to talk to about the linguistic fight which destroys more Anglo-American mathematical friendships than which type of breakfast pastry to serve at a conference: Is it Math or is it Maths? (Ed. Note: It is math, I do not care at all what the story actually concludes) Digging Down to the Roots One of the things about the language of mathematics is a lot of it comes from language, like from the languages that we speak. To be fair not the actual languages we speak, at least not that we speak anymore. Unless you just happen to be a scholar of Greek, Latin, or Arabic. This is where Anthony Lo Bello’s Origins of Mathematical Words: A Comprehensive Dictionary of Latin, Greek, and Arabic Roots comes in. Samuel was joined by Anthony for a conversation about the dictionary and some of the origins therein. Words’ Younger Sibling A discussion of mathematical language which only touched on mathematical words would be really unsatisfying. It would probably feel like only one half of a dialogue. This is of course because it would be skipping over half of what constitutes mathematical language, it would be skipping over symbols. Today symbols are just as much part of the language of mathematics as words. This is a surprisingly recent development. For example, when Algebra was first being developed it was entirely in prose. Joseph Mazur wrote about how symbols were developed and integrated into mathematics in his book Enlightening Symbols and he spoke to Samuel about the evolution of symbols and how they have changed mathematics. A Train Left Station U Traveling 40 mph… There are two words which can elicit a groan in almost any mathematics classroom, word problem. Thankfully this does not have to be the case. Tharanga Wijetunge and Kirthi Premadasa are here with the solution. Their research has shown that using different language to frame the problems can help students not only enjoy the problems more, but also better recall the mathematics. No Words at All Tim Chartier is a person who spends half of his life trying to find stories within mathematics and the other half telling those stories in as many ways as possible. While this would be a hard enough task if Tim just wrote books, made videos, and gave podcast interviews. All of which he does, but Tim, along with his wife, have gone one step farther and now tour the world tell mathematical stories without any words at all. That is right, they do mathematical mime. Mime-matics – The Plunger from Tim Chartier on Vimeo. Mime-matics – the infinite rope from Tim Chartier on Vimeo. Mime-matics – The Tube (with Topology discussion) from Tim Chartier on VimeoI am alas of an age when I can remember Albert Lamorisse’s short film of 1956, The Red Balloon, being regularly shown on weekday afternoons on the BBC – broadcast after the test card as one of the tests for the possibility of colour transmission. Whimsical but touching and imbued with a post-war melancholy, it unfurled the tale of a lonely little boy who follows a metaphorical balloon through the desolate streets of suburban post-war Paris. The London-based photographer Hana Vojáčková first saw the film more than 50 years after I did. But as someone with memories of Czechoslovakia before glasnost, it resonated for her with the bleakness of the Prague of her childhood, as well as with footage from a Soviet film archive of the city of Pripyat, totally abandoned since 1986, when it was incorporated into an exclusion zone after the nuclear explosion at neighbouring Chernobyl. The films haunted her to such an extent that in 2009 she packed her camera and embarked on a risky expedition to Pripyat, now accessible only to scientists and officials. After dealings with a dodgy fixer in Odessa, who bribed guards and forged documents, she ended up spending eight hours over two snow-covered days in this ghost town, abruptly abandoned like Pompeii or the Mary Celeste and now overrun by wild horses and wolves. “It didn’t seem so much tragic as asleep,” she says.A Tory MP has secured a Westminster Hall debate on cycle investment. CTC is urging cyclists to ask their MPs to attend next Wednesday's debate. Tabled by Chris Green, Conservative MP for Bolton West, the debate follows the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, which allotted £300m for cycling and walking over the next five years. This amounts to central Government funding of just £1.39 per person in England outside London, and is, in effect, a 30 percent cut in funding. In the Get Britain Cycling report of the last parliament the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group called for sustained investment in cycling of at least £10 per head annually, rising to £20 per head. Roads and cycling minister Robert Goodwill MP told Parliament in 2014 that he aspired to reach the £10 per head figure by 2020/21, yet the funding so far allocated for cycling falls well short of this level. David Murray, CTC's head of communications, said: "TNational roads funding is set at £15bn over the next five years. We believe that the Government should reallocate some of that £15bn from roads to cycling and walking investment. Instead of worsening air pollution, congestion and other traffic-related problems, the money could be so much better spent on solving them." CTC has created an automated form for alerting MPs to the debate. Westminster Hall debates give MPs an opportunity to raise issues and receive a response from a government minister. They are very often sparsely attended.First, I should mention that I only started looking into R yesterday to use the PLS library. I imported my data from MATLAB with 'R.matlab' library. One of my matrices I managed to insert to a dataframe quite easily since it was a 1D vector. It showed as my_1d_matrix... num [1:205, 1] 124 138 38 76 155... So, I did this: > df <- data.frame(x = my_1d_matrix) My other matrix however is 205x4096. And it shows like this in my workspace: my_2d_matrix... Large list (205 elements, 6.5 Mb) How can I insert this as my second variable in the same dataframe? I am actually trying to copy the gasoline dataset from pls library, which has 'octane' as one variable and 'NIR' (60x401 matrix) as the second one. Then it is easy to perform pls-regression. I want my 205x4096 matrix to be in the same format as the one given by: > str(gasoline$NIR) which is: >AsIs [1:60, 1:401] -0.050193 -0.044227 -0.046867 -0.046705 -0.050859... - attr(*, "dimnames")=List of 2..$ : chr [1:60] "1" "2" "3" "4".....$ : chr [1:401] "900 nm" "902 nm" "904 nm" "906 nm"... So the end result should be a dataframe similar to 'gasoline', where the first variable is my_1d_matrix and the second one is my_2d_matrix.Vancouver Whitecaps fans are ready to do battle with Seattle when the MLS club’s home-and-home playoff round gets underway this Sunday afternoon. “I was really hoping that our match against San Jose would be an absolute thumping, which it was,” said John Knox, vice-president of the Southsiders, the Caps’ official supporters group. “The team is getting hot at just the right time and it has energized everybody.” The Caps notched their first MLS playoff victory with a 5-0 drubbing of the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday at B.C. Place Stadium. “This victory sets up a clash with our longest-standing rivals in Seattle,” he said. “Looking back, Vancouver, Seattle and Portland have all done the dirty business, knocking each other out of playoffs or taking away cups. This has the potential to be something special.” More than 1,000 fans marched from Granville Street to B.C. Place Wednesday, chanting and filling the night air with team-colours blue and white smoke from flares along the way. “There will be more excitement than ever Sunday,” said James Young, events manager for Doolin’s Irish Pub, the Southsiders’ pre-game watering hole. “The march starts from our front door with a few hundred people from the pub and it looks and feels amazing.” Doolin’s remains ground zero for the Southsiders, who enjoy a generous discount on beer. “It’s a rowdy party before every game with singing and chanting on two floors,” said Young. “As we’ve been ramping up to the playoffs it’s been madness and after last night (Wednesday) it really got ratcheted up.” Sunday’s march to the stadium will start at 4:15 p.m. from Doolin’s, wrote Southsiders’ president Peter Czimmermann in an email. His voice was too rough from cheering Wednesday to talk much. “I had texts from people watching the game in the U.K. and China,” said Knox. “There will be more eyes than ever on them as we get deeper into the playoffs, especially if we get by Seattle and face our other nemesis, Portland.” At a moment in Vancouver sports history that offers fans faint hope from hockey and football, Knox is confident the city is prepared to embrace the Whitecaps as never before. “There is a lot of fun and excitement around the Whitecaps right now and if you jump on board, you will be a fan for life,” he said. A playoff run is an opportunity for the Whitecaps to forge a special bond with fans, according to Luis Aguiar, a professor of sociology at UBC Okanagan. “The emotional intensity of the (playoff) experience can form bonds that last for years,” he said. The multicultural makeup of the team is in many ways a perfect fit for Metro Vancouver, “as a team for a new inclusive Canada,” he said. “The composition of the team and the character of those players helps people to identify with them.” Former Vancouver Canucks’ defenceman Harold Snepsts emerged as a folk hero in Vancouver during the 1982 Stanley Cup playoffs with his lunch-bucket approach to the game. “Harold didn’t take any s — t when he went into the corners and who doesn’t want to be that guy?” he asked. The Southsiders will not be organizing fan bus trips to Seattle for the Nov. 2 match — or Portland, if the Caps get that far — because of the uncertainty created by recent proclamations from the White House concerning Muslims and reports of visible minorities experiencing problems at the border. “We are facilitating access to tickets which has always been our role, but we are not formally organizing buses or coordinating travel on behalf of members,” said Knox. “It’s not fair for us to put something on that some members can’t participate in without the risk that something might happen if they were to do so.” The club asks its members to not display Southsiders’ scarves in U.S. stadiums “in solidarity with members who cannot cross the border with the ease and freedom enjoyed by others.” The Whitecaps have no immediate plans to increase the capacity of B.C. Place for playoff games, but club spokesman Tom Plasteras wouldn’t rule out a change if the demand increases. “It was interesting last night to see ticket sales (for Sunday) ramp up in real time as we scored more and more goals,” he said. “We don’t have any radical changes planned, but that’s mainly because our atmosphere is fan-generated and Wednesday it was electric.” rshore@postmedia.com NEXT GAME Sunday Seattle Sounders at Vancouver Whitecaps 5:30 p.m., B.C. Place Stadium, TSN, TSN 1040 AM CLICK HERE to report a typo. Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.comYahoo News’ continuing coverage of the Republican efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare comes in the latest Health Care Declassified. We’ll combine our own reporting with the best insights from around the Internet to give you the latest on the future of health care in America. President Trump scolded GOP senators for their inaction on health care reform Wednesday, saying they should not leave for the August recess without repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. “We can repeal, but we should repeal and replace, and we shouldn’t leave town until this is complete and the bill is on my desk,” Trump told the senators, who ate lunch at the White House a day after the latest effort to undo the ACA appears to have flopped. Related slideshow: Protesters across the country oppose GOP’s health care plan >>> Trump has taken at least two contradictory stances on the matter in recent days, advocating at times for a straight repeal of the 2010 law without an immediate replacement, and on other occasions telling Republicans to allow the ACA to collapse on its own, bringing Democrats to the table to fashion a replacement. On Wednesday, Trump appeared to change course again, demanding a bill to simultaneously repeal and replace Obamacare. This was the approach pursued by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., for the last several months, until it collapsed on Monday with the defection of four members of his caucus. McConnell then announced a plan to vote next week on a repeal-only measure, which also seemed likely to fall short. He did not have an immediate public response to Trump’s latest position. President Trump speaks to members of the media before having lunch with service members in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, July 18, 2017. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) More Trump did not specify what form the replacement should take or indicate how he expected Senate Republicans to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles they have faced in trying to write a bill that could win the support it needs to pass. Trump also attempted to browbeat senators into supporting him on the issue. One of those barbs was directed at Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., who came out against McConnell’s original bill and has remained noncommittal on its successors. “He wants to remain a senator, doesn’t he?” Trump said of Heller. He said that senators who voted against bringing a bill to the floor for a vote would in effect be supporting Obamacare. “Any senator who votes against starting debate is really telling America that you’re fine with Obamacare,” Trump told the senators. _____ GOP governors come out against latest proposal Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks during a news conference with Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper at the National Press Club in Washington on June 27, 2017, about Republican legislation overhauling the Obama health care law. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP) More As Senate Republicans struggle to repeal Obamacare, they face not only unanimous Democratic opposition but also criticism from an unexpected source: Republican governors. Five Republican governors signed a bipartisan letter to Congress on Tuesday opposing the proposal to repeal the ACA without immediately replacing it — the plan that was on the table that day but was possibly superseded as of Wednesday morning. Republican governors John Kasich of Ohio, Larry Hogan of Maryland, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Phil Scott of Vermont and Brian Sandoval of Nevada all signed the memo, which argued that a repeal-only plan would create more instability in health care markets.Iraq's new parliament broke up in chaos Tuesday, with lawmakers threatening each other or walking out despite global calls for fractious politicians to form a government needed to face a Sunni militant onslaught. After a break called to calm soaring tempers, so many Sunni and Kurdish deputies stayed away that the quorum was lost, so a speaker could not be elected as was constitutionally required, and the session ended in disarray. The latest crisis has alarmed world leaders, displaced hundreds of thousands of people and polarized Iraq's Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish populations. Some Sunni MPs walked out of the chamber when mention was made of the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), the jihadist group leading the anti-government offensive, and enough Sunnis and Kurds did not return following a break that Tuesday's session was without a quorum. Under a de facto agreement, the prime minister is chosen from among Shiite Arabs, the speaker from Sunni Arabs and the president is a Kurd. Iraq has appealed for the US to carry out air strikes against the jihadists. ...The local animal liberation movement gained another round of attention last weekend when Oakland’s Direct Action Everywhere group convinced the owners of a Berkeley butcher shop to put up a sign in the window that reads: “Attention: Animals’ lives are their right. Killing them is violent and unjust, no matter how it’s done.” Aaron and Monica Rocchino, owners of the Local Butcher Shop agreed to the animal rights organization’s demand to post their sign after 12 weeks of Sunday protests. “It was the least offensive option that they gave us,” said Monica Rocchino. “It’s really not affecting us; it’s affecting our neighbors and our community.” Animal rights activism in the Bay Area has increasingly targeted local meat and dairy companies that make claims about the welfare and sustainability of their products, with the ultimate goal of removing animals from agriculture and other types of confinement altogether. Rocchino said the protests happened during Sunday butchery classes they hold at the shop, which teach skills like filleting fish and cutting up whole chickens. Another option the protest group presented was to change Local Butcher Shop’s business model to a vegan butcher shop. In exchange for keeping up the sign, the group agreed to limit protests to twice a year. “If the sign goes down, the protests return,” Rocchino said. In recent weeks, neighborhood residents had begun counter-protesting the group, Rocchino said — not necessarily because they were customers of the shop, but because they were tired of the disruption. In a press release, Direct Action Everywhere called the shop’s decision to put up the sign a “victory.” Within the last year, the group has also staged protests inside Chez Panisse, the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market and a Chinatown poultry shop. Rocchino said so far business hasn’t been affected by the sign. “If anything, (customers) say ‘this is ridiculous and we’re sorry that you’re being extorted that way.’ It’s not going to change anyone’s mind,” she said. “They’ve put a lot of thought into where they’re getting their meat.” Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taradugganThe Wizards scored just six fourth-quarter points in their loss to the Hornets last night. John Wall and Bradley Beal rested for the first 4:42 of that final period. Wall, via Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post: “I feel like we can’t have me and Brad sitting,” said Wall, who finished with 14 points on 6 for 18 shooting, with six assists, five rebounds and four turnovers. “That’s just my opinion. Coach makes the decision he feels is best for us. I just feel like one of us has to be in in that situation because when you’re on the road, this is the time when you can step on them. “I just feel like one of us has to be in. I don’t know. It’s just my opinion because our second unit was just so stagnant. And I’m not saying they lost the game. [Shoot], we all lost the game. We didn’t make shots. We were 1 for 20, right? I think we were just so stagnant. We really didn’t have anybody penetrating and creating.” First of all, this is how you disagree with a coach. Wall made clear that he respects Randy Wittman’s authority to set the rotation. Two adults should be allowed to acknowledge their differing opinions without it being labeled a feud. But is Wall right? Per nbawowy!, here are Washington’s offensive/defensive/net ratings with: Wall and Beal: 103.0/105.0/-2.0 in 224 minutes Wall without Beal: 110.0/111.2/-1.2 in 134 minutes Beal without Wall: 80.2/116.8/-36.6 in 48 minutes Neither Wall nor Beal: 105.2/101.6/+3.6 in 123 minutes The Wizards have been much better with neither player on the court this season. They’ve also been a disaster when Beal plays without Wall. But this is a relatively small sample. Let’s look back to last season. Wall and Beal: 108.5/101.5/+7.0 in 1,715 minutes Wall without Beal: 103.0/102.0/+1.0 in 1,123 minutes Beal without Wall: 103.2/110.9/-7.7 in 384 minutes Neither Wall nor Beal: 97.0/107.0/-10.0 in 768 minutes Washington was – by far – at its best when Wall and Beal shared the court. They just complement each other so well. The Wizards were also fine with just Wall, bad with just Beal and even worse with neither. If I were the Wizards, I’d generally chance resting Wall and Beal simultaneously so they can play more together. If I’m using just one, it’s Wall. Beal is not a creator I trust to run the offense, and Wall’s defense is important. But there’s a limit on how much Wall (and Beal) can play. Wall got 36 minutes against Charlotte, and Beal played 38. To the point, Wall and Beal played the final 7:18 – and the Wizards didn’t make a single basket in that span. They scored just two points on free throws. So, it’s hard to argue Wall and Beal were the answer. Wittman blamed the players more than his substitutions. Wittman, via J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic: “We don’t have guys that are making plays right now. Again, good looks but until we quit feeling sorry,” said Wittman, who could’ve gone this road after a 123-106 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday but didn’t. “When things go bad like that I had to twice in timeouts and tell them to lift their heads up. There’s plenty of time left. We’re up nine during this whole thing. We start feeling sorry, start pouting putting our heads down and it becomes a snowball. We got to grow up in that aspect of it. If the shot doesn’t go in, it doesn’t go in. “Makes, misses, that’s the game. You never give in. We haven’t gotten over that. That’s been that way for the last couple of years. Guys don’t play well, put their heads down and we pout, feel sorry for ourselves.” When Wittman previously called out a player publicly, Marcin Gortat didn’t take it well. I’m not sure this will go any better. Michael: When confronted with Wittman’s words, Bradley Beal only would shake his head before giving this retort: “I’m not going to comment on that.” It’s uncharacteristic of the fourth-year shooting guard, who’ll usually give some sort of answer and shrug it off. By saying nothing, he’s staying plenty. The Wizards, who entered the season a contender for the Eastern Conference finals, are 6-6. They’ve lost two straight, by 17 and 14 – and the end of their last defeat was historically dreadful. Is this a team in turmoil? Michael provides plenty of context to that question.{{Infobox historical event \|title=Impeachment process against Richard Nixon \|image=Nixon's farewell to his cabinet and members of the White House staff - NARA - 194597.tif \|caption=President Richard Nixon's farewell speech to White House staff on the morning of August 9, 1974, after his resignation was announced shortly before it became effective. \|date=October 30, 1973 ( ) – August Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "}"., 1974 (1974-08-90}) An impeachment process against Richard Nixon was formally initiated on February 6, 1974, when the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution, H.Res. 803, giving its Judiciary Committee authority to investigate whether sufficient grounds existed to impeach Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States[1] of high crimes and misdemeanors, primarily related to the Watergate scandal. This investigation was undertaken one year after the United States Senate established a select committee to investigate the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. and the Nixon Administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement. Following a subpoena from the Judiciary Committee, in April 1974 edited transcripts of many Watergate-related conversations from the Nixon White House tapes were made public by Nixon, but the committee pressed for full tapes and additional conversations. Nixon refused, but on July 24, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered him to comply. On July 27, 29, and 30, 1974, the Committee approved three articles of impeachment against Nixon, for obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress, and reported those articles to the House of Representatives. Two other articles of impeachment were debated but not approved. Before the House could vote on the impeachment resolutions, Nixon made public one of the additional conversations, known as the "Smoking Gun Tape", which made clear his complicity in the cover-up. With his political support completely eroded, Nixon resigned from office on August 9, 1974. It is widely believed that had Nixon not resigned, his impeachment by the House and removal from office by a trial before the United States Senate would have occurred. Nixon is one of only three U.S. presidents against whom articles of impeachment have been reported to the full House for consideration. The other two–Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998–were both impeached; however, both were also acquitted from all charges following a Senate trial, and thus allowed to remain in office. The impeachment process against Nixon is the only one resulting in the departure from office of its target. Pre-Watergate impeachment efforts [ edit ] On May 9, 1972, Representative William Fitts Ryan (D-NY) submitted a resolution, H.Res. 975, to impeach President Nixon. The resolution was referred to the Judiciary Committee.[2] The next day, Representative John Conyers (D-MI) introduced a similar resolution, H.Res. 976.[3] On May 18, 1972, Conyers introduced his second resolution, H.Res. 989, calling for President Nixon's impeachment. The resolutions were referred to the Judiciary Committee, where they did not progress. These actions occurred before the break-in at the Watergate complex. Representative Robert Drinan (D-MA) on July 31, 1973, introduced a resolution calling for the impeachment of Nixon, though not for the Watergate scandal. Drinan believed that Nixon's secret bombing of Cambodia was illegal, and as such, constituted a "high crime and misdemeanor".[4] The resolution was received with little enthusiasm by the House Democratic leadership. As the House Majority Leader, Tip O'Neill, later stated, "Morally, Drinan had a good case. But politically, he damn near blew it. For if Drinan's resolution had come up for a vote at the time he filed it, it would have been overwhelmingly defeated – by something like 400 to 20. After that, with most of the members already on record as having voted once against impeachment, it would have been extremely difficult to get them to change their minds later on."[5] Early Watergate impeachment efforts [ edit ] The Watergate scandal began with the June 17, 1972, break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement. When the conspiracy was discovered and investigated by the United States Congress, the Nixon administration's resistance to its probes led to a constitutional crisis.[6] The scandal grew to involve a slew of additional allegations against the President, ranging from the improper use of government agencies to accepting gifts in office and his personal finances and taxes; Nixon repeatedly stated his willingness to pay any outstanding taxes due, and paid $465,000 in back taxes in 1974.[7] As the Watergate affair heated up in the summer of 1973, Representative Drinan tried again, introducing H.Res. 513 on July 31. The resolution was referred to the Judiciary Committee,[8] which at the time did not really want to get involved with such a wrenching process. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, President Nixon, Vice Presidential nominee Gerald Ford, and White House Chief of Staff Alexander Haig, in October 1973. Kissinger and Haig would play large roles in running the government as impeachment loomed during the final stages of the Nixon presidency. By September 1973, there was a sense that Nixon had regained some political strength, the American public had become burned out by the Watergate hearings, and that Congress was not willing to undertake impeachment absent some major revelation from the Nixon White House tapes or some major new action by the president against the investigation.[9] There was sufficient interest in impeachment possibilities during these months, however, that the House Judiciary Committee put together a 718-page historical collection of often hard-to-find Congressional and previously published scholarly material on impeachment. Published on October 9, 1973, the Foreword stated, "In recent months, the Committee on the Judiciary has daily received numerous requests for information regarding the constitutional and procedural bases for the impeachment of [officials].... "[10] Demonstrators in Washington demanding that Congress impeach President Nixon, two days after the "Saturday Night Massacre" As the Watergate saga unfolded, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) became the first national organization to call for Nixon's impeachment.[11] Civil rights attorney Charles Morgan, Jr. was involved in the ACLU's effort to have President Nixon impeached from office; in fact, he led the effort.[12] This, following a resolution opposing the Vietnam War, was controversial as it was the second major decision that caused critics of the ACLU, particularly conservatives, to claim that the ACLU had evolved into a liberal political organization.[13] After Nixon fired Watergate Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox, which led to the immediate departures of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus in what became known as the "Saturday Night
said. Firstpost tried to contact Khan but he did not respond. Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button.Terry Menebroker‘s 1955 Ford Crown Victoria, known as the “Crown Jewel,” is one gorgeous Victoria. Yep, it’s a Kustom with a K, and Terry has absolutely no regrets about making it so. Terry was about 10-years-old when he first remembers seeing a 1956 Crown Victoria at a car show he was attending with his Dad Erv. He thought the chrome on the car was outstanding, and someday would like to own one of those. Fast forward 21 years, and a classified ad popped up in the Rocky Mountain newspaper. There was a 1955 Crown Victoria for sale in Silverthorne, Colorado. Sure, it was not a ’56 as Terry wanted, but close enough, and the price was right. Terry and his Dad made the trek from Longmont, Colorado, up the mountain to check it out. The car was on a ranch about 15 miles North of town. What They Started With It had been used on the ranch, traveling the rough mountain roads, and there was not a straight piece of trim on it. Fortunately, the guy that owned it had purchased another parts car and started to make one car of the two. The car was rust-free, but she did need body work. Both cars and assorted parts were loaded in two pickups and a trailer and hauled down the mountain. For the next five years, Terry collected missing trim pieces and tried to work on the rest of of the car. It needed an engine, and luckily, a friend had a 1965 T-Bird that was badly rusted, but had a running 390ci engine with only 60,000 miles. Terry and his Dad pulled the engine and rebuilt it, and added a C6 transmission. To add a little more power, they rerouted the original fresh air ducts behind the grille directly into a custom air cleaner, creating a ram air effect. They also remade the inner fenders and added a narrowed 9-inch Ford rearend taken from a 1957 Ford. After six years, work on the Crown Victoria had halted. That’s when Terry’s Dad retired from his job and offered to work on the car. The father and son duo struck a deal that saw Dad providing the labor and engineering skills for the custom work, and all Terry had to do was pay for materials and parts, and of course, get his hands dirty helping. Knowing this was the only way the car would get put on the street, he agreed. Terry reminded his Dad the car was to have the look of a fifties custom, so the first thing done was to louver the hood. This not only looks cool, but helps keep the engine running cool. The trunk was shaved, an antenna was frenched in, and the taillights were sunk. The taillight lenses are one-off pieces with the Crown Vic symbol molded in the center. It Must Be Blue The only other stipulation Terry put on the build was it had to have a blue paint job. The correct shade didn’t come along until the 2012 Mustang made its appearance with its Electric Blue hue, which was perfect for the build. There were two things Terry did not like about the 1955 Crown Victoria, and one was the large parking lights in the grill, and the other was the dash. He and his Dad went to a local junk yard to look at dashes in other cars, and came across a 1960 T-bird. Terry really like the shape of the dash, and it measured out at the right width. There were also cool instrument bezels in the dash that were about 4 inches in diameter, and appeared to be about the right size for the park lights in the custom grille they were creating. With the purchase of the T-bird dash, its styling influenced the rest of the interior – the Bird’s bucket seats in the front and rear were fitted and covered with rolls and pleats (keeping with the ’50s theme). In addition, a full-length console runs from the front of the car through the back seat. With most of the body work done, Terry decided the car needed something other than plain door panels. Looking at the way the chrome trim on the roof was mirrored on the inside of the car, Terry thought it’d be cool if they did the same thing with the door panels – mirror the chrome trim on the outside of the door. T accomplish this task, Terry found another set of trim and had his upholstery friend, Dave Schilling, add the chrome strips to the door panels after upholstering them for a distinct look. The exceptional job Dave did on the interior has gotten almost as much attention as the outside of the car. Unfortunately, Dave passed away recently. So, in some ways, the interior in the Ford is a lasting tribute to Terry’s friend. After 9 years of building on the car, it was finished in May of 2013. It is a project Terry and his Dad are very proud to say they built together. The Crown Jewel was nominated for the NSRA Northwest Region award at the NSRA Nationals in 2016. Terry drove the Ford to Louisville, Kentucky, and he also won the Top Hot Rod award for the Northwest Region. The car was also featured on the cable TV show Dream Ridez while in Kentucky. Terry commented “I am so lucky to have a mentor like my Dad to help me with my car project. Thanks to him, we made a 10-year-old boy’s dream of a “Crown Jewel” come true.”CCI imposes penalty on bidders for cartelisation in tenders of Indian Railways The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed penalties on three firms for bid rigging of tenders floated by Indian Railways for procurement of Brushless DC fans in the year 2013. A final order has been passed by CCI in a case taken up suo moto under Section 19 of the Competition Act, 2002 (‘the Act’) based on the information received from Central Bureau of Investigation, New Delhi. CCI has held that the firms had shared the market by way of allocation of tenders of Indian Railways for Brushless DC fans amongst themselves under an agreement/ arrangement and indulged in bid rigging/ collusive bidding in contravention of the provisions of Section 3(3)(c) and 3(3)(d) read with Section 3(1) of the Act. The anti-competitive conduct of the firms has been established based on exchange of rates to be quoted in upcoming tenders amongst the errant firms, numerous calls amongst the key persons of these firms before and during the period of the tenders and admission by one of the firms which confirmed and revealed the existence and modus operandi of the cartel. Accordingly, a penalty of Rs. 2.09 crores, Rs. 62.37 lakhs and Rs. 20.01 lakhs and was imposed on the firms M/s Western Electric and Trading Company, M/s Pyramid Electronics and M/s R. Kanwar Electricals respectively in terms of proviso to Section 27 (b) of the Act. While imposing penalty, Commission took into consideration all the relevant factors including the duration of the cartel, volume of the tender affected by the cartel and value thereof and decided to impose penalty on M/s Pyramid Electronics and M/s Western Electric and Trading Company calculated at 1.0 time of their profit respectively in the year 2012-13 and on M/s R. Kanwar Electricals at the rate of 3 percent of its turnover for the year 2012-13. Additionally, considering the totality of facts and circumstances of the case, penalty was also imposed on persons-in charge of the three firms i.e., Shri Sandeep Goyal of M/s Pyramid Electronics, Shri Ashish Jain of M/s R. Kanwar Electricals and Shri Ramesh Parchani of M/s Western Electric and Trading Company at the rate of 10 percent of the average of their income for the last three preceding financial years. CCI had received an application under Section 46 of the Act read with Regulation 5 of the Competition Commission of India (Lesser Penalty) Regulations, 2009 from M/s Pyramid Electronics. This application was received when the investigation in the matter was in progress and the report from the DG was pending. Considering the co-operation extended by M/s Pyramid Electronics in conjunction with the value addition provided by it in establishing the existence of cartel and the stage at which it had approached CCI, it was granted 75 percent reduction in the penalty than would otherwise have been imposed, had it not cooperated with the Commission. Accordingly, the penalty imposed on M/s Pyramid Electronics was reduced to Rs. 15.59 lakhs and penalty imposed on Shri Sandeep Goyal was reduced to Rs. 11,648 only. ***** DSM/MSAs reported in The Hill Saturday, FBI Director James Comey violated the policies of the Justice Department when he issued a letter to Congress regarding “new allegations” in the prior investigation of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her use of a private email server during her term as secretary of state. A government official who asked to not be identified told The Hill that Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s position was to refrain from actions that might possibly impact the race of the White House. The official told The Hill: ‘The AG’s position is consistent with the department’s position not to take investigative steps that would influence an election so close to an election and to not comment on ongoing investigations. Director Comey decided to operate independently of that guidance by sending that letter to the Hill.” Although the official said that there was no discussion between Comey and Lynch, the Justice Department’s position on the matter was “made clear to the FBI.” According to The Hill, non-interference in presidential elections is a long-standing policy. In a 2012 memo from the department, then-AG Eric Holder wrote: ‘Law enforcement officers and prosecutors may never select the timing of investigative steps or criminal charges for the purpose of affecting any election, or for the purpose of giving an advantage or disadvantage to any candidate or political party. Such a purpose is inconsistent with the Department’s mission and with the Principles of Federal Prosecution.’ Comey seems to have flouted the DOJ by issuing a note to his staff that said stated that although the FBI did not normally update Congress about ongoing investigations, he felt that “it would be misleading to the American people were we not to supplement the record.” Comey released a vague and unsettling letter on Friday that implied that the closed investigation in the Clinton emails was being reopened, leaving Comey vulnerable to attacks from both sides for the innuendo and lack of pertinent details. Ultimately, it was revealed that the emails under investigation did not pertain to the Democratic nominee, and were neither from nor to Clinton. They were investigating correspondence to Clinton aide, Huma Abedin and her estranged husband, the former disgraced congressman, Anthony Weiner, and his sexting scandals. Many Republicans jumped the gun, including GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, who cited the vague letter to congress as proof that the FBI was indeed re-investigating his opponent for possible criminal charges. On the other side of the aisle, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, California’s Sen. Dianne Feinstein, called Comey’s letter “appalling.” Feinstein released a statement of Friday, saying: ‘Without knowing how many emails are involved, who wrote them, when they were written or their subject matter, it’s impossible to make any informed judgment on this development. ‘However, one thing is clear: Director Comey’s announcement played right into the political campaign of Donald Trump, who is already using the letter for political purposes. And all of this just 11 days before the election.’ According to The Washington Post, former Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the FBI does not release information about federal investigations so close to an election, adding: ‘Comey’s behavior in this case from the beginning has been designed to protect his reputation for independence no matter the consequences to the public, to people under investigation or to the FBI’s own integrity.’ Former federal prosecutor and assistant special Watergate prosecutor, Nick Ackerman, told the Washington Post: ‘[Comey] had no business writing to Congress about supposed new emails that neither he nor anyone in the FBI has ever reviewed. ‘It is not the function of the FBI director to be making public pronouncements about an investigation, never mind about an investigation based on evidence that he acknowledges may not be significant.’ Featured image via Getty ImagesINDIVIDUAL construction workers who go on strike could have their assets — including their homes — seized if they do not pay the penalties for their industrial action. The new measures — revealed in The Australian today — were denounced as “fascist laws” and “unprecedented in Australian industrial history” by the head of the union representing construction, forestry and mining workers. “The construction industry laws are not about attacking so-called union bosses, they are about attacking ordinary working Australians,” CFMEU head Dave Noonan said. Nigel Hadkiss, the director of Fair Work Building and Construction [FWBC] — the Federal Government agency with oversight of the industry — revealed that action against individual workers had been pursued in relation to disputes on sites in Perth and Brisbane. Employment Minister Eric Abetz said the Abbott government supported the measures. “This is no different to the processes that apply to individuals who fail to comply with court orders in any other fields,” The Australian quoted him as saying. “Laws have to be enforced and obeyed and individuals who do not obey court orders must be held to account. “No one should think they are above the law or that certain laws won’t be rigorously enforced.” WHAT’S YOUR VIEW? Leave a comment below Federal Court orders have already prevented workers on a Woodside oil and gas project who were facing penalties for their industrial action from disposing of assets. Eighteen property search and seizure orders were made by the court in that case. Mr Hadgkiss said that the new measures were a warning to workers, employers and unions. “FWBC will not hesitate to enforce penalties imposed by the courts,’’ he said. The CFMEU in Western Australia has met to discuss the issue with members, who are understandably concerned about losing their homes as a result of taking part in strike action.Kenyan international midfielder has successfully completed his medical at Tottenham Hotspur and is expected to sign a 4 year deal today then after he will be unveiled officially. Wamyama who arrived in the UK from Kenya on Sunday night described the move as a special one in his career as he took time to thank Southampton management and fans for the years they spent together. “I am indeed elated at passing my medicals at Tottenham it’s a new dawn in my career and I believe I will give my best for my new team.I want to thank Southampton management and fans for the exceptional time we had together I will always have a fond place for them in my heart”Wanyama told soka25east.com Wanyama becomes the first player manager Mauricio Pocchetino signs in the transfer window as he is expected to boaster the team that finished third in the EPL 2015/2016 season. Wanyama returns back to Nairobi on Wednesday to continue with his holidays. Share this: Tweet More WhatsAppEnlarge Photo by David Yi/Very Good Light In May, the new men’s apparel brand, RompHim, made a huge stir on the Interwebs. The Kickstarter campaign, full of colorful rompers for men only, touted the jumpsuit style for guys only, with a handful of men proudly posing with their own RompHims in tow. It might have been a marketing ploy, albeit genius, but it quickly caught on the Interwebs and became the biggest trending story for the week. But the broader conversation quickly turned to body positivity and masculinity. Some outlets, like Esquire, blatantly shamed the clothing with their story, “The bro romper exists and I don’t want to live on this planet anymore,” while others called how fragile masculinity is, like an article from the Huffington Post. In one of its articles, the author pointed out how men had to change the name of a romper altogether to “alleviate the anxiety of appearing feminine.” Enlarge Photo by David Yi/Very Good Light Whether or not that’s true, it goes back to the notion of how masculinity is fraught. Men are expected to be a hypermasculine version of themselves, free of emotions or any aspects that are outside of the heteronormative box. But where do they find confidence in a world that pokes fun at masculinity, of men who look a certain way? If we as men are to find confidence in ourselves, where do we find it in a culture that downplays the importance of guys, too, needing empowerment? Enter Kelvin Davis, a style blogger, men’s body positivity activist and teacher, who’s become the symbol of inclusivity. Kelvin, who lives in Columbia, South Carolina, was recently thrust into the national spotlight after American Eagle’s men’s body positivity underwear campaign. Launched in April of 2016, the brand photographed a few men in nothing but their underwear. “The real you is sexy,” it touted. The beautiful spread had shirtless men of all sizes, doing domestic tasks. It was a compelling ad campaign for the brand’s Aerie line, one that’s been soaring in sales thanks to its no-Photoshop politics. The only problem? “It wasn’t a real ad.” On the day the brand announced it was an April Fool’s prank, Kelvin was as mystified as everyone else online. “I was embarrassed and more than anything else, felt that I was responsible for letting down so many people who follow me for finding empowerment.” Enlarge Photo by David Yi/Very Good Light We’re sitting inside his beautiful home in Columbia, where two of energetic his daughters are running about, playing dress up and being super cute. Kelvin, who married his college sweetheart who he met at the University of South Carolina, tied the knot in 2012 at a young age. “My body type was not accepted, ever.” “After marriage, everything just clicked,” Kelvin says to Very Good Light. “She loves me for everything that I am, not everything I am not or what society wants me to be. Being feminine isn’t staying home and cooking. Being a man isn’t changing tires and lifting weights or building houses.” “There’s this false expectation of what a black man should look like. You have to be this 6’3″ basketball guy like Lebron James and jacked out of your mind.” It wasn’t always the case, Kelvin says. Growing up with a fuller body made him realize just how different he was from the traditional definition of male beauty. “My body type was not accepted, ever,” he says. “I was teased for being husky. In middle school, kids are cruel. I was definitely chunky. I exercised but didn’t lift weights or anything. Kids used to tell me to wear a bra.” Enlarge Photo by David Yi/Very Good Light After adolescence is when he had to confront his body again. “I felt like a lot of the females I was attracted to had this false expectation of what a black man should look like. You have to be this 6’3″ basketball guy like Lebron James and jacked out of your mind.” It didn’t help that clothing didn’t seem to fit. Being a stylish guy since he was younger, he didn’t have too many choices when it came to fashionable clothing. “I would try to wear clothes but my size wouldn’t let me,” he says. An experience shopping at Express with one of his best friends became an emotional experience. He was shopping with his best friend, Adam, who is tall, slender and can easily find clothing that fits him. Both saw a fire red blazer that Kelvin remembers he needed. He immediately asked if they had a bigger size to fit him. “There definitely isn’t any more sizes, sorry,” an employee told him. “Your shoulders are arms may be a little too big.” Enlarge Photo by David Yi/Very Good Light That’s when his blog, Notoriously Dapper, came together. It seemed to click, just as seamlessly as his marriage did. “There wasn’t a body positive fashion blog out there, one that talks about societal standards or bodies in general,” he says. “Women talk about it all the time but it’s so stigmatized by guys.” When he first started the blog, he admits, a lot of guys didn’t like it. “They didn’t know what body positive men’s style was,” he says. “‘Why don’t you just go to the gym?’ ‘Stop eating fries?’ ‘Stop complaining and changing,'” he says the comments read. “It’s not about that. It’s about wanting to feel accepted for who you are.” Guys reactions may have been lukewarm at first, but he gained a following from women. One was Tess Holiday, an outspoken plus-sized model, who DMed him one day. “My stretch marks on my shoulders, my stomach aren’t going anywhere. They’re my lightning strikes, tiger stripes.” “She said she loved everything I was doing and looking for a guy to help with beauty standards,” he says. “She then included me on her Instagram platform, @effyourbeautystandards. That gave me an entirely bigger body positive community to interact with. Men weren’t accepted until Tess put me onto it.” Enlarge Photo by David Yi/Very Good Light For Kelvin, beauty and empowerment starts with admitting what you don’t like about yourself. “What do you want to change about it? If you don’t like your nose, your first instinct shouldn’t be that you need a nose job. Find the beauty behind it. You were made with a purpose for a reason. Find the beauty in the negativity.” Kelvin says he’s rethinking his own body. “We are made perfectly imperfect,” he says. “My stretch marks on my shoulders, my stomach aren’t going anywhere. They’re my lightning strikes, tiger stripes.” Now, with an upcoming book hitting shelves on Oct. 1, Kelvin says he wants to further that notion. “It’s about the journey of becoming a body-confident gentleman. You can’t say you’re not for women’s rights and be a gentleman. You can’t be against gay marriage and be a gentleman. If you claim yourself to be a gentleman who voted for Donald Trump you are not a gentleman.” Enlarge Photo by David Yi/Very Good Light With so much accomplished, Kelvin’s now putting finishing touches to the book to present to the world. “When I started this whole blog thing I never thought it would touch any body. It’s surreal. I feel like I want to cry. Now I’m writing a book for guys who need empowerment and that to me, is so gratifying.”ManuelMerchan \| Credits 37 Experience 25 Prestige 0 Digests 0 Posts 5 Sex Male Online time 18 Hours Registration May-25-2016 Last visit Jan-13-2019 ManuelMerchan 0 Threads 5 Posts 37 Credits Senior Member 37 forum credits, 163 more needed to upgrade to the next level 37 forum credits, 163 more needed to upgrade to the next level Credits 37 Device Mi 5 Pro Online time 18 Hours Send PM 47# 18:27, May-31-2016 \| From PC \| I'm sick of this phone blocked by the manufacturer, I am very sorry to purchase phone that does not work well, I can not put my language because manufacturer owns my terminal, because it gives me the unlock code to have a terminal operating in my native language, never advise anyone to buy a Xiaomi, have to learn a lot from other companies that if you ask for the unlock code I'll provide instant once approve the conditions, Xiaomi no way that I'll provide unless cry them a bad company, I return to my old but better Huawei, at least it works in my native language, I am very angry with this company, I've lost count of the times I've reset the terminal, it costs a lot of time reconfiguring everything to not being able to have in my language, very bad decision to buy a terminal for 565 euros for not being able to use.AUGUSTA — Mainers are one step closer to being able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit after a decisive vote Thursday in the state Senate. By 21-14, the Senate approved the heavily lobbied measure that pits gun rights activists against groups that want regulation and oversight of people who carry firearms. Three Democrats joined the Republican majority to support the bill. Two Republicans voted against it. The decisive vote led advocates to predict passage in the House of Representatives, which could take up the proposal in the coming days. And it prompted a leading opposition group to urge members to call their state representatives and persuade them to vote “No.” “I was under the impression it was going to be a lot closer than that,” said South Portland Police Chief Edward Googins, an opponent of the measure. The bill, L.D. 652, could make Maine one of only seven states that allow individuals to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. It has 96 co-sponsors, more than half the members of the Legislature, and the blessing of some members of the Republican and Democratic leadership. The proposal has divided Maine’s law enforcement community. The Maine Chiefs of Police argued that removing the permitting requirement to carry hidden guns would strip away background checks for felons, but the Maine State Police supported the bill during an April 8 public hearing. State police Maj. Christopher Grotton testified in support, arguing that Maine’s permit system is antiquated and that permitting is inconsistent across the state’s more than 400 municipalities. The permit system does not prevent a dangerous person from owning or carrying a gun, whether hidden or in the open, Grotton said. The police chiefs in Portland and South Portland, meanwhile, were disappointed in the vote. “Even though the concealed weapons permit process is not perfect, it does offer a reasonable check without which anyone can carry concealed,” said Googins, the South Portland chief. His department has turned applicants down because of past offenses such as domestic assault, violating a protection from abuse order, possession of drugs, drunken driving and criminal threatening. “It’s a vote that ultimately hurts the safety of our communities,” said Portland Police Chief Michael Sauschuck. Sauschuck, who is currently acting city manager, said the concealed weapons permitting process, which includes training and background checks for criminal history and mental health problems, is a common-sense approach to carrying a firearm. “If our bar is ‘criminals aren’t following the rules anyway,’ well, then we wouldn’t have any rules,” he said. ARGUING SAFETY, RIGHTS, BILL’S IMPACT Dennis Crowell, a concealed weapon permit holder from West Gardiner, was pleased with the Senate vote and hopeful about the bill’s chances in the House. Crowell regularly carries a concealed handgun for self-defense and is a member of the Capitol Rifle & Pistol Club in Augusta. He knows gun owners who refuse to get the permit because they believe it violates their constitutional rights. “The opponents have argued forcefully that police will not know who is carrying a firearm. In reality, they don’t know now. There is no centralized database,” Crowell said. “When you really cut to the chase, criminals are criminals because they don’t obey the law. The only people who are going to be influenced by that law are honest citizens.” Currently, Maine law allows gun owners to openly carry a handgun without a permit. However, concealing a handgun requires a permit from state police or local law enforcement, which includes a “good moral character” requirement and a background check to determine if the applicant is a convicted felon or has been involved in domestic violence disputes. The bill doesn’t eliminate the permitting system, but it would make the permit optional. Bill supporters argue that the mandatory permitting system creates barriers for law-abiding citizens to exercise their constitutional right to carry a gun. Opponents have countered that the Second Amendment allows U.S. citizens to bear arms, but it doesn’t protect the right to “hide a gun.” Critics also have argued that the bill effectively eliminates the screening offered by background checks. That’s especially important, they say, in the case of someone who buys a gun in a private sale and therefore could carry a concealed weapon without a background check or waiting period. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, argued on the Senate floor Thursday that permits do not guarantee safety or ensure that gun carriers are trained. Brakey said the proposal is a modest one that allows legal gun owners to carry a handgun while wearing a jacket. Current law, he said, makes legal gun owners “instant criminals” by simply putting on a jacket or hiding their weapon. He rebutted arguments that the permit law increased firearm safety or protected the public from gun violence. “A permit is not a guarantee of real training,” he said. Sen. Stan Gerzofsky, D-Brunswick, said the proposal wasn’t about “guns and coats,” but about rolling back current protections in state law. “We’re going to protect people who can’t pass a safety test or pass a background check and let them carry a gun anyway,” he said. Sen. Anne Haskell, D-Portland, a gun owner and concealed weapons permit holder, said the permit system included educational components that explained the implications of carrying and using a gun. “This is not Hollywood. You don’t wound people in the knee and they fall down,” she said. POLITICAL STAKES, PAID ADS, LOBBYING The political stakes attached to the bill are considered high in a state that has a long tradition of spurning gun control bills in favor of looser restrictions. The pressure is also high on Democrats from rural districts and traditional swing districts. The National Rifle Association has spent about $8,500 lobbying key lawmakers, including dinners entertaining Brakey, Republican leadership, and Democrats who have traditionally supported gun rights legislation and whose votes may be needed to pass the bill in the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives. The NRA also has engaged its highly active membership with legislative alerts urging them to call lawmakers and tell them to support the bill. The Maine Chiefs of Police effort to convince lawmakers to reject the proposal has been backed by a volley of paid radio, TV and Web advertising from Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and the Maine chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Everytown for Gun Safety is a political group formed by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a well-known gun control advocate who has financed efforts to counter the NRA on a wide range of state and federal gun legislation. How much Bloomberg’s group has spent attempting to influence the vote on L.D. 652 is unknown. The group is using indirect lobbying, trying to coax the public to convince state lawmakers to vote against a particular piece of legislation. State lobbying disclosure laws only require groups to report their advocacy efforts when lobbyists make direct contact with state lawmakers. The Maine State Police say 36,000 concealed handgun permits, including 12,000 for non-residents, have been issued by the state. The total number of permits is likely much higher because they are also issued by local police and there is no centralized registry. LEPAGE SEEMS TO FAVOR END OF PERMITTING Gov. Paul LePage has not explicitly said that he’ll support L.D. 652. However, Grotton, head of the state police, appeared to represent the administration when he testified for the bill. And last year, LePage expressed support for eliminating the permit requirement in a veto message on a bill that would have strengthened the system. “Eventually, I believe we will see legislation that will allow people to carry concealed weapons without going through the bureaucratic maze of applying for a permit,” LePage said at the time. “Studies are now confirming that where there are more concealed handguns, there is less violent crime. Therefore, I believe that in Maine, where we already have a culture of responsible gun ownership, we should not be making it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons.” It’s not yet clear when the bill will be debated by the House of Representatives. David Trahan, director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, a hunting and fishing group that supports the bill, said it probably will have enough votes to pass in the House. A release from Everytown for Gun Safety urged supporters to contact House members and convince them to reject the bill. Staff Writer David Hench contributed to this report. ShareHome » Carriers LG Optimus 3D aka LG Thrill 4G For AT&T hits FCC CarriersNewsPhones LG Optimus 3D aka LG Thrill 4G For AT&T hits FCC We reported last month when AT&T announced the LG Thrill, also known as the LG Optimus 3D coming to its Android phone lineup in the near future. Well, if you were looking to buy this phone, you might have to wait until it passes under the FCC’s microscope. We just found out that this phone’s codename has changed from P920 to P920H in the FCC’s database. As you see in the picture above, the LG Thrill will support both the 850MHz and 1900MHz bands for GSM and also lists that it will support HSPA, aka AT&T’s “4G” network when it becomes available once the backhaul becomes enhanced. The LG thrill will come packed with a 1GHz dual-core processor, a 4.3″ stereoscope 3D display which doesn’t require glasses for 3D viewing, dual 5-megapixel stereoscopic camera, 16GB of memory (split in to 8GB on board and 8GB on a MicroSDHC card) and Android 2.2 (hopefully Gingerbread). We haven’t heard anything yet about a potential release date or price from AT&T, but knowing how they wait until the last minute to announce phone releases, I won’t be surprised if we see this awesome phone by the end of Q3 of this year. So who’s getting one? via PocketNowTrue or false: Crickets chirp faster when it's warm and slower when it's cold, so much so, that crickets can be used as nature's thermometers? As wild as it sounds, this is one piece of weather folklore that's actually true! How a Cricket's Chirp is Related to Temperature Like all other insects, crickets are cold-blooded, meaning they take on the temperature of their surroundings. As temperature rises, it becomes easier for them to chirp, whereas when temperature falls, reaction rates slow, causing a cricket's chirp to also diminish. Male crickets "chirp" for multiple reasons including warning off predators and attracting female mates. But the sound of the actual chirp is due to a hard rigid structure on one of the wings. When rubbed together with the other wing, this is the distinctive chirp you hear at night. Dolbear's Law This correlation between air temperature and the rate at which crickets chirp was first studied by Amos Dolbear, a 19th century American physicist, professor, and inventor. Dr. Dolbear systematically studied various species of crickets to determine their "chirp rate" based on temperatures. Based upon his research, he published an article in 1897 in which he developed the following simple formula (now known as Dolbear's Law): T = 50 + ((N - 40) / 4) where T is temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, and N is the number of chirps per minute. How to Estimate Temperature from Chirps Anyone outside at night listening to crickets “sing” can put Dolbear's Law to the test with this shortcut method: Pick out the chirping sound of a single cricket. Count the number of chirps the cricket makes in 15 seconds. Write down or remember this number. Add 40 to the number of chirps you counted. This sum gives you a rough estimate of the temperature in Fahrenheit. (To estimate the temperature in degrees Celcius, count the number of cricket chirps heard in 25 seconds, divide by 3, then add 4.) Note: Dolbear's law is best at estimating temperature when tree cricket chirps are used, when the temperature is between 55 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and on summer evenings when crickets are best heard.Sometimes, I find it hard to believe that I thought I was a genuinely happy person, before I came to terms with my sexuality. When I finally did decide to come out, I was nearly blown away by the amount of light that I invited into my life. Looking back, I can’t imagine living without that missing piece, and I truly didn’t know what I was missing until I was able to experience it myself. It nearly pains me to think how many of us move through life without really knowing how good we can be. Most of us operate from a set point, that we oscillate around through the ups and downs of our everyday life. We have a good idea of what “happy” means to us and then evaluate our inner state based on this understanding. What many people are unable to recognize, however, is the massive potential each of us possess to live even more abundantly. It’s almost as if there is a reserve of happy that we haven’t even begun to tap into yet. There’s also a reserve of inner strength, of peace, of compassion. There’s an entire set of feelings inside and out that some of us don’t even know exist. So, what is preventing many of us from getting there? The answer, for many, lies in the fact that we must put ourselves in an uncomfortable position first. Experiencing true personal growth is much like crossing monkey bars. “You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” ~ C.S. Lewis In defense of our own well being, however, our minds will put a strong effort towards preventing this from happening. The way around this is simply to develop an awareness of our fears, to recognize and hear them so we can put them to rest. It is not unlike what happens when we put ourselves in a position, such as Hanumanasa, or the splits, for the first time. If we come into the pose with the idea that we are not flexible and belief that we will suffer while trying to maintain the position, the body’s sympathetic nervous system will create tension within the microscopic muscular components, vastly limiting the extent to which your body will stretch. On the other hand, if we acknowledge our discomfort, without directly responding to it and breathe deeply instead, the brain will realize there isn’t actually a threat and it will release some of the tension it’s holding over the muscle. The first time I put this into practice, my hips went from floating four inches above the ground to swiftly hitting the mat beneath. This is largely what it felt like when I came out. I thought I had been doing it right the whole time—that if I held on long enough something would just change. What’s important to realize through all of this, however, is that the fear didn’t go away when I was finally able to experience growth, I simply acknowledged that it was there and that it was
before facing him• Was successful on 33 of last 43 takedown attemptsStyle is a matter of personal taste, so in the end, the only real criticism detractors have about St. Pierre is that he's not a classic finisher. His recent stretch of three straight decisions, though, is the longest of his career. That's not exactly a drought. Other contemporaries who are considered "finishers" like BJ Penn, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and even Chuck Liddell have had streaks that long.Translated, the complaint is that St. Pierre is a finesse fighter in a world of power. But our sport is complex enough that his style should be celebrated instead of denigrated. Football had Barry Sanders, baseball had Greg Maddux, hockey had Wayne Gretzky, MMA has Georges St. Pierre.Fans craving for violence may not appreciate him, but that doesn't change the fact that in many ways, St. Pierre is the sport's most complete mixed martial artist, and may one day be considered the greatest of all time.[Eds. Note: All statistics culled from Compustrike research]Photo: Facebook. Two years since the government first set their sights on the gay escort site, Rentboy.com CEO Jeffrey Hurant will face time behind bars. Hurant pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution, and today U.S. District Judge Margo K. Brodie sentenced him to six months in prison and a $7,500 fine. "The very thing that is illegal - there is no question it did a lot of good," said Brodie, pointing out that the sentence was necessary to send a message of deterrence to other escort services despite Hurant’s lawyers claiming he deserved no worse sentence than probation. Last year Hurant admitted he broke the law by promoting “The exchange of sexual conduct in return for a fee” via the escort website. However, he also said he created the website to give the ability to participate in sex work in a safe way. Under a plea deal Hurant agreed to appeal a prison sentence of two years or less. In a sentencing memorandum, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Smith claimed prison time for Hurant would “promote respect for the law and the seriousness of the offense.” Legal and civil rights activists gave accusations the harsh sentence was fueled by anti-gay bias. Manhattan Democrat Senator Brad Hoylman wrote the case was problematic “because it harkens back to a dark chapter in our nation's history when the government used its vast resources to target and threaten LGBT adults by exposing their private consensual sexual activity.” Letters also emerged from members of the community, including five New York CIty council members who signed a letter arguing “a harsh sentence will serve neither society nor the rehabilitation of Mr. Hurant.” New York Democratic Congressmen Jerrold Nadler and Sean Patrick Maloney also wrote to the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, questioning if the agencies wasted time and resources pursuing Hurant, who had not harmed anyone. Prior to Hurant’s arrest, Rentboy.com saw thousands of advertisers, 500,000 visitors a day, and about $2 million in revenue per year.Greetings adventurers, We've made some important adjustments to our formula and are set to re-release a chemically-stable Alchemical Extravaganza this weekend from 8/22 - 8/29. So get that Purified Lead and Aqua Regia ready for extreme experimentation! A rare alignment of stars in the Forgotten Realms has caused a surge in the power of alchemical reactions. This rare cosmic occurrence has gotten the attention of all the erudite researchers in Protector’s Enclave. In celebration of this, Alchemy assets upgrade faster and players will have an opportunity to craft a unique the Alchemist Experimenter companion! For a limited time only, the Alchemical Extravaganza will allow players to upgrade their Alchemy assets at a vastly accelerated rate. Additionally the Profession Supplies merchant in Protector’s Enclave will feature rare resources including those used in crafting the exclusive companion. During the Extravaganza, players can exchange Alchemy Resources and Assets for Purified Lead via the Profession Supplies Merchant in Protector's Enclave. This item can be used to purchase: a Smoldering Satchel or the Codex of Alchemical Mastery. The Smoldering Satchel is an ominously charred bag containing the fruits of dangerous alchemical research. This satchel will give you a chance to receive a Codex of Alchemical Mastery, Alchemical Knowledge or an assortment of Alchemy Goods. Alternatively, players can collect large amounts of Purified Lead and purchase the Codex of Alchemical Mastery directly, which grants the Alchemy Profession task to entice an Alchemist Experimenter to join your party. The Alchemist Experimenter is a unique companion and a master of the alchemical arts. Using his knowledge of alchemy, he hurls Ember Flasks at its enemies and can also toss out Rejuvenating Potions to allies. However, this companion is a bit unstable and is not afraid to verify his work by first testing it on himself. The exclusive Alchemist Experimenter companion can be yours if you are willing to part ways with your alchemy resources. Need more resources? During the Extravaganza, any Profession Pack purchased from the Zen Market will also include bonus Alchemy Resources! There’s no better time than now to start working your Alchemy. Log in to join in celebration of the Alchemical Extravaganza and claim the exclusive Alchemist Experimenter companion today! Are you excited to add this companion to your collection? Let us know on the official Neverwinter Forums. Click here to register for Neverwinter, the Dungeons & Dragons action MMORPG. The best part about Neverwinter: it's free to play! Get a head start in-game by purchasing Neverwinter item packs which include unique companions, mounts, boosts, and exclusive benefits! Want more game details, screens, and videos? Like Neverwinter on Facebook for more fan-exclusive content and follow us on Twitter – tweet us your questions! And, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest Neverwinter videos.Image caption Breivik never finished school Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik has applied for a place at Oslo University - a move that is reportedly causing outrage among staff. The head of the university's political science institute confirmed a request had been made by the man whose attacks two years ago traumatised Norway. No decision has been made on whether to accept it, Ole Petter Ottersen added. Breivik, who is serving a 21-year sentence in a prison near Oslo, killed 77 people, most of them adolescents. On 22 July 2011, he set off a bomb in a car near government offices in the capital before travelling to a lake island, where he shot people attending a summer camp of the ruling Labour Party's youth wing. He sought to justify the meticulously planned twin attacks, which also left 244 people injured, by saying they were aimed at stopping the "Islamisation" of Norway. A court convicted him of terrorism and premeditated murder, and handed down the maximum sentence of 21 years' imprisonment. 'A punishment' Mr Ottersen confirmed for AFP news agency a Norwegian TV report that Breivik was seeking to enrol at the university. "We don't know if his candidacy will be accepted," he said. Norway 2011 attacks 8 people killed and 209 injured by bomb in Oslo 69 people killed on Utoeya island, of them 34 aged between 14 and 17 33 injured on Utoeya Nearly 900 people affected by attacks Breivik verdict: Norwegians react Norway attacks: The victims How the attacks unfolded One formal obstacle to his enrolment may be his lack of qualifications, as he did not complete secondary school, according to AFP news agency. Several unnamed members of college staff who spoke to Norway's TV2 channel said they were opposed to any dealings with the killer. "I understand very well that this causes reactions, it is human to feel that," Mr Ottersen commented. Per Anders Torvik Langerod, a political scientist and politician from the Labour Party's youth wing, suggested that a course at the university might make Breivik confront his own extreme beliefs. "Blindern [Oslo University] is a place where one learns that one should pursue one's opinions with words," he said. "You cannot tape over the mouths of those you disagree with, or shoot them, and that's some of what I hope will be a punishment for Breivik. If he wants to relate to these studies and get what he wants, credits, he must do it our way." Knut Bjarkeid, the director of Ila prison where Breivik is being held, told TV2 the jail would always try to help its inmates "get a formal qualification so that they have the ability to get a job when they come out". Speaking to BBC News last year, prison spokeswoman Ellen Bjercke said that if Breivik qualified for educational activities, he would only be allowed to use a special internet server run by the prison "with a lot of filters". He has the use of a laptop without an internet connection and can order books from the prison library, which is part of the public library network.Public access to the Reimer Digital Library, which is the largest online collection of U.S. Army doctrinal publications, has been blocked by the Army, which last week moved the collection behind a password-protected firewall. But today the Federation of American Scientists filed a Freedom of Information Act request (pdf) asking the Army to provide a copy of the entire unclassified Library so that it could be posted on the FAS web site. The Army move on February 6 marks the latest step in an ongoing withdrawal of government records from the public domain. “It was a policy decision to put it behind the AKO [Army Knowledge Online] firewall and to restrict public access,” said Don Gough of the system development division at the Army Training Support Center at Fort Eustis, Virginia, which operates the Reimer Digital Library. The move came as a surprise since only unclassified and non-sensitive records had ever been made available at the Library site. Isn’t it true, Secrecy News asked, that the only documents that had been accessible to the public were those that had been specifically… “‘Approved for public release,’ yes,” said Mr. Gough, completing our sentence. “I understand your concern,” he added. The FAS Freedom of Information Act request is intended to reverse the Army action. “We hope to restore public access to the Reimer Digital Library by obtaining all of its publicly releasable contents and posting that material on our own website,” the FAS request explained. “Furthermore, in order to preserve the status quo, we expect to file regular FOIA requests for updates to the RDL two or three times a month, so that we may add them to our mirror site.” “Alternatively, if the Army were to restore the prior level of public access to the RDL, that would fulfill this request and make future requests unnecessary,” the FAS request stated. Among the many thousands of documents that were formerly available to the public on the Reimer Digital Library, two of the latest additions are these. “The Modular Force” (pdf), Field Manual Interim FMI 3-0.1, January 2008. “Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High Yield Explosives Operational Headquarters” (pdf), Field Manual Interim FMI 3-90.10, January 2008.Well, the news that many WWE fans have been waiting for has finally happened. Kia Stevens a.k.a. Kharma has, in a roundabout way, officially announced her WWE release. Keep in mind, this news didn't happen at a press conference or a press release; rather, it happened via a response to a fan on twitter. @Kharma kharma, if you dont mind me asking, is it actually true that you were granted release from the WWE??? I Miss you So Much :'-( — Catty V (@CatherineNikita) July 25, 2012 @CatherineNikita yes, I was. It doesn't mean I'll never be back. — Kharma (@Kharma) July 25, 2012 Overall, this announcement isn't too shocking, as it was revealed a few weeks back that the two sides were parting ways. However, neither side officially confirmed the release to fans. In fact, Kharma was the only side to even broach the subject by simply stating via Twitter that she had been moved to the Alumni roster. This sent the IWC into a frenzy as they awaited official confirmation from the WWE, which never happened. As you probably know, word of any released star usually breaks via the WWE's website, as they mention (insert wrestler here) and use the ever famous "wish them well in their future endeavors." Sadly, Kharma never was given that sendoff, leaving many fans confused when a rumor came out about her WWE demise. In the end, this move was probably best for both sides. It frees the WWE from having to create a storyline for her and allows Kharma to get some use in the Indy's, ROH or her old stomping grounds, TNA.In May, the nation observed the incredible damage that occurs when an F-5 tornado on the Fujita Scale moves across a densely populated area—in this case, the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore. The death toll of 24 was tragic; the advance warning of at least 36 minutes (as much as 42 minutes in east parts of the city) cut the death toll in half. Considering it only takes seconds to dash down the stairs in a home with a basement, get into a closet or bathtub in a home without a basement, and less than five minutes to move children into the interior of a school building, it is apparent that more warning time, by itself, is not the sole answer to saving additional lives. There are multiple challenges to building a society that is more resilient to tornadoes and other severe storms. When it comes to thunderstorm-related hazards, an hour or less is the “warning” timescale with longer periods of times considered forecasts. 1. Better Forecasts If we can, two to three hours in advance, tell people where a tornado is likely to occur, we give those in mobile homes, without basements, and other high-risk situations the opportunity to evacuate the area similar to what is done in hurricanes. This capability does not exist today. It will require computer modeling at approximately four times the scale (i.e., 1 km) than is possible today with faster turnaround. For example, it takes about two hours to make a thunderstorm-scale forecast at 4 km resolution today. That is too slow for the type of forecasts needed. The U.S. weather satellite program, essential for this type of forecasting to be even possible, is currently in serious trouble. Mismanagement in recent years has left us vulnerable to a satellite failure when we should be leading the world in remote sensing and launching state-of-the-art platforms. For the first time, private sector weather satellite companies are now entering the scene and we may be moving toward private rather than governmental weather satellites. 2. Improved Warnings We need to get the lead-time (the interval from when the warning is issued to when the storm arrives) for significant tornadoes (those F-2 to F-5 intensity) to a consistent 20 minutes for any given location in the path. After about 20 minutes, there is evidence the benefit of additional lead-time, for the purpose of sheltering, starts to diminish. People will stay in a closet or bathtub for only so long. When there is too much time, there is anecdotal evidence that many stop concentrating on saving their lives and begin to worry about secondary issues (“Should I move things out of the way in the garage to put my car in?” “Should I go up to the attic to get the family album?”). We also know there is a trade-off between lead-time and accuracy. I believe consistent 15- to 20-minute lead-times are achievable in the reasonable future. Striving for significantly longer lead times may increase false alarms that cause the public to lose confidence in the warning system. What must be done to obtain a consistent 20 minutes of warning? The radars, which were revolutionary when installed in the early to mid-1990’s, are aging. As far as I can determine, there is no formal plan to replace them, which, given federal procurement cycles, will take at least a decade. The next generation of radars will need to survey the atmosphere more often than the current generation. One approach may be to install a sub-network of less expensive radars that operate on shorter wavelengths (C or X band) to do the more frequent surveying to supplement the existing network. Another proposal is to use phased array radars to track both aircraft and weather (a joint radar for the National Weather Service and Federal Aviation Administration). We need denser measurements of the upper atmosphere. Traditionally, this is done with weather balloons but those are expensive, labor intensive, and limited to locations where they can be a launched over land which leaves large gaps over oceans. Currently, many jumbo jets are equipped with instrumentation for coverage over land and sea air routes. An issue I see is the proliferation of regional jets. Some of them should be equipped with this instrumentation to improve geographic coverage. Finally, the traditional two polar orbiting weather satellites that take critical vertical measurements of temperature and humidity should be doubled to four. 3. More Resilient Structures The cost to make both homes and public buildings more resistant to tornadoes is relatively low. As it is today, the design of some schools enhances the danger rather than mitigates it. For example, a typical design of a school’s administrative area has an unsecured wall up to about seven feet with glass above. Those walls can fall on students sheltering in the hallway. These designs should not be allowed anywhere in the U.S., as they are dangerous in earthquakes as well as tornadoes. In the traditional Tornado Alley and South, the schools should be strengthened against high winds. 4. Finally, Personal Responsibility Plays A Role Weather science has progressed to the point that all storm warnings should be taken seriously. When the sirens are blaring, the TV and radio are broadcasting tornado warnings and the sky is dark, you are foolish not to take safety precautions. Yes, you might spend a few minutes in shelter and nothing happens. That is a small inconvenience when compared with the risk of losing your life. These four areas of concentration will likely bring about a further lowering of casualties from tornadoes and other thunderstorm-related causes. This article is commissioned by Qualcomm Incorporated. The views expressed are the author’s own.Anyone who has ever hopped on a Los Angeles-area freeway between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. knows too well what gridlock feels like. Los Angelenos may soon be able to find some solace soon, thanks to a pilot program between Xerox (s xrx) and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority that uses big data to keep traffic moving for drivers on the I-10 and I-110 freeways who are willing to pay. That program, called ExpressLanes, is just one of many irons Xerox (via its Affiliated Computer Services subsidiary) has in the fire as it tries to use its considerable technology portfolio to understand and improve traffic on U.S. roadways. Central to most of Xerox’s anti-congestion projects, including ExpressLanes,is the idea of dynamic pricing, which rises with demand in order to maintain some semblance of order. As Natesh Manikoth, Xerox’s chief technology officer for transportation solutions, explained to me, if a driver is paying to drive in the HOT (high-occupancy tolling) lane, he’s guaranteed a consistent speed of 45 miles per hour. If traffic starts backing up, prices for individual cars will rise to discourage them from entering, saving the lanes (which, before this program were high-occupancy-vehicle lanes) for high-occupany vehicles such as buses and those involved in carpools. Advertisement Xerox has another program in Los Angeles called ExpressPark, the goal of which is to let people know when they’re about to leave the house whether and where they might find parking, and how much it will cost. “It’s not enough to know how to set the price, you have to make sure that data gets to users in real time,” Manikoth said. Drivers also need to know parking spots will still be there when they arrive in 40 minutes. That’s a prediction problem. The answers lie in big data, difficult data The key to all of this, of course, is lots of data. ExpressLanes, Manikoth explained, works by sensing traffic flows in the HOT lanes as well as in the adjacent lanes and calculating travel times. Because a pre-defined algorithm won’t work, the model is designed to learn as it takes in more data about how any given set of conditions affect traffic flow. Xerox is just getting started with developing its model, Manikosh said, and he aknowledges it won’t be easy. Traffic accidents, broken down cars and other unforeseen incidents can quickly make a mess of even the best models, especially because no one can predict how long an accident will take to clean up or how many lanes it will close down. And Los Angeles is a particularly unique beast among large cities because it lacks a strong city center, so traffic is relatively constant and in all directions. However, he said, “We stepped up, we’ll have to now prove it.” View Larger Map While the parking project depends heavily on prediction, those predictions rely heavily on history. Manikoth said his team can build a machine learning system that looks at historical data as it relates to the current price of parking to predict whether spots will remain available. But that’s easier said than done — or at least, done right — because parking behavior is affected by myriad hard-to-predict factors such as how long someone will be at a meter and how many drivers are willing to park illegally. The meters’ sensors and payment systems can track occupancy rates and what people pay, but not how individual people will act in any given situation. Solve traffic, solve a lot more Xerox isn’t alone in trying to help bring order to the chaos that is big-city driving, though. Companies such as IBM (s ibm) and Siemens (s si) are also working on the problem — and it’s all part of a larger effort to minimize the problems that cities — the economic engines of our society — experience as they grow. Drivers circling blocks looking for parking spots and commuters stuck in freeway gridlock contribute to pollution and generally lower the quality of life for everyone involved. Manikoth said the real answer lies in combining information from other sources, such as mass-transit systems, toll highways, traffic sensors and weather data (all of which Xerox also collects) to paint a real-time picture of what traffic actually looks like. Armed with this type of information, city planners might be able to devise more-intelligent stoplights, bus routes and train schedules — maybe even dynamically — and commuters might be able to decide they’re better off just taking the subway today. By collecting diagnostic data from buses, he said, transportation authorities could spot potential issues that might otherwise result in a future breakdown that messes with schedules and people’s lives. Of course, given how big and expansive a problem traffic management is, there’s monetary incentive for anyone who’s actually able to solve it. “We firmly believe that solving problems for cities is a good thing for society as a whole,” Manikoth said “but it’s also good business.” Feature image courtesy of Shutterstock user Aaron Kohr."Tell me about this standoff." And with that, Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy found a biographer behind bars. Bundy had invited a fellow inmate to sit down at a table with him. They chatted about farming, raising cattle, growing melons and grandchildren. Soon, they were walking regular laps together around the inside of a large unit that housed 94 bunk beds between concrete cinderblock walls about 60 miles west of Las Vegas. And when the time seemed right, inmate Michael Stickler broached the subject of why the Bundy patriarch was in custody at the Southern Nevada Detention Center in Pahrump. At first Bundy seemed reluctant to talk about the notorious face-off with federal rangers in the desert in 2014, Stickler said. Bundy explained that he didn't know who he could trust, that the FBI had an undercover agent pose as a journalist and interview his family members on videos that now were being used against him. But Stickler kept urging the 71-year-old cattleman: "You need to write a book." The two eventually shook hands. And now Stickler is preparing to sell a biography about Bundy that offers a glimpse of his life in prison, his surprise at being arrested in Portland last year, his family history and Mormon faith and his two-decade-old battle with the federal government. Michael Stickler, of northern Nevada, met Cliven Bundy at the Southern Nevada Detention Center earlier this year as Stickler was serving the last two months of a two-and-a-half-year federal prison sentence for theft of public money. Stickler is self-publishing the book through his company, Vision Group, and promised to contribute proceeds to Bundy's legal defense, though no formal contract was signed. Bundy has been in custody for a year and nine months and is about to go on trial, accused of leading a "massive armed assault'' in April 2014 that thwarted federal officers from impounding his cattle. Bundy was grazing them on public land near his ranch in defiance of court orders. He owed more than $1 million in fees and fines that he'd refused to pay for years. He was recently moved to a jail in Henderson, Nevada, to be closer to the federal courthouse in downtown Las Vegas. 'HE DIDN'T SEE IT COMING AT ALL' Stickler, who was released in June after serving out the last two months of a 2 1/2-year sentence for theft of public money, described Bundy's routine when he was at the Pahrump lockup, a transfer center for federal inmates. Bundy was housed in the same unit with sons Davey and Mel, but sons Ammon and Ryan were held separately, often kept in solitary confinement for rule violations, including refusing to undergo strip searches when taken to and from federal court. The father and his four sons all face charges in the standoff near Bunkerville. The senior Bundy, Ammon and Ryan Bundy are on trial now. Thirty days after that trial ends, Davey and Mel Bundy are scheduled for trial. Because of Cliven Bundy's length of time at the detention center, he snagged a coveted lower bunk bed against the wall. Son Davey's bunk bed was next to his, and Mel's was a couple of rows away, Stickler said. The elder Bundy was among the few early risers. He'd wake up at 5 a.m., and would read the Book of Mormon quietly on his bed. "Pretty much others left them alone,'' Stickler said. Bundy often spoke with his wife, Carol, on the phone. One time, Stickler recalled, Bundy was talking to his son-in-law, who's helping out at the family ranch, instructing him how to fix a broken water pipe. Cliven Bundy told Stickler that he had no worries except for his sons when his plane touched down at Portland International Airport on Feb. 10, 2016. He had come to visit Ammon and Ryan Bundy, both in jail in downtown Portland after their arrests in the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon. Cliven Bundy had heard Ryan had been wounded and hoped to see him. Investigators believe Ryan Bundy has a "metallic object" in his shoulder from when officers fired into occupation spokesman Robert "LaVoy" Finicum's truck as he sped away from a police stop. Ryan Bundy was in the back seat. Cliven Bundy got bumped from his first flight and didn't know why. He was placed on a later flight. FBI agents were waiting for him at the airport. "He didn't see it coming at all,'' Stickler said. "He had felt like the whole thing in Bunkerville had passed.'' 'LOOK WHAT I STARTED' Earlier this spring, when supporters camped outside the Nevada detention center in tents in protest of conditions the Bundys faced inside, Cliven Bundy and Stickler weren't sure what was going on. The institution suddenly went into a panic mode, with inmates ordered to keep their TVs off and visits halted for about two weeks. Corrections officers let it be known that the Bundys were at fault for the increased security, Stickler said. One night, Bundy and Stickler saw fireworks shooting off outside, he said. "Look what I started,'' Cliven Bundy remarked to Stickler. "He said, 'You know, 20 years ago, I decided to stand up to the federal government. I'm still surprised many people care about this,' '' Stickler recalled. Cliven Bundy regularly ate his meals at a table in the unit with Mel and Davey Bundy. Two other inmates would share their food with Cliven Bundy, often making their own dinners from left-over scraps, Top Ramen and meat bought in the commissary. The detention center, filled with drug smugglers and bank robbers, could get extremely noisy and irritating, Stickler said. Through it all, Cliven Bundy remained calm. "He was even-keeled, and polite and kind to everyone,'' he said. As he shared his personal story, Bundy would draw rudimentary maps or sketches with a pencil and pad to help Stickler understand what he was describing. Though he has little education, he has a tremendous memory, often quoting passages from the Constitution, Stickler said. When Stickler pressed if he regretted any of what he's done or would consider a plea deal, Bundy "got a little uppity,'' he remembered. "I raised my sons to be strong and independent and follow the Constitution,'' Bundy told him. "Now's not the time to do otherwise.'' At the same time, Bundy can't help but worry about the future, especially whether his sons will be able to be fathers again to their children, Stickler said. Still, Bundy has hope: Stickler said: "He recognizes that if convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. He prays and believes that can't happen, though. He stands with a conviction that this is much bigger than the Bundys.'' Stickler, 57, of northern Nevada, was in court last week and plans to attend Cliven Bundy's trial. He knows what it's like to go to trial. A federal jury found him guilty in March 2014 of theft of public money, ruling he pocketed $200,000 from a $500,000 federal grant awarded to his Faith Based Solutions company in Reno. The money was supposed to be distributed to other nonprofit groups. Stickler's business taught other nonprofit groups how to apply for federal grants. He also pleaded guilty in a separate federal case for failing to pay taxes, and has a felony conviction from 1993. He's completed his book and expects to publish it in December. He said he's sent pages to Cliven Bundy to read and edit. Carol Bundy confirmed that her husband agreed to let Stickler write his story, but said her husband hadn't reviewed a final draft. Stickler, who until now wrote Christian books, plans to ship a copy to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, as well as to President Donald J. Trump. But Stickler said he won't be able to send the finished product to Bundy. The jails won't allow hardcover books behind bars. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonianThe Boss can’t get a cup o’ Joe… STARBUCKS have banned Bruce Springsteen’s new album from their premises. The Boss’ ’Devils And Dust’ album will not be stocked by the coffee chain, who sell CDs in their American shops. It had been suggested that the record’s adult content – which includes tales about a prostitute – meant Starbucks were uneasy about stocking the record, however the chain suggested the main reason was they were promoting new band Antigone Rising instead. “We have great respect for Bruce Springsteen and for Sony,” Ken Lombard, President of Starbucks Entertainment told BBC News. “We’re confident that we’ll all have the opportunity to work together in the future.” In the US Starbucks’ CD sales have been influential, and recently helped bolster sales of Ray Charles’ last album ‘Genius Loves Company’.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. June 5, 2017, 5:22 PM GMT / Updated June 5, 2017, 7:21 PM GMT By Safia Samee Ali Harvard University revoked admission offers to at least 10 incoming students after the school discovered the individuals were posting explicit and obscene memes in a Facebook chat group that advocated sexual assault and mocked the death of children. The potential students began sharing posts in a private chat group that splintered off from a larger one of about 100 students who contacted each other through the school's official Class of 2021 Facebook page that was meant for new students to meet each other, the Harvard Crimson first reported on Sunday. The online group was originally meant to share memes on popular culture, and started off as “lighthearted” but then a few members began getting inappropriate, an incoming student who was a part of the larger group told the Harvard Crimson. The students who began posting the explicit memes started their own subsect and demanded that members of the larger group post provocative memes in order to gain admission in their chat room, Cassandra Luca, an incoming student who joined the first group but not the second, told the Harvard Crimson. “They were like, ‘Oh, you have to send a meme to the original group to prove that you could get into the new one,’” she said. “This was a just-because-we-got-into-Harvard-doesn’t-mean-we-can’t-have-fun kind of thing,” she said. The “dark” group called themselves “Harvard memes for horny bourgeois teens” at one point and mocked “sexual assault, the Holocaust, and the deaths of children," according to screenshots obtained The Crimson. Harvard University has rescinded offers to at least 10 incoming students over "obscene" memes. Charles Krupa / AP “Some of the messages joked that abusing children was sexually arousing, while others had punchlines directed at specific ethnic or racial groups,” according to the paper. When Harvard got wind of the group, school officials pulled the acceptance offers of about 10 incoming students who were a part of the online chat group. The Crimson reported that the school’s investigation into the matter involved university officials asking members of the group to send them every meme they posted. “We do not comment publicly on the admissions status of individual applicants,” said University spokesperson Rachael Dane in a statement to NBC News. “The Admissions Committee was disappointed to learn that several students in a private group chat for the Class of 2021 were sending messages that contained offensive messages and graphics,” reads a copy of the Admissions Office’s email to the revoked students obtained by The Crimson. The official Facebook group for the Class of 2021 did give a warning to students saying the page was managed by the school’s College Admissions & Financial Aid Office and was meant to "meet your classmates, share where you're coming from, ask questions, keep in touch." “We are not responsible for any unofficial groups, chats, or the content within. As a reminder, Harvard College reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission under various conditions including if an admitted student engages in behavior that brings into question his or her honesty, maturity, or moral character,” the description on the Facebook page reads. The ultra-competitive school had a record number of applications this year hitting nearly 40,000 — with only 2,056 students gaining acceptance. Harvard has said before that a decision to rescind a student's offer is final. Legal experts say the issue is cut-and-dry and the students do not have First Amendment recourse. "The Constitution really doesn't apply here," said Susan Bloch, a constitutional law professor at Georgetown University Law Center. "The Constitution limits how much government can suppress speech, not a private university," she said. “These students have absolutely no free speech rights that were violated in this context," said Katherine Franke, a professor at Columbia University Law School. “The First Amendment’s Free Speech protections apply only to violations by public entities, and since Harvard is a private university the First Amendment does not apply,” she said. “These students have no right or entitlement to admission to Harvard, and as such it is Harvard’s prerogative to decide that it will not welcome into its community these individuals who have demonstrated a willingness to violate Harvard’s code of ethics and policies against hate speech,” she said. Amy Adler, a professor at New York University School of Law, said Harvard appeared to have been clear in their policy and the students were on notice as to what was acceptable. "This seems to be a case where students exercised bad judgment and arguably Harvard may have rescinded their admission not on the content but on the students' poor judgment," she said. This is yet another case where students have to be mindful of what they post online, she said. "Very little you say online is private," she said. "The footprint you leave online lasts a very long time so it requires you to consistently exercise judgment," she said.Germany on Tuesday celebrates 500 years since theologian Martin Luther nailed his "95 theses" to a church door, marking the start of the Reformation that created the Protestant church and transformed European society. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will attend a service at the same church where Luther is said to have first displayed his list of criticisms of the Catholic Church in 1517. The 2.30pm (1330 GMT) service at the gothic Schlosskirche (All Saints’ Church) in Wittenberg will mark the end of year-long celebrations by protestants in 700 German towns and cities. Wittenberg, a town of 47,000 inhabitants 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of Berlin, has itself received tens of thousands of Christian visitors from around the world in recent months. Reformation Day on October 31 is this year a public holiday across all of Germany. Usually it is a day off only in certain states. Half a century ago Luther challenged Catholic clerics’ practice of selling “indulgences” to repentant worshippers. He said Christians could not buy or earn their way into heaven but only entered by the grace of God. His challenge led to a historic break from the Catholic Church. However, the theologian’s name has also been associated with one of Germany’s darkest periods: his attacks on Judaism in his writings were used as a reference for Nazi ideology. Merkel, herself the daughter of a Protestant pastor, said it was essential that Luther’s anti-Semitism never be scrubbed from his theological legacy. “That is, for me, the comprehensive historical reckoning that we need,” she said
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Why not? Oh yeah... because you don't want to lose it. There are safer places to keep your money aka Bitcoin aka cryptocurrency. Stay Current and Up-to-Date. Staying current on what's happening within the cryptocurrency world. This will help you know when to buy and/or sell. Generally speaking knowledge is power and cash is king. Stay knowledgable and don't get lazy. Create online alerts to let you know when news about Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies are trending. There are services like DailyMynd.com and BitcoinBrilliant.com which will help you keep current at no charge. You can also use Google Alerts, although... the results have been pretty crappy. Although, I maybe bias. Since, I am the founder of BitcoinBrilliant:) Do Not BRAG Don't give people a reason to make you a target. My mother always told me when I was younger... "Keep the candle covered until it's lit." Let people figure out how wealthy you are after you buy your mansion and a yacht:) URGENT. IMPORTANT. CRITICAL. MOST OVER SEEN TIP CONCERNING BITCOIN AND CRYPTOCURRENCY TRADING! Remember to be happy. Enjoy life. Smile, and remember you can't take it with you. All too often we get caught in the chase. Go out of your way to make someone you don't know smile every day. Buy the person behind you in the drive through their meal, anonymously donate to a cause you care about, or simply give someone a hug when they need it. And, if you're mom and dad are still alive. Surprise them for dinner, and make sure you tell them you love them any chance you get. Happy trading. And good luck... this is going to be a wild ride:) Have a Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays!Michael Edward Gross (born June 21, 1947) is an American television, movie and stage actor. He has played both comedic and dramatic roles, such as Steven Keaton from the sitcom Family Ties (1982–89) and the graboid hunter Burt Gummer from the Tremors film franchise. Early life [ edit ] Gross was born in Chicago, the son of Virginia Ruth (née Cahill), a telephone operator, and William Oscar Gross, a tool designer.[1] Gross and his younger sister, Mary, were raised Catholic. He attended St. Francis Xavier school in Chicago in his early years.[2] He attended Kelvyn Park High School on the north side of Chicago. He received his drama degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago before attending Yale University for his Master of Fine Arts degree. His sister, Mary Gross, a former Saturday Night Live cast member, is also an actress. The siblings are first cousins to actor Ron Masak.[3] Career [ edit ] Gross is best known for his roles as Steven Keaton in the 1980s sitcom Family Ties (he and his co-star Meredith Baxter, who played his wife Elyse Keaton, were born on the same day, June 21, 1947).[4] He is also known for playing Burt Gummer in the Tremors movies and subsequent TV series.[5] Gross guest starred in an episode of the sitcom Night Court, in which he played a sexual predator of Markie Post's character, Christine Sullivan. In 1988, he portrayed a murderous bank robber in the true life movie In the Line of Duty: The F.B.I. Murders. His other television credits include Boston Legal, How I Met Your Mother, Batman Beyond, ER, Parks and Recreation (Episode: "Summer Catalog"), Law & Order, and two of its spin-offs: SVU and Criminal Intent. From August 2008 to January 2009, Gross appeared on the CBS soap The Young and the Restless as River Baldwin. Gross appeared in 2000 on Spin City as a therapist to Michael J. Fox's character on Fox's final show as a regular on that program. In November 1979, Gross originated the role of Greta in the Broadway production of Martin Sherman's Bent.[6] Personal life [ edit ] Gross has been married to casting director Elza Bergeron since June 2, 1984, and he is a stepfather to her two daughters.[citation needed] Gross remains close friends with his Family Ties co-star Meredith Baxter and coincidentally shares the same birthdate with his on-screen wife.[7] Gross is a passionate railfan with an extensive collection of railroad antiques. He is an amateur railroad historian, photographer, modeler, and part-owner in a working railroad, the Santa Fe Southern Railway, a former branch line of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway which operates between Lamy and Santa Fe, New Mexico.[8] He is also the spokesman for the World's Greatest Hobby campaign sponsored by the Model Railroad Industry Association that promotes the hobby of model railroading. He has also been a spokesperson for Operation Lifesaver, a campaign promoting safety at railroad grade crossings.[9] Since 2009, Gross has been "celebrity spokesman" for the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.[10] He is the host of the B&O Railroad Museum Television Network on YouTube. He is also a member of the Santa Fe Railway Historical Society. Filmography [ edit ]Europe is not ready to revolt. Or, possibly more accurately, given the 43 percent participation rate, Europeans simply see the European Parliament as irrelevant. Given the little power it has, and the anti-democratic structure of European Union institutions, many saw the election as simply as an opportunity to cast a protest vote. Yet despite the hand-wringing over the advance of far Right parties (and I am not suggesting that is not worrisome), Europeans continued the general pattern of voters in the global North of alternating between their mainstream parties. The two main blocs, the E.U.’s center-right and center-left groupings, comprising almost all of the major parties, combined for almost 54 percent of the vote, and if we throw in the more than eight percent won by the third-place liberal grouping (for North American readers, European liberals are roughly equivalent to libertarians), the parties of austerity won a solid majority. The combined total is about ten percentage points less than than won by the three largest groupings in the previous election in 2009, but still a comfortable majority. The Left made some advances, too, albeit falling short of some expectations. The fourth-place Green alliance and sixth-place European United Left combined for 13 percent of the vote, considerably more than far Right parties garnered, despite the strong showings of the United Kingdom Independence Party, France’s National Front and the Danish People’s Party. In Greece, Syriza (the Coalition of the Radical Left) came in first place. In Spain the United Left and Podemos — a four-month-old party organized by the “Indignados,” Spain’s Occupy movement — combined for 18 percent of the vote, and Left parties in Portugal did about as well. Keeping the devil you know Nonetheless, those who did not bother to vote formed a majority of the E.U. electorate. And those who did vote voted for more of the same, even if in most countries the one major party was swapped for the other major party. More of the same surely isn’t appealing, as the E.U. unemployment rate is 11.8 percent, barely off the 12 percent peak of March 2013. Inequality, although less severe than in the United States, has been rising for three decades. Moreover, the three largest blocs, plus a small right-wing bloc that includes Britain’s Conservative Party, are committed to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a “free trade” agreement being negotiated in secret between the U.S. and the E.U. with the warm approval of multi-national corporations on both sides of the Atlantic. The lack of democracy in E.U. institutions is not a happenstance; the intention of them is imposition of a U.S.-style régime. There was and is no vote on the mandatory budget constraints national governments must abide by nor the policies of the European Central Bank. When loans are made to Greece by E.U. institutions, the money does not go to Greeks, it passes right through the Greek government and into the hands of French and German banks. Thus it is no surprise to hear that of E.U. negotiators’ 127 closed meetings concerning the Transatlantic Partnership talks, at least 119 were with large corporations and their lobbyists, information known only because of investigatory work done by a public-interest group, Corporate Europe Observatory. European food safety and privacy laws are squarely in the crosshairs of U.S.-based multinational corporations. European capitalists are one with their U.S. counterparts that trade rules should be “harmonized” — which means “harmonized” with the lowest standards. This is only one aspect of the larger project of neoliberal austerity to which Europe’s center-left parties are as committed as its center-right parties, as the French voters who put François Hollande into office have found. In Germany it was none other than the Social Democratic Party, through its “Agenda 2010” legislation, that instituted austerity there. The so-called German “miracle” rests on a decade of wage cuts for German workers. You can only do so much in a voting booth The large number of abstentions and decreased vote totals for major parties are symptomatic of Europeans becoming fed up with economic stagnation, high unemployment and the relentless austerity being imposed on them by unaccountable, undemocratic supranational institutions. But only in a handful of countries, where austerity has pushed down the hardest, have sizable opposition movements coalesced. Those voters who could be bothered to vote for the European Parliament are not yet exhausted with their political and economic systems, mostly remaining content to alternate between major parties. Although the vote totals for the extreme Right were, overall, not as dramatic as press reports have portrayed them, nonetheless the strong increase in those votes is cause for concern, especially as Britain’s Conservative leadership increasingly appears inclined to adopt UKIP talking points and France’s Union for a Popular Movement does the same with National Front talking points. When there is not an active Left to provide an alternative to institutional decay, the Right will fill the vacuum with scapegoating, programs to weaken anything that counters corporate power, paeans for a return to a mythological past, and the potential for nationalistic violence, a threshold already trampled by Greece’s Golden Dawn. But change in capitalist systems does not derive from parliamentary maneuvers, it comes from organized, militant popular movements. We do not yet live in dictatorships; there remain cracks, seams and fissures in political systems that enable reforms. These can be significant reforms such as those won in the 1960s and, in the United States, in the 1930s. But those democratic spaces are closing — the ever more powerful spying apparatuses, militarized police, top-down rules imposed through “free trade” agreements and subsidies lavished on the already wealthy do not fall out of the sky. Moreover, reforms can and are taken back and are better seen as means to larger goals, not ends in themselves. An intensified race to the bottom is all that is on offer by the governments and institutions of the world’s mature capitalist countries. There is no tweak of policy, nor exchange of one corporate party for another corporate party, that can solve the structural crisis of the global economic system. The European Parliament elections are interesting as a barometer of public opinion, but not for much else. An increasing number of people (although hardly a decisive number as yet) are signaling discontent but also that while they are beginning to decide what they don’t want, what they do want is much more inchoate. Nature abhors a vacuum. AdvertisementsRTÉ HAS SAID that it is investigating a tweet that was sent from the official RTÉ One Twitter account. The now deleted tweet from RTÉ One was sent this afternoon and was in response to a tweet sent on Friday that was connected to the Al Porter controversy. The offending tweet contained the word “Fee” and featured a gif image of half-naked man sliding across the screen followed by the words “DEAL WITH IT”. The tweet which followed has also since been deleted. It simply contained the words “We could easily” and was sent to two accounts. Both tweets remained live on the RTÉ One account for about 30 minutes before being deleted. Source: Twitter Asked about the sending of the tweets and about whether the RTÉ One account had been compromised, a spokesperson for RTÉ has said: We have deleted the tweet and are investigating the matter. RTÉ has also apologised to the individual who sent the original tweet to which the tweet being investigated was replying.Madam Auring (born Aurea Sabalboro in Sampaloc, Manila) is a fortune teller and actress from the Philippines.[1][2] According to her own account, she was one of "the five most famous women in Asia in the 1990s"[3] Early life [ edit ] The daughter of Luciana Damian and Jaime Sabalboro, Aurea Sabalboro grew up in a poor family and was not educated beyond elementary school.[4] When she was 23, her father forced her to marry Ramon Ertelo, a young architect who took her to his home after a party.[3][4] The couple had four children before their marriage ended. Madam Auring bore two more children as a result of later relationships.[4] Career [ edit ] Auring shot to fame when she correctly predicted Amparo Muñoz winning the 1974 Miss Universe title.[4] Due to this event, she gained popularity, causing the boxer Muhammad Ali, who was in Manila at that time due to the "Thrilla in Manila" boxing event, to seek her advice. The American fortune teller, Phyllis Bury had predicted Ali would lose against Joe Frazier but Auring correctly predicted his win. As a result, Ali gave her the nickname "Madam Auring".[4] After this success, well-known personalities such as First Lady Imelda Marcos, Nora Aunor, Fernando Poe, Jr., President Joseph Estrada, Rolando Navarette, and Hollywood actors Robert Duvall and Franco Nero would later seek her advice. She fell in love with Larry Holmes, with whom she had a relationship before he was married to his girlfriend in the United States.[4] Her other notable predictions included that of President Fidel V. Ramos’ win over rival Miriam Defensor Santiago, the death of starlet Claudia Zobel; the full and unimpeached term of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and the break-up of Shalani Soledad and President Benigno Aquino III in 2010.[5] Besides being a fortune teller, Auring also worked as an actress, including a role where she starred together with the disqualified presidential candidate, Eddie Gil.[6] Filmography [ edit ] Year Title 1987 Family Tree 1992 Kahit Minsan 1999 Hinahanap-hanap kita 2000 Masarap habang mainit 2004 I Will Survive 2005 Pelukang itim: Agimat ko ito for victory again 2005 Bikini Open 2006 Reyna: Ang makulay na pakikipagsapalaran ng mga achucherva, achuchuva, achechenes... 2007 Love Spell 2007 Apat dapat, dapat apat: Friends 4 lyf and death 2008 Manay po 2: Overload 2008 Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After (The Ungasis and Escaleras Adventure) 2011 Tunay na BuhayThe Palestinian Authority has warned Israel that it will soon halt security coordination with the IDF in the West Bank unless the Muslim authorities on the Temple Mount are given full administrative control over Jewish groups visiting the holy site, PA officials told The Times of Israel on Thursday. The PA is also demanding that Israel take action to stop what it claims is escalated violence against Palestinians by settlers in the West Bank. The PA’s demands came amid a wave of Palestinian terror and violence which has seen 10 Israelis killed in the past month and a half, and more than 40 Palestinians killed — almost half of them attackers, and most of the rest in clashes in the West Bank and at the Gaza border. “Israel must restore control of the Temple Mount to the Waqf (Muslim trust),” said one official close to PA President Mahmoud Abbas. “This is one of the only measures that can help calm the current situation.” Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up Until 2000, the entry of Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount — the holiest place in Judaism and the third-holiest in Islam — was coordinated with the Waqf. The area was then closed to Jews for three years until 2003 as the Second Intifada raged. Since it was reopened to Jewish visitors, Israel Police has overseen the visits by Jewish groups. Under Israel’s regulations, imposed after the Old City was captured in the 1967 war, Jews are allowed to visit but not to pray on the Temple Mount. The PA officials also claimed Israel was “allowing settlers to use violence against the Palestinians,” and urged the government to stop this. They said they had conveyed a message to this effect to the Israeli government. Israel has accused Abbas and the PA of partial responsibility for the terror surge, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly castigating Abbas for telling “lies” about purported Israeli plans to change the status quo at the Mount and for inciting violence over the issue. Netanyahu, who has denied any such plans and offered to meet Abbas without preconditions, has also vowed to make no concessions to the Palestinians in response to the current surge in terrorism. The PA officials said that their security forces have prevented a series of recent attacks on Israeli targets, including stabbings, shootings and the planting of explosives. PA security forces have been active during Palestinian demonstrations to prevent the use of live fire against IDF soldiers, and intervened when a gunman opened fire on soldiers during a recent protest near Beit El, they said. Israeli security officials have acknowledged the value of the ongoing PA security coordination. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s Office denied that Israel has offered to reduce the number of Jewish and non-Muslim visitors to the Temple Mount in an effort to calm tensions at the site and help end the wave of terror attacks. Arab diplomatic officials had told The Times of Israel that this offer was rejected by Palestinian and Jordanian leaders as not going far enough to meet their demands.back to news News Attention! This news was published on the old version of the website. There may be some problems with news display in specific browser versions. War Thunder's biweekly YouTube Competition Dear Players! Welcome to our latest video competition. Every two weeks our official judges will vote on the top 3 videos. The winners will each receive: 1st. place - 3500 GE 2nd place - 3000 GE 3rd place - 2500 GE Videos will be based on a theme we will choose for each session. It might be about a specific vehicle or it could be broader theme like “War Letters” or “The Last Flight” for example. As it is first time we give you guys a free hand in making video about anything you want. Next time we will choose plane or tank on which you will need to focus Rules: Your video must be between 1 and 3 minutes long The video quality must be HD (1280x720) or higher. The video must be hosted on one of the following sites: YouTube or Vimeo. The video must be posted on live.warthunder.com with #videocomp. Each user can only be a winner once per month. Unleash your imagination and create a unique video. The video must contain the authors and titles of the musical compositions used in the video, in the format: Artist – Track. Original footage must come from the game War Thunder. You can use any special effects in your video and edit it (highlight reel / montage) The submission must not violate moral, ethical or legal norms or the Forum Rules, Game Rules or the User Agreement. The winners will be decided by a panel of judges from the War Thunder community team. The Contest Organizers reserve the right to alter these Conditions at any time. You automatically pass the exclusive rights of the video to the organizers of the contest by posting it in this thread Please post creative and unique videos only. Please do not post anything containing swastikas, SS division symbols, profanity, vulgar symbols, etc. If you post video that contain one of these, your entry will not even be considered. Discuss on the ForumsThe BBC's political independence has been gradually eroded, according to the corporation's director general. In a speech to business leaders on Monday, Tony Hall urged changes to the way the broadcaster is regulated. He wants licence fee payers to have a greater say than politicians. Lord Hall said there has been a "major change" over the past 20 years which has made the foundations of the BBC's independence "weaker". The government has yet to comment. "When I was working in news and current affairs in the '90s, the independence of the BBC was protected by a set of quiet customs and traditions," he said. "Back then it was Willie Whitelaw who'd provided us with the certainty of a 15-year Charter, underpinning our independence by allowing us stability through the political cycle. "When I returned to the BBC as director general, I was struck by a major change. The foundations of the BBC's independence had become weaker. The traditions and informal arrangements which protected it had been eroded." Behind closed doors He cited the decision to fund government programmes such as digital switchover, rural broadband and local TV as examples of how the licence fee should not have been used. He also suggested recent licence fee settlements have been decided behind closed doors without a "full process". Future licence fee negotiations should, he said, be made with the input of licence fee payers possibly by an online vote. The speech to the Cardiff Business Club comes in the midst of negotiations for the corporation's next 10-year charter. Image caption The BBC was criticised for buying in The Voice format as it was too similar to ITV's X Factor. It has now been sold to another broadcaster The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is reviewing the size and scope of the BBC and what sort of programming the corporation should provide. One key part of the process is deciding who should oversee and regulate the corporation. The current system, a BBC Trust, is both a watchdog and also the decision-making body controlling the size and strategy of the corporation. Lord Hall, echoing the current BBC chairman, Rona Fairhead, said the roles should be split and the BBC should for the first time have an external regulator. 'Sword of Damocles' He also said the new BBC Charter should not say what programmes the BBC should be allowed to make nor should they be told to back away from output or ventures deemed to be too promising or popular. "If, having cut our money, the charter also cuts our creative freedom to reinvent our services, or our commercial freedom to make up the shortfall... Letting this happen would not just have unintended consequences for the BBC, but for the UK's creative economy as a whole. "Some might think, for example, that a call for us to focus only on content sounds reasonable. But 10 years ago that kind of prescriptive regulation would have prevented the BBC from investing in Freeview or creating the iPlayer. And it would have meant none of the ripple effects of that investment, which helped to create a new market for video-on-demand and benefit all players." And he added that the suggestion, made by some, that the BBC should renew its charter every five years would be a "sword of Damocles" in which the BBC's existence could be threatened at every election. Instead, he called for the charter period to be extended to 11 years, which would take it out of the electoral cycle and that any changes to the system should only be changed in Parliament with a two thirds majority and a vote by licence fee payers.The Leafs may be for real. But resist any temptation to think of them as buyers when the trade deadline comes. Management will stick to the long-term plan. Enjoy the meme, analytics crowd. We’ve earned it. It’s time for #TheLeafsAreActuallyGood to have its day in the sun. We predicted a faster-than expected ascension for the Toronto Maple Leafs as far back as a year ago. The signs were there. Under Year 1 of Mike Babcock’s Pain Program, we noticed plenty of systemic improvements. The Leafs finally kicked a years-old habit of allowing far more shot attempts than they generated, a mainstay of Randy Carlyle’s tenure in Toronto. They became a decent possession team under Babcock. They bettered their penalty kill. Their peripherals suggested improvement would come – once the skill arrived to finish all those scoring chances. Toronto ranked 30th in the league in shooting percentage, 29th in power play efficiency and 30th in the overall league standings last season. They were quietly changing the way they played under Babcock, and the analytics advocates knew this team would start winning games once the likes of Mitch Marner and William Nylander stuck with the big club for good. Of course, more than that went right when the Leafs won the draft lottery and secured Auston Matthews, currently enjoying the best rookie season in the 99-year-old franchise’s history. Anyone who studied Matthews over the past few years, tracing him back to his Arizona roots, knew “generational talent” wasn’t a hyperbolic description for him. It was merely a coincidence he and Connor McDavid arrived in consecutive years. That made it seem like media hype had gone too far when, in reality, we just happened to get two (three if you count Jack Eichel) unique talents arriving in a two-season span. Toronto paid a high price in draft picks to acquire Frederik Andersen and paid him as a No. 1 goalie despite the fact he didn’t fill that role in Anaheim, and that move has come up rosily, too. After an.857 save percentage in his disastrous first five games, Andersen has hummed along at.936 in 25 appearances. He’s reached the threshold of Vezina Trophy consideration. He’ll get top-five votes if he keeps this up. Many of us expected this Leafs group to boom, but it’s happening even sooner than expected – one season sooner if you ask me. This team has five straight victories, swelling its record to 17-12-7, and countless losses came from squandering late-game leads, a trend that should improve as one of the NHL’s youngest rosters matures. Toronto ranks merely 16th in shooting percentage while averaging the second-most shots on goal per contest behind only the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Leafs’ defensive play remains glaringly leaky, but they rank second in 5-on-5 Corsi For per 60 on the year, trailing only Boston. The Leafs truly are a handful as an attacking team. Back to the meme, #LeafsAreActuallyGood. It works. Nothing about their peripheral numbers suggests lucky play. They aren’t perfect by any means, but they’re legitimately competitive. That poses an interesting conundrum for the Leafs’ front office going forward. It doesn’t seem like we’re about to see a regression – if anything, Toronto seems poised to keep improving – so does that mean GM Lou Lamoriello and president Brendan Shanahan have to start thinking of the Leafs as playoff-bound? That could screw up what was thought to be another year of the slow-burn, low-expectations rebuild. Is it still a given Toronto shops some veteran talent at the trade deadline, such as pending unrestricted free agent D-man Roman Polak or center Tyler Bozak, whose deal expires after next season? Those are easy choices for a team challenging for the lottery and looking to gut its roster, as the Leafs did last year. But can Lamoriello justify dealing his best faceoff man and his oldest, toughest defenseman should, say, the Leafs find themselves in a wild-card position two months from now? The shortsighted position would say no, that this team needs those veterans, that contention windows in today’s NHL are so small that any team should pounce the moment one opens up. Heck, if we play along with that idea, the Leafs could dangle someone from the AHL Marlies in hopes of acquiring veteran help for the stretch run. Not that things will play out this way. It’s merely an idea posed to me by some increasingly excited Leaf fans over the holidays. The reality, with all due respect to these hopeful people: that’s a terrible idea. And we should expect nothing less than a calm, measured response from this Leaf regime, no matter how many more games Toronto wins between now and March 1. The Leafs are playing the long con. They’ve picked in the top 10 of the NHL draft four times in the past five years. They have one of the NHL’s best young cores, not merely including current Leaf rookies Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Zach Hyman, Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Brown and Nikita Soshnikov. Brendan Leipsic and Kasperi Kapanen continue to light up the AHL, and USA world junior standout Jeremy Bracco becomes an intriguing name if he decides to sign an entry-level deal in the Big Smoke. We’ve seen an entire franchise makeover under the Shanahan/Lamoriello reign – off the ice, too. That includes everything from finally retiring players’ numbers to making all current players shave their facial hair to hiring an outstanding new anthem signer in Martina Ortiz-Luis. It’s like Shanahan found every situation in which the old Leafs would zig and decided his Leafs would zag. He and Lamoriello thus won’t rush to trade prospects and picks for immediate help. Everything has gone so swimmingly that the entire season is a bonus anyway. There’s no reason to ask for too much from this young team. Better yet – who says the Leafs can’t still behave like a “seller” at the trade deadline and shop some of their aging vets? The kids are outplaying them anyway. Polak and fellow veteran UFA Matt Hunwick have been downright horrible defensively. Former No. 1 pivot Bozak now toils on the third line. The likes of Leipsic and Kapanen may well make this team better today if spots on the depth chart opened up for them. So if Lamoriello gets an itchy trade finger in the coming months, he should and likely will stick to the long-term plan, which could include selling vets or, in the case of Bozak, retaining them for the sole purpose of expansion draft bait. Go ahead and take the Leafs seriously. They’ve earned it, and they have an excellent chance to make the playoffs. But don’t get big eyes over a real Stanley Cup push right now. Their management won’t. The surprisingly effective first half of the 2016-17 season is merely house money. It won’t deter the franchise from the real goal of painstakingly crafted long-term success. If we see the Leafs in a position of power by this time next year? Different story. Matt Larkin is a writer and editor at The Hockey News and a regular contributor to thn.com. For more great profiles, news and views from the world of hockey, subscribe to The Hockey News magazine. Follow Matt Larkin on Twitter at @THNMattLarkinIt’s the most famous acronym in sports medicine, a household term as familiar to athletes as the physicians who treat them: RICE, for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Legendary sports doc, Gabe Mirkin, M.D., coined RICE in his 1978 bestseller, The Sportsmedicine Book. In the four decades since, his memorable protocol—especially the ice and rest components—have become an article of faith among wounded warriors everywhere. Want the fast lane to top physical condition? Download the Get Fit Fast Program Tweak your ankle, throw out your back, strain your rotator cuff, or upset any other soft tissue during exercise? RICE it right away! If no ice bag is available, slap a bag of frozen vegetables onto your aggrieved part. By icing an injury within the first golden hour of sustaining it, you’re virtually guaranteed of not only reducing pain but speeding recovery. Ditto for rest—taking time off to let things settle down will prevent further damage and also expedite healing. Everybody knows this, right? But … What if RICE Is Wrong? “Nearly everyone who ices today,” says veteran athletic trainer Gary Reinl, “believes they’re doing it to prevent inflammation, reduce swelling, and control pain. But here’s the problem: Icing doesn’t prevent inflammation or swelling; it only delays it. Once tissues rewarm, the inflammatory process resumes and your body’s innate intelligence sends the correct amount of fluid to the damage site. Although icing can provide temporary pain relief, numbing just shuts off protective signals that alert you to harmful movement. And the Journal of Athletic Medicine Research recently showed that icing actually kills muscle cells.” The latter study is hardly the only one to raise questions about icing. Reinl, for his part, says he used to be a true believer in the healing properties of the big chill, but he became skeptical after searching the medical literature for the best ways to ice different injuries. What he discovered shocked him. A meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, for example, investigated 22 separate studies and concluded that “ice is commonly used after acute muscle strains, but there are no clinical studies of its effectiveness.” A report in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research was even more alarming. Not only does icing fail to help injuries heal, the authors found, it may well delay recovery from injury. And subsequent research at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center found evidence that icing sore muscles may be detrimental to recovery. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic have even identified a likely reason: Icing an injury delays the release of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-1), a key hormone unleashed by immune cells to repair damaged tissues. “Icing just doesn’t work—it actually screws things up,” says Reinl, whose new book, Iced! The Illusionary Treatment Option, is dedicated to encouraging doctors and athletes to move out of the ice age. You might think that Dr. Mirkin would bristle at this blow to his erstwhile recommendations. Not so—he now openly rejects at least half of the RICE advice that helped make him famous. “I do not believe in cooling anymore,” he explained via email. Nor does he believe in the “R” component of his famous prescription either. In a foreword to the second edition of Iced!, Dr. Mirkin says most athletes are far more concerned with long-term healing than transient pain relief. “And research,” he writes, “now shows that both ice and prolonged rest actually delay recovery.” As for why keeping injured tissues moving works better than immobilizing them, the exact mechanisms await further research. “We don’t understand everything about this yet,” Reinl concedes, “but we do know that stillness is the enemy. If you remain still, everything shrinks and atrophies—your muscles, bones, ligaments, everything.” The Better Alternative to RICE Careful muscle activation, by contrast, has the opposite effect. Contractions around lymphatic vessels clear waste and increase blood circulation to damaged tissues. This, in turn, increases deposition of replacement collagen and boosts the “remodeling” process that pulls apart scar tissue and makes it functional. A growing cadre of sports medicine specialists now agrees: Trying to interrupt the body’s innate healing mechanisms can backfire. Humans have been evolving for hundreds of thousands of years, and neither cryotherapy nor prolonged bedrest were viable options for our ancestors. They depended instead on natural healing. “The human body is absolutely remarkable,” acknowledges Nick DiNubile, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and former team physician for the Philadelphia 76ers. “Most of the time it knows what it’s doing. I still believe there’s an occasional place in the medical bag for ice—for acute pain, for instance, it’s certainly preferable to Percocet or Vicodin. But you really have to be mindful of what you’re trying to accomplish before you throw in the ice pack.” So if RICE is no longer the answer, what’s a better strategy for expediting your return to the field of play? Reinl, for his part, believes the answer lies in a new acronym: ARITA—active recovery is the answer. There are exceptions, of course—you may have no choice but to immobilize a limb, say, with a compound fracture. But for most garden-variety sports injuries, Reinl suggests resisting the urge to ice away your pain and plop down on the couch for days. Instead, let your pain level be your guide and keep on moving as much or as little as your mending body allows. Also see: The Case for Using Ice. Eliminate your excuses. Download the Spartan Bodyweight Workout Plan.Google seems to be dishin’ out new products and services, left and right. Some of them make the cut, other’s don’t! There’s quite the list of services that haven’t been as fortunate as others, like the original Google Video. What happened to it anyways? I’m talking about the one released into beta back in January of 2005 which was to enable users to “search the content of television programs from leading TV content providers including PBS, the NBA, Fox News, and C-Span.” It’s been replaced by the Google Video as you know it today, where you are able to watch actual videos, instead of searching the transcripts and content as the initial version offered. Back in January 2005, the product manager for Google Video wrote up a short snippet on the Google Blog giving his compelling reason as to why Google Video was needed. He talked about being stuck in a hotel room for a few days in Wisconsin for a wedding, trying to find something to do, and flipping through channels, “idly watching some travel show when a thought hit me: surely someone, somewhere must have produced a travel show episode about Wisconsin, maybe even
"Never thought I had it in me. Then again...I'm no angel." The Devil Mercy skin lies right between a 14-year-old's gaudy edgy fever dream OC, and a "Auto-Zealots, Roll Out!" HOTS Tassadar-level expected shameful indulgence.Can't wait until I get this or the Imp skin in a Loot Box, though I am digging that Valkyrie getup too.Similar to citricwitch's Dark Mercy headcanon I had a while back, one of my interpretations for how we can possibly explain Devil Mercy - other than a Halloween party disaster - was a plot where Angela is taken hostage by the Talon organization to utilize the Valkyrie’s technology for themselves. Talon induced the same shit they did on Amélie including placing her in early stage physiology to begin the process of what I think they called Operation: Fallen Angel. I’d imagine from there, the story progresses in a very Infested!Kerrigan sort of way.Amazon Will Donate Some of Your Purchase Amount to the Charity of Your Choice Amazon is known for pouring the revenue it generates back into its business. Now, it’s ready to give a chunk away. The Seattle-based retailer today announced a corporate philanthropy program called AmazonSmile, which allows Amazon shoppers to direct 0.5 percent of their purchase totals at the e-commerce giant toward a charitable organization of their choice. Amazon will then donate the money on behalf of its customers. At launch, “basically every physical product is eligible” for the program, according to AmazonSmile general manager Ian McAllister. But there are exceptions. Digital-media products such as Kindle e-books won’t be eligible for the program, although that could change, McAllister said. Purchases made through Amazon’s subscribe-and-save subscription program are also ineligible. There will be no cap on donation amount. The program will only be available to shoppers who visit Amazon via a special Web address — smile.amazon.com — instead of the normal Amazon.com homepage. When customers enter through the new gateway, they will be prompted to select from one of a handful of featured charitable organizations, or to search a database of nearly a million 501(c)(3) organizations if they are looking to support a cause that isn’t featured. That breadth of choice pretty much matches up with the Amazon brand. The shopping experience the customers encounter on the AmazonSmile landing page will otherwise be identical to the regular Amazon.com site — same selection, same prices — with the exception that eligible products will be marked as such on product detail pages, the company said. An Amazon spokesperson said the company will market the program on Amazon.com, via email, and on its social network accounts. A rep for Charity:Water, one of the organizations Amazon touts in its press release, said it will not do paid advertising of its own to promote AmazonSmile, but will publicize it to its social network followers. Corporate charitable giving is nothing new, of course, and can take on varied forms. Google’s charitable initiatives include grants, free product handouts and an overall pledge of one percent of its profits toward its charitable organizations. Last year, Walmart said it gave $1 billion in cash and in-kind contributions to U.S. organizations. And Salesforce is known for donations and discounts to nonprofits of its customer-relationship-management software. But the sheer size of Amazon’s customer base, the ease with which donations are made once someone becomes aware of the program and the charity choice given to shoppers make for a unique program. For those who end up making a routine out of shopping through smile.amazon.com, there will likely be the feeling that you’re doing good while shopping, which has the potential to be another powerful differentiator to set Amazon apart. “At their scale, there’s potential to truly test whether ‘cause’ affects buying decisions,” said Jeff Smith, chief innovation officer at Matter Unlimited, a boutique creative agency focused on social-responsibility campaigns. “It would be fascinating to really connect the dots.” A side benefit of corporate-giving initiatives like this one are the tax deductions — and Amazon’s case is no different. The company, not Amazon shoppers, will receive the tax benefits for the donations. Donations will be made through an entity called AmazonSmile Foundation and will come out of Amazon’s pockets, not from any of its marketplace sellers. McAllister, AmazonSmile’s GM, said tax benefits did not guide the decision to launch AmazonSmile. Nor did focus groups or customer surveys. “We thought our customers would love it,” he said of the reason for the initiative. When I asked a spokesperson whether Amazon cares about what Wall Street and its shareholders will think about a company that doesn’t frequently turn a profit creating such a charitable initiative, the response was similar. “We think our customers will love it,” he said.Coming Soon Shimmers In this supernatural eco-thriller, five teens at an isolated school in northern Thailand are haunted by their pasts -- and a much more sinister force. Chip & Potato A loveable pug and her mouse BFF start kindergarten, welcome new siblings and learn to become part of their community in this series for preschoolers. The I-Land In this sci-fi adventure series, ten people wake up on a treacherous island with no memory and soon discover this world is not as it seems. Trinkets In this coming-of-age series, three teenage girls from different social circles form an unlikely friendship over their shared affinity for shoplifting. THE STRANGER Secrets, violence and a conspiracy send family man Adam Price on a desperate quest to uncover the truth about the people closest to him. PINOCCHIO Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro reinvents the classic tale of the wooden puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy. Cagaster of an Insect Cage Thirty years after humanity was decimated by a disease that turned the infected into bloodthirsty insects, two kids struggle to survive. Top Boy After being forced to flee his East London housing estate, a former kingpin returns home to take back his throne.Windows RT distinguishes itself from Windows 8 in two main ways. First, it runs on ARM processors rather than x86 ones. Second, it bars the installation of third-party desktop applications. The built-in Windows applications like Notepad work, and of course, the bundled Office 2013 apps run on the desktop, but any attempt to run third-party applications is greeted with an error message. After a little under two-and-a-half months on the market, the first cracks have started to appear in Microsoft's lockdown. A developer going by the name of clrokr has published a way of defeating this limitation, enabling arbitrary desktop applications to be run on Windows RT. The complexities of this crack mean that it stops short of being a useful, practical jailbreak. Breaking into Windows RT Windows 8 and Windows RT both use digital signatures to determine whether an application is allowed to run. Windows defines four different "levels" of digital signature: unsigned (for programs with no signature at all), Authenticode (for programs that have a digital signature from any third party), Microsoft (for apps with a Microsoft signature) and Windows (for executables that are part of Windows itself). The Windows kernel has a function that specifies which signing level a given executable needs. On x86, desktop apps have a required level of "unsigned"—because on x86 the desktop is unrestricted and can run any application. On ARM, however, desktop apps have a required level of "Microsoft." After loading an executable, but before actually running it, Windows compares the executable's signature level to the required level; if the executable's signature is good enough it will run, otherwise Windows just shows an error message and refuses to run the program. If the function that returned the required signature level could be modified to always indicate that "unsigned" was good enough, then Windows RT would be able to run arbitrary desktop applications. The required signature level is stored within the Windows kernel itself, so the naive solution would be to modify the value in the kernel so that the value was always "unsigned." However, Windows verifies the integrity of its own core components before it loads them. On x86 and x64 Windows, this integrity checking could be bypassed using the same techniques used by malware: there are "bootkits" that load before the operating system and then modify the kernel as it loads to remove the integrity check. With one of these bootkits installed, the modified kernel could be loaded without difficulty. Secure Boot stands in the way But this route isn't possible on Windows RT, because of a feature called Secure Boot. Secure Boot is a feature of the UEFI firmware specification that all Windows RT devices are required to support. With Secure Boot, the system's firmware verifies the integrity of the operating system before it loads it. Bootkits fail the Secure Boot integrity check, and the system will fail to boot if a bootkit is in place. Secure Boot has been a subject of great concern, especially within the Linux community, as the refusal to boot a bootkit also potentially translates into a refusal to boot an alternative operating system. On x86 and x64 machines, vendors are required to provide some way to disable Secure Boot as well as some way to trust alternative operating systems. However, ARM machines don't have this same stipulation. In fact, they do the reverse; Secure Boot is mandatory and permanent on ARM machines, including Surface. This forced clrokr to find a different way of modifying the kernel. Permanent modification of the file on disk is impossible, but modification of the kernel in memory would allow the signature level to be changed. There are, of course, impediments to doing that. Modifying the kernel is something of a no-no. Fortunately for clrokr, the Windows RT kernel is identical to the Windows 8 kernel—it therefore contains the same security flaws that the Windows 8 kernel suffers from. One such flaw was documented by Google-employed security researcher Mateusz "j00ru" Jurczyk in November 2011. Certain functions in the Windows kernel are designed to only ever be called by a special Windows process called CSRSS. These functions trust that the data sent by CSRSS is properly formed, so they don't perform proper validation. This can in turn be used to trick the functions into overwriting data in the kernel of an attacker's choosing—data including the required signature level. If an attacker could persuade CSRSS to call one of these vulnerable functions "just so" he could set the required signature level to "unsigned," thereby allowing any and all desktop applications to run. Microsoft happened to make this a bit easier for clrokr, because it ships a remote debugger for Windows RT, and because it allows any process to be run as an Administrator. Administrators have the authority to attach debuggers to the special CSRSS process. With a debugger attached, exploit code can be injected into CSRSS, and then one of the vulnerable kernel functions can be called. This overwrites the required signature level, allowing any desktop application to be run. In fact, clrokr's exploit code has to call the vulnerable function 524,288 times to set up the value to be exactly what it should be. Since its publication on Sunday, people on the XDA Developers forums have been recompiling various applications to run on ARM and running them from the Windows RT desktop. Microsoft's own development tools can be used to produce ARM executables, albeit with a few extra hoops to jump through compared to producing x86 apps, as the ARM development tools are intended only for producing Metro-style applications. Not yet a jailbreak More tricky is dealing with people who want the bugs to remain, because they want to be able to run desktop apps on their Windows RT machines. What does this mean for the Windows RT platform? In the short-term, not a whole lot. First, this crack is a long way from a useful jailbreak. The patch needs to be reapplied to the Windows RT system each time it gets rebooted. This in turn means firing up the debugger on the Windows RT device, and connecting a full Windows machine to that debugger over a network to inject the exploit code itself. The attack is also not 100 percent reliable at present; sometimes it can make the machine crash with a blue screen of death. Second, this means that the crack isn't a serious security flaw. As it stands, the technique can't be used for drive-by browser-based jailbreaks; it requires complex user intervention. Microsoft's response to the attack makes this very argument: The scenario outlined is not a security vulnerability and does not pose a threat to Windows RT users. The mechanism described is not something the average user could, or reasonably would, leverage, as it requires local access to a system, local administration rights and a debugger in order to work. In addition, the Windows Store is the only supported method for customers to install applications for Windows RT. There are mechanisms in place to scan for security threats and help ensure apps from the Store are legitimate and can be acquired and used with confidence. We applaud the ingenuity of the folks who worked this out and the hard work they did to document it. We'll not guarantee these approaches will be there in future releases. To turn this into a useful general purpose jailbreak requires more work, and more exploitable flaws. The most useful way forward would be to make the jailbreak self-contained, so that it could run entirely on Windows RT. This is tricky, because Windows RT is designed to block the execution of arbitrary code (such as a little program to inject code into CSRSS and perform the exploit). However, applications such as Internet Explorer and Word almost certainly have exploitable arbitrary code execution flaws within them. A suitably crafted webpage or Word document could potentially be used to execute exploit code within these applications. Normally, user privileges would also be a hurdle; in order to attach to CSRSS, programs need to be running with elevated privileges. For mere jailbreaking, this isn't a huge problem, simply because Windows RT allows any program to be run with elevated privileges. With this we could envisage a jailbreak process along the following lines: start Word or Internet Explorer as an elevated process (clicking through the UAC prompt), then open a locally stored Word document or HTML file that exploits a code execution flaw, attaches to CSRSS, and in turn modifies the kernel. This would still be complex, due to the anti-exploitation mechanisms that Windows RT inherits from Windows 8, but it should in principle be feasible, as techniques for bypassing these mechanisms are well-known within the hacking community. To turn it into a serious security flaw, something that could be run by a malicious webpage without user intervention, would require even more exploitation; attackers would have to break out of an unprivileged, sandboxed Internet Explorer before patching the kernel. This has been done before; it will probably be done again. But it's not very easy. Even this wouldn't represent a permanent jailbreak: rebooting the system would restore it to normal operation, and any patches that repaired any of the flaws being used would prevent future jailbreaking. An effective permanent attack would probably require defeating Secure Boot or Windows' own integrity verification. Patching problems If a drive-by jailbreak were developed, Microsoft would certainly be spurred into action. But then the next question is, what can it actually do about it? Obviously, the company can push out security patches via Windows Update, and anyone who doesn't want to get exploited by drive-by attacks could install the patches. More tricky is dealing with people who want the bugs to remain, because they want to be able to run desktop apps on their Windows RT machines. Microsoft has no ability to force users to install patches—they can disable the Windows Update service if they really want to—and even if a user has patched their machine, he or she can trivially roll back to an earlier version of the operating system using the system recovery image. It's not clear what provisions, if any, Microsoft has for servicing this recovery image. Currently, doing a full system reset and rebuild from the image removes every security patch applied and reverts the device to the same state that it was in when originally purchased. This gives would-be jailbreakers the permanent ability to undo any fixes that Microsoft might make. Microsoft's statement strongly implies that the bug being exploited by this crack will be patched in due course, but as it's not considered a security flaw (any "flaw" that requires Administrator rights to exploit isn't really a flaw, after all) there's no particular rush to get it out. clrokr's stance is that breaking Windows RT's restriction makes it a more useful platform. In the description of the hack, clrokr closes with a request, asking Microsoft to "please consider making code signing optional and thereby increasing the value of your Windows RT devices." The first few apps ported to run on Windows RT's desktop, ssh client PuTTY and remote access tool TightVNC, certainly support this viewpoint; these are apps that lack any good alternative in the Windows Store and which undoubtedly make the platform more useful. Whether Microsoft is willing to entertain such uses, however, is another question. Thus far, the company has shown no willingness to open up Windows RT in this way. With further development of this kind of crack, it soon may not be Microsoft's decision to make.Common Ground 2013: Jon Connor Flint rapper Jon Connor performs Sunday evening at Common Ground Music Festival. FLINT, MI--After years of free releases, touring and recording, Flint rapper Jon Connor joins the record label home of rap legends Eminem and 50 Cent: Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. Connor made the announcement during a performance at the BET Hip Hop Awards, which aired on Tuesday, Oct. 15. He was participating in one of the award show's "Ciphers," a down the-line rap session with other up-and-coming rap artists Wax, Rapsody, Emis Killa, and Rittz. Connor's verse was the last of the performance. Switching between a fast, double-time flow and a steadier one, he name-dropped Michigan before ending his verse by revealing the news to event attendees and viewers at home. "I cleared all y'all that got in the way. Y'all knew that I was ill, but now my doctor is Dre," Connor said, using wordplay to refer to his new label boss. "Aftermath. AVM. Flint, Michigan." He then held open his jacket to reveal a black shirt that read "Flint" in white letters. Connor visited Dr. Dre's Los Angeles home in July, shortly after performing at Lansing's Common Ground Music Festival with fellow Flint native, and The X Factor USA finalist, Lyric Da Queen. He told Flint Journal that Xzibit, a rap/TV star and frequent Dr. Dre collaborator, helped Connor connect with Dre, after Connor toured with Xzibit earlier this year. Connor has also been cosigned by Mr. Porter, a member of Aftermath Records' production stable and of Eminem's rap group D12. As a signee to Aftermath Entertainment, Connor will join a lineage of some of hip-hop's most successful artists. Eminem, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and others have all enjoyed fruitful careers with Dr. Dre's musical production and mentorship. Since the label was founded in 1996, 15 of its 19 albums have been certified as "platinum"--the Recording Industry Association of America's award certification to honor one million units sold--or higher. Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" and "The Eminem Show," along with 50 Cent's "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'," were RIAA-certified as diamond with 10 million units sold. The Aftermath news will likely intensify rumors of Connor writing lyrics for "Detox," Dr. Dre's oft-delayed final album. The record has developed a virtually mythical status because of years of release delays and limited output, but Connor insisted that the album is there. "'Detox' is going to come out whenever it's ready for him to put it out," Connor said. "It's not as mythical as people think.... 'Detox' is definitely real." The signing also makes Connor one of the most visible rap artists in Flint's history. He grew up listening to Genesee County acts like Top Authority, The Dayton Family, and MC Breed. The latter enjoyed hit singles such as "Ain't No Future In Yo Frontin" and the 2Pac-featured "Gotta Get Mine" before he died in his sleep in 2008. In his last conversation with Flint Journal, Connor said he looks at their careers with "respect and appreciation." "At the end of the day, Dayton Family, Top Authority, MC Breed, all of them paved the way for whatever I'm doing," Connor said. "...I'm the new generation, but nothing I do will ever trump or erase the history they have set in motion. I'm coming in and adding on to the lineage and history they've already set."X-Wing Manoeuvres, Tips & Tricks X-Wing is a game of millimetres but sometimes those millimetres can appear to be subjective. This post looks at one of the core fundamentals of the game -movement, and will hopefully make you a little more confident about some manoeuvres that you may not have taken for fear of landing on asteroids or flying into the abyss. I'll also go over some other tips and tricks I find useful. Range Dimensions The beauty of this game is how all the dimensions of range, manoeuvres, ship bases (and even the dials!) are proportional and just seem to fit together rather nicely. Knowing some of this can really help to gauge where you finish when you perform a manoeuvre. Small base=1-forward template Large base= 2-forward template 5-forward=Range two (on range ruler) These are but just a few see below for some great posts that go into great detail about some of the more difficult manoeuvres. 4-K turn to the edge Ah the edge of the playing field, guaranteed destruction if one ventures to fast and it always seems further away than it is. Luckily we know how far away it is if an asteroid at range two from the edge is and using the knowledge from above, we know that if you're in line with an object we know that a 4-K turn will be a safe one. Hard Turns at the board edge It can be hard to gauge how far forward you move from a hard turn. I'm guilty of performing a 3-turn at the start of the match only to be greeted with an asteroid to the face because I deployed too far forward. Lets see how to make those initial manoeuvres a little less humiliating. Placing a ship 1-forward from the edge will save you from certain doom when performing a 3-turn. Any further than this then you run the risk of hitting obstacles placed a range two from the edge. A ship placed as far forward in the 'range one' zone will be safe when performing a 2-turn. Middle of the board (include decloaking speeding forward) A ship placed directly in the middle of the board can almost reach range three of the side edges after performing a 3-turn. There's a few shenanigans you can do with TIE phantoms to really catch some people off guard! Whisper performs a 4-straight and cloaks Next round decloak forward, perform 3-turn and barrel roll forward. You finish up pretty much touching their deployment zone at range 3 BY ROUND 2! Staying (relatively) in place This is a handy tip for ships that can hard turn AND barrel roll may find useful. The outcome of these manoeuvres is that a ship will be close to where it was the previous turn in regards to its position and orientation. Turn 1 1-Turn left/right Perform a barrel roll in the same direction to which you turned Barrel roll as far back as possible Turn 2 1-turn in the opposite direction from the previous turn Barrel roll in the same direction that you turned Barrel roll as far back as possible Voila, you are back to where you were (well.......almost). This could be handy when slow playing at the start of a game to see where the opponent is going. Dancing around Obstacles Obstacles can appear tricky when trying to move around them due to the odd shapes they are. One thing I found particularly hard to envision was whether a turn will result in the side of my base overlapping it. Here, this will help put your mind at rest! If the front of your ship is aligned with the edge of an obstacle, you can 1-turn around it without clipping it. Not advised but its possible to fly around the largest asteroid using only 1-turns, 2-turns make this a lot easier. A ship can not escape its own firing arc Apart from a few caveats (i.e. slam, boost & barrel roll, other janky manoeuvres I can't think of off the top of my head), a ship cannot perform a manoeuvre and escape its own firing arc. Handy information to know where they may end up, even better so if you know the dial of the other ship! Practice....Practice.......Practice....... The single handedly best tip/trick I can offer is to simply practice flying. Just set up some asteroids and fly around them and get a proper feel for the speed and position of ships after they have manoeuvred. You don't have the pressure of your ships getting shot at so fly them until your hearts content! Hopefully these tips and tricks be as handy to you as they are to me. Are there any tips or tricks you know of that I haven't covered? I may do a formation flying or large ship post if there's enough interest! Comment below and I'll involve them in a future tips and tricks post. Earn your wings- This fantastic guide goes into great detail about the dimensions of the ships and has loads of tips on flying well. X-Wing Strategy Videos- Here is a YouTube playlist that covers so basic flying.Rubio says economy must come first as candidates address issue on CNN, as Christie rejects ‘wild leftwing idea’ that we can fix the climate alone In an exchange that would have been all but unthinkable even four years ago, moderator Jake Tapper posed a question to Florida senator Marco Rubio and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie that quoted Reagan secretary of state George Schultz: “Why not take out our insurance policy and approach climate change the Reagan way?” But despite the token question well into the third hour of CNN’s GOP debate, no candidate was willing to endorse any possible solution. “Here’s the bottom line,” Rubio answered. “Every proposal they put forward will make it harder to do business in America. Harder to create jobs in America. Single parents are already struggling across this country to provide for their families. Maybe a billionaire here in California can afford an increase in their utility rates, but a working family in Tampa, Florida or anywhere across the country cannot afford it.” Five reasons Florida's Marco Rubio might want to rethink climate change Read more He said: “We are not going to destroy our economy, make America a harder place to create jobs, in order to pursue a policy that will do nothing, nothing to change our climate, to change our weather. “America is a lot of things – the greatest country in the world, absolutely. But America is not a planet.” Christie, who has previously stated that he believes climate change to be real, demurred when asked if he had an answer to “sceptics” like Rubio. “I don’t think Senator Rubio is a sceptic on climate change,” he said. “I think what Senator Rubio said I agree with – that in fact we don’t need this massive government intervention to deal with the problem. Look at what we’ve done with New Jersey – we’ve already reached our clean air goals for 2020.” He pointed to 53% of New Jersey’s power coming from nuclear energy. “I agree with Marco. We shouldn’t be destroying our economy in order to chase some wild leftwing idea that somehow us by ourselves is going to fix the climate. We can contribute to that and be economically sound.” Carly Fiorina dominates turbulent Republican debate as Trump fends off attacks Read more Both Rubio and Christie, and later Walker, accepted the premise that the climate was changing. But Rubio felt there was nothing a government intervention could do about it. “Here’s what we should be sceptical of: we should be sceptical of decisions the left wants us to make,” Rubio said. “They will not do a thing to lower the rise of the sea, they will not do a thing for the drought here in California, but what they will do is make America a more expensive place to create jobs … I am not in favour of anything that will make it harder for [Americans] to raise their families.” Scott Walker echoed Rubio in worrying that “we’re going to put people – manufacturing jobs – this administration is going to put them at risk”. At the start of the debate, Rubio startled many by bringing up the environment – in what turned out to be a joke. “I’m aware California has a drought,” Rubio said. “That’s why I brought my own water bottle.”Solange Knowles turned 30 in June, and it seems clear that her Saturn Returns manifested in an artistic surge. A Seat at the Table, her third full-length album, is the work of a woman who’s truly grown into herself, and discovered within a clear, exhilarating statement of self and community that’s as robust in its quieter moments as it is in its funkier ones. Even though it’s been out less than a week, it already seems like a document of historical significance, not just for its formidable musical achievements but for the way it encapsulates black cultural and social history with such richness, generosity, and truth. To this point, Solange has been trying on styles and stretching out into her own skills as a songwriter. Having spent her early teen years singing backup and writing songs, she debuted as a solo artist at just 16, with Solo Star. Very 2003, it was a gleaming, hip-hop-informed album that slinked over beats from the likes of Timbaland and the Neptunes; even with plenty of great tracks, the production outweighed her presence. After a five-year break as a solo artist—during which she got married, had son Julez, moved to Idaho, got divorced, starred in Bring It On: All or Nothing, among other films, and wrote songs for her sister Beyoncé (whew!)—she returned in 2008 with Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams. That album was clearly immersed in a deep love of ’60s funk and soul and its attendant politics, and she rebelled against expectations (see: “Fuck the Industry”), eager to fully express her individuality. She fused her musical impulses in the easy, ebullient grooves of 2012’s True EP, which eased a glossier vision of pop into the soulfunk groove she had ingrained. Even with such an impressive resume, though, A Seat at the Table is on a different plane. It’s a document of the struggle of a black woman, and black women, in 2016, as Solange confronts painful indignities and situates them historically. Many of these songs draw from current reactions to the seemingly unending killing of black women and men at the hands of the police, but the scope of the record as a whole is much larger than that, with Civil Rights hymnals encompassing centuries of horror black Americans have been subject to, including that inflicted on Knowles’ own ancestors. But even when Solange offers her narrative in first-person and incorporates her family’s past through interludes with her mother Tina and father Mathew, she does so with such artistic and emotional openness that this album feels like nothing but a salve. View More The quick sketch “Rise” opens slowly, on a sweet piano and with layers of Solange’s voice in jazz modulations, as a sort of blessing and a placid encouragement to thrive despite it all. “Fall in your ways, so you can crumble,” she sings. “Fall in your ways, so you can wake up and rise.” The word “rise” lands on the high note, but the song lays out the album’s central tension between pain, pride, sorrow, and fierce dignity. This leads directly into “Weary,” a ginger, breathy document of exhaustion, and the deceptively euphoric “Cranes in the Sky,” which, taken as a “Weary”’s counterpart, illustrates two stages of sorrow. What’s so touching about “Cranes,” though—intertwined with the airy, peaceful beauty of its video—is the way Solange specifically documents her process of coping, down to the smallest escape mechanisms. On a warm bass strut, she sings about drinking, sexing, running, and spending in an effort to be free from “those metal clouds,” making visible the kinds of mundane things we all do in the service of a temporary reprieve. Naming these actions feels radical in and of itself, but by the time she flies off her own cloud of a Minnie Riperton-level aria, she seems to have freed herself from the routine, and transcended it. Solange has said that it was important to her to articulate her roots, and so along with the recordings of her parents, she made the bulk of A Seat at the Table in New Iberia, Louisiana, “based on that area being the start of everything within our family’s lineage,” the place where Tina Knowles-Lawson’s parents first met and then fled after being “run out of town.” In terms of production, her song structures, and melodies, she celebrates the whole history of black music. But the result is never derivative; when you recognize the spirits of artists like Riperton, Zapp, Angie Stone, Aaliyah (lyrically, in “Borderline (An Ode to Self Care”), Janet Jackson, Stanley Clarke, Lil Mo, Herbie freakin’ Hancock and so many more, it feels more like a musical nod or a wink. The master musician and bandleader Raphael Saadiq serves as co-producer; Saadiq meets Solange in the juiciest middle, both bridging their instincts between classic instrumentation and futuristic funk. The arrangements are voluminous, loose and tight at once, but Solange’s voice is always at the front of this proscenium; each shows restraint as they lean into her collective vision. The sound they conjure is chill-inducing, an easy sound for subject matter that’s as real and tough as it gets. The excellent “Don’t Touch My Hair” (with a feature by Sampha) and “Mad” (her second collaboration with Lil Wayne) specifically address the way black women are devalued, and the songs meet that with resistance. Solange’s voice is a palliative for the pain she describes, as she names truths to divest them of their power. A Seat at the Table offers a hearth to black women as much as it asserts Solange’s right to comfort and understanding. And in terms of her lived experience, the table of the album’s title, metaphysical and physical, rests in her home of New Orleans. In several interludes, the rapper, label head, and entrepreneur Master P threads the album with musings on No Limit’s runaway success as a black-owned record label (landed him on the Forbes list, baby). That particular segment leads into “F.U.B.U.” ("For Us, By Us"), a honey-dripped slow-grinder of black affirmation, with tubas that sound inspired by NOLA’s Second Lines as Solange mews, “This shit is for us/Don’t try to come for us.” Her sumptuous harmonies build a protective forcefield: “Some shit,” she sings, “you can’t touch.” A Seat at the Table’s nature is beneficent, but at its spiritual core it is an ode to black women and their healing and sustenance in particular; in writing about herself, Solange turns the mirror back upon them, and crystallizes the kinship therein. She harmonizes with Kelly Rowland and Nia Andrews that “I got so much magic, you can have it,” but the song that perhaps best encapsulates this outstanding work is “Scales,” a slow-burning duet with Kelela near the end of the album. Their harmonies are heavenly and create almost a meditative effect, a mantra of healing kindness in a syrup-slow synth progression. It’s a sex jam, I think, but it can also serve as a shine-theory jam. “You’re a superstar,” they sing together, letting the “star” part roll around a bit in the lower part of the vibrato. “You’re a superstar.”I'm a vegan media elite who writes things like "The Six Vegan Superfoods You Should Have Started Eating Yesterday." (Actually, I haven't written that yet, but I should.) It was time for me to engage with the veg-eating regulars. So I ventured to Manhattan's West Side (not far from the Meatpacking district, ironically), for the Farm Sanctuary's "Plant-Powered Run." Farm Sanctuary was founded in 1986 as a rescue for animals abused by factory-farming and launched its first series of 5K and 10K races this year to help spread the message that plant-based diets can fuel healthy and active lives. I figured this race would have the highest density of vegan runners one could find outside of the supplement aisle of a Whole Foods. My hunch that not all vegan runners fuel the same way was soon confirmed, but I was a little surprised to find out that not all vegan runners look the same the way either. I should know better than to discriminate against my own kind, but when I heard “Vegan 10K,” all I could picture was a starting line crammed with tattooed thirty-somethings. But the veg crowd was well-represented: I met a 61-year-old social worker, a 22-year-old recent college grad turned professional runner, and a self-described “vegan Joey-bag-a-donuts” who converts meat-eaters to his way of life in the sauna of his Long Island gym. It looked like any other Saturday morning race, save for the life-size cardboard cutout of a cow. RELATED: Recover Like a Vegan With These Foods I asked Farm Sanctuary’s founder—and vegan marathoner/triathlete—Gene Baur about what he thinks draws so many runners these days to a plant-based diet. He credited the meditative nature of running with allowing people to think more about what they’re eating and where it comes from. “Veganism still includes the hippies,” Baur said. “But it has transformed to include…more people who want to live well and want to have more meaningful lives.” Baur told me that Farm Sanctuary tries to speak to people about the benefits of eating more plants regardless of whether they’re willing to go full-veg. So what advice does he have for our omnivorous running buddies? “Even if someone isn’t ready to become a vegan, they can take steps towards eating fewer animals and more plant foods,” Baur said. “Get in tune with your food… Eat more whole foods… Try something new. You might find something you really like
a few miles away in Old Town. According to the Distillery website, at peak production, the distillery produced 11,000 gallons of whiskey, yielding a profit of $7,500 in 1799. Video Video  Image Play Current Time 0:00 / Duration Time 0:00 Remaining Time -0:00 Stream Type LIVE Loaded : 0% Progress : 0% 00:00 00:15 Fullscreen Playback Rate 1  Subtitles subtitles off  Captions captions settings captions settings captions off  Chapters Chapters Mute 00:00 Foreground --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Opaque Background --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Default Monospace Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Sans-Serif Casual Script Small Caps Defaults Done Autoplay Autoplay Steve Price on the Project regarding comments on Q&A 0:27 Carrie asks Steve Price if he has any regrets from Q&A last night - Courtesy The Project July 12th 2016 3 days ago /video/video.news.com.au/News/ Van Badham posted a video on Facebook about the response to Steve Price's comments. VAN Badham has released a video revealing the ugly response to her appearance on Q&A since radio host Steve Price described her as “hysterical”. The Guardian columnist posted a video on her Facebook page pointing out how Price’s response had demonised her and how it had stirred up the kinds of attitudes that normalise violence against women. Q&A appearance, telling The Project he would not be “verballed by an aggressive woman”. Price refused to apologise to Badham, after calling her “hysterical” during Monday night’sappearance, tellinghe would not be “verballed by an aggressive woman”. Badham said she thought it was very surprising for many people to see Price speak down to her, and try to humiliate her by describing her opinions as hysterical. She notes that following Q&A, Price had appeared several times on the radio “denigrating me personally, disrespecting me, refusing to apologise”. “His demonisation of me over the past couple of days is another excellent example of how cultural messaging works, because in the wake of how Steve Price has been acting since Q&A, this is the kind of feedback I’ve received on the internet.” Badham then reads out messages she has received starting with “she needs a hole drilled in her arse so she can be carried around like a bowling ball”. Others include “I’d smack the b**ch in the mouth, I’d do it to a guy and equal rights means I can do it to a girl”, “If her husband beat her up I’d have to say, ‘good on him’,” and “you deserve a good slap”. “This is what my week has been like thanks to the comments made by Steve Price,” Badham says in the video. “Cultural shifts have to happen and Steve, they’ve got to start with you.”Abstract Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP) is the most frequently reported seafood-toxin illness in the world. It causes substantial human health, social, and economic impacts. The illness produces a complex array of gastrointestinal, neurological and neuropsychological, and cardiovascular symptoms, which may last days, weeks, or months. This paper is a general review of CFP including the human health effects of exposure to ciguatoxins (CTXs), diagnosis, human pathophysiology of CFP, treatment, detection of CTXs in fish, epidemiology of the illness, global dimensions, prevention, future directions, and recommendations for clinicians and patients. It updates and expands upon the previous review of CFP published by Friedman et al. (2008) and addresses new insights and relevant emerging global themes such as climate and environmental change, international market issues, and socioeconomic impacts of CFP. It also provides a proposed universal case definition for CFP designed to account for the variability in symptom presentation across different geographic regions. Information that is important but unchanged since the previous review has been reiterated. This article is intended for a broad audience, including resource and fishery managers, commercial and recreational fishers, public health officials, medical professionals, and other interested parties. View Full-TextJohn Patrick Lowrie (born June 28, 1952 in Honolulu, Hawaii) is an American voice actor, actor, musician and author best known for voicing the Sniper in Team Fortress 2 and various characters in Dota 2. He has played Sherlock Holmes on the radio dramas The Classic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Imagination Theater, Jim French Productions) longer than any other actor in history, including Basil Rathbone.[citation needed] Career [ edit ] Lowrie has performed roles in video games such as The Suffering and The Suffering: Ties That Bind, Total Annihilation and its expansions, The Operative: No One Lives Forever and No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way. Lowrie is mostly recognized for his voice acting in Valve games such asTeam Fortress 2, Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One, Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Left 4 Dead and Dota 2.[1] He is noted for playing the roles of The Sniper in the online FPS Team Fortress 2, Agent Gray in the MMORPG The Matrix Online, as well as Odessa Cubbage and the male citizens in Half-Life 2. Lowrie plays Sherlock Holmes in The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, a radio show produced by Jim French Productions. In 2011, he published a science fiction novel named Dancing with Eternity.[2] Personal life [ edit ] His adolescence was spent in Boulder, Colorado where he attended various high schools briefly before joining the United States Navy. He studied for a Ph.D. in Music Composition at Indiana University. He has been married to Ellen McLain since 1986.[3] McLain also works as a voice actress, and has starred alongside him in Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, and Dota 2.[4] Works [ edit ] Video games [ edit ]Minnesota's biggest Boy Scout group said Tuesday that gays and lesbians remain welcome in its troops, despite a national announcement that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) will continue to bar leaders, employees and members who are "open or avowed homosexuals." "We're a reflection of the community," said Kent York, spokesman for the Northern Star Council, which has 75,000 Scouts in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. "Our commitment has been to reach out to all young people and have a positive influence." York said that the Twin Cities-based Scout council, one of the nation's largest, will continue to follow a 12-year-old "inclusive leadership selection" practice. When asked how they could differ from the national policy, York said that it had "worked for us." "Every council is reflective of their community," he said. The national policy says that while the Boy Scouts do not "proactively inquire about the sexual orientation of employees, volunteers or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA." The national organization, based in Texas, decided to stand by the policy after an 11-member committee spent two years reviewing it. In a statement Tuesday, national officials announced that they unanimously agreed to keep the long-standing policy despite protests because it "remains in the best interest of scouting" and "reflects the beliefs and perspectives" of its members. "While a majority of our membership agrees with our policy, we fully understand that no single policy will accommodate the many diverse views among our membership or society," Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca said. The statement added that the Boy Scouts don't criticize or condemn "those who wish to follow a different path," but that homosexuality should be left to parents, spiritual advisers and others. Both the state and national Girl Scouts of the USA allow lesbian members and troop leaders in its ranks. "We've always been inclusive," said Sara Danzinger of the Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys. She added that the Boy Scouts "are a brother organization, but this is just an area where we differ." For years, Ira Mitchell of Eagan has turned down his three sons' requests to join the Boy Scouts because of the national group's stance on gays. "As a parent it was important for me to not have my kids in an organization that promotes that exclusivity," said Mitchell, whose sons are ages 12, 9 and 8. "I'm going to have to teach them what I learned in scouting on my own." After learning about the Northern Star Council's "inclusive leadership," Mitchell said he'd reconsider his decision to keep his sons out of scouting. Other parents of local Boy Scouts disagreed with Mitchell and commended the national organization for addressing their concerns. "They're trying to protect the boys, not excluding people, and making people feel comfortable when you send a boy on a trip," said one mother, who asked not to be named. John Chatelaine of Lakeville, an Eagle Scout who now has a son in a Boy Scout troop, said he approved of the policies of the Northern Star Council and the national Scouts. "I'm glad the national organization is seeking employee policies that are motivated by the safety of the boys," he said. He said the Northern Star Council is following another scouting principle -- bravery. "They are both following the points of the scout law. Neither side is right, and neither side is wrong," he said. The Boy Scouts' announcement Tuesday didn't surprise Margaret Miller of south Minneapolis, who has an 11-year-old in scouting. But she was disappointed. "They are conservative," she said. "I think for these kind of groups, it's going to take a while." The Boy Scouts have received a lot of feedback from both sides of the issue. But spokesman Deron Smith said via e-mail that he didn't think the long-standing policy will affect membership in the Scouts, which has 2.7 million members. At the Northern Star Council, the largest Scout council among six in Minnesota, York agreed with Smith. The council's inclusive practice "seems to be accepted by our diverse community as sensible and straightforward," he said in an e-mail. "People understand that it is very difficult to find consensus across different regions of the country." Kelly Smith • 612-673-4141; Twitter: @kellystribImage copyright AP Image caption Weiner also worked on TV shows including Becker and The Naked Truth Mad Men creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner is to be honoured with the 2014 International Emmy Founders Award. He will be presented with the award on 24 November at the International Emmy Awards Gala in New York. Bruce L Paisner, president and CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, said Weiner had created "a global cultural phenomenon". The advertising agency drama set in the 1960s will end next year. Paisner added that Mad Men had "dramatically changed the television landscape". Image copyright AFP Image caption Mad Men stars Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris The seventh series of the award-winning US drama Mad Men has been split into two parts - the first part has just aired, with the final seven episodes to be broadcast in 2015. Weiner said the two-part season would enable "a more elaborate story'' to be told. Previous seasons of Mad Men have spanned 13 episodes. The decision to split the last season and delay the finale follows the strategy US cable network AMC took with its other successful drama, Breaking Bad, whose final season was also divided into two parts. Mad Men, which began in 2007 and stars Jon Hamm as ad man Don Draper, has won four Emmy awards for outstanding drama series. Weiner was previously a writer on The Sopranos. He recently wrote and directed his first feature film, You Are Here, starring Owen Wilson, Zack Galifianakis and Amy Poehler, which will open later this summer. Last year's International Emmy Founders Award went to Star Wars director, JJ Abrams.David Akeeagok, Pat Angnakak, Jeannie Ehaloak, David Joanasie, Lorne Kusugak, Joe Savikataaq and Elisapee Sheutiapik chosen to sit in cabinet By STEVE DUCHARME (Updated 7:45 p.m., Nov. 17) Nunavut’s newly elected MLAs have rallied behind Aggu MLA Paul Quassa, electing him to serve as the territory’s next premier when Nunavut’s fifth legislative assembly convenes next week. Quassa was the sole Qikiqtani region candidate for premier, beating out three other candidates from Nunavut’s Kivalliq region: Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet’s Cathy Towtongie, Aivilik’s Patterk Netser and Arviat South’s Joe Savikataaq. “I’m out of words,” Quassa said in a brief statement in the assembly following his decisive victory after the first round of balloting. “I will serve you and work with you closely, let’s have good success in the next four years.” Quassa told Nunatsiaq News shortly after winning that his heart was still racing from the announcement, but after running—and losing—in the race for premier in 2013, the appointment came as a relief. “I signed the Nunavut Agreement, and now here I am,” he said about his career in Nunavut politics coming full circle. Quassa’s victory at about 5:20 p.m. wrapped nearly six hours of questioning from MLAs-elect, in a leadership forum chaired by Tununiq MLA Joe Enook, who was acclaimed as Speaker for the fifth assembly prior to nomination of premier candidates. “Lets get to work,” Enook said shortly after assuming his duty as the forum’s chair that morning. Earlier in the day, the four premier-hopefuls spent 10 minutes each addressing their peers ahead of a multi-hour question period during which they answered up to two questions from each MLA-elect. “When we stand united, we can accomplish great things,” Netser said in his pitch to the assembly. “Nunavummiut, the majority of which are Inuit, want a leader that understands them, that can communicate and listen to their views,” Quassa said during his turn at the podium. Each candidate identified roughly the same four areas as their top priorities: elder care, education, housing and mental health. “All 22 of us have to decide the best way to use the resources we have,” Savikataaq said. Candidates were split on a solution to arguably the most contentious issue from Nunavut’s last government—its failed effort to amend the territory’s Education Act. Quassa and Savikataaq, both ministers during the last legislative assembly, said the government must continue to push for amendments to its Education Act, or risk contravening language deadlines for school curriculums. The varying solutions presented to Nunavut’s educational shortfalls suggest that a compromise on the issues may prove as elusive for the upcoming government as it did under Nunavut’s forth assembly. “Something has to change, because last time, in four years, we could not get it done,” Savikataaq said. “[The Education Act] has to move forward, and for Nunavummiut this has to be reintroduced into the legislature,” Quassa said. “It needs to be changed and that would be my first priority because our children are our future.” Towtongie and Netser both stressed improving partnerships with Inuit organizations and regional authorities, highlighting a focus on Inuit traditional values. “I know we need to protect our languages and see our children graduate and lead productive lives,” Netser said, adding “I would need input from all of you to go forward.” “Education affects everybody,” Towtongie said, adding any policy needs to be developed in partnership with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and district education authorities. Following the election of Nunavut’s next premier, MLAs-elect turned their attention to choosing seven members for executive council, or cabinet. As of 5:45 p.m., the candidates nominated for cabinet positions were: Lorne Kusugak, David Akeeagok, Pat Angnakak, George Hickes, Jeannie Ehaloak, Cathy Towtongie, David Joanasie, Joe Savikataaq, Elisapee Sheutiapik, Simeon Mikkungwak, Tony Akoak, Patterk Netser and Adam Arreak Lightstone. After brief speeches to the assembly, MLAs-elect chose seven of those candidates, in a result announced around 7:30 p.m. The members chosen for cabinet are: David Akeeagok, Pat Angnakak, Jeannie Ehaloak, David Joanasie, Lorne Kusugak, Joe Savikataaq and Elisapee Sheutiapik. That makes Savikataaq the only member of the previous government to return to a cabinet job. Hickes, who served as health minister in the fourth legislative assembly, looked shocked after the vote results were announced. The other candidates who failed to win cabinet posts are: Cathy Towtongie, Simeon Mikkungwak, Tony Akoak, Patterk Netser and Adam Arreak Lightstone. The premier, the Speaker, cabinet ministers and regular MLAs will be formally sworn in when the fifth legislative assembly convenes for the first time as Nunavut’s government, Nov. 21.Everything old is new again, including Commodore. Developer of the well-known Commodore PCs in the 70s and 80s, the company helped usher in the PC era before going bankrupt in 1994. Now the company is teaming up with a pair of Italian entrepreneurs to try its hand at smartphones. After many years, and a number of trademark disputes, Massimo Canigiani and Carlo Scattolini registered Commodore Business Machines Limited in the U.K., where they developed the company's first smartphone. Named after the 1977 Commodore PET, the Android-based PET phone comes with two emulators, allowing nostalgic users to play original C64 and Amiga games on their handset. As reported by Wired, which got a hands-on look at the new Commodore PET, the Android phone sports an aluminum frame and interchangeable polycarbonate covers that snap onto the 5.5-inch IPS 1,920-by-1,080-pixel resolution display, made out of Gorilla Glass 3. Squint hard enough, and you can read the handset's specs, published online: 1.7GHz 64-bit octa-core processor, 3,000 mAh removable battery, and dual-SIM 4G connectivity. The smartphone also comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and FM radio. Plus, the 13-megapixel rear camera can snap photos up to 4,096-by-2,304 pixels and high-def videos up to 1080p, while an 8-megapixel front shooter comes with an 80-degree wide-angle lens, according to Wired. But the phone's real draw is likely its nostalgia-inducing gameplay. Running a custom version of Android 5.0 Lollipop, alongside the VICE C64 and Uae4All-SDL Amiga emulators, Commodore's PET aims to equip users with some of the best 1980s games. Expected to launch this week in Italy, France, Germany, and Poland, the white, black, or "classic biscuit-beige" PET comes in two flavors: the $300 light version with 16GB of storage and 2GB RAM, or the $365 regular model with 32GB of memory and 3GB RAM. Both include a 32GB microSD card slot, with support for up to 64GB. Commodore plans to introduce its PET to more European countries and the U.S. in the near future, Wired said, adding that green, blue, and other colors may also be added. In the video above, check out the Commodore PET emulating a new version of Ghosts'n'Goblins, ported to C64 via the phone's own version of VICE-SDL.Creative Assembly and Sega are now the owners of a rather dubious world record - Total War: Warhammer 2 fastest cracked Denuvo title ever. The ambitious strategy sequel set in Games Workshop’s Warhammer Fantasy universe launched yesterday on PC, and yet within 24 hours it’s already been busted open by crackers. This is nothing less than disastrous for Total War: Warhammer II, leaving Creative Assembly open on all sides. Not only has the copy protection not lasted the crucial few weeks after launch, but legal copies of Total War: Warhammer 2 are still burdened with the much-derided Denuvo Anti-Tamper DRM that’s serving zero purpose. The Denuvo-free version of Total Warhammer 2 is now probably available on hundreds of torrent sites around the world. I’m sure this will somehow help its sales though, using the mental gymnastics which have been applied to an EU study on piracy that was recently unearthed. Regardless, Total War: Warhammer II is now comfortably the fastest Denuvo game to be cracked, beating the previous record-holder Tekken 7, which held out for all of four days. Resident Evil 7 and Rime share the third place on the podium - their copy protecting crumbling in five days. The big question now is how is Creative Assembly or, more likely, publisher Sega going to react. It seems kind of redundant to leave Denuvo in there now that TW: Warhammer 2’s been cracked, so hopefully a patch will be along shortly to remove it. That’s not always how it works but now Denuvo is only harming sales rather than attempting to improve them. How have you held out from buying Total War: Warhammer 2 due to the use of Denuvo? Would you buy it if Denuvo was patched out? Let us know!A banner flies in the Dakota Access Pipeline protest camp near Cannon Ball, North Dakota. Oil producers in Canada and North Dakota are expected to benefit from a quicker route for crude oil to U.S. Gulf Coast refiners. REUTERS/Terray Sylvester By Terray Sylvester CANNON BALL, N.D. (Reuters) - Tribal leaders protesting the construction of a controversial North Dakota pipeline vowed on Tuesday to fight U.S. President Donald Trump's order to revive the $3.8 billion project, calling his decision a "bad move." Protesters have rallied for months against plans to route the Dakota Access pipeline under a lake near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation, saying it threatened water resources and sacred Native American sites. The tribe, which has fought to stop the pipeline since last year, won a major victory last month when the government denied Energy Transfer Partners LP the right to run the pipeline under Lake Oahe, a water source upstream from the reservation. Trump's order instructed the Army and the Army Corps of Engineers to review the decision. The Republican president also signed an order reviving the C$8 billion ($6.1 billion) Keystone XL pipeline project, which was rejected in 2015 by then-President Barack Obama. As a small airplane circled over the main protest camp near the Dakota Access pipeline on Tuesday, the mood following the White House's announcement was calm but defiant. “I’m staying here,” Benjamin Buffalo, a 45-year-old Blackfeet tribal member from Browning, Montana, told a reporter. “I’m standing with the natives. This is our future.” Buffalo has been at the camp since August, when tensions started to flare up between law enforcement officers and protesters, who have been backed by Hollywood celebrities, veterans and other activists. The tribe had recently called for protesters to leave after the Army Corps of Engineers agreed to an environmental review last month, saying the battle had moved beyond the camp and into the courts or back rooms for negotiations with the government. The tribe also warned that the camp itself might contaminate the river if hit by heavy flooding in March, when waters are expected to rise. On Tuesday, Standing Rock leaders said they would meet in the coming days to plan next steps. Some said they feared fresh violence after past clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers. Dana Yellow Fat, Standing Rock Sioux tribal council member at large, called Trump's order "a poor decision and a bad move" and said he worried about injuries if new violence broke out. “Now you’re going to see both sides gear up for even more actions on the ground because you have a group of people that is determined to stop that pipeline one way or another,” he told Reuters. Yellow Fat said he was unsure whether the tribe would back away from its request for protesters to leave the camp, but said Trump's order has prompted "a total re-evaluation of our recent actions." Since the exit of the Standing Rock Sioux, the camp has been less organized, with no regular sunrise prayers and communal kitchens that now only serve food sporadically. In some spots, tents are buried under snow and as many as 60 cars have been abandoned. Tribal officials expect the cleanup of the site to take about a month. The Morton County Sheriff's Department urged activists to remain peaceful in light of Trump's order and said they were bracing for a possible resurgence in protests. “We’re preparing for anything that might come,” department spokeswoman Maxine Herr said. “We continue to monitor the situation.” She declined to say whether additional officers would be sent to the protest site. Morton County spokesman Rob Keller on Monday said police had no plans to forcibly remove people from the campsite, where protesters now number 500 to 600, down from the nearly 10,000 once there. Many in the camp, some of them members of Native American tribes from other parts of the country, had already planned to defy the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's call to leave, saying the fight against the pipeline was not over. Forest Borie, 33, of Magalia, California, said the protest will only become more intense. "Our struggle to protect the planet is getting more intense, and the stakes are getting higher, said Borie, who has been at the camp since early November. (Reporting by Terray Sylvester; additional reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; writing by Ben Klayman; editing by Jonathan Oatis)On Sunday, on a nationally televised stage no less, the New York Knicks were handed a miserable defeat by the Chicago Bulls. Chicago raced out to an early advantage, topping the Knicks by 25 points just two minutes into the second quarter, utilizing excellent execution, heady play, and incessant activity to easily down the Knicks despite (say it with me) playing without Derrick Rose and the traded Luol Deng. Bulls center Joakim Noah, who could have been a New York Knick had it not been for the 2005 Eddy Curry deal, dismantled the Knicks with his pinpoint passing, on his way to a triple double with 14 assists, 12 rebounds, and 13 points. Chicago also limited Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony to a relatively pedestrian 21 points. It was the second straight downer of a game for Carmelo, who missed 19 of 26 shots in a loss on Friday against Golden State, following a good month and a half of MVP-level play in the face of his team’s woes. Because all the storylines were in place – the overachieving Bulls downing the glazed-over Knicks featuring a center and coach that could have been New York’s, taking on a player in Anthony that could leave money on the table to join a winner in Chicago this summer – the press was allowed to glom onto several chewy talking points. Scroll to continue with content Ad Anthony, more than anyone, is used to this. This is why he called the loss “embarrassing” following the game, while continually (and genuinely) pointing out that he has absolutely no clue as to how his likely 2014 free agent turn will play out. Story continues What he probably didn’t know, in the hours before the early game, was that his former Denver Nuggets coach George Karl had decided to go on record in Anthony’s hometown paper of record about how Carmelo doesn’t stack up to some of the NBA’s great all-time chest beaters. Karl, in talking with the New York Times’ Harvey Araton, dropped this about his former star: “There’s no question that he wants to win and his I.Q. for the game is actually very good,” Karl said. “He always wants to think like a coach, but he always doesn’t want to sign the contract with the coach.” Asked what he meant by that, Karl said: “I think Melo respected me and I think he respects Mike Woodson. But I don’t think Melo understands that coming to work with the best attitude every single day is a precious commodity when you’re the best player. That’s not the same thing as playing hard. That’s bringing the total package, 100 percent focused on all the little things. Those are rare breeds. Kevin Garnett. Michael Jordan. LeBron didn’t always have it, but he has it now. “Melo doesn’t get an A in that department — maybe not much more than a B-minus. It is, in a sense, the A.A.U. mind-set: We worked hard yesterday, maybe we can take a day off today. That’s why he really needs that player — the point guard or someone who takes on that role — to be the bridge from the coach to him.” It’s important to remember that Carmelo Anthony last played for George Karl some 37 months ago. There’s a very good possibility that Anthony loafed his way through Karl’s practices in Denver, a very anti-Jordan thing to do in a league that has been about 99 percent free of Jordan- types for the last six or so decades, but for the last two seasons Carmelo Anthony has absolutely brought it. In many ways, the Anthony that forced his way to New York in 2011 was an overrated star, a guy who scored quite a bit and did little else, leading to consistent Player Efficiency Ratings in the “nice, but no LeBron” 20 or 21-range. That number has shot way up over the last two seasons, he carried the Knicks to 54 wins this season, and he’s done all he can this season for a Knicks roster and franchise that has failed him. It’s not Anthony’s fault that Tyson Chandler doesn’t come close to resembling the 2011-12 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. It’s not his fault Amar’e Stoudemire can barely do anything but hit flat-footed jumpers, that Raymond Felton’s brain and gut are out of shape, and that ancient types like the waived Metta World Peace and the injured Kenyon Martin are just about done. It’s partially his fault that the Knicks dealt Denver a massive collection of assets and draft picks for his services in 2011, even knowing that they could sign him outright as a free agent the next offseason, but that’s on owner James Dolan. Piling on Carmelo Anthony at his lowest ebb is a pretty weak move by Karl, a coach who clashed often with Anthony through the years in Denver, with musings probably partially in reaction to Anthony forcing his way out of Karl’s team with a non-demand trade demand in 2010-11. Sadly, as we’ve seen dating back to the 1980s, this isn’t exactly out of step with Karl’s character, either. The man hasn’t had many kind things to say about any of his previous stops – his ongoing feuds with several players, owners, and general managers puts just about any coach in league history to shame. Carmelo Anthony will not be worth the massive contract New York will offer him this summer. I think he’s been an overrated disappointment for most of his career, prior to 2012-13, and as a Chicago Bulls fan, I don’t know if I’d want him on my favorite team. Here’s the problem, though. Some guys are just Dominique Wilkins. Some guys are just great scorers and good rebounders. That doesn’t mean Dominique wasn’t thrashing around in every practice, going all out every time the coach rolled the balls out, it just means that not everyone has the all-around gifts that a Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, or LeBron James has. Those guys could pass, with ease, and there is a difference between an unwilling passer (your typical, selfish chucker) and a passer without confidence in his passes. Some guys just don’t see the court like top-tier stars do. Anthony isn’t a top-tier star, despite that maximum contract, and despite that lone MVP vote from last season. He’s a step below LeBron and Kevin Durant, and at some point we have to stop chalking that up to some fault of Carmelo Anthony. At some point, can’t we just let Carmelo Anthony be this really good player, full stop? He’s a really good player on a bad team, in what will probably be his best season at age 29, and he’ll probably be talked into returning to that bad team after the Knicks offer a ridiculous contract this summer, when James Dolan points out that they may have cap space to waste in the summer of 2015. And for the next five seasons after this one Carmelo Anthony will decline, he will probably play for more bad teams under the leadership of James Dolan, he will probably attempt to force a trade, and he will no doubt be raked over the coals endlessly by the media, fans, and ex-coaches while making more money than anyone else in this league. That’s his choice, and it’s an understandable one: Anthony would have to leave an ungodly amount of money on the table in order to finagle a move to a team like Chicago this summer, and Anthony can talk himself into the idea that even a dolt like Dolan can potentially leave well enough alone to possibly let the Basketball Guys do their work and create a good New York Knick team in 2015. From now until that decision, Anthony will just have to deal with the slings and arrows, while missing the playoffs for the first time in his career. No, he’s not Michael Jordan, or Kevin Garnett – but few are, and even all-around MVP-types like MJ and KG would have a devil of a time trying to do something with this roster. It’s true that Jordan and Garnett would have probably stuffed J.R. Smith in a locker by now, but even that wouldn’t have helped toward The Crusade For.500 all that much. It takes quite a bit to force us into a defense of the merits of Carmelo Anthony, but here we are. The guy may not have taken advantage of his gifts as an all-around player and team leader over the first chunk of his career, but it’s hard to find fault in his most recent approach, with this most embarrassing of teams. - - - - - - - Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!A 22-year-old man who had fallen from a Royal Caribbean luxury cruise ship was plucked from rough water off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico during an unlikely rescue last week. The young American was picked up by another cruise ship on Jan. 8, after his cries for help were heard by a guest aboard the passing Disney Magic. Scott Campbell told ABC News that he notified the crew after he and his daughter heard the man screaming in the water around 6:30 a.m. while they sat on the balcony off their room. Another Disney Magic passenger, David Hearn, captured the rescue on video. He said the man in distress sometimes disappeared behind large waves, but was eventually able to swim toward a lifeboat. Media reports say he may have been in the water for up to five hours. A Royal Caribbean blog identified the man who went overboard from the massive Oasis of the Seas cruise ship as Frank Jade, but gave no hometown. The Florida-based cruise line said he was reported in stable condition without serious injuries after being taken to a medical clinic in Punta Langsota, Mexico before being flown to the United States. The man reportedly doesn't remember how he ended up in the water.Welcome to King of the Court, our daily celebration of the best performances in basketball from the night that was. We’ll be keeping track of the best player of every night of the NBA season, and tallying the results as we go along. King of the Court: Otto Porter Jr. Quick recap of the winding path that brought us to Otto Porter being named King of the Court: 1891: Basketball is invented in Massachusetts by a Canadian-American schoolteacher. 1906: Peach baskets are replaced by metal hoops and backboards. 1928: East Coast basketball leaders meet in New York City to create new rules to curb a new technique called “dribbling.” 1930s: John Cooper takes what many consider to be the first jump shot. “My feet left the hardcourt surface and it felt good,” he would later say. 1949: The National Basketball Association is founded. 1978: The Washington Bullets win the NBA championship. 1993: Otto Porter Jr. is born. 2013: The Wizards select Porter with the third pick overall. 2014: Porter largely disappoints. 2015: Porter gets regular minutes. 2016: Otto Porter enters his first contract year. If we consider Otto Porter Jr. a late bloomer — and I think that’s a fair assessment — it’s because so many players in his cohort blossomed unnaturally early. Porter was considered the most NBA-ready prospect of the 2013 draft class, an ideal wing for the small-ball era. On paper, Porter plus John Wall (2010 draft class) and Bradley Beal (2012) equaled the embryonic outlines of a dynamic young core. Only it didn’t turn out that way. Otto injured his hamstring in summer league, which led to a variety of minor lower-body twinges and aches, which resulted in a belated debut 19 games into the 2013–14 season. He played 14 minutes, took three shots, missed all of them, and scored zero points, with two boards and an assist. Then-coach Randy Wittman — unsure of a great many things, including what he had in Porter, and under pressure after two desultory seasons — buried Porter on the depth chart under Trevor Ariza and Martell Webster. Porter played only 319 minutes, in 37 games, over his rookie campaign. His sophomore season was marginally, though definitively, better. Porter averaged a fraction under 20 minutes a night, giving the Wizards 11.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.
water Shopping Centre and Canterbury Cathedral. Kent Police has told KentOnline the increase isn’t in response to any direct threat, but follows recent international terror attacks and a rise in national threat levels. Scroll down for video It follows a Home Office announcement that all forces in England and Wales should increase firearms patrols to protect the public. Deputy Chief Constable Paul Brandon told KentOnline: “As of today we will deploying armed officers at a number of iconic site across the county. “We’re doing the initial patrolling today from within the resources we have, supplemented with overtime, but are actually in the process of recruiting a number of new firearms officers to be deployed to other parts of the county.” Armed police during an operation. Stock image It comes a week after Kent’s crime commissioner Matthew Scott called for a review into how firearms officers are recruited. Mr Scott said the force was facing challenges in meeting a target to appoint 24 extra officers because of competition from other forces such as The Met. His predecessor Ann Barnes put up council tax by 3.4% this year to help recruitment after the government said it expected all forces to increase by half their firearms contingent. Video: There will be more armed police in Kent However, Mr Brandon reassured the public he’s confident that he will be able to recruit enough staff. He added: “It is a challenge because you are asking someone, in the most severe circumstances, to take someone’s life and that isn’t something that every officer feels comfortable putting themselves forward for. “We don’t have huge numbers of firearms officers, but the ones we do have we must ensure that they have the best training and best equipment to go out and do the jobs they do.”Like most kids my age, I spent my early teens rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers. Why? Kobe Bryant. Allen Iverson. There's not much else to explain there. I only started watching the Wizards because Comcast SportsNet was the easiest way for me to keep tabs on the rest of the league. The Internet happened; Gilbert Arenas started blogging, and the late-2000s Washington Wizards soon became the team to make me fall in love with professional basketball and the absurd, pre-social media personalities that came with it. We've said enough about Gilbert Arenas on this blog. We've said far too little about DeShawn Stevenson, the man for whom NBADraft.net listed "Michael Jordan" as a player comp when he was in high school. The man who installed an ATM Machine in his living room. The man who, for a time, had Wizards fans believing their team could defeat LeBron James in a seven game series. Below is a written history of DeShawn Stevenson during his time with the Wizards, in the words of his teammates, coaches, and the reporters that covered the team over the years. Fall 2006 DeShawn Stevenson Signs with Wizards Stevenson bet on himself in the summer of 2006, opting out of his $3 Million contract with the Orlando Magic with hopes of earning a lucrative raise elsewhere. Money wasn’t in the cards for Stevenson that summer, who signed with the Wizards for an NBA-Minimum salary of $932,015. The signing was certainly a humbling one for Stevenson. But by playing for the Wizards -- and with their superstar Gilbert Arenas -- he assimilated quickly to his new surroundings. The deal is a pretty big blow to Stevenson financially. He opted out of a contract this spring that would have paid him $3 million and then turned down a three-year, $10 million contract from the Magic in early July. "I had way more money on the table, but that's part of life," Stevenson said Saturday. "Sometimes you've got to go two steps backward to take five steps forward. I look at this as a stepping stone." The next big step for the Wizards will be deciding whether to match the Knicks' offer sheet to restricted free agent Jared Jeffries. Michael Lee; Wizards, Stevenson Find Comfort Zone; October, 2006 DeShawn Stevenson Gets Comfortable In October 2006, Michael Lee, then of The Washington Post wrote that Stevenson was getting comfortable in D.C. Washington Wizards shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson spotted Gilbert Arenas walking off the court at American Airlines Center and shouted toward his teammates, "Who's this?" Stevenson squatted, then slowly stood upright and lifted his practice jersey above his head, twirling it around like a windmill, while shaking from side to side. Stevenson didn't need to tell his giggling audience that he was imitating Arenas's performance during the Wizards' home opener last season, when Arenas emerged from a movable platform in a cloud of smoke while waving his warmup jersey. "That," said Stevenson, who watched Arenas's antics from the opposing sideline, as a member of the Orlando Magic, "was hilarious." And joke around, too. "With this team, it's easy to fit in if you're funny," Arenas said. Michael Lee; Wizards, Stevenson Find Comfort Zone; October, 2006 Winter 2007 DeShawn Stevenson Cuts Hair; Hits threes By the trade deadline of Stevenson’s inaugural season, the Wizards were 31-20, and Stevenson had proven himself to be an invaluable part of the team’s success. He beat Jarvis Hayes for the starting shooting guard spot in training camp and emerged, quite surprisingly, as one of the team’s best shooters and biggest personalities (Not quite as surprising). To end any confusion, the Washington Wizards didn't make any trades last week. For any puzzled fans who might arrive at Verizon Center for tonight's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, that player with the closely cropped hair in the No. 2 jersey really is DeShawn Stevenson. Stevenson sheared off the dreadlocks he began to grow last season in Orlando when the Wizards arrived in Sacramento last Tuesday. "I like my hair. It was hard for me to cut it," Stevenson said. "I thought it was a new look on a new team and I have a new role. I just felt like everything should be new." Stevenson has certainly looked like a new player in the Wizards' high-octane offense in recent weeks. Noted for his ability to slash to the basket and finish when he arrived in Washington, Stevenson has emerged as a surprisingly consistent perimeter scorer in his seventh season. He is shooting a career-high 51.2 percent from the field and 52 percent (13 for 25) from beyond the three-point line. Michael Lee; No Longer Hair Apparent, Stevenson Starts to Blend In, December, 2006 DeShawn Stevenson loses three point shooting contest to Gilbert Arenas Anyhow, today after practice, Gil took 100 one-handed college three-pointers, and DeShawn took 100 two-handed NBA three-pointers. Oh, and they bet $20,000. Brendan Haywood and Antonio Daniels kept score. Caron Butler rebounded. Cal Booth was the voice of justice and fair play. Virtually everyone else on the team sat and watched. [DeShawn] made his first 13. It got quiet. He made 17 out of his first 18. "Damn, dawg," Gil said. Then Gil got to work. He started jumping up and down while DeShawn shot. He started dancing around in circles. He started screaming at A.D. for constant scoring options. He got in DeShawn's face. He did some Matrix moves, sort of some modified flips or rolls. He pretended to kick DeShawn. He pretended to be a quarterback, taking a snap and dropping back to pass in front of DeShawn. He screamed a lot. He jumped some more. DeShawn cooled off. Going into the last shooting station (10 shots), DeShawn was 10 down. He could still tie. He had made his first 10 shots from that same spot. Gil was hyper beyond belief, squirming and wiggling on the ground. DeShawn made his first 5. My palms got all sweaty. He missed the sixth. Gil began breakdancing and laughing uncontrollably. DeShawn stormed off the court. Dan Steinberg; Gil vs. Deshawn; February 2007 Spring 2007 DeShawn Stevenson Puts ‘Swagfest’ on Pause After a promising start, the 2006-07 Wizards fell apart down the stretch, finishing with a record of 41-41, a first round sweep at the hands of LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers, and a career-altering injury to Gilbert Arenas. Stevenson, however, had just completed the greatest year of his career, and went into the 2007 offseason with supreme confidence -- both on and off the court. Or [Antawn Jamison's] sneakers, the ones that have "Fiji" written on them in magic marker. "When you think of water, you think of my jump shot," Jamison explained, noting that he actually calls out "Fiji!" after every made jumper. "I think we made him a little weirder," Stevenson speculated, although Jamison disagreed. "The swag-fest is officially on pause right now," Butler said. Stevenson agreed, saying he would be swag-free while relaxing with family members. Dan Steinberg; They Had Joy, They Had Fun, They Had a Season in the Sun; May 2007 Fall 2007 DeShawn Stevenson Presses Play on ‘Dirty Man Contest’ By the beginning of the 2007 season, Stevenson’s gamble had paid off in a big way. After completing the best season of his career, Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld rewarded Stevenson with a 4 year, $15 Million deal. With Arenas expected to re-join the team shortly, Stevenson and the Wizards were ready to stake their claim among the Eastern Conference’s top teams. Meanwhile, observe a bearded DeShawn Stevenson, discussing Gilbert. "Our team is better when he's going on rampages," DeShawn admitted. "When he goes off his feet he can't herky-jerk like he used to. You'll just see flashes, but he'll be all right....Gilbert's a star in this league....I'll give him by the end of this month, he's going to be the old Gilbert." More importantly, uh, why the beard, DeShawn? "I've got a bet with Drew Gooden," he said. Yes, that's right, our very own DeShawn has made what we're calling an "undisclosed wager" with the formerly ducktailed Cavs forward Gooden, who began growing his own beard over the summer. Both guys live in Orlando, and they saw each other socially. Gooden had a beard, Stevenson made a comment, and so Gooden challenged him to grow facial hair of his own. "So I said all right," Stevenson said. "He said 'who cuts it first,' I said let's do it," and the rest was history. Dan Steinberg; DeShawn's Beard-Growing Contest; November, 2007 “I think it was called a Dirty Man Contest,” Gooden recalled. “You couldn’t shave or trim it for a whole basketball season. So it was a lot of junk in there.” Dan Steinberg; Drew Gooden on his ‘Dirty Man Contest’ with DeShawn Stevenson; March 2014 Two months later, all is going according to plan. DeShawn says the beard doesn't itch, and he's allowed to edge it up to keep from looking "all nasty," as Wiz beat writer Ivan Carter put it. There was some concern in the locker room that the beard might be a bad-luck charm, what with that 0-5 start and all; Gilbert Arenas kept asking Stevenson to shave it off. But I'd disagree; I'd argue that a long and stringy beard will bring power, and accuracy too; Tolstoy was killer from three-point range. I asked DeShawn what he thought he'd look like in March. "Probably look like Teen Wolf," he said one time. "Probably Moses," he said another time. "Moses with an even cut." Dan Steinberg; DeShawn's Beard-Growing Contest; November, 2007 DeShawn Stevenson Gets Tattoo of His Own Jersey He has that big "STEVENSON" on his back. I've seen a lot of players that are getting their names on their backs. I guess it's a way of them letting people know what their names are when they're on the beach -- I don't know. DeShawn is adding the No. 2 on his back so it looks like a jersey. I guess when he's swimming or something, having fun in the pool, everybody will know who that is. It's not for me though, I'll stick with the tiger. Gilbert Arenas; Preseason Basketball; October, 2007 Spring 2007 DeShawn Stevenson Matures The Wizards ended the 2007-08 season at 43-39, largely due to Stevenson’s leadership, defense, and consistent perimeter shooting. The Wizards finishing 5th in the Eastern Conference that season and would meet LeBron James and the Cavalier in the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive year. With Arenas returning to the team in April, Stevenson and the Wizards were ready to vanquish their post-season rival once and for all. He learned to play defense, getting in the grille of some of the game's most talented guards. He developed a deadeye, spot-up jumper from 25 feet and in. He subjugated his ego, too, realizing he was never going to be thought of as the wunderkind from Fresno, Calif., anymore. But that was okay. Eight years later -- in a ridiculously young league where a player a month shy of 27 can be called a hardened veteran -- he has a job. "There are guys out there -- I hate to say his name, J.R. Smith -- that are stuck on wanting to be Carmelo [Anthony] and stuff," Stevenson said. "You got to be yourself. You got to get your own niche in the league." Mike Wise; As Stevenson Evolves, So Does His Game; March 7, 2008 DeShawn Stevenson calls LeBron James overrated "He's overrated," DeShawn told Mike [Lee]. "And you can say I said that." Ivan Carter; Deshawn's Had Enough; March 14, 2008 LeBron James compares DeShawn Stevenson to Soulja Boy "With DeShawn Stevenson it is kind of funny. It's almost like Jay-Z saying something bad about Soulja Boy. There's no comparison. Enough said." Akron Beacon-Journa; LeBron: DeShawn, you are Soulja Boy, I am Jay-Z; March 16, 2008 DeShawn wants Cavs in the playoffs, declares intent to invite Soulja Boy Oh, and if you thought the DeShawn Stevenson-LeBron James beef was dead, think again.In the locker room afterward, Stevenson was asked about the possibility of facing the Magic or the Cavaliers in the first round (it wasn't me) and he took the bait. Remember, after Stevenson called James "overrated" following a game between the teams last Thursday, James responded by saying he is above such mess because that would be like his hero, Jay-Z, lowering himself to respond to the rapper, Soulja Boy. So, in one neat quote, James dissed Stevenson and Soulja Boy. Well, Stevenson is embracing the Soulja Boy role. "I hope we play Cleveland," Stevenson said. "I'm going to get Soulja Boy courtside seats and have him wear a DeShawn Stevenson jersey. Maybe (James) can have Jay-Z there since LeBron's all on his (shorts) anyway." Ivan Carter; A win is a win, Soulja Boy a Wiz fan?; March 19, 2008 DeShawn Stevenson tells Charles Barkley to chill "Are we really going to listen to a guy who said Yao Ming would not be an all-star in this league?" Stevenson asked. "I mean really. So who cares what he has to say? Tell Charles Barkley to chill and worry about other things. Don't worry about the Washington Wizards." Arenas called Barkley's take "cute" and responded to Barkley's assertion that the Wizards shouldn't tweak James because, in Barkley's words, James is "the second-best player in the NBA, and that's just stupid." "They might have the number two player," Arenas said. "But they don't have the number one end-of-quarter, end-of-half, end-of-game player." Ivan Carter; Stevenson Says Barkley Needs to Chill; April, 2008 Jay-Z Debuts Deshawn Diss Track at DC’s Love Nightclub At a LeBron James-hosted event at Love, Jay-Z debuted “Blow the Whistle” -- a freestyle over Too $hort’s 2006 hit that featured numerous struggle bars aimed at the Wizards’ shooting guard. Who the f— overrated?! If anything they underpaid him Hatin that's only 'gon make him spend the night Out of spite with the chick you've been datin Why Jay-Z chose to rap over a Too $hort track (who’s from Oakland) rather than one by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (who are from Cleveland) is beyond me, but he hit a nerve, and Stevenson had no choice but to respond. DeShawn Stevenson Fulfills Promise, Brings Soulja Boy to First Home Playoff Game Soulja Boy: I mean, I've got to support who support me, and that's the Wizards. I mean, I'm a fan of LeBron James, but when it's all said and done I've got to back who backing me up. You know? [Stevenson] called me and invited me out, he said 'I'm gonna fly you out, you just come, rock the jersey, sit courtside,' and I came out. Dan Steinberg: So are you gonna help the Wizards win? Soulja Boy: I mean, if it comes down to it, we're gonna have to do what we got to do to win, you feel me? I came all the way out here, we gotta take it home. If it comes down to it, you'll see. For real. We can't lose tonight man. I'm gonna have to talk to him, be like 'It's time to rock,' you know what I'm saying? I've got a lot riding on this. Dan Steinberg; DeShawn, LeBron and Soulja Boy in Game 3; April, 2008 Now that you have created a Tupac-Biggie war in the NBA playoffs, fusing pro basketball and the hip-hop entertainment world like only Bob Johnson wishes he could have done, do you regret what you said about LeBron? "I still feel that way," Stevenson said. "I think he's a good player, but I just don't think he's Kobe Bryant, a guy who you try to get your sleep on, you worry about, you can't stop no matter what you do. [LeBron] is a good player. But compared to the people I think who are true MVP all-stars. "The whole thing is a little overblown," he added. "I said he's overrated, I didn't say he sucks. If you look at the games and what's going on, I know when I go to sleep I know we have to play LeBron James. When I go to sleep and know we have to play the Lakers, I know it's going to be a long night. It's the difference between the Kobes and LeBrons. Not saying he will never get there, but that's what I'm saying." Mike Wise; Stevenson. James. Now Jay-Z? This Spat Is Getting Serious.; April, 2008 Fall 2008 DeShawn Stevenson Spends $1,000 on Wristbands A hobbled Arenas wasn’t enough to take the Wizards over the precipice, and yet again the team found themselves bounced out of the playoffs at the hands of LeBron James, despite Soulja Boy’s best efforts. Despite the setback, Stevenson entered the 2008-09 season with supreme confidence, however a bad back and a worse coach would result in one of the most disappointing years of his career. "What the hell does that mean?" Brendan Haywood asked, when I showed him these photos. "I won't know what to think until I know what it means. Right now I'm just confused." DeShawn said he put about $1,000 into these wristbands, which come in a rainbow worth of colors and include something like 10 different sayings, which DeShawn claimed he thought up himself. "I've got crazy thinking," he said, which is a pretty succinct way to summarize the man. Dan Steinberg; DeShawn Stevenson's New Wristbands; September, 2008 DeShawn Stevenson Asks to Come off the Bench "In a real team gesture he basically told me: 'Tap, I'm struggling a little bit. Why don't you let me come off the bench and see if I can't get my swag back,'" interim coach Ed Tapscott said. The move didn't exactly pay off. Stevenson scored only three points in 26 minutes off the bench as the Wizards lost 80-72. But Tapscott appreciated the gesture. "He's a real team-oriented guy," Tapscott said. Espn.com; Stevenson start streak ends at 275; December 2008 Wait, Maybe DeShawn Didn’t Ask to Come off the Bench After All "I didn't ask to come off the bench," said Stevenson, whose streak of 275 consecutive starts ended on Dec. 23. Michael Lee; After Back Surgery, Wizards' Stevenson Wants to 'Come Back With a Bang'; August 2009 Fall 2009 DeShawn Stevenson Gets New Tattoos The Wizards ended the 2008-09 season at 19-63, the worst record in franchise history. Arenas played in just two games and Eddie Jordan, the franchise’s most successful coach in decades, was fired after just eleven games. Meanwhile, a back injury held Stevenson to just 6 points per game on 27 percent shooting. However, with Arenas presumably healthy, and newcomers Mike Miller, Randy Foye, and Flip Saunders in tow, the Wizards entered 2009-10 with visions of the Eastern Conference Finals. Oh, how misguided they were. "I was going to get Martin Luther King and I told Gilbert Arenas. You should never tell nobody your idea. That summer, he came back and got it. So I didn't know who to get. I got Abraham Lincoln because he freed the slaves. I just had Abraham Lincoln and, from a distance, everybody kept saying, 'Who is that?' So I put the five-dollar bill so everybody would stop asking me." Eric Schmoldt; DeShawn Stevenson Claims He Was Arrested For Simply Walking Down the Street; June 2011 On his left cheek bone is inked the Pitsburgh Pirate’s ‘P’, “for the Pittsburgh, that’s my favorite team. Barry Bonds, when he first started.” The thing about the P is, however, that it’s backwards and looks more like a 9. DeShawn tried to explain, “No, if you’re standing where Dom’s standing and looking at me, it looks like a P.” Dominic McGuire was standing directly in front of him about 10 yards away, but it still looked like a 9. I think DeShawn meant to say, “when I look in the mirror it looks like a P.” The final new tat is a crack on the left side of Stevenson’s forehead. He said it’s because “I don’t crack. I feel like people always try to break me, but I don’t crack. So, I put that there.” Kelly Dwyer; Why Deshawn Stevenson has Lincoln tattooed on his neck; June 2011 DeShawn Stevenson Explains ‘Swag’ "Lot of swag," DeShawn Stevenson said. "Just go out there and play with heart. We've got a good team, a good, focused team. A lot of people have good characters on our team, [so] just go out there and work hard." Stevenson defines swag in both on- and off-the-court ways, with the latter including wearing sunglasses indoors, swag here being a synonym for blindness. But Caron Butler has a broader view. "I mean, everybody got swag in their own right," he said. "Some people don't boast about it, some people do, but just come and just be prepared to win games. And that's the swag that I'm talking about. Just win games, go out there and play hard on both ends of the court, and help us win games. That's all it's about." Dan Steinberg; You're all invited to a Washington Wizards swag party; October 2009 Winter 2010 DeShawn Stevenson, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood Traded to the Mavericks for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden Quiet or not, swag wasn’t enough to spare the Wizards from what came next. On January 6, 2010, Arenas was suspended for the remainder of the 2009-10 season for bringing firearms into the Wizards’ locker room. With just 11 wins at the time of Arenas’ suspension, the franchise moved quickly, trading the majority of their core to the Dallas Mavericks by the trade deadline. At the time, Stevenson was averaging just 5 points per game on 43 percent shooting from the field and 17 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks have agreed in principle to a trade of Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden and other ancillary pieces, according to multiple league sources. Michael Lee; Wizards and Mavericks agree to multiple-player trade involving Caron Butler; February 2010 For as poorly as his time in Washington had ended, DeShawn’s story does have a happy-ish ending. He played a critical role during the team’s 2011 championship run, starting in 18 playoff games while shooting 40 percent from 3. After brief stints in New Jersey and Atlanta, he retired at the end of the 2012-13 season at the age of 31. Speaking about Stevenson, he’s still around on social media, where you can follow his Twitter account here and his Instagram account here. There, you’ll see that he now owns a barber shop in Orlando called Playoffs. And by the way, he still has fond memories of his time in D.C.I’m a big fan of what I like to call “the third option” in the kitchen. Case in point: You know you should eat brown rice but you don’t always find it very delicious, so you either 1) cook it occasionally and suffer through it, 2) cook white rice solely, and feel vaguely guilty about it. The third option might sound obvious, but I’m surprised by how few people have tried it: Go halfsies. In addition to being higher in fiber and many vitamins, brown rice is also a much greener option (white rice requires about twice as much land, water, and nutrients to grow since around half the weight of the grain is lost in the processing). I was raised on brown rice (duh! Have you seen my name?), and I probably enjoy it more than most people — but I’ll be honest; I don’t always feel motivated to make it. So a few years back, I started experimenting with cooking half brown, half white. The technique is straightforward. It’s a great approach when you’re feeding brown rice-haters. And it works for a variety of grains other than rice (my favorite these days is actually the quinoa/rice blend* pictured in the photo above). Here’s a super basic recipe: Ingredients: 1 cup long grain brown rice (or substitute Bhutanese red rice if you’re feeling fancy) 1 cup basmati or Jasmine white rice 3 cups of water 1 teaspoon of salt Optional: a slice of fresh ginger for flavor and a half teaspoon of turmeric for color Preparation 1. Combine the water, salt and brown rice in a non-reactive pot. Bring rice to a boil, lower heat and let simmer on low for 15 minutes (this is where a close relationship between you and your kitchen timer can come in very handy). 2. When timer goes off, add the white rice and set the kitchen timer for 20 more minutes. When it goes off a second time check your rice for tenderness and your water level, and add a quarter cup of water if necessary. If the rice is close to being done to your liking but you can still see a little water near the surface, try turning the heat off, leaving the lid on, and letting the rice steam in residual heat for an extra 10-15 minutes. 3. Serve with your favorite combination of vegetables and/or protein. (I always make at least a serving or two extra since cooked grains can last in the fridge for as long as a week.) * This blend is especially easy because quinoa requires the same exact cook time that most long grain white rice does.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, declaring "BOOM," this week won his fight to have his state join 10 others in a growing movement to call a constitutional convention aimed stopping explosive growth in Washington. "BOOM. Texas has now passed a Convention of States Resolution. Thank you Texas House for today's vote," the governor tweeted after the House joined the Texas Senate in approving the measure. BOOM. Texas has now passed a Convention of States Resolution. Thank you Texas House for today's vote. @COSProject #txlege — Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 4, 2017 The effort was sparked by former President Obama's governmental expansion and advocates said that a Convention of States is still needed under President Trump because Congress shows little sign of shrinking the government and turning power back to the states. Longtime advocate and top conservative radio talker Mark Levin said, "You want to hear the biggest news today, the very biggest news today? The Texas House just passed Article V Convention of States resolution. The Senate already passed it. So, Texas is state number 11, state number 11 out of 34 needed." On his show, he added, "I am telling you, this is going to be an earthquake as we get closer and closer to this." A convention is one of two ways to amend the Constitution, the other being a congressional vote. Some 34 states are needed to call a convention. Abbott already has a plan for what he'd like to do in a convention, including placing fiscal limits on the federal government, implementing congressional term limits and cutting the power of the government. Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.comWASHINGTON — In its first argument of the new term, the Supreme Court on Monday considered whether to give employers a powerful tool to bar class actions over workplace issues. The court’s decision on the matter could affect some 25 million employment contracts. A ruling in favor of employers, Justice Stephen G. Breyer said, could cut out “the entire heart of the New Deal” and undo an understanding of labor relations with roots in the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The case is the court’s latest attempt to determine how far companies can go in insisting that disputes be resolved in individual arbitrations rather than in court. The Supreme Court ruled in earlier cases that companies doing business with consumers may require arbitration and forbid class actions in their contracts, which are often of the take-it-or-leave-it variety. Such contracts typically require two things: that disputes be resolved by arbitration and that claims be brought one by one. That makes it hard to pursue minor claims that affect many people, whether in class actions or in mass arbitration.In recent weeks, lobbyists have been pitching Baltimore officials on a plan for French company Suez Environment to take operating control the city’s water system, several City Council members say. The council members say lobbyists from the company have been meeting with influential people inside and outside of City Hall, arguing that private control of water billing and infrastructure will lower city debt. According to the pitch, Suez — a descendant of the company that built Egypt’s Suez Canal — would pay the city upfront to take control of operating Baltimore’s water system and then collect the money charged from water bills. The company would hire current Department of Public Works employees, honor union contracts, and pledge to raise water rates only minimally. Jim Perron, Suez’s director of project development, said he has flown to Baltimore from Indiana every week for the past five or six weeks. He said he has met with 14 of 15 City Council members and on Wednesday plans to meet with the Greater Baltimore Committee and Comptroller Joan Pratt, among others. “The city eventually has to raise rates,” Perron said, but argued private operation of the water system would cause rate increases to be “as close as possible” to the rise of inflation. Perron said the plan is for Suez and partner KKR, a private equity firm, to develop a 40-to-50-year lease agreement with the city in which Suez would pay annually for improvements to water infrastructure. He objected to the term “privatization” to describe the plan. “The more correct characterization would be a potential public-private partnership for the city’s water and sewer system,” he said. “The city would continue to own the facilities. We would become the operator.” Two Baltimore lobbyists have registered on behalf of the company: American Joe Miedusiewski and Brett S. Lininger. Neither responded to phone calls seeking comment. Mayor Catherine Pugh said she didn’t want to take a “short-sighted” view of the issue. “Everybody understands that we have a serious problem with our infrastructure,” she said. “The pipes need to get fixed one way or the other. They don’t fix themselves. But we can’t allow somebody to take advantage of the situation. I’m not going to be short-sighted.” Jeffrey Raymond, a spokesman for Baltimore’s Department of Public Works, said agency director Rudy Chow is not interested in privatization. “Director Chow has been clear and unwavering in his desire to make the Baltimore City Department of Public Works the best public works agency in the country, accountable to the elected officials, citizens, taxpayers, and rate payers of the City and the water utilities,” Raymond said. “This, not privatization, remains his focus.” City Council members who have heard the pitch said they are opposed to the deal. “The council president is completely and 100 percent opposed to the privatization of Baltimore’s water system,” said Lester Davis, a spokesman for Baltimore City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young. “The president has always been a proponent of retaining assets and not giving them away. This is not going to be something that happens under his watch.” City Councilman Ryan Dorsey said lobbyists pitched him several weeks ago on how the company could find “efficiencies in the system in order to make improvements less costly.” “It’s obvious that if you’re looking to privatize infrastructure, your motive is profit,” Dorsey said. “Privatization puts profits first and people last.” Rather than have an outside company take control of Baltimore’s water system, Dorsey said he wants to see legislation that caps how much the city can charge residents based on their income level “It’s a scary thing,” he said. “Some people are talking about privatization. It puts fear in people’s minds that machinations are at work. If the council president said it’s not going to happen under my watch, then I want to commend him and hope that others in the city will be equally clear.” City Councilman Brandon Scott said he took a meeting with the lobbyists but left unimpressed. “It sounded like a gimmick to me,” he said. “I’m not interested in it at all.” Perron said deals like the one he is proposing are rare in the United States. “Our company has pioneered the concept in the United States but it’s very common in Europe,” he said. The lobbying effort marks the latest attempt by private industry to make inroads in Baltimore’s water system. In 2014, city officials pledged they had no plans to privatize the water system, as hundreds rallied outside City Hall. Baltimore's water system employs 1,500 workers and provides drinking water to 1.8 million people in the region. CAPTION Anton Black's family speaks about “Anton’s Law,” named after Anton Black, who died in law enforcement custody on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. (Luke Broadwater, Baltimore Sun video) Anton Black's family speaks about “Anton’s Law,” named after Anton Black, who died in law enforcement custody on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. (Luke Broadwater, Baltimore Sun video) CAPTION Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. launches a task force to look into sexual assault investigation in the county. (Alison Knezevich, Baltimore Sun video) Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. launches a task force to look into sexual assault investigation in the county. (Alison Knezevich, Baltimore Sun video) lbroadwater@baltsun.com twitter.com/lukebroadwaterRussia's recent violation of Turkish airspace is by no means an unprecedented incident, as the country has been accused of such behavior by other countries earlier this year as well. On Oct. 29, Reuters reported a story about a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier scrambling four F-18 jets two days earlier in the Korean peninsula after two Russian anti-submarine aircraft flew within a nautical mile of the warship, Reagan. The incident reportedly occurred in international waters east of the peninsula. On June 30, The Associated Press ran a story about Russian fighter pilots "flying dangerously close to Swedish Air Force jets and in some cases even releasing flares at them," citing Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, General Sverker Goransson. Sweden's top military officer reportedly said that Russians were breaking the normal rules of conduct for military aircraft in the air, including breaking formation, flying at unsafe distances and using "countermeasures" that "nearly bounce off the metal" of the Swedish aircraft; referring to decoy flares designed to divert incoming missiles. On May 21, Swedish fighter jets allegedly detected two Russian bombers in its international airspace over Sweden's Oland Island in the Baltic Sea, military sources said. "The two TU-22 bombers were intercepted by two Swedish Jas Gripen jets at noon on Thursday," Goranson told the Swedish national radio broadcaster, EKOT. The Russian bombers, which are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, resumed their normal routes after the interception, he added. Nordic nations had agreed in April to boost their defense ties, increase solidarity with Baltic states, and conduct joint military exercises amid deteriorating relations with Russia, calling it "the biggest challenge to European Security". Defense ministers of Norway, Sweden, Denmark
sent to jail?' Also, not every scenario takes place on Jaffa road in front of the media. what if someone attacks you on a dark road... at night... when nobody else is around? Worse... what if all of the potential witnesses are unsympathetic (i.e. Arabs or fellow attackers)? When you put it like that, a lot of people will suddenly come to the conclusion that they don't really need to shoot... that they, and the people around them, have time to take cover or drive on... that the other person might only want to scare them and not necessarily kill them. Earlier this year the Knesset approved an amendment to the existing law which has become known as the 'Shai Dromi Bill'. Here's a quote from the news that sums up the background nicely: "The legislation, named for the Negev farmer who in January 2007 shot at a group of people who broke into his farm to steal livestock, killing Khaled el-Atrash. Dromi was charged with manslaughter, a move that caused a public uproar. In the ensuing year, bumper-stickers appeared on cars nationwide bearing the phrase "We are all Shai Dromi," expressing a lack of faith in the police's ability to stop property crime, particularly in rural areas. " According to the published report: "Unlike earlier restrictions on criminal liability in cases of self-defense, under the new law a property owner does not have to face "a real danger to his own or another person's life, freedom, bodily welfare or property" to justify shooting. However, "the provision will not apply if the [property owner's] act was manifestly unreasonable under the circumstances in order to repel the intruder or enterer." While the bill passed with a large majority (44-7), in fairness it should be pointed out that not everyone was happy with the outcome: "MK Zehava Gal-On (Meretz) described the bill as "a death penalty for property crime". "Thieves and robbers should be punished, but we should not allow property owners to determine an immediate death sentence," said MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al), who mounted a fiery opposition to the bill from the Knesset speaker's podium." It may surprise you to know that I agree with MKs Gal-On and Tibi. The law, as written, leaves a little too much wiggle room and lacks some important guidelines. While I seldom refer to Jewish law when it comes to the laws of the modern state of Israel... I feel this is a case where Halachah provides some guiding wisdom from which this new law could have benefited. Under Jewish law, a clear differentiation is made between someone who breaks into a house during the day and one who does so during the night. Someone who breaks in during the day cannot be automatically assumed to have violent intentions since the likelihood is that they expected to find an empty house. But someone who breaks in at night MUST be assumed to have violent intentions since people are generally home asleep at night. In the latter case Jewish law actually describes the night-time burgler as already having the status of having blood on their hands, and requires the home owner to kill them so as not to put himself or whoever else is in the house at risk. I'm sure wiser people can elaborate on that so I won't flog an already overly-long post. When I sit down and think about all the things I've written here, I question my sanity for walking around with a gun. After all, who needs this? The terrible responsibility that comes with the gun license seems to far outweigh any potential benefit. But then I think about events like those that took place last week... or the attack earlier this year in the Dimona mall, and suddenly I realize that there is a compelling reason for as many responsible Israelis as possible to be armed (as stated in my last post). One of last week's commenters made reference to a terror attack from the mid '80s that took place on King George street. It actually happened right in front of Richie's Pizza (where I was working back then). A couple of terrorists had emerged from a store across the street with a shopping bag full of hand grenades. They calmly walked out to the middle of the street and began tossing the grenades at the crowds on the sidewalks. By some miracle none of the bystanders were killed. Even more miraculous, within seconds of the first explosion the terrorists were both laying dead in the street. They had been killed by armed bystanders. One of them was even finished off by a civilian whose pistol had jammed and (foolishly, IMHO) decided to run out and club the terrorist to death with his jammed weapon. I don't entertain the idea that the prospect of armed Israelis serves as a deterrent since most terrorists seem to be perfectly willing to die trying to carry out their attacks. But you can't even compare the scale of the carnage between what has typically happened here in Israel, and if (G-d forbid) something similar were to be attempted in London or New York where the only people walking around with guns are the thinly stretched police. So, for those who felt that my last post we too 'touchy feely', or that it 'nit-picked' about how to describe the killing of a terrorist instead of simply celebrating the terrorist's death... well, this one was for you. Posted by David Bogner on July 6, 2008 \| Permalink TrackBack TrackBack URL for this entry: https://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341c581e53ef00e5509319f18833 Listed below are links to weblogs that reference The use of deadly force: Comments [Newbie visiting from Liz] I was certainly surprised when I heard the Supreme court's ruling but we've just spent a month in England where the new headlines are full of senseless knife attacks. Best wishes Posted by: Maddy \| Jul 6, 2008 6:49:27 PM Most policemen in London and the UK are not armed, at least not with guns and we are having a big problem with knife attacks at the moment. I can remember too when we had IRA terrorism, which was mainly bombings on the mainland (guns were used in the Irish provinces, but I didn't live there and it's not in my range of experiences), but even then I didn't feel particularly unsafe. I'm not a bleeding heart liberal and I am not generally in the pro-gun lobby, but if I was walking down the street in Israel and someone began to throw grenades about, or looked as though they were about to blow up a bus, I think I'd feel just a tad safer knowing that in the event, there was at least the possibility that someone might be able to prevent or lessen the impact (no pun intended) by shooting the perpetrator(s), whoever they may be. I suppose it is very easy for people like me who don't have to acknowledge daily those risks to say that guns are too prevalent and too easy an option, but as you rightly point out, Trep, the consequences of doing so can be enormous. Would I be able to do it? Could I pull the trigger and end someone's life? I really don't know, but then I don't have to make that decision in a snapsecond, generally speaking. I just feel that if I was there, and since I don't know how to use a gun, let alone be licensed to have one, I would take some comfort knowing that there may be like minded individuals around me who did and who could just possibly save my or someone else's life by doing so. Most countries that I've been to (US and Europe mostly) have armed police, but they don't (even post 9-11 and London/Madrid) have to face the same level of unpredictability as most Israelis and, whilst not being flippant, I'm reminded of a joke about a Jewish guy who was captured by a tribe of cannibals. The Chief of the cannibals granted him a last request and he asked the Chief to kick him in the behind as hard as possible. When the Chief did this, the Israeli pulled out a gun and shot the Chief and all the cannibals. When asked why he asked to be kicked, he explained that it was to avoid the risk of being condemned by the UN for reacting to insufficent provocation! Maybe this is how it feels to live in Isrel at times? Maybe one day I'll get to know when I get around to making a visit? Until then I'll take some views and my cues from here! PS Glad to hear about Yonah 2.0 and that he's much better! Posted by: Ken \| Jul 6, 2008 7:03:14 PM Once again the unarmed are caught between the armed to do harm and the armed to prevent harm. I hear a lot of complaints about the lack of police when we need them, now imagine a world where there were enough police to stop all of these tragedies. What would that world be like, what would it be like to have an officer on every corner, how would you feel? would you feel free? would you always feel that someone was watching over or out for you? would confidently go on about your life? or would you constantly be checking and double checking everything you do to make sure to make sure it was just right since every time you make the slightest slip there would be someone there to catch you in the smallest mistake just like there would be someone to catch the real bad guys who want to hurt someone. It would also be a terrorists wet dream, all those uniforms would mean rigid responses that could be predicted and once predicted used against them so that a distraction a block away or ten blocks away would leave where they are open and no one to stop them when the grenades are tossed. Terrorists want rigid security, they want rigid structure, once the uniforms are out of the way they a clear field of unarmed sheeple to slaughter. Gun free zones are candy stores to terrorists, they just can't get enough. Places where people are armed and held accountable to a higher standard are more dangerous to them than a military base because they contain guard wolves in sheeple clothing. So please don't think that security based on restriction will prevent terrorists or even criminals, it won't, all it will do is give them a clearer field of play with more victims. Would you as a parent rather your child cowered waiting for police to respond to an event or that someone just shot the bugger before the next grenade went your childs way. The terrorist would much rather wait for the cops or even the military, more time to play in the candy store. Posted by: IWatch \| Jul 6, 2008 11:59:20 PM The Nazi spirit lives on in the Israel...anyone non-Jewish is to have few rights even if citizens because of their religion and they're to be cordoned off to live in ghettos...everyone who's non-white and uses violence to defend himself is a terrorist and Israeli settlers who steal land are legally gun-toting cowboys welcome to finish off anyone who may dare to trespass on what by international law is his...good luck changing world opinion to accommodate a new holocaust, this time of the Muslim Palestinians--the Israeli PR machine should be able to achieve that I think!? Posted by: Alok \| Jul 7, 2008 1:34:11 AM Alok - Wow, kids in a pizza parlor are THAT dangerous? Or school buses? Man, hospitals must be SUPER dangerous, since I remember those fake ambulances with bombs in them.... Posted by: Foxfier \| Jul 7, 2008 3:34:49 AM I like guns. I'm small. I'm female. I'm not all that co-ordinated-- definitely not the next Karate Kid. But, with a gun, I am on even footing with the biggest man--even against an expert shot, I have a chance. Does this mean I'm then bound by the same sort of rules I'd expect a big, strong man to follow? Surely--even more so, because guns don't have a "punch him in the jaw" setting. In the end, though, I like guns. Posted by: Foxfier \| Jul 7, 2008 3:37:27 AM a) The taking of life in any circumstance is a step that there’s no way back from. If you get spooked easily, you shouldn’t pack a weapon. b) A civilian should not be able to apply capital punishment for a crime (like cattle-rustling), which does not carry the death penalty. c) If the army and police were not overstretched they’d be able to do a better job. I will not elaborate on this one. Posted by: asher \| Jul 7, 2008 8:09:00 AM Israelis need to understand that they shouldn't judge themselves by Western Standards. They are not in the same situations that Western Nations are in. They are in the same situation that people in the Old West were in where someone could at any time come up to your homestead and burn it to the ground, where there are Ingins at every pass that could shoot arrows into their stagecoach. There not having a gun was seen as very irresponsible for in places that had a sheriff which was rare and even if the sheriff was a sober one which was rarer still, the sheriff could be miles away. In Israel the motto should be every Citizen a Solider meaning that even those who are not members of the IDF should have a gun always at the ready and the knowledge to use it for it should be the responsibility of every Israeli regardless of age to be able to the best of their ability to be able to defend themselves, their family, and their land when the situation arises. Posted by: Scott \| Jul 7, 2008 8:28:38 AM Is there in fact any debate here? We are ALL saying the same thing (apart from one spammer who I won't mention). The concept of responsibility includes responsibilty for your family's and everyone else's security, and also includes the responsiblity to act wisely and with full knowledge of the consequences of your actions. Therefore, Scott, Foxfier and I are singing the same song, though the melody may sound different. Posted by: asher \| Jul 7, 2008 9:41:08 AM I'm as big a fan of Jewish law as the next Yid, but as a stay-at-home mom, the notion that an intruder's intentions are more benign during the day than at night rings hollow. Bad stuff goes down in the day too, and if someone decides to break into my house and finds me there, does that mean he'll apologize and promise to come back another time when I'm not home? Or not? No, the thought that someone could try to enter my house during the day when the neighbors are at work and can't hear the shouts coming from my house does little to comfort me. While shooting someone for stealing your livestock may seem extreme, what are the options? Yell at them to clear off? I can hear the laughter. Try to get a good look at them so you can send the cops chasing after them? (What are the chances that the thieves get caught in the end?) Is letting thieves steal your stock some act of chesed that's mandated in halachah? Perhaps it's better midot just to write off the stock loss as a bad day, but I can also see that taking that route is an invitation for a repeat offense. I'm not a gun-toting settler yet (we move to Efrat next month) but the issues you raise about gun use do give food for thought. Posted by: Shimshonit \| Jul 7, 2008 12:22:18 PM "good luck changing world opinion to accommodate a new holocaust, this time of the Muslim Palestinians" Oh good heavens Alek, erm, Alok. Can't you people just wait in line? The Turkish are first, if we are to believe the words of Faruk Sen. Sheesh. Posted by: a \| Jul 7, 2008 3:58:02 PM Maddy... Ah yes, as Robbin Williams said, "England; where the police say 'Stop... or I'll say stop again!'". :-) Ken... Looking forward to your visit. I'm not the best source of information. :-) IWatch... Reading the news this morning the debate in the Knesset was about whether the first police to reach the bulldozer should have fired a 'confirmation' shot into the terrorist to ensure he was dead. If he had at least one of the victims would have lived. Tough call. I say yes, but I feel that the terrorist's life was forfeit when he turned over the first car. Alok... Greetings to you there in Bangalore. It was nice of you to leave such a thoughtful comment while you are at work... using a company computer. I'll save you the trouble of a response since you will probably be canned by the time this response is posted... what with me having forwarded your comment (along with the IP # from which it was sent) to the Vice President of your company. Peace. Foxfier... I can see how recreational shooting can be relaxing... even fun. I have actually gotten pretty good at it. However I go to the range about once a month, not for the relaxation. But because I am terrified that if (G-d forbid) I am ever required to shoot I will hesitate out of fear that I will miss the bad guy and hit a bystander. asher... You are still operating under the misguided idea that the army and police are stretched because of the settlements. They are stretched because of our enemies' efforts to kill any and all Jews/Israelis. You need to be reminded every so often whose side you are on. And I'm just the guy to do the reminding. Don't thank me... I'm a giver. Scott... Hey, is that really you? Long time no see, buddy! Welcome back! Anyway, to your comment... First of all, if you read your history, the 'injins' had more to fear from us white folks than any of the white folks had to fear from them. But let's use your analogy. Actually there is a Sheriff in town. He's called the IDF. However a big chunk of the townspeople seem to have developed a bad case of Stockholm Syndrome and have fallen in love with the 'injins'. asher... A little choir practice can do us all some good. :-) Shimshonit... I'm not saying that a person should not be able to shoot an intruder during the day. I'm just saying that it should be a harder cause to prove than killing a night-time intruder. At the end of the day, I doubt any court would convict a woman home alone who shot an armed intruder. And if he wasn't armed when he came in I'm sure you have an odd paring knife lying around that doesn't match any of your sets. :-) a.... He's long gone. :-) Posted by: treppenwitz \| Jul 7, 2008 4:09:58 PM It is wonderful to read a defense of gun ownership that pays due attention to the immense responsibility of said gun ownership. I wish more people here in the US thought this way. Posted by: Lisa \| Jul 7, 2008 6:48:35 PM treppenwitz, I don't know if I am the Scott you are thinking of but most likely I am not. As to your statement, "the 'injins' had more to fear from us white folks than any of the white folks had to fear from them." well while ultimately that was correct, it was correct precisely because the settlers had lots and lots of guns. Indian attacks were common though (not saying they were justified or not just looking at it as it was) and white people were killed. But in the end the settlers would not put up with it and that is why we survived. As for the Sheriff being the IDF, my point was even with a sheriff the settlers needed to be able to protect themselves because even where there was a sheriff he could be miles and miles away when the men in black hats or the 'ingins' attacked. The sheriff expected to have a people with an ability to protect themselves as he would often deputize them. Without a well armed citizenry it would have been impossible for the sheriff to do his job. It is all a matter of survival here. Do you want to survive or not? Posted by: Scott \| Jul 7, 2008 7:20:24 PM Every citizen a solider, that needs to be the attitude of Israelis if they are to survive. Israelis should make it a national movement to spend lots and lots of time at the gun range just like people in Western countries without conflict spend the night at the movies or bowling. Posted by: Scott \| Jul 7, 2008 7:25:34 PM "...if (G-d forbid) something similar were to be attempted in London or New York where the only people walking around with guns are the thinly stretched police." Hmmm. London I'll grant you. I think in New York there are plenty of people who are not the police carrying guns. There certainly are in my neck of the woods. BTW, while carrying your weapon is certainly a good way to keep it safe, I assume you sleep at home sometimes. Get a gun safe if you don't have one. All the statistics on accidental shootings that I am aware of indicate it's a good idea. Posted by: balabusta in bluejeans \| Jul 8, 2008 8:39:59 AM treppenwitz: Re: Indians: Don't believe everything you read. Family history proves it VERY wrong. (Godfather's father died in the last Indian raid in Cali-- they caught the SOBs because they still had one guy's whiskers in his pocket for novelty value) Posted by: Foxfier \| Jul 8, 2008 9:16:56 AM David - you worked at Richie's?!!! Wow, there's a blast from the past! That place was the ultimate Jerusalem teen hangout. The bulletin board there was legendary - it was like a manual version of FaceBook, 20 years before its time. If you wanted to find anyone in Israel, just post a message on Richie's bulletin board. (My all-time favorite post: "If you're from Machon Devorah and are reading this, boy are you in trouble!" Hameivin yavin. :) ) Funny, I have no recollection if the pizza was any good or not... I had forgotten that the attack took place right outside Richie's. Glad you & your co-workers at the time weren't hurt. And BTW - great post. Posted by: psachya \| Jul 8, 2008 11:41:43 AM I was Googling for info. on women carrying guns, particularly the hiluk made, if any between between military rifles, real clei milchama, and handguns, which I would say are not. If anyone has any info on Teshuvos, esp. material on the Net, I'd be appreciative. And as to the matter of consequences of even the most righteous shooting, as the say in the gun velt, better tried by 12 than carried by 6. L'shana tova. Posted by: Avigdor MBalwmawr \| Sep 11, 2008 6:58:04 AMCopyright by KSNW - All rights reserved Wichita State University is now home to an Amazon Locker. The locker is located north of Grace Wilkie Hall near Lot 15. (Courtesy: Wichita State University) Copyright by KSNW - All rights reserved Wichita State University is now home to an Amazon Locker. The locker is located north of Grace Wilkie Hall near Lot 15. (Courtesy: Wichita State University) WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - Wichita State University is now home to an Amazon Locker, known as "Locker Maisie," located north of Grace Wilkie Hall near Lot 15. Amazon Locker is a secure, self-service kiosk where any Amazon customer can pick up or return Amazon.com packages at a time that is convenient for them. The 18-foot Amazon Locker has 115 slots. To use Amazon Locker, customers choose Maisie as their shipping address on Amazon.com during checkout. When the package is delivered, an email with a pickup code notifies the customer, who then uses the code to unlock the Amazon Locker slot and retrieve their package. For more information, go to www.amazon.com/locker. Customers can add Locker Maisie to their Amazon.com address book by going to www.amazon.com/addMaisie.Do we need a new heading element? We don't know There's a proposal to add a new <h> element to the HTML spec. It solves a fairly common use-case. Take this HTML snippet: <div class= "promo" > <h2> Do you find the "plot" a distraction in movies? </h2> <p> If so, you should check out "John Wick" - satisfaction guaranteed! </p> </div> This could be a web component, or a simple include. The problem is, by using <h2>, we've assumed the 'parent' heading is an <h1>. If this snippet is moved elsewhere in the DOM, this assumption may break the heading outline. What if, instead, we could write: <section class= "promo" > <h> Do you find the "plot" a distraction in movies? </h> <p> If so, you should check out "John Wick" - satisfaction guaranteed! </p> </section> …where the <h> element is contextual to its parent <section>. Now this snippet can be moved around without breaking things - the heading always represents a subsection within its parent. The structure of a document should be marked up in a nested manner, and this is mostly how HTML works: You put an <ol> within an <li> to express a list within a list. Sections & headings should work the same. This is old news The <h> idea is at least 26 years old. It can be found in an old www-talk email from 1991 (thanks to Jeremy Keith for pointing that out). It made it into the XHTML2 spec in 2004. It was also rolled into the (then-named) HTML5 spec, but applied to existing headings to maintain some backwards compatibility. <h1> Level 1 heading </h1> <section> <h1> Level 2 heading </h1> <h2> Level 3 heading </h2> <section> <h6> Level 3 heading </h6> </section> </section> The outline algorithm as defined by the HTML spec allows both the old numbered heading system to coexist with a contextual section-based system, which is a real bonus when working with existing content. For example, the posts in this blog use markdown, which uses a flat heading structure. The HTML outline meaning I can put this flat structure inside a section, and it becomes contextual to the section. Also, for user agents that don't understand sectioned headings, at least they see headings. Browsers implemented some of this. <section> is a recognised element, and browsers give <h1> s within sections a smaller font size. Unfortunately, no browser implements the outline when it comes to the accessibility tree, meaning screen readers still see an <h1> as a level 1 heading no matter how many sections it's within. This sucks. The outline was kinda the whole point. <h> to the rescue? The suggestion is that <h> would solve this, as browsers would implement it & do the right thing in terms of the accessibility tree. This is a common mistake in standards discussion - a mistake I've made many times before. You cannot compare the current state of things, beholden to reality, with a utopian implementation of some currently non-existent thing. If you're proposing something almost identical to something that failed, you better know why your proposal will succeed where the other didn't. We need evidence. And the first step is understanding what went wrong with the previous proposal. Why haven't browsers implemented the outline? I don't know. I'm trying to find out, as are people at other browsers. But here are a few guesses: The accessibility part was given low priority & no one got round to it. The outline algorithm significantly impacts performance. By the time browsers got round to it, developers were using sections incorrectly, and adding the outline would have a negative impact on users. If the reason is apathy or performance, the same applies to <h>, meaning <h> is likely to fail as hard, and in the same places. But I stress, I don't know. We have a bit of a global problem right now: confident assertion without evidence (or even despite evidence to the contrary) is valued higher than qualified uncertainty. We must rise above this in the web community. The first step is admitting what we don't know, then figuring that out before proceeding. Fixing the existing web In terms of browser & standards work, making <h> a thing involves: Spec the new element. Update the outline algorithm. Implement the new element. Implement the outline algorithm. To make <h1> perform the same function, all we need to do is: Implement the outline algorithm. And that's it - the spec & partial implementation exists already. The work needed to fix the existing web is a subset of creating a new element that does the same thing, but doesn't fix the existing web. It's possible that implementing the outline for existing heading elements will negatively impact accessibility, and there are anecdotes that point to this. However, it's also possible that, on the whole, it'd improve accessibility, as it'd make correctly-sectioned content work as the author intended. I just don't know. We need evidence. If <h> becomes a standard, there'll be a period of time where it's used, but it's unsupported in user agents. Unless it's polyfilled, this element is no better than a <span> to these users. Given that most screen reader users use headings to navigate pages, sticking with existing heading elements is likely to be less disruptive. If possible, fixing the existing web is preferable. If implementing the outline breaks more sites than it fixes, to the point where it becomes a blocker, can we fix the outline algorithm with a few tweaks? If not, can we make it opt in & switchable? <body outline= "sectioned" > <h1> Level 1 heading </h1> <section> <h1> Level 2 heading </h1> <section outline= "flat" > <h4> Level 4 heading </h4> </section> </section> </body> …where outline can appear on any sectioning root or sectioning content element. This is preferable to a new element, as it has some meaning to existing user agents, and plays well with existing content. If the problem is simply an apathy towards accessibility, we could expose the computed heading level in the DOM, or CSS (as proposed by Amelia BR): :heading-level ( 1 ) { /* styles / } :heading-level ( 2 ) { / styles */ } This would be generally useful, and may encourage browsers to implement the outline. But the important thing to admit is, we don't know. This, and most of the assertions in the Github thread, are just guesswork. We need to be better. Moving forward Before we throw a new element at the platform that may solve nothing, we need to answer the following: Why haven't browsers implemented the outline for sectioned headings? What proportion of site would get worse / improve / remain unchanged if we implement the HTML outline as-is? Can we fix any breakages with tweaks to the outline algorithm? Are there significant users of sectioned headings that would benefit from an opt-in? And we must measure the above against the likely breakages and potential failures of adding a new element. Measuring the impact of the outline algorithm isn't easy, and I don't see how it can be automated given how subjective it is. We may need to organise some kind of test where users can be presented with two heading outlines, one flat & one sectioned, and assess the quality of each for a representative set of pages. If you want to look at outlines for current pages, the W3C validator will output the heading outline both flat & sectioned. Here are the results for this page. Given that the original problem is worth solving, I really hope we can fix this.A look at the 76ers three-bottle commemorative wine series. (Photo11: Kurt Gies, 76ers) Let's have a toast — to wine and basketball. As the Philadelphia 76ers look to get back on track after three consecutive seasons at the bottom of the NBA barrel, with the help of a loaded frontcourt that features Ben Simmons, Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor and Dario Saric, the team is producing a three-wine "Banner Series” (which can be purchased here) to commemorate the franchise's three championships (1954-55, 1966-67, 1982-83). The first bottle in the series — which will only have 76 cases produced — is dedicated to the most recent championship-winning team, which included iconic NBA legends Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Moses Malone. Julius Erving and Moses Malone hold the NBA Championship trophy after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo11: AP) For those wine aficionados out there, the wine itself — which comes from Chaddsford Winery in Pennsylvania — is an "exclusive red cellar blend" that showcases "soft integrated tannins that merge nicely with notes of raspberry, black cherry, and a hint of black pepper and oak." But perhaps most importantly, 10% of proceeds from each bottle sold will be donated to the Sixers Youth Foundation. Salut. Follow AJ Neuharth-Keusch on Twitter @tweetAJNKIt’s such a spectacle how a little child can be so creatively imaginative in trying to fit an over-sized shoe, more so how his innocent mind perceives plain, natural things into extraordinary opportunities and exert his best efforts to engage and explore his environment. If playful kids have this cognitive ability, can small businesses do the same, or better? Small businesses and startups can definitely do best if they possess similar mindset akin to little children: to focus on the possibilities of things and exert effort in engaging skills to opportunities and to THINK BIG! Other than the most effective marketing strategies for small businesses known and practiced by many marketing experts, Inc.com suggests some marketing tactics for small businesses that will help them THINK BIG and GROW: LARGE BUSINESSES AS PARTNERS Many think that small entrepreneurs are easily swallowed by large companies via business acquisition – true. On the contrary, a growing number of giant industry leaders are seeing opportunities in nimble entrepreneurial firms by converging strategies on: customer acquisition, product innovation and best practices. Below are the keys to Successful Partnership with Large Companies: Research to find the right business partner otherwise ill-conceived partnerships will leave company in worst shape. Fundamentally Sound Business Practices should be in place before presenting a business-partnership proposal Recognition Of Own Responsibilities should be kept in mind and that large companies expect returns for every financial/marketing help they extend. Monitor Requirements Of Successful Partnerships and value commitment to achieve goals both for you and your corporate partner Do Not Be Intimidated, just do business accordingly Maintain Independence and reserve a sense of ownership of your turf by not relying too much on your corporate partner in exchange of financial help Establish Clear And Open Lines Of Communication LARGE BUSINESSES AS PRODUCT DISTRIBUTORS Take advantage of distributors’ needs to sell their products as this will expedite business success for small businesses, but factors below are to be considered: Competition – have a quality product that sell Compatibility – find the right merchandiser for your product Related: The Strategic Marketing of Using Events to Improve Customer Loyalty LARGE BUSINESSES AS CUSTOMERS Please corporate clients as how you do to individual clients or even more. Below are some key points to ponder: Corporate customers may have different needs and priorities, be aware Value commitment on non-negotiables like time and quality Loss of a single corporate customer can have significant impact in your business Expect more paper and safekeeping tasks Related: Make Prospects Feel Satisfied in Purchasing your Software Products Small businesses see large companies as giant competitors and most of the time feel intimidated by their size and technological capabilities. But weren’t these big-timers once small startups too? Aim to hit your targets by leveraging on the resources and opportunities that these large companies offer as your business partner, product distributors and as your customers ; like the little child in the picture who’s figuring out some strokes to wear the pair of shoes, apparently disregarding the trappings on the size differences between his feet and the shoes, but keeps a steady focus to just get his cute feet in and just let them explore the empty space inside. After all, one day soon, he’ll grow big enough to wear big, fitting shoes for him. Learn more how we help small businesses expand in Asia Talk with our Marketing Consultant, Dial +65 6248.5023 or +65 3159.1112Hello again friends! Here at my Pauper Flophouse of fun I bring you a variety of sweet Pauper decks and give them some quick and dirty brawls in the leagues. Hopefully showing off what the decks can do, having some sweet games and making suggestions on how to make things even better. Let’s go! I’m doing something a bit different this week. I’m going to show you a deck I’ve been working on for a little while, and how I got there. A while ago, I came across at attempt at making a UG Emerge deck by Alex Ullman that looked like this: I played the deck as is for a little while to get a feel for what was working and what was not. The deck type appealed to me because I’m a big fan of value creatures, and this build sure has a lot of #value built into it. One the deck got going, you continually played creatures until the opponent fell over making it quite good against opponents who are trying to play an attrition game. However, there were some problems. The Problems Too many decks ignored you. While I was casting sweet value monsters and Grapples and Pulses, the opponent was flying over and punching me to death, or burning me out or comboing. I didn’t have enough removal. I actually had too many cards in my hand. It was nice to be casting creatures and drawing creatures, but it was clear that I could be utilising my cards better if I’m losing with 6 cards in
everything to do with money. Then again, that’s what lobbying is and why we have SOPA supporters in the first place, right? That said, a win is a win, and the more people that come off that list, the less appealing SOPA will look to the people in charge of passing or stopping it, hopefully. (via The Next Web) Relevant to your interestsHeadstrong Investigative Journalist™ Richard Lewis has confronted the /r/leagueoflegends moderators on the roof of an abandoned Santa Monica office building — the culmination of weeks of investigation that brought Lewis deeper and deeper into a dangerous conspiracy. Cleanly taking out the Riot-funded mercenary bodyguards, Lewis was able to personally meet the conspirators who had made his life a living hell. “I want justice,” demanded the veteran ESPORTS reporter as he held the mods at gunpoint. “I want revenge. But most of all, I want answers.” Richard Lewis was a simple journalist with one fatal flaw; he would go to any lengths to find the truth. What had started as a single, innocuous leak by YouTuber “Gnarsies” had cascaded into a game of cat-and-mouse between Lewis and his new-found, powerful enemies: /r/leagueoflegends, The Score Esports, Riot Games, ESL, Cloud9, Team SoloMid, Alex Garfield, Azubu, the Knights Templar, actor George Clooney, the Republic of San Marino, and his sentient reflection. Announcing that he was following in the footsteps of journalistic greats like Brian Williams, Lewis claimed that he saw “sights more horrifying than Urgot vs. Cho mid in NA LCS.” The ESPORTS journalist detailed some of the horrors he saw beneath the utopian surface of the subreddit: • A small Korean child, forced by WTFast to brutally mine away latency clog-up in the depths of the Riot servers, while being whipped by a power-mad KoreanTerran, shouting “We do this for free! There will be no dissent!” • A line of robed, jackbooted mods eagerly signing away their identity in a super-charged NDA that forbade the mods from disclosing anything stored within their neurons. • A propaganda factory, comprised of hundreds of people who could compose well-crafted arguments on Reddit, that churned out pro-Riot, anti-Richard Lewis material in order to confuse the innocent public with their logical points and solid criticism. Mr. Lewis did more than just passively view; the talk show host claimed that he drew a “First Blood” of his own when /r/leagueoflegends mods sent a flurry of hitmen after him, knowing that he was too close to the truth. With a flurry of biting witticisms and hard hitting reports, Lewis dispatched the hit squad. Tracking the wet squad back to their client, Lewis ended up on the rooftop of the /r/leagueoflegends headquarters, armed only with his strong sense of moral clarity, his two fists, and his verified Twitter account, facing down the vicious oppressors who sought to silence him. He thought he had the upper hand on the rooftop, when he was surprised by the sudden appearance of /u/esportslaw, armed with an MP-40. “What are you doing here?” exclaimed Lewis to his ally and comrade at the Daily Dot, but he received only a slug to the shoulder as a response. Cackling loudly, KoreanTerran drew his pistol and leveled it at Lewis’s temple. “Listen, Mr. Lewis,” KoreanTerran begged, petting his Persian cat and gathering his heavy silk robe around him, “I’ll step down from the mod team if you can promise me that no personal information is posted.” Stopping to twirl his finely waxed mustache, he added, “Helluva deal, right?” And perhaps to a less-principled journalist, one with a weak sense of justice, it might have been.Final Fantasy XV Pre-Beta Already Running on PC and PS4; Dev Talks About Memory Constaints Giuseppe Nelva December 12, 2015 2:15:56 PM EST A few days ago, Final Fantasy XV Programmer Satoshi Kitade mentioned that the pre-beta build of the game is already playable from beginning to end. Afterwards, he followed up with further information. First of all, he explained on the official forum that the build runs on PC. It also works on PS4, but there are still areas that require optimization and memory-related adjustments. Secondly, he talked about memory optimization, prompted by a question about the fact that initially the dodge roll wasn’t included in the first version of Episode Duscae due to memory constraints. Kitade-san explained that since the memory that can be used is a physically limited amount, developers always have to make trade-offs when adjusting every element of the game. They have to constantly decide what can be implemented and what can’t be based on all the game elements and resources are associated to each feature. In order to add the dodge roll, all the resources and gameplay coding associated with avoidance had to fit into memory, and that’s why it was added only in 2.0. That said, Kitade-san clarified that the development of the demo and the current development of the final game are done under different circumstances, which are also influenced by the progress on development of the game itself. The restrictions that had to be considered back when the demo was being developed don’t necessarily apply anymore now. It’s relevant that Kitade-san’s mention of the game running on PC doesn’t mean that a PC version is coming (even if Director Hajime Tabata told us during an interview at Gamescom that it might be considered post-launch), but simply that the title is being developed on PC first, and then optimized for consoles, which is a pretty common process in game development.The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth largest lake, has in recent decades shrunk in size by more than 70 per cent after tributary rivers were diverted for irrigation projects. The salinity of the region's soil has soared and the area is also heavily polluted. “It was shocking,” Mr. Ban told reporters in Nukus after a helicopter tour of the area with Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, the latest stop on his visit to Central Asia. “It is clearly one of the worst environmental disasters of the world... It really left with me a profound impression, one of sadness that such a mighty sea has disappeared,” he stated. The Secretary-General said that, standing on the shores of a vanished sea, he could not see anything except a “cemetery of ships marooned in the sand.” As a result of the disaster, people are getting sick, the land is poisoned, and storms blow dust and salt as far as the North Pole. “It was a vivid testament to what [...] happens [...] when we waste our common natural resources, when we neglect our environment, when we mismanage our environment.” Speaking later at an official dinner in the capital, Tashkent, the Secretary-General noted that the aerial tour reminded him of flying over Africa's Lake Chad in 2008. “It, too, has shrunk to a small fraction of its former size, with disastrous effects on millions of people. “I think this is a collective responsibility, not only for the nations of Central Asia but the whole world,” he said. “I was very encouraged by what I learned? all the measures the Government is taking to deal with the effects of the disaster.” Mr. Ban voiced appreciation for the international fund for saving the Aral Sea which was initiated by the five leaders of Central Asia, and pledged the UN's assistance for their efforts. “We should become better stewards in managing the environment,” Mr. Ban stated. “We must deliver this Planet Earth to our succeeding generations, so that they can live in a more hospitable, in a more environmentally sustainable way. “That is a moral and political imperative,” he stressed. While in Tashkent, the Secretary-General will meet tomorrow with President Islam Karimov and deliver a lecture at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy. Mr. Ban's first official visit to Central Asia since becoming UN chief also included stops in Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, and will take him next to Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.http://gty.im/466420524 There are a few fundamental fantasy football philosophies I follow. Most of them have been covered 1000 times, but I have never done it here, so now it will be 1001. Some of them are hard and fast rules that I will never deviate from. Those are lessons learned through failure. Often repeated and mind numbing levels of failure. Others are just the general guidelines I follow. Those typically come from patterns I have noticed, or others have brought to my attention. This article’s subject is borrowed from ESPN’s Fantasy Focus Football podcast. Last year I looked at the Minnesota Vikings and saw a pretty pathetic offense. Outside of AP in the backfield there was absolutely nothing dangerous about that offense. The Vikings had decent receivers, but they were not scary. They were the kind of receivers that could exploit eight-man boxes, but not the kind that would excel against nickel coverage. Additionally, their offensive linemen were decent run blockers, but terrible pass blockers. This was before injuries along the line made them ineffective in all regards. They had Norv Turner as offensive coordinator. He loves to ride a bell cow running back. They had a very good defense, that would likely keep them from ever being distantly behind in games. They also had a head coach, Mike Zimmer, who uses the ammo in his gun so to speak. It looked like a good year for Adrian Peterson as a fantasy football commodity. Peterson is a player used to eight-man boxes, 300+ touches, and an entire football team riding him to success. He was also a 31-year-old running back. I gambled that he would be able to defy a virtually ironclad rule for his position. This is AP we’re talking about after all. He was coming off a 1485 yard season, and in the perfect situation for a fantasy running back, but running backs over 30 tend to fall off a cliff. Taking a player like that in the first round is taking your season in your hands. His average draft position on every site I use was in the top ten, I was certainly not the only one who did this last year. Peterson had 37 carries in three games played. The cornerstone of my team hardly played in 2016. I had broken a fundamental rule. http://gty.im/504357754 The First Rule of Fantasy Football I think I am borrowing this phrasing from Matthew Berry of ESPN but it is a commonly accepted fantasy trope at this point because a lot of people have. You can’t win your league in the first round of the draft, but you can lose it. The players you choose in the early rounds should be the highest point scorers you have. Your first round pick is the building block that the rest of your team is built on. It is not the end of the world if they are outside the top ten for their position. That is unfortunate and requires work to overcome but it’s not terminal. The first round is not where you want to roll the dice. You need to get points from your most valuable asset. There are times to take risks, but this is not one of them. A player who came out of nowhere to score a ton of points last year, or a player with an injury history, are not the players you should be eager to select in round one. Players who have changed teams and newly crowned starters also fall into this category. They very well may succeed, it is not impossible, but most often they are not among the league’s elite. If you are in a bigger league and drafting near the end of the round you may find yourself with few good options for the first round. When to Take Risks As you get deeper into a fantasy football draft, the consequences of a missed pick are lessened. A wide receiver selected in round eight is probably not going to score many more points than one drafted in round ten. By the end of round two though, every bonafide “bell cow” running back in the NFL is probably gone. The difference between a player selected in the first round and one selected in the third is usually massive. If you choose to take the guy coming off his third knee injury in the first round, well if he doesn’t have a fourth you’re in a great spot. If he does go down again, you’re in a pretty bad spot, missing a key part of your line up. Any player might get injured or have a down year. certain factors make it more predictable. Injuries aside, suspended players are also solid choices for later round picks on occasion. In 2013 I drafted both Josh Gordon and Justin Blackmon. Both were suspended, and young enough that they had not cemented reputations in fantasy circles. Both had promising rookie seasons, over 800 yards receiving, but were on teams with bad quarterbacks. If I recall correctly I got both of them in the last four rounds of the draft. Gordon went on to have a 1646 yard and nine touchdown season in 14 games, almost single handedly winning that league for me when added to some average drafting early. Blackmon, of course, was suspended again after playing only four games. He had gained 415 yards and solidly contributed to my team’s success while playing though. I still consider it a good pick. Mitigating Risk You can reduce this risk by using a later pick on what is referred to as a handcuff. For example, last year, using my terrible decision to go all in on Adrian Peterson, I could have selected Jerrick McKinnon later in the draft. He would be available some time in the last few rounds of the draft because unless AD got hurt he was never going to play. When AD went down though, he was the obvious choice to fill in. Because of that, he had value to anyone who had drafted Peterson and not operated with another backup plan. You don’t need to handcuff your WR4. If he gets hurt you can probably just pick someone up who has not been drafted without losing too much productivity. It is only the top end players with good backups that need to be handcuffed. In this case McKinnon had a terrible season, but he did get 15 or more touches for three consecutive games when AD got hurt and was actually a fantasy improvement over Peterson’s terrible start to the season. http://gty.im/502626076 Individual Defensive Players The Intermediate and Champions league levels of the Detroit Lions Podcast fantasy leagues introduce the concept of selecting individual defensive players rather than just a team defense to fantasy football. There is a team defense intermediate league, not everyone digs IDP for their fantasy football fix, and we get that. When starting out in IDP the key thing to remember is that the best players are not the best IDP choices. For example, Lions fans were often livid about Tahir Whitehead almost always allowing the tight end to make the catch before wrangling him down for very little RAC. That’s exactly what you want from an IDP defender. Whitehead was a top five linebacker in IDP scoring for 2016 because he put up stats. Paul Worrilow was the same kind of player three years ago for the Falcons. Neither could be called a great linebacker, but both were great fantasy linebackers. A great corner who never gets challenged is a terrible pickup. Corners that play a lot of short zone coverage, which allows them to participate in run support, are far better picks. Good safeties on teams with bad linebackers should also fill out your defensive back roster. Turnovers are difficult to predict, but they usually coincide with a good pass rush. Teams that pressure the quarterback, play a lot of short zone coverage, and have bad linebacker play are the perfect storm for an IDP defensive back. http://gty.im/460875385 How the DLP Individual Defensive Player Scoring Works. Solo tackles gain one point Tackle assists and tackles for loss gain 1/2 a point Sacks and interceptions gain four points each A forced fumble or extra point returned for a score earn two points A safety or blocked kick earns one point Turnover returns earn one point for every ten yards returned IDP is a little more complicated to keep track of, but I found myself realizing how terribly I had drafted almost immediately in my first IDP season. The good news is that there are a hundred players thrust into unforeseen roles during the season and defensive players put in bad spots can still score points in fantasy football, as Whitehead and Worrilow have shown. I hope to see you in the DLP Fantasy football leagues this year. I am still grinding the big guys on the mics to add another game to the list of things we are doing this season, but that will not be started until near beginning of the season.Yesterday we highlighted the European people's growing'revulsion' against Europe and overnight we got yet another confirmation that the status quo - despite record low bond yields and record high stock and real estate prices - are losing their grip on control. Having taken the lead in the polls last week, UKIP's Nigel Farage has scored a major victory in local elections in England with early results pointing to considerable gains for the euro-skeptic party: UKIP GAINS 20 SEATS IN EARLY ENGLISH LOCAL-ELECTION RESULTS U.K. TORIES LOSE 20 SEATS IN EARLY LOCAL-ELECTION RESULTS As Reuters reports, one MP noted "I think Nigel Farage for quite a lot of those people is just a big sort of two fingers stuck up at what they feel is a sort of hectoring, out-of-touch elite." As Reuters reports, Britain's anti-EU party UKIP made strong gains in local elections in England, siphoning support from Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservatives as it capitalised on discontent about immigration and mainstream politics. The gains by the UK Independence Party, which wants Britain to leave the EU, will pile pressure on Cameron to toughen his approach to Europe and alarm some in his party who worry UKIP could scupper the Conservatives hopes of winning next year's national election. The strong support for UKIP indicated by early local council results suggests the party could also do well in elections to the European Parliament, also held on Thursday.... Farage told reporters he was cheered by the early results and thought they were a good platform to challenge for seats in the 2015 national election. "Looking at the average vote shares across the country, and without wishing to count any chickens before they're hatched, it looks pretty good," he told reporters.... "I think Nigel Farage for quite a lot of those people is just a big sort of two fingers stuck up at what they feel is a sort of hectoring, out-of-touch elite," Jeremy Browne, a Liberal Democrat lawmaker... The European elections were held on the same day, but the results will not be announced until Sunday evening, in line with the rest of the EU. They will determine the political persuasion of Britain's 73 lawmakers in the 751-seat European Parliament.... "There's been a vote for UKIP and that sends us a very clear message that people have concerns about immigration, about welfare, about schools and skills of course," said Michael Gove, the Conservative education minister. "We will pay attention to those concerns." Change - it appears - is coming.Detecting Valgrind 2012-09-17 \| Ahmed Bougacha After our static analysis excursion, we worked (and are still working) on dynamic binary analysis through instrumentation. Valgrind does that, how? For most people, valgrind detects memory access errors, double free s, etc.. It is actually a framework for dynamic binary instrumentation. There are several tools in the official release, even more in the wild, and Memcheck, the default one that does the memory checking, is what people usually call valgrind. Valgrind (and even moreso QEMU), when running a program, actually emulates a CPU, by doing binary translation: The unit of code is the basic block: other blocks jump into it at the first instruction only, and it has a jump as the last instruction. Basically a block of sequential instructions. When first jumping on a basic block, valgrind translates the basic block into the machine-independent, IR, VEX. The IR is in Static Single Assignment form. Each variable (in VEX, called "temporaries") is assigned a value only once, at its creation. During the translation, it calls the current tool's instrumentation function, that could for example add checks before each LOAD/STORE in the form of a function call. The instrumentation is done on the flattened IR. Flattened means that all expressions are "atoms", either constants or temporaries. Basically, you don't care about handling nested operations like Mul32 ( Add32 ( LOAD ( 0xd00d ), 1 ), 2 ), but instead only about simple operations: t1 = LOAD ( 0xd00d ) t2 = Add32 ( t1, 1 ) t3 = Mul32 ( t2, 1 ) The instrumented code is translated the other way into the target architecture. Host architecture registers are represented as a block of memory, with an offset for each register. The addresses that the original code uses are different to the ones that the translated code uses. The translated code is stored in another region of memory, and the scheduler jumps between the different translated code locations. There are lots of brilliant tricks in both valgrind and QEMU. An open project of LLVM that could be fun is replacing valgrind's VEX by LLVM IR. Maybe not replacing, but adding another stage after instrumentation that uses LLVM's optimization passes and code generation. Someone has already tried doing that for QEMU, with mixed results. The difference is that QEMU's main objective is to run fast, not valgrind. Now, there isn't a lot of security-oriented valgrind tools. However, dynamic binary instrumentation is really promising. Nikita Tarakanov explained at HITB2012AMS how taint analysis was used to automatically find vulnerabilities (We have lots of article in the pipeline, we'll soon talk about taint analysis.) They used BitBlaze, a binary analysis framework focused on security. For our own vulnerability-finding, taint-analyzing tool, we couldn't use BitBlaze. That's a shame really, because it seems awesome. BitBlaze has 3 parts: Vine: static analysis. For that we have some python and a regular x86 disassembler. Vine has the huge advantage of translating to an instruction set that's more easily manageable than x86 (let's not forget about repz ret!). We thought about using VEX for the same purpose, which would make the whole quite coherent. !). We thought about using VEX for the same purpose, which would make the whole quite coherent. TEMU: dynamic analysis, basically QEMU with taint analysis. We use valgrind. QEMU has the lesser advantage of also emulating complete systems, making it possible to perform taint-analysis on operating systems. Rudder: symbolic execution: we are investigating the z3 theorem prover Remember, all this is about searching for vulnerabilities. At the time we began having results, I assisted to the LSE Summer week (French), which had a crackme. And then it came to me. Why not use taint analysis and the symbolic execution to defeat crackmes? As it turns out, @delroth_, the crackme's author, wrote about it some time later. We thought for a while about how this could be made harder. How about adding code in the crackme to detect valgrind? This can be done for virtual machines. But there are several things that betray valgrind. First, there are several instructions that are not implemented. Some time ago, we had to write a libc using x86-64 assembly only. I tried to have fun with the instruction set. That's how you come to use enter. The Intel reference says it is used for nested procedure stack frames, in block-structured languages. C doesn't have nested procedures; Algol, Pascal, among others, do. enter is a mess. I don't think I ever saw it being generated by a C compiler. Quick aside: actually, gcc does support nested procedures as an extension. Does it generate enter? Sure doesn't look so. I was saying that I used enter in the prologue of some C library functions. I tried running my test program under valgrind. Valgrind didn't like it, SIGILL. To detect valgrind, we wrote some code that had an (inline assembly) enter, and a SIGILL handler. If valgrind tried to translate the enter, it signaled the process, running our handler. The handler then checked the address and printed a snarky message. Else, everything was OK. This is some fine crackme material. We have valgrind, what about adding some basic enter support. There once was enter support, that has since been dropped. Julian Seward, the creator, closing a bug report complaining about enter : Why should we add support for an instruction that nobody uses? Second, valgrind has a feature called client request. Basically, a program running under valgrind can insert specific multi-instruction no-ops that have a special meaning to valgrind, but otherwise don't do anything. This is a simple one to circumvent, just remove the relevant call. Third, packers, self-modifying code, and similar mechanisms generate code dynamically. Valgrind marks all pages containing code that has been translated read-only. When a write occurs, it checks if the write changed already translated code. If it did, it invalidates the stored translated code. The next time someone jumps over the modified code, it is translated once again. On some architectures, the CPU caches have to be handled manually. When code is modified, the instruction cache has to be reloaded. On PowerPC for example, there are no less than 6 instructions to execute. This makes it easy to detect self-modifying code without resorting to read-only pages. Last, another anti-reverse technique is jumping into the middle of instructions. Due to the way valgrind does the translation, this is not a problem. Actually valgrind does not even try to be smart about this. To take a simpler example, if you have the following asm: jmp bb_start bb_start: xor al, al target: add al, 1 cmp al, 0x66 je target bb_end: Valgrind will first, when executing the jmp, translate the basic block starting at bb_start and ending at bb_end, and then, when executing je, translate the basic block from target to bb_end. We see that even with jumps in the middle of basic blocks, valgrind is quite conservative and retranslates the remaining instructions. As to jumps in the middle of instructions, Jurriaan Bremer has posted a great example in the comments. This is handled in the same way by valgrind. There is a lot of interesting things to say about valgrind's basic block dispatch mechanism, I'll try to write about it some day!Furious German town meeting begs rape relief from uncaring mayor 'That's easy. Just don't provoke them and don't walk in these areas.' Mordechai Sones, Reuters LEGIDA, Leipzig arm of Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA) p A video of a German town meeting in which the new German reality dawns on desperate citizens has been revealed by conservative commentator Amy Mek via social media. In it, one may discern the watershed moment when the bureaucratic leadership breaks news to the incensed constituency that the familiar concepts of German sovereignty, borders, and culture no longer form the stabilizing center of government priority that had kept them safe in the past. From the video it is apparent that until this town meeting, the citizens in it still believed, perhaps logically, that their government exists to protect them, their loved ones, and their interests. Grandfather: My granddaughter, she's under ten - and it also happened in a nearby town. Citizen: That's right! Grandfather: The girls have been harassed by the "refugee children"... the asylum seekers... and they get harassed from the windows of the shelter and things like that. How will this be in the summer, when the school girls wear less clothing? Mayor: That's easy. Just don't provoke them and don't walk in these areas. (Audience uproar): In your own country! You can't even walk in your own city anymore! Oh boy! In your own city! Yeah! Let's all keep a one meter distance! So easy! You're not allowed to walk in your own city anymore! Go home, boy! Who the hell elected you? They come here and we're not allowed to walk here anymore?! Boy, oh boy, you've got some nerve. What kind of mayor is this? He should step down!" After the general pandemonium caused by the bureaucrat's infuriatingly nonchalant response, the mayor seems momentarily at a loss, as the shouting continues: "You don't even have excuses left!" At this point the mayor regains composure and attempts to return to the familiar semblance of a classroom full of servile students. The grandfather again begins speaking: "I have already thought...," but is interrupted by the mayor adjuring the meeting to "calm down. Please stay calm." The man however continues speaking: "I have already thought about moving to another part of town..." Mayor: Sit down, please. Grandfather: My grandchildren are supposed to go to school here! This is the way it is? Mayor: Well, it's technically not necessary for the girls to walk there. There are alternative routes for going to school. At which point bedlam again resurfaces, with meeting participants resorting to disproportionately undemocratic invective: "It doesn't matter if there are other routes! We can't let our children go over Bernsbach [a much longer route -MS]. This is our evening here?" Mayor: Please calm down. [Unintelligible shouting]. Calm down. Am I speaking Chinese? Am I speaking Chinese? Citizen: Yes! This is Germany! The audience is riled and continues inelegantly interrupting the mayor, who switches arguments, thinking for some reason that this approach would mollify his constituents: "Do you think this [rape] doesn't exist among Germans?" Citizen: That has nothing to do with this! Germans go to prison for this! But the perverts - they don't go to prison!" More Arutz Sheva videos: topPresident Obama will try to allay anxiety over his signature health-care law Friday during a visit to California, a state that the White House is highlighting as proof that the law is working. With the focus in recent months on the law’s shaky rollout and continuing political battles, the president wants to draw attention to a state that has embraced the law and yielded some good news: Officials in the Democrat-led state recently released figures that show insurers expect to charge lower-than-expected premiums for individual policies sold under the law. On the eve of his comments, however, a different story emerged from Ohio. Officials in the Republican-led administration Thursday released details about rates proposed by insurers there, estimating that they represented an 88 percent increase in the cost of coverage that would likely lead to a substantial increase in premiums. “We have warned of these increases,” Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor (R) said in a statement. “The Department’s initial analysis of the proposed rates show consumers will have fewer choices and pay much higher premiums for their health insurance starting in 2014.” The competing narratives illustrate the deep political divide that colors virtually every aspect of the health law three years after its passage and the difficult task Obama faces as he seeks to promote it a few months before its key provisions kick in. Obama’s comments in San Jose, to be delivered while the president is on a fundraising swing, come as the administration is ramping up efforts to promote the law, which faces a major test this fall. The health insurance “exchanges” are supposed to open for business Oct. 1. These exchanges are designed to be online marketplaces where people can find and compare plans and get government subsidies for their purchases. Seventeen states, including California, are setting up their own exchanges, as was intended by the law. But 27 states, most of them Republican-led, have left the task to the federal government, saddling the administration with an enormous and unexpected job. The rest of the states will form partnerships with the federal government to create the exchanges. Further complicating the administration’s efforts are the number of states that have rejected the law’s expansion of Medicaid, the state-federal health program for the poor and disabled. The law called for a substantial broadening of Medicaid — which would put the administration more than halfway toward its goal of extending coverage to 30 million Americans over the next 10 years. But more than a dozen states, all Republican-led, are refusing to expand Medicaid. Ohio is among the states taking a different tack than California. It has declined to set up its own exchange, letting the federal government set one up instead, and Republicans there remain divided over whether to expand Medicaid. It is the first Republican administration to release the rates being requested by insurers on its exchange. California, by contrast, has long been a leader in implementing the law. It was the first state to create a health exchange under the law and is among the 23 states committed to expanding Medicaid. “I don’t think the Affordable Care Act can succeed unless it succeeds in California,” Drew Altman, president of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, said. “It’s not often we’re saying as goes California, so goes the nation. But it’s true this time.” Of the 2.7 million young and healthy people the White House wants to sign up for insurance next year, one-third live in Texas, Florida and California. Altogether, California has 7 million uninsured people, the highest number in the country. Covered California, the state agency implementing the law, last month announced that 13 plans would be available on its exchange and that the average monthly premium would be about $321. That is significantly lower than predicted by the Congressional Budget Office when the law was passed in 2010, and for most people, the cost will be at least partly offset by subsidies. The state has not released an estimate of how the proposed rates compare with current rates. The law’s supporters say even if the new plans are more expensive, it is because they offer better benefits than the old plans. But some insurance experts have warned that healthy males in their 20s are likely to face higher costs. And people with existing, bare-bones private plans could see their rates jump. In Ohio, for example, one plan now costs as little as about $30 a month, according to Ohio officials. In California, officials say they aggressively negotiated with insurers to keep the rates low. They also said that competition among the insurers is holding rates down. If healthy people choose to skip coverage and instead pay the mandated tax penalty, it could hurt the government’s efforts to bring enough healthy people into the insurance pool. Those healthy people are needed to offset the cost of sick people; insurers are expecting an influx of them. While California has touted the rates proposed by insurers, some say the news is not all good. Some large national insurance companies, including Aetna and UnitedHealth, are not offering plans on the state exchange. And many of the plans on the exchange offer a narrow choice of doctors and hospitals. Some experts say the political atmosphere is casting a shadow over each state’s reaction to the insurance rates. “Ohio is too upset, and California is too happy,” said Micah Weinberg, senior policy adviser to the Bay Area Council, a business group that supports the health law. “I suppose the question is, are we finally getting a release without spin, or are we getting Republican spin?” said Robert Laszewski, a health-care consultant and former insurance executive. “Like California, we are getting the data they want us to see.” CORRECTION: A prior version of this article said that Ohio officials on Thursday released rates proposed by insurers for plans to be sold on the Ohio exchange. The state released insurers’ estimates of their increased costs of providing coverage, and state officials said premium rates likely would track closely.× Bountiful e-cigarette businesses allowed to stay open in 2014 BOUNTIFUL, Utah — Four e-cigarette retailers in Bountiful facing closure will now remain open for at least another year. Owners of the e-cigarette shops were notified Thursday that their business licenses would not be renewed for 2014 due to state zoning laws, which prohibit e-cigarettes to be sold within so many feet of schools, parks or churches. The four stores are Urban Vapor, Vapor Loc, Vapor Dreams and Vapor R Us. On Monday, city leaders sent a letter to the business owners saying they can continue their operations in their current locations during 2014. They said the city will not prosecute or seek to close the businesses based on the location violation. The letter said the businesses should not expect to be issued a license in their current location in 2015.It's never a good thing when you see the Seminole County courthouse on the frontpage of anything. The last time you saw it featured so prominently was because of the Trayvoyn Martin trial, (which allowed a homicidal racist to go free to kill again). Today, on the front page of MSN, I see it once again. This time it is because of one of our judges. Seminole County Judge Jerri Collins "heartlessly" rebuked a domestic violence victim for not being able to appear at her abuser's trial. Judge Collins threw her in jail. The woman pleaded several times, explaining her situation. She could not face that man--she was terrified, she is homeless, and this: "Judge, I'll do anything... I have a 1-year-old son, and I'm trying to take care of him by myself. I'm begging you, please, please don't," she said. "Turn around," the judge responds. "You should have showed up. I've already issued my order." Each desperate plea was met with a harsher rebuke from the judge. Ironically, her abuser, who violently choked her and held her with a knife, only received a few more days in jail than his terrified victim! "It was pretty brutal. It got to my heart," Safehouse of Seminole CEO Jeanne Gold told the Daily News. "I thought she will never ever call the police again. She'll never look for help again. It's so sad." Judge Collins, who earns $138,000 a year as a judge, is a staunch conservative who was rewarded with an appointment by then-Florida Governor Jeb Bush to the Seminole County Court despite her reputation as being quite nasty. Several people who have appeared before have little nice to say about her: She is the worst judge I have ever appeared in front of. She is completely bias towards the state and does not try to
as soon as we were notified about this situation," DCF spokesman John Harrell said. "We are definitely concerned, very concerned. We want to work to ensure that the child is safe, and any services that can be provided to help the child, we will do that." Courtney Peck told the court that she does not know who the 1-year-old girl's father is. When she was found by the bounty hunters in Atlantic Beach, Peck was staying with a man, but she told the court Tuesday that the man is just a friend and is not her child's father. Courtney Peck's mother, Pamela Ann Gilbert, was at the hearing Tuesday. Both Courtney Peck and her mother have Native American lineage, and it’s possible that their tribe in Michigan might have first rights to child custody under the Indian Child Welfare Act. Courtney Peck is being held without bond in Duval County. She was set to have an extradition hearing on Tuesday, but it was canceled because the two federal kidnapping charges trump the felony cases in Michigan. Peck will now go into the custody of U.S. marshals and will appear before a federal judge. Copyright 2016 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.Aussie PM Gillard in denial as her support amongst Males drops to all time low By Jake Roberts, Ezin4males, March 27, 2012 Australia’s Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has responded to news of the collapse of her support amongst Australia’s voting public with an air of denial that has even stunned her harshest critics. With news today that Labor’s support has fallen to 28 per cent, just one percent shy of the figure that has decimated the Queensland Labor party only a few days ago, with a loss of over 40 seats, fears are now growing that Gillard is simply too detached from reality to meet the herculian challenge that is facing Labor at a federal level. If the same voting patterns that were seen in Queensland were repeated at a federal level, Labor would be facing electoral oblivion, with some electoral experts claiming that Labor could lose its status as an official party. The two-party preferred result has also sent ALP powerbrokers’ into a frenzy of anxiety, with Labor down four points to 43 per cent and the Coalition up four points to 57 per cent. Senior federal Labor MPs are warning Ms Gillard that she needs a strategy to win back the hearts and minds of middle Australians, especially males, otherwise Labor faces being decimated at the next federal election. Many critics have identified two key policies that have wedged hard-core Labor supporters away from Labor and into the fold of the Coalition. The deeply unpopular Carbon tax, and in particular the pre-election promise not introducing it, has seriously dented the public’s ‘trust’ in Gillard, and her ongoing dismissal of the seriousness of this perceived betrayal has only further entrenched this mistrust. And a policy that has received little news media coverage but has caused significant grass roots upheaval has been the recent 2011 Family Law amendments, which have effectively dismantled Australia’s popular and broadly successful shared parenting laws, and replaced them with what is largely perceived to be anti-male, anti-fatherhood policies, many seeing this as Gillard cowering to feminist ideologues. Critics have warned Gillard that she needs to win back the support of male blue-collar workers, who are the traditional Labor mainstays who have abandoned Labor en masse. “Men see Gillard as an androphobe, given that she has introduced laws that vilify and discriminate against men to a degree that has never been experienced in this country before”, claims Ash Patil from Fathers4Equality. “Our recent online poll had over 90% of voters wanting Gillard removed as PM, primarily for this reason”, he adds. Editor of articlesaboutmen.com, Sonja Hastings, claims that Labor has lost the male vote, “because Labor have focussed too much on pandering to extremist elements within the women’s movement. The dismantling of Australia’s shared parenting laws was a reckless and needless effort in circumspect, especially given how successful these laws were. The impression amongst many men now is that Gillard is anti-male, and this will be a very tough perception to change”, Hasting adds. Many believe that the dye is cast for Labor, as there is very little wiggle room for Labor to change the policies that it has staked its reputation on. The Carbon tax has already had one backflip by Gillard, and another backflip would only make her position untenable. While the highly unpopular 2011 family law amendments are seen as un-negotiable given that the current Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon, is widely perceived to hold extreme anti-shared parenting views, as evidenced by her controversial minority report into shared parenting in 2006, in which she genderised family law and promoted an unshakable nexus between shared parenting and domestic violence. Labor now is at a cross-roads in its history, where it can take some bold and tough decisions that acknowledge the mistakes its made ….or it can stay the course, as Gillard is doing right now, and face the same electoral result that has made history for Labor in Queensland, for all the wrong reasons.Apple and Google are preparing to duke it out in the automotive arena, and the former just nabbed a few more partners to add to its arsenal of allied car makers. The folks in Cupertino quietly updated the CarPlay section of the site to include a handful of new names, including Alfa Romeo, Audi, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat (including those flashy, track-friendly Abarth models), Jeep and Mazda. That brings the full number of CarPlay partners to 31... though that count includes sub-brands like Dodge's RAM line of pickups and aftermarket players like Alpine and Pioneer. Of course, it's not like these car manufacturers are playing favorites or anything: a majority of them are also members of the Open Automotive Alliance, an organization that's focused on bringing Android Auto into cars as soon as this year. Long story short, you won't just have to worry about financing and trim levels next time you buy a car -- chances are good your smartphone will factor in the decision too.“We’re a nation that believes freedom can never be taken for granted and that each of us has a responsibility to sustain it,” the president explained. “The universal right to speak your mind and to protest against authority, to live in a society that’s open and free, that can criticize a president without retribution.” His successor probably wasn’t listening. Poltiico President Obama was in Tampa last week, recapping his record on national security with a speech at MacDill Air Force Base, and there was one line in particular that received hearty applause.“We’re a nation that believes freedom can never be taken for granted and that each of us has a responsibility to sustain it,” the president explained. “The universal right to speak your mind and to protest against authority, to live in a society that’s open and free, that can criticize a president without retribution.”His successor probably wasn’t listening. Poltiico noted this morning: President-elect Donald Trump took aim at a new media target Thursday morning, writing on Twitter that Vanity Fair magazine is “dead” and its editor has “no talent.” The magazine has been regularly critical of Trump throughout his candidacy and into his transition, publishing stories this week headlined “someone has finally agreed to perform at Donald Trump inauguration” and “Trump Grill could be the worst restaurant in America.” This obviously isn’t how U.S. leaders are supposed to conduct themselves – especially in public – and it’s not how Trump should be spending his time. But even more jarring is the frequency of these incidents. Indeed, the list of tantrum targets keeps growing: Boeing, “Saturday Night Live,” a union leader in Indianapolis whom Trump saw on TV, the cast of “Hamilton” on Broadway, etc. Trump and his team even got into The common thread isn’t subtle: those who cross Trump should expect to face consequences. The New Republic’s Brian Beutler had It’s an eerily familiar pattern: Trump sees criticism, Trump resents criticism, and Trump lashes out at those responsible for the criticism. In this case, Vanity Fair published a piece late yesterday with unkind words about the restaurant at Trump Tower, leading the president-elect to put aside the work he’s supposed to be doing, fire up Twitter, and announce his contempt for the publication that’s slighted him.This obviously isn’t how U.S. leaders are supposed to conduct themselves – especially in public – and it’s not how Trump should be spending his time. But even more jarring is the frequency of these incidents.Indeed, the list of tantrum targets keeps growing: Boeing, “Saturday Night Live,” a union leader in Indianapolis whom Trump saw on TV, the cast of “Hamilton” on Broadway, etc. Trump and his team even got into a spat with Twitter over a campaign emoji, which by one account, led to the company’s exclusion at a tech confab yesterday at Trump Tower.The common thread isn’t subtle: those who cross Trump should expect to face consequences.The New Republic’s Brian Beutler had a good piece on this yesterday, noting the chilling effect the president-elect may be creating through intimidation tactics. The less tangible threat … is to the willingness of dissidents to criticize the Trump government, out of fear that Trump will harm their businesses, or that his unhinged supporters will harm their families. How many people will see what happened to [Chuck Jones, the president of the local steelworkers’ union that represents employees of Carrier] and others and decide raising objections isn’t worth it? [W]e can’t know what effect Trump’s press intimidation is having and will have on the kind of coverage he receives, or whether judges will treat him more leniently going forward out of fear of retribution. It’s not only that cowed people won’t admit to being cowed, but many of these targets may never even realize they’re inhibiting themselves in the interest of self-preservation.Below is a letter that Albert Einstein wrote to his daughter about the universal force of love. The letter was released in the 1980’s along with over a thousand other letters that he wrote to different people. “When I proposed the theory of relativity, very few understood me, and what I will reveal now to transmit to mankind will also collide with the misunderstanding and prejudice in the world. I ask you to guard the letters as long as necessary, years, decades, until society is advanced enough to accept what I will explain below. There is an extremely powerful force that, so far, science has not found a formal explanation to. It is a force that includes and governs all others, and is even behind any phenomenon operating in the universe and has not yet been identified by us. This universal force is LOVE. When scientists looked for a unified theory of the universe they forgot the most powerful unseen force. Love is Light, that enlightens those who give and receive it. Love is gravity, because it makes some people feel attracted to others. Love is power, because it multiplies the best we have, and allows humanity not to be extinguished in their blind selfishness. Love unfolds and reveals. For love we live and die. Love is God and God is Love. This force explains everything and gives meaning to life. This is the variable that we have ignored for too long, maybe because we are afraid of love because it is the only energy in the universe that man has not learned to drive at will. To give visibility to love, I made a simple substitution in my most famous equation. If instead of E = mc2, we accept that the energy to heal the world can be obtained through love multiplied by the speed of light squared, we arrive at the conclusion that love is the most powerful force there is, because it has no limits. After the failure of humanity in the use and control of the other forces of the universe that have turned against us, it is urgent that we nourish ourselves with another kind of energy… If we want our species to survive, if we are to find meaning in life, if we want to save the world and every sentient being that inhabits it, love is the one and only answer. Perhaps we are not yet ready to make a bomb of love, a device powerful enough to entirely destroy the hate, selfishness and greed that devastate the planet. However, each individual carries within them a small but powerful generator of love whose energy is waiting to be released. When we learn to give and receive this universal energy, dear Lieserl, we will have affirmed that love conquers all, is able to transcend everything and anything, because love is the quintessence of life. I deeply regret not having been able to express what is in my heart, which has quietly beaten for you all my life. Maybe it’s too late to apologize, but as time is relative, I need to tell you that I love you and thanks to you I have reached the ultimate answer! “. Your father, Albert Einstein ht/ Linkedin Pulse This article (Read A Letter Einstein Wrote To His Daughter About The Universal Force of Love) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com. John Vibes is an author and researcher who organizes a number of large events including the Free Your Mind Conference. He also has a publishing company where he offers a censorship free platform for both fiction and non-fiction writers. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. You can purchase his books, or get your own book published at his website www.JohnVibes.com.The 8 most significant indicators of BDS impact in 2016 (1) Three more multinationals were compelled under BDS pressure to end involvement in illegal Israeli projects, indicating a start of a domino effect Veolia’s precedent-setting exit from Israel in 2015 -- triggered by its 7-year, BDS-induced loss of worldwide tenders worth more than $23 billion -- was followed in 2016 by the exit of Orange, CRH and G4S (to a large extent), all due to intense BDS campaigning. After suffering what the Financial Times called, “reputational damage,” due to successful BDS campaigns against it, G4S, the world’s largest private security company, decided to end most of its involvement in illegal Israeli business. The BDS campaign against G4S will intensify, however, as the BNC has announced, until the company completely ends its complicity in Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights. G4S, considered for years a top BDS target due to providing products and services to Israeli prisons, police, military roadblocks and illegal colonies, has lost lucrative contracts or faced prominent divestment decisions especially in Kuwait, Norway, South Africa, Colombia, the European Union, and the US, as well as in Jordan and Lebanon, where the company lost contracts with UN agencies. A G4S spokesperson confirmed a few weeks ago the sale of almost all of the company’s business in Israel yet admitted that the company will remain invested in a major Israeli police training facility, implicating the company in the Israeli police’s well-documented crimes and serious human rights violations committed against the Palestinian people. Independent research by the Israeli organization, Who Profits, has revealed that G4S’ investment partner in the infamous police training facility is Shikun & Binui, an Israeli company that is deeply involved in building illegal Israeli settlements. This implicates G4S even further in Israel’s human rights violations. (2) Israel’s global legal war on BDS suffered fatal setbacks after the EU upheld the right to boycott Israel under freedom of speech Despite its all-out war of propaganda, espionage, intimidation and legal delegitmization against the BDS movement, and despite its relative success in mobilizing anti-democratic, repressive and McCarthyite measures against BDS in France, the UK, and in US state legislatures, Israel’s “lawfare” on BDS suffered in 2016 fatal and likely irreversible blows. Almost 200 European legal scholars, including world-renowned jurists, issued a statement defending the right to support BDS for Palestinian rights under international law, dealing a significant legal blow to Israel’s war on the nonviolent, Palestinian-led movement. The most significant setback for Israel in this respect, though, came when the European Union endorsed the right to BDS as a legitimate form of freedom of expression protected by European human rights conventions. Leading to this watershed EU decision, support for the right to boycott Israel came earlier in the year from the governments of Sweden, Ireland and Netherlands, as well as from Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), the Socialist International, the Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC), and hundreds of political parties, trade unions and social movements across the world. Around the same time, even the US Department of State indirectly recognized the right to boycott Israel as a matter of free speech. International Jewish organizations and figures also upheld the right to BDS as a “fundamental civil right” to resist Israel’s occupation and human rights violations. The parliament of Ontario (Canada) rejected an anti-BDS law promoted by Israel’s lobby. (3) Israeli Apartheid Free Zones or settlement-free zones declared by tens of municipal councils across Europe Just before the close of 2016, the municipal council of Valencia (Spain) voted unanimously to declare the city “Free of Israeli Apartheid,” joining dozens of other councils across Spain. Courageously defying France’s unparalleled anti-BDS repression, the two municipal councils of Clermond-Ferrand and St. Pierre des Corps voted in December to boycott the products of Israeli colonies in the occupied Palestinian territory. The Paris-region municipalities of Bondy and Ivry-sur-Seine had reached similar decisions earlier in 2016. Also in December, the city council of Tromso, Norway endorsed a boycott of Israeli goods and services produced in the occupied Palestinian and Syrian territory, joining the city council of Trondheim. While the Derry City and Strabane District Council became the first local authority in Northern Ireland to pass a motion boycotting Israeli goods, the City of Portland (Oregon) became the first in the US to endorse divesting from Caterpillar, among other corporations that violate socially responsible investment guidelines. (4) Israel’s global isolation intensified as the logic of appeasing its regime of oppression started to give way, including at the UN, to the logic of sustained international pressure Near the end of 2016, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2334, with the US abstaining, reiterating that Israel’s colonies built in the occupied Palestinian territory constitute a “flagrant violation under international law.” While the resolution fails to uphold the UN-stipulated rights of the majority of the Palestinian people, especially the refugees and Palestinian citizens of Israel, it was widely viewed as a stark indicator of the growing international isolation of Israel and as a boost for the spreading boycotts against it. In a similar vein, the UN Human Rights Council decided in its March 2016 meeting to create a database of Israeli and international corporations that are complicit in and profiting from Israel’s occupation regime. This remarkable development has made many companies nervous about their own involvement in Israel’s serious violations of international law. Across the world, including in countries that have traditionally supported Israel, public support for sanctions against Israel grew significantly in 2016, evoking comparisons with the fast deterioration of apartheid South Africa’s world standing in the 1980s. In the Netherlands, two political parties, D66 and Green Left called for meaningful sanctions against Israel. In the US, 46% of the public, and 60% of Democrats, supported imposing sanctions or taking more drastic measures against Israel to compel it to end its colonization of Palestinian land, according to a recent Brookings Institution public opinion poll. The government of Portugal withdrew from a controversial police-training project with Israeli police. The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) withdrew from an Israeli propaganda event in Osaka involving illegal settlements’ wineries. The Green Party of Canada called for “economic measures such as government sanctions, consumer boycotts, institutional divestment, economic sanctions and arms embargoes” to nonviolently pressure Israel to end its occupation, afford its Palestinian citizens equal rights, and respect the UN-stipulated right of return for Palestinian refugees. The Movement for Black Lives in the US adopted BDS measures against Israel’s occupation and apartheid regime. (5) More mainstream churches adopted BDS-related measures in support of Palestinian human rights In 2016, the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) adopted BDS, while the United Methodist Church divested from Israeli banks financing the occupation, following similar bank divestment in recent years by the second largest Dutch pension fund, PGGM, and the Luxembourg sovereign fund, among others. Also in the US, the Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Men called for boycotting Israeli illegal settlements, and the Presbyterian Church USA assembly voted to study the BDS Call and engage with its authors, calling on the US government to reconsider its military aid to Israel. The Alliance of Baptists divested from companies profiting from Israel’s occupation, and the Peace United Church of Christ in Santa Cruz voted to boycott all Hewlett Packard (HP) products because of the company’s role in Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights. Also in 2016, the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly (US) endorsed divestment from companies complicit in Israeli apartheid. (6) BDS campaign against occupation- and apartheid- profiteer Hewlett Packard (HP) went viral globally A global BDS Week of Action was organized around 29 November, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, to hold Hewlett Packard (HP) accountable for providing technology that enables Israel's system of occupation, racial segregation and denial of Palestinian human rights. The spread of the HP-boycott actions exceeded all expectation. Over 150 activities were organized in 101 cities across 30 countries, sending a strong message to HP companies that if they continue providing technology used by Israel to violate Palestinian rights they will be met with boycotts and divestment by people of conscience and progressive institutions across the globe. (7) BDS reached the Oscars and the Olympics, as the academic and cultural boycott of Israel spread even further among student unions, academics, artists and writers, especially in the global South; and Israeli Apartheid Week set a new record In 2016, BDS reached the Oscars, calling on nominees to forgo an Israeli propaganda trip. Several Oscar winners said they would not take the trip. BDS also left its mark at the Rio Olympics, triggering mainstream debates about the crucial role of the academic and cultural boycott of Israel to end its system of injustice. The 2016 edition of Israeli Apartheid Week was the largest yet, with groups in over 225 cities and university campuses registering their participation. The growth of Israeli Apartheid Week in Latin America and the Arab world was particularly inspiring. Pharrell Williams, a ten-time Grammy Award winner, cancelled his Tel Aviv concert without explanation, and according to Israeli media reports, Beyoncé also cancelled her scheduled gigs in Tel Aviv without connecting the decision to Palestinian appeals. Hundreds of academics in Brazil, Italy and Arab Gulf states joined the academic boycott of Israel in 2016. Students at the University of Chile’s Law Faculty voted overwhelmingly for BDS as did the University of Qatar Students’ Union, the University of Manchester (UK) student senate and the University College London Union. Similarly, the student union at Halifax (Canada), the University of Chicago undergraduate student government, and the Portland State University student senate voted, separately, in favor of divestment from companies profiting from Israel’s human rights violations. South Africa’s Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation withdrew from a genocide studies conference in Israel, following appeals from Palestinian and South African human rights campaigners, and dozens of Columbia University (New York) faculty called for divestment from Israel’s system of subjugation. The Listowel Writers’ Week Festival in Ireland rejected funding from the Israeli Embassy in Dublin. (8) International trade unions intensified support for BDS measures in solidarity with the Palestinian people and Palestinian workers, in particular The Human Rights Secretariat of the Uruguayan Federation of Workers of Services and Commerce endorsed in 2016 the boycott of Israeli products and called on companies in Uruguay to break their ties with Israel’s apartheid. The French General Confederation of Labour ‐ National Institute for Agricultural Research (CGT‐INRA) adopted BDS, despite state repression against the movement. The New York University graduate students union, part of United Auto Workers Local 2110, voted by a large margin to join BDS, while the Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA/AFT Local 3220) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the oldest graduate student labor union in the United States, voted overwhelmingly for divestment. The largest trade unions in the UK urged G4S to stop profiting from Israel’s occupation. The US National Labor Relations Board upholds the right of the United Electrical (UE) workers union to support BDS.Naturally. Dubai: Iran on Saturday condemned a car bomb attack in Beirut that killed a prominent Lebanese intelligence official on Friday and suggested that Israel was to blame. A senior Israeli official dismissed the suggestion as “beyond pathetic”. The slain Lebanese official, Brigadier-General Wissam al-Hassan, was close to several Lebanese politicians who back the uprising in Syria and led several investigations into Syrian meddling in Lebanese affairs, including one that implicated Damascus and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri in 2005. Iran is Syria’s most powerful regional ally. “This action was taken with the aim of sowing dissension among different currents and segments of the Lebanese people and was conducted by an element who has never had in mind the interests of the Lebanese people and government and who only strives for its own impure interests and goals,” said a statement posted on the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website. “Without a doubt the main enemy of the people of Lebanon and the region is the Zionist regime (Israel), which benefits from insecurity and instability in the region,” ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said, according to the statement. It offered no evidence for the suggestion of Israeli involvement.Wondering why you may not have heard of hacking collective Anonymous for a while? Because, as it appears, the ad hoc organization has been busy assembling Anonymous Analytics, a public equity research entity (and we venture to guess focused mostly on the short side) whose motto is "Acquiring information through unconventional means" and follows up with "You should have expected us." Think of them as Muddy Waters on steroids: no regulation, no supervision, no accountability - just pure content, and credibility-driven merit (or, of course, lack thereof): a model which if validated will totally revolutionize the field of public company research. Well, someone who certainly should have expected AnonAnalytics is Chaoda Modern Agriculture, a HK$ 8.5 billion market cap company, or on par with Sino Forest from its pre-fraud days, which as Anon alleges is one of "Hong Kong Exchange’s largest, and longest running frauds." As the below report demonstrates, Anon has presented a serious case to prove just that stunning allegation, and if ultiamtely validated, the outcome for stock longs will be very unpleasant: "Theoretically, Chaoda may be worth HK$0.60 per share (currently Hk$2.50) derived from a blended NAV and DDM approach. However, based on the evidence in this report, as well as information we have decided not to release, we believe Chaoda may face delisting." If proven correct, this report will have an even greater impact on capital markets than Muddy Waters take down of Sino Forest, as it will finally integrate the two formerly completely disparate worlds of hacking and software analysis, opening up a world of very concerning possibilities for the world's public companies. Key highlights: Chaoda has an extensive history of deceiving investors and shareholders. Since its IPO, there have been several resignations by auditors, executives, and directors. We provide proof that management has consistently lied about the reasons behind these resignations. We further show that management has time after time misled investors about the Company’s capital requirements. To this end, management has assured shareholders that the company was sufficiently capitalized, only to tap the capital markets – often within several weeks. Rounds of financing are required because Chaoda is overstating its cash balance, exaggerating its revenue, and falsifying its financial statements. We show that reported revenue numbers make no sense and provide statistical proof as to the improbability of Chaoda’s reported margins. Much of the money that is raised is transferred out of the Company by management and third parties. These transfers are carried out under the cover of grossly inflated capex spending, and related party transactions. We provide proof that payments made to a ‘major supplier’ owned by the CEO are simply being transferred to a shell company with no business operations and de minimis assets. Furthermore, we show that the CEO has used shareholder money to invest in risky projects without commensurate returns. One of these projects was a poorly operated orange plantation (Asian Citrus) that even Pepsi Co. found too risky. While this project robbed shareholders of high returns, they enriched the CEO through similar related party transactions. Finally, we show that Chaoda is paying another fraudulent company to provide it with positive marketing exposure. In a bizarre twist worthy of a mystery novel, this saga involves Nobel laureates and some of the Western world’s most renowned academics. Theoretically, Chaoda may be worth HK$0.60 per share (currently Hk$2.50) derived from a blended NAV and DDM approach. However, based on the evidence in this report, as well as information we have decided not to release, we believe Chaoda may face delisting.Image copyright Getty Images Brazil has entered recession after official figures showed the country's economy contracted by 1.9% between April and June compared with the previous three months. Analysts had expected a contraction, but the number was worse than expected. First quarter output was also revised down to show a 0.7%, rather than a 0.2%, contraction. The country, the seventh-largest economy in the world, has seen economic growth fall sharply in recent times. This is due in part to low commodity prices and sluggish global growth. High interest rates - currently 14.25% - have also affected consumer spending, an important element of Brazil's economy, while this year, the government has introduced stringent austerity measures designed to tackle high levels of debt. Government spending, including on unemployment benefits, has fallen sharply, while taxes have risen. Widespread falls In the second quarter, household spending fell by 2.1% compared with the previous three months. The biggest falls came in the industrial sector, where construction output fell 8.4% Transport, storage, postal services, financial services and insurance all saw falls in output. Compared with a year earlier, the economy as a whole shrank by 2.6%. The technical definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of economic contraction. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Brazilians have taken to the streets to protest against President Rousseff Analysis: Daniel Gallas, South America business correspondent Most people have already been feeling the economic downturn long before today's figures were out. Unemployment has risen rapidly, while inflation over 12 months is running above 9% - twice the government's target. More worryingly, analysts believe growth might not return until 2017. Brazilian authorities are trying to fix the economy with austerity measures, but the government is facing a political crisis and a rebellion of allied MPs who want to increase spending, rather than reform the economy. A corruption scandal has also hurt state oil giant Petrobras, responsible for a huge chunk of public investment. Now, as if things could not get any worse, there is uncertainty about how changes in the Chinese economy might affect commodity prices, which are vital to Brazil's exports. Read more from DanielThis post is also available in: English Read this post in English В полночь 27 февраля по времени Дамаска в Сирии вступило в действие соглашение о перемирии, текст которого приводится на сайте Кремля. Вечером 26 февраля, до вступления перемирия в силу, сообщалось о многочисленных авиаударах ВКС РФ, в том числе в районах, по которым, согласно заявлению Минобороны РФ, «никаких ударов не наносится» еще с 24 февраля: Уточним. что, согласно брифингу Минобороны, "никаких ударов не наносится" еще с 24 февраля https://t.co/IxMUVKv1Ux https://t.co/1MwU0cZJ6B — CIT (@CITeam_ru) February 26, 2016 27 февраля, согласно еще одному заявлению российского Минобороны, ВКС РФ не выполняли боевых вылетов, в том числе против террористических группировок «Исламское Государство» и «фронт ан-Нусра», на которые перемирие не распространяется. Национальная коалиция сирийской оппозиции обвинила силы Асада в 15 случаях нарушения перемирия за 27 февраля. Так, группировка Свободной сирийской армии «Первая прибрежная дивизия» опубликовала видео, по их заявлению, сброса бочковой бомбы авиацией Асада на селение Эль-Кинада на западе провинции Идлиб: В целом, согласно различным источникам, в том числе официальному твиттеру организации гражданской обороны «Белые каски», 27 февраля прошло относительно спокойно по сравнению с днями до заключения перемирия. Авиаудары 28 февраля 28 февраля Высший комитет по переговорам сирийской оппозиции сообщил о случаях нарушения перемирия сирийскими войсками и ВКС РФ. Также появилось несколько видео авиаударов, совершенных на северо-западе Сирии, и их последствий. Так, сообщалось о неоднократных авиаударах по населенному пункту Тайр-Маала на севере провинции Хомс. Мы собрали плейлист из видео, запечатлевших авиаудары по этому населенному пункту 28 февраля: Видео № 1 и видео № 2 из данного плейлиста сняты в городе Телль-Биса. На видео мы видим водонапорную башню в городе Телль-Биса: На видео мы видим водонапорную башню в городе Телль-Биса: (скриншоты из видео № 2) (геоточка) А также мечеть Аль-Нур в городе Тайр-Маала: (геоточка) Сопоставив объекты из видео на карте, мы получаем следующее направление взгляда оператора: Оператор смотрит в сторону города Тайр-Маала. Видеозаписи с третьей по восьмую сняты из города Эль-Ганто. На видео мы видим мечеть в городе Эль-Ганто, здание с окнами и зерновой элеватор: На видео мы видим мечеть в городе Эль-Ганто, здание с окнами и зерновой элеватор: (скриншоты из видео № 4) Мечеть и здание с окнами позади неё расположены в городе Эль-Ганто: (геоточка) Зерновой элеватор расположен южнее города Тайр-Маала, после автомобильной развязки: (геоточка) Сопоставив объекты на карте, мы получаем направление взгляда оператора — он смотрит в сторону города Тайр-Маала: Видеозаписи с девятой по двеннадцатую сняты из города Тайр-Маала, на них оператор ближе всего расположен к местам авиаударов. На На видео № 10 мы видим водонапорную башню в городе Тайр-Маала, которую можно отличить от водонапорной башни в Телль-Бисе прежде всего по наличию деревьев вокруг неё: (геоточка) Также мы видим уже знакомый нам зерновой элеватор: (геоточка) Сопоставив объекты на карте, мы получаем примерное направление взгляда оператора: Оператор снимает из северо-западной части города Тайр-Маала и смотрит на южную сторону этого же города. На видео № 12 мы видим водонапорную башню города Тайр-Маала с деревьями вокруг: Сопоставляем объекты на карте и приходим к выводу, что в этих видео оператор также смотрит в сторону южной части города Тайр-Маала: (геоточка) Сопоставив все обозначенные выше геолокации и разместив на карте направления съёмки всех видео, мы получаем следующую картину: Как видно, в основном авиаудары пришлись по юго-западной части Тайр-Маалы. На одном из загруженных 28 февраля видео показан «сброс бочковой бомбы с вертолета на город Тайр-Маала провинции Хомс». Бомба на видео действительно напоминает бочковую, а вертолет представляет собой Ми-25, состоящий на вооружении правительственных ВВС Сирии и использующийся, в частности, для сброса бочковых бомб. На двух других видео, загруженном 28 февраля на канал города Телль-Биса, виден пролет самолета Су-24 ВКС РФ. То, что самолет принадлежит именно ВКС РФ, а не правительственным ВВС Сирии, видно по расположению эмблем под крыльями: По-видимому, ВКС РФ и ВВС Асада совместно бомбили Тайр-Маалу 28 февраля. При этом, согласно картам, опубликованны
, or tympana, were solid and were several centimetres (inches) thick. The sides could be built up with boards or rails. A large wicker basket was sometimes placed on it. A two-wheel version existed along with the normal four-wheel type called the plaustrum maius. The military used a standard wagon. Their transportation service was the cursus clabularis, after the standard wagon, called a carrus clabularius, clabularis, clavularis, or clabulare. It transported the impedimenta (baggage) of a military column. Way stations and traveler inns [ edit ] Non-military officials and people on official business had no legion at their service and the government maintained way stations, or mansiones ("staying places"), for their use. Passports were required for identification. Mansiones were located about 25 to 30 kilometres (16 to 19 mi) apart. There the official traveller found a complete villa dedicated to his use. Often a permanent military camp or a town grew up around the mansio. For non-official travelers in need of refreshment, a private system of "inns" or cauponae were placed near the mansiones. They performed the same functions but were somewhat disreputable, as they were frequented by thieves and prostitutes. Graffiti decorate the walls of the few whose ruins have been found. Genteel travelers needed something better than cauponae. In the early days of the viae, when little unofficial provision existed, houses placed near the road were required by law to offer hospitality on demand. Frequented houses no doubt became the first tabernae, which were hostels, rather than the "taverns" we know today. As Rome grew, so did its tabernae, becoming more luxurious and acquiring good or bad reputations as the case may be. One of the best hotels was the Tabernae Caediciae at Sinuessa on the Via Appia. It had a large storage room containing barrels of wine, cheese and ham. Many cities of today grew up around a taberna complex, such as Rheinzabern in the Rhineland, and Saverne in Alsace. A third system of way stations serviced vehicles and animals: the mutationes ("changing stations"). They were located every 20 to 30 kilometres (12 to 19 mi). In these complexes, the driver could purchase the services of wheelwrights, cartwrights, and equarii medici, or veterinarians. Using these stations in chariot relays, the emperor Tiberius hastened 296 kilometres (184 mi) in 24 hours to join his brother, Drusus Germanicus,[23][24] who was dying of gangrene as a result of a fall from a horse. Post offices and services [ edit ] Two postal services were available under the empire, one public and one private. The Cursus publicus, founded by Augustus, carried the mail of officials by relay throughout the Roman road system. The vehicle for carrying mail was a cisium with a box, but for special delivery, a horse and rider was faster. On average, a relay of horses could carry a letter 80 kilometres (50 mi)[25] in a day. The postman wore a characteristic leather hat, the petanus. The postal service was a somewhat dangerous occupation, as postmen were a target for bandits and enemies of Rome. Private mail of the well-to-do was carried by tabellarii, an organization of slaves available for a price. Locations [ edit ] The Roman empire in the time of Hadrian (ruled 117–138), showing the network of main Roman roads. There are many examples of roads that still follow the route of Roman roads. Italian areas [ edit ] Italian and Sicilian roads in the time of ancient Rome. Major roads Others Other areas [ edit ] [26] A road in Histria (Sinoe) presumed to be of Roman origin (the rectangular blocks are not true Roman construction) Austria / Serbia / Bulgaria / Turkey France In France, a Roman road is called voie romaine in vernacular language. Middle East Roman roads along the Danube Roman roads in Hispania, or Roman Iberia Spain and Portugal Trans-Alpine roads These roads connected modern Italy and Germany Trans-Pyrenean roads Connecting Hispania and Gallia: High Street, a fell in the English Lake District, named after the Roman road which runs over the summit, is the highest Roman road in Britain United Kingdom References [ edit ] General information [ edit ] Primary sources [ edit ] Siculus Flaccus, De condicionibus agrorum cap. XIX Isidori Hispalensis Episcopi Etymologiarum sive Originum Liber XV, 15–16 Codex Theodosianus: 8.5 De cursu publico angariis et parangariis; 15.3 De itinere muniendo Corpus Iuris Civilis C.12.50 De cursu publico angariis et parangariis D.8.3.0 De servitutibus praediorum rusticorum. D.8.6.2 D.43.7 De locis et itineribus publicis D.43.8 Ne quid in loco publico vel itinere fiat. D.43.10 De via publica et si quid in ea factum esse dicatur. D.43.11 De via publica et itinere publico reficiendo. D.43.19 De itinere actuque privato. Further reading [ edit ] Adams, Colin. 2007. Land transport in Roman Egypt 30 BC–AD 300: A study in administration and economic history. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. Coarelli, Filippo. 2007. Rome and environs: An archaeological guide. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press. Davies, Hugh, E. H. 1998. "Designing Roman roads." Britannia: Journal of Romano-British and Kindred Studies 29: 1–16. 29: 1–16. Erdkamp, Peter. Hunger and the Sword: Warfare and Food Supply in Roman Republican Wars (264–30 B.C.). Amsterdam: Gieben, 1998. Amsterdam: Gieben, 1998. Isaac, Benjamin. 1988. "The meaning of 'Limes' and 'Limitanei' in ancient sources." Journal of Roman Studies 78: 125–47. 78: 125–47. MacDonald, William L. 1982–1986. The architecture of the Roman Empire. 2 vols. Yale Publications in the History of Art 17, 35. New Haven, CT: Yale Univ. Press. 2 vols. Yale Publications in the History of Art 17, 35. New Haven, CT: Yale Univ. Press. Meijer, Fik J., and O. Van Nijf. 1992. Trade, transport and society in the ancient world: A sourcebook. London: Routledge. London: Routledge. O’Connor, Colin. 1993. Roman bridges. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univ. Press. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univ. Press. Laurence, Ray. 1999. The roads of Roman Italy. Mobility and cultural change. London: Routledge. London: Routledge. Lewis, Michael J. T. 2001. Surveying instruments of Greece and Rome. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univ. Press. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univ. Press. Quilici, Lorenzo. 2008. "Land transport, Part 1: Roads and bridges." In The Oxford handbook of engineering and technology in the classical world. Edited by John P. Oleson, 551–79. New York: Oxford Univ. Press. Edited by John P. Oleson, 551–79. New York: Oxford Univ. Press. Talbert, Richard J. A., et al. 2000. Barrington atlas of the Greek and Roman world. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press. Wiseman, T. P. 1970. "Roman Republican road-building." Papers of the British School at Rome 38: 122–52. Maps General articles Road descriptions Roman law regarding public and private domainThe United States and Russia maintain their leading positions in exports of major weapons during the period of 2011-2015, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said Monday in a press release. STOCKHOLM (Sputnik) — According to the press release, the United States continues to be the leader in global arms exports in 2011-2015, as it was in 2006-2010, with one-third of global major weapons exports. © AFP 2018 / ARIS MESSINIS Migrant Smuggling Profits Exceed Drug Trafficking - Czech Defense Minister US major weapons exports increased by 27 percent within the last five years, compared to 2006-2010. Russia maintains its second place in the ranking, and its share in global arms exports stands at one-fourth. According to SIPRI, India, China and Vietnam were the main recipients of Russian arms in the past five years. Another three leading countries in SIPRI's ranking of global weapons exports are China, France and Germany. China's exports of major weapons grew by 88 percent in 2011-2015, compared to the previous period of five years. French exports showed a 9.8-percent decrease, while German exports dropped by 50 percent over the same period.Barcelona forward David Villa has marked his return to action by leaving goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto with a bruised arm following a pre-season training session. David Villa is back in training for Barcelona (Picture: Reuters) The Spanish international, who has been sidelined since December with a broken shinbone, seems to have wasted no time getting to back to his best and left Barca’s second-choice goalkeeper with the marks to prove it. Jose Manuel Pinto reveals the mark on his arm which was signed by David Villa (Picture: Twitter) The veteran shot-stopper posted a picture of the wound Villa left on his arm, along with his own ringing endorsement of his returning team-mate. ‘I can confirm that David Villa is again shooting sharp!’ tweeted Pinto. ‘As proof, here’s the mark left by his powerful shot!’ Villa has not played since breaking his leg in a World Club Cup match against Al Sadd back in December, and missed Spain’s Euro 2012 winning campaign as a result.But to the relief of Barca fans, who had to suffer the pain of losing their La Liga title to Real Madrid last season, the hitman is now back training and appears not to have lost any of the pace of his shots throughout the seven-month rehabilitation period. Villa has made 49 appearances for Barcelona, who have seen a 23-goal return on their investment of over £30million.Farmland values increased moderately in 2016 By Jennifer Jackson Farmland values across Canada increased 7.9 per cent in 2016, according to the 2016 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Farmland Values Report, released April 10. The 2016 increase in value is seemingly modest compared to 2015’s 10.1 per cent increase and 2014’s 14.3 per cent increase. Prince Edward Island farmland increased the most in value of all the provinces in 2016 – 13.4 per cent. New Brunswick represented the smallest farmland value increase at 1.9 per cent. FCC reported Ontario farmland values increased by the second smallest percentage, at 4.4 per cent. The FCC appraisers analyzed agricultural land sales and benchmarked these sale values with others in the respective regions and provinces. Farms.com has compiled the notable values in each province. IMNATURE/iStoc/GettyImagesPlus British Columbia British Columbia’s farmland value increased 8.2 per cent last year, which was higher than its 2015 increase of 6.5 per cent. The South Coast saw the largest increase of 17.7 per cent due to a large amount of farmland sales. The Peace Region – Northern B.C. region also saw a large farmland value increase of 9.1 per cent due to expanding farm operations and outside buyers attracted by the affordability of the land. Alberta Farmland value increased on average by 9.5 per cent in Alberta in 2016 – the second-highest provincial growth in the report. This value follows an 11.6 per cent increase in 2015 and an 8.8 per cent increase in 2014. The strong provincial farmland value is influenced by such factors as the strength of the northern region’s expanding grain industry and buying activity in the south. The Peace region reported the smallest increase in farmland values across the province at 7.7 per cent. This fact is largely due to weakness in the gas and oil industries, paired with poor weather during the 2016 growing season. Just south of the Peace region, the Northern region saw the greatest farmland value increase in the province at 11.8 per cent. This region also suffered pressure from the oil and gas industries, but FCC appraisers reported most land was sold through highly competitive auctions. Saskatchewan Saskatchewan’s farmland value increased by 7.5 per cent last year – a value slightly smaller than the 9.4 per cent increase in 2015 and 18.7 per cent increase in 2014. FCC appraisers reported strong sale activity and land demand across most of the province. The South Western region saw the largest increase of 16.6 per cent. The South Eastern and East Central regions, however, saw no increase in farmland values. Manitoba Manitoba experienced a farmland value increase of 8.1 per cent in 2016. This follows the 12.4 per cent increase in 2015 and 12.2 per cent increase in 2014. Much like the other Prairie provinces, Manitoba suffered from poor weather that could have diminished farmers’ desires to acquire more land. However, increased potato yields and increased soybean acres drove up 2016’s values in the province. The Central Plains – Pembina Valley region’s farmland increased by 11.0 per cent, the highest value in the province. Although some of the area saw excessive amounts of rain, the increased value was mainly influenced by the many private land sales between renters and landlords. Ontario Ontario’s farmland values increased by an average of 4.4 per cent last year. This growth is slightly less than 2015’s 6.6 per cent increase and 2014’s 12.4 per cent increase. Farmland value increases across the province in 2016 were fairly stable and consistent – all regions had single digit increases. The province’s increase in farmland values was largely due to high demand for limited amounts of farmland, growth of supply-management farms and an increase in demand for land to grow cash crops. Southern Ontario – representing Essex, Chatham Kent, Lambton, Elgin and Middlesex counties – saw the largest increase in farmland value at 6.9 per cent. The demand for farmland in this area is high, but this demand is only apparent when farmland cost can be supported through crop production and commodity prices. Also, many areas in Southern Ontario have soil types that are favorable to specialty and niche crops – this was another factor in farmland value increases. South Eastern Ontario saw the smallest increase in farmland value at 1.5 per cent. This area represents Hamilton, Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk and Niagara counties. Quebec Quebec farmland increased by a value of 7.7 per cent in 2016 – compared to an increase of 9.6 per cent in 2015 and 15.7 per cent increase in 2014. The increases in farmland value were a result of fairly consistent demand. The highest increase in Quebec farmland value for 2016 was the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region at 16.2 per cent. Land prices in this region were affordable in respect to other regions, and therefore stimulated demand. Other parts of the province, in contrast, had more highly priced farmland which were connected with more modest increases in farmland values. New Brunswick Farmland values in New Brunswick increased by an average of 1.9 per cent last year. The province’s farmland values increased by 4.6 per cent in 2015 and 8.0 per cent in 2014. While farmland values remained constant in the Southern and Northern regions, values increased by 4.0 per cent in the Western region. The modest increase in land value is due to the stable potato processing industry. Producers continue to expand their operations so they can rotate their potato crops accordingly. (The ideal potato rotation includes one year in crop, followed by summer fallow for two years, according to the FCC report.) Nova Scotia Nova Scotia’s farmland values increased by 9.1 per cent in 2016, following a 6.3 increase in 2015 and a 7.0 per cent increase in 2014. The province experienced regional farmland increases between 8.8 to 9.2 per cent, in all types of farm production – from dairy to orchards. This increase was largely due to a growing demand for farmland, with buyers including producers wanting to expand their operations and individuals wanting to move back to the province to farm. Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island’s farmland values increased by 13.4 per cent last year – this was the greatest growth across Canada. The Island’s farmland values increased by 8.5 per cent in 2015 and 9.3 per cent in 2014. The Kings region (the most western region) represented the largest increase in farmland value at 15.4 per cent. The increase in farmland value across the province mainly represents the growing demand for cultivated acres and expansion to increase crop rotations and grow livestock feed. Low prices on the Island also drove demand (and therefore farmland value increases) in all types of land for agricultural use. Newfoundland and Labrador Due to a lack of farmland transactions reported in 2016, FCC could not accurately depict farmland values for Newfoundland and Labrador. More information on regional farmland values is in the FCC online report.AUBURN — As California's drought persists and water levels dip to historically low levels, gold prospectors are taking to Northern California rivers hoping to spot something shiny. The Sacramento Bee reports that calling it a gold rush might be a stretch, but unusually low rivers are opening up areas of Placer County that haven't been touched by man in decades, if not over a century. James Hutchings, Sacramento chapter president of the Gold Prospectors Association of America, tells the newspaper that flakes — possibly even nuggets - that normally would be submerged might be available. Over the weekend, truck driver Michael Albin came away with a gold chip in his pan about one-fourth the size of a pea. He says that's enough to keep him coming back for more. To view PDF documents, Download Acrobat Reader.Semantic Compaction Systems is suing a small augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) iPad app company called Speak for Yourself, alleging patent infringement. Another day, another lawsuit--right? Well, Slashdot points to a blog post by blogger Dana Nieder at her family blog on how this lawsuit is actually affecting real people. You see, Nieder's daughter Maya is unable to speak (according to Nieder, the only word she can say with 100 percent clarity is "done"). So the Nieders turned to technology to help give their daughter a voice: "When Maya was two and a half we introduced her to the iPad, and we've danced with AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) ever since. We experimented with a few communication apps, but nothing was a perfect fit. After an extensive search for the perfect app, we found it: Speak for Yourself. Simple and brilliant, we saw that it had the potential to serve Maya into adulthood, but was also simple enough for her to start using immediately. And she liked it. And it worked. And I started to have little flashes of the future, in which she could rapidly tap out phrases and ideas and tell me more and more of the secret thoughts that fill her head—the ones that I'm hungry to hear and she's dying to share but her uncooperative mouth just can't get out. My kid is learning how to "talk." It's breathtaking." So this app is basically life-changing for a little girl who lives in the Bronx. But now the company who makes the $300 app is being sued by Semantic Compaction Systems and Prentke Romich Company, both of which are large companies and, as Nieder points out, "big names" in the AAC world. According to the complaint, Speak for Yourself is infringing upon two patents related to dynamic keyboards and changing keys on a keyboard in the context of AAC software. Speak for Yourself's iPad app, when used on an iPad, allegedly infringes on patents no. 5,748,177 and 5,920,303. And this is not a "ridiculous lawsuit" story--the lawsuit and the patents, as TechDirt points out, appear to be pretty solid. But that doesn't really matter to the Nieder family. "I'm going to be honest: I don't know about patents and infringement, and I'm not going to get into debates about the legal merits of the case, because that's a conversation in which I would quickly drown. And if you were in my shoes, you would see that the legal part isn't the part that matters," Nieder writes. Nieder's point is this: if the large companies successfully sue Speak for Yourself into oblivion, the app will likely disappear. And instead of developing a similar app--Nieder has spoken with representatives from Prentke Romich Company, and they have already told her there is no plan get into app development--the companies will likely push their own communication devices, which go for as much as $9000 and are "too big (both literally and figuratively)" for Nieder's daughter. So, in short, this is how patent lawsuits affect real people. This is definitely a case in which the lawsuit is hindering--not helping--innovation, since the larger companies who have been done "irreparable damage" reportedly have no interest in creating an affordable alternative. "Interestingly, PRC's mission statement starts with 'We Believe Everyone Deserves A Voice.'" Nieder writes, "Perhaps 'We Believe Everyone Who Purchases Our Devices Deserves A Voice' or 'We Believe Everyone Except Those Needing An Affordable App Deserves a Voice' might be more appropriate alternatives." Follow Sarah on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.EDMONTON – Freezing rain created treacherous driving conditions in northern Alberta on Thursday night, where police responded to dozens of collisions, one of which was fatal. The two-vehicle crash happened around 11 p.m., about 20 kilometres north of Lac La Biche on Highway 881. The male passenger in one vehicle was killed; the driver was taken to the Lac La Biche hospital with unknown injuries. The driver of the other vehicle was treated on scene and released. Road conditions played a role in the crash, but police are still investigating to rule out speed and alcohol. Freezing rain warning in effect for Peace River, Wabasca, Fort McMurray, Bonnyville and surrounding areas. #ABStorm #ABRoads — 511 Alberta (@511Alberta) November 21, 2014 Cst. Chris Clark with Lac La Biche RCMP said their detachment alone responded to over 20 collisions within three hours, on Highways 36 and 881. Emergency crews had a difficult time getting to the scene of the fatal collision because several tractor trailers lost control on the slick highway and jackknifed, blocking the road. Cst. Clark said people need to slow down and obey travel advisories, because not doing so “doesn’t do yourselves or anyone else any favours.” The officer said road conditions had improved overnight because of warmer temperatures, however rain was still falling steadily Friday morning and drivers were urged to be careful. RCMP later issued a ‘no travel’ advisory for Highway 881, saying it was in extremely poor condition. Police said it was possible road conditions could worsen throughout the day. Freezing Rain Warnings are in effect for these regions of #Alberta @GlobalEdmonton Morning News #yegwx pic.twitter.com/Mc0QDm8hJm — Mike Sobel (@mikesobel) November 21, 2014 Freezing rain warnings for most of northern Alberta were in place for much of the day Thursday, leading to treacherous conditions on the roads. Shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday night, RCMP in Boyle and Lac La Biche areas issued warnings for drivers to stay off the roads, after officers responded to numerous collisions. Travel on the following highways was not recommended: Highway 63 in the Wandering River area Highway 36 Highway 55 Highway 881 Highway 663 RCMP remind motorists to drive to the conditions and slow down. READ MORE: 5 things to remember when driving in winter conditions For the latest road conditions, follow 511 Alberta on Twitter or visit Alberta’s official road reports website. Want your weather on the go? Download Global News’ Skytracker weather app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Editor’s note: This story was originally published the evening of Thursday, November 20. It was updated Friday morning with the latest information.Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) said this week that there is no way he's giving up his salary during the government shutdown. "Dang straight," he said when asked by the Omaha World-Herald Bureau whether he would keep his paycheck. About 800,000 public servants are furloughed during the government shutdown, and they'll only receive back pay for the lost time if Congress authorizes it. Even if Congress does approve the retroactive paychecks, they could be delayed for some time, depending on how long it takes for the government to reopen. Many government workers who have spoken with The Huffington Post have said any delay in their pay will be hard, since the bills they need to pay won't be delayed. The salaries of members of Congress, as well as that of the president, come from a pool of mandatory funds and are not affected by a shutdown. Most members of Congress earn $174,000 a year. While more than 100 lawmakers have said they will donate their salaries to charity during the government shutdown, the vast majority of them have either not commented or said they plan to keep their paychecks. So Terry is certainly not alone. Many holdouts say they believe giving up their pay is a gimmick that wouldn't actually solve the impasse. Terry, however, was more blunt than most. "Whatever gets them good press," Terry said of members giving up their salary. "That's all that it's going to be. God bless them. But you know what? I've got a nice house and a kid in college, and I'll tell you we cannot handle it. Giving our paycheck away when you still worked and earned it? That's just not going to fly." Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) also said on Wednesday that he would be keeping his salary, because he's "working to earn" it and even came in on the weekend.Five major lobby groups write letter to David Davis in latest sign of employers’ growing alarm about state of talks with EU UK business leaders have united to urge David Davis to quickly establish a Brexit transition deal that mirrors existing arrangements or risk losing British jobs and investment. In a letter to the Brexit secretary seen by the Guardian, five of the UK’s biggest business lobby groups said time was running out for the government to strike a transition deal before firms start to rein in spending plans as they finalise budgets for 2018 and prepare to implement contingency plans for Britain’s departure from the EU. Q&A What are the two phases of the Brexit talks? Show Hide The EU27’s negotiating guidelines for the two-year Brexit talks stipulate that they must take place in two phases: separation and “orderly withdrawal”, followed by future relationship. Only when the EU27 decide “sufficient progress” has been made on phase one can phase two begin. Broadly, phase one is about providing “clarity and certainty” to people and businesses on Brexit’s consequences and agreeing a sum covering the commitments the UK made as an EU member: avoiding a legal vacuum, protecting citizens’ rights, solving the Irish border, and reaching a financial settlement. Phase two of the talks will then focus on agreeing the “framework” of the future trading relationship between the UK and the EU. A transition period can also be agreed as part of this second stage, but the detail of the future relationship can only be worked out once the UK has left. Britain wants to move to stage two fast, but in order to keep as much leverage as possible in talks on the future relationship aims to delay agreeing the financial settlement as long as possible. The EU27 are adamant that all phase one issues must be addressed to their satisfaction before any talk of the future relationship. “We need agreement of transitional arrangements as soon as possible, as without urgent agreement many companies have serious decisions about investment and contingency plans to take at the start of 2018,” the business groups wrote. “Failure to agree a transition period of at least two years could have wide-reaching and damaging consequences for investment and trade, as firms review their investment plans and business strategies.” The joint intervention is a sign of the mounting anxiety among UK businesses about the lack of progress in Brexit negotiations, almost seven months after the prime minister, Theresa May, triggered article 50. Insiders said business groups wanted to present a united front in their key priorities for Brexit. The letter follows last week’s meeting of EU leaders in Brussels, where there was a more conciliatory tone but ittle in the way of solid progress. There is still no agreement on transition arrangements after March 2019, when the UK leaves the union, and discussions on a long-term trade deal have not yet begun. It is understood that in recent days Treasury officials have started asking business groups whether they are preparing to offer their members advice on what to do in the event of no deal. The CBI and British Chambers of Commerce were among the signatories warning Davis of the potentially dire consequences for the UK economy if he failed to agree a transition period of at least two years with the EU. The bosses of the manufacturing trade body EEF, the Institute of Directors and the Federation of Small Businesses also signed the letter on behalf of their members, who employ millions of UK workers. They stressed that a transition period before new long-term arrangements came into force should be “matched as closely as possible to the current UK relationship”, to limit disruption to firms. A spokesperson for the Department for Exiting the European Union said: “The prime minister proposed a strictly time-limited implementation period in her Florence speech and was clear in her article 50 letter that agreeing this principle early in the process would help minimise unnecessary disruption to businesses in both the UK and the EU. “We are making real and tangible progress in a number of vital areas in negotiations. However, many of the issues that remain are linked to the discussions we need to have on our future relationship. “That is why we are pleased that the EU has now agreed to start internal preparatory discussions on the framework for transitional arrangements as well as our future partnership.” The letter is the latest in a string of warnings to the government that without an urgent breakthrough in Brexit negotiations, businesses are likely to take jobs and investment elsewhere to avoid as much uncertainty as possible. Earlier this month, Sam Woods, a deputy governor at the Bank of England, said banks and other City firms would activate their Brexit contingency plans if there was no deal on a transition period by Christmas. The boss of Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s biggest investment banks, signalled his intention last week to relocate jobs out of the UK to Germany in a provocative tweet while May was at the EU summit, underlining the pressure on her government to protect British jobs. Lloyd Blankfein said he expected to be “spending a lot more time” in Frankfurt from now on. Lloyd Blankfein (@lloydblankfein) Just left Frankfurt. Great meetings, great weather, really enjoyed it. Good, because I'll be spending a lot more time there. #Brexit The lobby groups called on the government to publicly state its position on an implementation phase, sending “EU negotiators a strong positive signal of the government’s readiness to discuss this economically crucial issue”.Much like Marvin Gaye, I have no idea what’s going on with the sensitive artists so for the last several months, my news consisted mostly of Asa’s instagram account and an occasional call from David to drive home some girl named after a fruit. The last thing I remember telling the gang was my problems busting a nut after watching porn so maybe I got pushed to the outs because no one wants to hang around a sapless old tree. But than something strange and unusual happened a few nights ago. Val texted me. Val? Val. Hola? Val has never contacted me before and it wasn’t a drunk dial since he literally texted “hi bill”. So I replied with “hi Val” since that would be the polite thing to do and the next thing I know, he wants to hang out and “meet girls”. Weird, Val has never needed any help fucking women much less “meet girls” so I was perplexed but pleased I was free. He wanted to visit a place that Bobby Trivia took him but since I didn’t know where that was, I called Bobby who was in the middle of an ice cream date with Mrs. Trivia - the funny thing is that he texts me that he’s with “Quiet C” and I’m thinking, hey man, I went to your wedding and hung out with your wife, I know her real name and in fact, everyone who listens to DVDASA knows her real name. But whatever, maybe Bobby was having flashbacks to the show. And he joins us. What? I always assumed that the weekends were date nights at the Trivia household but I guess not so he meets us at the studio. With David. Whaat? Shouldn’t that guy be hanging out with celebrity chefs or Alia Shawkat or Aubrey Plaza. But its a mother fucking Saturday night and I guess we all want to “meet girls” with Val. So 10 minutes later, Tacolandia, All Nippon Airways, The pregnant man with 1000 babies and Seoul Sausage Delight are in front of the strip club about to meet girls. Val is out of control, that guy is getting a dance from every girl who drops him a smile, while Bobby gets a drink or 3 and David disappears for a few hours with his muse of the week. But shit, I only got one hand in my pocket and the other holding a 20 dollar bill thinking we were going to a bar and I was going to nurse a club soda for the night. So one dance later after seeing a Filipino stripper with blonde hair, I go over to the atm machine so I can continue supporting her cosmetology classes. Right? That’s what they use the money for. Eventually, we decide to leave to Val’s dismay but the night wasn’t quite over yet. Dave went dark dick zero thirty so he could get his fuck on with the stripper he just met, while Val and Bobby want to visit a 24 hour Korean spa to get a massage. Just so you know, when you go into a spa at 2:30 morning, the room is dark and I’m pretty sure the “therapist” isn’t some nubile young thing but their old wicked hands will touch your dick none the less. Maybe more but I had to wave her off since I was back down to no money and I didn’t want to feel obligated to tip her after paying her for the hour. That’s fair I think. We ended the night with a chili burger and a coke, I’m poor but I’m happy. And basically that’s what happens when you go out with Val to “meet girls”.Diane Warren and Lady Gaga attend TimesTalks Presents" "Hunting Ground" With Lady Gaga, Diane Warren, Kirby Dick And Amy Ziering at Times Center on Dec. 10, 2015 in New York City. Thursday morning's (Jan. 14) Oscar nominations included Lady Gaga, who is up for best original song thanks to her work with Diane Warren on The Hunting Ground’s “Til It Happens to You.” She took to Twitter to celebrate her first nomination, which she views as a triumph for the victims and survivors of sexual assault. “Myself and Diane are simply honored to represent the voices of so many survivors,” she wrote. Check out the full note below: Til It Happens To You my original score with @Diane_Warren for "The Hunting Ground" was nominated for an OSCAR -- pic.twitter.com/S7kJZAY6u5 — The Countess (@ladygaga) January 14, 2016 Directed by Kirby Dirk, The Hunting Ground is a 2015 documentary on the struggle of campus rape victims fighting for justice. Lady Gaga on Her Song 'Til It Happens to You': I Wanted It to Be Empowering Gaga released “Til It Happens to You” as a single in Sept. 2015. She and Warren shared writing credits. Check it out below: Lady Gaga performed the tune at Billboard's Women in Music event last month. For a full list of the 2016 Oscar nominations, click here.It’s been an interesting couple of days in the place where money and gambling intersects, otherwise known as Wall Street. Over the weekend, the Internet gambling sites PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker got taken down by Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, which among other things covers lower Manhattan, where the NYSE lives. On Monday, the stock market got taken down by Standard & Poors, which dialed back its outlook on U.S. government debt to negative from stable. This is hypocrisy doubled down. The connection between the two events is that Wall Streeters absolutely love poker. The big tournaments in Vegas are filled with quants, bankers, traders and other Street beasts. Puritan Preet’s raid on Internet poker sites in a country where gambling is legal in all 50 states, where governments are pushing their own lottery games every day, seems a bit contradictory to say the least—and I’m willing to bet that some of Bhar
in the solution space is not sufficient for NP hardness". The second is that "intriguing structure is not necessary for NP hardness". They don't actually point to a place where the proof is wrong. But they do appear to give an obstacle to the general proof method. How to map satisfiable formulas to trivial problems with exactly the same solution space structure. Very easy problems can also have complicated solution distributions. The following arose from discussions with Jeremiah Blocki. Here is one easy way to (non-uniformly!) map any infinite collection of satisfiable formulas into [math]SAT0[/math], the set of formulas satisfied by the all-zeroes assignment. The map completely preserves the number of variables, the number of satisfying assignments, the distances between assignments, the clusters--as far as I (Ryan Williams) can tell it preserves every property that has been studied about random k-SAT. Observe [math]SAT0[/math] is trivially decidable in polynomial time. This should be a barrier to any proof of P vs NP that attempts to argue that the solution space of an NP-hard problem is "too complex" for P. This is the objection which is most germane to the current proposed proof. The map is simple: for a satisfiable formula [math]F[/math] on [math]n[/math] variables, let [math](A_1,\ldots,A_n)[/math] be a satisfying assignment for it, and define F' to be the formula obtained by the following procedure: flip the signs of all literals involving [math]x_i[/math] in [math]F[/math] iff [math]A_i = 1[/math]. Now the space of satisfying assignments to [math]F[/math] is transformed by the map [math]\phi_A(x_1,\ldots,x_n) = (x_1 \oplus A_1,\ldots,x_n \oplus A_n)[/math]. Observe this map completely preserves all distances between assignments, clusters, etc., and that the all-zeroes assignment satisfies [math]F'[/math]. So for any infinite collection [math]{C}[/math] of satisfiable formulas with "hard solution structure" there is also an infinite collection of formulas [math]{C'}[/math] with analogous solution structure, where [math]C'[/math] is a subset of [math]SAT0[/math]. That is, while the solution spaces of some random formulas may look complicated, it could still be that these formulas constitute a polynomial-time solvable problem for trivial reasons, independently of what the solution space looks like. The map easily extends to the generalization of k-SAT which consists of pairs [math](F,A)[/math], where [math]F[/math] is a k-SAT formula, [math]A[/math] is a partial assignment to some variables, and we wish to know if it is possible to complete the partial assignment into a full satisfying assignment. By flipping literals appropriately in [math]F[/math], there is always an instance [math](G,A)[/math] where [math]G[/math] can be satisfied by setting the rest of the variables to zero, and yet [math]G\|_{A}[/math] has an isomorphic solution space to [math]F\|_{A}[/math]. So for every instance of "k-SAT-Partial-Assignment" we can find an instance of "SAT0-Partial-Assignment" (which is again a trivial problem) with the same solution space structure. One can in fact get away with a map that just permutes the names of variables. Take a satisfiable [math]F[/math] and assignment [math]A[/math], and let [math]\pi: \{1,\ldots,n\} \rightarrow \{1,\ldots,n\}[/math] be such that [math]A' = (A_{\pi(1)},\ldots,A_{\pi(n)}) \isin L(0^{\star} 1^{\star})[/math], i.e., [math]A'[/math] has the form "a bunch of zeroes followed by a bunch of ones". Now to every [math]x_i[/math] occurring in [math]F[/math], replace it with [math]x_{\pi(i)}[/math]. All formulas in the image of this map are satisfied by a (polynomial time) algorithm that tries all [math]n[/math] assignments of the form [math]0^{i} 1^{n-i}[/math], and again the distances between assignments are preserved. The above arguments look like cheats. Of course they are! We are exploiting the fact that, for arbitrary problems in NP (and therefore P as well), the solution space of that problem is not uniquely well-defined in general. (Hubie Chen raised a similar point in email correspondence.) A solution space for an instance can only be defined with respect to some polynomial time verifier for the problem: this space is the set of witnesses that make the verifier accept on the instance. If you change the verifier, you change the solution space. The usual solution space for SAT arises from the verifier (call it [math]V[/math] ) that checks a candidate assignment against a given formula. If [math]V[/math] is used on [math]SAT0[/math], we get a complex solution space. If we use a sane verifier for [math]SAT0[/math] instead (the verifier that checks all-zeroes), the solution space becomes trivial. However, if [math]P=NP[/math], then there's also a verifier such that SAT has a trivial solution space, namely the verifier which ignores its witness and just runs a polynomial time algorithm for SAT. The above argument only arises because the notion of solution space was forced to be verifier-independent over P and NP problems (which looks critical to the P vs NP paper). Note there are also ways to construct infinitely many 2-CNF formulas and XOR-SAT formulas with "complex" distributions, in that the solution space (with respect to the verifier [math]V[/math] above) has many clusters, large distances between clusters, frozen variables--the kind of properties one finds with random k-SAT. For example, for any [math]k[/math] and [math]n[/math] one can easily construct 2-CNF formulas on [math]n[/math] variables with [math]2^k[/math] satisfying assignments, each of which have [math]n[/math] frozen variables and every pair has hamming distance at least [math]n/k[/math]. (See also "The XOR-SAT Objection" above.) Satisfiable formulas with 'complex' solution spaces can be efficiently mapped to satisfiable formulas with'simple' solution spaces. A hard distribution of solutions is not necessary for NP-hardness, either. A weird distribution is not what makes a problem hard, it's the representation of that solution space (e.g., a 3-CNF formula, a 2-CNF formula, etc.). In fact the "hard" case of 3-SAT is the case where there is at most one satisfying assignment, since there is a randomized reduction from 3-SAT to 3-SAT with at most one satisfying assignment (Valiant-Vazirani). This reduction increases the number of clauses and the number of variables, but that doesn't really matter: you can always reduce 3-SAT with a "complex" solution space to one with an "easy" solution space, so how can a proof separating P from NP rely on the former? (Note that, if plausible circuit lower bounds hold up, then Valiant-Vazirani can be derandomized to run in deterministic polynomial time.) Of course, this point on its own does not invalidate Deolalikar's approach. To prove just one NP-complete problem has a complex solution space would be enough if it was also proved that all P problems have simple solution spaces. But it is hard to make sense of what this proposition could really mean, in light of the above. To summarize, there is little correlation between the "hard structure" of the solution space for instances of some problem, and the NP-hardness of that problem. The "boundary" between P and NP does not lie between "hard" and "easy" satisfiable formulas, but rather it lies between the satisfiable and unsatisfiable formulas. More precisely, it is the difficulty of distinguishing between the satisfiable and unsatisfiable that makes SAT hard, rather than the layout of satisfying assignments in some satisfiable formulas. (It may be that lower bounds on specific kinds of SAT algorithms can be proved using solution space structure, but given the above, it is very hard to believe that a lower bound for all algorithms could possibly work this way.) Uniformity issues The following is a lightly edited excerpt from a comment of Russell Impagliazzo: The general approach of this paper is to try to characterize hard instances of search problems by the structure of their solution spaces. The problem is that this intuition is far too ambitious. It is talking about what makes INSTANCES hard, not about what makes PROBLEMS hard. Since in say, non-uniform models, individual instances or small sets of instances are not hard, this seems to be a dead-end. There is a loophole in this paper, in that he’s talking about the problem of extending a given partial assignment. But still, you can construct artificial easy instances so that the solution space has any particular structure. That solutions fall in well-separated clusters cannot really imply that the search problem is hard. Take any instance with exponentially many solutions and perform a random linear transformation on the solution space, so that solution y is “coded” by Ay. Then the complexity of search hasn’t really changed, but the solution space is well-separated. So the characterization this paper is attempting does not seem to me to be about the right category of object. Locality issues From a comment of Thomas Schwentick: There is an another issue with the locality in remark 3 of Section 4.3. Moving from singletons to tuples destroys locality: this is because the distance of two tuples is defined on the basis of its participating elements. For example, if two tuples have a common element then their distance is (<=) 1. Thus, even if in the "meta-structure" two tuples are far apart, they can be neighbors because of their singular elements. See also the tupling issues mentioned in an earlier section. From a comment of Russell Impagliazzo: The paper talks about “factoring” the computation into steps that are individually “local”. There are many ways to formalize that steps of computation are indeed local, with FO logic one of them. However, that does not mean that polynomial-time computation is local, because the composition of local operations is not local. I’ve been scanning the paper for any lemma that relates the locality or other weakness of a composition to the locality of the individual steps. I haven’t seen it yet. Does the argument prove too much? From a comment of Cristopher Moore: The proof, if correct, shows that there is a poly-time samplable distribution on which k-SAT is hard on average — that hard instances are easy to generate. In Impagliazzo’s “five possible worlds” of average-case complexity, this puts us at least in Pessiland. If hard _solved_ instances are easy to generate, say through the “quiet planting” models that have been proposed, then we are in Minicrypt or Cryptomania. Barriers Any P vs NP proof must deal with the three known barriers described below. The concerns around this paper have, for the most part, not yet reached this stage yet. Relativization Quick overview of Relativization Barrier at Shiva Kintali's blog post Natural proofs See Razborov and Rudich, "Natural proofs" Proceedings of the twenty-sixth annual ACM symposium on Theory of computing (1994). (Some discussion on the uniformity vs. non-uniformity distinction seems relevant here; the current strategy does not, strictly speaking, trigger this barrier so long as it exploits uniformity in an essential way.) D. Sivakumar summarizes the natural proofs concept. Dick Lipton has a post that among other things, explains the key intuition behind the natural proofs obstacle. In this blog post, Tim Gowers points out an "illegitimate sibling" of the natural proofs obstruction that seems to apply to any attempt to separate complexity classes by trying to exploit the fact that the solution spaces of problems Q in easy complexity classes enjoy some simple structural property (which for sake of argument we will call "property A"). To begin with, let us use a simple notion of solution space, namely the space of all x for which the problem Q(x) has an affirmative answer (but note that this is not the notion of solution space used in Deolalikar's paper). Then the argument goes as follows. Consider a "pseudorandom polynomial circuit" [math]f: \{0,1\}^n \to \{0,1\}[/math] formed by applying a polynomially large (e.g. [math]n^{100}[/math]) number of reversible logical gate operations on the n-bit input string, and then outputting (say) the first bit of the final state of that n-bit string as output. It is plausible that this function is pseudorandom enough that it is indistinguishable from a random function [math]g: \{0,1\}^n \to \{0,1\}[/math]. In particular, if f obeys property A, then a random function should also obey property A. However, most reasonable candidates for property A constrain the structure of the solution space to the extent that the random function should not obey property A. This strongly suggests that property A cannot contain all problems in P. To put it another way, any argument that proceeds by distinguishing easy and hard solution spaces should be able to describe a criterion that can distinguish the functions f and g from each other. As pointed out by Jun Tarui, Deolalikar's argument is not directly analysing the solution space [math]\{x: Q(x)=1\}[/math] of problems in P, but rather the solution spaces [math]\{ y: R(x,y)=1\}[/math] to instances of satisfiability problems "Given x, does there exist y for which R(x,y)=1" which are in P (and moreover, that the same should hold even when some partial assignment s of y has already been fixed). However, one can extend Gowers' objection to this case also. For instance, let [math]R: \{0,1\}^n \times \{0,1\}^{n} \to \{0,1\}[/math] be a pseudorandom circuit (so x has n bits and y has n bits). Then for n large enough, the satisfiability problem should always have an affirmative answer (and in particular is trivially in P) provided that at least [math]100 \log n[/math] of the bits of y are left unassigned (this is basically because [math]\sum_n 2^{-2^{100 \log n}} 2^{O(n)} \lt \infty[/math]), and the remaining cases when there are at most [math]100 \log n[/math] bits to assign can be verified by brute force. On the other hand the solution spaces [math]\{ y: R(x,y)=1\}[/math] are still indistinguishable from random subsets of [math]\{0,1\}^n[/math]. Algebrization See Aaronson and Wigderson, "Algebrization: A New Barrier in Complexity Theory" ACM Transactions on Computation Theory (2009). The paper is all about the local properties of a specific NP-complete problem (k-SAT), and for that reason, I don't think relativization is relevant. Personally, I'm more interested in why the argument makes essential use of uniformity (which is apparently why it's supposed to avoid Razborov-Rudich). (Scott Aaronson) Average to Worst-case? A possible new barrier implied by the discussion here, framed by Terry Tao: If nothing else, this whole experience has highlighted a “philosophical” barrier to P!= NP which is distinct from the three “hard” barriers of relativisation, natural proofs, and algebraisation, namely the difficulty in using average-case (or “global”) behaviour to separate worst-case complexity, due to the existence of basic problems (e.g. k-SAT and k-XORSAT) which are expected to have similar average case behaviour in many ways, but completely different worst case behaviour. (I guess this difficulty was well known to the experts, but it is probably good to make it more explicit.) Note that "average case behaviour" here refers to the structure of the solution space, as opposed to the difficulty of solving a random instance of the problem. Followup by Ryan Williams: It is a great idea to try to formally define this barrier and develop its properties. I think the “not necessary” part is pretty well-understood, thanks to Valiant-Vazirani. But the “not sufficient” part, the part relevant to the current paper under discussion, still needs some more rigor behind it. As I related to Lenka Zdeborova, it is easy to construct, for every n, a 2-CNF formula on n variables which has many “clusters” of solutions, where each cluster has large hamming distance from each other, and within the cluster there are a lot of satisfying assignments. But one would like to say something stronger, e.g. “for any 3-CNF formula with solution space S, that space S can be very closely simulated by the solution space S’ for some CSP instance that is polytime solvable”. See also the previous section on issues with random k-SAT for closely related points. Terminology Online reactions Additions to the list are of course very welcome. Theory blogs Media and aggregators 8th August 9th August 10th August 11th August 12th August 13th August Tide turns against million-dollar maths proof, Jacob Aron, New Scientist, August 13, 2010. 15th August A Tale of A Serious Attempt At P≠NP, Richard J. Lipton, Comm. ACM blog, August 15 2010. 16th August Step 1: Post Elusive Proof. Step 2: Watch Fireworks., John Markoff, New York Times, August 16 2010 online (August 17 in print). 17th August 19 August 20 August Flawed proof ushers in era of wikimath, New Scientist, August 20 2010. 23 August Wikipedia Age Challenges Scholars’ Sacred Peer Review, Patricia Cohen, New York Times, August 23 2010. (Cites the previous Aug 16 NY Times article on the P vs NP paper.) 9 September Crowdsourcing peer review, Julie Rehmeyer, ScienceNews, September 9 2010. Real-time searches Other Timeline Bibliography Papers Books Information, Physics, and Computation, Marc Mézard, Andrea Montanari, Oxford University Press, 2009, ISBN-13: 978-0198570837, - the interface between statistical physics, theoretical computer science/discrete mathematics, and coding/information theory. Further reading Given the current interest in the subject matters discussed on this page, it would be good to start collecting a list of references where people can learn more about such topics. Please add liberally to the list below. There are many other complexity classes besides P and NP. See the Complexity Zoo P=NP? is discrete mathematics. Similar questions can be asked over other domains: P=NP over R? See Complexity Theory and Numerical Analysis, Steve Smale, 2000 Complexity classes for particular subjects have been investigated, e.g. Open problems in number theoretic complexity, II, L Adleman, K McCurley - Algorithmic Number Theory, 1994 Here is a list of blogs in computer science (including several blogs who have been actively posting on this topic).Update Archives Update Archives Select Month February 2019 (39) January 2019 (63) December 2018 (54) November 2018 (63) October 2018 (80) September 2018 (76) August 2018 (86) July 2018 (74) June 2018 (86) May 2018 (73) April 2018 (57) March 2018 (64) February 2018 (60) January 2018 (62) December 2017 (72) November 2017 (69) October 2017 (91) September 2017 (71) August 2017 (94) July 2017 (77) June 2017 (89) May 2017 (84) April 2017 (79) March 2017 (70) February 2017 (59) January 2017 (74) December 2016 (77) November 2016 (79) October 2016 (86) September 2016 (88) August 2016 (93) July 2016 (73) June 2016 (93) May 2016 (79) April 2016 (85) March 2016 (84) February 2016 (76) January 2016 (82) December 2015 (84) November 2015 (83) October 2015 (115) September 2015 (113) August 2015 (117) July 2015 (83) June 2015 (132) May 2015 (81) April 2015 (77) March 2015 (99) February 2015 (73) January 2015 (72) December 2014 (82) November 2014 (70) October 2014 (109) September 2014 (106) August 2014 (92) July 2014 (88) June 2014 (99) May 2014 (105) April 2014 (114) March 2014 (105) February 2014 (101) January 2014 (82) December 2013 (101) November 2013 (113) October 2013 (119) September 2013 (114) August 2013 (154) July 2013 (129) June 2013 (151) May 2013 (117) April 2013 (113) March 2013 (95) February 2013 (119) January 2013 (111) December 2012 (95) November 2012 (101) October 2012 (131) September 2012 (118) August 2012 (156) July 2012 (117) June 2012 (122) May 2012 (114) April 2012 (115) March 2012 (159) February 2012 (179) January 2012 (138) December 2011 (141) November 2011 (11)Inductive charging can be a useful feature on smartphones and tablets, but it's often much slower than the wire-based alternative. That's an issue Sony's looking to address in its future devices' according to a report from Japan's Nikei. The outlet says Sony, together with electronics supplier Rohm Co., has developed wireless charging technology using between 10 and 15 watts and supplies twice the energy of earlier wireless chargers. The end result, it's said, is double the charging speed, meaning a smartphone can be fully charged, wirelessly, in just one hour. The new technique is based on specs currently being finalized for inclusion in the Qi wireless charging standard, Nikei reports, and new control chips from Rohm will be used to reduce heat output, preventing the new tech from melting phones as it charges. Commercialization of the new tech is expected to begin in the second half of 2014, meaning we could see it in Sony smartphones and other devices before the end of next year. Source: Nikkei; via: EngadgetWe'll admit it: DAD's been on a Daft Punk kick. Since this site's inception, we've been inundated with the return of the androids. It's hard to not get caught up; their fourth album, with all of its hype, has DAD nostalgic. We look to the past to figure out how the future will play out, and with "Get Lucky" exciting us (and the rest of the world), it's just making us dig that much deeper into DP lore. A good friend of the site passed us an interview with Daft Punk from 1995, back when Homework was taking off, sans masks. It's in French, so if anyone wants to translate, please go in, but that's not the point. For Daft Punk, who have been so guarded with their likeness (and so inventive in the way that they have flipped their look), it's wild to think that there was a time when they seemingly had no issue with their faces being shown. It's probably going to be an even rarer occurrence as the years go on, but that's part of the excitement. So, to celebrate our travels back into the Daft Punk discography, let's look back at the duo before they became the androids that now represent one of dance music's most amazing acts. POST CONTINUES BELOW THE 10 BEST DAFT PUNK MUSIC VIDEOSTime to profile white men? My interview with MSNBC ignites a conservative media firestorm -- and exposes America's dangerous double standard Yesterday, during a cable news discussion of gun violence and the Newtown school shooting, I dared mention a taboo truism. During a conversation on MSNBC's "Up With Chris Hayes," I said that because most of the mass shootings in America come at the hands of white men, there would likely be political opposition to initiatives that propose to use those facts to profile the demographic group to which these killers belong. I suggested that's the case because as opposed to people of color or, say, Muslims, white men as a subgroup are in such a privileged position in our society that they are the one group that our political system avoids demographically profiling or analytically aggregating in any real way. Indeed, unlike other demographic, white guys as a group are never thought to be an acceptable topic for any kind of critical discussion whatsoever, even when there is ample reason to open up such a discussion. My comment was in response to U.S. Rep. James Langevin (D) floating the idea of employing the Secret Service for such profiling, and I theorized that because the profiling would inherently target white guys, the political response to such an idea might be similar to the Republican response to the 2009 Homeland Security report looking, in part, at the threat of right-wing terrorism. As you might recall, the same GOP that openly supports profiling -- and demonizing -- Muslims essentially claimed that the DHS report was unacceptable because its focus on white male terrorist groups allegedly stereotyped (read: offensively profiled) conservatives. Advertisement: For making this point, I quickly became the day's villain in the right-wing media. From the Daily Caller, to Fox News, to Breitbart, to Glenn Beck's the Blaze, to all the right-wing blogs and Twitter feeds that echo those outlets' agitprop, I was attacked for "injecting divisive racial politics" into the post-Newtown discussion (this is a particularly ironic attack coming from Breitbart - the same website that manufactured the Shirley Sherrod fiasco). The conservative response to my statement, though, is the real news here. Let's review: Any honest observer should be able to admit that if the gunmen in these mass shootings mostly had, say, Muslim names or were mostly, say, African-American men, the country right now wouldn't be confused about the causes of the violence, and wouldn't be asking broad questions. There would probably be few queries or calls for reflection, and mostly definitive declarations blaming the bloodshed squarely on Islamic fundamentalism or black nationalism, respectively. Additionally, we would almost certainly hear demands that the government intensify the extant profiling systems already aimed at those groups. Yet, because the the perpetrators in question in these shootings are white men and not ethnic or religious minorities, nobody is talking about demographic profiling them as a group. The discussion, instead, revolves around everything from gun control, to mental health services, to violence in entertainment -- everything, that is, except trying to understanding why the composite of these killers is so similar across so many different massacres. This, even though there are plenty of reasons for that topic to be at least a part of the conversation. Recounting the truth of these double standards is, of course, boringly mundane, which means my comment on television summarizing them is an equally boring and mundane statement of the obvious. However, as evidenced by the aggressive attempt to turn those comments into controversial headline-grabbing news over the weekend, the conservative movement has exposed its desperation -- specifically, its desperation to preserve its White Victimization Mythology. In this mythology, the white man as a single demographic subgroup can never be seen as a perpetrator and must always be portrayed as the unfairly persecuted scapegoat. In this mythology, to even reference an undeniable truth about how white privilege operates on a political level (in this case, to prevent a government profiling system of potential security threats even though such a system exists for other groups) is to be guilty of both "injecting divisive racial politics" and somehow painting one's "opponents as racist" -- even when nobody called any individual a racist. Advertisement: In this mythology, in short, to mention truths about societal double standards -- truths that are inconvenient or embarrassing to white people -- is to be targeted for attack by the right-wing media machine. Of course, just as I didn't make such an argument yesterday on MSNBC, I'm not right now arguing for a system of demographically profiling white guys as a means of stopping mass murderers (that's right, the headline at Beck's website, the Blaze, is categorically lying by insisting I did make such an argument, when the MSNBC video proves that's not even close to true). After all, broad demographic profiling is not only grotesquely bigoted in how it unduly stereotypes whole groups, it also doesn't actually work as a security measure and runs the risk of becoming yet another Big Brother-ish monster (this is especially true when a lawmaker is forwarding the idea of deploying a quasi-military apparatus like the Secret Service). Additionally, I'm not saying we should avoid the complex discussion about myriad issues (gun control, mental health, violence in Hollywood products, etc.) that we are having in the aftermath of the Connecticut tragedy. On the contrary, I believe it is good news that those nuanced conversations -- rather than simplistic calls for punitive measures against a demographic group -- are able to happen, and it's particularly good news that they are persisting in the face of pro-gun extremists' best effort to polarize the conversation. But the point here is that those tempered and nuanced conversations are only able to happen because the demographic at the center of it all is white guys. That is the one group in America that gets to avoid being referred to in aggregate negative terms (and gets to avoid being unduly profiled by this nation's security apparatus), which means we are defaulting to a much more dispassionate and sane conversation -- one that treats the perpetrators as deranged individuals, rather than typical and thus stereotype-justifying representatives of an entire demographic. Advertisement: While such fair treatment should be the norm for all citizens, the double standard at work makes clear it is still a special privilege for a select white few. That's the issue at the heart of my comment on MSNBC -- and it is a pressing problem no matter how much the conservative media machine wants to pretend it isn't.[Update, December 22, 2016: As I predicted below, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has agreed that Mann can pursue his case. The opinion is quite lengthy, in part because of a variety of procedure issues that had to be resolved, but to me the key part is this: A jury could find that the article accuses Dr. Mann of engaging in specific acts of academic and scientific misconduct in the manipulation of data, and thus conveys a defamatory meaning, because “to constitute a libel it is enough that the defamatory utterance imputes any misconduct whatever in the conduct of [plaintiff’s] calling.” Guilford Transp. Indus., 760 A.2d at 600 (alteration in original) (quoting RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS § 569, cmt. (e)); see Tavoulareas v. Piro, 817 F.2d 762, 780 (D.C. Cir. 1987) (en banc) (holding that statement that “a father set up his son in business” accuses father of nepotism and is defamatory because it, “might ‘tend[] to injure [him] in his trade, profession or community standing, or lower him in the estimation of the community’” (quoting Afro-Am. Publ’g Co. v. Jaffe, 366 F.2d 649, 654 (D.C. Cir. 1966))). Moreover, a jury could find that by calling Dr. Mann “the [Jerry] Sandusky of climate science,” the article implied that Dr. Mann’s manipulation of data was seriously deviant for a scientist. It really is that simple. It’s one thing to criticize another’s viewpoints or ideas; it’s another thing entirely to accuse them of fraud.] The entire scientific community, save a dwindling number of attention-seeking contrarians, believes temperatures on Earth since 1950 have risen by a little under 1 degree Celsius as a result of humanity’s relentless burning of fossil fuels. Even the Koch brothers’ own funded study agrees. As Bill McKibben explains, the global warming math is pretty simple: another 2 degrees increase will probably create a catastrophic environmental disruption, and right now in the ground are “proven reserves” of more than five times the fossil fuels needed to produce amounts of carbon dioxide sufficient to create that 2 degree increase. But this is America, where everyone has freedom of speech, the constitutionally-guaranteed right to open your mouth and remove all doubt that you are indeed a fool, and so anyone, anywhere can show themselves to be scientifically illiterate by claiming there’s no proof of global warming. What Americans don’t have, though, is the right to make up falsehoods about others. Milkovich v. Lorain Journal, 497 U.S. 1 (1990)(rejecting attempt to dress up defamatory factual assertion as “opinion,” noting, “at common law, even the privilege of fair comment did not extend to ‘a false statement of fact, whether it was expressly stated or implied from an expression of opinion,’” quoting Restatement (Second) of Torts, § 566, Comment a (1977)). I’ve written a lot about defamation in the past; perhaps there’s some right to lie about yourself and the Congressional Medal of Honor you didn’t win, but, at least for now, the Supreme Court has rejected every effort to claim a right to maliciously defame others. Which brings us to Michael Mann, the physicist and climatologist at Pennsylvania State University famous for his work on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and for the “hockey stick graph” showing a dramatic increase in global temperature over the past century. He’s also been called “the Jerry Sandusky of climate science.” Wait, what? That insulting quote — drawing a parallel between Mann and the single most reviled person at Mann’s own school — comes from Rand Simberg, of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (which, big surprise, receives substantial funding from oil and gas interests). The full quote is: Mann could be said to be the Jerry Sandusky of climate science, except that instead of molesting children, he has molested and tortured data in the service of politicized science that could have dire economic consequences for the nation and planet. Mark Steyn of the National Review picked it up, adding: Not sure I’d have extended that metaphor all the way into the locker-room showers with quite the zeal Mr Simberg does, but he has a point. Michael Mann was the man behind the fraudulent climate-change “hockey-stick” graph, the very ringmaster of the tree-ring circus. In response, Mann said he was considering legal action, and eventually his lawyers at Cozen O’Connor sent a letter to the National Review demanding a retraction. Ken at Popehat concludes, “This is not a prudent move on Professor Mann’s part — unless his purpose is to use the courts to conduct a political, scientific, and cultural debate, something that is generally a poor use of the legal system.” I agree that the legal system generally shouldn’t be used for political purposes (like the mining industry’s threat to sue over the diesel exhaust study, which never materialized into a lawsuit), but I disagree Mann’s threatened suit is an example of that. Ironically, Simburg’s response gets right to the legal heart of the matter: Interestingly, he seems much more upset about the accusations of scientific fraud than about the Sandusky comparison (the latter is almost an afterthought in the lawyer’s letter). But does he really want to litigate the hockey stick in a court of law? Does he in fact want to dig into any of his unscientific behavior in a venue in which he will be under oath, and he won’t have sympathetic colleagues covering for him? Does he really want those emails to be read aloud in court? And has he talked to the University of Virginia? Even if they continue to fight the FOIA, how will they fight a subpoena for the missing emails in a civil lawsuit? There’s nothing surprising about Mann’s lawyer focusing on the accusation of scientific fraud: Simberg and Steyn’s opinions about global warming are protected speech, as is the Sandusky comparison standing alone. As I mentioned back in the FunnyJunk v. Oatmeal nonsense, satire and humor are protected speech, even when done in an aggressive and potentially misleading manner. Consider The People v. Larry Flynt, which was actually Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell, 485 U.S. 46 (1988), in which Hustler magazine posted a blatantly false “interview” with Jerry Falwell in which he described drunkenly losing his virginity to his own mother in an outhouse. (For example, “INTERVIEWER: But your mom? Isn’t that a bit odd? FALWELL: I don’t think so. Looks don’t mean that much to me in a woman.”) In many ways, the more hyperbolic the speech, the more likely it is to be protected. But things change
to – it makes it very clear what we mean and what we stand for," he told The Local. With around 5,000 likes and over 600 shares on Facebook plus 200,000 views on Twitter, it is one of the organization's most successful social media posts ever, Stjernström revealed: "We feel a great deal of support from those who follow us on Facebook but also others who are normally not interested in military issues who have given us active support". READ ALSO: Ten reasons why Stockholm Pride is simply awesome Not everyone has been positive however, with some Facebook users taking issue with the post. "Here I was thinking that the Armed Forces' duty is to defend the Swedish nation's borders," one comment said. "One doesn't negate the other," Stjernström said in reference to the post. "The Armed Forces' activities are founded on defending Sweden, the country's interests, our freedoms and right to live as we choose. The general public should feel, know and understand that the Armed Forces stands up for the freedoms and interests of all citizens, here and now, that we defend the current and future Sweden. What we are defending is more than just territory and our borders. It's our democratic governance, our laws, our freedoms and rights. Everything that makes Sweden Sweden." "There are always some (but relatively few) who think the Armed Forces as an authority should hold a low profile in issues that can be deemed as political. We don't think so. We want to clearly and strongly take a stand for the freedoms and rights we are tasked with protecting," he concluded. READ ALSO: Stockholm to get new same-sex traffic lights in show of LGBT supportCesc Fabregas: Happy with his decision to join Chelsea New Chelsea signing Cesc Fabregas has insisted he told Barcelona to let him leave, and they even tried to stop him departing. Fabregas completed a move to Stamford Bridge last week, but he has stressed it was his decision to quit the Camp Nou. The Spanish ace also says that president Josep Maria Bartomeu tried to prevent him from moving. "I asked Barcelona to find a way for me to leave the club. The president tried to stop the sale, but I already had my mind made up," he told Cadena Cope. "At the time, I spoke with [sporting director] Andoni Zubizarreta and the president [Josep Maria Bartomeu] and I told them I wanted to leave. I asked Barcelona to find a way for me to leave the club. The president tried to stop the sale, but I already had my mind made up. Cesc Fabregas "Honestly, it all went really smoothly. I'm not leaving for any specific reason, if not for a multitude of different things, my own errors and that’s it. "If I didn't think that I'd be happy at Chelsea, I would've never made this decision. Above all, I want to be happy both professionally and personally. "[Chelsea have] great players - young and talented - and building a great team with new signings. I have no doubt I'll be happy, I lived in London for eight years, I have friends [and] family there." Fabregas considers his work at the club, following 57 goals and 42 assists in three seasons, to be positive. He said: "The statistics are not bad, but I know that in the big games these goals and assists have not emerged. "I've spent three spectacular years in Barcelona with my friends, it was a blast and have won six titles." The midfielder also denied that club tried to get Lionel Messi to persuade him to stay and added: "It is not true that (the club) sent Messi. Leo did not ask me to stay. Leo is terrific and told me to be happy wherever I went."Germany's Angela Merkel delivered a rebuke to President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, telling him that a planned Moscow-backed referendum on whether Crimea should join Russia was illegal and violated Ukraine's constitution. Putin defended breakaway moves by pro-Russian leaders in Crimea, where Russian forces tightened their grip on the Ukrainian region by seizing another border post. As thousands staged rival rallies in Crimea, street violence flared in Sebastopol, when pro-Russian activists and Cossack militiamen attacked a group of Ukrainians. Russian forces' seizure of the Black Sea peninsula has been bloodless but tensions are mounting following the decision by pro-Russian groups there to make Crimea part of Russia. The operation to seize Crimea began within days of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovich's flight from the country last month. Yanukovich was toppled after three months of demonstrations against a decision to spurn a free trade deal with the European Union for closer ties with Russia. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk will hold talks with President Barack Obama in Washington on Wednesday on how to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis, the White House said. One of Obama's top national security officials said the United States would not recognise the annexation of Crimea by Russia if residents vote to leave Ukraine in a referendum next week. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said he would go to the United States to discuss the standoff with Russia over Ukraine's southern region of Crimea. (Andrew Kravchenko/Reuters) "We won't recognize it, nor will most of the world," deputy national security adviser Tony Blinken said. Putin declared a week ago that Russia had the right to invade Ukraine to protect Russian citizens, and his parliament has voted to change the law to make it easier to annex territory inhabited by Russian speakers. Speaking by telephone to Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron, Putin said steps taken by authorities in Crimea were "based on international law and aimed at guaranteeing the legitimate interests of the peninsula's population," the Kremlin said. A German government statement, however, said the referendum was illegal. "Holding it violates the Ukrainian constitution and international law." Border post taken Late on Sunday, an armed pro-Russian force wearing military uniforms bearing no designated markings sealed off another military airport in Crimea, a defence ministry spokesman on the peninsula said. The 80 or so-strong group, who were supporting 50 civilians, blocked off the entrance to the airport near the village of Saki and established machine-gun posts along the landing strip, the spokesman, Vladislav Seleznyov, told Reuters by telephone. Kremlin Statement 'Despite the differences in the assessments of what is happening, they (Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British PM David Cameron) expressed a common interest in de-escalation of the tensions and normalization of the situation as soon as possible.' The civilian group, who were wielding sticks and clubs, sought to break into the airport's control terminal, he said Earlier in the day, Russian forces seized a border post on the western edge of Crimea, trapping about 15 personnel inside, a border guard spokesman said, revising an earlier figure of 30. The spokesman, Oleh Slobodyan, said Russian forces now controlled 11 border guard posts across Crimea, a former Russian territory that is home to Russia's Black Sea fleet and has an ethnic Russian majority. In Sevastopol, several hundred people held a meeting demanding that Crimea become part of Russia, chanting: "Moscow is our capital." Across town at a monument to Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, violence flared at a meeting to commemorate the 200th anniversary of his birth, when pro-Russian activists and Cossacks attacked a small group of Ukrainians guarding the event and the police had to intervene. Footage from the event showed a group of men violently kicking one of the Ukrainians as he lay on the ground and a Cossack repeatedly hit him with a long black leather whip. Former Russian oil tycoon, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, released from jail in December, addressed a crowd in Kyiv's Independence Square lambasting his old foe Putin for his heavy-handed approach to protesters in Ukraine. "Russian propaganda lies, as always. There are no fascists or Nazis here, no more than on the streets in Moscow or St Petersburg," said Khodorovsky, who spent 10 years in a Russian prison. "These are wonderful people who stood up for their freedom." In Simferopol, Crimea's main city, pro- and anti-Russian groups held rival rallies. Police detain a pro-Russian demonstrator during a rally in Donetsk on Sunday. (Reuters) Several hundred opponents of Russian-backed plans for Crimea to secede gathered, carrying blue and yellow balloons the colour of the Ukrainian flag. The crowd sang the national anthem, twice, and an Orthodox Priest led prayers and a hymn. Vladimir Kirichenko, 58, an engineer, opposed the regional parliament's plans for a vote this month on Crimea joining Russia. "I don't call this a referendum. It asks two practically identical questions: Are you for the secession of Ukraine or are you for the secession of Ukraine? So why would I go and vote?" Soviet songs Around 2,000 Russian supporters gathered in Lenin Square, where there is a statue of the Soviet state founder, clapping along to nostalgic Soviet era songs being sung from the stage. We have always been Russian, not Ukrainian. We support Putin. - Alexander Liganov, 25 Alexander Liganov, 25 and jobless, said: "We have always been Russian, not Ukrainian. We support Putin." President Vladimir Putin declared a week ago that Russia had the right to invade Ukraine to protect Russian citizens, and his parliament has voted to change the law to make it easier to annex territory inhabited by Russian speakers. At a rally in the eastern city of Donetsk, home to many Russian speakers, presidential candidate Vitaly Klitschko, a former boxing champion, said Ukraine should not be allowed to split apart amid bloodshed. "The main task is to preserve the stability and independence of our country," he said. People hold a banner reading, "We demand a referendum" as they shout slogans during a pro Russian rally in Donetsk, Ukraine, Saturday, March 8, 2014. Pro Russian activists continued to gather on Saturday in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, as Russia was reported to be reinforcing its military presence in Crimea. (Sergei Grits/Associated Press) The worst face-off with Moscow since the Cold War has left the West scrambling for a response, especially since the region's pro-Russia leadership declared Crimea part of Russia last week and announced a March 16 referendum to confirm it. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking to Russia's foreign minister for the fourth day in a row, told Sergei Lavrov on Saturday that Russia should exercise restraint. "He made clear that continued military escalation and provocation in Crimea or elsewhere in Ukraine, along with steps to annex Crimea to Russia, would close any available space for diplomacy, and he urged utmost restraint," a U.S. official said. Shots fired A spokeswoman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said military monitors from the pan-Europe watchdog had on Saturday been prevented for the third time in as many days from entering Crimea. A woman shouts slogans and holds a balloon which reads, "We are for peace in Ukraine" as she attends a rally against the breakup of the country in Simferopol. (The Associated Press) Shots were fired to turn back the mission of more than 40 unarmed observers, who have been invited by Kyiv but lack permission from Crimea's pro-Russian authorities to cross the isthmus to the peninsula. No one was hurt. Moscow denies that the Russian-speaking troops in Crimea are under its command, an assertion Washington dismisses as "Putin's fiction." Although they wear no insignia, the troops drive vehicles with Russian military plates. A Reuters reporting team filmed a convoy of hundreds of Russian troops in about 50 trucks, accompanied by armoured vehicles and ambulances, which pulled into a military base north of Simferopol in broad daylight on Saturday. Ukrainian troops are performing training exercises in their bases but there are no plans to send them to Crimea, Interfax news agency quoted acting Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh as saying. Ukraine's military, with 130,000 troops, would be no match for Russia's. So far Kyiv has held back from any action that might provoke a response.Just before 11 p.m. Chicago time, well-connected broadcaster (and former MLS All-Star) Kyle Martino (@kylemartino) tweeted: The tweet is a little bit ambivalent, clearly, although it's hard to square the firing of, say, Leo Percovich with the hashtag #CoachingCarousel. At the least, the heat is on the technical staff. We will update as events dictate. EDIT: Orrin Schwarz reporting: Hearing Fire will announce Wednesday that coach Frank Klopas will not be back #MLS #cf97 — Orrin Schwarz (@Orrin_Schwarz) October 30, 2013 Frank Klopas stepped into the role of interim head coach of the Chicago Fire in midseason 2011 after serving as Technical Director for the club previously. The Fire ended that season on a 7-2-1 tear, resulting in Klopas' confimation as head coach. In 2012, the team flirted with the top of the table late in the season before fading badly and losing a home playoff game. 2013 started horribly, as the team won only two of its first 11 matches. But Klopas' squad, led by midseason acquisition Mike Magee, rallied to put themselves into playoff position, only to falter at the final hurdle. If Klopas goes now, he leaves behind a legacy of truly mind-blowing streakiness: the 7-2-1 that first year; the seven weeks after Rolfe joined the lineup in 2012; and the 2013 squad, both the 2-7-2 schmoes and the 12-6-5 heroes.Before my visit earlier this year, I’d never been to Cuba, though Cuba had certainly been to me. The Miami of my ’80s childhood was a suburban reboot of prerevolutionary Cuba, filled with people who still toasted El año próximo en La Habana (“next year in Havana”) at important occasions. Everything from family letters to fresh-off-the-raft waiters kept us apprised of the increasingly desperate conditions. In Miami, even the dogcatcher had to have a foreign policy toward the island, and Cuba was all anyone ever really talked about. In Silicon Valley, where I worked at companies like Facebook and Twitter for the earlier part of this decade, Cuba was generally regarded, when it was regarded at all, as a technological curiosity. This socialist worker’s paradise was a time capsule where technocapitalism’s “Make the world more open and connected” idealism hadn’t yet delivered its liberal-democratic fruit. The underlying assumption held that, whether it was Facebook pages for Cuban businesses or Airbnb tourists from Texas, the internet’s arrival would lead to a near-instantaneous transformation of Cuban society from Soviet-era holdout to just another part of the globe requiring a dedicated user support team. Given the rickety and expensive connectivity, nobody wastes bandwidth trying to stream Game of Thrones. It seemed like only a matter of time. Yet other than a few rumored experiments beginning in the ’90s, the Cuban government had a highly restrictive internet policy until 2015, when ETECSA’s first Wi-Fi hot spots started popping up throughout the capital. Walk down a street in Old Havana and you’ll note a flock of smartphone-clutching loiterers either standing or squatting in a park as they try to get on ETECSA Wi-Fi. This is Cuban internet, where access to non-state-sanctioned websites is blocked, the government snoops on anything unencrypted, and the service is grindingly slow, when it exists at all. (I’m told that fast internet access is the exclusive domain of state institutions like universities and very large, mostly foreign corporations like hotels. Short of a few government professionals, nobody can check their email or surf the web, legally, at home without permission from the government.) There are even some startups capitalizing on the rarity, shoddiness, and expense of Cuban internet: Knales, a mobile messaging platform cofounded by Diana Elianne Benitez Perera, packages online weather reports, horoscopes, sports scores, foreign exchange rates, and other basic news into text messages that Cubans can read on their phones. Given the rickety and expensive nature of Cuban connectivity, nobody wastes time or bandwidth trying to stream an episode of Game of Thrones or a YouTube instructional video. ETECSA Wi-Fi, when you can get it, is purely social and communicative: chatting with the uncle in Miami who sends you $200 every month via a remittance company, the nephew who moved to Spain, the cousin outside the capital—that’s what the ETECSA hot spot is for. Which brings us to the first workaround. Every week, more than a terabyte of data is packaged into external hard drives known as el paquete semanal (“the weekly package”). It is the internet distilled down to its purest, most consumable, and least interactive form: its content. This collection of video, song, photo, and text files from the outside world is cobbled together by various media smugglers known as paqueteros, and it travels around the island from person to person, percolating quickly from Havana to the furthest reaches in less than a day and constituting what would be known in techie lingo as a sneakernet: a network that transmits data via shoe rubber, bus, horseback, or anything else. Oddly, it works. Cubans can be as conversant as any Netflix-and-chill American about popular shows like House of Cards or Black Mirror, and they drop allusions to the Lannisters and Omar Little constantly. It’s been reported that as many as 3 million Cubans access content via the paquete. And to understand the paquete—as well as the other epic acts of Cuban hackery I’m going to describe—you need a Spanish lesson you didn’t get in high school. An important word to know in Cuba is resolver. While literally meaning “to resolve,” in practice it’s closer to Silicon Valley’s notion of “lifehacking,” but without the humblebraggy lifestyle posturing. Need to navigate the endless hurdles involved in getting a small business license? Resolver. Need to bribe a doorman to get into a popular nightlife spot like the ever-teeming Fábrica de Arte Cubano? Resolver. Need to string 200 yards of cable and an antenna through neighbors’ patios so you can siphon a nearby ETECSA park’s Wi-Fi signal and maybe check your email slowly (and illegally) from home? Resolver. Cubans are the kings and queens of resolver, the virtuosi of resolver. It’s the only thing that’s kept them afloat since the “Special Period” in the early ’90s, when the Soviet Union and its subsidy disappeared, leaving Cuba’s economy stranded and Cubans themselves hungry. But arrayed against the forces of resourceful resolver lies another important word: complicado. Want to talk to the dissident journalists who scoff at Cuban censorship and are routinely harassed and jailed? Es complicado. Want to get a passport and visa to travel abroad? Es complicado. My last Spanish lesson: No es fácil. It’s not easy. This is the closing refrain to almost every practical Cuban conversation, usually uttered with a resigned shrug. The island is one immense battlefield of resolver vs. complicado, with a decaying colonial ruin as stage and no es fácil as the Greek chorus.Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has announced plans to resign following multiple accusations of sexual abuse after a fifth accuser -- who is the mayor's younger cousin -- came forward and alleged that Murray repeatedly molested him in the 1970s. Murray, 62, announced Tuesday that he will step down effective 5 p.m. Wednesday. The mayor had already said that he wouldn't seek a second term. Accuser Joseph Dyer, who is a dialysis technician and Air Force veteran, says the molestation occurred in New York when he was a teen, according to The Seattle Times. The 54-year-old Dyer — Murray's first cousin once removed — told the newspaper that he wants the mayor punished for the alleged actions, saying, "I have had enough.... Something has got to be done." Murray has denied the accusation, attributing it to a longstanding family schism. CALLS GROW FOR SEATTLE MAYOR TO RESIGN "While the allegations against me are not true, it is important that my personal issues do not affect the ability of our City government to conduct the public's business," the mayor said in a statement. Dyer reportedly said the incidents occurred when he was 13, while Murray, who was then in his early 20s, shared a bedroom with Dyer in his mother’s Long Island home. "There would be times when I would fake sleeping because I didn't want him touching me," Dyer told the newspaper. Four men had previously accused Murray of sexually abusing them. Murray has denied all of the allegations. Before being elected mayor in 2013, Murray was a long-time Democrat state lawmaker who led the campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington state. As mayor, Murray pushed to raise the city's minimum hourly wage to $15. "To the people of this special city and to my dedicated staff, I am sorry for this painful situation," Murray said. Fox News' Frank Miles and The Associated Press contributed to this report.TBILISI, DFWatch–Former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is wanted in Georgia in four criminal cases, on Wednesday spoke at a session of the foreign relations committee in the US Senate. Saakashvili was recently appointed head of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s International Advisory Council on Reforms, but is currently on a lobbying tour to get the US to send weapons to the Kiev government. The title of his speech in the subcommittee on Europe and regional security cooperation was ‘Where Does Putin Go Next After Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova?‘ Senator Johnson introduced Saakashvili as former President of Georgia, but the note on the desk read ‘President Mikheil Saakashvili’. In the beginning of speech he said it might be ‘unorthodox’ that a former president of one country is representing another country in the US. In his speech, the former president described the historical context of conflicts that have occurred after the year 2000, including the Georgia war in August 2008. “Putin’s military excursions are always the prelude to the centralization of his personal power,” he said. “This has made Russia more unpredictable, and Europe and the United States less secure in economic and military terms.” That’s why, he said, it is not possible to predict what will follow after the events in Ukraine. Saakashvili continued his speech with arguing for supplying Ukraine with weapons. He said there have been bilateral talks with the US on this issue and so far Ukraine has been supplied with non-lethal assistance, like radars which are able to detect mortars, and bulletproof vests. But what would strengthen the defense of Ukraine is lethal weapons, like anti-tank weapons, he argued. “When Russia knows there will be little cost to them to take the territory, they will take the territory.” “The United States should take the lead, empowering regional actors like Poland and other neighbors of Ukraine, joining with supportive nations like the UK and the Baltic to create a coalition to arm and train the Ukrainian army.” The second part of his speech was supposed to be about the need for reforms in Ukraine, but the former president soon returned to his opening topic; an attempt at predicting the Russian president’s intentions and tactics. “His [Putin’s]war is a propaganda war. It is about controlling minds. And in that war, we have yet to begin to fight back to help empower the Russian people to look at their own country and their region and to prevent the encroachment of the Russian narrative into our own politics and media.” Saakashvili was president of Georgia for almost ten years. He was carried to power on a wave of public protest that led to a bloodless coup in 2003 known as the the Rose Revolution. Popular at first, he became increasingly controversial in the later years of his presidency. He is currently wanted in Georgia in connection with four criminal cases including the violent dispersal of anti-government rallies, embezzlement and covering up a murder. See the full speech here:The federal government says an Arizona farm has kept temporary Mexican workers in squalid conditions and paid some of them only a fraction of what they are owed. The Department of Labor filed a lawsuit against G Farms in El Mirage, located just northwest of Phoenix, last week. A judge was scheduled to hear arguments on Tuesday. The department says that G Farms housed about 70 workers here on a visa in a dangerous and unsanitary encampment composed of school buses, semitrailers, a cargo container and an open-air shed. An attorney for G Farms said the allegations were overblown and inaccurate and that the farm has already placed workers in a hotel or apartment. Attorney Rick Mahrle said he wouldn't be arguing against a government request for a temporary restraining order and that the farm would comply with all regulations. "There's been no intention here of ever violating any regulations or doing anything that harms these people who come and harvest the crops here in Arizona," Mahrle said. According to court documents, the farm crammed 10 workers into each school bus to sleep in. The rear exits of the buses were blocked by a mobile air conditioner, creating a safety risk. The documents state the air conditioner only blew hot air. An investigator with the department also found that the shower facilities were filthy and trash-ridden and that an electrical cord used to supply lighting inside ran through the shower area and was exposed to standing water, which could result in electrocution. The workers from Sinaloa, Mexico, arrived in late April to harvest onions. They're paid between 13 cents and 17 cents per bag of onions they pick, which Mahrle said usually results in more than the $10.95 per hour they're supposed to be paid. The farm doesn't track employee hours, but investigators say they work 45 to 50 hours a week. The department says some of the workers weren't paid what they were owed, which Mahrle said happened in only a small number of cases and that the farm is providing back pay. Mahrle has also denied allegations from the government that workers were threatened against cooperating with investigators. "We simply did not do that, ever. We are not intimidating anybody or telling them they can't talk to the investigator," he said. Marhle said most of the workers are now in apartments, and some are in a hotel while the farm finds more units. According to the manager of a nearby apartment complex, workers from G Farms started living there three days ago. The manager told ABC15 that a representative from G Farms asked if they could fit 14 migrant workers into a single two bedroom apartment, claiming each worker only needed 60 square feet of living space. The apartment told us they said no to 14 people and instead agreed on five per unit. However, the complex said it knows G Farms is already breaking that rule.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S., Canadian and Mexican negotiators on Friday began digging into some of the thorniest issues in modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement, including rules of origin for goods produced in the region, services trade and a controversial dispute settlement system. Trucks wait in the queue for border customs control to cross into U.S. at the Bridge of Americas in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, August 15, 2017. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez A copy of the NAFTA negotiating agenda obtained by Reuters reveals that meetings on rules of origin, a provision that determines how much of a product is made in North America, were expected to last through Sunday, when the initial round concludes. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer emphasized at the opening of the talks on Wednesday that the United States was seeking major increases to the regional content required for goods to pass tariff-free between the three countries, including a demand for “substantial U.S. content” in the automotive sector. Canada, Mexico and the U.S. auto industry are urging a much more cautious approach to rules of origin to avoid disruptions for a complex North American supply chain built up over the 23 years that NAFTA has been in force. However, it was unclear whether Lighthizer would reveal specific targets or thresholds for North American and U.S. content for autos. Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo on Friday said it was “impossible” that country-specific rules of origin could be included. “In the world of international trade, there is not a single precedent (for that), not in a bilateral or multilateral agreement,” he told a Mexican radio station. The agenda showed that negotiators were at least touching on all of the major issues in the first days to determine how deep the differences are. One official involved in the talks who was not authorized to speak publicly described the atmosphere inside the negotiating room as “collaborative.” Several officials said that a joint statement at the end of talks on Sunday will not, as expected, outline any areas of agreement although it will elaborate on a timeline for the remainder of the negotiations. The next round will be held in Mexico in September. Negotiators are under pressure to wrap up the talks before Mexico’s presidential election campaign kicks off in earnest in February. The United States has emphasized the need for changes that U.S. goods trade deficits with its NAFTA partners, but Canada and Mexico argue the deficits are the result of a low U.S. domestic savings rate. “I would strongly contest whether emphasizing trade deficits is the real metric for how our relationship should be measured,” Juan Carlos Baker, Mexico’s deputy minister of foreign trade, told reporters. “It’s going to be difficult.” On Wednesday and Thursday, discussions were held regarding Canadian and Mexican demands for more access to U.S. public works projects and government procurement - an issue that conflicts with U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans to strengthen his “Buy American” rules for spending taxpayer funds. United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer speaks at a news conference prior to the inaugural round of North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiations in Washington, U.S., August 16, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein The talks also have spent substantial time on digital trade - a new chapter to govern a sector that did not exist when NAFTA was negotiated in the early 1990s - as well as cross-border investment, intellectual property and environmental issues. Canada is pushing a climate-change agenda in the talks, in conflict with Trump’s pledge to revive the U.S. coal industry. On Saturday, the negotiators are scheduled to discuss a controversial dispute settlement system for anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases that the United States wants to eliminate. Canada and Mexico have vowed to maintain the so-called “Chapter 19” provisions that have shielded them from U.S. trade cases.Day 1 After they got home and paid the sitter, after Marion went to her room, and he knew she was asleep, he stepped out the front door. Starting the car, he told himself, would wake his wife and child. But that wasn’t the real reason he slipped into his fur. He wanted to make a point. That’s what it was. But how did one make a point to Grandmere? It occured to him that he really had no clue. Maybe changing tonight was for himself. At times, four legs felt more solid than two. When he had four legs, the very thought of standing upright seemed dangerous, unbalanced. Probably not a healthy attitude, but there it was. Her light was on. She was awake. He knew she had wards in place, but they weren’t for him, so he could not smell, feel, see or hear them. Which bothered him, especially when he was furred. His animal side saw them as a danger more dire for being unsensed. That’s what came of the dual nature, of the beast inside him talking to the man. He always had to convince his bestial self to step into the house. She was upstairs. He would wait even if it took all night. And then she was there, smelling of tallow and smoke and bitter herbs. She must have been at her work table. “Leves-toi.” “What do you want?” she asked. “There is trouble again, Grandmere.” “Another priest? Another witchfinder?” “Not a priest, but yes, a witchfinder of sorts.” “He is a threat to my sister, her children. Especially to your great-granddaughter.” “Hurt that weak little thing? Why? How?” Grandmere cocked an eyebrow. “He and his men will seize her, perhaps?” she asked, her voice dry. “Crush her hands, violate her and carry her off to a dungeon?” “No, Grandmere, of course not.” Burn her? Hang her?” “No,” he said. “Grandmere…” If only he could find the words that would make her understand. He looked down. “Your great grandaughter is not talented as you are, as my father was, or all of your children. But she is talented in a different way. Her brains… Grandmere, she is gifted, brilliant. She wants to go to school on the mainland, a wonderful school, and she could, she has the chance. But these men will take that chance away from her. And that school, Grandmere, it’s a very special…” “Yes. Harvard. I know all about that. Straighten up and look at me, boy.” He looked at her. “The troubles of the untalented” she said, “are none of my business.” For a moment he couldn’t speak. She smiled. “Ah, now I have made you angry, yes? I once meddled often in mundane matters. It was necessary early on, when we were poor, and making pennies from love potions and palm readings but now…” She made a gesture that encompassed the house. “No more. Never again. Not unless it affects true members of our family. And this is does not. No, boy, don’t bow your head again and genuflect. It will do no good.” “Grandmere, it will break her heart if…” “That is what hearts are for. If you feel responsible for your niece, and are so worried about the state of her heart, find her a wealthy husband. No magic would be needed for that. I’ve seen how men look at her.” She turned away. “Now go. I have important work to do.” Day 2 Artiste’s voice was unbearable. Once it had been rich, deep, and controlled. He’d used it like a musical instrument from his pulpit, and there had been a ring of confident intelligence that carried listeners wherever he wanted them to go. Now it was faint and it shook as badly as his hands. Now it was uncertain and untethered to reality. “I must go to New York,” he said again. “I can explain it to them. I’m sure I can make them understand.” “No, Artiste, no, not yet” Laurette said. “You must stay here until you are stronger.” And Lucas said “That’s right Grandpa. Rest up.” “No sense in going while you still feel bad.” Artie said nothing. He didn’t trust his own voice. His father would never again be strong. His father would never again be well, or the man Artie remembered. Artiste had seen the article in the Island Beacon, the one with where that senator had said those things. Lately, Laurette had been retrieving the morning and afternoon editions and destroying them after a quick read, but somehow this morning’s paper had ended up in Artiste’s hands. “How did this happen?” Artie asked Laurette. “How did you let this happen?” “Artie…” said Mimi quietly. “I must have forgotten,” Laurette said, even though she was sure she hadn’t. She was positive something else, something she couldn’t bear to tell her stepson, had put the paper in Artiste’s sight. The senator had laughed at them. The senator had spoken of Touperdu as though it were an Island of unsophisticated natives who were putty in the hands of subversive reds. The senator had implied that both Bill and Artiste were communist traitors. And lying cowards. “It would seem,” he was quoted as saying, “that the two principal witnesses we’d like to question have coincidentally fallen ill at exactly the same time.” There was a picture of the man smirking. And Artiste had decided he would fly to New York, sit before that committee, and explain everything to them, make it plain he was no Communist. Go to New York when he walked in a tired, bent shuffle. Talk to those hyenas when he could barely speak above a whisper. Convince them and anyone listening when he so frequently became confused, so often could not connect ideas, command language as he once could. He’d been so insistent Laurette had made some panicked phone calls to anyone she thought might help. Artie and Mimi and Lucas had come. And Marion and Judith. And Kitty. Now everyone was sitting around the patio. It occured to Laurette that she should bring something out on a tray, some lemonade perhaps, or cookies, but she couldn’t. There were moments these days when the thought of just rising from a chair seemed impossible. Judith hated to admit it, but along with being concerned about her uncle, she was intrigued. She had always thought of Artiste as Tante Laurette’s husband. Of course, she’d known he had a family of his own, and had seen them — all of them togther at St. Elmo’s on Sunday, Lucas and Ella at school, Artie and Mimi at The Rose, and Kitty Rose…. Well, she was usually someone pointed out from a distance, or a figure on a stage, a voice on the radio. But now that they were up close, she could see how deep, how complex a family could be. She could see that Artie was very upset, and his wife was worried about him almost as much as she was worried about her father-in-law. She could see that Mimi had a lovely smile… …that could quickly, when she thought nobody was looking, fall into what seemed like well worn, familiar lines of worry. She could see that Lucas resembled his mother, and, juding from the quiet conversation she’d seen shortly after she arrived, was used to providing emotional support to his parents, was more attuned to their moods and needs than most 19-year-olds. And Kitty… She looked like an ordinary elderly woman except for those eyes — “Roselyn eyes,” she’d once heard Artiste call them, a strange deep blue, like Artie’s and Mayor Abbot’s. There was something flamboyant and engaging about Kitty that made Judy remember something Artiste had said years ago. “Kitty never just comes into a room. She enters stage right or stage left.” “So you’re the clever girl I’ve been hearing about,”
has double digit leads over each of her would-be GOP foes for the presidency in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, with the exception of ties in Florida when matched up against the state's former Gov. Jeb Bush and in Ohio against current Gov. John Kasich, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday. No candidate has won the presidency since 1960 without winning two of those three crucial states. Other native sons didn't fare as well against the former secretary of state, with Clinton still topping Florida's Sen. Marco Rubio 49% to 39% and also leading Pennsylvania's former Sen. Rick Santorum by 10 points in his state. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie flopped to Clinton by double digits in each of the three states, according to the poll, including in neighboring Pennsylvania where he caps at 39% to Clinton's 50%, according to the Quinnipiac survey of 881 voters in that state. Clinton's lead in the polls also match her favorability ratings, which topped 50 percent according to Quinnipiac polling in all three states. Read MoreWe've reached the finals of the first Tournament of TV Fanatic bracket. For the past few weeks, we've been asking readers to vote between their favorite CW stars, as seeds 1 through 16, from shows across this network's schedule, have done battle for the hearts and minds of fans everywhere. And now we're down to the championship: Vampire Diaries hunk Ian Somerhalder (overall #1 seed) will try to coast through the all four rounds by going up against Supernatural stud Jensen Ackles (#7 seeds). Will we see an upset? Or is the shirtless smirk of Damon Salvatore simply too tough to beat? Vote now and decide. Results will be announced on Monday: And the Winner is? Ian Somerhalder Click Here To Vote for Ian Jensen Ackles Click Here To Vote for Jensen The Tournament of TV Fanatic has come down to a pair of names for the title of Biggest CW Star. Vote now between Ian Somerhalder and Jensen Ackles. View Poll » Poll is now closed! Here are the results: Ian Somerhalder 41.4% 58.6% View Poll » Ian SomerhalderJensen AcklesTotal Votes: 30891 REMEMBER: Following the reveal of The CW's top star, we'll move on to CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC and wild card (HBO, USA, etc.) tournaments! The winners from each will then compete for the overall title and we'll crown the top television star on the planet. With your help! Here's the updated CW bracket: Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.Federal judge James Robertson today ordered Mohamedou Ould Salahi, once referred to as the “highest value detainee” in all of Guantanamo Bay, released after ruling that the government lacked any legal basis to hold him. The details of the release order are classified, but a redacted version is expected in the next few weeks. Salahi has been held by the US since November 20, 2001. The memo regarding his detention accused him of traveling to Afghanistan to wage jihad, though this was decades ago in response to the Soviet occupation. He was arrested in Mauritania and renditioned to Jordan. Salahi’s abuse in US custody, amid accusations that he was a “top” al-Qaeda operative, have been well documented, and prosecutors have repeatedly expressed hope that he could eventually be executed. Though the Justice Department is said to be reviewing the ruling and Salahi remains in custody for the time being, the order does serious damage to the credibility of the military commissions system, as his attorney, Nancy Hollander noted: “they were considering giving him the death penalty. Now they don’t even have enough evidence to pass the test for habeas.” Last 5 posts by Jason DitzWorld Hunger 795 million people in the world go hungry every day as reported by the UN’s World Food Programme. That’s 11% of the world’s population – people – living with hunger. Good News on the Hunger Horizon? In 2010, there were over 1 billion people in the world who went hungry every day. At the time, those numbers represented nearly 15% of the world’s population. But before we throw a ticker tape parade and waste a ton of paper, consider this: The number 795,000,000 represents a decreasing hungry population, yes, that’s a good thing, but there are still 795 million –almost one billion-- hungry people in the world. Too many zeros. Hunger Defined According to Merriam-Webster, hunger is defined as: a very great need for food : a severe lack of food an uncomfortable feeling in your stomach that is caused by the need for food a strong desire : a strong desire for something or to do something Hunger Notes claims both malnutrition and undernutrition refer to the effects on people of not having enough food. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) provides the following definitions to help better explain the language of hunger. Malnutrition An abnormal physiological condition caused by inadequate, unbalanced or excessive consumption of macronutrients and/or micronutrients. Malnutrition includes undernutrition and overnutrition as well as micronutrient deficiencies. Undernourishment A state, lasting for at least one year, of inability to acquire enough food, defined as a level of food intake insufficient to meet dietary energy requirements. For the purposes of this report, hunger was defined as being synonymous with chronic undernourishment. Undernutrition The outcome of undernourishment, and/or poor absorption and/or poor biological use of nutrients consumed as a result of repeated infectious disease. It includes being underweight for one’s age, too short for one’s age (stunted), dangerously thin for one’s height (wasted) and deficient in vitamins and minerals (micronutrient malnutrition). 21 Days for World Hunger For the next 21 days I will research hunger and sustainable agriculture, learn about the solutions to alleviating hunger, and share information from various experts and organizations that are working to help those living with hunger. It seemed appropriate for me to begin this journey in September (Hunger Action Month) and end it on October 16, World Food Day. In 2010, I wrote extensively about world hunger for Conducive Chronicle, a growing online news source that ceased publication after being maliciously hacked. Twice that year, I took a similar 21 Days for World Hunger journey. I called it a souljourn, a journey of the soul. Similar to the experiences of 2010, for this World Hunger Souljourn, I will do the following: Discuss malnutrition, undernutrition, undernourishment and stats on world hunger, along with the plights and solutions in specific regions of the world with a focus on Africa. Share some tidbits on specific diets of those living in the poorest regions of the world. Reprint portions of articles from 2010 that are still relevant and valuable today. Share recipes of authentic cuisine in the representative geographic areas of focus. Eat –to the best of my knowledge and ability– a near-equivalent caloric value and similar staple foods like those who are living with hunger. Share my personal experience and daily food intake. I won’t pretend to know what it’s like to be starving or malnourished, because in this controlled experiment, if my resolve breaks, I can back out anytime -- I, unlike them, have a stocked pantry. It will all come down to my willpower versus my desire to advocate for those less fortunate. I’m having some anxiety about this experience. The last time I did this, it was intense. There were difficult moments. Spending 50 hours a week reading, writing, cooking, while not feeling complete in the energy department was a difficult test of my tenacity. It was hard. So hard that my husband, who volunteered to join me for the first World Hunger Souljourn, gave up after four days because he simply couldn't muster the focus to do work. Now when I think about my busy life and trying to keep up the daily blogging along with my work, household chores, studies, and family R&R, I am riddled with trepidation. I know. First world issue. I am choosing to do this. It’s not being imposed upon my person. I’ve decided, in a show of self-care, every 5-6 days I’m giving myself a wellness day. It’ll be a day off from the intensity of blogging. I may throw in a few hunger haikus on those days or maybe nothing at all, and I will maintain the reduced calorie diet. Despite my trepidation about this project knowing how difficult it was the first time around, I’m aware that I’ll likely never have the experience of knowing – really knowing – the real pain of real hunger. For this, I am grateful. As a person who thrives on plant-fueled nutrition, this may not be as far of a stretch as it may be for someone who is accustomed to eating meat, because the staple foods of those living with hunger are beans, legumes, and local vegetables. This is stuff I eat daily. It’s not the food I’m nervous about. It’s carrying the day-to-day intensity on a gravely reduced caloric intake. Daily Caloric Intake of People Living with Hunger World Food Programme recommends 2100 calories/day, but this is not what a person living with hunger consumes. I’ve been told by leaders of various NGO’s over the years that someone living with hunger consumes a caloric intake ranging from 500-900 calories a day and usually one meal in the evening. Have you ever gone to bed hungry? A rumbling stomach lends itself to a disturbing night of sleeplessness, which further sap's one's energy into a vicious cycle of decline. On this first day, I consumed normal amounts of food as a way of forming a benchmark. For Day 2, I halved my normal caloric intake, which is roughly 2200 calories a day, so for the remaining 20 days, I’ll be consuming about 1000-1200 calories a day. In 2010, I ate up to 900 calories a day and lost too much weight too quickly. This is not something I prescribe for anyone, dieting or otherwise. On workdays, I’ll consume on the higher end of that caloric scale, supplementing my one meal a day with a late morning fruit or grain snack – focusing on whole foods. Our Collective Community One clarification I’d like to manifest during this souljourn is the connection between a 1st world lifestyle and the impact on hunger worldwide. Is there a correlation? I believe so. Humans are part of a whole – a beautifully connected whole. We’re one far-reaching human community. Evidence of a so-called human family may not be obvious on a day-to-day basis, but I’ve seen that connectedness and caring shine through during times of crisis. Picture a subway car filled to the brim with people. It’s the end of the day. Most folks after a grueling day of work want very little to do with other people, especially strangers. The droning of metal wheels against metal rails as the car rolls along a seemingly endless black tunnel, an unnatural yellow light glosses over torn fabric and tagged adverts; this is a daily ritual many adults take from Monday to Friday. Noses to books, phones to mouths, headphones to ears, these are all universal signals for “leave me alone.” It’s a scene of fragmentation and disconnection, understandably so. However, were there to be a crisis on that car, no doubt anyone who could help would help. This is because humans have an infinite capacity to care and a natural, involuntary instinct to lend a hand, to help a fellow human in need. I wrote this prior to the Hoboken crash, but case in point as shown by the heroes who emerged from this tragedy. It astounds me to witness examples of this, whether it’s the Hoboken train crash, a World Trade Tower crashing to the ground or an earthquake bringing an ancient Italian village to its knees. In crisis, all hands are on deck with the common purpose of survival. It’s stunning to see how everyday people become heroes without ever being called to the task. They just take action, because another human, regardless of age, color, political stance, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender is in a calamitous situation and urgent need. It’s a thing of beauty. This is brilliance. I’m here to tell you we have a crisis and that it’s time to pull the earbuds and the cell phones and whatever other distractions that keep us distanced from our fellow humans, and to become that one community, all hands on deck, with the common purpose of helping our fellow humans. And while this crisis is neither dramatically reinforced on continuous replay through our television sets nor broadly publicized in the daily headlines of major newspapers, it is still very real and very dire. In this crisis we don’t hear the shouts of a dozen people forming a powerful human chain with the sole intention of rescuing men trapped in the dark, ashen, depths of a coalmine. No, this crisis is more silent than that. In this crisis we don’t see the dramatic impact of a region overtaken by the waves of a furious tsunami. But there is a flood, and it is that of the tears of a mother whose child has withered and died from lack of food. In this crisis, the rubble is not made of cement blocks and steel beams, it is of human flesh. The crisis is world hunger, and it spans continents afflicting nearly one billion people who are mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, and brothers. Their agonizing cries are not heard as the rest of the world carries on, unaware that we have the power to bring justice to a most unjust situation: there are nearly one billion people in this shared human race who are denied their very real right to sustenance. I reckon these folks have a different interpretation of the human race than the rest of us. I wonder if they see it as a race against a life of misery and not part of a unified species. The crisis of world hunger could be solved if we all came together and experienced one another as brothers and sisters with hearts and souls and love. When we function as a global community, we give ourselves the opportunity to have empathy for this painfully serious problem. When we, as a human unit – not Americans, not Asians, not Latinos, not Africans, but we as humans, hold a collective consciousness and realize our behaviors impact and are impacted by one other and we have the power to actually do something to improve the situation for all, a peaceful existence becomes a real possibility. By the completion of these 21 days, I’ll be suggesting actionable items that anyone can take to participate in the goal of alleviating world hunger. Food Justice I define food justice as each person’s right to clean water and food that is nutritious and sustainable to the person, her family, her community, and the environment. When there is food justice, farmers are supported to grow organic food for their families and their communities. Farmers are not indebted to food companies, chemical companies, or their government, because they are part of a functional, collective whole that believes prosperous families create healthy societies. Food justice perpetuates a peaceful, fulfilling, content, and collective existence among all peoples. Food justice comprises human rights and animal rights, taking into consideration that no living being deserves to be exploited and used for another’s gain. All have a right to life. Food justice leads to a thriving, better-educated population, a stronger workforce, absolute self-sufficiency, flourishing interdependence, deeper compassion, and healthy minds. When there is food justice, people in developed countries have awareness that their choices impact less fortunate people across the globe, and their actions demonstrate this awareness in a forward-thinking way. For example, rainforests and hamburgers: a person in the US purchases a hamburger for $1.99, which seems like a good deal. But the true cost of that hamburger includes the energy used for the transportation that shipped the beef from Brazil, the indigenous peoples who lost their villages because of trees that were cut down to create space for a cattle ranch, and the increasingly heating climate because those trees are no longer there to absorb planet-warming carbon dioxide. The Food Justice Diet In 2010, a number of people joined me in the World Hunger Diet. I felt uncomfortable with that term, World Hunger Diet. It felt exploitative and uncomfortable. But the idea grew on me as folks continued to use the term. It was, after all, a diet for world hunger. In our society the word “diet” is standard lingo to mean reducing food consumption, changing caloric intake or eliminating carbs, etc. It appears to be most often uses as a verb. I am dieting. According to the Merriam Webster online dictionary, diet is defined as the following: noun di·et \ˈdī-ət\ a : food and drink: regularly provided or consumed b : habitual nourishment c : the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason d : a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one’s weight > verb di·et e: to eat less food or to eat only particular kinds of food in order to lose weight : to be on a diet You can see the first two definitions show a regular or habitual consumption of sorts. It’s not until we get to the fourth definition (d) that it becomes specifically about reduction, and the last (e), a verb shows an act of eating less or of eating a particular kind of food. Folks diet, to lose weight, for a variety of reasons: they don't like having extra weight, they don't like how they feel, they don't like how they look, they are told by a doctor to do so, they have an important event and need to fit into clothes, society imposes unreasonable demands and judgments, etc. I wonder about the level of frustration starving people would have if they knew how many women – and of course, men too, obsess over their weight to the point of denying themselves the very essence of survival –food. It must be perplexing. During this 21-day experience, I will be changing my diet (as in the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason, see definition “c”) and as part of this experience and by default, I will no doubt lose weight (definition “d") even if this isn't my intention. I will be eating a particular kind of food (e). Perhaps I'll emerge from this experience with a new definition for diet - a humanidietarian is one who exchanges calories for care and consciousness in an effort to reduce the prevalence of world hunger. Weight is not one of my (many) issues, so the idea of losing weight doesn’t consume my psyche. That said, as I stumble to the finish line of my 40’s gracelessly and fiercely clutching, double-fisted, to the final tattered remnants that were once the fabric of my youth, it is monumentally clear to me that my metabolism is slowing down. It’s like there’s something caught in the spoke of my energy wheel that was once spinning freely and is now thumping along with a hint of a newfound sluggishness. I want to blame it all on thyroid issues. And maybe I can legitimately do that one day, but for now, to those blasted, extra five butt-pounds, I point a finger at indulgences that don’t burn off as rapidly as before. I still think I can eat anything I want, and those thoughts lead to translatable actions. Being vegan most certainly helps. I also happen to prefer whole foods over processed foods. Still, I indulge in “treats” and vegan junk food is still junk – empty calories that add nothing to my life but love handles and delights that pass so rapidly, I wonder if they’re even real. So why am I taking this souljourn? Just to be clear, it is not to lose the weight. No, it is to gain an understanding and an appreciation for those less fortunate. I’m taking this souljourn as an activist in solidarity for those who are subjected to a life of hunger. What I'm proposing is something bold: altruistic dieting or dieting for humanity, making all practitioners of this exercise, humanidietarians. Calories for care. I’m calling it The Food Justice Diet, and I will present arguments to my belief that by changing to a plant-fueled form of eating, humans, along with vastly improving global health, could also save the world. A simple change with an enormous impact. Kenda Swartz Pepper Preparing for The Food Justice Diet Change. It’s hard. Life can be busy and complex. Our habits become a mechanism for coping. I spent nearly two decades working with organizations and individuals on adapting to change or who were creating change to innovate solutions to common problems. In all my years of experience and with each organization or person I collaborated, change was a struggle. Engaging in new behaviors, even if they're better for us, is harder than relinquishing the familiar. I keep a favorite quote above my desk as a reminder that change, despite being unpredictable, can lead to something different and sometimes different is very good. And then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ~Anais Nin I’ve been mentally preparing for this food justice souljourn for more than a month, and my plan is fairly solid with some wiggle room. In order to set up for success, I urge anyone making a major life change to do the same: take some time and make a plan. My stretch goal is to turn this 21-day souljourn into a book. It’s a lofty goal and who knows if I can pull it off. I’ll try like hell. Then, I will expound on my personal methodology for creating life changes. Onward! My journey will begin with a focus on the plight of hunger in Africa. I identified a handful of recipes and two days ago I shopped for groceries. Some of the ingredients, especially spices, are already in my cupboard and some vegetables I’ll harvest from the garden. Today I am eating like I would on any given day and tomorrow I'll halve my normal intake with a smoothie in the late morning and a simple salad in the evening. On Day 3, I will begin with meals from Africa. If anyone wants to join me on this souljourn, below are the groceries you'll need: Peanuts (1 lb) Ginger root Cloves Nutmeg Cardamom Thyme Cinnamon Cumin Salt Turmeric Sweet basil (this will be taken from my garden) Eggplant (the garden) Lettuce (the garden) Tomatoes (the garden) Peppers (the garden) Garlic (1 large clove) Avocados (2 large) Onions (2 large, red) Spring onions (the garden) Yams (2 large) Potatoes (4 medium) Lentils (24 oz) Red Beans (3 cups) Spinach (1 large container) Beets (3 med) Barley (24 oz) Brown Rice (16 oz) Kale (1 bunch) Chickpeas (30 oz) Bananas (1 bunch) Lime (1) Avocado oil Almost all foods I buy are organic. I’ll be talking more about the importance of organic food and how it relates to world hunger in future posts. I’m preparing food for only two people, so the amount of food listed above will likely be more than what I need for one week. I expect to have a surplus for future meals! Total spent: $44.00 Day 1: My Daily Intake/Beginning weight 117.5 pounds Yes, I'll admit it. I polished off a chocolate bar at some scurrying point between work and writing. The emotional part of my brain battled my prefrontal cortex for about a minute. It all happened so fast, I’m not sure what happened. I awoke with chocolate on my face. Day 1 Food Intake Because I started this journey four days ago on my personal blog, Travels and Tripulations, I have a few days of catch-up to do on the HuffPost. Go here to see Day #2 for World Hunger: Alarming and Curious Statistics. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Burden not yourself with the suffering of others. Acknowledge not the presence of anguish in the world. Ask not the truth. Fear not the consequences of inaction. Believe not in the worth of each hungry soul. Give not of yourself for the common good. Exist not in the presence of peace. Want not. Be Not. See Not. Do Not. Why Not? -kasp ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To see the other posts in this series, check out the links: Day 1: The Food Justice Diet Day 2: Alarming and Curious StatisticsForward slash: The story of how Massimo Guzmán turned our simple logo into a brand of possibility. Localweb.is Blocked Unblock Follow Following Oct 27, 2015 On the surface, this is a story of how the letter ‘e’ got rotated counter-clockwise 15 degrees. But below the surface, it’s a tale about a logo of humble beginnings who defied all odds and transcended time and/or space to become the cornerstone of our brand identity. It all started a few months ago when I needed a logo for our newly renamed startup, localweb.is. I whipped up a quick logo using Gotham, a geometric typeface from Tobias Frere-Jones. Old logo, boring, dull, lifeless. The color palette was chosen to invoke the soil and grass beneath you. The local web is a platform for place. Where you are standing is important. The forward slash is a critical element since we are using the URL as a major component of the interface. Examples might be localweb.is/thestory which will get abstracted to “/thestory” or “slash the story”. We think the slash will be the next hashtag. That’s pretty much where my thought process ended and it seemed like it was good enough. I was wrong. To celebrate our pre-seed funding and upcoming launch this winter, I knew we needed to have a logo that truly conveyed our essence directly into the eyeballs, hearts, and wallets of our users. I spared no expense and hired up-and-coming design firm Harper & Wülf who’s breathtaking office lies behind a nondescript metal door in an undisclosed location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Soon I started working with logo legend Massimo Guzmán and he changed everything I thought I knew about logo design. Massimo Guzmán : Harper & Wülf Massimo believes in a philosophy called Radical Brandsparency™. He immediately began absorbing our brand and everything ‘local web’. He talked to users on our beta list, played Settlers of Catan with all the founders, resharded our Redis cluster and added Guzmán.js in our frontend. He even “temporarily” moved into my apartment. The mans’ dedication to understanding the local web was truly inspiring. He literally ate and breathed localweb.is for six weeks. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, 2nd dinner. Massimo and I also applied the Harper & Wülf Tri-Venn Diabrand™ framework to the local web. He assured me this was just a formality however, as his previous absorption would be sufficient, but this framework helped me to understand his process. Harper & Wülf Tri-Venn Diabrand™ To my surprise Massimo was quite enamored with our simple slash logo, and after he “ran the geometry” there was mathematically no improvements that could be made so we decided to leave it alone. I don’t quite understand the particulars of logo geometry but Massimo assured me this part was more science than art. Feel free to run the math yourself, it checks out. Fortunately, the slash also seemed to be geometrically congruent to the text element in our full logo. Perhaps it was because I used the same font to create both, but Massimo’s theorems concluded that this was indeed, a rare event and we had just lucked out. From many of his sketches, it was clear that trust was going to be central to our relationship. Still, Massimo was unsatisfied. Our slash “had no heart, no story to tell, no essence.” I told him that I thought a great logo was more about what people put into it than what people got out of it, but he disagreed. He had a plan and a stack of small paper notebooks. I will torture the dormant soul from this monument to mediocrity. I will burn it down to nothing, let the ashes whisper a name, and call forth a phoenix of form and function from the flames of a thousand iterations. I am. Massimo Guzmán. -Massimo Guzmán I didn’t see him for the next two days but I knew he was still in the apartment. He would leave these Field Notes all over the place, filled with incoherent scratching and semi-formed designs. Occasionally I would see a shadow move into another room but when I followed it there was no one there. One night I was awoken to violent screaming but it stopped as suddenly as it had started. On the third day he had arisen from his futon and started absorbing parallelogram-shaped grilled cheeses, which is when I noticed something was different about him. I knew he was close. “Massimo, what the fuck man, did you use all the bread — ” I asked, but he interrupted me. Horizontal plane, why dost thou spurn me! Betrayer of the senses! Go back to the lesser dimension from whence you came! He explained that the answer had thus far eluded him because he was only writing in his notebook; the horizontal plane. He could see the answer but it had no form. He could not touch it. He needed to ask the question in the vertical plane as well. He quickly began drawing on little notes and sticking them to the wall. The genius of his process was becoming obvious to me now. By putting the designs on the wall, we could point to them, and stand in front of them with our arms folded. We could blankly gaze into this mosaic of inspiration and listen as if a tiny paper symphony was playing a discordant masterwork. But most importantly, we could clearly let other people know that a great deal of effort had been expended. It was almost like this whole project didn’t exist until it was on the wall. It was right then, that I, as the client, understood the scope and scale of what we were trying to do here. And it was then that Massimo Guzmán understood the answer to it all. He told me that the slash lacked soul. It lacked an identity. And what’s the best way to give something an identity? Give it a name. I was dumbfounded. It was so brilliant! As he told me this I could see him visibly shaking. When I asked him about possible names he was now vibrating. That’s when I knew… He’s already chosen it. He just has to call it out. Pósi “paw-see?” Pósi “Pósi.” Holy shit. It was a masterstroke. Massimo explained that the slash stood for invention and creation. It was the root tool for quite literally a 1,000 different applications. When the slash is present, anything is possible. Pósi. There is also the double meaning of Pósi being the tech-chic spelling of posse, which is a group of friends, like... your crew, your homies… Trust me, it will play well with the millennial set on social media. Hashtag brand on fleek. He had a plan for social media too. Just as Massimo had predicted, once the slash had a name… it came alive. Other startups had a logo, we had an identity. We had the Pósi. It was exactly the type of messenger I had wanted to convey our essence. While I had simply created a design, Massimo had created a symbol that we could give to the world. A symbol for hope, for peace, and for possibilities. For weeks afterwards it was all I could think about. The Pósi. I would see the Pósi everywhere and in everything. I was surrounded by possibilities. The universe was speaking to me, through Massimo. Pósi confirmed As delighted as I was with the new identity, Massimo explained that it simply wasn’t enough to have something special, it needed to be shared. The brand should engage with its community and give them ownership. The Pósi belongs to everyone. We are all the Pósi. The Pósi is love. We need a way for people to express their love for the Pósi. “You mean the local web.” I stated. Well… yes, the local web. But the Pósi too. That’s why my team and I have developed a universal hand gesture that any one aged 14 to 47 can perform to show their love. It’s called the Pósi Pose. We will leverage the selfie generation through social media to bring the Pósi to every corner of the globe. “You mean the local web.” I stated again. Yes of course. I was skeptical. But I shouldn’t have been, because it worked. Everyone was doing the Pósi Pose. They were sharing on instagram, facebook, and twitter with #PósiPose. All over the world young people were showing their love for the local web. To see all these faces interacting with our brand brought tears to my eyes. This wasn’t a logo, it was a movement.Abstract While the ancient Egyptians and Greeks used honey for wound care, and a broad spectrum of wounds are treated all over the world with natural unprocessed honeys from different sources, Medihoney™ has been one of the first medically certified honeys licensed as a medical product for professional wound care in Europe and Australia. Our experience with medical honey in wound care refers only to this product. In this review, we put our clinical experience into a broader perspective to comment on the use of medical honey in wound care. More prospective randomized studies on a wider range of types of wounds are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of medical honey in wound care. Nonetheless, the current evidence confirming the antibacterial properties and additional beneficial effects of medical honey on wound healing should encourage other wound care professionals to use CE-certified honey dressings with standardized antibacterial activity, such as Medihoney™ products, as an alternative treatment approach in wounds of different natures. Keywords: Medical honey, wound care, MRSA Introduction In our paediatric oncology department at the Children's Hospital Medical Centre, University of Bonn, Germany most patients suffer from a profoundly suppressed immune system, due to their underlying disease (i.e. leukemia) (1) and the chemotherapy they undergo. This frequently results in wound healing problems (2,3), leaving the patient susceptible to wound infections. Unfortunately these infections spread easily in immunocompromized patients and can cause secondary potentially life-threatening bloodstream infections (4). Five years ago a 12-year old patient was submitted to our unit. Doctors at another hospital had removed an abdominal lymphoma, leaving an open drainage site on his abdomen. On admission, his wound was infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In order to avoid nosocomial spread, the patient was immediately isolated, a difficult situation for the child to comprehend with significant additional costs from the perspective of the hospital. Although the patient was scheduled to receive chemotherapy, treatment could not commence until the infection cleared. The wound was treated with a local antiseptic (octenidin) for 12 days. Since no improvement occurred, we decided to use an Australian medical honey (Medihoney™), which contains leptospermum honey, a type with excellent in vitro activity against MRSA (5–7). The wound was free of bacteria two days later, and the chemotherapy against the underlying illness could be started. While the ancient Egyptians and Greeks used honey for wound care, a broad spectrum of wounds are treated all over the world with natural unprocessed honeys from different sources (8–13), Medihoney™ has been one of the first medically certified honeys licensed as medical product for professional wound care in Europe and Australia (14,15). Our experience with medical honey in wound care refers only to this product. We were asked by one of the editors of eCAM to put our clinical experience (2,16) into a broader perspective and to comment on the use of medical honey in wound care (Table 1). Table 1. What makes medical honey effective? Medical honey is hygroscopic, meaning it draws moisture out of the environment and thus dehydrates bacteria. The enzyme glucose oxidase, produces gluconic acid and minute amounts of hydrogen peroxide when in contact with the wound surface. In addition, each charge contains light- and heat-stable, in vitro confirmed antibacterial properties from Leptospermum spp. honeys. The pH level of honey is low (mean 4.4). Bacterial colonization or infection and recalcitrant wound healing situations are often accompanied by high pH values in wound exudates and lowering the pH speeds healing. Why is medical honey irradiated? Honey may contain spores from Clostridium botulinum, which are inactivated. The ready to use product is delivered sterile. What is Medihoney™? Medihoney is a mixture of two honeys derived from Australia and New Zealand containing glucose oxidase and Leptospermum compounds which contribute to its antibacterial activity. Legal background Medihoney™ is licensed for wound care in Australia, Europe and the USA. In Europe a CE-certification exists declaring Medihoney™ as medical product. Practical advances Medical honey dressings are easy to change without pain and without harm to the regenerating tissue. Malodour from recalcitrant wounds as a result of critical colonization and partial tissue necrosis is successfully abandoned with medical honey due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and debriding effects. Medical honey can be used in all different stages of wound healing, in many different types of wounds and even in patients with diabetes. Medical honey is well accepted by most patients and their families. Drawbacks Some patients (5 out of 100) experience pain after the application of medical honey to the wound. In some of them, treatment with medical honey has to be stopped. Few patients with pre-existing atopic diseases show local atopic reactions. No severe systemic atopic reaction due to medical honey has been reported in the literature. Medical honey has to be kept in the wound for 12–24 h a day. Thus, it is combined with particular dressings like calcium alginates of hydrofiber dressings, which add substantially to the overall cost of treatment. Depending on the amount of exudate, the dressing with medical honey has to be changed up to 2 times a day in acute inflammatory wounds. The most often practised change interval for medical honey dressings is every 24–48 h.
money that goes into cancer research. To fix the situation, the two suggest basic changes be made to the research community. Specifically, they say researchers must be more willing to report negative findings in their papers and that research facilities, mainly at universities, should change their policies regarding publishing and of course ask that science journals take a hard look at their paper acceptance policies. Explore further The perils of 'bite-size' science More information: Drug development: Raise standards for preclinical cancer research, Nature 483, 531533 (29 March 2012) : Drug development: Raise standards for preclinical cancer research,483, 531533 (29 March 2012) doi:10.1038/483531a © 2012 PhysOrg.comTwo of the co-founders of video calling service Skype have turned their attention to deliveries. Their new futuristic-sounding company, Starship Technologies, plans to launch automated robots that will deliver goods to your door while promising to cut costs dramatically. As the portion of goods bought with the click of a mouse rather than the ring of a cash register continues to grow, there are a lot of companies seeking to revolutionize the way the things we buy online are delivered to our door. For the most part these have focused on the use of drones, with Amazon, Walmart and most recently Google all seeking to find an airborne delivery method. Starship Technologies has a different approach. Its ground-based robot will have six wheels, be able to carry the equivalent of two grocery bags and travel up to 4 miles an hour. As you can see in the video below, the robot looks like a mixture of Wall-E and a vacuum cleaner, which its developers say will "create unprecedented convenience and cost savings for individuals." When the Starship robots hit the streets in U.S. and U.K. trials in 2016, the company says they will be able to complete local deliveries in as quickly as 5 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes from a local hub or retail outlet, with those deliveries costing up to 15 times less than the cost of current last-mile delivery alternatives. “Our vision revolves around three zeroes -- zero cost, zero waiting time and zero environmental impact. We want to do to local deliveries what Skype did to telecommunications.” said Ahti Heinla, a Skype co-founder and CEO at Starship Technologies, who developed the robot with fellow Skype co-founder Janus Friis. During delivery, shoppers will be able to track the robot’s exact location in real time through a mobile app, and on arrival only the app holder is able to unlock the cargo. The autonomous vehicles will rely on integrated navigation and obstacle avoidance software to make their way safely to the customer, but human operators will be overseeing the robot's movement, and they can step in to ensure safety. Addressing the safety aspect of the service, Heinla said: “They travel at the slow speed of 4 miles per hour -- a brisk walking pace. They don’t fly; these are not drones. They travel on pavements blending safely in with pedestrian traffic.” Amazon revealed plans for its drone delivery service almost two years ago, but it has since run into complications regarding regulation, the major sticking point for all drone-based delivery services. It is currently testing the service in Canada and the U.K. as it awaits regulations to become clearer in the U.S. In August, Google unveiled Project Wing, a drone delivery service developed over two years at the secretive Google X lab. While Google has revealed details of the drone project, it is still some years from becoming a reality, the company says.AP (File) WASHINGTON — For the first time, a U.S. military color guard is expected to march alongside rainbow flags in Washington D.C.’s gay pride parade. The Washington Post reports an eight-member color guard team from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington is scheduled to lead off the parade Saturday. The Department of Defense authorized the participation. Article continues below Organizers and military gay rights groups say this is a first nationwide for a gay pride parade. The color guard will present the American flag and flags of each military branch. Capital Pride organizers requested color guards in the past but were rejected. Pentagon spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen says an Armed Forces color guard did perform at the Pentagon last year for a Defense Department pride event. Another performed again Thursday for a pride event. © 2014, Associated Press, All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This Story Filed UnderClick here to see this page in other languages: Russian AI Arms Race Principle: An arms race in lethal autonomous weapons should be avoided.* Perhaps the scariest aspect of the Cold War was the nuclear arms race. At its peak, the US and Russia held over 70,000 nuclear weapons, only a fraction of which could have killed every person on earth. As the race to create increasingly powerful artificial intelligence accelerates, and as governments increasingly test AI capabilities in weapons, many AI experts worry that an equally terrifying AI arms race may already be under way. In fact, at the end of 2015, the Pentagon requested $12-$15 billion for AI and autonomous weaponry for the 2017 budget, and the Deputy Defense Secretary at the time, Robert Work, admitted that he wanted “our competitors to wonder what’s behind the black curtain.” Work also said that the new technologies were “aimed at ensuring a continued military edge over China and Russia.” But the US does not have a monopoly on this technology, and many fear that countries with lower safety standards could quickly pull ahead. Without adequate safety in place, autonomous weapons could be more difficult to control, create even greater risk of harm to innocent civilians, and more easily fall into the hands of terrorists, dictators, reckless states, or others with nefarious intentions. Anca Dragan, an assistant professor at UC Berkeley, described the possibility of such an AI arms race as “the equivalent of very cheap and easily accessible nuclear weapons.” “And that would not fare well for us,” Dragan added. Unlike nuclear weapons, this new class of WMD can potentially target by traits like race or even by what people have liked on social media. Lethal Autonomous Weapons Toby Walsh, a professor at UNSW Australia, took the lead on the 2015 autonomous weapons open letter, which calls for a ban on lethal autonomous weapons and has been signed by over 20,000 people. With regard to that letter and the AI Arms Race Principle, Walsh explained: “One reason that I got involved in these discussions is that there are some topics I think are very relevant today, and one of them is the arms race that’s happening amongst militaries around the world already, today. This is going to be very destabilizing. It’s going to upset the current world order when people get their hands on these sorts of technologies. It’s actually stupid AI that they’re going to be fielding in this arms race to begin with and that’s actually quite worrying – that it’s technologies that aren’t going to be able to distinguish between combatants and civilians, and aren’t able to act in accordance with international humanitarian law, and will be used by despots and terrorists and hacked to behave in ways that are completely undesirable. And that’s something that’s happening today.” When asked about his take on this Principle, University of Montreal professor Yoshua Bengio pointed out that he had signed the autonomous weapons open letter, which basically “says it all” about his concerns of a potential AI arms race. Details and Definitions In addition to worrying about the risks of a race, Dragan also expressed a concern over “what to do about it and how to avoid it.” “I assume international treaties would have to occur here,” she said. Dragan’s not the only one expecting international treaties. The UN recently agreed to begin formal discussions that will likely lead to negotiations on an autonomous weapons ban or restrictions. However, as with so many things, the devil will be in the details. In reference to an AI arms race, Cornell professor Bart Selman stated, “It should be avoided.” But he also added, “There’s a difference between it ‘should’ be avoided and ‘can’ it be avoided – that may be a much harder question.” Selman would like to see “the same kinds of discussions as there were around atomic weapons or biological weapons, where people actually start to look at the tradeoffs and the risks of an arms race.” “That discussion has to be had,” he said, “and it may actually bring people together in a positive way. Countries could get together and say this is not a good development and we should limit it and avoid it. So to bring it out as a principle, I think the main value there is that we need to have the discussion as a society and with other countries.” Dan Weld, a professor at the University of Washington, also worries that simply saying an arms race should be avoided is insufficient. “I fervently hope we don’t see an arms race in lethal autonomous weapons,” Weld explained. “That said, this principle bothered me, because it doesn’t seem to have any operational form. Specifically, an arms race is a dynamic phenomenon that happens when you’ve got multiple agents interacting. It takes two people to race. So whose fault is it if there is a race? I’m worried that both participants will point a finger at the other and say, ‘Hey, I’m not racing! Let’s not have a race, but I’m going to make my weapons more accurate and we can avoid a race if you just relax.’ So what force does the principle have?” General Consensus Though preventing an AI arms race may be tricky, there seems to be general consensus that a race would be bad and should be avoided. “Weaponized AI is a weapon of mass destruction and an AI arms race is likely to lead to an existential catastrophe for humanity,” said Roman Yampolskiy, a professor at the University of Louisville. Kay Firth-Butterfield, the Executive Director of AI-Austin.org, explained, “Any arms race should be avoided but particularly this one where the stakes are so high and the possibility of such weaponry, if developed, being used within domestic policing is so terrifying.” But Stanford professor Stefano Ermon may have summed it up best when he said, “Even just with the capabilities we have today it’s not hard to imagine how [AI] could be used in very harmful ways. I don’t want my contributions to the field and any kind of techniques that we’re all developing to do harm to other humans or to develop weapons or to start wars or to be even more deadly than what we already have.” What do you think? Is an AI arms race inevitable? How can it be prevented? Can we keep autonomous weapons out of the hands of dictators and terrorists? How can companies and governments work together to build beneficial AI without allowing the technology to be used to create what could be the deadliest weapons the world has ever seen? This article is part of a weekly series on the 23 Asilomar AI Principles. The Principles offer a framework to help artificial intelligence benefit as many people as possible. But, as AI expert Toby Walsh said of the Principles, “Of course, it’s just a start. … a work in progress.” The Principles represent the beginning of a conversation, and now we need to follow up with broad discussion about each individual principle. You can read the weekly discussions about previous principles here. *The AI Arms Race Principle specifically addresses lethal autonomous weapons. Later in the series, we’ll discuss the Race Avoidance Principle which will look at the risks of companies racing to creating AI technology.Diogenes of Sinope (c. 404-323 BCE) was a Greek Cynic philosopher best known for holding a lantern to the faces of the citizens of Athens claiming he was searching for an honest man. He was most likely a student of the philosopher Antisthenes (445-365 BCE) and, in the words of Plato (allegedly), was “A Socrates gone mad.” He was driven into exile from his native city of Sinope and settled in Athens. He had written to a friend to rent him a small house there but, when this friend failed to find a place, Diogenes threw his cloak into a large, empty, wine cask outside the temple of Cybele near the Agora and called it home. He lived in the cask his entire time in Athens. He became interested in the teachings of Antisthenes and asked to be admitted to his school. Antisthenes at first refused him as a student, even beating him with his staff to drive him away, but eventually was worn down by his persistence. Diogenes would take his teacher's beliefs to an extreme degree. Like Antisthenes, Diogenes believed in self-control, the importance of personal excellence in one's behavior (in Greek, arete, usually translated as "virtue"), and the rejection of all that was considered unnecessary in life such as personal possessions and social status. He was so ardent in his beliefs that he lived them very publicly in the market place of Athens. He owned nothing, lived on the streets of Athens, and seems to have subsisted on the charity of others. He owned a cup which served also as a bowl for food but threw it away when he saw a boy drinking water from his hands and eating food off a piece of bread, realizing one did not even need a bowl for sustenance. For Diogenes, a reasonable life is one lived in accordance with nature and with one’s natural inclinations. To be true to oneself, then, no matter how "mad’ one may appear, was to pursue a life worth living. Whether true or another fable, the tale of Diogenes’ capture by pirates and his being sold into slavery in Corinth bears testimony to the strength of his convictions. When asked what talent he had he replied, “That of governing men” and then demanded to be sold to Xeniades saying, “Sell me to that man; for he wants a master.” Even though he was a slave at this point, and in no position to demand anything, he believed so completely in himself that others felt compelled to listen to him and do what he said. Xeniades, for example, placed Diogenes in charge of tutoring his young sons and, in time, the philosopher became part of the family. He lived in Corinth with Xeniades' family for the rest of his life and died there at the age of ninety. His cause of death has been given as either severe food poisoning from eating a raw ox's foot, rabies from a dog bite, or suicide by holding his breath. Much of what is known about his life in Athens and Corinth comes from the work The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers by Diogenes Laertius (3rd century CE). Some of the most amusing anecdotes are those relating his continual feud with Plato whom he considered a pretentious, prattling, snob. When Plato defined a human being as a "featherless biped", Diogenes plucked a chicken and brought it to Plato's Academy. He released it into one of the classrooms, saying, "Behold - Plato's human being." Plato was then forced to add "with broad, flat, nails" to his definition. The following is The Life of Diogenes from Laertius' work. The translation is by C.D. Yonge. I. DIOGENES was a native of Sinope, the son of Tresius, a money-changer. And Diocles says that he was forced to flee from his native city, as his father kept the public bank there, and had adulterated the coinage. But Eubulides, in his essay on Diogenes, says, that it was Diogenes himself who did this, and that he was banished with his father. And, indeed, he himself, in his Perdalus, says of himself that he had adulterated the public money. Others say that he was one of the curators, and was persuaded by the artisans employed, and that he went to Delphi, or else to the oracle at Delos, and there consulted Apollo as to whether he should do what people were trying to persuade him to do; and that, as the God gave him permission to do so, Diogenes, not comprehending that the God meant that he might change the political customs1 of his country if he could, adulterated the coinage; and being detected, was banished, as some people say, but as other accounts have it, took the alarm and fled away of his own accord. Some again, say that he adulterated the money which he had received from his father; and that his father was thrown into prison and died there; but that Diogenes escaped and went to Delphi, and asked, not whether he might tamper with the coinage, but what he could do to become very celebrated, and that in consequence he received the oracular answer which I have mentioned. II. And when he came to Athens he attached himself to Antisthenes; but as he repelled him, because he admitted no one; he at last forced his way to him by his pertinacity. And once, when he raised his stick at him, he put his head under it, and said, "Strike, for you will not find any stick hard enough to drive me away as long as you continue to speak." And from this time forth he was one of his pupils; and being an exile, he naturally betook himself to a simple mode of life. III. And when, as Theophrastus tells us, in his Megaric Philosopher, he saw a mouse running about and not seeking for a bed, nor taking care to keep in the dark, nor looking for any of those things which appear enjoyable to such an animal, he found a remedy for his own poverty. He was, according to the account of some people, the first person who doubled up his cloak out of necessity, and who slept in it; and who carried a wallet, in which he kept his food; and who used whatever place was near for all sorts of purposes, eating, and sleeping, and conversing in it. In reference to which habit he used to say, pointing to the Colonnade of Jupiter, and to the Public Magazine, "that the Athenians had built him places to live in." Being attacked with illness, he supported himself with a staff; and after that he carried it continually, not indeed in the city, but whenever he was walking in the roads, together with his wallet, as Olympiodorus, the chief man of the Athenians tells us; and Polymeter, the orator, and Lysanias, the son of Aeschorion, tell the same story. When he had written to some one to look out and get ready a small house for him, as he delayed to do it, he took a cask which he found in the Temple of Cybele, for his house, as he himself tells us in his letters. And during the summer he used to roll himself in the warm sand, but in winter he would embrace statues all covered with snow, practising himself, on every occasion, to endure anything. IV. He was very violent in expressing his haughty disdain of others. He said that the scholê (school) of Euclides was cholê (gall). And he used to call Plato's diatribê (discussions) katatribê (disguise). It was also a saying of his that the Dionysian games were a great marvel to fools; and that the demagogues were the ministers of the multitude. He used likewise to say, "that when in the course of his life he beheld pilots, and physicians, and philosophers, he thought man the wisest of all animals; but when again he beheld interpreters of dreams, and soothsayers, and those who listened to them, and men puffed up with glory or riches, then he thought that there was not a more foolish animal than man." Another of his sayings was, "that he thought a man ought oftener to provide himself with a reason than with a halter." On one occasion, when he noticed Plato at a very costly entertainment tasting some olives, he said, "O you wise man! why, after having sailed to Sicily for the sake of such a feast, do you not now enjoy what you have before you?" And Plato replied, "By the Gods, Diogenes, while I was there I ate olives and all such things a great deal." Diogenes rejoined, "What then did you want to sail to Syracuse for? Did not Attica at that time produce any olives?" But Favorinus, in his Universal History, tells this story of Aristippus. At another time he was eating dried figs, when Plato met him, and he said to him, "You may have a share of these;" and as he took some and ate them, he said, "I said that you might have a share of them, not that you might eat them all." On one occasion Plato had invited some friends who had come to him from Dionysius to a banquet, and Diogenes trampled on his carpets, and said, "Thus I trample on the empty pride of Plato;" and Plato made him answer, "How much arrogance are you displaying, O Diogenes! when you think that you are not arrogant at all." But, as others tell the story, Diogenes said, "Thus I trample on the pride of Plato;" and that Plato rejoined, "With quite as much pride yourself, O Diogenes." Sotion too, in his fourth book, states, that the Cynic made the following speech to Plato: Diogenes once asked him for some wine, and then for some dried figs; so he sent him an entire jar full; and Diogenes said to him, "Will you, if you are asked how many two and two make, answer twenty? In this way, you neither give with any reference to what you are asked for, nor do you answer with reference to the question put to you." He used also to ridicule him as an interminable talker. When he was asked where in Greece he saw virtuous men; "Men," said he, "nowhere; but I see good boys in Lacedaemon." On one occasion, when no one came to listen to him while he was discoursing seriously, he began to whistle. And then when people flocked round him, he reproached them for coming with eagerness to folly, but being lazy and indifferent about good things. One of his frequent sayings was, "That men contended with one another in punching and kicking, but that no one showed any emulation in the pursuit of virtue." He used to express his astonishment at the grammarians for being desirous to learn everything about the misfortunes of Ulysses, and being ignorant of their own. He used also to say, "That the musicians fitted the strings to the lyre properly, but left all the habits of their soul ill-arranged." And, "That mathematicians kept their eyes fixed on the sun and moon, and overlooked what was under their feet." "That orators were anxious to speak justly, but not at all about acting so." Also, "That misers blamed money, but were preposterously fond of it." He often condemned those who praise the just for being superior to money, but who at the same time are eager themselves for great riches. He was also very indignant at seeing men sacrifice to the Gods to procure good health, and yet at the sacrifice eating in a manner injurious to health. He often expressed his surprise at slaves, who, seeing their masters eating in a gluttonous manner, still do not themselves lay hands on any of the eatables. He would frequently praise those who were about to marry, and yet did not marry; or who were about to take a voyage, and yet did not take a voyage; or who were about to engage in affairs of state, and did not do so; and those who were about to rear children, yet did not rear any; and those who were preparing to take up their abode with princes, and yet did not take it up. One of his sayings was, "That one ought to hold out one's hand to a friend without closing the fingers." Hermippus, in his Sale of Diogenes, says that he was taken prisoner and put up to be sold, and asked what he could do; and he answered, "Govern men." And so he bade the crier "give notice that if any one wants to purchase a master, there is one here for him." When he was ordered not to sit down; "It makes no difference," said he, "for fish are sold, be where they may." He used to say, that he wondered at men always ringing a dish or jar before buying it, but being content to judge of a man by his look alone. When Xeniades bought him, he said to him that he ought to obey him even though he was his slave; for that a physician or a pilot would find men to obey them even though they might be slaves. V. And Eubulus says, in his essay entitled, The Sale of Diogenes, that he taught the children of Xeniades, after their other lessons, to ride, and shoot, and sling, and dart. And then in the Gymnasium he did not permit the trainer to exercise them after the fashion of athletes, but exercised them himself to just the degree sufficient to give them a good colour and good health. And the boys retained in their memory many sentences of poets and prose writers, and of Diogenes himself; and he used to give them a concise statement of everything in order to strengthen their memory; and at home he used to teach them to wait upon themselves, contenting themselves with plain food, and drinking water. And he accustomed them to cut their hair close, and to eschew ornament, and to go without tunics or shoes, and to keep silent, looking at nothing except themselves as they walked along. He used, also to take them out hunting; and they paid the greatest attention and respect to Diogenes himself, and spoke well of him to their parents. VI. And the same author affirms, that he grew old in the household of Xeniades, and that when he died he was buried by his sons. And that while he was living with him, Xeniades once asked him how he should bury him; and he said, "On my face;" and when he was asked why, he said, "Because, in a little while, everything will be turned upside down." And he said this because the Macedonians were already attaining power, and becoming a mighty people from having been very inconsiderable. Once, when a man had conducted him into a magnificent house, and had told him that he must not spit, after hawking a little, he spit in his face, saying that he could not find a worse place. But some tell this story of Aristippus. Once, he called out, "Holloa, men." And when some people gathered round him in consequence he drove them away with his stick, saying, "I called men, and not dregs." This anecdote I have derived from Hecaton, in the first book of his Apophthegms. They also relate that Alexander said that if he had not been Alexander, he should have liked to be Diogenes. He used to call anapêroi (cripples), not those who were dumb and blind, but those who had no wallet (pêra). On one occasion he went half shaved into an entertainment of young men, as Metrocles tells us in his Apophthegms, and so was beaten by them. And afterwards he wrote the names of all those who had beaten him on a white tablet, and went about with the tablet round his neck, so as to expose them to insult, as they were generally condemned and reproached for their conduct. He used to say that he was the hound of those who were praised; but that none of those who praised them dared to go out hunting with him. A man once said to him, "I conquered men at the Pythian games:" on which he said, "I conquer men, but you only conquer slaves." When some people said to him, "You are an old man, and should rest for the remainder of your life;" "Why so?" replied be, "suppose I had run a long distance, ought I to stop when I was near the end, and not rather press on?" Once, when he was invited to a banquet, he said that he would not come: for that the day before no one had thanked him for coming. He used to go bare foot through the snow, and to do a number of other things which have been already mentioned. Once he attempted to eat raw meat, but he could not digest it. On one occasion he found Demosthenes, the orator, dining in an inn; and as he was slipping away, he said to him, "You will now be ever so much more in an inn."2 Once, when some strangers wished to see Demosthenes, he stretched out his middle finger, and said, "This is the great demagogue of the Athenian people." When some one had dropped a loaf, and was ashamed to pick it up again, he, wishing to give him a lesson, tied a cord round the neck of a bottle and dragged it all through the Ceramicus. He used to say, that he imitated the teachers of choruses, for that they spoke too loud in order that the rest might catch the proper tone. Another of his sayings, was that most men were within a finger's breadth of being mad. If, then, any one were to walk along, stretching out his middle finger, he will seem to be mad; but if he puts out his fore finger, he will not be thought so. Another of his sayings was, that things of great value were often sold for nothing, and vice versa. Accordingly, that a statue would fetch three thousand drachmas, and a bushel of meal only two obols; and when Xeniades had bought him, he said to him, "Come, do what you are ordered to." And when he said- "The streams of sacred rivers now Run backwards to their source!" "Suppose," rejoined Diogenes, "you had been sick, and had bought a physician, could you refuse to be guided by him, and tell him "The streams of sacred rivers now Run backwards to their source?" Once a man came to him, and wished to study philosophy as his pupil; and he gave him a saperda3 and made him follow him. And as he from shame threw it away and departed, he soon afterwards met him and, laughing, said to him, "A saperda has dissolved your friendship for me." But Diocles tells this story in the following manner; that when some one said to him, "Give me a commission, Diogenes," he carried him off, and gave him a halfpenny worth of cheese to carry. And as he refused to carry it, "See," said Diogenes, "a halfpenny worth of cheese has broken off our friendship." On one occasion he saw a child drinking out of its hands, and so he threw away the cup which belonged to his wallet, saying, "That child has beaten me in simplicity." He also threw away his spoon, after seeing a boy, when he had broken his vessel, take up his lentils with a crust of bread. And he used to argue thus, - "Everything belongs to the gods; and wise men are the friends of the gods. All things are in common among friends; therefore everything belongs to wise men." Once he saw a woman falling down before the Gods in an unbecoming attitude; he, wishing to cure her of her superstition, as Zoilus of Perga tells us, came up to her, and said, "Are you not afraid, O woman, to be in such an indecent attitude, when some God may be behind you, for every place is full of him?" He consecrated a man to Aesculapius, who was to run up and beat all these who prostrated themselves with their faces to the ground; and he was in the habit of saying that the tragic curse had come upon him, for that he was Houseless and citiless, a piteous exile From his dear native land; a wandering beggar, Scraping a pittance poor from day to day. And another of his sayings was that he opposed confidence to fortune, nature to law, and reason to suffering. Once, while he was sitting in the sun in the Craneum, Alexander was standing by, and said to him, "Ask any favour you choose of me." And he replied, "Cease to shade me from the sun." On one occasion a man was reading some long passages, and when he came to the end of the book and showed that there was nothing more written, "Be of good cheer, my friends," exclaimed Diogenes, "I see land." A man once proved to him syllogistically that he had horns, so he put his hand to his forehead and said, "I do not see them." And in a similar manner he replied to one who had been asserting that there was no such thing as motion, by getting up and walking away. When a man was talking about the heavenly bodies and meteors, "Pray how many days," said he to him, "is it since you came down from heaven?" A profligate eunuch had written on his house, "Let no evil thing enter in." "Where," said Diogenes, "is the master of the house going?" After having anointed his feet with perfume, he said that the ointment from his head mounted up to heaven, and that from his feet up to his nose. When the Athenians entreated him to be initiated in the Eleusinian mysteries, and said that in the shades below the initiated had the best seats; "It will," he replied, " be an absurd thing if Aegesilaus and Epaminondas are to live in the mud, and some miserable wretches, who have been initiated, are to be in the islands of the blest." Some mice crept up to his table, and he said, "See, even Diogenes maintains his favourites." Once, when he was leaving the bath, and a man asked him whether many men were bathing, he said, "No;" but when a number of people came out, he confessed that there were a great many. When Plato called him a dog, he said, "Undoubtedly, for I have come back to those who sold me." Plato defined man thus: "Man is a two-footed, featherless animal;" and was much praised for the definition; so Diogenes plucked a cock and brought it into his school, and said, "This is Plato's man." On which account this addition was made to the definition, "With broad flat nails." A man once asked him what was the proper time for supper, and he made answer, "If you are a rich man, whenever you please; and if you are a poor man, whenever you can." When he was at Megara he saw some sheep carefully covered over with skins, and the children running about naked; and so he said, "It is better at Megara to be a man's ram, than his son." A man once struck him with a beam, and then said, "Take care." "What," said he, "are you going to strike me again?" He used to say that the demagogues were the servants of the people; and garlands the blossoms of glory. Having lighted a candle in the day time, he said, "I am looking for a man." On one occasion he stood under a fountain, and as the bystanders were pitying him, Plato, who was present, said to them, "If you wish really to show your pity for him, come away;" intimating that he was only acting thus out of a desire for notoriety. Once, when a man had struck him with his fist, he said, "O Hercules, what a strange thing that, I should be walking about with a helmet on without knowing it!" When Midias struck him with his fist and said, "There are three thousand drachmas for you;" the next day Diogenes took the cestus of a boxer and beat him soundly, and said, "There are three thousand drachmas for you."4 When Lysias, the drug-seller, asked him whether he thought that there were any Gods: "How," said he, "can I help thinking so, when I consider you to be hated by them?" but some attribute this reply to Theodorus. Once he saw a man purifying himself by washing, and said to him, "Oh, wretched man, do not you know that as you cannot wash away blunders in grammar by purification, so, too, you can no more efface the errors of a life in that same manner?" He used to say that men were wrong for complaining of fortune; for that they ask of the Gods what appear to be good things, not what are really so. And to those who were alarmed at dreams he said, that they did not regard what they do while they are awake but make a great fuss about what they fancy they see while they are asleep. Once, at the Olympic games when the herald proclaimed "Dioxippus is the conqueror of men;" he said, "He is the conqueror of slaves, I am the conqueror of men." He was greatly beloved by the Athenians; accordingly, when a youth had broken his cask they beat him, and gave Diogenes another. And Dionysius the Stoic, says that after the battle of Chaeronea he was taken prisoner and brought to Philip; and being asked who he was replied, "A spy, to spy upon your insatiability." And Philip marvelled at him and let him go. Once, when Alexander had sent a letter to Athens to Antipater, by the hands of a man named Athlias, he, being present, said, "Athlias from Athlius, by means of Athlias to Athlius.5 When Perdiccas threatened that he would put him to death if he did not come to him, he replied, "That is nothing strange, for a scorpion or a tarantula could do as much: you had better threaten me that, if I kept away, you should be very happy." He used constantly to repeat with emphasis that an easy life had been given to man by the Gods, but that it had been overlaid by their seeking for honey, cheese-cakes, and unguents, and things of that sort. On which account he said to a man, who had his shoes put on by his servant, "You are not thoroughly happy, unless he also wipes your nose for you
for walking down a street without a shirt. She sued the city, pointing to a New York Supreme Court ruling saying woman can go topless in public. The city later paid her $29,000 to settle the suit. Related: Moran: Woman fighting to go topless in NJ should cover up in public More Statehouse newsSome topics are like an itch. Eventually you scratch at them so much they start bleeding and you have to call a doctor. …Okay, so that analogy didn’t work. What I’m trying to say is that when you’re a writer, there are these topics that you keep scratching the surface of. Maybe you make a small mention here and then make it a part of the main thread, etc. Eventually you get interested enough in the subject to notice when it comes up on your radar. And then’s your chance to write more substantially on it. Imposter syndrome is such a topic. I’ve briefly touched on the topic here and here and have noted its prevalence within programmers both times. But the phenomenon goes much deeper than just that. It’s a psychological disorder that affects many people and is a serious mental health concern for those who have it. Originally, imposter syndrome (IS) was thought to mainly occur with women because they were the ones at the time being studied. But after more studies and research on who does and doesn’t have traits of IS it was found to happen across genders, ethnicity, etc. Though there was was an interesting study I found about it being more prominent in Asians but it was (naturally) behind a paywall. IS is a phenomenon whereby you think that you simply don’t have what it takes. The fact that you’ve achieved so much is merely luck, hard work or something else. It’s not the result of your innate abilities, skills or good judgment. Nope, instead it’s all a matter of fooling other people into thinking that you’re competent. You might see a few problems with this. First, this leads to cycles of feeling like (get this) an imposter. Start an activity, get anxious, panic for a while, finally do it at the last second, do well, explain it away as “luck” or “the stress made me do well” or something else. Or maybe you start an activity and really overdo the work. In that case all you have to say is that you worked so hard on it that no one noticed how awful your presentation actually was. Second, all of that overwork is no good if you want some time to yourself. Even if you’re not anti-work yourself it’s going to severely impair you to constantly keep working at something. Only to, in the end, feel like you either accomplished nothing, downplay what you know you accomplished or feel lucky about that you accomplished. On a personal level I can see some of myself in this syndrome. But, thankfully, I don’t think I quite have it. I do tend to downplay my accomplishment. I chalk them up to good research or hard work and sometimes I just divert the original compliment with a laugh or a joke. I don’t take compliments in general well and it’s much harder for me to dwell on success and recognize it for what is is, then failure. Fortunately/unfortunately I can chalk most of that up to depression and poor self-esteem! …Yay? Depression, by the way, is exhausting. But that’s a story for another time. Coming back to imposter syndrome then there are some common traits (PDF) one may find: (1) The Impostor Cycle, (2) Theneed to be special or to be the very best, (3) Superman/Superwoman aspects; (4) Fear of failure, (5) Denial of competence and Discounting praise, and (6) Fear and guilt about success. Alternatively: Harvey and Katz (1985) proposed that the Impostor Phenomenon consisted of 3 core factors: (1) the belief that he/she has fooled other people, (2) fear of being exposed as an impostor, and (3) inability to attribute own achievement to internal qualities such as ability, intelligence, or skills. Just as a note, the authors seem to prefer the second one as it is more “specific” than the last one. Honestly, they both seem perfectly acceptable to me. The first, by the way, requires at least two of those traits being matched for IS to be going on. The latter requires all three for it to be happening. So one is more rigid than the other but it’s also more specific. The article that got me thinking about all of this stuff is called, Feel like a Fraud? and focuses on a few graduate students and their struggles of self-worth in a very achievement-based culture: William Somerville has always been a good student. In high school and college, he looked forward to taking tests and writing papers — objective measures of success gave him a chance to prove himself. But as a PhD student in clinical psychology at The New School in New York City, he began to doubt his abilities. Now he wasn’t just studying to make the grade, but actually leading therapy sessions with patients in a hospital psychiatric unit. “I felt, what gives me the right to be here?” he says. In those moments, he says, he didn’t just feel he was lacking certain skills. He wondered whether he belonged there at all. “There’s a sense of being thrown into the deep end of the pool and needing to learn to swim,” he says. “But I wasn’t just questioning whether I could survive. In a fundamental way, I was asking, ‘Am I a swimmer?’” (emphasis mine) I don’t usually quote from the beginnings of articles but that line at the end really got me. Because my relation to imposter syndrome is my own struggles of self-worth. When you deal with low self-esteem (or at least when I do) I’m not simply asking if the water is too deep or if the pool is the right size. I’m asking myself if I am a swimmer at all. Do I even deserve to be in this pool? What right do I have to be in this pool? And especially when there are so many people who don’t have to worry about these things? And on and on it goes. In my case, the “pool” can sometimes be life, but for people suffering from IS it’s their greatest achievements. One thing that I thought was interesting was the ways in which IS is distinct from perfectionism. The previously mentioned PDF is actually an overview of IS by Jaruwan Sakulku and James Alexander done in 2011. The following contrast with perfectionism comes from there: The difference between Impostors and perfectionists is that perfectionists will not disclose their mistakes to other people because they fear being viewed as imperfect (Frost et al., 1995), while Impostors will openly communicate their self-perception of imperfect performance to others (Ferrari & Thompson, 2006). Impostors do not want to appear imperfect and actively attempt to conceal their imperfection, but paradoxically Impostors do openly disclose their imperfection to others. Not to keep making it about me (though I’m going to anyways because that’s what I know best) I tend to disclose my faults much more readily than my accomplishment. I’ve even been accused of carrying around a scarlet A every now and then. Regardless, I do appreciate my accomplishments and frequently take credit for my writings. I don’t get into spirals of shame cycles (one of the most important parts) and I’m certainly no perfectionist. And as we discussed, while perfectionism is not the same as IS, it has many similar traits. In addition, many individuals who are perfectionist tend to overlap with IS fairly well according to several studies sourced by Sakulku and Alexander. Similarly, people who came from certain backgrounds with their families may also be more likely to have IS in the future. Families that heavily overemphasize achievement and success for example, may make the child less ready for failure when it happens. And this can lead to all sorts of negative effects even if it’s not necessarily IS. Whatever the cause of IS there are some tips to dealing with it. It’s also worth noting that even some of the most accomplished people have it. As the New Yorker’s Carl Richards wrote: One of my favorite discoveries involved the amazing American author and poet Maya Angelou. She shared that, “I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’” Think about that for a minute. Despite winning three Grammys and being nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, this huge talent still questioned her success. So if you feel like this, you’re not alone. Hell, pending on your opinions of Angelou and her work, you’re even in good company. There’s all sorts of people from high and low who feel like they don’t deserve what they have. And you can reach out to some of those people and try to figure out what caused that or just how to deal with it the best way. Geek Feminism has some various tips that may warrant a look-see. The original article Feel like a Fraud also lists things like talking to mentors, remember what you do well, talking to someone you know who can help, etc. Whatever your solution, try to treat yourself well and remember that no one is perfect. …But can you believe I messed up on that analogy at the beginning? Ugh. Idiot. Did you enjoy this outrageously fantastic article? If so, perhaps consider donating $5 a month to my Patreon! I’m currently aiming towards an Abolish Work podcast and nearly half-way there!CS Vienna Calling has become a magnet for CouchSurfers from all over the world. The festival is now held for several years, it's a place to meet old friends and find new ones. It is the ideal place to learn about other cultures, while frying sausages on grill and enjoying the chilled atmosphere and sunshine. Learn more about the event and checkout some pictures and videos. Table of contents What's CouchSurfing or CS Vienna Calling? Wikipedia summarizes CouchSurfing as "CouchSurfing International Inc. is a corporation based in San Francisco that offers its users hospitality exchange and social networking services. With more than 4 million profiles in 246 countries and territories, CouchSurfing has an Alexa Traffic Rank of about 1,700." Once you've joined CouchSurfing, you will find out, that it is a lot more than that! CS Vienna Calling is a gathering of travellers and locals, a party, B.B.Q.-event, a place for workshops and intercultural exchange. It's usually at the beginning of June and lasts five days. The event does not have any direct connection to the CouchSurfing organization itself. It's organized by various volunteers from the Vienna Group. Therefore there is actually no official person in charge of this festival. Video Summary The base The base is the centerpiece of CS Vienna Calling. This is were people meet & greet to have a good time. It's a B.B.Q. on the Danube Island (Donauinsel) were people can grill their sausages and tell stories, relax and sing. Several sponsers like Ströck or RedBull donated free food and drinks for this happening. The weather was pretty good on Thursday and Friday. Unfortunately it got worse by Friday night, so the base couldn't take place on Saturday and was moved to Flying Pigs in the city center. Parties The organizers did once again a good job in organizing several parties. The welcome party was held in "replugged" in the 7th district, were many CouchSurfers already had a good time. The main party on Saturday had a lot to offer: A dance stage with CouchSurfing Vienna Calling visuals, good vibes and music, tons of Couchsurfers and amazing atmosphere. It took place in the 23rd district of Vienna in a club called KVS. For sure for the most among us, the first time there, but I guess not the last time! Welcome Party Welcome party at replugged Live music for CouchSurfers by CouchSurfers Main Party Events Several CouchSurfers organized fun workshops such as boxing, soccer, painting bags, photography, an underground tour through Vienna and lots more. Vienna Underground Brunch on Sunday Free Hugs Here you can download the full-size group picturesof the free hugs event: Conclusion It was a great event and well organized! It was great to meet many old friends from all over the world and get to know new ones. I've enjoyed the chilled atmosphere at the base at Donauinsel, played many games and just had a chat with several people. Eventhough the main party was a bit out of town, I am glad that I did the trip, otherwise I would have missed out a lot of fun. I am looking forward for CouchSuring Vienna Calling 2013. Propably next year more people are using Twitter already, so I would recommend the tweet-hashtag #csvc13 :-) More Pictures Check out the full gallery in my photoblog: See alsosublinimal Level 8 Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « on: October 25, 2011, 01:50:33 PM » I guess I'll make a devlog after all. Mainly to keep track of my checkpoints, so you probably can't expect frequent updates. So I'm working on this text-based game in Python. I've got a clear outline of what I'm going for. The concept is that everything revolves around farming herbs and mixing potions out of them. For example, you don't wield items or use magic, combat is handled by drinking/throwing potions. Different species of herbs multiply by the rules of different cellular automata, and selective breeding is required to get the most out of them (increases in effects, fertility, resistance to weather conditions...). You start from two villages, each focusing on an elementary herb, one growing Rhoadasin (a healing herb) and the other Hyazine (a poisonous herb). As you proceed, you'll discover new herbs and potion recipes. The progression is clear: For each friendly region, there's a cave filled with monsters and a boss enemy, and passing through brings you to the next area. Monsters from these caves attack the nearby area at night, and protecting your farms is part of the survival. A lot of the challenge lies in the strictly limited amount of potions you can carry. It's not possible to conquer a cave simply by manufacturing a ton of cannon fodder potions, you'll have to farm and mix efficiently. Villages can be defended more easily, as you have the townsfolk to help you. Doing your duty to guard your current residence also improves your trading opportunities there. (But of course, hardcore players would farm in the wild alone, with more room, no taxes, better soil & weather.) During the weekend, I've made some progress after a while, mainly working on inventory management, alchemy and menus. Right now the project is roughly 1700 lines of code spread across 7 files, but I'm going to have to rewrite chunks of it. I guess I'll make a devlog after all. Mainly to keep track of my checkpoints, so you probably can't expect frequent updates.So I'm working on this text-based game in Python. I've got a clear outline of what I'm going for. The concept is that everything revolves around farming herbs and mixing potions out of them. For example, you don't wield items or use magic, combat is handled by drinking/throwing potions. Different species of herbs multiply by the rules of different cellular automata, and selective breeding is required to get the most out of them (increases in effects, fertility, resistance to weather conditions...).You start from two villages, each focusing on an elementary herb, one growing Rhoadasin (a healing herb) and the other Hyazine (a poisonous herb). As you proceed, you'll discover new herbs and potion recipes. The progression is clear: For each friendly region, there's a cave filled with monsters and a boss enemy, and passing through brings you to the next area. Monsters from these caves attack the nearby area at night, and protecting your farms is part of the survival.A lot of the challenge lies in the strictly limited amount of potions you can carry. It's not possible to conquer a cave simply by manufacturing a ton of cannon fodder potions, you'll have to farm and mix efficiently. Villages can be defended more easily, as you have the townsfolk to help you. Doing your duty to guard your current residence also improves your trading opportunities there. (But of course, hardcore players would farm in the wild alone, with more room, no taxes, better soil & weather.)During the weekend, I've made some progress after a while, mainly working on inventory management, alchemy and menus.Right now the project is roughly 1700 lines of code spread across 7 files, but I'm going to have to rewrite chunks of it. « Last Edit: October 26, 2011, 09:32:09 AM by sublinimal » Logged sublinimal Level 8 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #1 on: October 26, 2011, 09:32:32 AM » Panacea, the Greek goddess of healing, and the name of a cure-all medicine alchemists sought. It rolls off the tongue, sounds somewhat mysterious, and is quite fitting. I gave a shot at making a stylized ASCII title for it. Rewriting my pathfinding code at the moment, and working on some music loops - nostalgic, classy, a bit on the JRPG side. I think I've got a good working title for this game.Panacea, the Greek goddess of healing, and the name of a cure-all medicine alchemists sought. It rolls off the tongue, sounds somewhat mysterious, and is quite fitting. I gave a shot at making a stylized ASCII title for it.Rewriting my pathfinding code at the moment, and working on some music loops - nostalgic, classy, a bit on the JRPG side. Logged sabajt Level 1 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #2 on: October 26, 2011, 12:02:48 PM » Quote Different species of herbs multiply by the rules of different cellular automata, and selective breeding is required to get the most out of them like this, very cool. are you using a curses library for the ascii graphics? wow, that title graphic is metallike this, very cool.are you using a curses library for the ascii graphics? Logged http://dinopuzzlegame.com/ sublinimal Level 8 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #4 on: October 28, 2011, 08:08:39 AM » Some song stubs Struggling with bullshit errors, such as classes refusing to behave like OOP and prompts being displayed inconsistently. Structure-wise, the new code is cleaner and generalized, so I guess the net sanity will be positive. I think I'll just work around them for now.Some song stubs here Logged sabajt Level 1 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #5 on: October 28, 2011, 11:17:36 AM » Quote from: sublinimal on October 26, 2011, 12:45:24 PM Quote from: sabajt on October 26, 2011, 12:02:48 PM are you using a curses library for the ascii graphics? No. But I probably should be. No. But I probably should be. I'll suggest: If you're just using a command line right now and want to switch over, it would probably mean a total re-write of your code... but might be worth looking into if you're not too far in. Here's why I say that: It's a curses library that uses pygame, so it would be a totally different approach and would require you to also learn pygame, but might scale easier for a large project AND would allow you to manipulate your graphics like images instead of text: meaning easy manipulation of size, rotation, added color, alpha values. On top of that, you would have access pygame itself, and if you take a look at the pygame documentation ( I haven't used the Pygcurse, but the guy who made it (Al Sweigart) also wrote a great book teaching python programming from the ground up using pygame, so I'm sure Pygcurse is a well organized and functional tool, as he knows the tech forwards and backwards. If you know python well enough to write what you've done so far, learning pygame would be no problem. So yeah, not sure if you want to take it that direction at all, but just sharing what I know, good luck! I'll suggest: http://inventwithpython.com/pygcurse/ If you're just using a command line right now and want to switch over, it would probably mean a total re-write of your code... but might be worth looking into if you're not too far in. Here's why I say that:It's a curses library that uses pygame, so it would be a totally different approach and would require you to also learn pygame, but might scale easier for a large project AND would allow you to manipulate your graphics like images instead of text: meaning easy manipulation of size, rotation, added color, alpha values. On top of that, you would have access pygame itself, and if you take a look at the pygame documentation ( http://www.pygame.org/docs/ ) you'l get an idea of what that would give you.I haven't used the Pygcurse, but the guy who made it (Al Sweigart) also wrote a great book teaching python programming from the ground up using pygame, so I'm sure Pygcurse is a well organized and functional tool, as he knows the tech forwards and backwards. If you know python well enough to write what you've done so far, learning pygame would be no problem.So yeah, not sure if you want to take it that direction at all, but just sharing what I know, good luck! Logged http://dinopuzzlegame.com/ sublinimal Level 8 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #6 on: October 28, 2011, 12:10:39 PM » Quote from: sabajt on October 28, 2011, 11:17:36 AM It's a curses library that uses pygame, so it would be a totally different approach and would require you to also learn pygame, but might scale easier for a large project AND would allow you to manipulate your graphics like images instead of text: meaning easy manipulation of size, rotation, added color, alpha values. Ah, I'm actually quite experienced with Pygame already, it's my default choice of library when I'm doing games or graphical stuff with Python. As for Panacea, I'm using it for real-time keyboard input and music playback. I like to do things the hard way, since self-imposed limitations tend to boost creativity, but sometimes I'm not sure myself if I'm just being stubborn. Pygcurse could come in handy though (I'm looking at the colored text and non-flickery output), so thanks for the heads-up. Ah, I'm actually quite experienced with Pygame already, it's my default choice of library when I'm doing games or graphical stuff with Python. As for Panacea, I'm using it for real-time keyboard input and music playback.I like to do things the hard way, since self-imposed limitations tend to boost creativity, but sometimes I'm not sure myself if I'm just being stubborn. Pygcurse could come in handy though (I'm looking at the colored text and non-flickery output), so thanks for the heads-up. Logged sublinimal Level 8 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #7 on: October 29, 2011, 11:50:33 AM » Most of the boring stuff is rewritten, and it seems to hold together so far. You can explore the world, talk/trade with people, use alchemy, plant some herbs. After this, it'll be time to brainstorm the gameplay more precisely. I'm going to think out loud a bit: You start in a cave with some ready-made potions in your inventory. It works as a sort of combat tutorial, but in the loosest sense of the word: I don't mean pop-ups and "now move over here", just a short glimpse of what it's like. It throws you straight in the action, which is fitting because you'll have to start over regularly, and it also increases the 'wow' factor when you find out there's more to the game than dungeon dwelling. I figure caves wouldn't go down/up like in the usual roguelike style, they'd be connected in 1-4 cardinal directions. That style hasn't been explored in roguelikes very often, so there's a lot of new ground to cover and quirks to invent, such as enemies holding keys to the doors in each direction. In the end you'd arrive at the overworld with the two villages I mentioned earlier. Each village has privately owned farms. You need to book yourself in a village, which will allow you to farm/sleep/store items there. Certain villages only support certain plants depending on the climate and some other restrictions - as for the first two villages, one only accepts Rhoadasin and the other only Hyazine. Their culture revolves around farming, and they have a love-hate relationship. Before the nearby bridge broke down, they were frequently under attack, and they needed each other's products for defending. The first thing to do is to rebuild the bridge so you can reach the first "real" cave. Enemies don't invade villages until the bridge's up; it makes sense plot-wise and reduces the amount of mechanics thrown at a new player's face. A merchant travels back and forth between the villages, bringing one town's goods to the other. His business has been slow without the monster attacks, so he secretly wants an outsider to rebuild it. He'll sell you some black market bridge-building equipment once you have enough valuables. The economy is purely trade-based, so you'll have to learn how to grow and mix stuff before you can proceed. I'm thinking of the design in the terms of an average player and a hardcore one who goes for self-imposed challenges. The first could acquaintaince themselves with the villages, talk to the people and so on, the latter might just want to speedrun for the bridge by growing stuff in the starter cave (which is risky and requires more micromanaging but is more productive). Rather than hard-coding a "normal" and a "hard" mode, I'd like to embed the choices in the gameplay that way. I've posted quite a few teaser screenshots, but I'm hoping to have something playable up soon. Logged sublinimal Level 8 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #10 on: October 30, 2011, 06:39:15 AM » The good thing is, it doesn't seem to demand massive rewriting if I chose to use it. Toying around with the Pygcurse library. While it's convenient, all the fonts I've tried so far look incredibly ugly. Forced anti-alias and absurd spacing, which is disappointing for a text-based library.The good thing is, it doesn't seem to demand massive rewriting if I chose to use it. « Last Edit: October 30, 2011, 06:54:30 AM by sublinimal » Logged agersant Level 4 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #12 on: October 30, 2011, 08:03:39 AM » Your title artwork is great and the concept is cool too (even though I don't play roguelikes nor crafting games). Keep up the good work! Logged sublinimal Level 8 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #14 on: October 30, 2011, 01:43:17 PM » Trying to implement a decent system for dialogue/event trees. In a typical discussion, you have a choice between "news", "small talk", and "trade". "Trade" does what it says on the tin: if both parties have items and are willing to trade, the trade screen pops up. The value of items is influenced by your charisma and reputation. "Small talk" is generally unchanging information about the area, the game lore, or the character itself. NPCs have small, unique phrase pools from which one comment is pulled at a time. "News" is the most flexible one. It contains quests, events, and timely information. A good example in the starting villages is how citizens will tell you to go see the mayor on your first visit. He in turn asks you if you want to get booked, which lets you create a farm and access the village's services. After that event is over, citizens in that village move on to the next subject. News aren't just about hard-coded, plot-related events, NPCs will also comment on the latest invasion and such. I'll do this step by step, checkpoint by checkpoint. I've got ideas for some more complex NPC behaviour (such as maintaining a farm), but at the moment I'm just working to get the basics right. The first release you'll see will probably just consist of walking around, chatting and farming, with no specific goal. If everything won't crash and burn, it's probably time for the combat framework. Speaking of crashing and burning, I've screwed up my module organization. I thought I'd transfer some functions to new modules for clarity and availability, but then familiar global variables turned into undefined ones, and fixing one problem introduced two more. Everything just escalated from there, and I can't seem to get anything to work now. Logged sublinimal Level 8 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #16 on: October 30, 2011, 03:50:44 PM » Better record some event testing while it is still working. We start with some small talk, and the "news" option gives you the choice of booking. The line breaks in dialogue are awkward, that much I can tell. The bigger the farm, the more taxes you'll have to pay. Before someone asks: The numbers under your selected item are (respectively) the herb's optimal light level/hydration/temperature and dominance - each on a scale of 1-10. The closer you are to an individual herb's optimal conditions, the better its offspring will be. Dominance just means that when two herbs are trying to occupy the same cell while spreading, the one with a higher number wins. It's why you don't farm poisonous herbs in the same place as healing herbs. Twiddling with the numbers would already offer a fair amount of micromanaging, but I'm dreaming of some fancy gene-based system that allows talented breeders to create monster plants. I already did. Don't worry, it'll take more than this to stop me. But I did resort to some nasty in-function importing, so I have a feeling this'll boomerang back at me later on.Better record some event testing while it is still working. We start with some small talk, and the "news" option gives you the choice of booking. The line breaks in dialogue are awkward, that much I can tell.The bigger the farm, the more taxes you'll have to pay.Before someone asks: The numbers under your selected item are (respectively) the herb's optimal light level/hydration/temperature and dominance - each on a scale of 1-10. The closer you are to an individual herb's optimal conditions, the better its offspring will be. Dominance just means that when two herbs are trying to occupy the same cell while spreading, the one with a higher number wins. It's why you don't farm poisonous herbs in the same place as healing herbs.Twiddling with the numbers would already offer a fair amount of micromanaging, but I'm dreaming of some fancy gene-based system that allows talented breeders to create monster plants. « Last Edit: October 30, 2011, 03:57:08 PM by sublinimal » Logged sublinimal Level 8 Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #17 on: October 31, 2011, 01:56:29 PM » Age is also taken into account. The life cycle should be something like seed -> sprout -> ripe -> mature -> withering -> dead, spread over a time period depending on the species. The harvesting age affects the results of alchemy. Carelessly bred herbs will eventually have retarded growth, but overbreeding can lead into dying before you can reap the benefits. Which is only a realistic danger when a species already has a low natural lifespan. Out of the starter herbs, Hyazine takes 2 or 3 neighbours to survive, and an empty cell takes 4 Hyazine neighbours to give birth to a new one. Rhoadasin is the same except more fertile, a birth only requires 3 neighbours. Both age fast enough to spread each night by default. Some more demanding herbs will take several days to grow and spread, and thrive in very specific conditions. You might have noticed that Rhoadasin's rules are identical to Conway's Game of Life: The closer you are to optimal conditions, the safer, more predictable farming is. The further you are from optimal conditions, the more randomness you'll see in the attributes. But of course, take it to the extremes and you won't get crops at all. It's only logical: when a herb is in the conditions it's best suited for, it has the least need for mutations. Selective breeding is required to increase their potential. A village's conditions are optimal for the herb it specializes in. This means that if you want mutations (-> stronger herbs), you'll have to farm outside of the comfort zone. The risk and difficulty are higher but so are the rewards. In the start of the game, you don't have the equipment to create farms without villagers' help. If simply keeping your crops alive isn't enough and you want to be efficient as well, you're going to have to micromanage. That is, reap & re-sow herbs at the right time, pay attention to the attributes, learn to get the most out of trading. Later on, you'll learn how to create farms pretty much anywhere; it offers more responsibility in choosing a location and demands more maintenance. Caves are some of the most hardcore places for farming. Caves have naturally occuring plantations in difficult conditions - strong invasions with nobody to help, plus it's dark, cold and dry. They're also where you might discover new species of herbs. The fundamental breeding system is just about done, I just need to decide how to best handle births/deaths/conflicts with different herb species and tinker with inheritance. These are design issues, not programming ones. For example, do I want cross-species breeding, or several isolated cellular automata running simultaneously? I'm thinking of going with the latter until I implement genes. Survival takes into account all neighbouring herbs (a matter of space), while birth required the same species (a matter of inheritance).Age is also taken into account. The life cycle should be something like seed -> sprout -> ripe -> mature -> withering -> dead, spread over a time period depending on the species. The harvesting age affects the results of alchemy. Carelessly bred herbs will eventually have retarded growth, but overbreeding can lead into dying before you can reap the benefits. Which is only a realistic danger when a species already has a low natural lifespan.Out of the starter herbs, Hyazine takes 2 or 3 neighbours to survive, and an empty cell takes 4 Hyazine neighbours to give birth to a new one. Rhoadasin is the same except more fertile, a birth only requires 3 neighbours. Both age fast enough to spread each night by default. Some more demanding herbs will take several days to grow and spread, and thrive in very specific conditions.You might have noticed that Rhoadasin's rules are identical to Conway's Game of Life:The closer you are to optimal conditions, the safer, more predictable farming is. The further you are from optimal conditions, the more randomness you'll see in the attributes. But of course, take it to the extremes and you won't get crops at all. It's only logical: when a herb is in the conditions it's best suited for, it has the least need for mutations. Selective breeding is required to increase their potential. A village's conditions are optimal for the herb it specializes in. This means that if you want mutations (-> stronger herbs), you'll have to farm outside of the comfort zone. The risk and difficulty are higher but so are the rewards.In the start of the game, you don't have the equipment to create farms without villagers' help. If simply keeping your crops alive isn't enough and you want to be efficient as well, you're going to have to micromanage. That is, reap & re-sow herbs at the right time, pay attention to the attributes, learn to get the most out of trading. Later on, you'll learn how to create farms pretty much anywhere; it offers more responsibility in choosing a location and demands more maintenance. Caves are some of the most hardcore places for farming. Caves have naturally occuring plantations in difficult conditions - strong invasions with nobody to help, plus it's dark, cold and dry. They're also where you might discover new species of herbs. Logged Pineapple ~♪ Level 10~♪ Re: Panacea - an alchemy/farming/defense roguelike « Reply #18 on: October 31, 2011, 03:08:06 PM » honestly I don't think cellular automata is the best way to go about plant breeding behavior. it seems cool conceptually but it feels like it's a little too unrealistic to the point where it contrasts with the idea of considering such things like genetics. LoggedImage copyright Getty Images The US economy added 160,000 jobs in April - undershooting expectations and well below the 208,000 created in March, official figures show. March's figure was revised down from 215,000 and February's was also revised from 242,000 down to 233,000. The jobless rate remained at 5% and average hourly earnings rose 2.5%. April's report is being closely watched, as it could influence an upcoming interest rate decision by the US Federal Reserve. Fed policy makers hold a two-day meeting starting on
a big list of industry heavyweights that they were considering. They were looking for something newer, something fresher, something that could be as iconic as the previous scores that Marty had written. So they didn’t necessarily want to go with a seasoned Hollywood composer. They then got in contact with my management after my name had been put forward.” "To Galaxy" (OST): "To Galaxy" (Sander Van Doorn and Julian Jordan remix): On whether they went in a completely new direction out of respect to O’Donnell’s work or to fit the new trilogy’s story: “It’s very much because it’s a new trilogy. Everyone has the utmost respect for what Marty has done. The phrase that kept going around was ‘evolution not revolution’ of the score. [They wanted a] more electronic, slightly more beat-driven direction, which is one reason why they came to me. They wanted to flesh out, sonically, a new universe. One that they could expand on in subsequent sequels.” On whether or not he thinks the classic Halo soundtrack even needs to evolve: “In my opinion just as a fan of the game, yes I think it did need to evolve. It’s healthy to keep things changing. Each Massive Attack album I’ve worked on was significantly different than the previous album. There’s a whole new world of fans out there who listen to a whole different kind of music than what was out there 10 years ago [when Halo first released].” "Revival" (OST): On whether it’s going to be completely different than the previous Halo music: “There are connections with Marty’s previous scores within this. There is a continuation, thematically, without being too direct about it. Everything’s been updated on this game.” On his process for creating the Halo 4 soundtrack: “I didn’t go into this with a concept and a game plan. I know there were concepts floating around – organic and digital coming together to mesh. [But] I came at this with heart, with love, with passion, and felt my way through the project. Each piece of music I composed, I wanted it to touch me. If it doesn’t mean anything to me, how can it mean anything to anyone else?” On how he would describe the tone of the soundtrack: “There is this combination of organic/orchestral/choir-driven stuff underpinned by this very strong, very muscular, digital, programmed, distorted, electronic backbone. It’s still romantic. There’s still a romantic aspect to the melodic work.” On his creative process: “I tried a number of different approaches [laughs]. Each approach in its own way at certain points was successful. I did try to compose to the video captures of someone playing the game. I found that to be intensely frustrating. It’s one thing to be behind the controller, but to be a passenger just watching and trying to compose music as a soundtrack to that was a real struggle for me. I would say it only worked once. "Beauty of Cortana" (Apocalyptica vs. Neil Davidge): “For the most part I’d have to prepare myself much like I’d imagine a method actor would. I’d immerse myself in the characters, in whichever theme I was composing, the environment, the various imagery that the guys at 343 had created. I found the still images to be the most powerful writing tools to get me in the right frame of mind. But at times I’d also listened to some of the dialogue that had been recorded for some of the characters, so I’d get the tone of the characters of the voice in my head. I’d get the gravity of that particular character right. Often I’d just try and amass all this stuff in my head, get my heart in the right place, and go from there and not tie myself to the visual side of things. [Then] I’d present on average two maybe three approaches to each mission to the guys at 343 and they would then make a selection.” On his timeline: “I went to see the guys at 343 in December 2010 and I wasn’t due to start composing until February 2011, but I was so inspired that I came back to Bristol [UK] and literally as soon as I could get myself into the studio I was composing for the game. I already had a load of ideas I wanted to explore. By the time I was actually due to start composing I’d already written 27 pieces, [even though] all I had was the memory of the experience of being in Seattle for three days and meeting everyone involved. I composed purely on feel.” "Ascendancy" (OST): On his favorite Halo moment so far: “The first game itself to me was a key experience. The one that keeps coming to mind, funny enough, is when I was working on the Massive Attack album 100th Window, my assistant programmer and I used to play ‘Hang ‘em High’ all the time.” On his motivation for the remix album? “A lot of these people are actually fans of the game themselves. The guys at Apocalyptica have been playing halo since the beginning…In a way it’s kind of allowing a bit more of the community to get involved, even if it’s just the music community. “If we’re going to go to the trouble of making a soundtrack album, let’s make it a great listen. So therefore let’s get some great remixes as well.” "Haven" (Hundred Waters remix): On how he feels about the finished product: “The first time I know whether it works will is when I actually buy the game and sit down and play it myself! [laughs]” Ryan McCaffrey is the Executive Editor at IGN Xbox. He used to own a DeLorean, which is weird. Follow him on Twitter, on IGN, catch him on Podcast Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.Nothing has quite the same buzz as an effort to allow the medical use of marijuana. A state budget crunch that won't quit, legislative reapportionment and gaming are expected to crowd the legislative season that starts in Tallahassee on Tuesday — but for some, nothing has quite the same buzz as an effort to allow the medical use of marijuana. It's the second year in a row that legislation has been filed to start Florida on the path that 16 other states and the District of Columbia have taken, starting with California in 1996. And this year represents the first time that a bill allowing marijuana as a medicinal has been filed in both the House and the Senate. For some from the home of "Gainesville Green" — a celebrated strain of marijuana — and the recently revived Hemp Fest — including those who have served jail time for being a "Doobie Tosser" — this legislation can't come quickly enough. House Joint Resolution 353 and Senate Joint Resolution 1028 propose that the question of allowing marijuana for medical use should appear on the 2012 ballot as a statewide referendum. If approved by at least 60 percent of the voters, the state constitution would be amended. Never mind that neither of the bills has been scheduled for hearings. Jodi James, executive director of the Florida Cannabis Action Network, is, well, elated. "This is the first time since 1978 that cannabis advocates will have a sustained presence in the Legislature," said James, explaining that her Melbourne-based group has launched a website, www.fldecides.org in the effort. Even more than advocating for the proposed legislation, James' group is planning on petitioning Gov. Rick Scott, asking him to urge the Legislature to pass a bill that bypasses the constitutional amendment process and allows medical marijuana use in Florida. "Sick and dying people need access to this medicine now," James said. But Sen. Steve Oelrich, R-Cross Creek, calls the proposed legislation "a sham." Drug laws might need to be revamped, but allowing the use of marijuana under the guise of medical treatment is not the way to do it, he said. "Let's address the bigger issue and have a debate about that," he said. On the streets of Gainesville working as an undercover narcotics investigator, former Gainesville Police Deputy Chief Mike Jones said he has started thinking that marijuana ought to be legal. Pro-marijuana organizers say Jones might be one of the witnesses who legislators hear from in the upcoming push. "When I came out of the undercover assignment in my first year at GPD, I was convinced that marijuana would be legal in the next five years," said Jones, who now lives in New Mexico and has gotten marijuana as medicine from Veterans Affairs doctors for his post-traumatic stress disorder. "I couldn't see the threat anywhere near what prohibitionists were claiming." And working in his next assignment — patrol — convinced him even more, he said. "I never had a problem with anyone who had been smoking marijuana — they were easy to deal with, often funny," he said. "On the other hand, though, when there was drinking, people two and three times my age wanted to fight me and offered to do all kinds of vile things with me." Before retiring from the police department in 1991, the Marine combat veteran from the Vietnam conflict started to come in contact with others who were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, like him. After retirement, he moved to Sedona, Ariz., where the drug was more readily available. He said he's stopped all intoxicants for the last six months, to be more in keeping with his Buddhist practices, but he's willing to be part of a speaker's bureau in favor of medicinal marijuana use. But Dr. Scott Teitelbaum, medical director of the Florida Recovery Center and chief of the Division of Addiction Medicine at the University of Florida, calls medical marijuana a farce. First of all, no doctor concerned about his patient's health would recommend a drug that is delivered by smoking. Not only is it harmful, it delivers an imprecise dose, he said. He's quick to point to the American Society of Addiction Medicine's white paper on the issue: "Rigorous research is needed to better understand the significance of different cannabinoid formulations and ratios, methods of administration and dose-response relationships. Cannabis has a range of effects, some of which may be disturbing to patients with serious medical conditions." But state Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami, who is sponsoring the bill in the Senate, said that what started as a courtesy filing has become a cause for her, after she started looking into it. Her belief that it should pass stems from 1) wanting to de-glamorize it for young people who are looking to do something illegal, and 2) the medical relief it offers to those who need it. And it's good for the state budget, too, she said. "The state spends $288 million of effort due to the prohibition of marijuana," she said, adding that it could also be a source of tax revenue. Scott Camil, a Gainesville anti-war activist who founded Veterans for Peace in 1987, said that marijuana not only helped him cope with the post-traumatic stress he brought back from Vietnam after serving there as a Marine combat soldier, it opened up his mind. It was all part of his education at the University of Florida, Camil said. He's featured in a six-minute University of Florida film, "Gainesville Greens." "I never imagined it would be illegal this late," he said, shaking his head. "I know plenty of people in positions of authority who have smoked marijuana — professors, teachers, doctors." Hemp Fest organizer Dennis "Murli" Watkins has served time for marijuana infractions, mostly, he says, from a Hemp Fest "doobie-tossing" that distributed some 3,000 joints to revelers at one 1995 event. It earned him the nickname "doobie tosser." "It'd be hard to find a white man who has smoked more marijuana than me," said Watkins, who helped cultivate Hemp Fest for this past November after it had been dormant for 11 years. He said he's 100 percent disabled from his experience as a combat soldier in Vietnam and finds that marijuana is a spiritual plant that allows its users to see society's lies. Watkins said his daily routine of smoking medicine-grade marijuana starts soon after he has his first cup of coffee — something to help him cope with the stress of caring for his 84-year-old mother. But he's surprised his 16-year-old daughter didn't want to attend the event that he said attracted 1,000 people downtown. Police estimated the attendance at more like 300. "She said, ‘Why would I want to hang out with a bunch of potheads?'?" Watkins said of his daughter's reaction to the suggestion that she attend Hemp Fest.Graphene, the ultra-durable carbon material that holds promise for a range of applications, has yet another trick up its single-atom-thick sleeve. Engineers at the University of Houston have used quantum mechanical calculations to show that, merely by creating holes of a certain configuration in a sheet of graphene, they can coax graphene into behaving like a piezoelectric material. Piezoelectric substances generate electricity in response to physical pressure, and vice versa, and scientists can use these materials for applications such as energy harvesting and artificial muscles, as well as to make precise sensors. Graphene itself is not naturally piezoelectric. But the Houston engineers reasoned that if they took either a semiconducting or insulator form of graphene, punched triangle-shaped holes into it, and applied a uniform pressure to the material, they could make that material act as though it were piezoelectric. The team's calculations showed that triangular holes did indeed result in piezoelectric behavior, while circular holes -- as they predicted -- did not. They also found that graphene's pseudo-piezoelectricity was almost as strong as that of well-known piezoelectric substances such as quartz. The authors suggest that triangular pores could be created in real graphene using electron-beam radiation in a lab, which means these calculations can be tested using existing methods. "Nature has dealt humankind … a very limited choice of effective electromechanical materials" that exhibit piezoelectricity, write the authors in their paper, accepted to the AIP's Applied Physics Letters. Adding graphene to the list "could potentially open new avenues" of use, both for graphene and for applications that rely on piezoelectricity.Those behind the campaign striving to recall embattled Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky — the judge at the center of the controversial Brock Turner trial — say state election officials are siding with them in a legal dispute over the ballot. Scott Budman reports (Published Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017) Those behind the campaign striving to recall embattled Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky — the judge at the center of the controversial Brock Turner trial — say state election officials are siding with them in a legal dispute over the ballot. Persky has been on the hot seat almost from the moment he sentenced Turner, a former Stanford University student-athlete, to six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. Critics blasted the sentence as being too lenient. California Attorney General to Intervene in Judge Persky Recall Effort California Attorney General Xavier Becerra on Tuesday is expected to intervene in the recall effort surrounding Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky, the judge at the center of the controversial Brock Turner trial. Kris Sanchez reports. (Published Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017) The recall effort was in full swing until recently when Persky filed a lawsuit arguing that superior court judges are state officers and that their recall should be handled by the state. Since that filing, the campaign has been barred from gathering signatures to put the issue on the ballot. Recall campaign leaders on Tuesday said that the secretary of state supports their position that the recall should be managed by Santa Clara County elections officials and not the state. That jurisdiction decision must ultimately be handed down by a judge, and local judges have recused themselves from the case. While the recall effort remains on hold, Michele Dauber and those behind the movement continue to remain committed to their goal. "It’s not going to work. We’re going to collect our signatures," Dauber said. "He’s going to face the voters. He’s going to be recalled. "Judge Persky has hired Donald Trump’s Arizona state director to manage his campaign and that tells you everything you need to know about Judge Persky’s bias against women and his views on sexual assault," Dauber added. Judge Persky's attorney said his legal team will have further comment when a decision regarding the recall is reached. For now, they will wait for a judge to rule. "Our role here today is to make sure Judge Persky is treated fairly during these recall proceedings," attorney Christine Peek said. Those carrying out the recall effort said they need 90,000 signatures to get the issue on the ballot. They hope to have those signatures in time for the June 2018 ballot. The Associated Press contributed to this report.Two years ago, Facebook set out to change the server and storage industries by creating freely available hardware designs that gave customers more flexibility than those on offer from the HPs and Dells of the world. Now, Facebook aims to knock Cisco and the other top network vendors down a peg by leading a nearly identical project for switches. Facebook is leading this disruption of the data center hardware industry through the Open Compute Project, which takes the open source approach typically applied to software such as Linux and aims it at hardware. Thus far, the project had worked on reference designs for servers, motherboards, storage, racks, and interconnects. Facebook itself has used these designs to buy hardware directly from original design manufacturers (ODMs) that build servers exactly to Facebook's specifications. This approach strips out many of the hardware and software features companies like HP and Dell insert into general-purpose products, making them cheaper and more efficient. Going directly to ODMs is easier for companies with the purchasing power of Facebook, but some vendors are embracing Open Compute Project designs, allowing even smaller customers to benefit. Open Compute embraces networking Today, Facebook announced at the annual Interop networking conference in Las Vegas that the Open Compute Project will design a top-of-rack switch that can boot pretty much any networking software a customer wants. The switch would provide an alternative to vendors like Cisco, Arista Networks, and Dell's Force 10 division, Frank Frankovsky, VP of hardware design and supply chain operations at Facebook, told Ars last week. "We still don't have an open source switch variant for the hardware stack and we certainly haven't figured out a way to enable the hardware selection separate from the network operating system selection," Frankovsky said. Facebook officials acknowledged that switch vendors face a tough task in building products that can meet the needs of a wide range of customers without falling behind the pace of innovation demanded by large Internet companies. But Frankovsky still took a dim view of some commercially available switching products. "Some of the things we've seen in off-the-shelf switch products lead me to believe that maybe the people that designed these switches have never been in a data center," Frankovsky said. "They do some really weird things with the way they mount into rack enclosures, with air flow direction. For example, we have a row of cluster switches that exhaust heat into each other. I don't know if it's just because the thermal engineer never envisioned an entire row of these things stacked in one row, or whether they just didn't know much about data center thermal dynamics." The Open Compute Project will create a specification and reference hardware for the OS-agnostic top-of-rack switch. The network project includes hardware and software vendors Intel, Broadcom, Cumulus Networks, VMware, Netronome, Big Switch Networks, as well as the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and OpenDaylight consortiums, which are working on open source software-defined networking (SDN) systems that could be installed on these switches. ONF is working on the open source OpenFlow SDN software, while OpenDaylight is a new SDN project led by the Linux Foundation. Software-defined networking aims to let IT admins configure network equipment from a central server, instead of logging into each switch separately. This would be combined with monitoring and management tools allowing quick and easy changes to networks. As IBM describes it, SDN is "designed for virtual, dynamic and flexible networking that allows organizations to more easily modify, control and manage today's physical and virtual networks." SDN, particularly open source implementations, could help make networks less dependent on the hardware of one specific vendor. Frankovsky said shipping hardware products based on the Open Compute switch design could come from third-party vendors within a year. This could benefit smaller hardware vendors trying to compete against the network market's big fellas, as well as makers of open source network products that can't install their software onto proprietary hardware. There are some software-defined networking vendors in stealth mode who are "building their code bases, hoping for the day they could land it on a high volume open source switch," Frankovsky said. "I think it's going to help those kinds of companies flourish and those open source efforts like OpenDaylight or OpenFlow to flourish as well." Will Cisco be left behind? Cisco, for its part, is beginning to incorporate OpenFlow into its product line. But it's clearly not the company's preference, with one (now-former) Cisco executive recently calling OpenFlow a "fantasy." As Network World's Jim Duffy writes, "Cisco is critical of OpenFlow, claiming its decoupled control and data planes, linked by the OpenFlow protocol, forces customers to re-architect and re-engineer their networks." Frankovsky predicts that hardware companies will have to take an open source approach to keep their customers. So far, companies like Hyve and Avnet are on board, selling Open Compute-based hardware. Frankovksy came on the Interop stage today after the likes of Cisco, VMware, Microsoft, Broadcom, and Juniper Networks, and quickly noted that "I haven't heard anyone mention open source this morning, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised." He went on to tell the Interop crowd that Open Compute is "the greatest opportunity to the incumbent or the greatest threat to their business, depending on whether they embrace it.... Openness always wins." "The companies that are going to be successful in the long haul are the ones that can work within an open source framework and provide a service that allows them to customize the product to the end users' needs," he told Ars last week while providing a preview of the announcement. "There are a number of partners that are building Open Compute practices specifically to work with end users, so they can pull the Open Compute building blocks together, certify them, and move them into production. They don't approach the customer with a pre-defined black box solution that can't be modified. They approach the customer with a lot of questions about what would be best for their environment and they work with the Open Compute building blocks to pull something custom together for them." Proprietary systems allow little customization Proprietary switches come with their own software stacks that allow little in the way of customization, Facebook officials said. Najam Ahmad, who runs Facebook's network engineering team and is leading the Open Compute Project's network program, believes freeing customers to use whatever software they want is the most important aspect of the open network project. First of all, customers can avoid "bloated" platforms that try to be all things to all companies, Ahmad said. "More software usually means more bugs," he said. Second, making changes to software will be easier with Open Compute switches than with most of the ones available today. "We don't know what feature we may want tomorrow," Ahmad said. "If you look at Facebook culturally, we run into a problem and overnight we say it would be nice if we can solve it this way. Then a bunch of engineers get together and solve the problem, and then two days later it's running somewhere. We don't have that ability in the network stack." Facebook didn't reveal what networking gear it uses, but when asked if the company uses typical Cisco-type switches, Frankovsky said "those are good guesses… Pretty standard top-of-rack and cluster switches." The first phase of the Open Compute Project was driven almost entirely by Facebook, with the company creating designs in-house and then releasing them to the world. This time around, it will be closer to a true open source project with collaboration from the start. An OCP Engineering Summit will be held at MIT on May 16 to kick off development. Frankovsky said Facebook is being careful not to duplicate the efforts already made in the open source software-defined networking market. The OCP switch will come with just a pre-boot environment allowing customers to choose their own OS instead of deciding on one OS for all customers. OpenFlow and OpenDaylight are likely candidates to run on the OCP switch, but Facebook and its partners want to make sure users can choose what they want. "We should be able to treat a switch like a server in the rack," Frankovsky said. "We should be able to load a Linux-based operating system, and that server just happens to have a lot of I/O ports on it."923 SHARES Share Tweet Email * Hi, my name is Abys and I’m from Nancy in the North East of France. I started graffiti in 2007 with a few friends when I entered high school. We had a spot not far from school so as soon as we had a break we would head there to paint (my paintings were not great at the time). I mainly painted characters until now, realistic characters at first but it started bothering me with time. I’ve had a lot more fun creating my own characters and since last year I’ve been trying to do some lettering to complete all this. I enjoy uncomplicated lettering at the moment, in my work they are, above all, a pretext to work on a few new concepts. I like looking for ways to embed the letters with the scenery, the characters etc.. That’s also a funny way to play with textures and colours when I just want to paint without being hassled. But I continue to work anyway, I hope to travel more soon and paint with writers that I appreciate. Abys / Nancy / Walls Abys / Nancy / Walls Abys / Nancy / Walls Abys / Nancy / Walls Abys / Nancy / Walls feature Abys / Nancy / Walls Abys / Nancy / Walls hive Abys / Nancy / Walls Abys / Nancy / Walls magic1 Abys / Nancy / Walls Abys / Nancy / Walls Abys / Nancy / Walls puppets Abys / Nancy / Walls roman Abys / Nancy / Walls Abys / Nancy / Walls Abys / Nancy / Walls For more of ABYS’s work click here Follow ABYS on intagramWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two days before U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was fired, President Donald Trump tried to call the high-profile New York prosecutor in what a White House official said was an effort to “thank him for his service and to wish him good luck.” FILE PHOTO: U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara speaks during a Reuters Newsmaker event in New York City, U.S., July 13, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File photo But a U.S. law enforcement official said Bharara declined to take the call, placed on Thursday, saying he did not want to talk to the president without the approval of his superiors. Bharara said on Saturday he had been fired after he defied a request to resign. The move was a surprise because Bharara had told reporters in November that Trump had asked him to remain in the job. As the chief federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, which includes Manhattan, Bharara oversaw several notable corruption and white-collar criminal cases, as well as prosecutions of terrorism suspects. He was one of 46 Obama administration holdovers who were asked to resign by the Justice Department on Friday. Although U.S. attorneys are political appointees, and the request from Trump’s Justice Department is part of a routine process, the move came as a surprise. Not every new administration replaces all U.S. attorneys at once. The White House declined to comment further on the resignations. The office in the southern district of New York handles some of the most critical business and criminal cases that pass through the federal judicial system. Bharara had been overseeing a probe into New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s fundraising. Bharara said his deputy, Joon Kim, would serve as his temporary replacement. The law enforcement source declined comment on whether the office had any active investigations related to Trump. On Wednesday, three watchdog groups asked Bharara to take steps to prevent the Trump Organization from receiving benefits from foreign governments that might enrich Trump, who has not given up ownership of the business. Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics lawyer who leads one of the groups, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, questioned the timing of the firings. “I do believe that something odd happened,” he said. “You don’t decide to keep 46 folks on, then suddenly demand their immediate exit, without some precipitating cause or causes.” Democrat Elijah Cummings, ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, said on Sunday it was the president’s prerogative to fire U.S. attorneys. But he questioned why Trump had suddenly changed his mind on keeping Bharara. “I’m just curious as to why that is,” Cummings said on ABC’s “This Week” program. “Certainly, there’s a lot of questions coming up as to whether... President Trump is concerned about the jurisdiction of this U.S. attorney and whether that might affect his future.” Republican Senator John McCain said he did not know what promises Trump might have made to Bharara in terms of keeping him on, but he said the president was within his rights to seek the resignation of political appointees from a prior administration. FILE PHOTO: A combination of file photos shows then-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions testifying at a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, DC January 10, 2017 and United States Attorney Preet Bharara (R) speaking during a news conference in New York, July 25, 2013. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/Mike Segar/File Photo “I do know that other administrations have done the same thing, perhaps not in as abrupt a fashion,” McCain said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “Elections have consequences, so for people to complain about it they are ignoring the history of new presidencies and I think the president had every right to ask for their resignations,” McCain said.SAN JOSE — Liverpool FC academy player Marc Pelosi is interested in joining the Earthquakes, coach Dominic Kinnear said Tuesday. Pelosi, of Sunnyvale, became a free agent when Liverpool released him last month. Kinnear wouldn’t predict what chances San Jose has to sign the U.S. under-23 midfielder. But Pelosi, 21 has been training with the Quakes for the past several weeks. “We’re looking at him,” Kinnear said. “He’s getting better and better every day.” Kinnear sees him as a central midfielder, but Pelosi also can play left back or left wing. He was not at practice Tuesday. Jewsbury’s shot went over goalkeeper David Bingham’s head and into the back of the net for a 1-0 victory. “In my head, it’s the last ball and I clear it and the game is done,” Pierazzi said. Contact Elliott Almond at 408-920-5865. Follow him on Twitter at.VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – He’s not coming to BC to set the record straight, but a top North American labour leader is finally speaking out against a BC Liberal ad… featuring him. The BC Liberal commercial attacks the NDP, and suggests Leo Gerard, the head of the United Steelworkers Union, supports US plans to tax softwood lumber exports as much as 24 per cent. But Gerard has fired back, accusing the BC Liberal Leader Christy Clark of lying. He’s written an open letter to BC steelworkers. Speaking with NEWS 1130, Gerard says he’s ticked off. “And our members in BC are ticked off, as well. They know who’s been fighting for them on both sides of the border.” Gerard says he has no plans to come to BC before Tuesday’s election to campaign for NDP Leader John Horgan, because he believes forestry workers won’t believe the attack ads. “The thing that really, really, really irks me, you’ve got a leader of the Liberal party who has an alternate salary payed for by companies like Weyerhaueser and Canfor, who used to own property in Canada, now pushing for a tariff. For her to attack me or any other forest workers, if I sound outraged, I am. Why won’t she talk about the 500 per cent export in raw logs? Why won’t she talk about the 35-thousand forestry workers that have lost their jobs.” You can listen to the full audio of NEWS 1130 reporter Marcella Bernardo’s interview with Leo Gerard here. The attack ad featuring Leo Gerard.The reunion of former goal-scoring teammates and a loss for the previous number one team means there's a new top-ranked team after Week 21 of the 2015 MLS season. The new number one should watch out though -- there's a certain team from Texas that is angling for the top spot. 1. D.C. United (+1) Not only did Alvaro Saborio score in his first game for D.C. United, he helped start a comeback from 2-0 down to Philadelphia Union to win 3-2. First-place United doesn't need Saborio to be great, just better than what they had. So far, so good. 2. Sporting Kansas City (-1) Sporting just doesn't like going on the road to Utah. Real Salt Lake is the only team to beat Peter Vermes' side twice this season and both of those games took place at Rio Tinto Stadium, the latest a 2-1 victory. 3. Vancouver Whitecaps (no change) The Whitecaps ended a three-game winless run with a convincing 3-1 victory over San Jose. Mauro Rosales showed that while he's probably not an MVP-level player any more, he's good for the occasional-excellent performance. 4. FC Dallas (+4) It was probably past time to move FC Dallas up the rankings. If they keep up their current form -- it's five wins and counting for Oscar Pareja and co. following a 4-1 win over Portland -- they'll be on top before much longer. In the summer heat with their talented, speedy players, they're essentially unbeatable at home. 5. New York Red Bulls (+2) The Red Bulls didn't play this weekend, but they did make some noise. There will be a brother act on the Passaic with the club close to signing Bradley's brother Shaun Wright-Phillips to make a deep team even deeper. 6. Portland Timbers (-1) The Timbers should take heart in the fact that some of the league's best have gone to Frisco and melted in the heat. Caleb Porter's post-game apology wasn't necessary, but fans will be happy to know the boss is holding himself and his team accountable. 7. LA Galaxy (-1) The Galaxy looked so good last week against San Jose, only to do their own melting act on Saturday in Houston as they lost 3-0. Bruce Arena's "solution" for where to play Steven Gerrard is likely to change from week to week. 8. Seattle Sounders (-4) It's a big slide for the Sounders, who can at least count on Clint Dempsey's return in the coming week. How good the striker will be after a grueling Gold Cup remains to be seen. There's no rest for the weary, with a Cascadia match against Vancouver coming next weekend off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Montreal. 9. Toronto FC (no change) Toronto can't defend. This is something that will haunt them all the way through the rest of the season. But they can score, which means they'll play in some of the most entertaining matches. Saturday's 3-3 draw with Columbus was everything the Reds are in 2015. 10. New England Revolution (no change) You can't take anything for granted on the road in MLS but the Revs will feel they missed a chance to improve their position in the East with a 2-2 draw in Chicago. 11. Columbus Crew (+1) They were up 3-0 and finished the game at 3-3. Not a great second half for Crew SC's defenders on Saturday against Toronto. The attack continues to shine, however, with both Ethan Finley and Kei Kamara on the scoresheet. 12. Houston Dynamo (+1) Was that a statement win from the Dynamo? Owen Coyle's team needed a win to serve as a platform for a playoff charge. Beating LA Galaxy 3-0 in convincing fashion could be just what they needed. 13. Real Salt Lake (+2) As long as RSL has Javier Morales, they're a threat to challenge for the playoffs. For all of the turmoil around the team with managerial and formation changes, the Argentine playmaker is the one constant that makes RSL dangerous against anyone. 14. Montreal Impact (+2) It seems like everyone is beating up on Seattle these days, so Montreal's 1-0 win over the Sounders probably looks better than what it was. Nevertheless, the Impact continues to be a tough at home. 15. San Jose Earthquakes (-3) The Earthquakes desperately need Chris Wondolowski back. Luckily, the striker returns from the Gold Cup next weekend, just in time for a showdown with the Timbers. 16. Orlando City (-2) The positive Orlando can take with them from New York is the play of rookie striker Cyle Larin, who bagged a hat trick in a losing cause. The Canadian could have easily faded after a difficult Gold Cup, but instead is doubling-down on his unique skillset to bang in more goals. 17. Colorado Rapids (+1) The Rapids didn't have a chance to add to their three-game winning streak this weekend as they sat idle, but they still move up a spot. 18. New York City FC (+2) Needless to say, Andrea Pirlo's debut for City was a success as they beat Orlando 5-3 at home. The Italian did exactly what he was signed to do, springing teammates with perfect passes that resulted in goals. 19. Chicago Fire (no change) The Fire missed out on Didier Drogba, but are reportedly using some of the allocation money they received from Montreal for the Ivorian's rights to sign former TFC striker Gilberto. He should help with some of Chicago's scoring woes. 20. Philadelphia Union (-3) The best and worst of the Union was on display in Washington on Sunday. Philadelphia took a 2-0 lead within five minutes, then watched the lead slowly evaporate over the course of the next 85 minutes. Jason Davis covers Major League Soccer and the United States national team for ESPN FC. Twitter: @davisjsn.It’s still an exaggeration to say that every movie ever made is being adapted into a stage musical, but sometimes it
. You wouldn’t be alone in tossing out perfectly good milk. Nine out of 10 Americans needlessly throw away edible, unspoiled food based on “use by,” “sell by,” and “best before” labels, according to a report released Wednesday by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Harvard Law School. The problem of wasted food is serious and multifaceted. As Kiera Butler reported earlier this week, a whopping one-third of the global food supply is wasted. Not only that, but this discarded food is responsible for 3.3 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions. If food waste were a country, it would be the third worst carbon-emitting country on the planet after China and the United States, according to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization [PDF]. Here in America, we’re even worse: Roughly 40 percent of our food goes uneaten, amounting to an economic loss of $165 billion a year, the NRDC reported in 2012. The authors of this week’s analysis found that much of that waste is due to “misinterpretation” of the date labels. “The average household is losing up to $450 on food each year because they don’t understand the labels,” said co-author Dana Gunders, a NRDC food and agriculture staff scientist, during a press call Wednesday morning. It’s a travesty, she added, especially when one in six Americans are “food insecure.” It’s also a terrific waste of human resources — think about all the time and energy that goes into harvesting, transporting, and processing those trashed foods. Eighty percent of our water, more than half of our land area, and 10 percent of our energy are consumed by agriculture. The authors of the NRDC study, titled “The Dating Game,” place the blame on inconsistent and irrational labeling laws, which tend to be nonbinding: “This convoluted system is not achieving what date labeling was historically designed to do — provide indicators of freshness. Rather, this creates confusion and leads many consumers to believe, mistakenly, that date labels are signals of a food’s microbial safety. This unduly downplays the importance of more pertinent food safety indicators.” The solution? A system of clear and consistent federally mandated labels for foods. Here are the authors’ three major recommendations: 1. Sell by dates, only meant as business-to-business information, should be made invisible to consumers; only useful labels that indicate when the food will likely spoil should be stamped on packaging. 2. Government should mandate a clear set of labels for consumers, with unambiguous language that clearly distinguishes between dates for safety and dates for quality. For instance a ready-to-eat sandwich should indicate the date by which it should be eaten, with a label saying something like “unsafe to eat after.” Date labels should be removed from non-perishable goods and replaced with quality-based dates with more general information about when the product peaks in taste. 3. Date labels should be come with more information about safe food handling, including time and temperature exposure indicators. Ted Labuza, a co-author and food safety expert at the University of Minnesota, has argued for labels that indicate temperature changes of the product during shipping and handling. But the authors say consumers also have a responsibility to reduce the amount of wasted food. They offer a handy infographic for demystifying your fridge with tips such as never letting ice build up in the freezer, and keeping the fridge temperature below 40 degrees F. Labuza said he has kept milk fresh at that temperature for up to six weeks. Learning some of the tips that our grandparents used could be helpful too. For instance, this rule of thumb for eggs: If it sinks in a bowl of water, it’s good; if it floats, toss it out. Obviously, you want to toss anything that looks or smells rotten. In short, trust your senses, not the labels. This story was produced by Mother Jones as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.RENTON, WA – Twelve members of the Seattle Sounders FC Academy Under-18 team have committed their futures to collegiate soccer programs. The National Letter of Intent signing period began on February 5. Among those that have signed a NLI, Paul Christensen, a goalkeeper who participated in the U.S. Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla., has committed to play at Portland. Five players have chosen to stay in state, including Henry Wingo (Washington), Garrett Barber and Marcus Tinsley (Western Washington), and Ben Willis and Fischer Gallinger (Gonzaga). Three players will play collegiately in California while three others will play on the East Coast. Along with developing talent for the Major League Soccer club’s senior team, the Sounders FC Academy also strives to develop young men to maximize their educational options. List of Seattle Sounders FC Academy Under-18 Commitments Seyi Adekoya (Forward, Lakeside): UCLA Garrett Barber (Defender, Mount Vernon HS): Western Washington Satoshi Chaffin (Forward, Rogers HS): Santa Clara Paul Christensen (Goalkeeper, Woodinville HS): Portland Justin Crichlow (Defender, Meadowdale HS): Harvard Fischer Gallinger (Defender, Gig Harbor HS): Gonzaga Duncan McCormick (Midfielder, Seattle Academy): Wake Forest David Olsen (Forward, Thomas Jefferson HS): San Diego State Marcus Tinsley (Defender, Todd Beamer HS): Western Washington Matt Reinikka (Defender, Henry Jackson HS): Davidson Ben Willis (Goalkeeper, Federal Way HS): Gonzaga Henry Wingo (Forward, Shorecrest HS): Washington goalWA.net Local Soccer News is sponsored by Pro Roofing Northwest, Kirkland, Bellevue, Seattle, Redmond, Woodinville, Federal Way, Everett, Snohomish, Issaquah, Renton, Kent, Bothell, Edmonds Washington roofing company. AdvertisementsBicyclist Visibility & a Flashy Bike Helmet One afternoon as I loaded my bike on the front of a bus I noticed a young man ride up behind me. I sat down on the bus happy to see another cyclist using integrated transit as I was. This is rare in the Florida city where I live. There is only a small niche of bicyclists who ride faithfully to work and elsewhere. This small Florida city is overrun with cars, like most of Florida. Cyclists are often invisible to others in the transit system. The cyclist’s experience is one of being marginalized. This Florida city is unlike European cities and our progressive northwestern cities and university cities where a cyclist is seen, even expected, as part of a lively landscape of changing participants in transit. In this city, a helmet like that above (with spinning LED lights on top) might help protect often invisible cyclists. Real Education In the lesser educated viewpoint (note: I don’t mean academically educated), there is somewhat of a hidden stigma to riding a bike as opposed to driving, and certainly to owning a new car. This is definitely an issue we seek to change in Florida. In my perspective, the time of imaging one’s ego with a car is giving way to a less pretentious, a more conscientious imaging or self, and a more environmentally involved individual. I may be thinking idealistically, but I believe (and hope) it is actually a keen observation of the cultural anthropologist in me. Even after living here for three decades, perhaps I am still being a ‘Yankee’ on some levels. My experience in the town that I live in is that there is a lead ceiling regarding transit in Florida. In fact, there is a lead ceiling regarding common sense, in my experience. Think of what a community could do with all the money that is spent on rather idiotic things. Honestly. People supporting annihilation of true beauty are missing the point of life. Meanwhile, 1200 children are homeless in this city and only a few of us even know or acknowledge this. Everything is connected. But getting back to my story…. The young man sat across from me on the bus, smiled, and offered his story to me. “I have a video camera in my helmet now.” I looked on quizzically. He continued: “Next time I get blamed for an accident that I did not cause I will have proof.” He was young, healthy, and vibrant. The young cyclist went on to tell me of several accidents in which he was blamed wrongfully. I found out this is not individual to this young man. It is the woe of many a cyclist, as noted by Laura Laker in a couple of recent Guardian articles. Bike Helmet Video Cameras Storytelling Laura gives us a good list of bike video cameras to consider. “We all have those moments where something happens and we wish we had a camera. This is as true on the road as anywhere else. Many cyclists now use helmet cams to record their journeys, good and bad, and in the past month several have even helped convict dangerous drivers.” In a related article by Laker, one finds that even with video this is difficult. “The police do not necessarily take one seriously.” But one hopes that eventually the evidence is the evidence. Let’s take a quick look at the Guardian’s report of road rage caught on video for how different a story can be with a bike helmet video camera…. From that piece, vindicated cyclist Porter said: “Obviously Scott Lomas would not have been convicted if I had not had my helmet camera. It was, however, a real difficulty getting the police to take it seriously.” From another story in the piece: “The Birmingham cyclist Rob Styles was riding home in August last year when a driver pulled up alongside him as he tried to join a right-hand filter lane. Styles said: ‘I saw the driver coming along from behind, already shouting. He then pulled up on the inside of me, mounting the pavement and got out of the car, shouting. There was no build-up, no pre-cursor, it just happened.'” Styles added: “Despite having a very clear admission from Lomas on camera, the police who first reviewed the evidence thought it was unimportant and claimed there was insufficient evidence.” With helmet cams one can simply record one’s ride. Many cyclists are also finding support with video as evidence of innocence and protection from harassment, marginalization, and blame. So, what helmet cams are on the market? Cameras for your Helmet Continuing is a list of cameras that Laura Laker suggests: GoPro HD Hero 2 (Outdoor Edition) 1080p (pixels) £299 from Action Cameras Marketed as a professional extreme-sports camera, GoPro’s Outdoor Edition captures stills and video, has waterproof housing (to 60m!), strap fittings for helmets and your head, adhesive mounts and even an Inspector Gadget-like pivot arm for mounting the camera on to awkwardly angled objects. … Drift HD 1080p £269.99 from Action Cameras Also marketed for extreme sports, the Drift has a wireless remote and LCD screen for viewing footage before and after you capture it. It captures still and video, and is water-resistant for things like rain showers and momentary submersion if you take an accidental dip. (Full waterproof housing is sold separately.) … DogCam Bullet HD Wide £129.95 from DogCam, including 4gb Micro SD card An altogether different animal from the first two cameras, the DogCam is a stripped-down, compact, lightweight – and less expensive – offering, designed for city cycling. It has just 720 pixels as opposed to the other cameras’ 1080p, and a 135-degree lens angle where the other two offer 170 degrees. Captures video only. For more of Lakers comments on her likes and dislikes of these cameras, read her Guardian piece on them. Images: LED POV Helmet By Clint M Chilcott; Dorkcam By D’Arcy NormanDr. Hilton is an adjunct associate professor of neurosurgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where he is the director of the spine fellowship and the director of neurosurgical training at the Methodist Hospital rotation. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. His research and publishing interests have included traumatic brain injury, minimally invasive surgery, and neural mechanisms of addiction. He has authored recent peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on addiction, including papers published in the Journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Socioaffective Neuroscience and Psychology, Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, and Surgical Neurology International, where he serves on the editorial board. He also serves on the board of directors of the Washington DC based National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), and on the board of directors of the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH). Dr. Hilton spoke at the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH) in 2012, and was the keynote speaker at the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP) Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona in 2014, and at the Utah Coalition against Pornography meeting in Salt Lake City in 2014. He recently spoke in the Parliament Building in Warsaw, Poland in a hearing on the public health aspects of pornography, and in a similar forum in the US Capitol Building in a congressional briefing. He and his wife Jana have 5 children and 5 grandchildren. He enjoys reading, running, basketball, and traveling.“Deadpool,” starring Ryan Reynolds as a debauched comic-book superhero/assassin who’s like Spider-Man crossed with the Phantom of the Opera crossed with Jim Carrey, is a movie the whole world was waiting for without knowing it: a Marvel franchise caper that runs on drop-dead attitude. In the opening credits, the camera glides through a freeze-framed car crash (the men in the vehicle are at each other’s throats, and maybe a few other body parts), the whole suspended orgy of destruction set to the mocking romantic strains of “Angel of the Morning.” The credits then proceed to thumb their nose at 1) Reynolds’ Sexiest Man Alive cover for People magazine; 2) the filmmaker, Tim Miller, whose credit reads “Directed by an Overpaid Tool”; and the entire superhero genre. The movie hasn’t even started yet, and already it’s deconstructing itself like Mad magazine crossed with a Geico commercial. The air of nihilistic nonchalance extends to the main character, Wade Wilson, a maimed Special Forces killer who is antic, edgy, and maybe a little nuts. Clad in dirty Spandex, wielding twin ninja blades that he uses to slice up his foes like a Benihana chef, Wade delivers his verbal fusillades with the fey wrecklessness of someone who doesn’t care if he lives or dies (“I only have 12 bullets, so you’re going to have to share!”). Yet the grungy beauty of “Deadpool” is the way that Ryan Reynolds — and the entire movie — invests not caring with bombs-away conviction, a quality that turned out to mean more to audiences than the mark-hitting franchise joylessness of such films as “Captain America: Civil War” or “Suicide Squad.” For a while, it even looked like “Deadpool” might be the first movie to break the Academy Awards’ superhero cherry and nab a best picture nomination. Alas, it was not to be. Hollywood likes its awards films with a twist. But not this twisted.“A new volume of The Joseph Smith Papers Project featuring the printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon was released Tuesday by the Church Historian’s Press, an imprint of the History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” reads a Mormon Newsroom statement. “Revelations and Translations, Volume 3: Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon is the 11th published volume of the project in the Church’s ongoing effort to make every document produced by Church founder Joseph Smith or by his scribes available to the public.” In a press conference held at the Church History Library in Salt Lake, Church Historian and Member of the Quorum of the Seventy Steven R. Snow announced the new project, stating, “We’re thrilled that this will benefit both scholars and members.” Elder Snow said that in compiling the lengthy volumes (over 1,000 pages of text), “we were committed to a comprehensive treatment of the facts.” The project was produced in collaboration with the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), who acquired the manuscript in 1923. The manuscript was primarily written by Oliver Cowdery. Robin Linkhart, one of the Community of Christ’s Presidents of the Seventy, stated that the joint project “represents decades of research” and “is a significant addition to the Joseph Smith Papers.” She concluded that despite differences between the faiths, “we endeavor to create an atmosphere of respectful dialogue.” As internet usage becomes more pervasive in society, many Church members have come across information regarding Church history that they find troubling. Though scholarly in nature, the Joseph Smith Papers project seeks to educate more than just academics on these issues. “I’ve often said that our biggest challenge with Church history is simply that our members don’t study enough of it,” said Assistant Church Historian Richard E. Turley Jr. “The Joseph Smith Papers are part of a continuing effort we have to make sources available to our members so that they can see original items in the easiest possible way.” For instance, the volume contains stunning, never-before-seen photographs of a seer stone that Joseph Smith used in the translation of the Book of Mormon. Due to the prominence of the Urim and Thummim in the narrative of Church history, Turley conceded that many members might be surprised to learn that Joseph often used a seer stone during the translation process. But ready explanations for such revelations can be found, said Turley, if approached with a historical eye. The above photo of Joseph's seer stone was released to the public in the new volume, as well as an article found on LDS.org “I think the value of the papers is that they allow the reader to go directly to the sources,” he said. “Of necessity historians interpret, but [the Joseph Smith Papers project] allows an interested person to go directly into the sources and make their own interpretation without having to be filtered.” For those concerned with the scholarly nature of the volume, Turley says that it contains “both the original manuscripts and easy-to-read transcripts so that you can... read it easily through the transcripts, and then if you want to compare it to the manuscript, you can do that as well.” The Mormon Newsroom statement concludes, “The entire project has been endorsed by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), a division of the National Archives. The Joseph Smith Papers volumes undergo extensive peer reviews, from both Church and outside scholars. The print edition of the Joseph Smith Papers is expected to span more than 20 volumes when complete. It is divided into six series: Journals, Revelations and Translations, Histories, Documents, Administrative Records, and Legal and Business Records. The first volume of the project was published in 2008. For more information, visit josephsmithpapers.org.” Photo from Mormon Newsroom. See more photos and learn how the Church came to have the stone, click here.Existing home sales declined nearly 2% in June from May on a SAAR basis (Seasonally Adjusted Annualized Rate). (SAAR is the statistically manipulated metric used by industry organizations and the Government to spin bad monthly economic data into an annualized metric that hides the ugly truth). Here is the NAR-spun fiction: “Closings were down in most of the country last month because interested buyers are being tripped up by supply that remains stuck at a meager level and price growth that’s straining their budget…” – Larry Yun chief “economist” for the National Association of Homebuilders. This has been Yun’s narrative since home sales volume began to decline last year. His headline mantra of low inventory is mindlessly regurgitated by Wall Street and the financial media. But here’s what the truth looks like (click to enlarge): Going back to 1999, this data sourced from the Fed, who sourced it from the NAR, shows an inverse correlation between inventory and sales. In other words, low inventory drives sales higher. Conversely, as inventory rises, sales drops. You’ll note that the chart does not go past 2015. This is because, for some reason, the Fed purged its database of existing home inventory prior to June 2016. There’s a gap in inventory between mid-2015 and mid-2016. However, there is this (click to enlarge): I hate to call Larry Yun a “liar” because it sounds unprofessional. But what else am I supposed to call him when the data completely contradicts the narrative he shovels from his propaganda port-o-let into the public domain? I have no choice. AS you can see, from 1999 to mid-2015 and from mid-2016 to present, inventory and sales are inversely correlated. This has been the worst selling season for the housing market’s peak sales months since 2011. In 2011 the Fed was dumping trillions into the housing market and mortgage finance system. To make this morning’s report worse, mortgage rates have been declining at a steep rate since the end of December. Near-record low rates, combined with near-zero percent down payment Government-guaranteed mortgages combined with the lowest credit-approval standards since 2007 combined with the peak selling months should have catapulted home sales much higher this year. Here’s the problem: the factors listed above have tapped out the available pool of homebuyers who qualify for a near-zero downpayment, low-credit rating Government-backed mortgage: The graphic above shows the average household mortgage payment as a percentage of disposable personal income (after-tax income). The graphic above is for those households with 20% down payment mortgages. As you can see, that ratio is at an all-time high. It’s far worse for households with 3% down payment mortgages. Either the Government will have to roll-out a program that directly subsidizes the households who still want to over-pay for a home but can’t afford the mortgage payment let alone the cost of home ownership – i.e. helicopter money – or the housing the market is getting ready to head south. This won’t end well either way. As for the inventory narrative. New homebuilders are bulging with inventory. How do I know? Because I look at the actual balance sheet numbers of most of the publicly traded homebuilders every quarter. Newly built homes sitting in various stages of completion or sitting complete but completely empty often are not listed in the MLS system. There’s a rather large “shadow inventory” of new homes gathering dust. This fact is reflected in the fact that the rate of housing starts has been declining for most of the past 8 months. There’s plenty of new home inventory and homebuilders are open to price negotiation. This is evident from the declining gross margins at almost every homebuilder. This is the type of analysis that is presented in the Short Seller’s Journal. I research and dig up data and present facts that will never be reported by Wall Street, industry associations and the financial media. This is why my subscribers were short Beazer (BZH) at $14.99 on May 21st. It’s currently at $13.39 but has been as low as $12. It’s headed much lower. Despite the Dow et al hitting new highs, there’s a large universe of stocks that are plumbing 52-week and all-time lows. You can find out details about the SSJ here: Short Seller’s Journal information. In the latest issue I present an in-depth analysis of Netflix’s accounting and show why it’s a Ponzi scheme. Share this: TweetIt's taken a long time to track down B. Scot Rousse. Born to Hare Krishna parents, he was given a Krishna name at birth, and that name is B. Though he's not off the grid, trying to search for a man named B. on the internet didn't get me very far. Eventually, after trying for years to figure out who this mysterious person known only as B. was, he's sitting next to me, eating a bagel, and about to unfurl the story of one of his bands, the one he'd never previously spoken about and many assumed he never would. B.'s band is Jud Jud, an a capella straight-edge hardcore band that, in 1997, released The Demos on No Idea Records. The nine songs contained therein are surprisingly diverse for a band that, after no more than five seconds, gives you a full picture of what to expect on every subsequent track. The needle drops, it catches the groove, and then blasting out of your speakers is a series of onomatopoeias. "JUD JUD JUD" goes the left speaker, then "JUD JUD JUD" goes the right. It's arrestingly blunt, as two humans gnarl their voices until they approximate heavily distorted guitars. They ping between the channels until they join in unison, creating the illusion of two chugging guitars becoming one. They mouth the sound of a crash cymbal being hit and then dissipating. They mimic drum fills by peking their lips and blowing. And when they need a pinch of feedback, they shift into a higher register and squeal. There's no instruments to be found aside from the human voice. It's just under nine minutes long, and this is all it is. It never once gets old. But it's what's inside The Demos that made the hunt for B. that much harder. The record's cover sees B. and his Jud Jud cohort Steve silhouetted against a solid blue background, parodying the cover of the You're Only Young Once… EP by the New York hardcore band Side By Side. Inside the sleeve, the record's accompanying insert serves as both a punchline and a riddle. It positions Jud Jud as having been an active participant in the development of straight-edge hardcore in the 80s. There are flyers that see Jud Jud headlining over bands such as Minor Threat, Chain of Strength, Uniform Choice, Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, and countless others. They're outlandish billings, the kind that make you call bullshit and laugh at the very thought of Jud Jud ever playing a show with bands that became hardcore royalty. But what if it wasn't bullshit? What if Jud Jud's history, the one that was never documented, and went publicly unaddressed by its members, was more real than anyone ever knew? No fanzine interviews about Jud Jud are traceable—or seemingly ever happened—and that kind of silence was deliberate. B. makes note that he and Steve wanted the Jud Jud mystery to build in silence. And that's exactly what happened. Rumors began to swirl and take on their own lives, casting doubt on anyone who dared to speak authoritatively on the subject. Meeting B. in person, this in and of itself feels like a joke. After years trying to find him, he one day went from a single letter on a seven-inch to a Discogs hyperlink, finally allowing me to see B.'s full resume and, more importantly, his full name. A Google search takes me to a page in UC Berkeley's Philosophy department. After years of dead ends and false starts, hoping to find one of the members of Jud Jud, I sent an email in the hopes that this was, in fact, the same person. It was a Hail Mary pass and, as it turned out, this person with a PhD in philosophy, who describes his scholarly work as "tak[ing] place at the crossroads of existential phenomenology, hermeneutics, and the philosophy of action," was B. from Jud Jud. After a few emails, I'd convinced him to talk to me. Yet knowing Jud Jud's reputation, even with weeks' worth of communication back and forth, all of which confirms I'll be getting the whole truth, I'm still worried that whatever comes out of B.'s mouth will just be an ornate joke at my expense. And though we never address it outright, B. has come prepared, willing to verify his claims with the closest thing he has to receipts. For one, he's wearing a D.R.I. tour shirt from the band's 4 of a Kind era. It's a sartorial choice that's understated, but in a subculture like hardcore, which values authenticity above all else, a weathered tour t-shirt from 1988 goes a long way in driving home the claims that he was there, "back in the day." Once he starts talking, it becomes clear that he wasn't just there as a spectator, he was already an active participant. Growing up in Valrico, Florida, a half-hour drive away from Tampa, B. would become part of the emerging hardcore, punk, and metal scenes before he was even in high school. He was already singing in his first band, U.R.N., which would release the Breaking Away demo in 1991. "I sang in a band when I was 13," he says, pausing slightly to drop a statement that, at first, I didn't even believe: "Jud Jud was already active in the late 80s, also." This is a revelation. The only documents of Jud Jud's existence were their two seven-inches, 1997's The Demos and 1998's No Tolerance For Instruments. In many ways, it felt like a flash in the pan—a joke band that, much like the acts they were parodying, couldn't make the thing last more than a couple of years. But as B. continues to talk, it becomes clear that Jud Jud wasn't that. It was a joke that lasted almost a decade, even if no one outside Florida knew it. "We were childhood friends," he says of Steve, "We were straight-edge kids and, at the same time, metalheads and punks, and all the classic bands were coming through." B. and Steve would start Jud Jud as a way to lovingly poke fun at the straight-edge hardcore bands they'd admired. And before long, they'd find ways to take their "serious joke band," as B. describes it, to the next level. At Miami's Cameo Theater, on February 4, 1989, Jud Jud would play a show to a crowd of hardcore kids that turned up to see a bill full of future legends. There were six bands on the bill already, including Uniform Choice, Gorilla Biscuits, Bold, Insted, Reason To Believe, and Bad Rep. But there would be a seventh in Jud Jud. "Uniform Choice was late, it was getting late into the night, and that was our gimmick, to jump up on stage and do the act, do our little thing, perform a couple of numbers and then jump off stage. We'd do it in between bands or at the end of a set," B. says. "And that was the first time we did it." Sean Bonner is the former owner of Toybox Records, a one-time designer for Victory Records, and current Global Director of Safecast, and he corroborates B.'s story. "I was at that Bold and Uniform Choice show, and that for sure happened," says Bonner. "Everybody was at all of these things. So if you weren't at a show, it was really noticeable." But the Tampa kids hadn't finished having their fun. This new breed of Tampa hardcore and punk kids saw heckling as the highest form of tribute, so when Uniform Choice took the stage, they decided to take things a step further. "During 'Screaming For Change,' we all threw change at the stage," says Bonner. "They were not into that at all. But we thought it was hilarious. Like, come on, you're screaming for change and getting pelted with pocket change." Jud Jud made plans to rush the stage and perform whenever a prominent straight-edge band played in the state. Though both B. and Steve were straight-edge at the time, they saw the self-seriousness of the genre—and the tough-guy machismo that was beginning to permeate it—as something worth laughing about. Yet, at the same time, Tampa was building a reputation for having a set of violent, racist skinheads that would disrupt shows. When Judge rolled through town, Jud Jud made plans to subvert the dour intensity of the night by hopping up and doing their thing. But they never got the chance. "Judge played at the Star Club in Tampa and there was this massive brawl," says B., "These skinheads beat up this black guy. And this is in the Judge documentary, they talk about the violence at the Tampa show being one of the things that made them get out of hardcore for a while." Where much of hardcore—and specifically straight-edge hardcore—was becoming about violent indoctrination, Jud Jud was serving as its ludicrous counterpoint. "Anything that is so moralizing, and takes itself so seriously, demands to be parodied, demands to be treated with some irony," says B. Where many kids coming from lower socioeconomic planes often turned to straight-edge and hardcore as a bonding mechanism, so too did this crop of kids from Tampa. Only instead of resorting to the chest-beating, lunkheaded aggressiveness of their forebearers, they opted for humor. "I think that's a coping mechanism," says Bonner. "We were all really poor, you know? It was just a really bad scene in family life for a lot of us. So having this circle of friends, and trying to find ways to make each other laugh, I think that was our survival." Jud Jud would continue to make impromptu shows happen, jumping up on stage and performing their songs. B. and Steve would storm the stage, grab mics, and begin to "jud." It'd happen in a flash, dashing off a song or two, dropping the mics, then disappearing back into the crowd. As one might expect, many of the bands and their fans weren't too receptive to Jud Jud, and made jokes at their expense. "In the earlier days, the reaction was people being flabbergast, mockery, and just confusion," says B. "Then we got older. A couple years makes a big difference when you're 12 or 13. We had more friends, and then it was more fun because people recognized us." Bonner notes that, at a certain point, Jud Jud performances became celebrated, with some kids going as far as reprinting show flyers to immortalize the band's shows. Soon, Jud Jud would find allies in the nearby Gainesville punk scene, which was developing a sound, and an absurdist outlook, of its very own. This was due in large part to Var Thelin, who ran the No Idea fanzine, and, by the early 90s, would turn No Idea into a full-fledged record label, releasing albums by Less Than Jake and Hot Water Music. Var's off-kilter humor would fill the pages of the No Idea zine and sneak its way into the mailorder catalogs his label distributed. Before long, he'd have a run-in with Jud Jud, and even though he hated the "neanderthal metal that started being called hardcore," Jud Jud struck a chord—as much as an a capella band can. "It was amazing. And impossibly improbable," says Thelin. "Their rhythms were incredibly tight, they're doing this all a capella, two mics, and it was the pinnacle of taking the piss out of something. But, at the same time, reverently." And as Jud Jud found more devotees in Florida, the band would decide to immortalize their songs in the way so many bands did back then: A demo tape. "Their rhythms were incredibly tight, they're doing this all a capella, two mics, and it was the pinnacle of taking the piss out of something. But, at the same time, reverently." With a handful of songs together, Jud Jud recorded their first demo in Steve's apartment. And while Jud Jud was largely a self-sustaining entity, they needed someone to press the record button and make sure they weren't clipping when vocalizing. For that, they brought in Thelin. "I was the 'engineer,' sort of. It was just, 'Hey, push this button.' And it worked." This demo would be recorded simply by having both B. and Steve plug microphones into a DAT machine, press record, and perform their songs. And for as ridiculous of a band as it was, it required plenty of practice, something Jud Jud had come to take rather seriously. "We had band practice," says B., noting that Jud Jud had a leg up on their peers, given that they could rehearse simply by picking up the phone. "We would do band practice on the landline sometimes. Schedule a time, pick up the landline, and call each other and practice." Their songwriting involved picking hardcore tropes and using them as the jumping off point for their creations. "There's a song called 'Slither Song,'" says B., "And it's meant to evoke this kind of heavy metal guy [mimics a side-to-side slither motion], the sinister slithering of a heavy metal dude. You'd say, 'Let's do a slither part,' and then you'd make one up and cobble a song together." While working on their "serious joke" band, they'd form a handful of projects that ditched the joke part. Steve's band Assück became a defining grindcore act, and B.'s band The End of the Century Party was finding its space alongside contemporaries like Palatka and In/Humanity (which B. also played in). And as those bands traversed the country, Jud Jud demo tapes began popping up on their merch tables along the way. "We made this cassette in '96, and we both brought it on tour with our bands that year," says B. "I was a roadie for Steve's band the next year and we spread them all over the country. We brought a crap-load of these tapes and tried to leave one in every city." That demo would be known as XafiX. Though not a joke at the expense of the emerging Bay Area band AFI, XafiX was a play on Bold's idea of being "Nailed to the X." "An XafiX is a reference to the crucifix," says B. "When you die, if you're straight enough, you can face death by being crucified to an X." The artwork, which was created by Bonner, was meant to parody the cover of Judge's New York Crew EP. From the varsity font down to the demo's title resting nicely in a banner over a pair of hammers meant to resemble an X, Jud Jud's demo looked the part. And that aesthetic recognition caused plenty of kids to plunk down a dollar or two to find out what Jud Jud was all about. Shortly thereafter, the band would record a second demo, the existence of which has been all but lost to time. B. brought a copy of XafiX along with him when we met, but he bemoaned not having a copy of the second demo,
REPLACEMENT GATE STRUCTURES 100 25 Stuart C. Salter US White Lake, MI Apr 28, 2016 / 20160116130 - COLOR INFUSED AUTOMOBILE HEADLAMP LENS 100 26 Stuart C. Salter US White Lake, MI Apr 28, 2016 / 20160116130 - COLOR INFUSED AUTOMOBILE HEADLAMP LENS 100 27 Tao Luo US San Diego, CA May 19, 2016 / 20160143043 - TECHNIQUES FOR HANDLING BURSTY INTERFERENCE IN A SHARED RADIO FREQUENCY SPECTRUM BAND 99 28 Richard T. Lord US Gig Harbor, WA May 26, 2016 / 20160150674 - MANAGEMENT OF EXTERIOR TEMPERATURES ENCOUNTERED BY USER OF A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE 95 29 Richard T. Lord US Gig Harbor, WA May 26, 2016 / 20160150674 - MANAGEMENT OF EXTERIOR TEMPERATURES ENCOUNTERED BY USER OF A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE 95 30 Alexander Reznicek US Troy, NY May 19, 2016 / 20160141395 - SiGe and Si FinFET Structures and Methods for Making the Same 93 31 Alexander Reznicek US Troy, NY May 19, 2016 / 20160141395 - SiGe and Si FinFET Structures and Methods for Making the Same 93 32 Muriel Y. Ishikawa US Livermore, CA May 26, 2016 / 20160150674 - MANAGEMENT OF EXTERIOR TEMPERATURES ENCOUNTERED BY USER OF A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE 92 33 Jean-Philippe Vasseur FR Saint Martin D'Uriage May 26, 2016 / 20160149805 - UTILIZING REMOTE STORAGE FOR NETWORK FORMATION IN IOT NETWORKS 90 34 Jean-Philippe Vasseur FR Saint Martin D'Uriage May 26, 2016 / 20160149805 - UTILIZING REMOTE STORAGE FOR NETWORK FORMATION IN IOT NETWORKS 90 35 Suckchel Yang KR Anyang-Si May 26, 2016 / 20160150527 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING CONTROL INFORMATION 88 36 Suckchel Yang KR Anyang-Si May 26, 2016 / 20160150527 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING CONTROL INFORMATION 88 37 Ye-Kui Wang US San Diego, CA Apr 21, 2016 / 20160112724 - HRD DESCRIPTOR AND BUFFER MODEL OF DATA STREAMS FOR CARRIAGE OF HEVC EXTENSIONS 86 38 Joonkui Ahn KR Anyang-Si May 26, 2016 / 20160150527 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING CONTROL INFORMATION 86 39 Joonkui Ahn KR Anyang-Si May 26, 2016 / 20160150527 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING CONTROL INFORMATION 86 40 Sunghoon Jung KR Seoul May 26, 2016 / 20160150566 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING ACCESS CONTROL IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 86 41 Sunghoon Jung KR Seoul May 26, 2016 / 20160150566 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING ACCESS CONTROL IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 86 42 Youngdae Lee KR Seoul May 26, 2016 / 20160150566 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING ACCESS CONTROL IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 82 43 Youngdae Lee KR Seoul May 26, 2016 / 20160150566 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING ACCESS CONTROL IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 82 44 Marta Karczewicz US San Diego, CA May 26, 2016 / 20160150234 - PALETTE MODE CODING 82 45 Google Inc. US May 19, 2016 / 20160142862 - TECHNIQUES FOR EFFECTUATING A NEAR-FIELD COMMUNICATION SESSION 81 46 Google Inc. US May 19, 2016 / 20160142862 - TECHNIQUES FOR EFFECTUATING A NEAR-FIELD COMMUNICATION SESSION 81 47 Hakseong Kim KR Anyang-Si Apr 28, 2016 / 20160119907 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT FOR INTER-CELL INTERFERENCE COORDINATION IN RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 80 48 Hakseong Kim KR Anyang-Si Apr 28, 2016 / 20160119907 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT FOR INTER-CELL INTERFERENCE COORDINATION IN RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 80 49 Chia-Shiung Tsai TW Hsin-Chu Apr 28, 2016 / 20160118577 - PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC RANDOM-ACCESS MEMORY (MRAM) FORMATION BY DIRECT SELF-ASSEMBLY METHOD 78 50 Michael K. Gschwind US Chappaqua, NY May 26, 2016 / 20160147533 - INSTRUCTION TO LOAD DATA UP TO A SPECIFIED MEMORY BOUNDARY INDICATED BY THE INSTRUCTION 77 51 John N. Border US Eaton, NH May 26, 2016 / 20160147070 - SEE-THROUGH COMPUTER DISPLAY SYSTEMS 76 52 John N. Border US Eaton, NH May 26, 2016 / 20160147070 - SEE-THROUGH COMPUTER DISPLAY SYSTEMS 76 53 Gabriel L. Suciu US Glastonbury, CT May 26, 2016 / 20160146104 - Angled Core Engine 76 54 Gary D. Cudak US Creedmoor, NC Jan 07, 2016 / 20160004684 - VALIDATION OF FORMULAS WITH EXTERNAL SOURCES 75 55 Gary D. Cudak US Creedmoor, NC Jan 07, 2016 / 20160004684 - VALIDATION OF FORMULAS WITH EXTERNAL SOURCES 75 56 Hans-Joachim Schulze DE Taufkirchen May 19, 2016 / 20160141399 - Method for Forming a Semiconductor Device and a Semiconductor Device 75 57 Seungjune Yi KR Seoul May 26, 2016 / 20160150486 - METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A TRANSMISSION POWER 74 58 Seungjune Yi KR Seoul May 26, 2016 / 20160150486 - METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A TRANSMISSION POWER 74 59 Tom Chin US San Diego, CA Apr 28, 2016 / 20160119917 - SCHEDULING DOWNLINK TIME SLOTS IN A HIGH SPEED DATA NETWORK 74 60 Michael Karl Gschwind US Chappaqua, NY May 12, 2016 / 20160132428 - ASSIGNING HOME MEMORY ADDRESSES TO FUNCTION CALL PARAMETERS 74 61 Hao Xu US San Diego, CA May 26, 2016 / 20160150525 - LOW LATENCY PHYSICAL LAYER DESIGN FOR CONTENTION-BASED UPLINK CHANNELS 72 62 Miles Arnone US Sherborn, MA May 26, 2016 / 20160148465 - LOTTERY SYSTEM WITH SKILL WAGERING INTERLEAVED GAME 71 63 Miles Arnone US Sherborn, MA May 26, 2016 / 20160148465 - LOTTERY SYSTEM WITH SKILL WAGERING INTERLEAVED GAME 71 64 Russell Speight Vanblon US Raleigh, NC May 26, 2016 / 20160150065 - TRANSMISSION OF DATA PERTAINING TO USE OF SPEAKER PHONE FUNCTION AND PEOPLE PRESENT DURING TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION 71 65 Russell Speight Vanblon US Raleigh, NC May 26, 2016 / 20160150065 - TRANSMISSION OF DATA PERTAINING TO USE OF SPEAKER PHONE FUNCTION AND PEOPLE PRESENT DURING TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION 71 66 Valentina Salapura US Chappaqua, NY May 26, 2016 / 20160148156 - GREETING AGENT FOR MEETING INTRODUCTIONS 71 67 Michael J. Sullivan US Old Lyme, CT May 26, 2016 / 20160144242 - MULTI-LAYERED GOLF BALLS HAVING FOAM CENTER WITH SELECTIVE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION 70 68 Michael J. Sullivan US Old Lyme, CT May 26, 2016 / 20160144242 - MULTI-LAYERED GOLF BALLS HAVING FOAM CENTER WITH SELECTIVE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION 70 69 Sungjun Park KR Seoul May 26, 2016 / 20160150486 - METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A TRANSMISSION POWER 69 70 Sungjun Park KR Seoul May 26, 2016 / 20160150486 - METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A TRANSMISSION POWER 69 71 Muhammad Kazmi SE Bromma May 26, 2016 / 20160150520 - Pre-Emption and Resource Allocation Prioritization for D2D Communications 68 72 Tingfang Ji US San Diego, CA May 26, 2016 / 20160150560 - TECHNIQUES FOR REDUCING LATENCY IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 68 73 Dongyoun Seo KR Anyang-Si May 26, 2016 / 20160150527 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING CONTROL INFORMATION 67 74 Dongyoun Seo KR Anyang-Si May 26, 2016 / 20160150527 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING CONTROL INFORMATION 67 75 Chun-Chen Yeh US Clifton Park, NY Apr 28, 2016 / 20160118302 - GATE STRUCTURE INTEGRATION SCHEME FOR FIN FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS 67 76 Chun-Chen Yeh US Clifton Park, NY Apr 28, 2016 / 20160118302 - GATE STRUCTURE INTEGRATION SCHEME FOR FIN FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS 67 77 Nathan P. Myhrvold US Medina, WA May 26, 2016 / 20160150674 - MANAGEMENT OF EXTERIOR TEMPERATURES ENCOUNTERED BY USER OF A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE 67 78 George Cherian US San Diego, CA May 26, 2016 / 20160150459 - TECHNIQUES TO SUPPORT HETEROGENEOUS NETWORK DATA PATH DISCOVERY 67 79 Chen-Hua Yu TW Hsin-Chu May 26, 2016 / 20160148887 - Device Package with Reduced Thickness and Method for Forming Same 67 80 Ali Khakifirooz US Los Altos, CA May 26, 2016 / 20160149015 - RECESSING RMG METAL GATE STACK FOR FORMING SELF-ALIGNED CONTACT 66 81 Ali Khakifirooz US Los Altos, CA May 26, 2016 / 20160149015 - RECESSING RMG METAL GATE STACK FOR FORMING SELF-ALIGNED CONTACT 66 82 Satoshi Seo JP Sagamihara May 12, 2016 / 20160133878 - Light-Emitting Element, Light-Emitting Device, Display Device, Electronic Device, and Lighting Device 66 83 Satoshi Seo JP Sagamihara May 12, 2016 / 20160133878 - Light-Emitting Element, Light-Emitting Device, Display Device, Electronic Device, and Lighting Device 66 84 Hideaki Takahashi JP Tokyo May 19, 2016 / 20160142924 - MOBILE STATION 66 85 Hideaki Takahashi JP Tokyo May 19, 2016 / 20160142924 - MOBILE STATION 66 86 Christopher J. Hardee US Raleigh, NC May 26, 2016 / 20160147287 - MANAGEMENT OF POWER CONSUMPTION IN LARGE COMPUTING CLUSTERS 66 87 Christopher J. Hardee US Raleigh, NC May 26, 2016 / 20160147287 - MANAGEMENT OF POWER CONSUMPTION IN LARGE COMPUTING CLUSTERS 66 88 Timothy J. Slegel US Staatsburg, NY May 26, 2016 / 20160147533 - INSTRUCTION TO LOAD DATA UP TO A SPECIFIED MEMORY BOUNDARY INDICATED BY THE INSTRUCTION 66 89 Jaehoon Chung KR Anyang-Si May 26, 2016 / 20160150511 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING A DOWNLINK SIGNAL IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM SUPPORTING CARRIER AGGREGATION 66 90 Jaehoon Chung KR Anyang-Si May 26, 2016 / 20160150511 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING A DOWNLINK SIGNAL IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM SUPPORTING CARRIER AGGREGATION 66 91 Edward K.y. Jung US Bellevue, WA May 26, 2016 / 20160148043 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCEMENT OF FACIAL EXPRESSIONS 65 92 Chung-Lung K. Shum US Wappingers Falls, NY May 19, 2016 / 20160139923 - LOAD REGISTER ON CONDITION IMMEDIATE OR IMMEDIATE INSTRUCTION 64 93 Chung-Lung K. Shum US Wappingers Falls, NY May 19, 2016 / 20160139923 - LOAD REGISTER ON CONDITION IMMEDIATE OR IMMEDIATE INSTRUCTION 64 94 Ezekiel Kruglick US Poway, CA May 19, 2016 / 20160142500 - CONTENT SUGGESTION FOR POSTING ON COMMUNICATION NETWORK 64 95 Jong-Kae Fwu US Sunnyvale, CA May 05, 2016 / 20160128127 - Discontinuous reception (DRX) enhancements in LTE systems 63 96 Jong-Kae Fwu US Sunnyvale, CA May 05, 2016 / 20160128127 - Discontinuous reception (DRX) enhancements in LTE systems 63 97 Santosh Paul Abraham US San Diego, CA May 26, 2016 / 20160150459 - TECHNIQUES TO SUPPORT HETEROGENEOUS NETWORK DATA PATH DISCOVERY 63 98 Santosh Paul Abraham US San Diego, CA May 26, 2016 / 20160150459 - TECHNIQUES TO SUPPORT HETEROGENEOUS NETWORK DATA PATH DISCOVERY 63 99 Tammy Lee KR Seoul Apr 14, 2016 / 20160105681 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENCODING MOTION INFORMATION, AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DECODING SAME 63Heresy One: Transparent Stealth System Heresy Two: Transparent AI Heresy Three: Narrow gulf of execution Heresy Four: Limited Consequences for Failure Heresy Five: Less-Open World Design For Klei Entertainment's Nels Anderson, making a great stealth action video game meant throwing out a lot of a lot of the genre's existing tropes.Anderson was lead designer on, a stealth game that brought an unconventional twist to the genre through its 2D side-scrolling vantage point.While the game casts aside certain stealth elements laid out by games such asand, it does still rely heavily on cornerstones of stealth game design."With," Anderson explained, "we wanted to make sure that that the fundamental experience of being a ninja was brought across and everything else supported that."After breaking the genre down into its fundamentals, Anderson established's five stealth guidelines he called the "Heresies of the ninja." These "heresies" broke the rules laid out by stealth design's predecessors."In contrast to most stealth games where you have a visibility meter or something like that, inlight and darkness are totally binary," Anderson said. "The way your character looks immediately reveals if you are visible or not - if you are concealed you are in black with red highlights, and in light you are fully colored."This on/off approach had one caveat, however."If you are at the absolute edge of a guard's field of vision, they will catch a glimpse of you. They will start to move towards you quickly but not on full alert."The binary light system - and the fact that all other information is available on screen, such as the limits of the guard's field of vision, or the "ring" of how far a sound such as a smashing light will travel before you destroy it, are intended to "make the systems all very, very understandable."This intention to visualize exactly what will happen before an action is intended to allow the player to know "full out what will happen before they commit.""It allows the player to factor this into their intentional play."Also in aid of intentional play, the guards have three clear levels of awareness, with cues to how they are set into those modes and what they are doing during them (such as racing to the spot the player was last seen, represented by a ghost, or moving towards and then looking at an area where a sound was heard.)"The point is to ensure that if a guard's behavior ever changes, the player will immediately understand what set it off."Theteam felt the game's design shouldn't fight against players' intentions.Anderson used an example from theseries. "The primary was you affect the world inis through magic arrows. You have a limited supply of them and you can't pick them up again if you waste them. The thing is that the only way you have to aim those arrows is a little tiny reticule, and they're modelled with physics. So actually becoming skilled to affect the world becomes very satisfying, and was very appropriate to what they were trying to provide in that game, but was absolutely not what we were trying to achieve."Placing aiming skill over stealth tactics wasn't the direction Klei wanted to adopt. One problem was the fact that "2D aiming is actually really god damn hard," said Anderson."In most 2D shooters your previous bullets act as tracer bullets, but inyou only want to fire once... the player is a ninja, and if you are constantly bumbling through it kind of undermines the thing we're going for," he said.As a result, the game's solution was "focus aiming," which stops time completely and is not limited by the player's resources.Focus aiming wasn't always an unlimited-use design feature. "[Previously], we added a meter [to the focus aiming] and it was just horrible," Anderson said. "It just completely undercut that whole design decision; sometimes you have to double check your assumptions. Power-balancing is not really objective... you must let players do what they want to do."Anderson said he was wary of using widely-spaced checkpoints "as a means of providing challenge.""This kind of difficulty is very, very dangerous," he said. "In a stealth game people come in with a very patient style of play. There's a lot of waiting. If something goes wrong and they have to do all that waiting again, it quickly descends into tedium," he said. If people get through a section of a challenge before failing, they will generally do that section again exactly the same until they reach the point they failed at."With, it basically had a checkpoint between every meaningful encounter," he said. "This allowed us and the player more experimentation in the game. You've all heard of degenerative strategies, where people have worked out one thing that works and it's boring as hell, but they keep doing it because they don't want to lose work. They don't want to lose the last six, seven minutes of play so they just keep doing that boring thing."That's not to say failure states were completely unacceptable -- within reason. Although he agreed that it would have a "significant impact on your engineering," Anderson argued that there is no single feature in a game that features death or failure states that will gain "more positive feeling" than instant load times. He was in fact prepared to argue that "neithernorwould be as successful as they were if you had to look at a loading screen each time you died.""We made [open world] levels," Anderson said, "and they were just god damn terrible.""Mentally mapping 2D space is really not something our brains are meant to do," he said, while admitting he had "done no hard science" on this theory."In 2D you are simulating a space that's not the way it would be in reality, so your brain has to perform a translation. There's a difficulty there so you can't build a contiguous space nearly as large as you can in 3D."Anderson claimed the sweet spot for a 2D encounter space was the game screen size plus "0.5 to 0.75 of a screen in any direction.... Any more than that people start to feel lost or not really competent in that space. A little more if it's just horizontal or vertical. If you look at aorthat's roughly how all of their encounter spaces work. I think that's because they stumbled upon a weird cognitive way the brain works."SEATTLE — The family of an 18-year-old Lake Stevens man is pleading with the public for information about the death of their son. Investigators with the Lake Stevens Police Department found Ben Keita hanging from a tree in a wooded area of the city in early January. Ben had been reported missing last November Lake Stevens police said the county medical examiner first ruled Keita’s death as a suicide but later changed their finding to undetermined. Please enable Javascript to watch this video Keita’s family is asking anyone with information in the case to come forward. “Ben was a happy, young man,” said Ben's father, Ibrahima Keita. “We believe that somewhere, someone must know something about this case and we urge people to come forward and contact the police.” Lake Stevens police told Q13 News its investigation into Ben’s death remains open pending lab results.FILE PHOTO: A figure of a child holding an open book decorates a flagpole at the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, U.S., October 5, 2014. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo By Andrew Chung REUTERS - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday left intact California's ban on "gay conversion" therapy aimed at turning youths under age 18 away from homosexuality, rejecting a Christian minister's challenge to the law asserting it violates religious rights. The justices, turning away a challenge to the 2012 law for the second time in three years, let stand a lower court's ruling that it was constitutional and neither impinged upon free exercise of religion nor impacted the activities of clergy members. The law prohibits state-licensed mental health counselors, including psychologists and social workers, from offering therapy to change sexual orientation in minors. The Supreme Court in 2014 refused to review the law after an appeals court rejected claims that the ban infringed on free speech rights under U.S. Constitution's the First Amendment. California outlawed gay conversion therapy in 2012, calling it ineffective and harmful. New Jersey, Illinois, Oregon, Vermont, New Mexico and the District of Columbia have similar laws on the books, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The Supreme Court turned away a challenge to New Jersey's law in 2015. Gay conversion therapy methods range from counseling, hypnosis and dating-skill training to aversive techniques that induce pain or electric shocks in response to same-sex erotic images, according to California officials. Such treatments stem from a belief that homosexuality is a mental illness, a view that has been discredited for decades, the state said in court papers. Lead plaintiff Donald Welch, an ordained minister and licensed family therapist, oversees counseling at Skyline Wesleyan Church, an evangelical Christian church in the San Diego area that believes sexuality belongs only in a marriage between a man and a woman. Welch, along with a Catholic psychiatrist and a man who underwent conversion therapy and now aspires to perform it on others, sued the state claiming the law is unconstitutional. After their free speech challenge failed, the plaintiffs' pressed their claim that the ban violates their right to freely exercise their religion. Last October, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected their arguments. Related Video: For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. (Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)Harvey Weinstein to Howard Stern Producers Don't Get Sex with Stars Like the Good Ole Days Harvey Weinstein Told Howard Stern Producers Don't Get Sex Like the Old Days Howard Stern asked Harvey Weinstein a question about having sex with Hollywood actresses that was eerily dead-on... and Weinstein lied right to his face. Howard pulled up the 2014 interview Monday morning on his show. In the clip Howard asks Weinstein if he ever got to experience "the mogul aspect" -- meaning having actresses throw themselves at him for a shot at Oscar-winning roles. Weinstein denied having any such opportunity... then Howard rephrased, "You can't walk into the room, pull your pants off and say 'Okay, honey let's talk business.'" It's pretty much exactly the scene dozens of Weinstein's accusers have described. Makes ya think Howard had heard what was Hollywood's worst-kept secret. From Seth MacFarlane's 2013 Oscar nominations joke to Courtney Love... the allegations were hardly under wraps at that point. Courtney Love was WARNING about Harvey Weinstein in 2005! “If Harvey Weinstein invites u to a private party at the Four Seasons, DON’T GO” pic.twitter.com/RK9Vruxy2T — Chet Cannon (@Chet_Cannon) October 14, 2017 Weinstein claimed he didn't do it, but said others in showbiz were still scoring sexual favors.There’s a battle looming for control of the north pole, with the US, Russia, Canada and Norway all thinking they have a right to it. They are chasing potential oil and gas, but could distant Denmark have a reason that’s closer to home? Why does Denmark think it can lay claim to the north pole? How do you carve up a big block of ice? Argumentatively, seems to be the answer. Denmark is the latest country to lay claim to the north pole, jostling with the US, Canada, Russia and Norway for a huge chunk of the Arctic Ocean. What was once dismissed as a frozen wasteland is now a lucrative prize: the US Geological Survey estimates there is about 22% of the world’s undiscovered but recoverable oil and natural gas in the Arctic. Global warming could also open up previously inaccessible shipping routes. A swath of the Arctic including the north pole currently lies beyond every nation’s 200 nautical-mile limit, which, under the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea, can form a coastal country’s “exclusive economic zone”. So nations are making claims to the UN to extend their territories, although Russia infuriated its rivals in 2007 by placing a rust-proof titanium flag on the ocean floor beneath the Arctic. Denmark’s bid for 895,000 sq km of the Arctic Ocean sounds particularly audacious given that this is 20 times the size of Denmark (or 43 times the size of Wales – the country, not the ocean-loving mammal) and the country lies on the same latitude as Britain – more than 2,000 miles from the north pole. But Denmark’s interest is derived from its autonomous territory, Greenland, and Danish geologists say Greenland’s continental shelf naturally continues to form the Lomonosov Ridge, an underwater mountain range which traverses the pole. According to Jon Rahbek-Clemmensen, assistant professor at the University of Southern Denmark, the economic dimension of this dispute is overstated because this part of the vast Arctic “probably has no resources whatsoever”. Instead, he says, the Danish move is to shore up its popularity in independence-seeking Greenland, where the claim is “very, very popular”. “All geological estimates indicate that this particular area has neither oil nor gas – it’s just about lines on a map,” he says. “For the Greenlanders, it’s more about a feeling of nationhood, and being part of the Arctic. It’s the same for Russia – it’s symbolism.” Thorkild Kjærgaard, head of history and culture at the University of Greenland, agrees that the claim is designed to show the benefits of the union with Denmark: Greenland could never make such a claim on its own. However, Denmark’s foreign ministry admits its claim overlaps with those made by Norway, Canada and Russia, and Kjærgaard cannot imagine a Danish flag rising over the north pole. “It is most unlikely Russia will accept it. Nobody expects it to turn out like that, but Copenhagen wants to demonstrate that they support any Greenlandic claim.” Santa and his reindeer won’t need to apply for Danish or Russian passports any time soon: a UN committee is not expected to pronounce on the scientific validity of rival claims for 10 years. After that, competing nations must reach bilateral agreements over how to carve up the north pole.Intel will drop support for the legacy BIOS technology in its modern client and server chipsets by 2020 when the company said its products would support only UEFI Class 3 or higher. This news comes right from the horse's mouth, Brian Richardson, a top-ranking Intel engineer, also known as the "BIOS guy." UEFI Last Mile According to Richardson, Intel has embarked on what it calls the "UEFI Last Mile," an effort to remove old legacy code from its products and focus on newer technologies like UEFI. This primarily means dropping BIOS. Speaking at the UEFI Plugfest, a conference held by the UEFI Forum, Richardson cited the top three reasons why Intel is moving away from BIOS (page 10 of his presentation): ⇘ Security risks - BIOS does not support standards for secure boot or signed code execution. ⇘ Backwards compatibility - New technologies will be freed from providing BIOS backward compatibility. ⇘ Complications to code validation - BIOS requires two validation paths (CSM ON & CSM OFF). BIOS, which stands for Basic Input/Output System, is a firmware package that's included with motherboards and contains the code for hardware initialization and system boot-up operations. BIOS was launched in 1981 and was replaced in the 90s with UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), a more generic standard that could work on more PC architectures and wasn't intrinsically tied to the 16-bit mode of Intel x86 processors like BIOS was. By all means, the new UEFI standard is superior to the old BIOS. It provides faster boot-up speeds, improved security, expanded configuration options, and a universal architecture to support various hardware architectures. All modern motherboards support one of the UEFI standard iterations, and modern operating systems have long supported UEFI since the early 2000s. UEFI standard still needs some work Despite this, many users still chose to configure their computers to boot up using BIOS. The main reasons are the plethora of errors some users receive when enabling UEFI boot-up, which in some cases blocks users from using their computers entirely. Richardson acknowledged the UEFI usability issues in his presentation and said Intel would be working to resolve these problems and make enabling UEFI a much seamless experience for non-technical users.A February SWAT raid in Columbia, Missouri, in which police shot two dogs, killing one of them, in front of a Columbia man and his terrified wife and seven-year-old child is stirring outrage months later -- after video of the raid was released this week. Police in Columbia are reporting death threats as the video goes viral and Internet message boards grow bloated with angry, outraged comments. As of Friday morning, the YouTube video had been watched more than 500,000 times. The Columbia Tribune article linked to below contained a whopping 593 comments Thursday night, the vast majority critical of police, many downright hostile. The SWAT team hit the home of Jonathan Whitworth, 25, with a search warrant alleging he was holding a major amount of marijuana and was a drug dealer. They found a pipe, a grinder, and a small amount of marijuana. Along the way, they shot the dogs, killing one of them, shouted profanities at the frightened family, and generally behaved as if they were Special Forces raiding a Taliban hide-out. Police claimed they shot and killed a pit bull because it was "acting in an uncontrollably aggressive manner," but while the video shows barking, it shows no growling. No reason was given for shooting and wounding the second dog, a corgi. According to the Columbia Tribune, police said they were unaware that a child resided at the home. Between the bad intelligence indicating they had a major drug bust and the bad intelligence regarding who lived at the target residence, the raid would seem to suggest a force gone lax in its procedures and a local judiciary inclined to rubber stamp search warrant applications. Jonathan Whitworth was arrested on marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia charges, and recently pleaded guilty to the paraphernalia charge. Now, he can concentrate on whether to file a lawsuit against the police department. "Their focus right now is to get this behind them," said Whitworth attorney Jeff Hilbrenner said. "Obviously, this was a traumatic event for his wife and son. A final decision has not been made, but they are evaluating all of their options." The Columbia Police say they are conducting an internal review. It is worth nothing that in 2004, Columbia voted to make adult marijuana law offenses the lowest law enforcement priority. Somebody should mention that to the police department and its out-of-control SWAT team.7 Billion I am the population problem Population growth tends to get blamed on other people: Africans and Asians who have “more kids than they can feed,” immigrants in our own country with their “large families,” even single mothers in the “inner city.” But actually the population problem is all about me: white, middle-class, American me. Steer the blame right over here. Well-meaning people have told me that I’m “just the sort of person who should have kids.” Au contraire. I’m just the sort of person who should not have kids. Population isn’t just about counting heads. The impact of humanity on the environment is not determined solely by how many of us are around, but by how much stuff we use and how much room we take up. And as a financially comfortable American, I use a lot of stuff and take up a lot of room. My carbon footprint is more than 200 times bigger than an average Ethiopian’s, and more than 12 times bigger than an average Indian’s, and twice as big as an average Brit’s. When a poor woman in Uganda has another child — too often because she lacks access to family-planning services, economic opportunity, or self-determination — she might dampen her family’s prospects for climbing out of poverty or add to her community’s challenges in providing everyone with clean water and safe food, but she certainly isn’t placing a big burden on the global environment. When someone like me has a child — watch out, world! Gear, gadgets, gewgaws, bigger house, bigger car, oil from the Mideast, coal from Colombia, coltan from the Congo, rare earths from China, pesticide-laden cotton from Egypt, genetically modified soy from Brazil. And then when that child has children, wash, rinse, and repeat (in hot water, of course). Without even trying, we Americans slurp up resources from every corner of the globe and then spit 99 percent of them back out again as pollution. Conscientious people try to limit that consumption, of course. I’m one of them. I get around largely by bus and on foot, eat low on the food chain, buy used rather than new, keep the heat low, rein in my gadget lust. But even putting aside my remaining carbon sins (see: flying), the fact is that just by virtue of living in America, enjoying some small portion of its massive material infrastructure, my carbon footprint is at unsustainable levels. Far and away the biggest contribution I can make to a cleaner environment is to not bring any mini-me’s into the world. A 2009 study by statisticians at Oregon State University found that the climate impact of having one fewer child in America is almost 20 times greater than the impact of adopting a series of eco-friendly practices for your entire lifetime, things like driving a high-mileage car, recycling, and using efficient appliances and CFLs. And so, for environmental as well as personal reasons, I’ve decided not to have children. I call myself a GINK: green inclinations, no kids. Most people won’t make the same decision, of course, and I don’t fault them for that. Everyone has different circumstances and values, and environmental issues are not the only ones worth considering. I believe in choice, and that means supporting choices different from mine. But it needs to become easier for people to make the same decision I have, if they are so inclined. Here in the U.S., the Pill has been available for more than 50 years. It’s now almost universally accepted that women will use birth control to delay, space out, or limit childbearing. But there’s not so much acceptance for using birth control to completely skip childbearing. At some point, you’re expected to grow up, pair up, put the Pill off to the side, and produce a couple of kids. Deviate from this scenario and you’ll get weird looks and face awkward conversations with family members, friends, coworkers, and complete strangers. One 30-something woman I know who works for a reproductive-health NGO says that her colleagues pester her about her decision not to have children, telling her she needs to get started on that family or she’ll regret it. And these are people whose careers are dedicated to making birth control and reproductive health care available to all women! Pro-natal bias runs deep. Many women in the U.S. have found that it’s difficult if not impossible to find a doctor who will perform a tubal ligation if the woman has not already had children (and sometimes even if she has). Doctors warn that sterilization is an irreversible, life-altering decision. But having a child is an irreversible, life-altering decision and you don’t find doctors warning women away from that. The broadly held prejudice, in the medical profession and much of the rest of society, is that becoming a parent is the right and inevitable choice. Over recent years and decades, it’s become more acceptable for mixed-race couples
a few musicians who can strum a chord or two. Credit where it’s deserved – the band are good. The girls joined the band as part of one of those “Idol” TV shows and had no idea about metal when they did so. So, a manufactured band. Not the best of starts from that point of view. However, start they did. Their first single cracked a million YouTube views in short order and they ended up being the youngest act ever to play Japan’s Budokan venue. Twice. To sell-out audiences. The shows were released as live recordings. These shows were book-ended with multiple international dates as far afield as Europe, the US and the UK. At the end of 2014, they played at Brixton Academy and debuted a song called “Road of Resistance”, a collaboration with DragonForce’s Herman Li and Sam Totman. This, as it happens, is the first song on Metal Resistance and as a result the first Babymetal track I ever heard. Funnily enough, even without knowing the song’s background my initial thought was “this sounds like DragonForce with Japanese girls singing on it”. The vocals are embedded deep within the music with the alternate harsh and clean vocals working incredibly well. It’s undeniably a breakneck speed DragonForce track and credit to the band themselves for going along with the “joke” of Babymetal by even having them guest at their appearance at Download last year. But is Babymetal a joke? Listening to the album I’m getting the feeling that though it may have started off as a bit of a piss-take, or at least a “let’s see what people make of this”, they’ve developed into a genuine musical act who absolutely have something going for them. Take Totman and Li out of the equation and how are the rest of the songs on the album? Erm. Good. They’re good. Very good, in fact. Flapping my hands around a bit to grasp at random thoughts, I can hear influences from the aforementioned DragonForce (again in the likes of “Amore”), Linkin Park, Slipknot (the DJ-mixed intro to “Awadama” followed by the absolutely crushing distorted guitar), and pretty much every bubblegum pop band regardless of whether they came from Osaka, Seoul or North London. And it works. Somehow against all expectation it doesn’t sound like an unholy, hacked-together mess. Track down the theme music for the kids’ cartoon Teen Titans Go and you’ll have an idea of the style. Or check out “Karate” below. Cute vocals overlaid on the heaviest, thrashiest beats just emphasises that someone somewhere has a great ear for mixing styles. The songwriters, performers and producers deserve some credit for this. By the time I was four or five tracks through, I was converted. One decent track is a UK success – that one-hit wonder that gets to number one in the charts based on novelty value. But halfway through an album with every track a belter? That’s no fluke. That’s talent. I could go through each track, but RockSound already did a decent job of that. I’ll just quickly mention that there’s a wealth of variety on here. Mainly it’s fast and heavy with an edge of the drum/bass/electronic stuff. The songs which stand out for being particularly different are “Meta Taro” and “The One”. “Meta Taro” is a marching song, slow and ploddy rather than skin-shreddingly fast. “The One” is different as it addresses pretty much my only issue with the rest of the album – that I can’t speak Japanese. It’s also one of the lightest tracks – pretty much a hard rock ballad – so you do get a chance to really appreciate the singing as well as the fact that it’s in English. “No Rain, No Rainbow” does a similar job in Japanese. I appreciate that this has ended up being more of a feature than a review, but as I said at the start people fall into two camps. For those who love Babymetal already, I can’t for a second see this album disappointing you. For those who hate them on principle, if this collection can’t persuade you to at least give them a chance for the music then nothing will. Anyone who’s not heard of them before would be doing themselves a favour to check it out when you get a chance. Metal Resistance is out on April 1st, and the band play Wembley Arena (sold out, I believe) the following night. I am jealous of those who are going! Babymetal: official \| facebook \| twitter \| instagram \| youtube \| spotifyObama's victory lap Updated The C word is being thrown around a lot in Washington these days. Barack Obama is the latest 'Comeback Kid'. Granted, it's a moniker flung around with abandon ever since Bill Clinton first claimed it in 1992. But there he was, being written off after the self-described shellacking at the hands of the American voters in early November. And now, he's about to head to Hawaii to join his family for the Christmas break, feeling like a winner. Just six weeks ago he was shattered by the strength of the rebuke from the American public. The mid-term elections delivered losses for the Democrats across the country. The Republican Party had the largest number of wins in the Senate since 1994. In the House, they gained 63 seats and took control. The shift in power doesn't take place until Congress returns in 2011. And the expectation that Barack Obama would achieve much at all in the dying days of this lame-duck Congress was low. Just three weeks ago the White House spokesman Robert Gibbs stood before the media at one of his daily briefings and rattled off the legislative to-do list. There were the tax cuts, unemployment insurance, the Dream Act, Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the new START treaty which has now been approved. As he drew breath, one reporter could be heard saying "good luck". But the US president has managed to almost pull it off. He's negotiated a tax compromise with Republicans, a nuclear arms control treaty with Russia, and even managed to find victory on one of his core election promises, to rid the US military's ban on gays - a critical issue to his party's liberal base. They're huge wins, occurring within just a matter of weeks. And they occurred when few were expecting this damaged president to come up with anything but more losses. They didn't come without some flack. The tax deals, where he agreed with Republican demands to keep tax cuts for all income levels, including the wealthy in return for extending unemployment benefits to long-term unemployed, was seen as by some as a compromise. For many Democrats though it was a capitulation. They're still wearing the cloak of disappointment they donned within months of Barack Obama's election. And they feel even more frustrated that this president who promised so much has, when faced with the realities of Washington politics, been forced to offer less. But the reality is, who else have they got? It's not as if they'll turn their backs on a Democratic president and risk catapulting a Republican back into the White House. But for those wanting to scream 'Comeback' from the rooftops, remember the two issues that are bound to keep delivering tough news - Afghanistan and the economy. Neither is going to be fixed very quickly. And if the opinion polls can be relied upon, Americans don't have much faith in Barack Obama being able to fix them, quickly or slowly. A Washington Post-ABC News poll shows the president's approval rating dropping during his term from 68 to 49 per cent, while his disapproval rating has grown from 25 to 47 per cent. The only bright point for the White House is that his disapproval rating now is slightly better than it was in earlier September when it hit 53 per cent. He may have scored wins on Capitol Hill in one of the most productive lame duck sessions Congress has seen. But outside of the Beltway, he's got a way to go. Lisa Millar is one of the ABC's north America correspondents, based in Washington. You can follow her on Twitter @LisaMillar. Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, person, obama-barack, united-states First postedOfficers from the 90th Precinct in Williamsburg have recovered the black Chevy Camaro involved in a hit-and-run crash that killed Queens cyclist Matthew von Ohlen early Saturday morning. The driver remains at large following the Wednesday morning discovery. Police have identified a suspect based off of the vehicle's registration, and a spokesperson said they are withholding the location where the Camaro was recovered so as not to compromise the ongoing investigation. Video surveillance recovered from the scene of the crash shows that 35-year-old von Ohlen was riding in a designated bike lane when he was struck shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, in front of 690 Grand Street in Williamsburg. Law enforcement sources told Pix11 earlier this week that the driver may have struck von Ohlen intentionally, slowing down and moving into the bike lane to strike the cyclist. Von Ohlen, a bartender, musician, and co-founder of the bike-repair company Bikestock, was returning from a bar shift at Apotheke in Manhattan when he was killed. Friends and family mourned the victim on Tuesday, dedicating a white-painted "ghost" bike memorial at the crash site. "I lost one of these anchors in my world," said Logan Gilbert, 35, von Ohlen's longtime roommate in San Francisco. "But what was so insanely beautiful is that there were so many people I didn't even recognize or know [at the ghost bike dedication]. He cast a wide net." Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS or for Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then entering TIP577.The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, sponsors a lot of technology through grants to universities and private labs, with projects running the gamut from robots to electroencephalography caps, to software and new programming languages. A lot of that knowledge is open source, but it hasn't always been easy to access. Today, DARPA has responded to requests from the research and development community by publishing the DARPA Open Catalog, a website that aggregates source code and other data for all public DARPA-funded projects. "Making our open source catalog available increases the number of experts who can help quickly develop relevant software for the government," Chris White, the DARPA program manager behind the effort, said in a statement. "Our hope is that the computer science community will test and evaluate elements of our software and afterward adopt them as either standalone offerings or as components of their products." The catalog launched with more than 60 projects The catalog launched with more than 60 projects, many of which have an emphasis on organizing large sets of data, including the Vowpal Wabbit, a fast out-of-core learning system sponsored by Microsoft Research and Yahoo Research, and the MIT-developed dynamic language Julia. DARPA is primarily a division of the defense department, tasked with creating technological surprise for enemies and preventing them from surprising us. But it also seeds very ambitious technology that makes its way into consumer applications; the internet and GPS are two big examples. If the research community responds well to the first iteration of the catalog, DARPA says it will continue to publish information about its projects, including software, publications, data, and experimental results.As recently as last year, Bush administration lawyers had argued in the same case that in spite of her husband’s brutality, L.R. and other battered women could not meet the standards of American asylum law. “This really opens the door to the protection of women who have suffered these kinds of violations,” said Karen Musalo, a professor who is director of the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at the University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Professor Musalo has represented other abused women seeking asylum and recently took up the case of L.R. The Obama administration’s position caps a legal odyssey for foreign women seeking protection in the United States from domestic abuse that began in 1996 when a Guatemalan woman named Rody Alvarado was granted asylum by an immigration court, based on her account of repeated beatings by her husband. Three years later, an immigration appeals court overturned Ms. Alvarado’s asylum, saying she was not part of any persecuted group under American law. Photo Since then Ms. Alvarado’s case has stalled as successive administrations debated the issue, with immigration officials reluctant to open a floodgate of asylum petitions from battered women across the globe. During the Clinton administration, Attorney General Janet Reno proposed regulations to clarify the matter, but they have never gone into effect. In a briefing paper in 2004, lawyers for the Department of Homeland Security raised the possibility of asylum for victims of domestic violence, but the Bush administration never put that into practice in immigration court, Professor Musalo said. Now Homeland Security officials say they are returning to views the department put forward in 2004, refining them to draw conditions sufficiently narrow that battered women would prevail in only a limited number cases. “Although each case is highly fact-dependent and requires scrutiny of the specific threat an applicant faces,” said Matt Chandler, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, “the department continues to view domestic violence as a possible basis for asylum in the United States.” He said officials hoped to complete regulations governing the complex cases. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. The new policy does not involve women fleeing genital mutilation. Any applicant for asylum or refugee status in the United States must demonstrate a “well-founded fear of persecution” because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or “membership in a particular social group.” The extended legal argument has been whether abused women could be part of any social group that would be eligible under those terms. Last year, 22,930 people won asylum in this country fleeing all types of persecution; the number has been decreasing in recent years. Because asylum cases are confidential, there is no way of knowing how many applications by battered women have been denied or held up over the last decade. The issue is further complicated by the peculiarities of the United States immigration system, in which asylum cases are heard in courts that are not part of the federal judiciary, but are run by an agency of the Justice Department, with Homeland Security officials representing the government. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The government has not disputed the painful history that L.R., now 42, recounts in a court declaration. The man who became her tormentor first assaulted her when she was a teenager and he was a physical education coach, 14 years her senior, at a high school in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. He and his family were regarded as wealthy and influential because they owned a restaurant in town, L.R. said. Over the years, he made her live with him, and forced her to have sex with him by putting a gun or a machete to her head, by breaking her nose and by threatening to kill the small children of her sister. Once when she became pregnant, she said, she barely escaped alive after he had poured kerosene on the bed where she was sleeping and ignited it. He stole the salary she earned as a teacher and later sold her teacher’s license. Local police dismissed her reports of violence as “a private matter,” the court documents said, and a judge she turned to for help tried to seduce her. “In Mexico, men believe they have a right to abuse their women because they are like a possession,” she said. With three children born from her involuntary sex with the man, who never married her, she fled to California in 2004. An immigration judge denied her asylum claim in 2006. In its new filing, the government urged that L.R.’s case be sent back to the immigration court for further review, suggesting she might still succeed. But the government also injected a caveat, insisting that “this does not mean that every victim of domestic violence would be eligible for asylum.”Manager Jose Mourinho is among three Chelsea staff charged by the Football Association following the club's Premier League loss to Sunderland. Assistant manager Rui Faria and midfielder Ramires have also been charged following the 2-1 defeat. Mourinho is charged with misconduct following comments he made after the match at Stamford Bridge. Ramires has been charged following an off-the-ball incident with Sunderland's Sebastian Larsson Ramires has been charged with violent conduct, while Faria has been charged with two counts of misconduct. Mourinho refused to take questions after the defeat to bottom club Sunderland, which ended his unbeaten Premier League home record as Chelsea manager. However, he congratulated both referee Mike Dean for his performance, which he described as "unbelievable", and Mike Riley, head of refereeing body Professional Game Match Officials Limited, in a television interview. The FA alleges that his comments call into question the integrity of Dean and/or Riley and/or bring the game into disrepute. Mourinho has until 18:00 BST on Monday to respond to the charge. Media playback is not supported on this device Chelsea 1-2 Sunderland: Jose Mourinho 'congratulates' referee Brazilian midfielder Ramires, 27, has been charged following an off-the-ball incident with Sunderland's Sebastian Larsson, which was not seen by the match officials but which was reviewed by a panel of former referees. He has until 18:00 on Thursday to respond to the charge. Faria's two charges follow an allegation that he used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official and that his behaviour after being ordered to leave the technical area amounted to improper conduct. Faria, who had to be restrained from confronting Dean after Sunderland had been awarded what turned out to the match-winning penalty, has until 18:00 on Monday to respond to the charge.Great news! A new age of sunshine and rainbows is about to dawn in Canada. With a wave of his hand, Justin Trudeau will banish global warming, cancel the bombing in Iraq, shelter the Syrian refugees, order a new census, legalize pot and lift the burden of taxes from the groaning backs of the middle class. On the second day, infrastructure dollars will wash over the land and the wicked witch will melt. We're off to see the wizard. OK, that wizard turned out to be a huckster. And in truth, as U.S. President Barack Obama has predicted, Trudeau's pledge of "real change" probably means that his legendary hair will change. To grey. And quickly. Just say the magic word — Senate — and see if that doesn't happen. Honeymoons: your mileage may vary Sadly, there's no set span for a political honeymoon. A romantic one is easy: tradition has it that you sip the marital honey until the moon's in the same phase as it was at the wedding — so, a month. Politicians try to make it last longer. The concept was originally an American notion, beginning in the Depression with Franklin Delano Roosevelt's First 100 Days. Judging by their poll ratings, Ronald Reagan's sunny ways gave him an eight-month honeymoon, but George W. Bush only managed three months in 2000, when half the voters thought he didn't really win. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau urges Canadians to cheer for U.S. President Ronald Reagan during speeches in front of the Parliament Buildings in March 1981. Reagan's honeymoon lasted eight months. (Andy Clark/Canadian Press) John F. Kennedy did no better, thanks to the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and Bill Clinton blew his honeymoon even faster. So what are Trudeau's chances? How can he keep the magic going and what seems likely to end it? The easy stuff First, there are a host of things that don't need legislation and can, indeed, be done with a wave of the hand. Trudeau doesn't need Parliament to order the CF-18s home from the bombing mission in Iraq and Syria. Nor does he need anyone's permission to decree that the long-form census be mandatory or to set up an inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women. Liberal leader Justin Trudeau criticizes Stephen Harper and Tom Mulcair for they positions on purchasing the F-35 fighter jets. 2:34 Likewise, he can name committees to study electoral reform and Senate appointments — and then blame the committees if things get bogged down. And, of course, he can name all the women he likes to his cabinet. Plus — new ambassadors? Poof! New deputies? Zap! New Senators? Hold it right there. The red-faced chamber As ghastly as Stephen Harper's experience was in the Senate, Justin Trudeau's isn't guaranteed to be much better. For one thing, he has closed the one avenue he has to ensure that he has a majority. Otherwise, he could have just filled the 22 vacancies that Harper helpfully left unfilled with party hacks. But he can't, because he promised a bright new dawn of independent, non-partisan senators to be named by a learned committee. Based on merit. Whoever heard of such a thing? Prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau takes a big first step this week when he announces his cabinet. Here's a look at some elements of that decision. 1:38 Second, Trudeau has long since cast his own party's senators into outer darkness. They're no longer in his caucus. They're not Liberal senators, they're senators who just happen to be Liberals, and they can vote as they please. But, even if they vote Liberal, there won't be enough of them. So how, exactly, will Trudeau get his legislation through Parliament with a Conservative majority in the Senate? Can he just hope that the unelected Senate will be too embarrassed to block bills passed by the elected House? Ask yourself: has embarrassment seemed to be a problem for the Senate up to now? OK — let's say the Senate is changed and chastened by the scandals of the Harper years. Let's say some of the new, non-partisan senators just happen to have Liberal leanings and let's say the Conservative ones don't want to invite yet more ridicule by standing in the way of a popular new government with a majority in the House. What, then, are senators for, if not to be a check on the House? Are they more relevant if they stand up to the government or if they sit down and roll over? Remember: they can't be fired and most are eager to show they stand for something more than whining about ice-cold camembert. But if invoking the dreaded Curse of the Senate is not enough to tarnish Trudeau's tiara, then what about that other classically Canadian curse, the one that's wrecked so many new dawns before? Of course. Federal-provincial relations. Bring on the premiers Is there a more eye-glazing topic in Canadian politics? Nobody wants to hear about it. Stephen Harper avoided premiers conferences like the plague because he knew that a talk-fest with the premiers would drive millions of Canadians to lunge for the off button. Trudeau is greeted by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne at Queen's Park in Toronto on Oct. 27. (Chris Young/Canadian Press) And what does much of Trudeau's new dawn depend on? Ah, yes: federal-provincial relations. Please don't doze off as we recite the list. Ready? Climate change. Trudeau's inviting the premiers to Paris for the big climate summit at the end of the month. Don't expect them to sort it all out on the plane. We've got a crazy quilt of provincial ideas — cap and trade, carbon taxes, indifference. Trudeau hopes he can herd all these different cats into one federal commitment to do something, somehow. Of course, the Conservatives already did that — pledging to cut emissions 30 per cent by 2030. But how were we supposed to get there? Nobody knew. Does anyone know how the Liberals will do better? Nope. Next: infrastructure. We all love infrastructure. But which sort, exactly? That depends on the provinces and the municipalities who propose projects and hope the feds will pay. The Liberals say they will spend an extra $5 billion on infrastructure in their first year, split between transit, "green" projects (whatever they are) and "social infrastructure" (whatever that is). Perhaps it means that infrastructure dollars will be redirected from Conservative ridings to Liberal ones. But perish the thought. That would never happen, right? Trudeau also pledges to negotiate with the provinces on employment insurance, a new health accord, child care, job training, an "energy strategy" and agriculture. So that should make enough federal-provincial conferences for a full four-year mandate. How long before Canadians get nostalgic for the not-so-sunny ways of Harper, who decided in 2011 what he wanted to pay for health care and then just told the premiers that's what they were getting. You've got to admit, it was efficient. Of course, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair railed about it constantly, calling it a "$36-billion cut" to health care. And voters shared his outrage at this affront to the provinces so much that they bounced Mulcair out of the Opposition leader's chair. Careful with the hair So will it be the Senate or the provinces that put sand in Trudeau's gears? Will there be, instead, some self-inflicted pratfall or some external calamity? A political honeymoon can be wrecked all too easily — even by a haircut. (Chris Wattie/Reuters) In the immortal words of Donald Rumsfeld, stuff happens. A honeymoon can be wrecked all too easily — even by something Trudeau has in abundance: hair. Remember that time in '93 when a newly elected Bill Clinton held up air traffic in Los Angeles so he could have a high-priced haircut on Air Force One? Oh, sure, the story eventually turned out to be bogus. No flights were delayed. But it was too late. Clinton's honeymoon lay in ruins. Nice hair, though.How College Students Battled Textbook Publishers To A Draw, In 3 Graphs College textbooks are expensive. You probably already know this. A new biology or economics book can cost $300. And prices have been soaring, doubling over the past decade, growing faster than the price of housing, cars, even health care. But, surprisingly, the amount students actually spend on textbooks has not been rising. In fact, the best data we could find on this shows students have been spending a bit less over time. How is this possible? Well, when prices go up, people usually try to find ways to avoid paying those higher prices. That seems to be what is going on here. The spread of the Internet has made it easier for students to find used textbooks in faraway places. Textbook rental has become a thing. Some students can now buy e-textbooks, which tend to be cheaper than print books. Others are borrowing books or going without. That last chart actually helps explain the first one showing prices for new books going through the roof. If you're a textbook publisher selling fewer books every year, how do you cover your costs? One way is to raise the price for the new editions. Of course, this encourages students to buy even fewer. A former textbook salesman I talked to called it the "spiral of destruction." One textbook executive told me the way out of all of this is to replace textbooks with something better and cheaper: educational software. Basically interactive, digital versions of textbooks. For students there is one drawback, though. You can't sell digital textbooks back to the bookstore, or to anyone, at the end of the semester. There is no used market. That's another reason publishers like them.Protests and peace give Oakland business owners relief Thousands gather in Frank Ogawa Plaza for a rally held after the Women's March in Oakland. Local businesses applauded the daytime protest as the right way to do things in Oakland. Thousands gather in Frank Ogawa Plaza for a rally held after the Women's March in Oakland. Local businesses applauded the daytime protest as the right way to do things in Oakland. Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close Protests and peace give Oakland business owners relief 1 / 24 Back to Gallery Some 100,000 people descended on the streets of Oakland to protest over the weekend, but no storefronts were shattered, and no assaults were reported, and no trashcan fires were lit. For downtown Oakland’s business-owners, many of them mom-and-pop operations, Saturday’s daytime Women’s March brought a welcome respite from the looters and self-described anarchists who have a habit of disrupting otherwise peaceful protests, smashing the same storefronts over and over, spraying graffiti on walls used to the treatment. Even during Friday’s rowdier protest of President Trump’s inauguration — in which a small, but determined band of protesters clashed on occasion with police by nightfall long after the day’s larger, and peaceful, march had subsided, resulting in three arrests — the damage was minimal. Two of the arrests were for minor vandalism, and the third for obstructing a police officer, said Officer Marco Marquez, a spokesman for the Oakland Police Department. Owners of businesses on and near Broadway near Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, which abuts Oakland’s City Hall, said they did lose money with wary would-be customers avoiding the scene entirely. But the toll often tends to be worse. On Friday night, Oakland Police officers wearing riot gear prevented a group of about 50 vocal protesters from marching down Broadway — a crackdown that Steve Snider, executive directors of the Downtown Oakland Association, credited with saving storefronts that have been smashed one too many times before. “I think we’re going in the right direction” Snider said. “Oakland’s always going to be the center of this protest activity, and most of us want it to be without vandalism or violence.” Snider and other business owners are quick to mention that they support the rights — and more often than not, the causes — of marchers. They’re just asking for more enforcement on those who use the crowds as cover for mayhem. Maria Alderete, the owner of Luka’s Taproom & Lounge at West Grand Avenue and Broadway, had braced herself for the weekend. In the past, dating back at least to the protests that roiled Oakland following the shooting by police of Oscar Grant in 2009, her bar has had at least five windows bashed in, she said. And one of her managers was assaulted in one of the more recent election protests, she said. This time around, on Friday, she said she thought police did a “really good job of containing the crowd,” adding that it took a letter she sent before the weekend to Mayor Libby Schaaf and incoming Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick calling downtown businesses the “local punching bag.” City officials worked with downtown businesses especially this weekend to help them prepare for the protests, Alderete said, suggesting they haul in flower pots that could be used as projectiles, as well as other preemptive measures. Saturday, however, there was no need for any of it, as thousands of people filled Oakland’s streets with pink and chants protecting women’s rights. Though the nationally coordinated march, with so-called sister marches in San Francisco and all over the country, wasn’t technically a repudiation of President Trump, marchers in Oakland made the connection on their own, wielding signs that said “Dump Trump.” Alderete and Snider said they both joined in Saturday’s march, calling it an example of how to protest the right way, adding that its daytime scheduling was a plus for warding off would-be dissidents lurking in the crowd. “The whole dinner-and-a-riot concept just doesn’t work,” Alderete said, adding that the Women’s March “certainly did” work. Though Alderete said she lost about 45 percent of her normal Friday night revenue, things “evened out” with Saturday’s swell in business from peaceful protesters. That normally doesn’t happen, she said. She was lucky, she said. “Well, I guess the next protest is tax day,” Alderete said. “So, we’ll see.” Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.comIf this season is to conclude with Arsène Wenger’s grand vindication – a triumph to wash away all those years of ‘if only’ and ‘for pity’s sake’ – then the campaign must consist of many smaller victories for the Frenchman. So he was encouraged by a double triumph in midweek, when victory at Olympiakos kept Arsenal alive in the Champions League and Olivier Giroud’s hat-trick confirmed to Wenger he is one of the best strikers in Europe. Since joining Arsenal from Montpellier in 2012 Giroud, 29, has not convinced all Arsenal fans that he belongs in the same category as some of his illustrious predecessors at the Emirates, one of whom, Thierry Henry, said in April that Giroud was not the man to spearhead a successful assault on the Premier League title. But Wenger says it is high time Giroud’s class was recognised. “If you look at the number of goals he has scored you have to give him credit,” Wenger said. “And he is not only a goalscorer – he works a lot for the team. He is among the best strikers in Europe.” Wenger insists his team have no reason to be jealous of other clubs’ strike forces and, when asked whether Giroud deserves to be ranked alongside players such as Barcelona’s Luis Suárez, Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Manchester City’s Sergio Agüero, he replied: “Of course. And [Theo] Walcott as well. We have Walcott, Giroud and [Alexis] Sánchez that can all score goals. And they all have different styles, which is very important as well.” Wenger reckons the France forward’s style makes him under-appreciated. “I believe because he is not the electric type of player and he makes less spectacular actions, he gets less credit. The kind of header he scored for the first goal [against Olympiakos], you do not get much credit for that – but he was there, he headed the ball and it’s an important goal. “You can never give up the style of player he is. If you go on the counterattack, of course, he isn’t the kind of player you want. That’s why when we played against Bayern [in October] I chose Walcott because you know you will be more in your half and have to go out quickly. When you dominate games and need a presence in the box, there is no better player than Olivier.” It was not just against Bayern Munich that Wenger chose Walcott ahead of Giroud – the Englishman was preferred throughout most of the period from late August to October – but Wenger insists Giroud always remained a firm part of his plans. He says he admires the striker even more for returning as an even better player, with Giroud scoring 10 goals in his past 12 matches. “I never questioned the fact that he would be a very needed striker here. This has been a typical Olivier Giroud year. That means that, when it’s not working for him, he puts effort in. Recently he has come back with an improved game in his finishing and link play. Wednesday night was one of his best performances on all fronts. He has special qualities that are difficult to find. You want him to be efficient as well but where he has improved a lot is in his link play and that is important in our team. I like the career of a guy who has gone down and comes up again because that shows you that he has mental strength.” Giroud and Walcott will be available for selection as Arsenal return to Premier League action at Aston Villa on Sunday but Wenger must still contend with a long casualty list. There is encouragement with regard to Sánchez, at least, as Wenger says the Chilean should return to full training on Monday following a hamstring injury. At Villa Park Wenger will be seeking to add to the woes of his friend and former player Rémi Garde, who has presided over two draws and two defeats since agreeing to become the manager of the Premier League’s bottom club on the advice of Wenger. Garde broadly shares Wenger’s footballing philosophy but the Arsenal manager reckons his protege has to adapt his ideas to recognise the difficulty of Villa’s predicament. “He’s a very intelligent guy and has a positive vision of the game – he wants his teams to play – but he is in a situation where he has to bank more on efficiency and have more of a short-term plan,” says Wenger. “He has to tighten up his defence to restore the team’s confidence. I expect a more physical match with a lot of commitment and a big emphasis on the defensive aspects.”It’s one thing to read an article or hear a speech about something, and another thing entirely to see it for yourself. That’s exactly what the private demos of ATSC 3.0 put on this week at CES 2016 by Sinclair Broadcast Group/ONE Media, Samsung and the Pearl TV consortium are trying to accomplish. “This next generation standard is a platform that we can do so much with, and it is going to keep pace with what is out there,” said Anne Schelle, executive director of the Pearl TV consortium during a telephone interview from Las Vegas. There are several reasons the standard will position broadcasters to remain competitive far into the future, but one of the most important is that ATSC 3.0 is IP-based, and that is a critical part of what the private demos are trying to convey, said Mark Aitken, VP of advanced technology for Sinclair. “With the [ONEMedia ATSC 3.0] gateway, we are showing how we have hijacked, if you will, standard boxes like Amazon Fires, and using those in conjunction with the home gateway support HDTV, high dynamic range UHDTV and a multiplicity of other HD services and have flung [content] to tablets and other devices via standard Wi-Fi because this is an all-IP broadcast standard,” Aitken said on the phone from Las Vegas during the same interview. A simple interface allows everyone in a household — or in this instance, in the suite where the demos are taking place — to choose their own content stream from the gateway and view it on their own digital device, he said. Another possibility is to set up a profile of the type of content an individual would like to receive and to have that content cached and downloaded to provide an interactive experience with standard tablets and other devices, Aitken added. ATSC 3.0 signals
The Canterbury Bulldogs have organised a recruitment and retention meeting for next week to outline a plan to get under the $9.4 million salary cap, with St George Illawarra making preliminary inquiries about the future of James Graham. One of the options that is sure to be on the table at the Bulldogs meeting is allowing the skipper to depart Belmore with a year to run on his contract, with the Dragons having asked the question about the Englishman's future. Crisis meetings: James Graham could be on the way out. Credit:AAP The Dragons have identified Broncos front-rower Adam Blair as their priority target to replace the Wests Tigers-bound Russell Packer, but have done their due diligence on Graham in case they fail to land Blair. The Dragons have discussed the possibility of a two-year deal for Graham but his manager is determined to secure a three-year contract that will allow the veteran prop to finish out his career in the NRL. With Blair weighing up at least three-year deals from the Knights and Warriors, the Dragons are set to finalise their position next week and table an offer to entice the Kiwi to the joint venture despite the likelihood of him returning across the ditch to replace the Tigers-bound Ben Matulino.The police in Ternate have ignored public outcry and demands for the release of Adlun Fiqri, a student arrested for uploading a video of a police officer accepting money from a road-rules violator. The public have also called on the Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) to file a complaint with the National Police Commission (Kompolnas). Detective and Crime chief at Ternate police precinct Samsudin Lossen said on Friday that he was not concerned about facing Kompolnas and the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) with regard to the Adlun case. 'I am not afraid ['¦] The suspect has confirmed that he committed the crime,' he said as quoted by tempo.co. The police officers, he continued, had gathered information from six eyewitnesses, including another police officer and the motorist in the video. The police decided to proceed with Adlun's case because the student had slandered the police officer and the police institution. Samsudin told the LBH to file an official complaint to Kompolnas and Komnas HAM on this issue. Adlun Fiqri's video, showing a police officer taking money from a motorcyclist, has gone viral. The student of Khairun University in Ternate, Maluku, was imprisoned after uploading the video to YouTube with the title 'Police in action asking for bribes in Ternate'. The Ternate police arrested Adlun on Monday, charging him with defamation and violating the Information Technology and Electronics Transactions (ITE) Law, which carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison. After the information about Adlun's arrest was exposed in the media, the public condemned the police and demanded his release using the hashtag #saveadlun on twitter and other social media. (ags/bbn)At the beginning of last season, it looked like the Cleveland Browns were stuck with a dud for a former first-round pick in Trent Richardson. Unfathomably, the Indianapolis Colts bailed Cleveland out, forking over a first-round pick for Richardson, which basically ended up being used to get Johnny Manziel. Cleveland had very little depth at running back in 2013, which is why they re-tooled the position during the 2014 offseason. Today's training camp preview of the running back position takes a look at veteran Ben Tate and rookie Terrance West. 1. BEN TATE - STARTING RUNNING BACK Ben Tate (#44) Height: 5-10 \| Weight: 220 Age: 25 \| Experience: 5 years College: Auburn Note: Finally out of the shadow of Houston's Arian Foster...4.7 YPC average in career. 5-10 \|22025 \|5 yearsAuburnFinally out of the shadow of Houston's...4.7 YPC average in career. I was a fan of Ben Tate when he was with the Houston Texans, particularly early on. How could you not be? As a backup in 2011, Tate ran for 942 yards and a 5.4 YPC average. That season included an 12-carry, 115-yard effort against the Browns. When it came to my fantasy football leagues in 2012 and 2013, I drafted Tate relatively high, thinking that if Arian Foster ever went down, I'd have one of the best backs in football. When Foster was hurt at the end of 2013, Tate started the final 6 games, a stretch in which he ran for 372 yards and 3 touchdowns on a perfect 4.0 YPC average. It was only a matter of time before he became a free agent and earned the big bucks. The rumors about Tate landing in Cleveland started immediately after the Browns dealt Richardson in 2013 (and that was when Joe Banner and Michael Lombardi were still in charge). For as much of a fan as I was of Tate's talent, I wasn't too high on the Browns signing him. He has shown to be a bit injury prone over the past two seasons, and I thought he'd command a ridiculous salary as the top running back on the market. My opinion of Tate being the team's starting back became high again when he was revealed the team scored him on a 2-year, $6.1 million deal. That's a bargain and exactly how teams should spend on the position, given the short shelf life these backs have. Tate comes from a zone-blocking system that should translate well to what Kyle Shanahan is trying to install in Cleveland. Tate hasn't been a big-time receiving back in the NFL, but he can catch the ball well enough. In terms of attitude, Tate has endeared himself to fans on Twitter, but also isn't afraid to speak his mind to make sure he's not relinquishing the starting role. He carries a chip on his shoulder -- he's said that Foster was the best running back in the league, and insinuated that he's not going to let anyone or anything step in his way from showing that he is just as capable in a starting role. Job Security: A- Final Roster Odds: 100% 2. TERRANCE WEST - BACKUP RUNNING BACK Terrance West (#20) Height: 5-10 \| Weight: 225 Age: 23 \| Experience: Rookie College: Towson Note: Bulky back who demonstrates power...Browns "stole" him from the Ravens. 5-10 \|22523 \|RookieTowsonBulky back who demonstrates power...Browns "stole" him from the Ravens. The Browns jumped ahead of the Baltimore Ravens and selected Terrance West with the No. 94 pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. Despite being a third-round pick, through the team's offseason programs thus far, it seems as though the team is already positioning West to be the backup running back to Tate. That would put West ahead of guys like Chris Ogbonnaya, Dion Lewis, and Edwin Baker without having played a single down in the NFL. Not to knock those guys down, but I think it's a testament to just how much the team plans on using West this year -- yes, they want him to "earn" a role, but they also envision him contributing immediately. Earlier, I said that Tate has suffered a string of injuries throughout his career, and he's also never handled the load for a full season. While I do think the team wants to give Tate the respect of getting starter-level reps, West will get his fair share of carries as well. West was a workhorse at the college level; during his junior season in 2013, he finished with an FCS-record 2,509 rushing yards and 41 rushing touchdowns. West displays good power as a runner and is quick and patient enough to work in Kyle Shanahan's offense. He is not a burner when it comes to speed, and don't expect him to sprint to the outside to outrun a defense. West didn't see a lot of work as a receiver at Towson, so that's something that might go to the third running back -- perhaps an Ogbonnaya, Lewis, or Barker. West rarely left the field, though, so he was trusted with his blocking assignments and fared well in that department too. If West struggles, there's a chance that he loses the backup role to somebody else...but the odds are in his favor that he is Tate's direct backup and/or complement. Job Security: B- Final Roster Odds: 100% Vote in the poll below for how you see things unfolding between Tate and West this year. Tomorrow, we'll go over the other running backs on the roster before moving on to the fullback position.Over two million people participated in this past weekend’s March Against Monsanto in 436 cities and 52 countries according to RT.com, but the arrest of one particular activist is among the more surprising developments of the historic wave of demonstrations. Kryssi Jones, the leader of the protest in Ann Arbor, Michigan, home to the University of Michigan, was arrested at the tail end of the march she organized and charged with the unauthorized using of a megaphone. While she wasn’t even using a megaphone at the time of her arrest and many others were before, during and after the arrest, she was singled out by police for her earlier use. She was then hauled away by local police as protesters chanted, “Let her go, let her go!” Video and a recap of the incident can be found here. Many fellow activists wondered on the day of the arrest what exactly had happened and why she was singled out, especially because so many of them (myself included) had used the megaphone during the day to chant slogans in support of GMO Freedom as they walked through the downtown Ann Arbor streets. Police on the scene said that they “couldn’t arrest everyone,” so they handpicked Kryssi, and now she must face a new court date for her actions during the March Against Monsanto rally, actions that many hundreds of fellow activists also took over the course of the day across the world, and actions that are commonplace during protests as they have been for many decades. March Against Monsanto Sets a Bad Precedent While it may seem like a minor thing, the March Against Monsanto arrest is just another in a long line of corporate-government establishment abuses against peaceful protesters. From spying on protesters using all sorts of intrusive technology to arresting them many times without due cause to making them pay exorbitant costs for permits just to exercise their First Amendment rights, these actions add up and have a strong effect on deterring free speech. They are especially repressive in an era when the vast majority of media is completely toothless and spineless when it comes to covering issues such as the ongoing genetic pollution caused by Monsanto and other companies. The megaphone arrest is a minor one, a misdemeanor charge to be exact, but it’s just another example of the decline of so many American values we’ve fought so hard for over the years. This arrest is particularly surprising considering what a progressive, green and organic-leaning city Ann Arbor is these days. Activist Urging Support in Courtroom over March Against Monsanto Arrest According to Kryssi Jones’ Facebook page and chats with her online, her court date is set for June 19 at 10 a.m. She told the many new and old friends on her page that she welcomes a show of support, joking that they shouldn’t bring a megaphone, but urged them to bring more GMO protest-related signs. She released the following statement after she was let out of a cell she had been held in for a few hours: “I want to thank EVERYONE for coming out and doing all that you did. In all my years of protesting, even in Portland Oregon, I have NEVER seen so many people come together and do all of this. You have shown not only me your love and support, you have shown the cause. I even got arrested and, I hear, you all took over and made it the best protest many of us have ever attended. It was a beautiful day and you all informed hundreds of people. Last but not least, thank you for the support you showed me for my arrest. You donated to help my new fees and the police even told me I had at least 30 people come to the station to bail me out. All I can say is wow. I am so humbled. You all are the most amazing group of people. I am truly blessed.” She also cleared up a misconception that the arrest was over a lack of a permit during the march. She said she had tried to secure a permit well in advance but was denied the night before, and decided to go ahead with the march anyway. The lack of a permit was not the cause for the arrest, however, as use had occurred prior to arrival at the park area where the final stage of the march was held. Funds raised toward paying the high cost ($1600) of the proposed permit were used to help pay the fines accrued. Two others were ticketed, she said, during the protest. According to the ordinance that led to the March Against Monsanto arrest, “The operation or use between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. of any loudspeaker, sound amplifier, public address system or similar device used to amplify sounds” is prohibited. It also later says “The use of any drums, loud speakers, musical devices or other instruments or devices for the purpose of attracting attention by the creation of noise to any performance, show or sale or display of merchandise.” That last clause makes it sound as if the ordinance is based more on shows and entertainment events than protests and the right to peaceably assemble, but time will tell how this will factor into her court case. As Jones later wrote on her Facebook in response to a commenter who noted that alarms, bells and similar devices are allowed to alert persons “to the existence of an emergency, danger or attempted crime,” the constant pollution and damage done by Monsanto could well qualify. The next March Against Monsanto is scheduled to occur on October 12, 2013, also known as World Food Day. A Message From the Founder Have you figured out what not to eat, but still have no idea what you actually should eat in order to truly THRIVE in this lifetime? Millions of people are seeing results on diets like Keto, Paleo, and Raw Vegan, but give up when the going gets tough because these diets are clearly not the easiest to follow long-term. Enter 'The THRIVERS DIET,' a simple, practical and most importantly sustainable diet and lifestyle guide from my good friend Derek Henry of the website Healing the Body. Derek overcame 13 different chronic disease conditions using the simple, concise plan found in this guide, and now he's offering it exclusively to AltHealthWorks readers. Order the guide today and you'll get access to all of Derek's secrets distilled into one easy-to-follow eBook, plus 70 free recipes, printable PDFs and much more. Grab Your Copy Now at a our special discounted rate before the price goes back up! Comments commentsFor the Valley News Steve Nelson concluded his April 28 column with this remarkable statement about the school choice movement: “If we lose public education to this religious, anti-science, profit-driven movement, we will never get it back.” It is remarkable because I think it reveals what Nelson (a resident of New York and Vermont) thinks of New Hampshire parents: They are too religious and too uneducated to be trusted with decisions about how to best educate their own children. He is painting with a brush as broad, and as flawed, as the one President Barack Obama used when he complained about bitter small-town people in Pennsylvania clinging to guns and religion. Not only does he overgeneralize, but he makes some assertions that fail basic fact checks. To name one, early in his article, Nelson claims that President Donald Trump and Secretary Betsy DeVos have begun “dismantling any substantial federal role in education,” and have “signaled a rapid and full abandonment of a commitment to equitable public education for all.” He seems to be echoing the analysis of several mainstream news organizations, which list specific programs that would be ended, including after-school and summer programs, child nutrition programs, and class-size reduction programs, all based on the president’s April 16 executive order. As a researcher, I’m used to checking original sources, so I looked at the actual text of the President Trump’s executive order on education. I encourage readers to do the same. It simply states that the education secretary will rescind or revise any regulations or guidance documents that are inconsistent with the law. In other words, it says: If there are things we are not supposed to be doing, we will stop doing them. President Trump appears to believe that the Department of Education should limit its efforts to exercising powers enumerated in the Constitution and implemented in statutes. But Nelson, and the news organizations he parrots, seems to believe that the department should do whatever it thinks might help some student, or perhaps some teacher’s union, somewhere, regardless of the law. In particular, the list of enumerated powers in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution does not authorize any federal role (substantial or not) in education (public, private, equitable or otherwise). People like Nelson, who see this as a shortcoming, should take a look at Article V, which describes the processes by which the Constitution can be amended. President Trump’s stated purpose for the order is to “restore the proper division of power under the Constitution between the Federal Government and the States” and to ensure that federal regulations “do not obstruct the ability of states, local governments, teachers and most importantly, parents, to make the best decisions for their students and, in many cases, for their children” — even if they cling to views about religion, or science, that differ from those held by Nelson. As a second example, Nelson claims that rich families are in the best position to use school choice vouchers to flee public schools for expensive private schools. But, in fact, all existing state voucher programs have means tests that allow only students from low- or middle-income families to receive vouchers. And while he is correct that vouchers will not cover the full costs of expensive private schools, he does not appear to realize that not all private schools are expensive. For example, the Montessori school near Croydon offers a superior education for about half the cost of the nearby public schools. Nor does he realize that many expensive private schools offer scholarships to low-income students. Also, one of the lessons of charter schools — like the Academy of Science and Design in Nashua, recently named one of the best high schools in the nation — is that a first-rate education does not require the kind of spending that we see in public schools. Similarly, the Educational Savings Account programs that have been implemented so far include restrictions to prevent the kinds of abuses that Nelson seems to fear, although they do not include specific means tests. But perhaps this is something that Nelson and I can agree on: Poor people should not subsidize rich people. Period. One fact that Nelson does get right is that if children leave inadequate public schools, those schools will lose some of their funding. That sounds bad, but consider the same argument stated in a different way: We should prevent children from leaving failing schools because those schools need the money. In this view, children exist for the sake of public schools, rather than public schools existing for the sake of children. In the end, Nelson’s argument can be reduced to this: School choice may lead to some bad outcomes for some people, so we must resist it. The competing argument is that school choice will certainly create some wonderful outcomes for some people, so we should pursue it. Viewed this way, the debate over school choice is about whether we will choose to focus on fear or hope — that is, on what might go wrong, or on what will go right. It is about whether we will let fear compel us to cling to models of schooling from the 19th century, or whether hope will spur us to embrace the chance to let education move forward into the 21st century. Personally, I believe that John F. Kennedy was wise to counsel that “we should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes.” Jody Underwood is vice chair of the Croydon School Board, an educational researcher and an Education Fellow for the Granite Institute.If you live in Utah, you are more likely to be killed by police than gangs, drug dealers or child abusers. The Salt Lake Tribune recently reviewed records for 300 violent deaths over a five year period, and found that deaths from police violence were the second most common type of killing after intimate partner violence in Utah. Records showed that law enforcement officers were responsible for 15 percent of the violent deaths by killing 45 people since 2010. Officials have found all of the killings to be justified, except the 2012 shooting of 21-year-old Danielle Willard. On Saturday, police responding to a trespassing report in South Jordan shot and killed a man. That incident was still under investigation. But law enforcement watchdogs warned that the rising numbers of deaths at the hands of police could point to a potential problem with the abuse of lethal force. “The numbers reflect that there could be an issue, and it’s going to take a deeper understanding of these shootings,” former Utah police Sergeant Chris Gebhardt told the Tribune. “It definitely can’t be written off as citizen groups being upset with law enforcement.” At a four-month academy required for all police cadets, the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) division of the Utah Department of Safety teaches that officers “may use any force available provided they can justify the reasonableness of force used.” Watch the video below from KSTU.A South Korean lawmaker said that nuclear support from the United States is needed in order to protect against North Korea's continued aggression and unpredictability, but also to keep its larger neighbor in check. During a trip to the United States, a powerful South Korean politician has suggested that his country needs nuclear weapons of its own - and not just to intimidate North Korea, but also to send a strong message to China. Rep. Chung Moon-joon, in a speech Monday in Washington DC, said the Chinese have overlooked what Seoul sees as North Korea’s aggressive tactics in favor of disputes in Tibet and Taiwan. “In terms of North Korea, China wants to maintain the status quo, reluctant to be active in putting pressure on it,” said. Rep. Chung, who, in his seventh term as a lawmaker, serves as the leader of South Korea’s ruling Saenuri Party. Chung is scheduled to speak again on Tuesday in the second of the two-day 2013 Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference. According to Yonhap News, he will suggest that US politicians provide arms to South Korea. “Possessing nuclear weapons is the best way to counter North Korea’s nuclear threats,” he said. “It would send a strong political message not only to North Korea but also to China.” Chung, who is one of the favorites to become president of South Korea in the country's 2017 election, also recommended that US officials reconsider giving South Korea wartime control of its own troops within the next two years. “The US should halt a scheme to move the Second Infantry Division to a base south of the Han River in Seoul,” he said. “The US will also have to push for direct talks with North Korea to put a top priority on the denuclearization issue.” It’s not the first time a South Korean lawmaker has pressured the US for nuclear support, but the idea has gained traction on the peninsula after recent provocations from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. That tension escalated again Monday with North Korea’s announcement that 51,000 workers would be recalled from a factory shared with the South, a major step toward ending economic ties. Other South Korean leaders recanted statements Monday from Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae, who previously said “there is an indication” of activity around North Korea’s nuclear test site. South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said Monday that, while there are vehicles in the area, none of the events around the test site are unusual. Despite the ongoing rhetoric Kim Sung-han, an international relations expert at Korea University in Seoul, doubted the two countries would descend into war. He told USA Today that, if North Korea does appear to be testing nuclear weapons, it’s only evidence that Kim Jong-un is desperate for power. “This problem of power consolidation is his gigantic task to accomplish in a short period of time,” Kim said, adding that the North Korean leadership is “gradually losing domestic support” with a chance of an outbreak of public discontent. "It’s always helpful to remind the people that their country is surrounded by evil and scheming enemies, and only the leader and the army can keep the country secure.” Industrial park squabble Discord between the two Koreas continued on Tuesday, with the North upholding its promise to shut down a joint industrial park. North Korean laborers didn’t show up for work at the Kaesong zone in the morning, effectively suspending operations. Earlier, Pyongyang refused to allow South Korean workers to enter the area, located a few kilometers inside the North’s territory. South Korean President Park Geun-hye said that North Korea is undermining its credibility as a place to do business with its decision to close Kaesong. "Investment is all about being able to anticipate results and trust and when you have the North breaking international regulations and promises like this and suspending Kaesong while the world is watching, no country in the world will invest in the North," Park said during a Cabinet meeting. There are about 475 South Koreans remaining at Kaesong; Seoul plans for 77 to return home on Tuesday. Many are reluctant to leave, as they are worried about the impact their departure would have on their businesses and jobs. Representatives of companies based in Kaesong have held an emergency meeting to address the problem. The joint industrial park is home to a number of South Korean textile factories and similar enterprises, employing some 50,000 North Korean workers. It has been operating since 2004, when a ‘sunshine policy’ period in the South opened the door for rapprochement between the two adversaries. Kaesong is considered one of Pyongyang’s major sources of wealth. The North’s willingness to jeopardize the zone came as a surprise to many experts, who believed the tensions would not escalate past belligerent rhetoric and demonstrative gestures.Advertisement 10-year-old hosts confidence conference to help girls start school year Share Shares Copy Link Copy Ten-year-old Olivia Allen is at it again. After collecting more than 100 toys for Kosair Charities in the month of March, and over 500 food items for Dare to Care Food Bank in April, projects for which her total service hours earned her the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, she decided she wanted to something more.A 5th grade student at Coleridge Taylor Montessori, Olivia learned about the physical, social and emotional changes girls face when they enter puberty in a special class taught by the school nurse.She also learned how those changes can impact the confidence and self esteem of these girls. Once she realized that many girls don’t have the support system, family or friends to help them through these tough times, she decided she wanted to help. So she spent the next few months planning what would become the “I Can Be” Girls Confidence Conference.Through this conference she wants to help girls ages 8 – 12 learn how to confidently believe in themselves and go after their dreams. So she’s secured the help of several local women who have faced those challenges and overcome them. Speakers and presenters include Barbara Sexton Smith, Ashley D. Miller, Dr. Matisa Wilbon, Marsha Thornton, Jr., Beth Hall and Frances Lewis. The conference is being sponsored by Simmons College of Kentucky, and will be held at its Heritage Room in the Steward Hall (1018 S. 7th Street on the corner of 7th and Kentucky) on Saturday, August 22nd from 10 AM to 1 PM. Interested girls ages 8 – 12 can register to attend the conference at http://icanbegirlsconference.eventbrite.com.In keeping with her efforts to support building girls confidence, attendees are being asked to bring donations of school uniform clothing to be donated to The Home of the Innocents. For more information or to donate to the uniform drive, contact Anitra Durand Allen at anitra@themomonthemove.com or by phone at 812-548-6278.Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), speaks at the Alliance for Retired Americans 2015 National Legislative Conference in Washington. AP Democratic presidential candidate and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) just admitted what most political strategists already know: He has a minority-voter problem. In an interview with The New York Times published on Saturday, Sanders admitted that he needs to make major inroads with nonwhite, nonliberal voters in order to overtake presumed Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. "I'm not well known in the African-American community, despite a lifelong record," Sanders told The Times. "That's a real issue, and I have to deal with it." Since announcing his presidential bid in April, Sanders has emerged as Clinton's most powerful primary challenger, touting his populist economic message to increasingly large crowds. The message has clearly resonated with many early primary voters. The self-described "Democratic-socialist" has jumped in the polls — in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, multiple polls show Clinton's support slightly dipping while Sanders' has surged. But though the Clinton campaign has been vocal about the threat Sanders poses, the data shows that he does indeed have a demographic problem that will prove difficult to overcome outside those two early states, where Democratic primary voters are overwhelmingly white and liberal. "If Sanders wins Iowa or New Hampshire, it will build a lot of momentum for him that will help in the states that follow, but he's still going to struggle in places like South Carolina with large black populations and Nevada with large Hispanic populations unless he improves his appeal to nonwhite voters," Tom Jensen, the director of the firm Public Policy Polling, told Business Insider. Jensen said most recent polls put Clinton's support among African-American voters at around 70% to 80%. And as The Times notes, Sanders remains virtually unknown outside the liberal enclaves where he has campaigned heavily. Sanders told The Times that he hopes his populist economic message will unite working-class voters, cutting across race, party, and ideology. "I look at these things more from a class perspective," Sanders said. "I'm not a liberal. Never have been. I'm a progressive who mostly focuses on the working and middle class." Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) in Iowa. Reuters/Jim Young It's unclear if this strategy will pay off for Sanders, but there are some reasons for his campaign to be optimistic: Even if voters don't know Sanders, a big chunk of them are sympathetic to the positions on income inequality that he's espoused for years. According to a recent Gallup poll, the vast majority of Americans feel that the distribution of wealth in America is unfairly concentrated at the top. The same Gallup poll found that a majority of Americans support raising taxes on the rich and redistributing the money.An FIR has been registered against a former executive director of Air India for allegedly stealing a painting by renowned artist Jatin Das which was part of the airline's collection, police said. The FIR follows an internal inquiry by Air India, which found Rohita Jaidka and other unidentified persons stole the painting between 2004 and 2009. During the period, Jaidka served as general manager and executive director of Air India. "The airline approached the police and an FIR was registered on November 11 against Jaidka and other unidentified persons," the police said yesterday. The horizontal oil painting - titled 'Flying Apsara' - was commissioned in 1991 by Air India. The matter came to light when Das, a Padma Bhushan awardee, wrote to Air India in June claiming that one of his paintings had gone missing and was available in the open market. The letter prompted the airline to launch an internal probe. Das was alerted after art curator Pooja Acharya contacted him to verify the authenticity of the work. Acharya was in touch with Sarabjit Singh, whom Jaidka was allegedly trying to sell the painting. When the incident came to light, Jaidka returned the painting to the airline headquarters "in a torn condition" from a fake address in Noida, according to the FIR. Air India said to "cover up" Jaidka managed to arrange a replica of the painting and claimed she was selling a copy and not the original work. Air India in its complaint pegs the value of the painting at Rs 25 lakh "as per evaluations by an art historian". Jatin Das, however, has refused to attach a value to his artwork. The airline has told the police that as per its records the painting was displayed at Air India Maharaja lounge at Terminal-2 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. It was later moved to Air India's office at Hansalaya Building, near Connaught Place around 2002. The records show the painting was at this address in 2004 as well, "whereafter it appears to have been stolen between the years 2004-2009". Das had blamed "indifference, negligence and theft" as reasons for the painting going missing. Air India's art collection includes stone sculptures dating back to the ninth century, woodwork, decorative friezes, and a collection of exquisite clocks. But some of the most prized collection include works by M F Husain, S H Raza, V S Gaitonde, K A Ara, Anjolie Ela Menon, Arpana Caur and B Prabha.Albion Rovers chairman John Devlin admits the club's new 'pay what you can afford' season ticket initiative is a risk. Scottish League Two Rovers believe they are the first club in the United Kingdom to offer such a scheme. "We want the club to be part of the community in Coatbridge to do that we need an audience," said Devlin. "At the moment we have a hard-core support of a few hundred, we want to boost that." Football at our level is over-priced. We are one of the first clubs that are trying to re-dress that John Devlin Albion Rovers chairman The Cliftonhill club, who have a minimum charge price for the season tickets, finished the season outside the promotion play-off zone but almost caused a surprise in the Scottish Cup when they took Rangers to a replay. "It's absolutely a risk and a risk we're willing to take," added Devlin of the new season ticket scheme. "It's worth taking. "We're trying to re-stimulate a crowd here, re-stimulate interest in Albion Rovers in Coatbridge, bring along a bigger audience to watch the football. "Personally, I think football's over-priced in Scotland. I think football at our level is over-priced. We are one of the first clubs that are trying to re-dress that "We are good value, even for a normal entry ticket, compared to other clubs in Scotland. "We don't know how many we'll sell. We did a similar exercise with a one-off game back in January. We had a 'pay what you can' game at that time and it went very well for us. "In every metric that we measured it was an overwhelming success."Image copyright PA Image caption The character of Lady Penelope was based on Sylvia Anderson's appearance, and she also provided the voice Sylvia Anderson, best known as the voice of Lady Penelope in the TV show Thunderbirds, has died after a short illness, her family has confirmed. Anderson co-created the hit science-fiction puppet series, which ran from 1965, with her late husband Gerry. In a career spanning five decades, she also worked on shows Joe 90 and Captain Scarlet, and for US TV network HBO. She died at her Berkshire home, aged 88. Her daughter described her as "a mother and a legend". "Her intelligence was phenomenal but her creativity and tenacity unchallenged. She was a force in every way," Dee Anderson said. Her former husband Gerry Anderson died in 2012 after suffering from Alzheimer's. Nick Williams, Chairman of Fanderson - a fan club dedicated to the work of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson - told BBC Breakfast she was a "huge influence" on the entertainment industry. "She was one of the first really prominent women in the film and TV industry," he said, adding that Anderson leaves behind "an amazing legacy of fantastic television, really groundbreaking entertainment." Rae Earl, writer of the My Mad Fat Diary television series, tweeted: "Sylvia Anderson was responsible for some of my favourite TV." Puppet pioneers Born in south London to a boxing promoter and a dressmaker, Sylvia Anderson graduated from the London School of Economics with a degree in sociology and political science. She spent several years in the US and worked as a journalist before returning to the UK and joining a TV production company, where she met her future husband. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Andersons collaborated on many of his programmes, including Captain Scarlet and Stingray. Some puppets from the latter can be seen in this image. When he started his own company, AP Films, she joined him, and the couple began making puppet shows. They developed a production technique using electronic marionette puppets, called Supermarionation, in which the voices were recorded first, and when the puppets were filmed, the electric signal from the taped dialogue was hooked up to sensors in the puppets' heads. That made the puppets' lips move perfectly in time with the soundtrack. In 1963, the couple came up with the idea for Thunderbirds, which told the story of the Tracy family who form a secret organisation dedicated to saving human life, set in the future. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Thunderbirds revolved around a futuristic emergency service called International Rescue, manned by the Tracy family Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The 1960s series pioneered "supermarionation" - a puppetry technique using thin wires to control marionettes As well as co-creating and writing the series, Anderson worked on character development and costume design. The character of Lady Penelope, a glamorous agent, was modelled on Anderson's own appearance, and she also provided her characteristic aristocratic voice. The success of Thunderbirds led to two feature films and a toy and merchandise empire. Three new programmes were made last year to mark the 50th anniversary of the series. Charity work Other shows which the couple worked on include Stingray, Fireball XL5 and Secret Service. However, the partnership ended when they divorced in 1981. Sylvia went on to work as head of programming for HBO in the UK, and write several books. Her last public interview was on the Graham Norton Show on BBC Radio 2 with actor David Graham, who also provided voices for Thunderbirds, in December. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Keith Doyle looks back at the life of Sylvia Anderson
development, but you can catch the Brown Girls web series at this link.Ryan Burton will wear the No.5 in season 2017 After finalising its playing list for 2017, Hawthorn can confirm the guernsey numbers to be worn by its new recruits and number changes for two youngsters #3 – Tom Mitchell New recruit Tom Mitchell will wear number three; previously worn by Hawthorn great Leigh Matthews and more recently Jordan Lewis. The 23 year-old made to move to Hawthorn from Sydney Swans in this year’s trade period and is highly regarded as a quality midfielder in the competition. Read: This history of No.3 #5 – Ryan Burton The number five made famous by the likes of Peter Crimmins and Sam Mitchell will be worn by Ryan Burton in 2017. Burton was taken with pick 19 in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft and made his debut late this season. He impressed against Collingwood in Round 23 and started brightly against Geelong in the Hawks qualifying final before a calf injury kept him sidelined. Read: This history of No.5 #10 – Jaeger O’Meara Jaeger O’Meara will pull on the number 10 guernsey for season 2017, after it was left vacant by Bradley Hill who returned home to Perth to join the Dockers. Having battled a knee injury over the last two years, O’Meara is progressing well and keen to make his comeback to AFL level next season #17 – Dan Howe Youngster Daniel Howe will wear number 17, having previously worn number 41 since being drafted in 2014. The number 17 guernsey was made famous by Hawthorn legend Michael Tuck who played 426 games across 20 seasons. #27 – Ty Vickery Ty Vickery will adopt number 27 after Matt Spangher departed the club. Number 27 has been previously worn by the likes of Roy Simmonds and premiership Captain David Parkin. #31 – Ricky Henderson Recruited from the Adelaide Crows, Ricky Henderson will wear number 31 when he pulls on the brown and gold for the first time. The 28-year-old has played 90 games for the Crows since making his debut in 2010. #35 - Harry Morrison Harry Morrison, the Hawks first pick in this year’s AFL Draft, will wear number 35. Morrison was selected by the Hawks with pick 74 and is a product of the Murray Bushrangers. He is a medium-sized defender and intercept specialist with great running power. #39 - Mitchell Lewis Mitchell Lewis will wear Guernsey number 39 for 2017. The Hawks used Pick 76 to select Mitchell Lewis, a 198cm forward from Calder Cannons. While Lewis’ name caused quite a stir in the Twittersphere it was his football ability that caught the eye of Hawthorn recruiters. Read: Nervous wait for Mitchell Lewis #41 - Oliver Hanrahan* Taken with pick 14 in the Rookie Draft, Oliver Hanrahan will wear number 41. Despite not following the traditional TAC Cup path, Hanrahan landed at the Hawks after an impressive seaons with St. Kevin's College, Melbourne. #45 - Conor Nash* International recruit Conor Nash will wear number 45 in his first season as an International Catergory B rookie. Conor first came to the attention of recruiters in early 2014 as a 15-year-old playing Gaelic football and joins fellow Irishman Conor Glass on the Hawks’ list. #46 - James Cousins* Taken with pick 46 in the Rookie Draft, James Cousins will wear number 46. James is a tough inside midfielder who had an excellent year with Murray Bushrangers *** *Rookie listed playerOKLAHOMA CITY, July 10, 2017 – The Oklahoma City Thunder signed free agent guard Raymond Felton, it was announced by Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released. A 12-year NBA veteran, Felton has appeared in 856 games (657 starts) and registered career averages of 11.9 points, 5.7 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.27 steals in 31.6 minutes with Charlotte, Toronto, New York, Denver, Portland, Dallas and the LA Clippers. Felton owns 4,831 career assists which places him 11th among active players. Originally selected 5th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by Charlotte, Felton saw action in 80 games (11 starts) last season as a member of the Clippers and posted averages of 6.7 points, 2.4 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 21.3 minutes. Felton previously helped lead North Carolina to the 2005 National Championship and during his rookie season with the Bobcats, Felton was named to the All-Rookie Second Team.SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea, a hermetic country stuck in the Cold War and obsessed with its long-dead founder, now wants to turn back time. By a half-hour. The government announced on Friday that it would create its own time zone — “Pyongyang time” — and set its clocks 30 minutes behind those of South Korea and Japan. The change is set for Aug. 15, the 70th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II, which freed the Korean Peninsula from Japanese rule. The current time on the peninsula — nine hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time — was set by Japan. North Korean public pronouncements can be as virulently anti-Japanese as they are anti-American, so it was natural that the clock change would be billed as throwing off a hated vestige of colonial domination. “The wicked Japanese imperialists committed such unpardonable crimes as depriving Korea of even its standard time,” the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency said on Friday.The iPhone 4 is far from indestructible. Hell, it's starting to seem like it might actually be fragile. So here, for worrywarts and klutzes alike, is an overview of some warranty and insurance plans in case things go wrong. First iPhone 4 Broken After One-Foot Drop This is not a drop test. This is the first iPhone 4 that breaks after a simple accident that anyone … Read more Read Advertisement Click the chart for full-size. Lumping warranties and insurance plans together is sort of an apples and oranges type thing, but all these things fall under the umbrella of "stuff that helps keep your iPhone working." Every iPhone 4 comes with Apple's one year warranty, which covers stuff that's their fault—like manufacturing defects—but nothing that's your fault, like drops, spills and the rest. That AppleCare can be extended for a year for $69, but the stuff it covers remains the same. Best Buy offers a special plan for Best Buy-bought iPhones that, for example, covers water spillage but not water submersion, and it has no loss or theft protection. RadioShack and Walmart both rely on Apple's AppleCare protection in lieu of their own. That's where insurance comes in. AT&T is semi-officially shilling a special plan from Asurion called MobileProtect that covers loss, theft, and water damage, for $12 a month with a deductible of $149 or $199, depending on which model you have. But moving to a third party plan from a company like Square Trade will run you much less—they have a special on for the new iPhone that buys you 2 years of coverage for $99—but they won't replace lost or stolen devices; they just fix or replace busted ones. Advertisement Of course, most of these places will try to repair your iPhone, if at all possible, before just shipping you a new one, and turnaround times all depend on what type of damage you've been hit with. But with scratches, dings, and shatters abound, it's good to know how and where to get protected. [Apple Care, MobileProtect, Square Trade, BestBuy]At the age of five, he was smitten by John F Kennedy, then saw his hero reborn in the charismatic senator from Illinois. Now the presidential hopeful and his power broker are within sight of the ultimate goal - the White House European leaders got their first glimpse last week of a remarkable Illinois political figure who has drawn strength from his complex personal history, ideals from the legacy of John F Kennedy and hope from an improbable campaign for the US presidency. They also met Barack Obama, with whom this softly spoken former Chicago Tribune political reporter has forged a personal and political bond that even foes concede has been at the heart of the first serious bid by an African-American for the highest office in the land. His name is David Axelrod. And while US law forced a rare brief separation from his candidate during the opening part of last week's high-profile overseas visit - Obama's stops in Iraq and Afghanistan were as part of a government-funded Congressional mission - he was very much back at his side for its European leg in Berlin, Paris and London. With his bushy moustache and piercing, no-nonsense gaze, the 53-year-old journalist turned political consultant has been a central presence in the presidential campaign. No one in the inner circle of Obama's aides has known the junior senator for Illinois longer; they first met during a voter-registration drive in Chicago in 1992, five years before Obama first won public office, in the state legislature. No one is closer to him. No one, except Obama himself, has had a make-or-break voice in every strategy decision during his march from outsider to front runner in the race for the White House. For Axelrod, for reasons political, professional but also deeply personal, guiding Obama to victory in November has become more than just a challenge. It is, say those who know him best, a 'crusade'. And it began not with Obama's formal declaration of his candidacy in front of Illinois's capitol building on a cold February day 18 months ago, but nearly five decades earlier in Axelrod's boyhood home of New York. The year was 1960. Axelrod was five, as he would recall the experience to fellow reporters when he began work on the Tribune. He had been taken by his sister to a campaign rally, where he heard the stirring oratory of another young senator who had set off on a journey to the White House: John F Kennedy. 'David was smitten, that's absolutely the right word,' says George de Lama, recently retired news editor of the Tribune, who began at the paper alongside Axelrod as a summer intern and became a friend. 'The experience of seeing Kennedy became etched in his memory - the excitement, the sense that something really important was happening.' Eight years later, as a 13-year-old campaign volunteer, he sold lapel buttons and bumper stickers for the short-lived presidential bid of Robert, JFK's brother. But if Axelrod's Kennedy-era sense of political idealism goes a long way to explaining his bond with Obama - and the course of the campaign, from its central message of 'change' to the echoes of JFK in last week's huge rally in Berlin - the focus and urgency he has brought to the fight has roots that are deeper and much more personal. Axelrod was born in New York's Lower East Side and raised in Manhattan. His father was a psychologist, his mother a journalist for the city's crusading left-wing 1940s newspaper, PM. His early years no doubt helped to give him not only an interest in politics, but a sense that politics mattered. But they also embedded other qualities remarked upon by friends and colleagues in the political word he has inhabited all his adult life: a sometimes moody introspectiveness. 'Soulfulness' is the word one friend uses; a seriousness; a 'driven' urge to succeed; and an 'inner toughness'. When he was eight, his parents divorced. When he was 19 - a tragedy he mentioned publicly for the first time only in a moving Father's Day article for the Tribune - his father committed suicide. It began: 'My father died 31 years ago...' and described him as my 'best friend and hero', an immigrant who had fled the anti-Jewish pogroms of eastern Europe, survived an 'unhappy, failed marriage', yet never showed any signs of sadness. It ended: 'It has taken me more than 30 years to say out loud that the man I most loved and admired took his own life.' By then, Axelrod had moved west, studying political science at the University of Chicago and, first as an intern and, from 1977, a staff reporter, to the Tribune. He spent nearly eight years there, becoming City Hall bureau chief and then the paper's youngest political columnist, before leaving to join the campaign of another Illinois senator, Paul Simon. Axelrod, says de Lama, was not only an incisive observer and reporter, but a 'beautiful writer - which you can see in some of the Obama speeches'. But when he left the paper, 'our editor said it was inevitable - that David loved being in the game more than writing about it'. He founded a political consultancy and soon made his mark running the re-election campaign of Chicago's first African-American mayor, Harold Washington. He has since done work for clients ranging from the current mayor, Richard M Daley, to presidential hopefuls John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. But the Washington campaign proved a template for helping other African-American mayoral candidates, leading one commentator early in the Obama campaign to remark that Axelrod had 'developed something of a novel niche for a political consultant - helping black politicians convince white supporters to support them'. Yet in Obama, almost from the moment they met, Axelrod seemed to sense something on a far grander scale: a potential for what he described to friends as a 'historic' agent for change in American politics on the scale of the hero he had seen as a five-year-old. He helped to run Obama's campaign for the US Senate in 2004 and was also credited with helping to craft the powerful Democratic convention speech in July 2004 that put him squarely on the national political stage. 'But long before then,' says Robert Shrum, the political consultant who ran the presidential campaigns of Al Gore and John Kerry, 'I remember David talking about Obama and what an extraordinary person he was.' Before the presidential election season, with Obama's hat not yet in the ring, Axelrod told friends he was minded to take time off to produce documentary films. He had worked for two of the presumed front runners - Clinton and Edwards - and did not see how he could in good faith help one against the other. But some friends suspect there may have been other factors at work. Axelrod married a Chicago University classmate, Susan Landau, while working at the Tribune - 'A wonderful woman,' says de Lama, 'who, I think David would say, has completed him, made him more of a thoughtful, caring person.' But their family life has not been without its own challenges. Their daughter Lauren suffered developmentally damaging epileptic seizures as a child and Susan also had breast cancer, from which she has now recovered. 'He wasn't going to work for any candidate,' says de Lama. 'But he did say that if Obama got into the race, he would make an exception. And I think the health problems of Lauren and Susan... also gave him a real sense of urgency to make an impact, both in a lot of charity work he and Susan have done for epilepsy and now with the presidential campaign.' Obama ran. And even the campaign's critics say its success has hinged on an unprecedentedly close bond between candidate and chief strategist, particularly as Clinton clawed back Obama's early lead in the primaries. 'Last September,' Shrum recalls, 'all the Obama fundraisers were in panic, saying Hillary's way ahead, we have to go negative on her, we have to begin running negative TV ads or attack her. And some were going after David, I think. Obama held a conference call and said look, we know what we're doing, we have a strategy and we're going to go ahead with that strategy and you all need to calm down. 'Obama seems to have that kind of quality - an equanimity, a serenity, vision - in almost all circumstances,' says Shrum. 'And David has it. They are melded in a lot of ways. And the fact that David can come over as low key should not disguise the fact that, intellectually, he is very, very high-wattage.' To Axelrod's fury, there have been allegations that in its consultancy for business clients, his company has engaged in 'astroturfing' - PR campaigns that manufacture ostensible grassroots backing for their products. Even friends say his often sharp sense of humour can be 'offensive' to those he doesn't like or rate. De Lama says: 'David himself regrets, I think, a comment he made, on behalf of a campaign client, disparaging a rival senator as an "ageing hack in a reformer's body".' But he adds: 'David's central strength is that he is a genuine idealist. His critics sometimes say that he falls in love with his clients, that he's a dreamer - something I think he would recognise.' In Obama, friends are convinced, Axelrod sees a dream that may come true. The Axelrod lowdown Born 1955, into a middle-class Jewish family. His father was a psychologist and his mother a journalist. Best of times (so far) 3 June 2008, when Barack Obama finally crossed the delegates' threshold to wrest the Democratic presidential nomination from Hillary Clinton. Worst of times A policeman's knock on the door at his University of Chicago dormitory in May 1974 with the words: 'David, we just got a call from New York. The NYPD. They found your dad in his apartment. They think it was suicide. They need you to go home to identify his body.' After that, mere political knocks, even the recent threat that Obama's firebrand former pastor, the Rev Jeremiah Wright, might manage to derail his bid for the presidency, must seem trivial. What he says 'I got into politics because I believe in idealism. Just to be part of this effort that seems to be rekindling the kind of idealism that I knew when I was a kid, it's a great thing to do... so I find myself getting very emotional about it.' What others say 'He's not a Karl Rove [the Republicans' pugilistic political strategist] but in his own way he can be just as effective and just as tough. He doesn't back down from any fight.' George de Lama, recently retired managing editor for news at the Chicago Tribune.operating system kernel The Linux kernel is a free and open-source, monolithic, Unix-like operating system kernel. The Linux family of operating systems is based on this kernel and deployed on both traditional computer systems such as personal computers and servers, usually in the form of Linux distributions,[9] and on various embedded devices such as routers, wireless access points, PBXes, set-top boxes, FTA receivers, smart TVs, PVRs, and NAS appliances. The Android operating system for tablet computers, smartphones, and smartwatches uses services provided by the Linux kernel to implement its functionality. While the adoption on desktop computers is low, Linux-based operating systems dominate nearly every other segment of computing, from mobile devices to mainframes. As of November 2017, all of the world's 500 most powerful supercomputers run Linux.[10] The Linux kernel was conceived and created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds[11] for his personal computer and with no cross-platform intentions, but has since expanded to support a huge array of computer architectures, many more than other operating systems or kernels. Linux rapidly attracted developers and users who adopted it as the kernel for other free software projects, notably the GNU Operating System,[12] which was created as a free, non-proprietary operating system, and based on UNIX as a by-product of the fallout of the Unix wars.[13] The Linux kernel has received contributions from nearly 12,000 programmers from more than 1,200 companies, including some of the world's largest software and hardware vendors.[14][15] The Linux kernel API, the application programming interface (API) through which user programs interact with the kernel, is meant to be very stable and to not break userspace programs (some programs, such as those with GUIs, rely on other APIs as well). As part of the kernel's functionality, device drivers control the hardware; "mainlined" device drivers are also meant to be very stable. However, the interface between the kernel and loadable kernel modules (LKMs), unlike in many other kernels and operating systems, is not meant to be very stable by design.[16] The Linux kernel, developed by contributors worldwide, is a prominent example of free and open source software.[17] Day-to-day development discussions take place on the Linux kernel mailing list (LKML). The Linux kernel is released under the GNU General Public License version 2 (GPLv2),[6][18] with some firmware images released under various non-free licenses.[8] History [ edit ] Linus Torvalds In April 1991, Linus Torvalds, at the time a 21-year-old computer science student at the University of Helsinki, Finland, started working on some simple ideas for an operating system. He started with a task switcher in Intel 80386 assembly language and a terminal driver. On 25 August 1991, Torvalds posted the following to comp.os.minix, a newsgroup on Usenet:[19] I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones. This has been brewing since April, and is starting to get ready. I'd like any feedback on things people like/dislike in minix, as my OS resembles it somewhat (same physical layout of the file-system (due to practical reasons) among other things). I've currently ported bash(1.08) and gcc(1.40), and things seem to work. This implies that I'll get something practical within a few months [...] Yes - it's free of any minix code, and it has a multi-threaded fs. It is NOT portable (uses 386 task switching etc), and it probably never will support anything other than AT-harddisks, as that's all I have :-(. [...] It's mostly in C, but most people wouldn't call what I write C. It uses every conceivable feature of the 386 I could find, as it was also a project to teach me about the 386. As already mentioned, it uses a MMU, for both paging (not to disk yet) and segmentation. It's the segmentation that makes it REALLY 386 dependent (every task has a 64Mb segment for code & data - max 64 tasks in 4Gb. Anybody who needs more than 64Mb/task - tough cookies). [...] Some of my "C"-files (specifically mm.c) are almost as much assembler as C. [...] Unlike minix, I also happen to LIKE interrupts, so interrupts are handled without trying to hide the reason behind them. After that, many people contributed code to the project. Early on, the MINIX community contributed code and ideas to the Linux kernel. At the time, the GNU Project had created many of the components required for a free operating system, but its own kernel, GNU Hurd, was incomplete and unavailable. The Berkeley Software Distribution had not yet freed itself from legal encumbrances. Despite the limited functionality of the early versions, Linux rapidly gained developers and users. By September 1991, version 0.01 of the Linux kernel was released on the FTP server (ftp.funet.fi) of the Finnish University and Research Network (FUNET). It had 10,239 lines of code. On October, 5th 1991, version 0.02 of the Linux kernel was released.[20] In December 1991, Linux kernel 0.11 was released. This version was the first to be self-hosted as Linux kernel 0.11 could be compiled by a computer running the same kernel version. When Torvalds released version 0.12 in February 1992, he adopted the GNU General Public License (GPL) over his previous self-drafted license, which had not permitted commercial redistribution.[21] On 19 January 1992, the first post to the new newsgroup alt.os.linux was submitted.[22] On 31 March 1992, the newsgroup was renamed comp.os.linux.[23] The X Window System was ported to Linux, so that in March 1992, Linux version 0.95 was the first to be capable of running X. This large jump in version numbers, from 0.1x to 0.9x, resulted from the expectation that version 1.0, without major missing pieces, was imminent. However, this proved to be wrong and from 1993 to early 1994, 15 development versions of version 0.99 appeared. On 14 March 1994, Linux kernel 1.0.0 was released, with 176,250 lines of code. In March 1995, Linux kernel 1.2.0 was released, with 310,950 lines of code. Version 2 of the Linux kernel, released on 9 June 1996, was followed by additional major versions under the version 2 header: 25 January 1999 – release of Linux kernel 2.2.0 (1,800,847 lines of code) 18 December 1999 – IBM mainframe patches for 2.2.13 were published, allowing Linux kernel to be used on enterprise-class machines 4 January 2001 – release of Linux kernel 2.4.0 (3,377,902 lines of code) 17 December 2003 – release of Linux kernel 2.6.0 (5,929,913 lines of code) Starting in 2004, the release process changed and new kernels started coming out on a regular schedule every 2–3 months, numbered 2.6.0, 2.6.1, up through 2.6.39. On 21 July 2011, Torvalds announced the release of Linux kernel 3.0: "Gone are the 2.6.<bignum> days".[24] The version bump is not about major technological changes when compared to Linux 2.6.39;[25] it marks the kernel's 20th anniversary.[26] The time-based release process remained the same. Version 4.1 of the Linux kernel, released in June 2015, contains over 19.5 million lines of code contributed by almost 14,000 programmers.[27] Tanenbaum–Torvalds debate [ edit ] The fact that Linux is a monolithic kernel rather than a microkernel was the topic of a debate between Andrew S. Tanenbaum, the creator of MINIX, and Linus Torvalds.[28] The debate, started in 1992 on the Usenet discussion group comp.os.minix, was about Linux and kernel architecture in general.[29] Tanenbaum argued that microkernels were superior to monolithic kernels and that therefore Linux was obsolete. Unlike traditional monolithic kernels, device drivers in Linux are easily configured as loadable kernel modules and are loaded or unloaded while running the system. This subject was revisited on 9 May 2006,[30] and on 12 May 2006 Tanenbaum wrote a position statement.[31] Popularity [ edit ] The huge rise in popularity of the Android operating system, which includes the Linux kernel, has made the kernel the most popular choice for mobile devices, rivaling the installed base of all other operating systems.[32][33][34] Including previous years, three billion Android smartphones were estimated to have been sold by the end of 2014. Many consumer routers also use the Linux kernel,[35] as well as a wide variety of other embedded devices, such as smart TVs, set-top boxes, and webcams. Many desktop Linux distributions including the Linux kernel exist, but the usage share of Linux distributions is low in comparison to other operating systems. Legal aspects [ edit ] Licensing terms [ edit ] Initially, Torvalds released Linux under a license which forbade any commercial use.[36] This was changed in version 0.12 by a switch to the GNU General Public License (GPL).[21] This license allows distribution and sale of possibly modified and unmodified versions of Linux but requires that all those copies be released under the same license and be accompanied by the complete corresponding source code. Torvalds has described licensing Linux under the GPL as the "best thing I ever did".[36] GPL version 3 [ edit ] The Linux kernel is licensed explicitly only under version 2 of the GPL,[6] without offering the licensee the option to choose "any later version", which is a common GPL extension. There was considerable debate about how easily the license could be changed to use later GPL versions (including version 3), and whether this change is even desirable.[37] Torvalds himself specifically indicated upon the release of version 2.4.0 that his own code is released only under version 2.[38] However, the terms of the GPL state that if no version is specified, then any version may be used,[39] and Alan Cox pointed out that very few other Linux contributors had specified a particular version of the GPL.[40] In September 2006, a survey of 29 key kernel programmers indicated that 28 preferred GPLv2 to the then-current GPLv3 draft. Torvalds commented, "I think a number of outsiders... believed that I personally was just the odd man out because I've been so publicly not a huge fan of the GPLv3."[41] This group of high-profile kernel developers, including Linus Torvalds, Greg Kroah-Hartman and Andrew Morton, commented on mass media about their objections to the GPLv3.[42] They referred to clauses regarding DRM/tivoization, patents, "additional restrictions" and warned a Balkanisation of the "Open Source Universe" by the GPLv3.[42][43] Linus Torvalds, who decided not to adopt the GPLv3 for the Linux kernel, reiterated his criticism even years later.[44] Loadable kernel modules [ edit ] It is debated whether loadable kernel modules (LKMs) are to be considered derivative works under copyright law, and thereby fall under the terms of the GPL. Torvalds has stated his belief that LKMs using only a limited, "public" subset of the kernel interfaces can sometimes be non-derived works, thus allowing some binary-only drivers and other LKMs that are not licensed under the GPL.[citation needed] A good example for this is the usage of dma_buf by the proprietary Nvidia graphics drivers. dma_buf is a recent[when?] kernel feature (like the rest of the kernel, it is licensed under the GPL), which allows multiple GPUs to quickly copy data into each other's framebuffers.[45] One possible use case would be Nvidia Optimus that pairs a fast GPU with an Intel integrated GPU, where the Nvidia GPU writes into the Intel framebuffer when it is active. But, Nvidia cannot use this infrastructure because it uses a technical means to enforce the rule that it can only be used by LKMs that are also GPL. Alan Cox replied on LKML, rejecting a request from one of their engineers to remove this technical enforcement from the API.[46] Not all Linux kernel contributors agree with this interpretation, however, and even Torvalds agrees that many LKMs are clearly derived works, and indeed he writes that "kernel modules ARE derivative 'by default'".[47] On the other hand, Torvalds has also said that "one gray area in particular is something like a driver that was originally written for another operating system (i.e. clearly not a derived work of Linux in origin). [...] THAT is a gray area, and _that_ is the area where I personally believe that some modules may be considered to not be derived works simply because they weren't designed for Linux and don't depend on any special Linux behaviour".[48] Proprietary graphics drivers, in particular, are heavily discussed. Ultimately, it is likely that such questions can only be resolved by a court. Firmware binary blobs [ edit ] One point of licensing controversy is the use of firmware "binary blobs" in Linux kernel to support several hardware devices. These files are under a variety of licenses, out of which many are restrictive and their exact underlying source code is usually unknown.[8] In 2002, Richard Stallman stated why, in his point of view, such blobs make the Linux kernel partially non-free software, and that distributing Linux kernel "violates the GPL", which requires "complete corresponding source code" to be available.[7] In 2008, Free Software Foundation Latin America started Linux-libre as a project that creates a completely free variant of the Linux kernel without proprietary objects; it is used by certain completely free Linux distributions, such as those endorsed by the Free Software Foundation, while it can also be used on most distributions.[49] On 15 December 2010, the Debian Project announced that the next Debian stable version "6.0 Squeeze" would come with a kernel "stripped of all non-free firmware bits".[50] This policy continued to be applied in later stable Debian releases.[citation needed] Trademark [ edit ] Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States and some other countries. This is the result of an incident in which William Della Croce, Jr., who was not involved in the Linux project, trademarked the name and subsequently demanded royalties for its use.[51] Several Linux backers retained legal counsel and filed suit against Della Croce. The issue was settled in August 1997 when the trademark was assigned to Linus Torvalds.[52][53] SCO litigation [ edit ] In early 2007, SCO filed the specific details of a purported copyright infringement. Despite previous claims that SCO was the rightful owner of 1 million lines of code, they specified only 326 lines of code, most of which were uncopyrightable.[54] In August 2007, the court in the Novell case ruled that SCO did not actually own the Unix copyrights, to begin with,[55] though the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in August 2009 that the question of who owned the copyright properly remained for a jury to answer.[56] The jury case was decided on 30 March 2010 in Novell's favour.[57] Architecture [ edit ] Map of the Linux kernel Linux kernel supports various hardware architectures, providing a common platform for software (including possibly proprietary ). The Linux kernel is a monolithic kernel, supporting true preemptive multitasking (both in user mode and, since the 2.6 series, in kernel mode[58][59]), virtual memory, shared libraries, demand loading, shared copy-on-write executables (via KSM), memory management, the Internet protocol suite, and threading. Device drivers and kernel extensions run in kernel space (ring 0 in many CPU architectures), with full access to the hardware, although some exceptions run in user space, for example, filesystems based on FUSE/CUSE, and parts of UIO.[60][61] The graphics system most people use with Linux does not run within the kernel. Unlike standard monolithic kernels, device drivers are easily configured as modules, and loaded or unloaded while the system is running. Also, unlike standard monolithic kernels, device drivers can be pre-empted under certain conditions; this feature was added to handle hardware interrupts correctly and to better support symmetric multiprocessing.[59] By choice, the Linux kernel has no binary kernel interface.[62] The hardware is also incorporated into the file hierarchy. Device drivers interface to user applications via an entry in the /dev or /sys directories.[63] Process information as well is mapped to the file system through the /proc directory.[63] Programming language [ edit ] The Linux kernel is written in the version of the C programming language supported by GCC (which has introduced a number of extensions and changes to standard C), together with a number of short sections of code written in the assembly language (in GCC's "AT&T-style" syntax) of the target architecture. Because of the extensions to C it supports, GCC was for a long time the only compiler capable of correctly building the Linux kernel. Compiler compatibility [ edit ] GCC is the default compiler for the Linux kernel source. In 2004, Intel claimed to have modified the kernel so that its C compiler was also capable of compiling it.[64] There was another such reported success in 2009, with a modified 2.6.22 version of the kernel.[65][66] Since 2010, effort has been underway to build the Linux kernel with Clang, an alternative compiler for the C language;[67] as of 12 April 2014, the official kernel could almost be compiled by Clang.[68][69] The project dedicated to this effort is named LLVMLinux after the LLVM compiler infrastructure upon which Clang is built.[70] LLVMLinux does not aim to fork either the Linux kernel or the LLVM, therefore it is a meta-project composed of patches that are eventually submitted to the upstream projects. By enabling the Linux kernel to be compiled by Clang that, among other advantages, is known for faster compilation compared with GCC, kernel developers may benefit from a faster workflow due to shorter compilation times.[71] Interfaces [ edit ] Four interfaces are distinguished: two internal to the kernel, and two between the kernel and userspace. [72] The proprietary Linux graphic driver, libGL-fglrx-glx At XDC2014, Alex Deucher from AMD announced the unified kernel-mode driver.The proprietary Linux graphic driver,, will share the same DRM infrastructure with Mesa 3D. As there is no stable in-kernel ABI, AMD had to constantly adapt the former binary blob used by Catalyst. Conformance to standards is a general policy for the Linux kernel's internals. Another rule is that a kernel component is not accepted into the Linux kernel mainline if there is only proprietary user-space software using that component.[citation needed] Kernel-to-userspace API [ edit ] Source code portability ensures that a C program written by conforming to a standard can be successfully compiled and run on any system that also conforms to the same standard. The relevant standards, aiming to achieve source code portability of programs, that the development of the Linux kernel, the GNU C Library, and associated utilities try to adhere to, are POSIX and the Single UNIX Specification. The Linux kernel API of the Linux kernel, representing the kernel's system call interface, is composed of the available system calls. Kernel-to-userspace ABI [ edit ] Binary portability shall guarantee that any program once compiled for a given hardware platform, can be run in its compiled form on any other hardware platform that conforms to the standard. Binary portability is an essential requirement for the commercial viability of independent software vendor (ISV) applications built
part, this is due to the onerous economic burden that its smart-contract implementation places onto its miners. Other small steps in expanding smart contract options through the public blockchain space have come through announcements by firms such as t0 and Symbiont that their companies will begin offering public "smart securities" on their networks. Similarly, stable fiat currency assets are being offered by companies such as Tether and Bitt, which will enable the use of more reliable stores of value on the bitcoin blockchain. Though the smart-contract features that are available in the bitcoin space are minimal, having assets available for public manipulation is a needed step in the direction of more widespread adoption. Much like the other projects in the blockchain and distributed ledger space, it would be expected that private blockchains will remain a staging ground for corporations to prototype their contracts as public networks reach maturity. However, as firms quickly realize that far more robust financial platforms for algorithmic processing already exist in trusted environments, smart contracts on these platforms will likely be relegated to that of mere curiosities as the medium of trustless public settlement fully develops. Chris DeRose is the community director of the Counterparty Foundation.The Republican Party controls the legislative and executive branch for the first time since the 109th Congress. Understandably, leadership is anxious to push forward an agenda that comports with longstanding conservative principles of limited government as well as with the President’s populist rhetoric. Advocating for marijuana policy reform ought to be part of this federal agenda. Here’s why. The election of Donald J. Trump was not the only politically significant victory on Election Day. Somewhat lost in the media frenzy was that millions of voters went chose to put an end to America’s nearly century long experiment with cannabis criminalization. Majorities of voters in eight states decided in favor of initiatives to permit the use of marijuana by either adults or by qualified patients, and to regulate those markets accordingly. Voters’ support for reform was essentially non-partisan. Blue states like California, Massachusetts, Maine, and Nevada voted in favor of legalization, as did red states like Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota. To those of us who have worked on this issue for some time, these results were hardly surprising. Outside of the Beltway, Americans’ support for enacting regulatory alternatives to pot prohibition is uniquely bipartisan. According to the latest national polling by Gallup, six out of ten Americans believe that the adult use of marijuana “should be made legal.” By party, Gallup pollsters found that legalization was most likely to be favored by Independents and Democrats, but also that support among Republicans had more than doubled over the past decade. Support among Republicans for legalizing medical marijuana is even higher, with 85 percent of GOP voters endorsing its therapeutic use, according to nationwide survey data released this week by Quinnipiac University. But perhaps most strikingly, Quinnipiac pollsters also reported that nearly three-quarters of voters – including majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents – “oppose the government enforcing federal laws against marijuana in states that have already legalized medical or recreational marijuana.” Nonetheless, the Trump administration appears to be planning on doing just that. In fact, on the same day that Quinnipiac released its latest survey data, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer indicated that the Justice Department was intending to pursue the “greater enforcement” of federal anti-marijuana laws in the eight states that now regulate its adult use. Such a move by the federal government would be a stark departure from the position of the prior administration, which largely let these voter-initiated laws move forward unfettered. It also represents an about-face in Trump’s own position, as he previously said that he would not use federal authority to target adult use laws. For instance, while campaigning in Colorado in August, Trump responded to the question “[Do] you think Colorado should be able to do what it’s doing?” by stating, “I think it’s up to the states, yeah. I’m a states person. I think it should be up to the states, absolutely.” And so it should be. According to a 2016 report by the CATO think-tank, these adult use regulatory schemes are working largely as voters intended. They are not associated with increased marijuana use among young people, or rising rates of crime or accidents in the workplace. “The absence of significant adverse consequences is especially striking given the sometimes dire predictions made by legalization opponents,” the report’s authors concluded. Further, tax revenue derived from the regulated markets now exceeds initial expectations. Rather than picking an unnecessary fight with the majority of American voters, including a significant portion of Trump’s own base, the administration should consider embracing common sense marijuana law reforms. Endorsing bipartisan legislation, HR 975: The Respect State Marijuana Laws Act,” would be a good place to start. In accordance with the electorate’s wishes, passage of the act would prevent the federal government from criminally prosecuting individuals or businesses that are engaging in state-sanctioned activities specific to the possession, use, production, and distribution of marijuana. Despite more than 70 years of federal marijuana prohibition, Americans’ consumption of and demand for cannabis is here to stay. It is time for politicians to acknowledge this reality and amend federal marijuana laws in a manner that comports with majority public opinion and the plant’s rapidly changing legal and cultural status. The Trump administration has the opportunity to take the lead on this issue. It would be an enormous political misstep for them to do otherwise. Paul Armentano is the Deputy Director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and is the co-author of the book Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2013).How do justice-focused whites fit into the struggle against racism in America? During the last two decades, "whiteness" has emerged as a field of scholarly study that examines what it means to be a member of the world's dominant racial group. When confronting racism in the United States, past and present activists for justice have repeatedly run into a problem: white people. In the struggle against a system created to benefit whites–or at least some of them–where do justice-focused whites fit? The civil rights movement confronted the question repeatedly: The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee expelled all whites in 1965, arguing that blacks had to head their own organizations; several years later, the Weather Underground concluded that the best way to support the struggles of people of color was to become clandestine armed revolutionaries. Few detonate bombs in the name of equality these days, but many still struggle with the idea of strong white racial justice activists. During the last two decades, “whiteness” has emerged as a field of scholarly study that examines what it means to be a member of the world’s dominant racial group. The resulting literature rarely leaves readers feeling rosy about whites and their ability to engage in meaningful racial justice work. Derrick Bell’s Faces at the Bottom of the Well: The Permanence of Racism contends that blacks will forever remain at the brink of obliteration by whites due to a vested interest in anti-black racism. It’s tough to emerge from that feeling like there’s much that can be done–or is worth doing–to counter racism. Tim Wise’s White Like Me, a memoir exploring how the author has unfairly benefited from white privilege in his life, left this white reader in a mild state of personal crisis for several years after first reading it as a teenager. Maybe the truth should hurt, but it’s difficult to find one’s bearings after getting slammed with the overwhelming reality of white racism–which makes Mark R. Warren’s new book Fire in the Heart: How White Activists Embrace Racial Justice (Oxford University, September) a heartening read. Warren, a professor at Harvard, interviews 50 white activists who share a commitment to uprooting racism in America, and examines the experiences that led them to work for justice. The reader quickly senses that the author is an unshakable optimist. The profiled activists, including educators, community organizers and criminal justice advocates, vary widely in motivation and justification for their actions–some of which seem problematically paternalistic at times. But Warren is uninterested in exposing whites activists’ shortcomings. What matters is the willingness to act. The interviewees stress that while ending racism is their goal, they struggle with how to confront other whites’ racist actions while trying to engage them in the struggle for justice. Christine Clark, a Maryland educator, says she wants to “make [other whites] allies, not enemies. That doesn’t mean don’t confront. … But it does mean that your goal is to [make whites want] to join with people of color … against racism, as opposed to being made the enemy.” This seems to be Warren’s purpose with Fire in the Heart: By examining how this group of white activists came to dedicate their lives to fighting for racial justice, he wants to understand how more whites can be moved to do the same. Early in the book, he notes that the major problem facing America is not overt racism–few whites would say they disagree with achieving racial justice–but white apathy. The task, then, is to move more whites from apathy to action. Warren stresses the importance of activating the values, like religious upbringings or liberal democratic ethics, most whites hold that are violated by the reality of racism. But without opportunities to plug into struggle and engage in multiracial community-building, whites made aware of racial inequality can become simple “do-gooders”; or worse, they can explain racism away by any number of victim-blaming cultural deficiency arguments floating around the culture. Warren appears to have done his interviews before the 2008 election, leading to an unfortunate absence of discussion among the activists of our first African-American president. One wonders how his interviewees, working in under-funded schools, jobless communities and juvenile jails packed with young men of color, would evaluate Obama’s performance as president. The lessons Warren draws from the activists’ stories are sometimes obvious–of course a semester studying in impoverished parts of Mexico proves eye-opening and morally shocking. Still, those anecdotes are often powerful. He includes the story of Jim Capraro who, as a teenager in Chicago, witnessed blacks in a fair housing march being pelted with rocks and bottles and confronted by swastika-adorned neo-Nazis. He cites the experience as an “epiphany,” saying, “Everything I had learned or was led to believe, I thought was a lie.” Decades later, Capraro still lives and organizes in the neighborhood. ”Racial privilege may be a complex reality that white people need to grasp,” Warren writes. “However, stressing privilege as a strategy to engage whites … focuses on the narrow and short-term benefits whites receive. … Alone, it seems to engage shame and guilt rather than anger at injustice and hope for a better future.” A growing body of literature critiques white privilege and brings whiteness out of the invisibility in which it has existed–in white minds, at least–for centuries. But too often, confronting the privileges of whiteness and their own racism has led to paralysis. “The surest and most dependable antidote I have had over the years for despondency, discouragement, and being low,” says John Heinemeir, a white Lutheran pastor of majority-black churches, “is to go into the local community and talk to people.” As Heinemeir and the other whites interviewed in the book make clear, the only way to alleviate that guilt is to act. Warren’s book salutes those who do, and offers ideas to get other whites to join in.Buy Photo Lucas Holliday waves to a customer while posing for a portrait at the Dollar General, 5640 S. Martin Luther King Blvd. in Lansing last November. (Photo: Julia Nagy/Lansing State Journal)Buy Photo Lansing's'singing cashier' Lucas Holliday made it through the first round of blind auditions on season 13 of NBC's "The Voice" Monday night. Holliday performed Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work." With only a few seconds of the audition remaining, former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson was the only coach to turn around. Her jaw dropped when she turned around and saw Holliday for the first time. "I definitely 100 percent don't look like how I sound," Holliday said on the show ahead of his audition. "I'm a surprise. They don't see me coming." "No offense, because you're brilliant, but you're like the whitest dude ever," joked Maroon 5's frontman Adam Levine, another one of the coaches. A video of Holliday singing Maxwell's R&B hit, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" from behind a cash register at the Dollar General went viral last November. The clip received over 1 million views during its first week. "There were definitely a lot of calls and opportunities that seemed like they were door openers," Holliday explained, "but, seeing as I'm still working as a cashier, 'The Voice' could give me a real professional career." After securing a spot on Team Jennifer, Holliday was joined on stage by Hudson and together they sang a snippet of Hillsong Worship's "God is Able." "Singing with Jennifer Hudson is amazing," Holliday said. "This is an Oscar winner singing with me." "I don't think I've ever been this excited" Hudson said, adding that "(Lucas) is everything that a show called 'The Voice' represents." "The Voice" airs at 8 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays on WILX. More on lsj.com Contact Princess Gabbara at pgabbara@lsj.com or (517) 377-1006. Follow her on Twitter at @PrincessGabbara. Read or Share this story: http://on.lsj.com/2yp2dulBlonde: great album! One of last year’s absolute best. Will undoubtedly stand the test of time. Love it. Can’t get enough of it. I’ve never fully understood how some records reveal new glories with each passing listen — it’s all there the first time you hear it, after all, unless we’re talking about “a living breathing changing creative expression” like The Life Of Pablo — but Blonde does exactly that. It’s always getting better. It’s a true work of art. It is also pop music of a sort, but not the pop music most of us were expecting. Ocean’s latest opus is dense and insular and sometimes resembles indie rock more closely than the artful R&B he made his name on — though given Ocean’s famously non-binary approach to almost everything in life, to triangulate his music’s genre is to miss the point. Even “Nikes,” the project’s ostensible single, was abstract enough that our own Tom Breihan decried it as “barely a song.” Put simply, Blonde is the kind of pop that doesn’t really pop that much; rather than appeal to your basic instincts, it draws you into Ocean’s world on his own terms. Endless, the drowsy visual mixtape he released two days before Blonde, is even more oblique. In tandem, these projects positioned Ocean as the kind of Serious Artiste who is not interested in releasing summer jams anymore. Not that summer jams were ever exactly his specialty: Most of the best-known tracks from his career-making 2011 mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra and legend-sealing 2012 debut album Channel Orange were downcast and dreary in spite of their extreme catchiness, often finding Ocean lost in a cloud of drugs and/or depression. “Novacane,” “Swim Good,” “Thinkin Bout You,” “Bad Religion” — all exceptional pop songs, but not exactly beach party music. Still, the likes of “Songs For Women” and “Lovecrimes” and “Pyramids” and “Lost” — not to mention his work writing for Justin Bieber, Beyoncé, and Brandy — suggested Ocean had a wealth of full-fledged pop hits brimming within him. It was just a matter of letting them out. In 2017, he’s been letting them out. It’s glorious. Every few weeks a new episode of his Beats 1 show blonded Radio appears, each one containing an infectious new single. Not every one of them is an outright pop song, but they all find him adapting his unique sensibility to the lingua franca of modern radio. Most feature guest verses from the kinds of superstar rappers who seem to rear their heads on every major release: Migos, Travis Scott, Young Thug. All of them have, uh, drums. With all due respect to Blonde the world is better when this kind of Frank Ocean song is allowed to exist, too. First, in the waning weeks of winter, came a burst of sunshine. “Slide,” Ocean’s improbable disco-funk collaboration with Calvin Harris and Migos, was a miracle, a revelation, a genuine surprise — not just that it existed but that it surpassed my every expectation, so bright and airy and carefree and right. Rarely have three wildly different artists so seamlessly aligned their aesthetics. “Slide” may not turn out to be the Song Of The Summer, statistically speaking — bizarrely, it never charted higher than #34, and Harris seems to have already moved on — but it’s already my personal Song Of The Summer and we haven’t even hit May yet. I’ve listened to it more than any other track this year by a wide margin. A few weeks later he returned with “Chanel,” his first proper solo track of the year. An ode to fluidity that sounds like piano chords reflected off a mirror, it’s perhaps objectively better than “Slide” — just as hooky but immersed in Ocean’s moody headspace and saturated with ideas. In a deeply insightful writeup, our Peter Helman noted, “it’s another snapshot of Ocean’s young, restless mind, folding everything from sexuality to celebrity to online fan communities into its shuffling beat and swirling piano. The only throughline is Ocean himself — and that voice, a magical instrument that can turn a simple turn of phrase into an unforgettable mantra.” Then came “Biking,” a casual flex that brings together two of Ocean’s earliest benefactors, Jay Z and Tyler, The Creator. (In 2017, putting Jay Z on your song is a pop move by default.) Then “Lens,” last weekend’s post-808s And Heartbreak Rhodes piano swoon, in “two versions,” one of them featuring the ubiquitous Travis Scott. Then, barely two days later, a remix of Endless track “Slide On Me” bolstered by the presence of Young Thug, a fellow iconoclast who has chosen to operate deeper within the mainstream than Ocean. Again, these are not all honest-to-God pop moves on par with “Slide,” but they converse with the mainstream in a way Blonde and Endless rarely bothered to. Even the fact that they’re rolling out so soon after Ocean’s last major statement suggests an adaptation to the constant demand for new music in the modern pop landscape, particularly a hip-hop universe where oversharing has become the norm and many stars release multiple full-length projects per year. These songs could all believably thrive in a rap and R&B radio context shaped by Drake’s genre-agnostic cloud of discontent. I’m still not sure I believe they’re real. Maybe it’s obvious in hindsight that someone who zigs and zags as capriciously as Ocean would choose this moment to go pop on us, after he conditioned us not to expect it by disappearing for years and returning with the most challenging material of his career. But I certainly wasn’t expecting to be blessed with so much new Frank Ocean music this year, much less such accessible Frank Ocean music. I don’t know whether these tracks are old outtakes or new loosies or even the buildup to another album, but whatever they are, they’re beautiful. And considering there’s no telling when he might decide to turn the faucet off and go back to his reclusive, globetrotting ways, I’m going to savor every moment of the strange new reality in which Ocean slides on so many of his nights like this. CHART WATCH All hail King Kendrick Lamar! Kung Fu Kenny landed the year’s biggest album debut with DAMN., tallying 603,000 equivalent units and 353,000 in traditional album scales to secure his third career #1. He joins Drake and Future as the only artists with #1 albums in 2015, 2016, and 2017. He also makes sure the Chainsmokers — whose Memories… Do Not Open debuted at #1 last week when I was out on paternity leave — only enjoy the top spot for a single week. Up next is John Mayer, whose The Search For Everything notched a highly respectable 132,000 units and 120,000 sales to debut at #2. That bumps upper-echelon mainstays Drake and Ed Sheeran to #3 and #4 respectively, followed by the Chainsmokers at #5. The rest of the top 10: Moana, Bruno Mars, Future, Beauty And The Beast, and the #10-debuting Fate Of The Furious soundtrack. As we segue to the singles chart, Kendrick remains the star. Buoyed by lots of DAMN. album streams and the continued popularity of its music video, “HUMBLE.” rises to #1 in its third week on the Hot 100, unseating Ed Sheeran’s “Shape Of You” after 12 nonconsecutive weeks on top. It’s K-Dot’s first #1 song as a lead artist, following his turn as a guest on Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood.” Kendrick also debuts “DNA.” at #4, making him the first artist since the Chainsmokers to have two songs in the top 5. Speaking of the Chainsmokers, their Coldplay collab “Something Just Like This” falls to #8 this week. It’s their only remaining top-10 hit after scoring three at the same time earlier this year, but it gives them 51 straight weeks with a song in the top 10, tying Drake for second all-time. Back up near the top of the chart, “Shape Of You” slides to #2, followed by Bruno Mars’ irrepressible “That’s What I Like” at #3. Just below #4 “DNA.” comes Future’s “Mask Off,” rising to a new #5 peak largely on the strength of the #MaskOffChallenge. When it hit #7 last week, it became Future’s first ever top-10 single. Up next is Kyle and Lil Yachty’s “iSpy,” steady at #6, which earlier peaked at #4 and is both artists’ highest-charting single. Down at #10 is “XO TOUR Llif3,” which became Lil Uzi Vert’s highest-charting single as a lead artist when it rose to #8 last week (though he went to #1 with his feature on Migos’ “Bad And Boujee). That one was powered by a viral hashtag too. So streaming, meme-ing, and stylistic evolution continue to convert rap music into pop music. The rest of the top 10 comprises two new entries: Zedd and Alessia Cara’s “Stay” rises to #7, becoming the third top-10 hit for each artist and ending a one-week absence of women in the top 10. And Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” shoots all the way up from #48 to #9 thanks to a new remix and video featuring Justin Bieber. Per Billboard, it’s the first primarily Spanish-language song in the top 10 since Los Del Rio’s “Macarena” went to #1 in 1996. POP FIVE Fall Out Boy – “Young And Menace” JFC, FOB. I refer you to Pranav Trewn for further commentary on this monstrosity. Lady Gaga – “The Cure” Taking a week off writing this column means I didn’t get to address the new Gaga track last week, so here it is now. It’s the return to full-fledged pop music I was hoping Joanne would be, but it doesn’t jump out at you like I want a Lady Gaga song to jump out at me — like, maybe it’s better to have slightly grating songs that are unmistakably Gaga’s handiwork rather than vaguely pleasing anonymous pop songs? Brad Paisley – “Drive Of Shame” (Feat. Mick Jagger) If you’re not much of a country fan, you probably know Paisley as the man behind “Accidental Racist” or perhaps as a Nationwide Insurance pitchman, but for reasons explained here he’s one of the most reliable hit-makers in Nashville. And now he has a song with Mick Jagger that is extremely competent. Stick around for the guitar solo! Charlie Puth – “Attention” Charlie Puth has been this column’s nemesis for nearly two years, but I have to hand it to him: This new single is some delightfully shadowy lite-funk. I don’t even know who he is anymore. I don’t even know who I am anymore! Paramore – “Hard Times” Paramore’s ’80s pop revival: It ain’t “Ain’t It Fun,” but it’s fun, ain’t it? And if that version of “Hard Times” is not for you, maybe this one is? Hard Times getting faster every time @yelyahwilliams sing: ‘Hard Times’ pic.twitter.com/7uvUrHEwUs — The Pmore Source (@Pmore_Source) April 21, 2017 NEWS IN BRIEF In a new Vogue cover story Katy Perry speaks about her political views: “I think you have to stand for something, and if you’re not standing for anything you’re really just serving yourself, period, end of story.” [Vogue] Perry also teased tomorrow’s release of her new Migos collaboration “Bon Appétit” by emailing a recipe for cherry pie to her fanclub members. [Idolator] Aaaaand Perry bought a $19M mansion in Beverly Hills. [TMZ] Taylor Swift was named Sexiest Entertainer in Victoria’s Secret 2017 What Is Sexy list. [Victoria’s Secret] Swift also praised Ed Sheeran’s “ever-present armor of enthusiasm” in Time’s 100 Most Influential People essay. [Time] Harry Styles will be on The Late Late Show for a whole week. [YouTube] Shania Twain will join The Voice as a Top 12 key advisor. [Twitter] J. Cole teased a new song during his HBO documentary 4 Your Eyez Only. [Twitter] Rihanna rocked a Gucci diamond bodysuit at Coachella. [Billboard] Frozen The Musical announced its lead Broadway cast. [Broadway] Also, Frozen 2 is coming 11/27/19! [Twitter] Police are investigating an incident at a Tampa nightclub where a photographer said he was sucker punched by Chris Brown. [WaPo] Drake’s house was reportedly burglarized by a fan who stole several … beverages. [TMZ] In a new Rolling Stone cover story by Cameron Crowe, Harry Styles speaks about those songs Taylor Swift wrote about him. [Rolling Stone] Lady Gaga and Prince William chatted via FaceTime about Gaga’s mental health struggles in a spot for the Prince’s charity Heads Together. [USA Today] Here’s Instagram comedienne Lele Pons talking about Justin Bieber, an investor in her manager’s company: “He tries to be normal. Sometimes he tries to talk, but he doesn’t know how to talk to you. He’s like, ‘I like your skirt.’ You know? Not really a conversation, but he tries.” [NY Mag] Kid Rock is engaged. [Freep] Zedd announced a new headphones line Double Zero. [EDM Tunes] Dua Lipa shared the tracklist for her debut album. [Twitter] Lil Yachty announced the details of his debut album Teenage Emotions out 5/26. It features Migos, Diplo, YG & Kamaiyah, Stefflon Don, Evander Griim, Grace, and Sonyae Elise. [XXL] Brad Paisley released a new album Love And War faturing Mick Jagger, John Fogerty, Timbaland, and others. [Tennesseean] Machine Gun Kelly left the stage of his South Florida show during “Bad Things” due to severe chest pain. Apparently he had been injured (“punched in the chest 65 times”) while filming the movie Captive State the previous day. [TMZ] “Jay Z once wired money to Mr. Michael in an attempt to invest even more in Uber,” writes The New York Times in an exposé of Uber CEO Travis Kalanick’s shady growth strategies. “Mr. Michael and Mr. Kalanick, giddy at rebuffing a celebrity, wired some of the money back, saying they already had too many interested investors.” [NYT] Robin Thicke will honor his mother on VH1’s second annual Mother’s Day special Dear Mama: An Event To Honor Moms. [Billboard] Foster The People are counting down to something. [Twitter] Miley Cyrus has an uncredited voice role as Mainframe in a Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 post-credits scene. [Buzzfeed] The New York Times profiled Lana Del Rey’s sister. [NYT] Here’s the trailer for the Dirty Dancing remake with Abigail Breslin. [YouTube] Beyoncé announced a “Formation Scholars” scholarship program. [Beyoncé] Anderson.Paak, Nile Rodgers, Disclosure, and Bruno Mars hit the studio together. [Pitchfork] Kidz Bop announced a new tour with new kidz. [Yahoo] In a newly filed “Blurred Lines” appeal brief, attorneys for Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke say that “a ‘groove’ or ‘feeling’ cannot be copyrighted, and inspiration is not copying.” [THR] Pharrell also became the first man to star in a Chanel bag campaign. [YouTube] Here’s a preview of Kygo and Ellie Goulding’s “First Time,” out tomorrow. [Twitter] Best.Cover.Ever. is a new talent competition series coming to YouTube, produced by Ryan Seacrest and featuring Ludacris, Demi Lovato, Backstreet Boys, and Jason Derulo. [People] Hailee Steinfeld, Sofia Carson, and Kelsea Ballerini will sing a Britney Spears medley at the Radio Disney Music Awards. [Billboard] And finally, Steinfeld’s new single “Most Girls” drops tomorrow. [Headline Planet] HOLD ON, WE’RE GOING HOME https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/853799725299978240To investigate the importance such social cues might play in learning from technology, we recently conducted a study with 4- to 7-year-old children from schools in Boston. The children listened to a story read by a robot that looked like a cute plush creature with an animated face that allowed for emotional expressions and eye and mouth movements. For half the children, the robot made use of these capabilities, responding to events in the story and to the children’s answers to its questions in a manner that expressed typical social and emotional cues. For the other children, the robot was “flat”: It told the same story, but didn’t emit or respond with the typically expected cues. As the children listened to the story, we measured their engagement and attention using automated software to track facial, head and eye movements. To gauge their understanding and use of the new vocabulary words embedded in the story, we had the children retell the story to a puppet both immediately afterward and again after a four- to six-week delay. As we detail in a recent issue of the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, the children’s learning and engagement were heightened in the presence of appropriate social cues. Among those children who recalled and correctly used at least one of the target vocabulary words during the immediate retelling of the story, the total number used was greater for those who listened to the expressive robot than for those who listened to the flat one. Moreover, children who interacted with the expressive robot showed greater levels of concentration and engagement during the listening task. But perhaps the biggest effects were seen in long-term retention. When the children returned weeks later to retell the story, those who had initially heard it from the flat robot showed a decrease in the length and detail of their retold story, whereas those who heard it from the expressive robot retained the information they had heard. Put simply, children were not only more attentive to and motivated by a socially expressive robot, but they also processed what they learned from it more deeply. Of course, there’s more to learning than just listening and remembering. There’s also the issue of authority: Whom should you seek knowledge from? Here again, social cues can play an important role. In a different experiment published last year in the journal Topics in Cognitive Science, we had two robots tell 3- to 5-year-old children facts about novel (made-up) animals. This time, one of the robots behaved in a “socially contingent” manner while it talked, expressing cues in a way that was appropriate and responsive to children’s utterances and behaviors; the other did not, expressing similar cues but in a way that was fairly random.Story highlights The White House is requesting funds for military, diplomatic and humanitarian operations Secretary Defense Ash Carter tells incoming Trump administration to "finish the destruction" of ISIS Washington (CNN) President Barack Obama has requested an additional $11.6 billion from Congress to boost the fight against ISIS and fund the continued presence of US troops in Afghanistan. The request made Thursday includes $5.8 billion for the Pentagon, bringing the total price tag for these operations in 2017 to $85.3 billion. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter called the additional money "vitally important for our national security" and said it would "hasten the defeat of ISIL and make our nation more secure," using the government's preferred acronym for the terror group. It's a request that comes as Iraqi troops, backed by US airpower and advisers, are locked in a fierce battle with ISIS as they enter the city of Mosul. It's also being made as US backed Syrian forces make preparations to begin the isolation of the ISIS capital in Raqqa. "Additional resources will help sustain that positive momentum by boosting our support to partner forces and our intelligence efforts," Carter added in his statement. Read MoreMeet the New face of the GOP — Marco Rubio. Same as the old face of the GOP. Anti-science and pro-ignorance. Apparently they took away the wrong lessons in the last election and decided to double down on flat-earth stupidity where the jury is still out on things such as evolution, geologic age of the Earth, Climate change, and gravity. GQ: How old do you think the Earth is? Marco Rubio: I'm not a scientist, man. I can tell you what recorded history says, I can tell you what the Bible says, but I think that's a dispute amongst theologians and I think it has nothing to do with the gross domestic product or economic growth of the United States. I think the age of the universe has zero to do with how our economy is going to grow. I'm not a scientist. I don't think I'm qualified to answer a question like that. At the end of the day, I think there are multiple theories out there on how the universe was created and I think this is a country where people should have the opportunity to teach them all. I think parents should be able to teach their kids what their faith says, what science says. Whether the Earth was created in 7 days, or 7 actual eras, I'm not sure we'll ever be able to answer that. It's one of the great mysteries. Rubio thinks he is not qualified to answer a simple question which is known to 5th graders. A google search gives you the answer, just as it would to a simple math query. Not qualified, indeed. This is from the December issue of GQ GQ - All Eyez on Him - December 2012WASHINGTON — President Trump boasted about highly classified intelligence in a meeting with the Russian foreign minister and ambassador last week, providing details that could expose the source of the information and the manner in which it was collected, a current and a former American government official said Monday. The intelligence disclosed by Mr. Trump in a meeting with Sergey V. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, and Sergey I. Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States, was about an Islamic State plot, according to the officials. A Middle Eastern ally that closely guards its own secrets provided the information, which was considered so sensitive that American officials did not share it widely within the United States government or pass it on to other allies. Mr. Trump’s disclosure does not appear to have been illegal — the president has the power to declassify almost anything. But sharing the information without the express permission of the ally who provided it was a major breach of espionage etiquette, and could jeopardize a crucial intelligence-sharing relationship. In fact, the ally has repeatedly warned American officials that it would cut off access to such sensitive information if it were shared too widely, the former official said. In this case, the fear is that Russia will be able to determine exactly how the information was collected and could disrupt the ally’s espionage efforts.“Robocop,” the action alternative at the Valentine’s Day weekend box office, looks ready to flex some mechanical muscle at the multiplexes starting Wednesday — and should take in north of $40 million over the six days, which includes Monday’s Presidents Day holiday, analysts say. A co-production of MGM and Columbia Pictures, the 3D remake of the 1987 sci-fi film is tracking well, the social media is solid and it’s off to a good start overseas ahead of its nationwide opening. But the José Padilha-directed reboot, which stars Gary Oldman, Abbie Cornish and Joel Kinnaman as “Robocop,” will be facing some stiff competition, some of it from its own distributor, Sony. With George Clooney‘s “The Monuments Men” back for its second week and the “About Last Night” remake starring Kevin Hart opening Friday, Sony will have three movies in the marketplace this weekend. That’s in addition to Universal’s new take on “Endless Love” and Warner Bros.’ romantic fantasy “Winter’s Tale,” both of which open on Valentine’s Day Friday, and the reigning No. 1 film, animated powerhouse “The Lego Movie.” Also read: Trio of ’80s Hit Movie Remakes Put Valentine’s Day Box Office in Time Warp All those options – and the Oscar-nominated movies are out there, too – are great for moviegoers, but the crowding means there could be some box-office casualties. All three of Sony’s entries look solid, however. The demographic targets are different enough for the mature-skewing “Monuments Men,” the date-night comedy “About Last Night” and “Robocop” to all succeed, according to BoxOffice.com vice-president and senior analyst Phil Contrino. “There’s really not a lot of overlap and I think they can all find their footing,” he said. “It is a big date-night weekend, but ‘Robocop’ should get the single guys
father’s “military first” policy. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “This young man, should he make a choice that would help bring North Korea into the 21st century, could go down in history as a transformative leader,” Mrs. Clinton told reporters after a meeting with the South Korean foreign and defense ministers in Washington. “Or he can continue the model of the past and eventually North Korea will change, because at some point people cannot live under such oppressive conditions — starving to death, being put into gulags and having their basic human rights denied.”Page from Axis #8 If you have been paying attention to the current Marvel event,then you would know it has been filled with ups and downs of characters and inversions of villains you would have never expected to see turn face. Carnage recently became one of these new "heroes" and his witty comments and actions have lead him down the path of what most of us Venomaniacs love to see as a new form of the Lethal Protector. The vibe that Cletus gives puts us back into the '90s nostalgia that the limited series with Eddie running around in San Francisco made us grow to love. In my opinion, I hope they keep this inversion for Cletus for a while and we could possibly see a Venom and Carnage team up once again, or even better: a Toxin and Carnage team up.After considering the events in#8,I have become worried about the future of our friendly neighborhood Carnage-man. In the comic, Carnage sacrifices his life for Peter Parker—who saw this coming?—by smothering a bomb that would have caused much harm and devastation. It looks like it is the end of Cletus after the panel as Spider-Man only makes one or two comments about the incident. On the cover of the upcoming#9, we see Carnage once again which leads me to believe he somehow survived the blast. With his new, stronger healing powers, it feels as though Carnage would be one hard foe to take out. After surviving being ripped in half and thrown into space and returning, to becoming lobotomized, and even dying, the symbiote keeps re-emerging and bringing Cletus back to life.One can only hope that this isn't the end for our symbiotic maniac. The death of Cletus would go on to hurt a lot of our fans, but with the switching of characters as of late with Wolverine, Captain America, and Thor, it wouldn't be a surprise to see a dramatic change of character in a symbiote as well.Check out#9 next Wednesday to find out the fate of the friendly neighborhood Carnage-man.Credit: radkol/dreamstime Canadian winters are tough; it's no wonder why every year snowbird-cyclists fly south to Arizona to escape the cold. It's warm, it's dry and it has some great road cycling routes. In fact, cycling is one of Arizona's main draws, so there are many routes throughout the state that are marked specifically for this abundance of road riders. Marsh Station, Tucson The Marsh Station route is one of Tucson's best-kept secrets. This old, but well-maintained road, takes riders 90 km out of Tuscon into the desert. Cyclists can keep riding down the road as long as they want, but it is a desert route so proper supplies are essential. There are a few potholes along the way at times, however, very few cars travel this old road so cyclists can hog the road as much as they want. While the trail takes cyclists out into the vast desert landscape with some decent rolling hills, there are a few stops along the way including markets for those that need a break. Those lucky enough will be treated to the colourful trains that pass over the Cienega Bridge. Bartlett Lake, Scottsdale The Bartlett Lake cycling routes takes cyclists out of Scottsdale at Dynamite Road and stretches for 74 km all the way around Bartlett Lake. Since the lake itself is nestled in some small mountains, cyclists are treated to scenic desert and mountain views, as well as great climbs (and descents on the way back). Since the halfway point on the route is a lake popular for swimming, cyclists can fill their water bottles up at the marina or hop off their bike for a refreshing dip in the water. The roads along the way are beautifully paved, but there is frequent traffic, especially in the summer months when many from Scottsdale head up to the lake. Usery Pass, Mesa This 33-km loop may seem short, but what it lacks in length it makes up for in scenery. The scenic road leads out of Mesa and takes cyclists parallel with the Salt River, past lush and green riverside vegetation. There are some decent climbs as riders enter the Pass, but much of it is a nice smooth ride before ending back in Mesa. This route has been used for USCF cycling races over the years as well as for the cycling portion of the triathlons held at Seguaro Lake, so riders may see more than a few cyclists riding beside them. However, riders need to watch for bigger trucks hauling their boats along the Bush Highway portion of the ride. Cody Loop, Oracle/Tucson Cody Loop is a favourite bike route for cyclists all over Arizona. This 103-km route starts in the small town of Tucson and runs through Oracle. The route traces around Mount Lemmon along Highway 77, which has accommodated cyclists by adding in a large shoulder for them on this busy highway, though they should watch out for debris on the side of the road. Though the route does trace a mountain, it is beloved by local cyclists for its flats. Once riders get to Oracle they officially ride along the route’s namesake — the "Cody Loop" — that takes cyclists past the small town's famous biosphere. Oracle is considered the halfway point of this route, so be sure to stop by one of the few shops or restaurants for a quick break. Sedona to Mingus Mountain, Sedona For those that like epic climbs during their ride, then the Sedona to Mingus bike route is perfect. This 80-km cycling route takes rides from Sedona all the way to the very top of Mount Mingus; don't worry though, it's all paved. During this ride, cyclists rise to a maximum elevation of 2,300 metres before being treated to panoramic views of the city and surrounding scenery. It is truly breathtaking and worth all the work. However, the biggest reward is the ride back down the mountain. Be careful with the speed — the road has a few twists so a slip could be deadly, if not at very least unpleasant. Sunset Crater & Wupatki Route, Flagstaff This 80-km loop out of Flagstaff is perfect for riders who like a good mix of climbs and descents. However, the hills here are not gentle slopes; cyclists will frequently drop from 2,200 metres down to 1,300 metres; that trend continues throughout the ride. However, those willing to put forth the effort will be treated to a loop around the Sinagua Ruins as well as the 900-year-old Sunset Crater Volcano. There are also great views of the San Francisco Peaks throughout the ride. The route then continues back to Flagstaff.Bernie CEO Justin Long shows off his company’s AI-powered dating app \| Chung Chow February’s federal budget delivered a quantum leap in funding for Ontario’s machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) industry, with Ottawa and Ontario each committing $50 million to Toronto’s Vector Institute. The dollars dedicated came from the $125 million Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which is making investments in centres of expertise in Montreal, Edmonton and Toronto-Waterloo. So far B.C. has been left out of the country’s strategy, and local AI entrepreneurs like Justin Long are worried about what the province’s already small talent pool spells for the future. “The East Coast is receiving a lot of that money … [because] they have a lot more funding for researchers and universities,” said Long, CEO of AI-powered dating app Bernie. “Companies like Google [Nasdaq:GOOG], Facebook [Nasdaq:FB], Microsoft [Nasdaq:MSFT] and IBM [NYSE: IBM] snapped up these [B.C.] researchers. “They came in, they hired all of them, they relocated them to the south or they relocated them to their other Canadian offices.” For the local AI talent pool to deepen in the long term, Long hopes the next provincial government fulfills BC Liberal Leader Christy Clark’s March pledge to increase the number of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) university graduates by 1,000 seats a year. In the short term, he’s counting on Ottawa’s promise to make immigration easier for skilled workers beginning later this spring to attract more talent to Vancouver’s AI ecosystem. B.C. lost 299 software professionals (mainly to the United States) between January 2016 and January 2017, according to a report from Vancouver’s Talentful.AI, a human resources software company. Meanwhile, the Business Development Bank of Canada is trying to bring talent into the country. It partnered with three private-sector companies in January to fund the $5 million NextAI program, a global tech accelerator aimed at attracting international AI talent. “It’s about bringing some teams to Canada that will focus as a cohort on developing and starting new companies in that space,” BDC Capital executive vice-president Jerome Nycz told Business in Vancouver. While BDC Capital has invested in B.C. firms specializing in AI such as Mobify, Bit Stew and Trulioo, NextAI will be based in Toronto. But Long said that even if immigration becomes easier for foreign AI specialists, many might balk at moving to B.C. when they examine pay rates. The Talentful report found compensation for a junior professional averaged $61,809 in Vancouver compared with $102,578 in Seattle. And senior professionals in Seattle had average earnings double those of a Vancouver senior professional: $204,950 versus $100,627. But BC Tech Association CEO Bill Tam said the tech sector has had “a steady rise” in pay levels over the past few years. He said that as more anchor companies like Microsoft and Amazon (Nasdaq:AMZN) set up shop in Vancouver, compensation levels will likely become more competitive. “It’s clearly not there yet,” he said. In the meantime, the BC Tech Association’s HyperGrowth accelerator program is providing local AI startups like AIDA Technologies with mentorship from anchor companies already investing heavily in machine learning. Vancouver-based BuildDirect, often described as the Amazon of construction supplies, is among the companies providing mentorship at HyperGrowth. The company began collecting immense amounts of data about supply chains and customer needs in 2008 before launching an AI-focused division about three years ago. “We’re all in on AI and machine learning. It’s at the core and the foundation of the platform we’re building,” said Joe Thompson, BuildDirect’s vice-president of marketing. He acknowledged the region’s AI talent pool can be a challenge, but so far BuildDirect has been able to build a team based in Vancouver without relying too heavily on satellite offices. He said the company is committed to staffing “as much as possible” in Vancouver and plans to unveil more about its AI agenda later this year. “This will be one of the most important industries to be a part of and to own for the next five, 10 years and beyond.” torton@biv.comSteve Bannon with Roy and Kayla Moore (Photo: Kayla Moore Facebook) The troubles for Republican Roy Moore’s inner-circle did not end with his shocking loss to Democrat Doug Jones in the Alabama special election. Moore, who was twice ousted as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, is still facing potential defamation lawsuits against him, his wife Kayla Moore and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. Moore accuser Gloria Deason’s attorney, Paula Cobia, told the Washington Examiner she “absolutely will pursue a defamation suit against Moore and his wife and others (to possibly include [Steve] Bannon) on behalf of Gloria and myself.” During the campaign, Moore and his political allies offered contradictory statements about accusers. “As I recall she was 19 or older. I never provided intoxicating liquor to a minor. I seem to remember her as a good girl,” Moore told Sean Hannity. Yet less than two weeks later, Moore changed his story and claimed to have never met any of the accusers. “They have defamed both of us repeatedly and ignored my numerous public demands for apologies and retractions,” Cobia claimed.Introduction Merging Images was never an easy task and you always hit the expensive softwares or you have to upload your personal images on someone’s website to do it online. It was my property document with 128 pages tif files and I was not ready to upload these images to someone’s website and get it merged vertically, Also I was working on a mac and doesn’t know any freeware which can help me to do this. Then after some research I stumbled upon using python to achieve this task and somewhere in the corner of my heart I was optimistic that this can be achieved using my favorite Python. So I’m going to use PIL, it’s a Python Imaging Library which helps in image processing. So here are the 3 images of my terrace garden which I want to merge both horizontally and vertically using Python, Isn’t my garden images are beautiful? Since I’m using Python scientific libraries frequently, I thought of using power of numpy to achieve this, So there are two numpy methods vstack & hstack which stacks the arrays in a sequence vertically & horizontally respectively. Now you must be wandering, what is a stack in numpy, it’s helps to join sequence of array along a new axis. Before we jump into image merging, let’s discuss out how vstack and hstack works in numpy Stack Vertically <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">a = np.array([1, 2, 3])</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">b = np.array([4, 5, 6])</span></span> 1 2 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" > < span style = "font-size: 10pt;" > a = np. array ( [ 1, 2, 3 ] ) < / span > < span style = "font-size: 10pt;" > b = np. array ( [ 4, 5, 6 ] ) < / span > < / span > Will vertically stack both these arrays vertically using vstack <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">np.vstack((a,b))</span> 1 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" > np. vstack ( ( a, b ) ) < / span > and here is the output: <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">array([[1, 2, 3],</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">[4, 5, 6]])</span></span> 1 2 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" > < span style = "font-size: 10pt;" > array ( [ [ 1, 2, 3 ], < / span > < span style = "font-size: 10pt;" > [ 4, 5, 6 ] ] ) < / span > < / span > Check the shape of this stack <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">np.vstack((a,b)).shape()</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">(2,3)</span></span> 1 2 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" > < span style = "font-size: 10pt;" > np. vstack ( ( a, b ) ). shape ( ) < / span > < span style = "font-size: 10pt;" > ( 2, 3 ) < / span > < / span > So exactly it has two rows and three columns. Stack Horizontally Now let’s stack both these array horizontally using hstack <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">np.hstack((a,b))</span> 1 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" > np. hstack ( ( a, b ) ) < / span > and here is the output: <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">array([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6])</span> 1 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" > array ( [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ] ) < / span > Check the shape of the stack <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">np.hstack((a,b)).shape</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">(6,)</span></span> 1 2 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" > < span style = "font-size: 10pt;" > np. hstack ( ( a, b ) ). shape < / span > < span style = "font-size: 10pt;" > ( 6, ) < / span > < / span > it has only 6 elements stacked horizontally. Image Merging We have 3 images(my terrace garden images) and would like to merge it horizontally first and then vertically, So before we look into the code let’s understand the steps we are going to follow for merging these images. Step 1: Load all the Images using Image module, which represent a PIL image. There are other functions to load images from files or to create a new image Step 2: Pick the smallest of all the images Step 3: Re-size the other images to match the smallest image from Step 2 Step 4: Use Numpy vstack and hstack to align the images Vertically & horizontally Step 5: Save the processed image In the below code for merging the images the horizontally merged images are saved with the name terracegarden_h.jpg and vertically merged images are saved as terracegarden_v.jpg # Import Numpy & Python Imaging Library(PIL) <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">import numpy as np from PIL import Image</span> 1 2 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" > import numpy as np from PIL import Image < / span > # Open Images and load it using Image Module <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">images_list = ['terracegarden1.jpg', 'terracegarden2.jpg', 'terracegarden3.jpg'] imgs = [ Image.open(i) for i in images_list ]</span> 1 2 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" > images_list = [ 'terracegarden1.jpg', 'terracegarden2.jpg', 'terracegarden3.jpg' ] imgs = [ Image. open ( i ) for i in images _ list ] < / span > # Find the smallest image, and resize the other images to match it <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">min_img_shape = sorted( [(np.sum(i.size), i.size ) for i in imgs])[0][1] img_merge = np.hstack( (np.asarray( i.resize(min_img_shape,Image.ANTIALIAS) ) for i in imgs ) )</span> 1 2 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" > min_img_shape = sorted ( [ ( np. sum ( i. size ), i. size ) for i in imgs ] ) [ 0 ] [ 1 ] img_merge = np. hstack ( ( np. asarray ( i. resize ( min_img_shape, Image. ANTIALIAS ) ) for i in imgs ) ) < / span > # save the horizontally merged images <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">img_merge = Image.fromarray( img_merge) img_merge.save( 'terracegarden_h.jpg' )</span> 1 2 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" > img_merge = Image. fromarray ( img_merge ) img_merge. save ( 'terracegarden_h.jpg' ) < / span > # Merge the images using vstack and save the Vertially merged images <span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">img_merge = np.vstack( (np.asarray( i.resize(min_img_shape,Image.ANTIALIAS) ) for i in imgs ) ) img_merge = Image.fromarray( img_merge) img_merge.save( 'terracegarden_v.jpg' )</span> 1 2 3 < span style = "font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" > img_merge = np. vstack ( ( np. asarray ( i. resize ( min_img_shape, Image. ANTIALIAS ) ) for i in imgs ) ) img_merge = Image. fromarray ( img_merge ) img_merge. save ( 'terracegarden_v.jpg' ) < / span > And here are the beautiful Images after Merge Vertically Merged: Horizontally Merged:Mehmed Talaat is the given name, the Pasha, and there is no family name. In this Ottoman Turkish style name,is the given name, the title is, and there is no family name. Mehmed Talaat (Ottoman Turkish: محمد طلعت‎; Turkish: Mehmet Talât; 10 April 1874 – 15 March 1921), commonly known as Talaat Pasha (Ottoman Turkish: طلعت پاشا‎; Turkish: Talât Paşa), was one of the triumvirate known as the Three Pashas that de facto ruled the Ottoman Empire during the First World War.[1] He was one of the leaders of the Young Turks and ruled the empire during the Armenian Genocide, which he initiated as Minister of Interior Affairs in 1915. His career in Ottoman politics began by becoming deputy for Edirne in 1908, then minister of the interior and minister of finance, and finally grand vizier (equivalent to prime minister) in 1917.[1] Acting as the minister of interior, Talaat Pasha ordered on 24 April 1915 the arrest and deportation of Armenian intellectuals in Constantinople, most of them being ultimately murdered, and on 30 May 1915 requested the Tehcir Law (Temporary Deportation Law); these events initiated the Armenian Genocide. He is widely considered the main perpetrator of the genocide,[2][3][4][5][6] and thus is held responsible for the death of between 800,000 and 1,800,000[7][8][9][10] Armenians. On the night of 2–3 November 1918 and with the aid of Ahmed Izzet Pasha, Talaat Pasha and Enver Pasha (the two main perpetrators of the genocide) fled the Ottoman Empire. Talaat was assassinated in Berlin in 1921 by Soghomon Tehlirian, a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, as part of Operation Nemesis.[1] Early life [ edit ] Mehmed Talaat was born in 1874 in Kırcaali town of Edirne Vilayet into a family of Pomak and Gypsy descent.[11][12] His father was a junior civil servant working for the government of the Ottoman Empire and was from a village in the mountainous southeastern corner of present-day Bulgaria. Mehmed Talaat had a powerful build and a dark complexion.[13] His manners were gruff, which caused him to leave the civil preparatory school without a certificate after a conflict with his teacher. Without earning a degree, he joined the staff of the telegraph company as a postal clerk in Edirne. His salary was not high, so he worked after hours as a Turkish language teacher in the Alliance Israelite School which served the Jewish community of Edirne.[13] At the age of 21 he had a love affair with the daughter of the Jewish headmaster for whom he worked. He was caught sending a telegram saying "Things are going well. I'll soon reach my goal." With two of his friends from the post office, he was charged with tampering with the official telegraph and arrested in 1893. He claimed that the message in question was to his girlfriend. The Jewish girl came forward to defend him. Sentenced to two years in jail, he was pardoned but exiled to Salonica as a postal clerk.[13] He married Hayriye Hanım (later known as Hayriye Talaat Bafralı), a young girl from Ioannina on 19 March 1910.[14] Between 1898 and 1908 he served as a postman on the staff of the Thessaloniki Post Office. Eventually, having served 10 years at this postal unit, he became head of the Thessaloniki Post Office.[15] Young Turk Revolution [ edit ] In 1908, he was dismissed from membership in the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), the nucleus of the Young Turks movement. However, after the Young Turk Revolution of 1908, he became deputy for Edirne in the Ottoman Parliament, and in July 1909, he was appointed minister of interior affairs. He became minister of posts, and then secretary-general of the CUP in 1912. After the assassination of the prime minister (grand vizier), Mahmud Şevket Pasha, in July 1913, Talaat Pasha again became minister of interior affairs. Talaat, with Enver Pasha and Djemal Pasha, formed a group later known as the Three Pashas. These men formed the triumvirate that ran the Ottoman government until the end of World War I in October 1918. Armenian Genocide [ edit ] Armenians being deported According to various sources, Talaat Pasha had developed plans to eliminate the Armenians as early as 1910. Danish philologist Johannes Østrup wrote in his memoirs that in the autumn of 1910, Talaat talked openly about his plans to "exterminate" the Armenians with him.[16][17] According to Østrup, Talaat stated: "If I ever come to power in this country, I will use all my might to exterminate the Armenians."[16][17] In November of that year, a decision to carry out such a plan was made in Thessaloniki where a secret conference was held by prominent members of the CUP. The conference concluded that the Ottoman Empire, which promoted equality among Muslims and non-Muslims alike, was not ideologically compatible anymore, and that the Ottoman Empire should adopt a policy of Turkification.[18] Talaat, who attended the conference, was a leading advocate of this policy shift and stated in a speech that "there can be no question of equality, until we have succeeded in our task of ottomanizing the Empire."[19] Such a decision ultimately required the assimilation of non-Turkish elements within the empire and if necessary, it could be done through force.[18] British ambassador Gerard Lowther concluded after the conference that the "committee have given up any idea of Ottomanizing all the non-Turkish elements by sympathetic and Constitutional ways has long been manifest. To them 'Ottoman' evidently means 'Turk' and their present policy of 'Ottomanization' is one of pounding the non-Turkish elements in a Turkish mortar."[19][20] Talaat, along with Enver and Cemal, eventually represented the radical faction of the committee. In 1913, the faction ultimately seized power through a violent coup establishing the rule of the Three Pashas, which was also known as the "dictatorial triumvirate".[21] The Three Pashas then became largely responsible for the Ottoman Empire's entry into World War I. With the start of World War I, the Three Pashas found a suitable opportunity to begin their campaign of exterminating the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire.[21][22][23][24] Original copy of instruction from Talaat on 24 April 1915 to arrest Armenian intellectuals and community leaders On 24 April 1915, Talaat issued an order to close all Armenian political organizations operating within the Ottoman Empire and arrest Armenians connected to them, justifying the action by stating that the organizations were controlled from outside the empire, were inciting upheavals behind the Ottoman lines, and were cooperating with Russian forces. This order resulted in the arrest on the night of 24–25 April 1915 of 235 to 270 Armenian community leaders in Istanbul, including politicians, clergymen, physicians, authors, journalists, lawyers, and teachers, the majority of whom were eventually murdered.[25] Although the mass killings of Armenian civilians had begun in the vilayet of Van several weeks earlier, these mass arrests in Istanbul are considered by many commentators to be the start of the Armenian Genocide.[25][26][27] Talaat then issued the order for the Tehcir Law of 1 June 1915 to 8 February 1916 that allowed for the mass deportation of Armenians, a principal means of carrying out the Armenian Genocide.[28] The deportees did not receive any humanitarian assistance and there is no evidence that the Ottoman government provided the extensive facilities and supplies that would have been necessary to sustain the life of hundreds of thousands of Armenian deportees during their forced march to the Syrian desert or after.[27][29] Meanwhile, the deportees were subject to periodic rape and massacre, often the result of direct orders by the CUP. Talaat, who was a telegraph operator from a young age, had installed a telegraph machine in his own home and sent "sensitive" telegrams during the course of the deportations.[22][30] This was confirmed by Talaat's wife Hayriye, who stated that she often saw him using it to give direct orders to what she believed were provincial governors.[31] In a session of the Ottoman parliament, Ottoman statesman Reshid Akif Pasha testified that he had uncovered documents which demonstrated the process by which official statements made use of vague terminology when ordering deportation only to be clarified by special orders of "massacres" sent directly from CUP headquarters or often from the residence of Talaat himself.[32] He testified: While humbly occupying my last post in the Cabinet, which barely lasted 25 to 30 days, I became cognizant of some secrets. I came across something strange in this respect. It was this official order for deportation, issued by the notorious Interior Ministry and relayed to the provinces. However, following [the issuance of] this official order, the Central Committee [of Union and Progress] undertook to send an ominous circular order to all points [in the provinces], urging the expediting of the execution of the accursed mission of the brigands. Thereupon, the brigands proceeded to act and the atrocious massacres were the result.[33][n 1] Hasan Tahsin Uzer, Governor of Erzurum, similarly testified during the Mamuretulaziz trial that the special forces unit Teşkilât-ı Mahsusa, under the command of Behaeddin Shakir, was mobilized to kill Armenians and that this organization was in constant contact with the Ministry of Interior. He explained: Then there was another Teskilat-ı Mahsusa, and that one had Bahaeddin Sakir's signature on it. In other words, he was sending telegrams around as the head of the Teskilat-ı Mahsusa...Bahaeddin Sakir had a code. He'd communicate with the Sublime Porte and with the Ministry of the Interior with it.[34] Other sources also point to such telegrams directing massacre being sent from Talaat Pasha. Rafael de Nogales Méndez, a Venuzelan officer who served the Ottoman Army, visited Diyarbakır on 26 June 1915 and spoke with the governor Mehmet Reşid, who was later known as the "butcher of Diyarbakir".[35][36] Nogales Méndez recounts in his memoirs that Reşid mentioned to him that he received a telegram directly from Talaat ordering him to "burn-destroy-kill".[20][37] Abdulahad Nuri, an official in charge of the deportations, testified during the Turkish courts-martial of 1919–20 that he had been told by Talaat that the goal of the deportations was "extermination" and that he "personally received the orders of extermination" from Talaat himself.[38][n 2] In many instances, there had been additional instructions to "destroy" the telegrams after they had been read.[32] Corpses of massacred Armenians, 1918 In a memorandum sent to Berlin demanding the removal of German ambassador Paul Wolff Metternich because he interceded on behalf of the Armenians, Talaat reaffirmed such a commitment: "the work must be done now, after the war it will be too late."[39] By the end of the war, the subsequent German ambassador Johann von Bernstorff described his discussion with Talaat: "When I kept on pestering him about the Armenian question, he once said with a smile: 'What on earth do you want? The question is settled, there are no more Armenians'".[40] A similar statement by Talaat was made to Swedish military attaché Einar af Wirsén: "The way the Armenian problem was solved was hair-raising. I can still see in front of me Talaat's cynical expression, when he emphasized that the Armenian question was solved."[41][42] Talaat is reported to have said the following to American ambassador Henry Morgenthau, Sr. (as recorded in Ambassador Morgenthau's Story), who confronted Talaat on several occasions: "I have accomplished more toward solving the Armenian problem in three months than Abdulhamid II accomplished in thirty years!"[43] Morgenthau then relates an exchange he had with Talaat: "Suppose a few Armenians did betray you," I said. "Is that a reason for destroying a whole race? Is that an excuse for making innocent women and children suffer?" "Those things are inevitable," he replied.[44] In another exchange, Talaat demanded from Morgenthau the list of the holders of American insurance policies belonging to dead Armenians in an effort to appropriate the funds to the state. Morgenthau categorically refused his request describing it as "one of the most astonishing requests I have ever heard."[45] Notable Turkish politicians and figures also condemned the policy. Turkish feminist Halide Edip, writing in her memoirs, captured a defiant reaction from Talaat Pasha when she probed him on the deportations and extermination. He allegedly told her that he was of the conviction that as long as a nation does what is best for its own interests and succeeds, the world admires it.[46] Abdülmecid II, the last Caliph of Islam of the Ottoman Dynasty, said: "I refer to those awful massacres. They are the greatest stain that has ever disgraced our nation and race. They were entirely the work of Talat and Enver."[47] Grand vizier, 1917–1918 [ edit ] Interior Minister Talaat Pasha, who ordered the arrests of the Armenians during the Armenian genocide. In 1917, Talaat became the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, a post equivalent to that of prime minister, but was unable to reverse the downward spiral of Ottoman fortunes in his new position. Over the next year, Jerusalem and Baghdad were lost. On January 11, 1918, the special decree On Armenia was signed by Lenin and Stalin which rearmed and repatriated over 100,000 Armenians from the former Tsar's Army to be sent to the Caucasus for operations against Ottoman interests.[48][49] At the beginning of January 1918 with the Tsarist Army of the Caucasus departing, he had been influential in pursuing an offensive policy, convinced that despite all the pacifist rhetoric coming from Moscow 'the Russian leopard had not changed its spots'. The fall of Kars on 25 April 1918 reversed Russia's last conquest from the Berlin Treaty (1878) and Ottoman Turkey restored the 1877 borders against its Russian enemy. In October 1918 however, the British shattered both Ottoman armies they faced – and the armistice the British forced on Turkey at Mudros (30 October 1918) obliged the Ottoman army to evacuate Transcaucasia.[50] With defeat certain, Talaat had resigned on 14 October 1918. İkdam on 4 November 1918 after the The front page of the Ottoman newspaperon 4 November 1918 after the Three Pashas fled the country following World War I. Talaat Pasha fled the Ottoman capital in a German submarine on 3 November 1918, from Constantinople harbour to Berlin. Just a week later the Ottoman Porte capitulated to the Allies and signed the Armistice of Mudros. Public opinion was shocked by the departure of Talaat Pasha, even though he had been known to turn a blind eye on corrupt ministers appointed because of their associations with the CUP.[51] Talaat Pasha had a reputation for being courageous and patriotic, the type of individual who would willingly face the consequences of his actions.[51] With the occupation of Constantinople, Izzet Pasha resigned. Tevfik Pasha took the position
a residency program in psychiatry accredited by the Residency Review Committee for Psychiatry of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPS(C)), or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). Applicants for membership must also hold a valid medical license (with the exception of medical students and residents) and provide one reference who is an APA member. APA holds an annual conference attended by a U.S. and international audience. APA is made up of some 76 district associations throughout the country.[15] Publications and campaigns [ edit ] APA position statements,[16] clinical practice guidelines,[17] and descriptions of its core diagnostic manual (the DSM) are published. APA publishes several journals[17] focused on different areas of psychiatry, for example, academic, clinical practice, or news. In coordination with the American Board of Internal Medicine, the APA proposes five recommendations for physicians and patients. The list was compiled by members of the Council on Research and Quality Care.[18] The APA places a primary focus on antipsychotic medications due to a rapid increase in sales, from $9.6 billion in 2004 to $18.5 billion in 2011.[19] Don't prescribe antipsychotic medications to patients for any indication without appropriate initial evaluation and appropriate ongoing monitoring. Don't routinely prescribe 2 or more antipsychotic medications concurrently. Don't prescribe antipsychotic medications as a first-line intervention to treat behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Don't routinely prescribe antipsychotic medications as a first-line intervention for insomnia in adults. Don't routinely prescribe antipsychotic medications as a first-line intervention for children or adolescents for any diagnosis other than psychotic disorders.[18] Notable figures [ edit ] Donald Cameron, was president of the American Psychiatric Association from 1952-53. He conducted coercive experiments widely denounced as unethical, including involuntary electroshock therapy, drug administration, and prolonged confinement and sensory deprivation funded as part of the Central Intelligence Agency Project MKUltra. Jeffrey Lieberman was the principal investigator for the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness, sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health study. [20] He was President of the American Psychiatric Association in 2013–2014. He was President of the American Psychiatric Association in 2013–2014. Adolf Meyer was the president of the American Psychiatric Association from 1927–1928 and was one of the most influential figures in psychiatry in the first half of the twentieth century. Robert Spitzer was the chair of the task force of the third edition of the DSM. Herb Pardes past president and noted figure in American psychiatry. Drug company ties [ edit ] In his book Anatomy of an Epidemic (2010), Robert Whitaker described the partnership that has developed between the APA and pharmaceutical companies since the 1980s.[21] APA has come to depend on pharmaceutical money.[21] The drug companies endowed continuing education and psychiatric "grand rounds" at hospitals. They funded a Political Action Committee (PAC) in 1982 to lobby Congress.[21] The industry helped to pay for the APA's media training workshops.[21] It was able to turn psychiatrists at top schools into speakers, and although the doctors felt they were independents, they rehearsed their speeches and likely would not be invited back if they discussed drug side effects.[21] "Thought leaders" became the experts quoted in the media.[21] As Marcia Angell wrote in The New England Journal of Medicine (2000), "thought leaders" could agree to be listed as an author of ghostwritten articles,[22] and she cites Thomas Bodenheimer and David Rothman who describe the extent of the drug industry's involvement with doctors.[23][24] The New York Times published a summary about antipsychotic medications in October 2010.[25] In 2008, for the first time, Senator Charles Grassley asked the APA to disclose how much of its annual budget came from drug industry funds. The APA said that industry contributed 28% of its budget ($14 million at that time), mainly through paid advertising in APA journals and funds for continuing medical education.[26] Controversies [ edit ] In the 1964 election, Fact magazine polled American Psychiatric Association members on whether Barry Goldwater was fit to be president and published "The Unconscious of a Conservative: A Special Issue on the Mind of Barry Goldwater". This led to a ban on the diagnosis of a public figure by psychiatrists who have not performed an examination or been authorized to release information by the patient. This became the Goldwater rule.[27][28] Supported by various funding sources, the APA and its members have played major roles in examining points of contention in the field and addressing uncertainties about psychiatric illness and its treatment, as well as the relationship of individual mental health concerns to those of the community. Controversies have related to anti-psychiatry and disability rights campaigners, who regularly protest at American Psychiatric Association offices or meetings. In 1971, members of the Gay Liberation Front organization sabotaged an APA conference in San Francisco. In 2003 activists from MindFreedom International staged a 21-day hunger strike, protesting at a perceived unjustified biomedical focus and challenging APA to provide evidence of the widespread claim that mental disorders are due to chemical imbalances in the brain. APA published a position statement in response[29] and the two organizations exchanged views on the evidence. U.S. psychologists and psychiatrists were discovered helping interrogators in Guantanamo and other U.S. facilities to torture detainees during the war on terrorism.[30] The American Psychiatric Association stated that psychiatrists should not take a direct part in interrogation of particular prisoners[31] but could "offer general advice on the possible medical and psychological effects of particular techniques and conditions of interrogation, and on other areas within their professional expertise." The APA's DSM came under criticism from autism specialists Tony Attwood and Simon Baron-Cohen for proposing the elimination of Asperger's syndrome as a disorder and replacing it with an autism spectrum severity scale. Roy Richard Grinker wrote a controversial editorial for The New York Times expressing support for the proposal. The APA president in 2005, Steven Sharfstein, praised the pharmaceutical industry but argued that American psychiatry had "allowed the biopsychosocial model to become the bio-bio-bio model" and accepted "kickbacks and bribes" from pharmaceutical companies leading to the over-use of medication and neglect of other approaches.[32] In 2008 APA was the focus of congressional investigations on how pharmaceutical industry money shapes the practices of nonprofit organizations that purport to be independent. The drug industry accounted in 2006 for about 30 percent of the association's $62.5 million in financing, half through drug advertisements in its journals and meeting exhibits, and the other half sponsoring fellowships, conferences and industry symposiums at its annual meeting. The APA came under increasing scrutiny and questions about conflicts of interest.[33] The APA president in 2009–10, Alan Schatzberg, was identified as the principal investigator on a federal study into the drug Mifepristone for use as an antidepressant being developed by Corcept Therapeutics, a company Schatzberg had created and in which he had several million dollars' equity.[34] See also [ edit ] Notes [ edit ] References [ edit ]After I made my initial release of PoshRSJob, one of the things left that I wanted to accomplish was implementing the $Using: scope that is found when using Invoke-Command or Start-Job which allows you to use an existing variable in the current console session and send that over to the scriptblock for the PSJob. This is pretty cool and allows for easier flow of sending data to a scriptblock in a PSJob. Naturally, if my module was going to be an alternative to the current infrastructure, it needed this capability as well. The problem is that determining how this works isn’t quite as easy as it seems. A couple of options would include looking at using RegEx or the PSParser to maybe make this happen. I will say that to provide support for PowerShell V2, I had to resort to these approaches, but more on that later. After some digging around in the language using DotPeek, I found where call was being made to take an existing scriptblock (with parameters) that have $Using and then does some conversion behind the scenes that will add the variable automatically to the Param() block and adjusts the $Using: variable within the scriptblock as well. Of course, converting this C# code to PowerShell isn’t always straight forward, especially when we cannot just use some of the methods that they use without bringing some reflection skills into play. V3+ Attempt So, lets get going with taking the following scriptblock and converting it so we can take advantage of $Using: and see how it works. ## Scriptblock $Data = 42 $Computername = $env:COMPUTERNAME $ScriptBlock = { [pscustomobject]@{ Computername = $Using:Computername Output = ($Using:Data * 2) } } Here we have our data and then our script block which contains our $Using: variables. Note that in this example I do not have anything in a Param() block (I will show another example after this with a Param() block) so we will have an extra step at the end to build this out. Next up is using some AST magic (System.Management.Automation.Language.UsingExpressionAst) to parse out the Using variables by looking at the AST on the script block: $UsingVariables = $ScriptBlock.ast.FindAll({ $args[0] -is [System.Management.Automation.Language.UsingExpressionAst] },$True) What that gives us is the following output: With this information, I now need to go and grab the actual values for each variable and then put that into an object that includes what the converted $Using variable will look like in the new script block. $UsingVariableData = ForEach ($Var in $UsingVariables) { Try { $Value = Get-Variable -Name $Var.SubExpression.VariablePath.UserPath -ErrorAction Stop [pscustomobject]@{ Name = $Var.SubExpression.Extent.Text Value = $Value.Value NewName = ('$__using_{0}' -f $Var.SubExpression.VariablePath.UserPath) NewVarName = ('__using_{0}' -f $Var.SubExpression.VariablePath.UserPath) } } Catch { Throw "$($Var.SubExpression.Extent.Text) is not a valid Using: variable!" } } Notice how these are now renamed with the $__using_ now instead of their original name. This is important with how we convert the script block later on. Keep in mind that the original script block still has the original values. Now we start setting up for the script block conversion by creating a couple of collections to hold some data. One of those required is a Tuple type that will hold a particular AST type of VariableExpressionAST. $List = New-Object 'System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Management.Automation.Language.VariableExpressionAst]' $Params = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList Assuming that we have Using variables, we can begin adding each item into our list collection. If ($UsingVariables) { ForEach ($Ast in $UsingVariables) { [void]$list.Add($Ast.SubExpression) } With that done, next up is to work with our soon to be new parameters and adding the current values with the new values into our created Tuple. [void]$Params.AddRange(($UsingVariableData.NewName \| Select -Unique)) $NewParams = $Params -join ','$Tuple=[Tuple]::Create($list,$NewParams) Now for some fun stuff! We need to use Reflection to hook into a nonpublic method that basically does all of the magic of converting the script block data into something that will be usable. $bindingFlags = [Reflection.BindingFlags]"Default,NonPublic,Instance" $GetWithInputHandlingForInvokeCommandImpl = ($ScriptBlock.ast.gettype().GetMethod('GetWithInputHandlingForInvokeCommandImpl',$bindingFlags)) $StringScriptBlock = $GetWithInputHandlingForInvokeCommandImpl.Invoke($ScriptBlock.ast,@($Tuple )) Pretty cool, right? As I mentioned earlier, we need to build out a param() block still. This is due to one not already existing. Had I added a Param() block in the script block: $ScriptBlock = { Param($Param1) [pscustomobject]@{ Computername = $Using:Computername Output = ($Using:Data * 2) } } The output would look more like this: Note how the $Param1 has been pushed to the very end while all of the new $__using variables are near the beginning. Ok, with that out of the way, we will go back to dealing with our first example and adding our new Param() block. If (-NOT $ScriptBlock.Ast.ParamBlock) { Write-Verbose "Creating Param() block" -Verbose $StringScriptBlock = "Param($($NewParams))`n$($StringScriptBlock)" [scriptblock]::Create($StringScriptBlock) } Else { Write-Verbose "Param() will be magically updated!" -Verbose [scriptblock]::Create($StringScriptBlock) } } And with that, we now have a script block that has been completely converted to support the $Using: variables! Of course, since I am using a nonpublic method to accomplish this, it does mean that this could be changed in a future release and could potentially break what I am doing. What about V2 you ask? Well, since we do not have access to AST or the nonpublic method of ‘GetWithInputHandlingForInvokeCommandImpl’ to use for the conversion, we must resort to doing some of our own magic using the PSParser and RegEx. V2 Using Attempt We are going to use the same script block with just a minor change to full support V2: $Data = 42 $Computername = $env:COMPUTERNAME $ScriptBlock = { Param($TestParam) New-Object PSObject -Property @{ Computername = $Using:Computername Output = ($Using:Data * 2) } } I am also going to use a function as well to make working with PSParser easier to convert a script block. Function IsExistingParamBlock { Param([scriptblock]$ScriptBlock) $errors = [System.Management.Automation.PSParseError[]] @() $Tokens = [Management.Automation.PsParser]::Tokenize($ScriptBlock.tostring(), [ref] $errors) $Finding=$True For ($i=0;$i -lt $Tokens.count; $i++) { If ($Tokens[$i].Content -eq 'Param' -AND $Tokens[$i].Type -eq 'Keyword') { $HasParam = $True BREAK } } If ($HasParam) { $True } Else { $False } } Now we start pulling the $Using: variables by using the PSParser and looking at the tokens. I will also go ahead and pull the actual values of each variable and do the naming conversion just like I did with the previous example. $errors = [System.Management.Automation.PSParseError[]] @() $Tokens = [Management.Automation.PsParser]::Tokenize($ScriptBlock.tostring(), [ref] $errors) $UsingVariables = $Tokens \| Where { $_.Content -match '^Using:' -AND $_.Type -eq 'Variable' } $UsingVariable = $UsingVariables \| ForEach { $Name = $_.Content -replace 'Using:' New-Object PSObject -Property @{ Name = $Name NewName = '$__using_{0}' -f $Name Value = (Get-Variable -Name $Name).Value NewVarName = ('__using_{0}') -f $Name } } Now we get to the meaty part of this article by using quite a bit of code to work through the script block conversion. $StringBuilder = New-Object System.Text.StringBuilder $UsingHash = @{} $UsingVariable \| ForEach { $UsingHash["Using:$($_.Name)"] = $_.NewVarName } $HasParam = IsExistingParamBlock -ScriptBlock $ScriptBlock $Params = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList If ($Script:Add_) { [void]$Params.Add('$_') } If ($UsingVariable) { [void]$Params.AddRange(($UsingVariable \| Select -expand NewName)) } $NewParams = $Params -join ','If (-Not $HasParam) { [void]$StringBuilder.Append("Param($($NewParams))") } For ($i=0;$i -lt $Tokens.count; $i++){ #Write-Verbose "Type: $($Tokens[$i].Type)" #Write-Verbose "Previous Line: $($Previous.StartLine) -- Current Line: $($Tokens[$i].StartLine)" If ($Previous.StartLine -eq $Tokens[$i].StartLine) { $Space = " " * [int]($Tokens[$i].StartColumn - $Previous.EndColumn) [void]$StringBuilder.Append($Space) } Switch ($Tokens[$i].Type) { 'NewLine' {[void]$StringBuilder.Append("`n")} 'Variable' { If ($UsingHash[$Tokens[$i].Content]) { [void]$StringBuilder.Append(("`${0}" -f $UsingHash[$Tokens[$i].Content])) } Else { [void]$StringBuilder.Append(("`${0}" -f $Tokens[$i].Content)) } } 'String' { [void]$StringBuilder.Append(("`"{0}`"" -f $Tokens[$i].Content)) } 'GroupStart' { $Script:GroupStart++ If ($Script:AddUsing -AND $Script:GroupStart -eq 1) { $Script:AddUsing = $False [void]$StringBuilder.Append($Tokens[$i].Content) If ($HasParam) { [void]$StringBuilder.Append("$($NewParams),") } } Else { [void]$StringBuilder.Append($Tokens[$i].Content) } } 'GroupEnd' { $Script:GroupStart-- If ($Script:GroupStart -eq 0) { $Script:Param = $False [void]$StringBuilder.Append($Tokens[$i].Content) } Else { [void]$StringBuilder.Append($Tokens[$i].Content) } } 'KeyWord' { If ($Tokens[$i].Content -eq 'Param') { $Script:Param = $True $Script:AddUsing = $True $Script:GroupStart=0 [void]$StringBuilder.Append($Tokens[$i].Content) } Else { [void]$StringBuilder.Append($Tokens[$i].Content) } } Default { [void]$StringBuilder.Append($Tokens[$i].Content) } } $Previous = $Tokens[$i] } Now we take that string and make it into a script block. [scriptblock]::Create($StringBuilder.ToString()) Of course, using the PSParser does mean that it is possible for things to get missed if the variables are nested deep in something such as this: Write-Verbose $($Using:Computername) –Verbose Our $Using:Computername variable will be completely skipped, thus making it harder to go through with the conversion. Just something to keep in mind if you are using V2 and trying to get PoshRSJob to work properly. This is definitely a one-off thing that I am doing, but wanted to share some of how I was able to provide some $Using support in my module. Hopefully this provides a little more insight into that and maybe gets you looking to explore more about the internals of PowerShell!Alexander Pope may have been talking about literary criticism rather than inexperienced investors, when he wrote the line ‘Fools rush in where angels fear to tread’ way back in the 1700s – but, at Crowd for Angels, we think it applies pretty brilliantly to one of the key mistakes naïve investors make. You see, there are two common misperceptions which the inexperienced have when it comes to investment. The first is that they simply don’t have enough money to make investing worthwhile; and the second is that, once enough capital is saved, it should all be invested in a single fund in order to maximise returns. The first problem prevents people from getting started, which is an issue for obvious reasons – why let your savings, no matter how paltry, stagnate in a low-interest savings account when they could be accumulating into something more sizeable? And the second is an even bigger problem – when an inexperienced investor rushes in and doesn’t think to diversify their portfolio to mitigate their risks, they are likely to bypass the rewards they’re so eager to seek. The beauty of Equity Crowdfunding is that it circumvents both these common problems. You don’t need to save up a large sum of principle capital to invest as shares are individually priced; you can purchase as many or as few as you like. And, likewise, you don’t need to pour all your capital into a single investment (in fact, you absolutely shouldn’t). You can easily and gradually create an Equity Crowdfunding portfolio which is diverse, covers many different businesses and sectors, and by using the Crowd for Angels platform, you can even choose between investing in Equity Crowdfunding and Convertible Loans. If you’re a first-time investor, or you’re used to investing in traditional assets and this is your first venture into Equity Crowdfunding, you might be wondering what advantages it has over peer-to-peer lending, or more conservative routes such as bonds. While it’s true that Equity Crowdfunding might not be for everyone, its advantages are simple and straightforward: there’s the excitement of investing in a business with huge potential for growth and the possibility of making large returns; the low entry-costs, and, of course, the scalability which is one of its major benefits. Of course, you do need to be somewhat patient to succeed in this area – it’s all about timing. The earlier you invest in a new business, the greater the potential rewards will be, but you may then need to sit on your investment for a while as the company grows into a profitable, saleable business. This is another reason why investing in a number of different businesses can be more satisfying; they’ll all have different yield times, and should one not pan out the way you hoped, you’ve the others to offset the risk. Having the flexibility to invest as much as you like in whichever companies you please is another benefit of Equity Crowdfunding – you’re in complete control of how much you invest and who you invest in. So don’t rush in and tie up all your cash in one company. Try investing like an Angel instead; by sensibly, cautiously testing the waters of Equity Crowdfunding with a number of small investments and growing confident in the process before investing larger amounts. In this way, you can build up a robust, profitable portfolio which is poised to resist risk – and you’ll be reaping the rewards in no time. RISK WARNING: Investing in small public listed or private companies involves risks, including illiquidity, lack of dividends, loss of investment and dilution, and it should be done only as part of a diversified portfolio. Crowd for Angels is targeted exclusively at investors who are sufficiently sophisticated to understand these risks and make their own Investment Decisions. You will only be able to invest via Crowd for Angels once you are authorised. Please visit crowdforangels.com/risk-warning to read the full Risk Warning. This blog has been approved as a Financial Promotion by Crowd for Angels (UK) Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Investments can only be made on the basis of information provided in the Pitches by the Investee Companies concerned. Crowd for Angels takes no responsibility for the Pitch Information or for any recommendations or opinions made by the Investee Companies. * The availability of any tax relief, including EIS and SEIS, depends on the individual circumstances of each investor and of the company concerned, and may be subject to change in the future. If you are in any doubt about the availability of any tax reliefs, or the tax treatment of your investment, you should obtain independent tax advice before proceeding with your investmentUpdate:Penn-Olsen, a Chinese Tech watching website is reporting that Chinese Hackers say release of massive amounts of data was just a joke. The data released on the internet last week was already widely available in hacking circles, according to Wan Tao, the founder of a popular hacking online community. Wan told the Dongfang Daily that the reason the data looks so old (most of the information released involves pre-2009 usernames and passwords) is that it is old. Apparently, the databases have been floating around in hacker circles for some time, and hackers told the paper that whoever released the data must have done it for fun, as there is no way anyone could make money from such an old, widely-circulated database. Given the precarious security state of Chinese pirated PC infrastructure, the last laugh may be reserved for a new gang of pirates. Original Story: In Marketwatch there was strange story today by Caixin Online, Marketwatch’s Chinese business associate site., Chinese Search Engines Required to Post Government Bank Website links. the basic story is a bit quizzical. The ten largest Chinese search engines including Baidu, Bing, and Yahoo are required to post links to the 6 largest Chinese Government banks on the top of every search page. Hunh??? Whats going on here? A quick search around the Web turned up nothing not even from DigiTimes, the Taiwan based electronic news service. But more searching on the Caixin website turned up the following story from December 29th, 2011. – 100 Million Usernames, Passwords Leaked. Now this is a major security breach – equivalent to 30million online ids and passwords in the US. And the causes are spoken and unspoken. Thespoken causes in the Caixin report were too familiar to North American computer users: Anti-virus company Qihoo 360’s Vice President Shi Xiaohong attributed the leak to companies neglecting to encrypt their users’ passwords and account information, Xinhua reported. Legal experts told Caixin that the massive leak also revealed shortcomings in Chinese internet security law and online ID theft protections. But ye Editor wondered if the presence of pirated software in China might have a bearing on the situation. Bingo! The following report from earlier this summer provides the insight: Microsoft has launched a new web site that is aimed to step up its campaign to move users off from Internet Explorer 6. The new IE Countdown site includes a world map, highlighting which countries around the world still have the most IE 6 installations. China is apparently the biggest country which is still using the horrible, outdated web browser, with a whopping 34.5% of usage. IE6’s usage share in China is more than five times that of the rest of the world! IE6 has created huge headaches for developers and security risks for end users, so why do the Chinese Internet user still sticking to this insecure web browser? According to statistical reports, China has approximately 420 million Internet users, which has already surpassed the U.S. (info here). Of course Microsoft can read those data and acknowledges that China is a bastion of the nine-year-old IE6. IE6 has a strong relation with Windows XP. The XP operating system, which debuted in 2001, included IE6 as its default browser. While Windows XP operation system is a “huge presence” in China. According to Microsoft own research data, XP has a staggering 81.8% share in China, while Windows 7’s share was only about 10%. So, see the picture? China has dramatically different browser usage patterns than developed countries. Most Chinese people are still using IE6, due to many of them still using old Windows XP machines, and failing to upgrade the hardware, the OS and its default browser. XP users who want to run a newer version of Internet Explorer, such as 2006’s IE7 or 2009’s IE8, have had to either manually upgrade or accept a browser upgrade from Windows Update. But in China, over 90% of software is pirated, most Chinese users never connect to Windows Update or even upgrading their web browser. The reason for this is because most Chinese users are afraid that Microsoft will detect their software as illegal, and disable or cripple it. While anyone can install IE7 or IE8 manually, even on a cracked XP install, but the lack of automated updates likely discourages Chinese users to give up IE6. Another main reason for IE6 still remaining popular in China, is because most commonly used Chinese websites have been constructed and tested to work with IE6 only, without consideration of web standard (W3C), non-IE browsers (Firefox, Safari, Chrome), or non-Windows platforms (Linux). For example, the China Government’s IT department registration website (MIIT), is IE6 only. Without IE6, authorities cannot file their registration information (story see here). Online banking in China is also strictly a Windows and IE6 love affair. They usually used ActiveX login system, any western companies setting up their brunch office in China, must install IE6 in their Windows PCs, otherwise no work can be done through any of the major Chinese banks. The same case for those China major online shopping sites, which require their customers to use IE, rather then other web browser’s options. Now Chinese hackers have taken advanatge of the fact that IE6 and Windows XP are both the dominantly used client OS and browsers in China. But Chinese hackers have broken into both IE6 and Windows for more than two years to extent that zero-day attacks including the infamous Google hacks of 2 years ago rely on IE6 and Windows being open targets. So long as pirated but old software like IE6 dominates the Chinese scene – this vulnerability will get even worse because IE6 is no longer being patched even for security updates and security support for Windows XP ends in April 2014. But the reality is that hundreds of millions of Chinese Windows users who run pirated copies are already out of this update loop. The Hacking Bottom Line If these hacking attacks in China persist or get worse, the Chinese government will be confronted with a major dilemma. How do they update literally millions of computers? Do they issue their own mandated security updates to Windows XP and IE6 – non compliance meaning cutoff from key government and business sites[this will be hard to do because business and government sites are themselves mired in XP and IE6].? Do they release a mandated move to Chinese Linux – something previously tried without success? Or do they move to an updated and secure tablet OS? Whatever the choice, the solution to China’s massive Hack Attacks will have huge implications for the global PC and Mobile Computing markets for the next 1-3 years. Finally a 5th of the Finest to whomever can answer – who benefits the most from China’s Pirated Software conundrum: Apple, Google, Microsoft, Unicom or some other third parties?“*CONFIDENTIAL- Law Enforcement Only” The Austin Police Department went to great lengths to lay the groundwork to justify using deadly force against Antonio Buehler and members of the Peaceful Streets Project in 2012 & 2013. The first three images come from an email/report from Officer Justin Berry, the police officer who arrested Peaceful Streets Project co-founder, Antonio Buehler on August 26th, 2012. Buehler’s crime? Filming cops. In it he goes to great lengths to suggest that Buehler and the Peaceful Streets Project may be a domestic terrorist threat, and an imminent threat to police officers. The second three images come from an email that Austin Police Association President Wayne Vincent sent to Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, insisting that the Peaceful Streets Project poses a real threat to police and that the police department, city and county prosecutors, and city attorneys should collude to take action against Buehler and other members of the Peaceful Streets Project. The next three images also come from an email from Wayne Vincent, but this time to all of the cops in Austin. In it he tells the coward cops of Austin that their lives are in danger, and even uses the term “dead cop” to convince them how dangerous people with cameras are. Not surprisingly, Wayne Vincent also shared a veiled threat against Buehler and the Peaceful Streets Project with a local news station. The next image comes from an email from Adam Johnson, a criminal cop who arrested Antonio Buehler on September 21, 2012 for filming cops. Adam Johnson is also Patrick Oborski’s supervisor. He just wanted to make sure that he let the Commander Jason Dusterhoft and Lieutenant Derek Galloway know that he appreciated them covering for a cop they know committed numerous felony crimes. Reading further down the email, the Austin Police Department tried to claim that Peaceful Streets Project co-founder Harold Gray had made threats to Officer Robert Snider. Robert Snider was the cop who assaulted an innocent woman on January 1, 2012 in downtown Austin, and who later joined Officer Patrick Oborski in assaulting Peaceful Streets Project co-founder Antonio Buehler. The “threats” made to Officer Robert Snider was a suggestion that volunteers flier Snider’s neighborhood with information so that his neighbors would know what their buddy cop did. The next image comes from an email from the previously mentioned coward, criminal Austin Police Department Cop Justin Berry wherein he accuses Peaceful Streets Project co-founder John Bush of stockpiling weapons for future violent action against the police. Who exactly do the cops in Austin work for?For being one of the first Litecoin News providers, ForexMinute has always been the earliest to report the latest activities happening around this virtual currency. The portal has further published a new report mentioning the growing interest of Chinese investors in the new-age virtual currency Litecoins. The reporter of the story, Mr Jonathan Millet, drove his conclusion on Chinese investors’ escalating interests in Litecoins, after analysing the increasing number of Litecoin transactions on leading Chinese trading platforms. He also reported that “China’s OkCoin platform has more transactions than all the other global platforms combined”, while also admitting that it can just be a “temporary speculation by Chinese and other global investors”. Although the story reported by Mr Millet indeed has strong grounds if one looks at the recent fluctuations in the Litecoin prices. The reporter has also published several authentic Litecoin News in the past, which has discussed the currency’s captivating acceptance by the global investors and traders. The other reason of Litecoin’s popularity, as speculated by the ForexMinute’s financial experts, is its ability to give a strong competition to its distant-cousin Bitcoin. Based on the fact that Litecoins are cheaper than Bitcoins, and also are available easily than the first-ever digital currency, Litecoins has proved be a great alternative for investors and traders throughout the world. ForexMinute have posted many of such fundamental analysis of this new cryptographic currency – available right at its reliable Litecoins News section. Readers can visit the section at: http://www.forexminute.com/litecoin. About ForexMinute.com ForexMinute, the world’s leading Forex news and views portal, has become a one-stop solution provider for Forex traders and brokers as well as Bitcoins news. It provides all the required tools to individuals to become a professional Forex trader. Also, it helps Forex brokers provide high-end user-friendly trading experience to traders with an array of resources e.g. financial news by the minute, fundamental analysis, technical analysis, Forex tools and others. For more information, visit http://www.forexminute.com or call +1 800 758 5780. You can have the ForexMinute newsletter delivered to you each trading day. Simply sign up today. You will be kept up to date on the latest market action. It’s free and simple -http://www.forexminute.com/newsletter. Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/12/prweb11451596.htmSean Parker is the tech billionaire behind Napster and a founding partner of Facebook who recently turned his attention to disrupting the movie biz with The Screening Room. Now he has a new frontier in his sights: cancer. Parker said today he is donating $250 million to six cancer centers in the U.S. to fund immune therapy. It’s the largest single donation ever for cancer immunotherapy, according to USA Today. Jeffrey Bluestone, new head of the San Francisco-based Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, told the paper the money will go toward “high risk best ideas that may not get funded by the government.” Parker and partner Prem Akkaraju’s The Screening Room, meanwhile, is taking meetings with exhibitors at the CinemaCon confab in Las Vegas. They come a month after the pair’s initiative was unveiled with a plan for day-and-date releases of first-run films at home at a $50 price point.• "DAPPER DAY at the Parks" Sunday March 1, 2015 Dress in your "Sunday best" while visiting both parks of the Disneyland Resort with 20,000+ other fashionable guests! We suggest enjoying an afternoon ride on the classic Mark Twain Riverboat, and after sundown hop aboard the Carousel for a "Dapper Derby." (To avoid park congestion we're no longer posting specific times for in-park meet-ups at Disneyland. NOTE: Riverboat will close around 4:45, parts of Fantasyland and the carousel will close before and during the 9:15 Fireworks). Disneyland is scheduled to close at midnight, Disney California Adventure at 10p *See Disney.com for updated park hours, attraction closures, and entertainment schedules. • DAPPER DAY® EXPO February 28+March 1, 2015 (Saturday 12-9, Sunday 10-8) in Disney's Grand Californian Hotel Conference Center. Our Expo marketplace features everything for stylish, sophisticated living from vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories, to bath and beauty products, and beyond. New Dapper Day merchandise will be available exclusively at the Expo! See map below. EXPO is free and open to the public. Visitors should use the Downtown Disney parking lot if not staying at the Disney hotels or visiting the parks. NOTE: We have not yet confirmed if our Styling Suite or Sketch Studio will be returning for Spring 2015. FOLLY, our official after party at the Jazz Kitchen will not be happening for Spring 2015 but should return for our Fall 2015 event (and possibly this summer in Hollywood)! • UPDATE: DAPPER DAY® LAWN PARTY Sunday March 1, 11am-1p, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, Trillium Ballroom & Terrace EVENT IS SOLD OUT. NO TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE. ALL REFUNDS DUE TO THE RAIN CHANGE HAVE NOW BEEN ISSUED. Paypal is showing these refunds as "pending" until March 6th. Due to the possibility rain this Sunday we've have to re-tailor our Lawn Party and move indoors. At 1p, everyone is invited to join Icy Hot Club for dancing (and dance lessons!) at our DAPPER DAY Expo in the Grand Californian Conference Center. This is free and open to the public as part of our Expo. Sandwiches & salads will be available for purchase, plus a full bar. If you purchased a Late Entry, After-1pm ticket: You will be refunded your full amount via Paypal. Please allow several days. If you purchased a Lunch ticket: Please join us indoors at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, Trillium Ballroom & Terrace (see map below
’ influence will live on in the dozens of Ph.D. students he supervised and mentored, who are now spread out across the globe. I am grateful to count myself among their number. He will also continue to publish for some time. His twitter feed from the afternoon after his death announced that “Reports of my demise are not exaggerated.” The second volume of his collected papers, edited by Mark Wrathall, will be published by OUP in June. To the end, Dreyfus was deeply engaged in philosophy. He and I had discussions about a successor volume to our 2011 bestseller All Things Shining until only a few months ago, and at a conference in his honor in February he was surrounded by students, colleagues, friends, and family who celebrated the manifold ways that his influence had changed their lives and work. Hubert Dreyfus is survived by his beloved wife Geneviève, his son Stéphane and daughter-in-law Jessica Kung Dreyfus, his daughter Gabrielle and son-in-law Benjamin Phillips, his brother Stuart, and thousands of students who will carry his memory and his example into the future. Sean D. Kelly April 24, 2017 Related:The long-delayed cleanup of the nation's most contaminated nuclear site became the subject of more bad news Friday, when Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced that a radioactive waste tank there is leaking. The news raises concerns about the integrity of similar tanks at south-central Washington's Hanford nuclear reservation and puts added pressure on the federal government to resolve construction problems with the plant being built to alleviate environmental and safety risks from the waste. The tanks, which are already long past their intended 20-year life span, hold millions of gallons of a highly radioactive stew left from decades of plutonium production for nuclear weapons. Are you scientifically literate? Take our quiz On Friday, the U.S. Department of Energy said liquid levels are decreasing in one of 177 underground tanks at the site. Monitoring wells near the tank have not detected higher radiation levels, but Gov. Inslee said the leak could be in the range of 150 gallons to 300 gallons over the course of a year and poses a potential long-term threat to groundwater and rivers. "I am alarmed about this on many levels," Inslee said at a news conference. "This raises concerns, not only about the existing leak... but also concerning the integrity of the other single shell tanks of this age." Inslee said the state was assured years ago that such problems had been dealt with and he warned that spending cuts — particularly due to a budget fight in Congress — would create further risks at Hanford. Inslee said the cleanup must be a priority for the federal government. "We are willing to exercise our rights using the legal system at the appropriate time. That should be clear," Inslee said. Inslee said the state has a good partner in Energy Secretary Steven Chu but that he's concerned about whether Congress is committed to clean up the highly contaminated site. The tank in question contains about 447,000 gallons of sludge, a mixture of solids and liquids with a mud-like consistency. The tank, built in the 1940s, is known to have leaked in the past, but was stabilized in 1995 when all liquids that could be pumped out of it were removed. Inslee said the tank is the first to have been documented to be losing liquids since all Hanford tanks were stabilized in 2005. His staff said the federal government is working to assess other tanks. At the height of World War II, the federal government created Hanford in the remote sagebrush of eastern Washington as part of a hush-hush project to build the atomic bomb. The site ultimately produced plutonium for the world's first atomic blast and for one of two atomic bombs dropped on Japan, effectively ending the war. Plutonium production continued there through the Cold War. Today, Hanford is the nation's most contaminated nuclear site. Cleanup will cost billions of dollars and last decades. Central to that cleanup is the removal of millions of gallons of a highly toxic, radioactive stew — enough to fill dozens of Olympic-size swimming pools — from 177 aging, underground tanks. Many of those tanks have leaked over time — an estimated 1 million gallons of waste — threatening the groundwater and the neighboring Columbia River, the largest waterway in the Pacific Northwest. Twenty- eight of those tanks have double walls, allowing the Energy Department to pump waste from leaking single-shell tanks into them. However, there is very little space left in those double-shell tanks today. In addition, construction of a $12.3 billion plant to convert the waste to a safe, stable form is years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget. Technical problems have slowed the project, and several workers have filed lawsuits in recent months, claiming they were retaliated against for raising concerns about the plant's design and safety. "We're out of time, obviously. These tanks are starting to fail now," said Tom Carpenter of the Hanford watchdog group Hanford Challenge. "We've got a problem. This is big." Get the Monitor Stories you care about delivered to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Inslee said he would be traveling to Washington D.C. next week to discuss the problem further. Are you scientifically literate? Take our quizFrom The Cutting Room Floor This game is still under active development. Be aware that any unused content you find may become used or removed in the future. Please only add things to the article that are unlikely to ever be used, or went unused for some time. If they do get used, please remove them from the page and specify in the edit summary! This page is rather stubbly and could use some expansion. Are you a bad enough dude to Paladins: Champions of the Realm (commonly shortened to Paladins) is a free-to-play first-person MOBA-inspired hero shooter, made by the same people who brought you two actual MOBAs; Smite and Paladins Strike. Unlike those two games, however, this game constantly gets into comparisons between Overwatch and Team Fortress 2 despite the blatantly obvious differences in gameplay style and character design. But we digress. To do: One talent per champion was removed in Update 2.01. Document the unused icons and their abilities. Most champs also have two unused recolours, document these too. Subpages Unused "Out Of Mana" Voice Responses Champion voice responses for running out of Mana, Mah-nuh, Schmooga-Boogah, and Nebolideboli. There are a lot of them. Unused Furia Skins When Furia was announced and released onto the Public Test Server for players to try out, her original design showed more leg than her fully released counterpart. This was due to fan backlash, as Furia's design was not reflecting her much less revealing concept art. As a result, Furia was redesigned to be less skimpy one day after being shown off, with her legs gaining some modesty. The Public Test Server "Default" and "Golden" skins were scrapped, but the "Iron Maiden" skin remained for those who liked her original design. PTS Default Skin PTS Golden Skin Unused Talent Icons Talents icons that were removed alongside their respective talents circa patch 2.01 to make balancing champions easier. If a Talent name in this gallery has a * next to it, that means that the Talent itself was not removed, but was added into a champions basekit (albeit modified), but the icon was removed from the game proper. Darkstalker Rally Here Hair-Trigger Demolition Bucking Madness Just Breathe Freebooter* Rain of Fire Reprieve Dragon fire Lance Celerity Wraith Efflorescence Wrath of the Stagalla Celestial Touch Firing Line Suppression Master of Arms The Law Won Death and Taxes Artful Dodger Davy Jones' Locker Ripened Gourd Yummy Mischief Recycler The Void Abides* Called Shot Surprise Attack Ambush Raging Demon Seething Rage Alternating Current First Blood Firefight Sapper Rounds Scorched Earth Lifelike Retaliation Unused Responses This match starting response for Khan's "Ameri-Khan" skin voice pack was initially added into the game upon the skins' release, which includes an audio oversight by the sound team. The swearing sine-tone hadn't been added into the sound file to cover the curse up. It was fixed in Patch 1.2 to include the sine-tone. Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player. You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser. "Four score and seven years ago, I WAS BORN TO KICK ASudden Silence AND GET BABES!" Unused Idle Responses A lot of the champions have idle responses for when they're not doing anything. These are likely to be unused for the forseeable future as it's probably to discourage people from not playing the game so the player can hear these voice clips. That and going idle deliberately, disconnects you from the game instead of playing the voice clips. Raeve Maeve Sings Darude: Sandstorm Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player. You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser. "Should I wub, or should I dub, this is the question" Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player. You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser. Fun fact: the second quote for Raeve Maeve was used in the preview for the Raeve Maeve skin. Talus "Come on, Let's go!" Talus Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player. You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser. Unused Animations Androxus, Cassie, and Mal' Damba all have either unused emotes or unused animations for dismounting and mounting onto horses. Even when a Third-person view was added to the game, the animations for mounting and dismounting don't get activated as you're normally moving when the animation would play. In the case of Mounting, you're just thrust upon a horse, without much of an animation. Bomb King's "Grumpy head" taunt was eventually used in update 2.01. Unused Graphics Found in Textures0.tfc is this image, commonly used in Other Unreal Engine 3 games, presumably to pad out the TFC file.As Tesla Model 3 launch is approaching closer and closer in July, the excitement is all time high for Model 3 reservation holders, fans and enthusiasts. Therefore we have to cover each and every aspect of the vehicle to be informed on what is ahead of us. Thought of comparing exterior dimensions to other cars that are direct or indirect competitors of the Model 3 to get an idea of the size, comfort and expected driving experience of the car. Let’s look at the comparison chart below for 2017 model cars from the likes of Ford Focus, BMW 3 Series, Honda Civic to Chevy Malibu & Mazda 6. I have added the chart separately in Metric units (mm) as some of our valued audience was having trouble with the chart being only in Imperial units (inches). Updated the tables with official dimension values after full & final specs and prices unveiled by Tesla after delivery event. Related: Tesla Model 3 Interior Dimensions ComparisonRemember all those horrible television ads in the Tim Kaine-George Allen race for the U.S. Senate? It turns out not everyone with those campaigns liked them, either. Mo Elleithee, a senior strategist for the Kaine campaign, and Boyd Marcus, a senior political advisor for Allen's Senate bid, agreed Thursday that many of those ads were "total crap." Elleithee said the negative ads paid for by outside groups actually helped Kaine. The two spoke candidly for more than an hour at a Virginia Public Access Project forum at George Mason University's Arlington campus. George Mason political scientist Mark Rozell moderated. The pair — Elleithee is a longtime Democrat, and served as senior spokesman for Hillary Clinton's presidential bid in 2008; Marcus, a Republican consultant based in Richmond, served as former Gov. Jim Gilmore's chief of staff — talked a lot of inside baseball. And judging by the crowd's reaction, that's just what people wanted to hear. Conservative groups like Crossroads GPS, Americans for Prosperity and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce began running negative ads against Tim Kaine in November 2011, Elleithee said. In the end, outside groups spent more than $30 million against Kaine, with nearly $11 million of that coming from Crossroads. Conventional wisdom usually dictates that negative ads benefit campaigns more than positive ones. But Elleithee said against the backdrop of so many negative ads — and so many of them done poorly — Kaine was able to realize a rise in the polls with positive ads. The outside spending helped Allen make up the difference in one-on-one fundraising against Kaine, Marcus said. But, he added, "a lot of what they spent money on wasn't targeted correctly, or we wouldn't have spent the money that way had we had that money." "It was crap. It was total crap," Elleithee said. Marcus agreed. "There were times I would see the ads coming at us from the other side, and I said, 'Thank you. There is no way that ad is going to convince once single voter to vote against Tim Kaine.' And I remember thinking, 'I bet the Allen folks feel the same way,' " Elleithee said. Marcus added: "There were a couple of them that were decent ads, and followed the themes we were trying to play. But well over half, I'm sure, of the ads that were done independently weren't on our message, weren't on any message we were trying to convey, and weren't very well done." Ads by the U.S. Chamber were "the worst," he said. Kaine issued a challenge to Allen early on that the two agree to penalize themselves in the case outside groups, so-called SuperPACs, got involved. Allen refused. Elleithee said he was worried Allen would agree; he was counting on the onslaught of horrible ads to benefit Kaine. The only other candidate in American political history who has had to sustain as much spending on negative advertising against him has been President Barack Obama, Elleithee said. "We had the absolute best fundraising operation in the country in the Kaine campaign," he said. "We raised a record amount of money and from a record amount of people — over 50,000 individual donors by the end of the campaign. This was borne out of necessity. Because we saw early how much money was going to be spent against us." Election Hinged on Turnout Marcus said Allen ran a disciplined campaign and did not make any fundamental mistakes. The campaign was trying to push a "softer image" following Allen's 2006 debacle, where a racial slur cost him his Senate seat. That was made more difficult by the hard-edge ads put forth by outside groups. The Allen camp got close enough that if Republicans had delivered Virginia for Romney, Allen would have won, Marcus said. "This election was driven by the turnout, and our people did not get it right," he said. Elleithee said several times that the Kaine and Obama campaigns worked "hand in hand" on get-out-the-vote efforts, which Republicans routinely underestimated, and relied on the Democratic Party of Virginia's established network. That didn't happen on the Republican side of the fence, Marcus said. While Virginia saw a lot of GOP activity, "most of it was pretty worthless," he said. "Essentially, the Romney campaign ran the whole ID and turnout operation through the (Republican National Committee's) 72-hour model that's been used for the last several years. And it doesn't work," Marcus said. "There are fundamental parts of it that don't work. It's based on this idea that you can parachute this group of people into anywhere, and give them quotas — how many phone calls they need to make, and how many doorknocks they need to make, and that will generate the turnout that you're looking for." Elleithee and Marcus agreed that the best outside ads were done by the Republican and Democratic Senate campaign committees, which each seemed to have someone in charge who was at least familiar with what was going on in Virginia. Marcus talked about how the Allen campaign saw fighting the sequestration bill, and linking that to saving Virginia jobs, as a winning message. Elleithee said voters were more concerned about partisan gridlock standing in the way of solving issues like unemployment and the deficit, which caused Kaine to push a heavy bipartisan message — including running an ad that spoke favorably of working with Obama and President George W. Bush. "Both sides knew that the need to project this bipartisan aura was important," Elleithee said. "Voters just believed our messaging more at the end of the day." The two agreed that Virginia has become a state where successful candidates have to win suburbs — making places like Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun and Chesterfield counties, along with Virginia Beach and Chesapeake all the more important. Rozell said afterward he hoped to make such candid post-election discussion an annual event. This article was originally published at 6:53 p.m. Thursday. New to Patch? Click here for a sampling of stories from the past two years.Non-Artistic Style Transfer (or How to Draw Kanye using Captain Picard’s Face) Brad Kenstler Blocked Unblock Follow Following Mar 13, 2017 In fast.ai’s Deep Learning Part 2 with @jeremyphoward and @math_rachel we’ve been learning about generative models, which inspired me to experiment in some new directions. I’ll show you the results of these experiments here and describe how they were done. For complete comprehension, you should be familiar with CNNs, loss functions, etc; if you’re not, check out Practical Deep Learning For Coders, Part 1 (the MOOC version of part 1 of this course). Ever since Gatys and friends introduced artistic style-transfer, the deep learning community has been stoked about creating images in the style of famous artists. And for good reason! The results have been consistently stunning; style-transfer has allowed us to redraw images with neural networks in ways that simple filters could not hope to imitate. For those unfamiliar, artistic style-transfer is a method of creating an image with the content of image X but with the style of image Y. If the words “convolutional neural network”, “MSE”, and “back-propagation” are gibberish to you, feel free to skip the next three paragraphs (but keep an eye out for my upcoming complete non-technical guide to style transfer!). If you are familiar with these topics, the following is a brief overview of the original style-transfer implementation. The original approach by Gatys starts by taking three images, the content image, style image, and a random “noise” image, and puts them through the convolutional layers of some CNN that’s been pre-trained for image recognition (typically Vgg16/19). The loss function for this method is to compare convolutional layer outputs for both the content and style images to the random image. Then, we update the random image’s pixels through back-propagation to minimize this loss. The metric for “comparison” differs for the content and style image; for content, our loss is just the MSE between the content and random image outputs. This updates the random image to eventually match the content image. Exactly how strictly it matches the original image depends on how deep of a layer you use for comparison. The revelation reached in the original paper lies in the loss computed for the style; instead of computing the MSE between convolutional outputs for the style/random images, we compute the MSE between the Gramian matrices of these outputs. Back-propagation on this loss results in an image that has the style of the original image, with none of the content. This method essentially deconstructs the style image into one that consists of raw artistic style, with no structure. I like to refer to this as the style image’s palette. Style-transfer is simply the combination of both of these approaches, which allows us to create an image with the content of one picture and the style of another. The Life of Pablo’s Girl Before a Mirror In the above example, my content image is Kanye West, and my style image is Pablo Picasso’s “Girl Before a Mirror”. The image on the bottom left is an example of the palette deconstructed from the painting. The last image is the result of combining content and style loss when reconstructing the image; we’ve rebuilt the image of Kanye with the style of Picasso. And yet, the phrase “artistic style-transfer” slightly underestimates what we can actually accomplish with this method. There are many examples in the literature of transferring the style of works of art to images; however, there are few examples of transferring non-artistic styles to images. Attempting to apply non-artistic “styles” to an image is a natural extension of the artistic style-transfer approach. For example, we might wonder if we could apply the “style” of a guitar to an image. Style Image; Palette; Style-Transferred Image This implementation is… mediocre at best. We can see that our resulting image does show some of the fretboard style, but it’s not particularly strong and is relatively smoothed out. When we look at the palette that’s extracted from this image, the fretboard pattern isn’t prevalent. This could simply be due to a poor choice of image. Perhaps this will work with other non-artistic images: Style Image; Palette; Style-Transferred Image Style Image; Palette; Style-Transferred Image Nope. Neither the NES controller or Captain Picard image were capable of imparting a “NES controller/Picard” style to these images. As with the guitar, the palettes extracted from these images don’t exactly capture what we want them to. If you have some experience with style-transfer, this will come as no surprise. When we say “style” in style-transfer, we are referring to the style in which the image is drawn. In these three images, there is no “style” in which these images were drawn. With Picasso’s Girl Before a Mirror, the style we replicate consists of the brush strokes and impressionistic constructions that the painting consists of. Thus, in order for style-transfer to extract a style, it must be something that is prevalent throughout the image. How can we construct an image that consists of the non-artistic style we wish to transfer? Just tile it. This approach disseminates the style we want to transfer much more prominently then just applying the single image. The guitar image clearly displays the polygonal patterns and lines that we might attribute to a fretboard. The NES controller image displays patterns similar to the rectangular structures on the D-pad, as well as the bold red buttons. The reason this approach works is because it allows us to reverse-engineer a palette that we want to draw a new image with. Since our goal is to draw an image in the style of a NES Controller, we need an image that has been drawn in that style in order to extract that palette. However, since such an image is exactly what we’re after (and likely does not exist), we need to manufacture a synthetic example of this ourselves. Tiling does exactly this. But exactly how far can we take this? Can we use this tiling approach for a “style” that is something like a face? This is much better, we can see that the palette is picking up portions of a face as the style. But it’s losing the structure of the face as a whole. If we think of the palette as the brush strokes that created the style image, then intuition should tell us that we can tune how much of our desired image constitutes a “brush stroke” by tuning the granularity of the tiling. Thus, if we want the entire face to be captured by a brush stroke, we should make the tiles even smaller. Ye is on the Bridge Holy smokes. That is clearly an image that is constructed with the style of Captain Picard’s face! The Many Faces of Captain Picard Looking at the palette for the tiled image, we can see that the smaller tiling gives a style that is much better at transferring the entire face, without losing some of the abstraction we desire. If we tiled the guitar and NES controller images in the same way, we’d likely get similar results. I find this tiling approach fascinating because it pushes style-transfer outside the realm of fine art. While there’s no limit to what we can accomplish with artistic style-transfer, non-artistic style transfer opens the door to infinitely more possibilities. If you’re interested in easily experimenting with these techniques, (and possibly drawing your friend’s face with Justin Bieber), I recommend Anish Athalye’s python implementation of neural-style transfer. If you really want to understand how this works, keep an eye out for Jeremy Howard’s lecture on the subject in his Practical Deep Learning For Coders, Part 2 course, the MOOC of which will be live here in May, 2017. If you have no experience with neural networks, and would like to learn more about the tech behind the current AI surge as well as how to implement it, I highly encourage you to look at Jeremy Howard and fast.ai’s Practical Deep Learning For Coders, Part 1 course (Full disclosure: I am an intern with fast.ai and primary contributor to course notes for Part 1).The way technology’s improved manufacturing and industrial capacities over the past few decades is fascinating. A great example of this is the evolution of work instructions. What was once just a printed list of step-by-step directions created by supervisors and engineers for shop-floor workers has transformed into a high-tech, interactive process. Follow @mp_roberts Today, electronic work instructions (EWI) software is instrumental to the shop floor. And market leaders are investing in the integration of EWIs with 3D visualization and simulation software, so operators aren’t just following along with instructions, they’re able to view animations of each step and sometimes even improve things right on the spot. In this post, I’ll break down what you need to know about the past, present, and future of electronic work instructions in manufacturing operations management, as well as discuss eight ways they’re transforming the shop floor. From Paper-based to Next-Generation Electronic Work Instructions It’s vital that you have clear and repeatable instructions for every manufacturing process. Traditionally, shop-floor workers would hang laminated pieces of paper on the wall with diagrams and explanations of each step. The shortcomings of this are obvious, particularly when an engineering change order (ECO) was required and those changes needed to be sent to engineering, revamped, sent back to manufacturing, reprinted, relaminated, and so on. If we’re talking about a global operation, this becomes even more of a challenge. The more complex something you’re building is, generally the more complex those instructions have to be, and a paper-based approach can be limiting. But computer technology on the shop floor wasn’t always as easily accessible and widespread as it is today. Since document control software has become widely adopted, however, EWIs have made their way into the manufacturing environment. EWIs have improved the way supervisors and operators build products, and the way they interact with engineers and maintenance personnel. The technology enables a centralized, standardized, and automated document management system, and can be found on most modern manufacturing shop floors. In addition to improving communication and collaboration on the shop floor, streamlining EWIs mitigates many of the traditional risks associated with changing a work order. In the past, an engineering change may have been ordered, but never completed or at least never communicated to the appropriate personnel once completed. With automated workflows, notifications can be triggered to ensure the process is completed and the appropriate personnel are notified. Workflows can also ensure that the right instructions are being followed on time and in the context of the manufacturing process. As the use of simulation and 3D visualization software becomes more prevalent, moving from engineering onto the shop floor, EWIs are becoming an even more effective tool. By integrating EWIs with this technology, an operator can watch each step of a process played out via animations. In some cases, operators and supervisors are trained to actually make changes and improvements to these processes in real time rather than waiting for an ECO. With the continuous advancement of technology, we expect to see further integration between plant and process design, 3D visualization, simulation software, workflow software, manufacturing execution systems and electronic work instruction software. The Role of EWIs in the Manufacturing Operations Management Software Platform Increasingly, modern manufacturing operations management (MOM) platforms offer EWIs as an application within a broader portfolio of applications that integrate via the same software platform. Standardization on the MOM platform facilitates the sharing of information and workflows, and is often a driver of greater collaboration capabilities in globally distributed manufacturing environments and even between functional units. The infogrpahic below helps to put EWI's positioning in manufacturing operations management into perspective. 8 Benefits of Electronic Work Instructions Moving from paper-based work instructions to EWIs, there are many benefits. When accounting for the centralization, standardization, and automation capabilities offered by today’s MOM software platforms, those benefits increase dramatically. Below are 8 ways EWIs are improving shop-floor operations and making manufacturers more effective: Reduced downtime: Because communication is easier with an electronic routing and delivery system, less time is required to take maintenance actions or make engineering change orders. Stronger Communication: A centralized document management system enables greater ability to share documents across within the manufacturing environment, across facilities, and between functional units. Stronger communication creates fewer errors. Closed-loop manufacturing and quality processes: With a centralized platform, EWI/ECO content and data can be more easily shared with corrective and preventive action management and audit management processes. Closed-loop manufacturing and engineering processes: With a centralized platform, EWI/ECO content and data can be more easily shared with the failure more and effects analysis (FMEA) processes. Reduced waste/scrap: The ability to communicate and collaborate with engineering more effectively helps to improve first-time quality and reduce waste in the manufacturing environment. Easier communication of regulatory changes: Because many industries face dynamic regulatory environments, EWIs help to quickly communicate changes required for shop-floor processes and validate that personnel have been made aware of and are following them. Faster new product introduction process: Streamlining communication and collaboration between manufacturing and engineering reduces the time required to develop, test, and build new products. Reduced risk and improved efficiency: With automatic notifications triggered for both shop-floor and engineering workers, the likelihood of a non-conformance or compliance issue is much lower. Gain a year of free access to new research in our IoT Research Library by completing a survey.The garage is at least affordable: Wendy now spends a quarter of her pay on rent. If she were to rent a house, it would swallow up at least half of her weekly pay. Wendy's situation is not unique. As a woman nearing her 60s, she is part of a growing number of older women who are finding themselves locked out of the property market because of a lack of savings and superannuation, mainly due to a part-time or sporadic working life. Jeanette Large is the chief executive officer of Women's Property Initiative (WPI), and she has seen many women come through the doors of her organisation. Most of these women, she says, are single. And they need help. "Many women assume they will have family and support in their later years, but many people don't have that," she says. "Some are divorced, have been widowed or, for whatever reason, have decided to be single." Others, for whatever reason, don't have access to family support. When it comes to older women, Large believes Australia is facing an unprecedented crisis, a problem that, until recently, has been largely overlooked by government and support bodies. In 2012, WPI did a presentation focusing on the issue at a national housing convention. At that stage, it was still only an emerging issue. Like Large, former publisher and counsellor Kaye Healey saw the problem coming years ago. While researching social trends as long as 20 years ago, she found that Australia was not only facing a rapidly ageing population, but another problem within that: hundreds of thousands of poor, single, middle-aged women who, once they retired, would have nowhere secure to live. And it got her thinking. Many women assume they will have family and support in their later years, but many people don't have that. Jeanette Large Healey owns a permaculture property in the Southern Highlands of NSW. In 2012, she opened her farm - called "Eden Farm" - to single women over 50 as part of the Women's Communal Project for one year. Her aim was to encourage women to think about their retirement living options while they were still working, and in the meantime consider communal living. Although the project is over and she is now selling the farm, Healy says the women who participated got a lot out of the experience. One idea was to set up tenants-in-common groups, where several women could pool their resources and buy a property together. "But I would say to be careful when doing this, because what happens when someone pulls out, dies or goes to a nursing home? It really needs to be thought out beforehand," Healy cautions. Another option was creating a national database, run by a seniors organisation or a government agency, where women who already own their homes but live alone could plug in their details and be matched to other suitable women who were looking for somewhere to live. Healy believes that unless state and federal governments acknowledge the scope of the problem, it will soon spiral out of control. Catherine Brown, the chief executive officer of the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, says her organisation has looked extensively into the issue of ageing and homelessness. The survey found that 82 per cent of people living in abject poverty were elderly, with women over 65 making up nearly 36 per cent, followed by elderly men (29.5 per cent). "That's 533,000 older women who are living below the poverty line nationally. I personally find that very disturbing," She says a lack of affordable housing was the biggest problem. She believes that if the government invests money in affordable housing, increases the ability for NGOs to build low-cost homes and sets up community land trusts for Australians, these women would have a chance to escape near-certain poverty. The foundation, which funded The Women's Property Initiative, is also looking to establish a real estate agency to help older people get access to housing. In addition, Brown would like to help older women get back into the workforce. "Older women are a fantastic resource, [but] they're a voiceless group. Because they're so dignified and wanting to help themselves, it's hard for them to admit they need extra help." Wendy still has a year left until she finishes her PhD. After that, her wish is to come back to Melbourne and rent a house close to public transport and other amenities. "I've been looking into this seriously for a while and last time I went to a bank, they laughed at me," she says. "As it stands, I absolutely cannot buy my own house in Melbourne. Because of my age, I can only get money for 10 years, max, which immediately reduces the amount of money they would lend me. "I feel pretty depressed about it, to tell you the truth. I really feel insecure and uncertain about what will happen in the future," she says.Image caption Tariq al-Hashemi claims his bodyguards were tortured to obtain false confessions Iraq's fugitive Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi has been charged with several murders, including those of six judges, court officials in Baghdad say. Mr Hashemi is not expected to attend his trial, which opens on Thursday. He has taken refuge in the Kurdish north. Mr Hashemi, who was the most senior Sunni figure in Shia-dominated Iraq, fled in December 2011 after allegations that he was implicated in death squads. He denies the claims and has accused PM Nouri Maliki of fuelling sectarianism. On Monday Iraq's Supreme Judiciary Council said Mr Hashemi and some of his bodyguards had been accused of a series of killings. "There are many crimes that Hashemi and his guards are accused of and there were confessions obtained, including on the assassinations of six judges, mostly from Baghdad," said Abdul-Sattar al-Birqdar, a spokesman for the council. Torture claim Speaking to the BBC during a trip to Turkey earlier this month, Mr Hashemi accused Mr Maliki of wanting to "regenerate the sectarian strife". He said the country was at a crossroads, and that urgent action had to be taken now to prevent it breaking up along sectarian and ethnic lines. Regarding the criminal case against him, he said Iraq's security services had tortured his bodyguards to obtain false confessions to back up claims that he had ordered political bombings and assassinations. He said one of his bodyguards had been tortured to death while in detention. Mr Hashemi fled Baghdad after a warrant for his arrest was issued on 19 December, accusing him of orchestrating bomb attacks and killing Shia officials. He sought protection in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. His departure highlighted growing tensions within Iraq's unity government, which was formed in December after months of negotiations following inconclusive elections in March. The increase of divisions along Sunni-Shia lines has led to fears of a return to the sectarian clashes which killed thousands in 2006-7. The absence of US troops who previously maintained security has increased these concerns. Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was a Sunni, and many Sunnis believe they are being penalised by Shias, who have grown in influence since the US invasion. Sunnis have accused Mr Maliki of taking an authoritarian approach to government.I can imagine there are very few people on all sides of the political spectrum in the UK that do not support Ed Miliband in his fight against The Daily Mail’s vicious smear campaign. Miliband took the rather unprecedented step for a politician when he decided to take on the Daily Mail directly. The hate rag, that apparently has no issue hounding vulnerable people to suicide aimed their most recent attack at the Labour leader’s late father; the revered Marxist academic Ralph Miliband. The Mail wrote: “The man who hated Britain: Red Ed’s pledge to bring back socialism is a homage to his Marxist father. So what did Miliband Snr really believe in? The answer should disturb everyone who loves this country.” – The entire piece surrounds a quote from Miliband Snr’s diary from the age of 17, in which he refers to Brits as ‘rabid Nationalists’. The entire piece asserting that the Labour leader’s father ‘hated Britain’ rests on that one quote. It is the mark of a paper that has no reasonable argument to make, and so just attacks, just hounds, and just aims to hurt lives. This is how the Daily Mail operates. It
he had ordered the expansion of U.S. commitments to the Chinese nationalists on Taiwan, to the French rulers of Vietnam, and to the American-sponsored government of the Philippines, which received U.S. military and CIA advisors along with economic aid to assist it in putting down the radical nationalist Huk movement. Notably, Truman presented these three nationalist struggles in Asia as Cold War conflicts. Such a portrayal required little explanation of what was actually happening in these countries and it positioned the United States as their protector in a global struggle defined by Truman as a battle between freedom and totalitarianism.57 “A new totalitarian threat has risen against civilization,” announced President George W. Bush in a speech before the Philippine Congress in October 2003. “America is proud of its part in the great story of the Filipino people,” declared the president. “Together our soldiers liberated the Philippines from colonial rule.” As he rallied support for U.S. leadership in the global war on terror, Bush asserted that the Middle East, like Asia, could become democratic as illustrated by the Republic of the Philippines six decades ago. Not only did President Bush gloss over the inconvenient facts of the past, but he also put a positive face on the present. Uneasy about instability in the Philippines, Bush announced a joint American-Filipino five-year plan to “modernize and reform” the Philippine military. U.S. policymakers were worried about Abu Sayyaf, a terror group thought to have links to Al Qaeda and Islamic extremism. A few thousand U.S. marines were already in the southern Philippines assisting local forces in fighting an Islamic separatist movement with roots going back to the resistance against the Americans a century before.58 McKinley’s portrayal of American rule in the Philippines as the “advancement of civilization,” and “a guaranty of order and of security for life, property, liberty, freedom of conscience, and the pursuit of happiness” held its appeal. His successors also would manipulate media coverage, present war as a humanitarian mission, and call for support of the troops when the “natives” resisted and criticism on the home front grew louder. The propaganda designed to build support for America’s first land war in Asia created an illusion of the United States as a benevolent liberator that lives on. Susan A. Brewer is a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She is the author of Why America Fights: Patriotism and War Propaganda from the Philippines to Iraq (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009) and To Win the Peace: British Propaganda in the United States during World War II (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1997). Related articles • Paul Kramer, Guantánamo: A Useful Corner of the World • Jeremy Kuzmarov, American Police Training and Political Violence: From the Philippines Conquest to the Killing Fields of Afghanistan and Iraq • Paul A. Kramer, The Military-Sexual Complex:Prostitution, Disease and the Boundaries of Empire during the Philippine-American War • Paul A. Kramer, The Water Cure. An American Debate on torture and counterinsurgency in the Philippines—a century ago • Paul A. Kramer, Race-Making and Colonial Violence in the U.S. Empire:The Philippine-American War as Race War • Catherine Lutz, US Military Bases on Guam in Global Perspective • Catherine Lutz, US Bases and Empire: Global Perspectives on the Asia Pacific Notes 1 This article first appeared as Chapter 1, “The Divine Mission”: War in the Philippines,” in Why America Fights: Patriotism and War Propaganda from the Philippines to Iraq (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009), 14-45 and is reprinted in revised form here with the permission of Oxford University Press. 2 “He is evidently going to make unity—a re-united country—the central thought.” Diary of George B. Cortelyou, 9 December 1898, Box 52, George B. Cortelyou Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Anders Stephanson, Manifest Destiny: American Expansion and the Empire of Right (New York; Hill and Wang, 1996), 66-111; Matthew Frye Jacobson, Barbarian Virtues: The United States Encounters Foreign Peoples at Home and Abroad, 1876-1917 (New York: Hill & Wang, 2000), 221-65; For an excellent historiography on the United States as empire see Paul A. Kramer, “Power and Connection: Imperial Histories of the United States in the World,” American Historical Review 116 (December 2011): 1348-1391. 3 Ida Tarbell, “President McKinley in War Times,” McClure’s Magazine, July 1898, 209-24; Stephen Ponder, “The President Makes News: William McKinley and the First Presidential Press Corps, 1897-1901,” Presidential Studies Quarterly 24 (Fall 1994): 823-37; For an outstanding collection of political cartoons see Abe Ignacio, Enrique de la Cruz, Jorge Emmanuel, Helen Toribio, The Forbidden Book: The Philippine-American War in Political Cartoons (San Francisco: T’boli Publishing, 2004). 4 James Bryce, The American Commonwealth, vol. 2, 3rd ed. (New York: Macmillan, 1899), 252-54; Henry Adams, The Education of Henry Adams (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1961), 374. 5 Paul M. Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500-2000 (New York: Random House, 1987), 150. 6 Walter LaFeber, The American Search for Opportunity, 1865-1913 (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 133, 138. 7 Robert Hannigan, The New World Power: American Foreign Policy, 1898-1917 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002), 1-16; Thomas Schoonover, Uncle Sam’s War of 1898 and the Origins of Globalization (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2003), 98. 8 Robert Hilderbrand, Power and the People: Executive Management of Public Opinion in Foreign Affairs, 1897-1921 (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1981), 17-28. 9 Margaret Leech, In the Days of McKinley (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1959), 167-68. 10 Allan R. Millett and Peter Malowski, For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States of America (New York: Free Press, 1994), 287-88. 11 LaFeber, American Search, 142-43; Lewis L. Gould, The Presidency of William McKinley (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1980), 77. 12 Louis A. Pérez, Jr., The War of 1898: The United States and Cuba in History and Historiography (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1998), 10-12. 13 Hilderbrand, Power and the People, 32. 14 William Allen White, “When Johnny Went Marching Out,” McClure’s Magazine, June 1898, 198-205. 15 Leech, Days of McKinley, 209. 16 Leech, Days of McKinley, 238; Gould, Presidency of William McKinley, 101. 17 Gould, Presidency of William McKinley, 50. 18 Walter Millis, The Martial Spirit (1931; reprinted, Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 1989), 334. 19 Paul A. Kramer, “Race-Making and Colonial Violence in the U.S. Empire: The Philippine War as Race War,” Diplomatic History 30 (April 2006): 190; Paul A. Kramer, The Blood of Government: Race, Empire, the United States and the Philippines (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2006), 102-5. 20 John Seelye, War Games: Richard Harding Davis and the New Imperialism (Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2003), 275; F. W. Hewes, “The Fighting Strength of the United States,” McClure’s Magazine, July 1898, 280-87; Edna Woolman Chase and Ilka Chase, Always in Vogue (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1954), 47. 21 Hilderbrand, Power and the People, 36, 41. 22 William McKinley, Speeches and Addresses of William McKinley: From March 1, 1897 to May 30, 1900 (New York: Doubleday & McClure Co., 1900), 85, 97, 109, 113-14, 124. 23 Gould, Presidency of William McKinley, 132, 139; George B. Waldron, “The Commercial Promise of Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Philippines,” McClure’s Magazine, September 1898, 481-84. 24 H. Wayne Morgan, ed., Making Peace with Spain: The Diary of Whitelaw Reid, September-December 1898 (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1965), 215. 25 McKinley to Secretary of War, transmitted to General Otis, 21 December 1898; Adjutant General to Otis, 21 December 1898; Alger to Otis, 30 December 1898, Box 70, Cortelyou Papers; H. W. Brand, Bound to Empire: The United States and the Philippines (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), 48. 26 Robert L. Beisner, Twelve Against Empire: The Anti-Imperialists, 1898-1900 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1985); Roger J. Bresnahan, In Time of Hesitation: American Anti-Imperialists and the Philippine-American War (Quezon City, Philippines: New Day, 1981). 27 Leech, Days of McKinley, 353; McKinley, “Speech at Banquet of Board of Trade and Associated Citizens,” Savannah, 17 December 1898, in Speeches, 174. 28 Diary, 5 February 1899, Box 52, Cortelyou Papers; McKinley, “Address Before the Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment,” Pittsburgh, 28 August 1899, in Speeches, 215. 29 Brian McAllister Linn, The Philippine War, 1899-1902 (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2000), 34, 325; Glenn Anthony May, A Past Recovered (Quezon City, Philippines: New Day, 1987), 133. 30 Kramer, Blood of Government, 112-13. 31 Charles Musser, The Emergence of Cinema: The American Screen to 1907 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1990), 225-61; Advance of Kansas Volunteers at Caloocan (Thomas A. Edison, Inc., 1899), (here); Nick Deocampo, “Imperialist Fiction: The Filipino in the Imperialist Imagery,” in The Philippine-American War and the Aftermath of an Imperial Dream, 1899-1999, ed. Angel Velasco Shaw and Luis H. Francis (New York: New York University Press, 2002), 224-36; Amy Kaplan, The Anarchy of Empire in the Making of U.S. Culture (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2002), 146-60. 32 Linn, Philippine War, 132-36; Frederick Palmer, “The Campaign in Luzon,” Collier’s Weekly, 4 November 1899, 3. 33 Otis to Adjutant General, 17 January 1899, Box 71, Cortelyou Papers; Linn, Philippine War, 135, 325; Hilderbrand, Power and the People, 49. 34 Brands, Bound to Empire, 58; Palmer, “Campaign in Luzon,” 3. 35 William Oliver Trafton, We Thought We Could Whip Them in Two Weeks, ed. William Henry Scott (Quezon City, Philippines: New Day, 1990), 65-66. 36 McKinley, “Speech at Dinner of the Home Market Club,” Boston, 16 February 1899, in Speeches, 185-93; Nation, 23 February 1899, 140. 37 McKinley, “Address Before the Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment,” in Speeches, 211-17. 38 Diary, 17 September 1899, Box 52, Cortelyou Papers; Henry Cabot Lodge, “Shall We Retain the Philippines?” Collier’s Weekly, 10 February 1900, 4. 39 “Albert J. Beveridge’s Salute to Imperialism,” in Major Problems in American Foreign Relations, vol. 1, 4th ed., ed. Thomas G. Paterson and Dennis Merrill (Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath, 1995), 425. 40 Lodge, “Shall We Retain,” 3; Walter L. Williams, “American Imperialism and the Indians,” in Indians in American History: An Introduction, ed. Frederick E. Hoxie and Peter Iverson (Wheeling, IL: Harlan Davidson, 1998), 244; John F. Bass, “Jolo and the Moros,” Harper’s Weekly, 18 November 1899, 1159. 41 Kristin L. Hoganson, Fighting for American Manhood: How Gender Politics Provoked the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1998), 152-53; McKinley, “Speech at Madison, Wisconsin,” 16 October 1899, in Speeches, 318; Dean C. Worcester, “Some Aspects of the Philippine Question,” 15 November 1899, Hamilton Club of Chicago, Serial Publications. No. 13. 42 William McKinley, “William McKinley’s Imperial Gospel,” 1899, in Major Problems, ed. Paterson and Merrill, 424. 43 George B. Hoar, “Shall We Retain the Philippines?” Collier’s Weekly, 3 February 1900, 2-3; Alan McPherson, “Americanism against American Empire,” in Americanism: New Perspectives on the History of an Ideal, ed. Michael Kazin and Joseph A. McCartin (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2006), 176. 44 William McKinley, “Annual Message,” 5 December 1899, (here); Speech of Hon. George Turner, U.S. Senate, 22-23 January 1900, Washington DC; Editorial, “The Country and Its War,” Harper’s Weekly, 3 June 1899, 540. 45 Hoar, “Shall We Retain,” 3; “Anti-Imperialist League Pamphlets,” Box 7, Moorfield Storey Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Mark Twain, “To the Person Sitting in Darkness,” February 1901, in Mark Twain’s Weapons of Satire: Anti-Imperialist Writings on the Philippine-American War, ed. Jim Zwick (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1992), 22-39. 46 William Howard Taft to Elihu Root, 11 August 1900, Series 21, Reel 640, William Howard Taft Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Kramer, Blood of Government, 133. 47 McPherson, “Americanism,” 175; William McKinley, “Second Inaugural Address,” 4 March 1901, (here). 48 Linn, Philippine War, 221. 49 Taft to Root, 14 July 1900, Series 21, Reel 640, Taft Papers; Taft to Root, 14 October 1901, Container 164, Elihu Root Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC. 50 Root to Taft, 15 January 1901, Taft to Root, 17 January 1901, Root to Taft, 21 January 1901, and Root to McKinley, 24 January 1901, Series 21, Reel 640, Taft Papers; Hoganson, Fighting for American Manhood, 180, 191. 51 “Extracts from President McKinley’s Last Speech,” 5 September 1901, Joseph Tumulty to Woodrow Wilson, 20 September 1919, Container 50, Joseph Tumulty Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Robert W. Rydell, All the World’s a Fair: Visions of Empire at American International Expositions, 1876-1916 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984), 126-53. 52 Kramer, Blood of Government, 145-56; Roosevelt to the Secretary of War, 18 February 1902, Container 162, Root Papers. 53 Kramer, Blood of Government, 155. 54 Brands, Bound to Empire, 79; LaFeber, American Search, 177. 55 Leech, Days of McKinley, 384. 56 Theodore Roosevelt, “Annual Message,” 3 December 1901 and “Annual Message,” 2 December 1902, (here). 57 “President Truman’s Address,” 1 September 1950, Box 46, George M. Elsey Papers, Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, Missouri. 58 George. W. Bush, “Remarks by the President to the Philippine Congress,” 18 October 2003, (here); David E. Sanger, “Bush Cites Philippines as Model in Rebuilding Iraq,” New York Times, 19 October 2003. Copyright Asia Pacific Journal 20130.5.2 - Ensure we start check from root of Key-Value tree. 0.5.1 - Disallowing certain players from being included in captain choice (0). 0.5.0 - When the plugin gets enabled, make sure all engineer buildings are destroyed. (Code taken from Destroy Engineer Buildings by bl4nk) 0.4.9b - If a player is the team captain, display a hint text and display the class selection screen (65, wow!) 0.4.9a - Instead of printing to hud, print to panel. Display (almost) useful message for the team captain ( 9 ) 0.4.3 - Stop Hud text showing after the round is over (players won't be able to change classes until the next round begins) ( 9 ) 0.4.2 - In the creation of an array for clients, use MAXPLAYERS + 1 ( 22 ) 0.4.1 - cwp_reloadweapons should work on round begin Compiled re-released for new MM:S and SM Source ( 14 ) New Compiled ( 8 ) Old Compiled ( 9 ) 0.4.0 If there is a setup round (cp_dustbowl, pl_, etc.), Blue should have the HUD text until they're unfrozen. Hopefully this will clear up confusion with blue players noticing they can't move. Resupplies will be enabled if neither class is limited in weapons in the match-up. In games with a setup round (cp_dustbowl, pl_, etc.), Red won't have resupplies until the round starts and Blue is unfrozen. cwp_enable, cwp_force random work immediately and players are immediately respawned Only update the HUD with team captain info, etc., when the team captain changes classes. ( 33 ) Thank you 0.3.2 - MaxClients is an inclusive variable and my for loops should go from 1 <= x <= MaxClients ( 19 ) 0.3.1 - Make cwp_force work across map changes, and display helpful messages when trying admin commands if the mod is not enabled / disabled, already enabled / disabled ( 3 ) 0.3 - More bug fixing, fixed cwp_force not working, added Random classes gametype ( 8 ) 0.2.2 - Bug fixing, (hopefully) making the HUD text update and stop updating correctly ( 3 ) 0.2 - Check if the captains are in the game when printing and use IsClientInGame instead of IsClientConnected in some places (duh!) ( 4 ) 0.1.1a - Added ability to remove player's weapon slots depending on class battle. This is done via cwp_weapons.txt. Explanation of this file above. A consequence of this is the disabling of resupply (code taken from Melee mode by chundo ( 0.1.1 - Previously, when nobody was on the server, the mod would disable itself. Now, if nobody is on the server, the mod will continue the current class war and start a new one on the next round if people join the server ( 22 ) 0.1 - Initial Release (9 downloads) Changelog:0.5.2 - Ensure we start check from root of Key-Value tree.0.5.1 - Disallowing certain players from being included in captain choice (0).0.5.0 - When the plugin gets enabled, make sure all engineer buildings are destroyed. (Code taken from Destroy Engineer Buildings by bl4nk)0.4.9b - If a player is the team captain, display a hint text and display the class selection screen (65, wow!)0.4.9a - Instead of printing to hud, print to panel.Display (almost) useful message for the team captain ( 9 )0.4.3 - Stop Hud text showing after the round is over (players won't be able to change classes until the next round begins) ( 9 )0.4.2 - In the creation of an array for clients, use MAXPLAYERS + 1 ( 22 )0.4.1 - cwp_reloadweapons should work on round beginCompiled re-released for new MM:S and SMSource ( 14 )New Compiled ( 8 )Old Compiled ( 9 )0.4.0( 33 )Thank you CnB Community for all of the testing and feedback to make this release possible!0.3.2 - MaxClients is an inclusive variable and my for loops should go from 1 <= x <= MaxClients ( 19 )0.3.1 - Make cwp_force work across map changes, and display helpful messages when trying admin commands if the mod is not enabled / disabled, already enabled / disabled ( 3 )0.3 - More bug fixing, fixed cwp_force not working, added Random classes gametype ( 8 )0.2.2 - Bug fixing, (hopefully) making the HUD text update and stop updating correctly ( 3 )0.2 - Check if the captains are in the game when printing and use IsClientInGame instead of IsClientConnected in some places (duh!) ( 4 )0.1.1a - Added ability to remove player's weapon slots depending on class battle. This is done via cwp_weapons.txt. Explanation of this file above. A consequence of this is the disabling of resupply (code taken from Melee mode by chundo ( [email protected] )) ( 8 )0.1.1 - Previously, when nobody was on the server, the mod would disable itself. Now, if nobody is on the server, the mod will continue the current class war and start a new one on the next round if people join the server ( 22 )0.1 - Initial Release (9 downloads) Last edited by joeblow1102; 07-11-2010 at 15:07.Louis van Gaal faces the prospect of only having two fit specialist strikers for Manchester United's crucial Premier League clash with Liverpool on Sunday as James Wilson could be a doubt. Wilson, 19, scored before being substituted off with a hamstring problem as United's under-21 team beat their Everton counterparts 2-1 on Monday. United are already certain to be without Robin van Persie for the trip to Anfield, with the Netherlands international set to miss a fifth consecutive game with an ankle injury. If Wilson is ruled out, it would leave only Radamel Falcao -- who has scored just four goals in 21 appearances for United -- as backup for current first-choice striker Wayne Rooney. Van Gaal, however, has also showed a willingness to use midfielders Angel Di Maria and Marouane Fellaini in attack. Di Maria will be available again for the meeting with fifth-placed Liverpool after suspension, although centre-back Jonny Evans will serve the third game of a six-match ban. Wilson has not featured for United since coming off the bench in the 3-1 win over Burnley on Feb. 11, and has only scored two first-team goals this season. Falcao had played in the previous match for United's U21 team against Tottenham, but was not involved against Everton. Paddy McNair scored the other goal for Warren Joyce's side on Monday, with Adnan Januzaj and Andreas Pereira also featuring, although Victor Valdes was absent. Former United player Teddy Sheringham, meanwhile, has said Wilson should be given a chance to play alongside Rooney on a regular basis by Van Gaal. James Wilson is a doubt for Manchester United with a hamstring problem. "I really like James Wilson," Sheringham, now a coach at West Ham, told United's official website. "It's a shame for him that Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie are in front of him. "Louis van Gaal said recently that he doesn't have a striker who can score 20 goals a season, but I think if you put Wilson up there with Wayne Rooney then you'd have two players who can reach those figures for you. "He's very direct, scores goals, has good pace and that added bonus of being a left-footer -- they always tend to catch defenders off guard and it always looks more special when the left-footed strike goes in. "I like his attitude. He looks a good player, a good prospect and one that everyone needs to keep an eye on."McLEAN, Va. (AP) - Republicans nominated Barbara Comstock on Saturday to succeed longtime congressman Frank Wolf in Virginia's 10th Congressional District, turning away a slate of contenders who said they'd be a more conservative choice. Comstock, a former Wolf staffer who represents McLean in the House of Delegates, will face Democrat John Foust in a November general election expected to draw national attention. Comstock had been the GOP front-runner since announcing her candidacy, winning support from most of the GOP establishment. But she had to face a field of five challengers, including fellow Delegate Bob Marshall, who has shown an ability to upend establishment candidates with a strong grass-roots following drawn to his strong anti-abortion views. In 2008, he nearly defeated former Gov. Jim Gilmore at a 2008 convention to choose a U.S. Senate nominee. Unofficial results from the party gave Comstock 54 percent of the vote. Marshall was second with 28 percent of the vote. Howie Lind garnered 8 percent, Stephen Hollingshead 6 percent and Rob Wasinger and Mark Savitt each had 2 percent. The party held a so-called "firehouse primary" with polling sites scattered Saturday throughout the district, which stretches from McLean to Winchester. More than 13,000 people cast ballots. Wolf has held the seat since 1981, and the district has only a very slight GOP tilt. Mitt Romney carried the district by only a one-point margin 2012. The district is also home to some of Virginia's wealthiest neighborhoods and is expected to be one of the most expensive races in the nation. Comstock was attacked by her primary opponents as insufficiently conservative. In particular, they questioned why she chose in 2008 to cast a ballot in the Democratic presidential primary rather than the GOP primary. Comstock said she voted in the Democratic primary to weaken the Democrats, casting her ballot for Barack Obama because she believed him to be the weaker candidate compared to Hillary Clinton. In one interview she said her vote was part of Rush Limbaugh's "Operation Chaos" to throw the Democratic primary into disarray, though Limbaugh had not even announced that plan at the time of the Virginia primary, and there was still a valid GOP contest for Virginia voters, with John McCain and Mike Huckabee both running active campaigns. Democrats seized on the issue as well, mocking Comstock by promising not to try and create havoc by casting strategic ballots in Saturday's firehouse primary. In a statement issued after she claimed victory, Comstock said, "Now is the time for all Republicans to unite and pool our resources together to defend this seat from Nancy Pelosi's hand-picked candidate," referring to Foust. The Democrat issued a statement congratulating Comstock but challenging her votes in the House of Delegates against a bipartisan transportation package last year that raised some taxes, and painting her as one of the most conservative delegates in Richmond. Also on Saturday, Micah Edmond, a former congressional staffer and an African-American who converted to Judaism, won the GOP nomination in Virginia's 8th Congressional District, which includes the inner suburbs of Arlington and Alexandria. Edmond narrowly defeated another former congressional staffer, Dennis Bartow, at a convention vote in Arlington. Edmond will be an underdog in the fall in the heavily Democratic district. Democrats will choose their nominee from a field of nearly a dozen candidates at a June primary. The incumbent, Democrat Jim Moran, opted not to seek another term.Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says Canada will face global pressure to raise interest rates in 2014, as the United States begins to step back from its policy of extraordinary economic stimulus through intervention in bond markets. The decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve to move away from its quantitative easing policy – in which the central bank creates billions of dollars to buy financial assets each month – comes amid signs the American economy is beginning to heat up, which would boost demand for Canadian imports. At the same time, Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz has signalled rates in this country aren't likely to change for some time, as the bank juggles the risk of excessive borrowing by Canadians against that of sluggish inflation. Story continues below advertisement But the Fed's reduction of quantitative easing, dubbed tapering, adds to pressure from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and International Monetary Fund for Canada to hike rates, Mr. Flaherty said Sunday. "I think the pressure will be there, because the Fed in the U.S. should stop printing money, and taper off as they say," Mr. Flaherty, referring to the dialling back of U.S. bond-buying, told CTV in an interview aired Sunday. "The OECD and the IMF have both said to Canada we ought to let our interest rates go up a bit. So there'll be some pressure there for that to happen." Mr. Flaherty stopped short, however, of saying what he thinks Mr. Poloz should do, with the minister's spokeswoman saying Sunday that's the "domain of the Bank of Canada." With soaring personal debt levels and a heated housing market, any rise in interest rates could deliver a sharp jab to the Canadian economy. Last month in Montreal, Mr. Poloz stuck with the status quo of an official policy rate of 1 per cent, saying rates will "stay where they are for quite some time." However, a November OECD report said Bank of Canada interest-rate hikes "may begin by late 2014 to avoid a buildup of inflationary pressures." The OECD projections assumed the rate would be hiked in late 2014 and raised to 2.25 per cent – more than double its current rate – by the end of 2015. The IMF said in October it expected Canada to consider raising rates, or a "gradual tightening" of monetary policy, in late 2014. But the IMF also said in a report a month later that the Bank of Canada "can afford to wait before starting to raise policy rates towards more normal levels," but that policy makers must "remain vigilant against the potential risks" of keeping rates low, such as pension funds' "increased reliance on non-traditional investment strategies." Mr. Flaherty also said Sunday that Mr. Poloz had indicated to him there could "be some softening in the dollar," as compared to the U.S. dollar, something the Finance Minister signalled he'd welcome, to some extent, as a boost for exporters. "But the [Canadian] dollar in the 90s somewhere, it's good for manufacturing and we can still travel reasonably," Mr. Flaherty told CTV. The dollar is currently around 94 cents U.S. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters trade group is relying on Bank of Canada forecasts of a dollar in the 92-cent to 94-cent range. "This is an advantage for Canadian exporters because it will create relief in costs and increases in sales," Jeff Brownlee, the CME's vice-president of public affairs, said in a statement Sunday. The group continues to urge Canadian companies to plan for a dollar at par, however. "That way they are not just competitive and more efficient, but making more money," Mr. Brownlee said. Monetary policy, such as interest rates and the dollar, are the Bank of Canada's turf, not that of Mr. Flaherty, so it's uncommon for him to comment on the subjects. Through his spokeswoman on Sunday, he declined to comment further. NDP Finance Critic Peggy Nash said it's "disturbing" that Mr. Flaherty is wading into a subject area that's the responsibility of Mr. Poloz. "He doesn't want to leave any question about the independence of the Governor of the Bank of Canada, but we have a situation under the Conservative government that has allowed record household debt … and the bank is really caught between a rock and a hard place, because these high debt levels create pressure for higher interest rates, but inflation is very low. So they've created a climate that's very difficult for the bank to act," Ms. Nash said. Mr. Flaherty also said Canada remains on track to balance its budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal year – and Canadians are due to go to the polls in the fall of 2015. "Yes, we'll balance. And it won't be close. We're in good shape," he told CTV.TRENTON — The Lafayette Yard Hotel and Conference Center could be sold off to the highest bidder as soon as next month, an attorney told the hotel board today. Robert Rattet, the bankruptcy attorney for the city-backed hotel, said he is hoping the judge overseeing its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings will approve a Nov. 25 auction date. “The goal is to get this sold and closed to the highest and best use,” Rattet said at the meeting this afternoon. Rattet, who was hired last month by the Lafayette Yard Community Development Corp., the nonprofit board that oversees hotel operations, said he should know more after a hearing next Tuesday. The LYCDC voted to enter into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August to facilitate the sale of the former Trenton Marriott. The hotel was built with city-backed debt and opened in 2002, but has struggled to turn a profit. Rattet said a few interested buyers have already done walkthroughs of the building and two are ready to submit a bid and put up deposits of $500,000 each on Friday. “They are anxiously looking for a contract,” Rattet said. He would not say who the interested parties are, but said both are experienced in the hotel business. Rattet said his office will complete a sample contract of sale today. The board is seeking to interest more bidders, and has authorized a $50,000 contract with FTI Consulting, a financial management company, to hire a marketing firm to organize an advertizing blitz aimed at attracting potential buyers. Alan Tantleff, the senior managing director at FTI, suggested directing the marketing firm to go forward with the lowest-cost campaign. The $40,000 campaign will fund advertisements in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, as well as public relations pushes to get news stories published in the local media and trade journals. Tantleff asked the board to authorize an additional $10,000 in case the company feels it is not getting the desired response and needs to adjust the campaign. The board unanimously approved the proposal. Board attorney Gregory Johnson said he has approached city Business Administrator Sam Hutchinson to ask if Trenton would fund an appraisal of the property, so city officials can learn the hotel's true value. He said it is important for the LYCDC to be a good partner with the city because the debt that is not paid off by the sale of the hotel will be incurred by the city. “We want to be sure that the city has had the opportunity to see what the value is before the sale,” Johnson said. Rattet also said today that the federal bankruptcy trustee overseeing the hotel’s proceedings asked that all board members identify relationships they have with any of the hotel's creditors. “Their concern is conflict issues,” Rattet said. Chairwoman Joyce Kersey sits on the board of the Trenton Parking Authority, which invested in the initial construction of the hotel and has an ongoing lease agreement with the LYCDC for the use of a parking facility attached to the building. Board member Richard Sims, who was appointed this summer, is the treasurer for the Capital City Redevelopment Corp. The LYCDC owes the CCRC, a state agency, $697,436 in long-term debt. Sims refused to comment on the potential conflict. Kersey said that since the bankruptcy filing, she has recused herself from discussions of the hotel at Parking Authority meetings. She said she did not remember the TPA board having any discussions about the hotel prior to the bankruptcy. “It was not a conflict before now,” Kersey said. “Since the bankruptcy, I leave the room, I go home.” Rattet said right now the court is only asking that the board members sign a document stating any potential conflicts, but they could eventually be asked to resign from a board. Kersey declined to discuss whether she would resign from either board. • Like Times of Trenton on Facebook • Follow @TimesofTrenton on TwitterMassachusetts is running the country's most aggressive experiment in controlling health-care costs — and the first year results suggest it could be working. Two years ago, Massachusetts set what seemed like an ambitious goal: it would be the first state in the entire country that would put a firm cap on health-care spending. By 2017, the state planned to have health-care costs grow slower than the rest of the economy — something that never happens anywhere in the United States. Massachusetts' budget cap kicked in last year and
after only three years, California residents voted down all mandatory busing programs and the plan in Los Angeles was suspended. But the damage had been done – in the late 1970s, Erlich said, the district was about 30 percent white; now, that number hovers below nine percent. “[Busing] drove a huge number of Jews from the public schools,” said local author and Jewish Journal columnist Bill Boyarsky. “Parents were not comfortable sending their children to a school where their kid might be the only white person in the class.” Jewish leaders had taken both sides of the busing debate. Educator Jackie Goldberg, who would later win seats on the Los Angeles City Council and the California State Assembly, headed the controversial Integration Project in the late 1970s that pushed for mandatory busing. Activist and later U.S. Congresswoman Bobbi Fiedler, on the other hand, led the vocal Bustop movement in the Valley that fiercely opposed busing and challenged the program in court. … Private schools flourished; Jewish day schools proliferated in the 1970s and 80s. So, I wanted to get this on the record because it’s otherwise disappeared down the Memory Hole. Thus, when the young lady from The Atlantic reads Matthew Weiner, creator of Mad Men, going on and on in interviews about how he could tell there were anti-Semites lurking everywhere in 1981 at ultra-exclusive Harvard-Westlake in the Hollywood Hills (which was then 40% Jewish), she feels a righteous thrill. Meanwhile, it never occurs to her to wonder why Weiner’s parents were paying for him to attend an exclusive school founded by Episcopalians, when just a few years before they would have thought it right and fitting to utilize Los Angeles’s fine public school system. The young lady from The Atlantic could empathize more with the creator of Mad Men more than she can empathize with the Klansmen, Catholic ignoramuses, and the WASP anti-Semite golfers for whom she blames the failure of school integration, but she’s almost never called upon to wonder why Weiner’s Hancock Park parents put him in private school. It just doesn’t come up. Why would anybody who is professionally interested in the history of white flight from the public schools ever think about something as obscure as America’s second largest school district, which happens to be in the second most televised place in America? By the way, one of the funnier interviews with Weiner was conducted by David Samuels, who is now being widely denounced by the members of the Obama Administration media echo chamber for inducing Obama speechwriter Ben Rhodes to spill his guts a little too frankly for the Administration’s good. But Samuels does this to everybody, especially fellow Jews: he’s supersmart about getting inside his subject’s head and getting him to talk about his motivations that he normally keeps under wraps.The division races offered little suspense this season. Most of the winners are repeat champions, and the Houston Astros, who missed the playoffs last fall, ran away with the American League West. The awards chase has held more intrigue, though, because strong candidates abound. In close races, the voting members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America invariably become part of the story, which is why The New York Times does not allow its writers to vote. But we still have opinions on the awards — which are announced in November — and here they are. American League Most Valuable Player AARON JUDGE, YANKEES They are such opposites that even their initials are reversed. Aaron Judge is a 6-foot-7, power-hitting right fielder from California. Jose Altuve is a 5-foot-6, contact-hitting second baseman from Venezuela. Judge plays for the Yankees, who have 27 World Series titles. Altuve plays for the Astros, who have none. Judge endured a prolonged slump in the second half. Altuve was a model of consistency. Judge and Altuve have little in common besides their fashion sense — both show a lot of sock — and this: They will occupy the top two spots on most voters’ M.V.P. ballots. The question is who should be first.Firefighters from the Saline Area Fire Department were among many who battled a blaze at Reddeman Farms Golf Club in Chelsea early Saturday morning. Saline firefighters were dispatched to the fire around 1:25 a.m. and found the banquet hall engulfed in flames. Fire gutted the facility, which hosts weddings and other events. Nobody was injured in the fire, according to Chelsea Fire Chief Rob Arbini. He said the building was a total loss. The initial call came in the Chelsea Fire Department land line around 1:05 a.m. Chelsea firefighters made their way toward the golf course and spotted the orange glow from several miles away, so a fire captain called for a three-alarm response, which brought Saline and several other departments to the scene. The banquet hall was fully involved when the firest unit arrived on the scene at 1:26 a.m., Arbini said. The building house the banquet hall, pro shop, kitchen, golf courts and thousands of dollars in merchandise. "I can't even begin to estimate the value lost," Arbini said. Arbini urged residents to call 911 instead of the fire department's business line in cases of emergency. "We could have had a difference response model. It's much more efficient to call 911 and have the responses handled through that system," Arbini said. Michigan State Police are investigating the cause of the fire and are expected to return Monday to continue the investigation. Firefighters worked the scene until 10:15 a.m., Arbini said. Reddeman Farms is located at 555 S. Dancer Road.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top health official at the Department of Veterans Affairs resigned on Friday amid a scandal over allegations of deadly healthcare delays, but critics dismissed the gesture as “damage control” because he planned to retire this year anyway. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki addresses reporters after testifying before a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on VA health care, on Capitol Hill in Washington May 15, 2014. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said in a statement he accepted the resignation of Dr. Robert Petzel, VA undersecretary for health, and acknowledged the need to ensure more timely treatment of America’s military veterans. The White House said President Barack Obama supported Shinseki’s decision. Petzel’s resignation, which came a day after he and Shinseki testified before Congress, appeared unlikely to calm the anger over the scandal, with one critic rejecting the move as “damage control” and the American Legion renewing its call for Shinseki himself to step down. “Characterizing this as a ‘resignation’ just doesn’t pass the smell test,” said Republican Congressman Jeff Miller, the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Tom Tarantino, the policy chief for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said: “We don’t need the VA to find a scapegoat. We need an actual plan to restore a culture of accountability throughout the VA.” American Legion National Commander Daniel Dellinger said the resignation “is not a corrective action but a continuation of business as usual,” adding the organization wanted Shinseki and Allison Hickey, the undersecretary for benefits, to resign. “Dr. Petzel was already scheduled to retire this year so his resignation now won’t really make that much of a difference,” Dellinger added. “VA needs a fundamental shift in leadership if it is to defeat its systemic lack of accountability.” Republican Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas described Petzel’s resignation as “damage control” and said the Veterans Health Administration chief “should not shoulder the blame for VA’s failure.” Petzel’s resignation came a day after he appeared alongside Shinseki at a hearing about accusations that VA medical facilities in Phoenix covered up long wait times for patients, including 40 who died while awaiting care. In announcing the decision, Shinseki stopped short of blaming Petzel for delays and did not explicitly say why he resigned. In a statement last September, the VA said Petzel planned to retire in 2014 and the department was taking steps to find candidates to replace him. Two VA officials declined to elaborate on the reason for Petzel’s resignation. The VA has put three senior officials in Phoenix on administrative leave after doctors there said they were ordered to hold veterans’ names for months on a secret waiting list until a spot opened up on an official list that met the agency’s two-week waiting time goals. Allegations have been reported about similar cover-up schemes at VA medical facilities in at least seven other cities. The agency runs the largest U.S. healthcare group, overseeing some 1,700 hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and other facilities. Shinseki has ordered a nationwide audit of appointment and scheduling practices at all VA hospitals and clinics.contact: Cara Barnes January 5, 2014 \| WMU News WMU is closed Monday, Jan. 6. KALAMAZOO—Except for essential and emergency services, Western Michigan University is closed Monday, Jan. 6, due to severe weather. All classes are canceled. The closure includes the University's Kalamazoo and Battle Creek campuses. For information on the status of regional locations, visit the Extended University Programs Web page. This article will be updated with event cancellations and special hours as information becomes available. Events Canceled The One Stop Convenience Center, scheduled to be open Jan. 6, will instead be closed. The center will remain open through 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, one day later than originally planned. See a full list of One Stop hours here. Campus services Bernhard Center— building is open regular hours, 8 a.m. to midnight, Jan. 6. All offices are closed, but Subway and Santorini Island Grill are open with limited hours during the day. building is, Jan. 6. All offices are closed, but Subway and Santorini Island Grill are open with limited hours during the day. Dining services —All residence hall dining rooms and late-night carryouts are open when the University closes due to weather. Regular hours and menus are followed. Campus Cafes such as Flossie's, the Plaza Cafe and the Bernhard Cafe are closed. The B3 Coffee Lounge in Bistro3 is also closed. —All when the University closes due to weather. Regular hours and menus are followed. Campus Cafes such as Flossie's, the Plaza Cafe and the Bernhard Cafe are closed. The B3 Coffee Lounge in Bistro3 is also closed. Computer labs —University Computing Center Lab closed at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, and will remain closed Jan. 6. The Bernhard Center Computer Lab and the Help Desk are also closed Jan. 6. —University Computing Center Lab at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, and will remain closed Jan. 6. The Bernhard Center Computer Lab and the Help Desk are also closed Jan. 6. Sindecuse Health Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 6. is Jan. 6. Student Recreation Center is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Jan. 6. There will be no pool hours. Updates will be posted at wmich.edu/rec. is Jan. 6. There will be no pool hours. Updates will be posted at wmich.edu/rec. Waldo Library is closed Jan. 6. All branch libraries are also closed. Weather-related University closings since 1999Romney adviser Bay Buchanan on Tuesday declared that the release of leaked campaign videos showing the Republican presidential nominee writing off 47 percent of the country as “dependant” and “entitled” was just a “bump in the road.” In an edited video published by Mother Jones on Monday, Mitt Romney had told wealthy donors that almost half of the country “pay no income tax” and were going to vote for President Barack Obama. “My job is is not to worry about those people,” Romney asserted. “I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.” On Tuesday, Buchanan had the unenviable task of trying to do damage control while being grilled by CNN host Soledad O’Brien. “As a candidate, he can’t worry about those he can’t get,” Buchanan explained, adding that the media should be focusing on “one out of every six Americans are in poverty today and that 47 million are taking food stamps in order to take care of themselves and their families.” “Listen, I fully understand the strategy is to turn to the ‘real problem’ and talk about something else, but I’m going to keep you on this,” O’Brien said. “He says 47 percent of Americans pay no tax. That’s not correct. … Forty-seven percent of those people who pay no income tax — look at that chart there — 61 percent of those folks, they’re paying payroll tax, money is coming out of their paycheck. It’s being described as the myth of sort of the deadbeat nation.” O’Brien continued by reading a satirical op-ed titled “Thurston Howell Romney” that was written by conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks: “The people who receive the disproportionate share of government spending are not big-government lovers. They are Republicans. They are senior citizens. They are white men with high school degrees. As Bill Galston of the Brookings Institution has noted, the people who have benefited from the entitlements explosion are middle-class workers, more so than the dependent poor.” “So essentially, didn’t Mitt Romney in these leaked tapes bash his own voters?” O’Brien wondered. “Those are the people who are voting for Mitt Romney.” “Honey,” Buchanan replied, “He recognized that more and more people are becoming dependant on government.” “Aren’t the people he’s bashing to these wealthy donors, these are Republicans, these are white men with high school diplomas?” O’Brien pressed. “These very people are the people who are going to vote for him and now you have a major problem. … He’s not talking — 47 percent of the nation is not on food stamps.” “It was inarticulate, I admit,” Buchanan said. “There’s a sense that the campaign is in big trouble,” O’Brien pointed out. “Bloomberg [News] writes, ‘Today Mitt Romney lost the election.’ Politico says the wheels are falling off. Is that correct? Is it just a hot mess in there?” “Certainly this is a bump in the road,” Buchanan agreed. “But is anybody looking at the campaign of Barack Obama? He’s spent the last week with America watching as his foreign policy of appeasement and apologies has disintegrated. We have problems around this world in all the Muslim countries, where anti-American sentiment is unbelievable. And that’s a good week?” “But aren’t you kind of answering your own question,” O’Brien pointed out. “When you say, isn’t anybody looking at the campaign of Barack Obama, isn’t it like, ‘No because look at the headlines’? You’re drawing focus from your own campaign by these headlines.” “No, that’s an indictment on the media, Soledad,” Buchanan insisted. “Is it not a story that one out of every six Americans is in poverty? Is that not a much bigger story, that 47 million Americans have to take food stamps to take care of themselves and their families and that’s because of four years of Barack Obama, and that he has no new fresh ideas on how to put America back to work? That’s what Mitt Romney’s all about, that’s what our campaign is about. That seems to be a whole lot more important than some comment that he may have inarticulately stated.” “I appreciate your spin on it,” O’Brien concluded. “But I think ‘inarticulately stated’ is the least of the problems.” Watch this video from CNN’s Starting Point, broadcast Aug. 18, 2012.Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal, arguably Qatar’s most famous resident, has lost his base of political operations in Doha, the departure marking a deeper geopolitical shift taking hold in the region. While the reasons for Mr. Meshal’s departure for Turkey in late December were cloaked initially by official denials from both Hamas and Qatar – Meshal’s refuge and base of operations since fleeing unrest in Damascus in January 2012 – Hamas officials and observers now say it was brought about by pressure from Qatar’s Arab Gulf neighbors. The main force at play in the region is a strengthening of an Egyptian-Saudi axis that is increasingly hostile to Islamists, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is the Palestinian chapter. Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who succeeded ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and regards the Brotherhood as his political enemy, has already made life difficult for the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip. And Saudi Arabia has blacklisted the Brotherhood as a “terrorist organization,” a measure later adopted by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Qatar, on the other hand, has spent the better part of the last decade backing the Brotherhood and other Islamist movements across the region to use as proxies to push its political agenda. Observers say Qatar’s shift toward the Saudis and Egypt and away from Islamists is purely pragmatic. “Right now the wind of change is blowing in Saudi Arabia’s favor, and Qatar is moving with it,” says Hassan Abu Haniyeh, an Amman-based political analyst and expert in Islamist movements. Qatar’s political investments had appeared to pay off following the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, which saw several Islamist movements rise to power across North Africa, most notably the Brotherhood in Egypt. With the Brotherhood ruling Egypt and making political gains across the Arab world, Qatar emerged as an influential powerbroker and kingmaker, acting as a liaison between Western governments and Arab monarchies and Islamist movements, particularly Hamas. Role in Israeli-Palestinian conflict Qatar’s leadership found itself in a unique position vis-à-vis Hamas, which had been shunned by the bulk of Arab states as a militant movement. After Hamas relocated its political operations from Damascus to Qatar, Doha used its sway over the group to flex its muscles diplomatically, playing a larger role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and helping facilitate a Hamas-Fatah reconciliation. The current emir and then crown prince, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, even personally intervened to spearhead a reconciliation between Meshal and Jordan’s King Abdullah. Yet with the 2013 military coup that ousted the Brotherhood in Egypt and a resurging anti-Brotherhood axis led by Saudi Arabia, Qatar quickly found itself on the losing end of a regional power shift and under growing pressure to cut ties with its former proxies. In April 2013, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE all withdrew their ambassadors over Doha’s support of the Brotherhood and accused the Qatari leadership of “undermining security” and “intervening in the affairs” of member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council. They also threatened to suspend Qatar’s membership in the Council. For a time, Qatar was able to smooth over the rift with its Gulf neighbors while maintaining “distant ties” with the Brotherhood and fellow Islamist groups in the Gulf, Syria and Iraq. Strategic realignment Yet with the Brotherhood’s influence waning and Saudi Arabia’s ascent, observers say, Qatari leadership has chosen to undergo a strategic realignment, making a realpolitik decision to strengthen its ties with the Saudi-Egypt axis and distance itself from its former Islamist proxies. “Qatar is taking it slowly, adjusting its policies each day according to the political atmosphere,” says Mr. Abu Haniyeh, the Amman-based analyst. With the Sisi regime in Egypt as stable as ever, observers say Doha decided also to mend its ties with Egypt – a major trade partner – agreeing to a reconciliation effort pushed personally by the late Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. At reconciliation talks in Egypt in late December, held with Saudi participation, deliberations centered on two subjects, say observers and those close to the talks: the fate of jailed Al Jazeera journalists and Qatar’s ongoing asylum for Brotherhood and Hamas officials. In order to mend ties with Egypt and rejoin the Arab world, Qatar had only one option: give up Hamas. The results of Qatar’s new realignment have been clear. Series of restrictions on Hamas In September, Qatari officials expelled seven high-profile Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leaders, including Brotherhood cleric and spiritual leader Wajdi Ghuneim, who said “Qatar is being exposed to external pressures to take decisions against the Muslim Brotherhood – decisions it does not desire to take.” As weeks passed, Hamas insiders say, Qatari officials imposed a series of restrictions on Hamas leadership as well, proving that the crackdown expanded beyond the Egyptian Brotherhood and that the movement’s Palestinian branch was no longer welcome to operate freely. According to Hamas officials, Qatari security officials prevented the movement’s political bureau from receiving official delegations in Doha in December and “strongly advised” Hamas officials against traveling or communicating with Iranian officials. The restrictions escalated into a crackdown in late December after Qatari authorities briefly detained two Hamas financiers under suspicion of “illegal monetary and economic transactions.” Hamas officials say the arrest sent a clear message: Hamas officials were welcome in Qatar. Their politics were not. Next stop Turkey? “There has been clear pressure from outside forces that has changed Qatar’s policy,” says Abu Hamzeh, one of Hamas's officials who relocated to Qatar after leaving Damascus and is now residing in Amman. He says 20 Hamas officials have left Qatar for Turkey over the past month. “We may always be welcomed as guests, but we can no longer act politically or even financially or logistically in Qatar.” It was amid this air of uncertainty in late December, that Meshal and a group of his closest advisers left their refuge and operations base in Qatar for Istanbul with little fanfare or notice. Hamas officials were coy about the length of Meshal’s stay in Turkey, with senior official Izzat Rishaq disputing reports that Doha had asked Meshal to leave or that he had abandoned Qatar. Instead, the officials praised Turkey’s “open political atmosphere,” and Meshal personally thanked Turkey at a high-profile congress for the ruling Justice and Development Party for “standing with the Palestinian people and the Arab and Muslim world.” Get the Monitor Stories you care about delivered to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Swirling speculation over a Hamas-Qatar fallout forced Qatari Foreign Minister Khaled bin Mohamed al-Attiya to deny rumors that Meshal had been forced out, stressing that “Khaled Meshal is a dear guest in Qatar” whose welcome had not been worn out. But amid the conflicting statements, one message came through loud and clear: the Qatar-Hamas honeymoon was officially over.The co-owner of an Italian restaurant in Sherman Oaks has been arrested on a child pornography charge after allegedly hiding tiny video cameras in the women’s restroom and recording customers as they used the facilities, police said. Bahram Javaherian, 65, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of possessing child pornography, a felony, and was released on $20,000 bail. Javaherian has been the co-owner of the Cucina Bene restaurant in the 4500 block of Sepulveda Boulevard for 11 years, said LAPD Van Nuys division Det. Eric Rose. Los Angeles police searched the restaurant and Javaherian’s home on Tuesday and found videos that show children and adults using the single-person restroom, Rose said. He said Javaherian admitted to putting the cameras in the bathroom for more than seven months, and admitted to taking the videos home to watch them. Tiny cameras in the restroom One of the cameras police say Javaherian used, next to a pen for perspective (Los Angeles Police Department) Police began investigating Javaherian when a restaurant employee found one of the cameras and turned it over to police, Rose said. Javaherian used velcro to attach the tiny cameras, the size of a flash drive, to the bottom of the sink, Rose said. “Other times he would put it under the other dispensers -- toilet seat cover dispensers, paper towel dispensers.” One of the videos police found shows Javaherian installing the camera in the bathroom, Rose said. There’s no evidence that he put cameras in the men’s restroom. Hiding cameras in the restroom, as police allege, is a misdemeanor, Rose said. But “you have mothers go in there with their daughters and that sort of stuff,” Rose said. Those images and videos elevate the alleged crime to possession of child pornography, which is a felony. Four-star Yelp rating? Maybe not for long Cucina Bene’s website boasts a “Friendly atmosphere! To us, our guests are like family, and we treat each one just the way we’d like to be treated – with open arms, warm smiles, and delicious food.” Now, though, diners looking for Italian options on Yelp will see warnings about the cameras mixed in with reviews about the flatbread pizza and live music. Since KCBS-TV reported Javaherian’s arrest Tuesday night, people have already added one-star reviews citing the news to the restaurant’s Yelp page. “It’s a convenient location, but we’ll find somewhere else,” Michelle Jackman told KCBS. Neither Javaherian nor a restaurant representative could be reached for comment Wednesday morning. Support our journalism Already a subscriber? Thank you for your support. If you are not, please consider subscribing today. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. ALSO Domino's driver's pizzas stolen; bloodhound catches teens chowing on the evidence, police say Previously deported DUI suspect pleads not guilty in hit-and-run crash that left boy, 6, badly hurt Mystery solved: Remains of girl in forgotten casket was daughter of prominent San Francisco familySouth Korean cryptocurrency exchange appears set to file for bankruptcy after it was hacked for the second time this year, highlighting concerns about security amid booming trade in bitcoin and other virtual currencies. The exchange, called Youbit, had been hacked once before in April when nearly 4,000 bitcoins were stolen in a cyber-attack that the country’s spy agency linked to North Korea, according to a recent South Korean newspaper report. Youbit announced on its website on Tuesday that it had been hacked at 4.35am local time, causing a loss worth 17% of its total assets. It did not elaborate on the amount, but said all customers’ cryptocurrency assets would be marked down to 75% of their value. It added that it had stopped trading and would work to minimise customer losses.As a part of a mixed six, I picked up a bottle of Weyerbacher’s Merry Monks. Since I have had several Weyerbacher’s (the Double Simcoe IPA and the Slam Dunkel) in the past, and heard G-LO sing the praises of the Merry Monks, I thought I would give it a go. The Merry Monks is one of the year-round beers produced by Weyerbacher. Per their website, Merry Monks is described as a Belgian Style Tripel Ale, while the bottle that I purchased had a label saying that it was a Golden Ale. Does this mean that there are two styles of Merry Monks or perhaps I picked up an older version? Either way, here is what Weyerbacher has to say about the Merry Monks on their website: Merry Monks’ is a Belgian style Abby Tripel. To be true to the style, Merry Monks’ Ale is bottle conditioned. This means we add a bit of sugar and yeast just prior to bottling. This imparts a special effervescence to the beer, a creamier carbonation, and also extends the shelf life. The on-going fermentation inside the bottle will change the character of the beer as it ages, and you’ll find it becomes dryer with age. You may want to lay down a few bottles for future evaluation. We suggest storing at cellar temperatures – around 55°F – and away from light. When you try this beer you’re in for a unique treat. The special effervescence and creaminess are immediately apparent when pouring. The pilsner malts combined with the Belgian yeast strains yield a remarkable and complex flavor- perhaps you’ll note subtle hints of banana. The flavor is nicely balanced and the finish moderate to dry, begging for the next sip. This 9.3% brew is available year-round. I found this beer to have the following characteristics… Appearance: Golden with good foam and lacing. Golden with good foam and lacing. Aroma: Very mild notes of malt, hops, yeast and spices (nutmeg & clove). Very mild notes of malt, hops, yeast and spices (nutmeg & clove). Taste: Creamy with malt and sweet (apple-grape-citrus notes) beginning followed by a spicy (coriander) finish. Creamy with malt and sweet (apple-grape-citrus notes) beginning followed by a spicy (coriander) finish. ABV: 9.3% This was a good take on an old style. I found this to be very easy to drink, and at 9.3% ABV, a very dangerous start to the afternoon.Probably the closest thing you can compare it to is the fighting in ice hockey. Think about it: an activity somehow both integral and non-essential that many in the audience consider more entertaining than those parts of the performance that require actual talent. But here’s the difference between fighting in hockey and heckling in stand-up comedy, and it’s an essential one: the former is all about the players, while the latter is all about the fans trying to be the players. That’s why it drives comedians nuts when it’s asserted – as it was at length in the Chicago Tribune a couple of years ago – that heckling is often not only the best part of stand-up but often, indeed, the only memorable part of stand-up. Chris Borrelli – who, with another writer at the paper, Nina Metz, engaged in a forum-type discussion on the subject – went so far as to write: ‘I have seen countless comedians and theatre performances and live events in general, and forgotten most of them. But I remember each and every time I have witnessed a performer get into it with an obnoxious audience.’ The article got noticed in the comedy community, where it was regarded with contempt. The US stand-up Patton Oswalt wrote a post on his personal blog expressing ‘disgust’ with the two writers, characterising the piece as ‘an asinine, pro-heckling space-filler article’, before specifying: ‘hecklers don’t make a show memorable. They prevent a show from being a fucking show. Comedians do not love hecklers. They love doing the original material they wrote and connecting with an entire audience, not verbally sparring with one cretin while the rest of the audience whoops and screams, disconnecting from the comedian….’ An even more elaborate rebuttal to the article was provided by the comedian and journalist Steve Heisler, who wrote: ‘Hecklers make comedy memorable in the same way vacations are made memorable when you get mugged on them. You’re forced to make lemonade out of lemons. But make no mistake: there are fucking lemons. ‘This is a vibrant… art form,’ he continued, ‘that benefits from a deep understanding of what it takes to craft a set. What it takes to hone a joke. What it takes to devote your life to a career that is 99.99 per cent rejection, and STILL keep going….’ All of which is capable of making you feel pretty guilty if, like me, you’re a fan of stand-up who’s sometimes entertained by what happens when somebody heckles. It’s not like this whole idea of heckling-is-good-for-comedy is some imaginary construct of journalists and other outsiders. It has very earnest proponents among stand-ups themselves. Billy Crystal – the furthest thing imaginable from a comedy outsider – made and starred in a movie, Mr. Saturday Night (1992), in which the fictional comedian Buddy Young Jr finds his voice as a comic precisely because of a heckler. He’s a young kid, up there on the big stage doing his shticky routine, and bombing terribly. A guy starts coming at him from the crowd with insults, and the insults Buddy volleys back are what bolster his material and his confidence, and put the crowd on his side. A career is born. It’s not just in the movies, either. The comedian Franklyn Ajaye has written a terrific book called Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-Up Comedy (2002), in which the following words appear: ‘Sometimes a heckler can be good for your show, particularly if you’re at a point where you don’t have any new material and you’re a little bored with your act. Dealing with a heckler can be a chance for you to play around and see how your mind handles fresh stimuli.’ It’s worth emphasising that what Ajaye says here isn’t that heckling is good for comedians because it helps them prepare for dealing with other hecklers; what he says is that heckling is good for comedians because it helps improve their actual comedy. comedians have been known to hire hecklers, planting them in the audience because of the frisson of danger they can give a show The Canadian-born comedian Harland Williams, who is interviewed in the documentary Heckler (2007), says: ‘I just like the challenge of a heckler. I like it when people yell out, because basically they’re just shooting a bullet at you – it’s like a verbal bullet. You’re in the middle of something, and all of a sudden – pshoo-oooww – and you can either, like, do a Matrix [leaning away from and underneath the bullet], or you can catch it [catching the bullet with one hand] and go: “Let’s go buddy – it’s party time!”’ And we shouldn’t ignore the undeniable fact that comedians have been known to sometimes hire hecklers, planting them in the audience because of the frisson of danger they can give a show. Granted, these plants are working from scripted material, entirely on the comedian’s own terms, often written by the comedian himself. Two examples from Richard Zoglin’s biography Hope: Entertainer of the Century (2014) illustrate perfectly what I mean. ‘What’s going on behind the curtain?’ one of Bob Hope’s hired stooges might yell out during a show, to which Hope would reply: ‘Nothing,’ which gave the heckler the perfect opportunity to get in the last, best line: ‘Well, there’s nothing going on in front of it either!’ Or Hope might say to one of these stooges who’s been heckling him for a while: ‘Don’t you know, boys, you can be arrested for annoying an audience?’ and the stooge would reply: ‘You should know!’ Now compare all this to another heckler Zoglin identifies, from much later in Hope’s career when he was on one of his tours entertaining the troops in Vietnam. Someone in the audience shouted out at him: ‘Draft dodger! Why aren’t you in uniform?’ Hope responded as well as anyone could in such a circumstance, but his response was still pretty weak: ‘Don’t you know there’s a war on? A guy could get hurt.’ And that, right there, is the difference between the heckler as facilitator and the heckler as foil – between the kind of heckler you hire and the kind of heckler you don’t. Not every stand-up is an insult comic, or a master at handling unruly crowds. The effectiveness of some stand-ups – of a Steven Wright or a Marc Maron or a Kyle Kinane – relies so heavily on the pace established and the atmosphere created that to make the show about banter and badinage is to make it a different kind of show entirely. The same is true of the storytelling comedians, the kind who develop narratives rather than simply bounce along from punchline to punchline. For this type of comedian, a heckler can be downright destructive. If the system worked properly – and if there were any kind of system at all – the only comedians to be heckled would be the comedians who heckle. I don’t mean heckle from the audience, of course; I mean heckle from the stage. Because this is another aspect of stand-up, and it’s one that the stand-ups themselves tend to forget about when complaining of hecklers. A common refrain heard from stand-ups is that no one considers it appropriate to yell things at the opera singer, the convention speaker, the jazz player or the stage actor, so why is it considered appropriate, customary, even expected to do so at the stand-up? Why do audiences disrupt comedians? And one answer among many is that comedians very frequently disrupt audiences. The best stand-ups consistently manage to engage the audience without directly addressing particular members of the audience – to create the illusion of dialogue in the midst of what is actually a monologue. Which is its own kind of problem, ultimately. These comedians create a conversation – or seem to. And it’s a conversation in which funny things are said constantly, inducing you to believe that somebody has to be the next one to say something funny, and so it might as well be you. No wonder stand-ups are the only live performers who regularly deal with this issue. It wasn’t always so. In Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, the groundlings (so-called because they paid a mere penny to stand in the theatre’s pit) were such a nuisance that the playwright – on his way to coining their name, in Hamlet – took the time to rue their being ‘capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb shows and noise’. Hecklers were in fact such an integral part of Elizabethan theatre that performers were expected to be prepared for retort and repartee, and the best usually were. only in stand-up is the performer deemed ill-equipped if he does not respond to such interruptions with deftness and dispatch Other than the stand-up, no live performer is any longer burdened with such a responsibility. We know why heckling went out of fashion in the theatre, which became more civilised when cheaper modes of entertainment prevailed. And we know why heckling seldom appears in any consequential form at political venues, which are usually either dominated by rabid supporters or take place in a sober, respectable context. Even at so-called town-hall meetings, where the people’s collective voice ostensibly receives its clearest and fairest hearing, that voice is rigorously vetted to reduce the possibility of spontaneity and surprise – to reduce the possibility, principally, of heckling. At musical concerts, such verbal interruptions are so jarringly out of place that they’re seldom tolerated, and usually are not heard by the performer anyway. Athletes have to deal with some of the most egregious hecklers of all but, because sport is a substantively non-verbal medium wherein communicating with the audience is pretty much impossible, the athlete isn’t burdened with the expectation of a rejoinder or retaliation. Public speakers
's raids took place. They have placed nine people under house arrest. Another 22 have been banned from leaving the country Mr Cazeneuve said. France has been under a state of emergency since 130 people were killed in a series of terror attacks in Paris on November 13. Since then, some 2,235 homes and buildings have been raided, 232 people taken into custody, and 334 weapons confiscated. Cazeneuve said the number of weapons apprehended so far is staggering. He said: "In 15 days we have seized one-third of the quantity of war-grade weapons that are normally seized in a year."Sipping on a cup of coffee (of course!) I was chatting with my friends about my intended plans. From Salt Lake City, the original plan was to head straight to Denver, probably wander a little bit along the way, but I didn’t have any intended stops. My friends suggested I go to Arches National Park. Not being well traveled, I didn’t really know what that was. After a quick Google and Instagram scan I knew I had to stop there. This place looked beautiful and it was only three hours out of the way. That kind of sounds like a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, what was three more hours added to forty-seven? I packed my things and I was on my way. On the way there I booked a motel about two hours away from Arches National Park in the direction of Denver, so that I didn’t have to drive all night. I set out for my first adventure alone. This was the first travelling that was truly all by myself, all by myself in the car and all by myself on my next stop. It felt freeing. I could do what ever I wanted whenever I wanted, so I blasted my country music and sang like nobody’s business. It was late afternoon and I was out in the middle of nowhere. The desert was beautiful and I stopped a couple of times just to sit and look upon what surrounded me. There were almost no cars and the occasional train would chug on by. And then I would be on my way. Of course about an hour out from Arches I took a wrong turn. My GPS was lagging a bit and didn’t suggest turning until after I had already passed the highway I needed. As I started to drive in the wrong direction I was patiently looking for a place to turn around. There was nowhere. I literally was stuck going in the same direction for who-knows-how long. At this point I was frustrated. I was wasting time and I didn’t have much daylight left. Before long I came across one of those service roads but flew past it because it wasn’t well marked. But not knowing the next time I would see ANYTHING I slammed on my brakes, threw my car in reverse, and took what seemed like my only option. I was back on track, but having left later than I had hoped and since I had just wasted so much time, I wasn’t sure how much time I would have to explore. But I was almost there. As you drive up to Arches you go from flat desert land to these huge rock formations that at first are only in the distance. The closer you get, the smaller you feel. I couldn’t believe how big these sandstone rocks were. As I entered the park, I pulled over to take some pictures, but soon realized that I had to find the trailhead quickly because there wasn’t much sun left. I started to drive into the park. The roads seemed to go on forever, and I had no idea how much farther I had to go. I had a map, but everything seemed so small on my little piece of paper. After stopping to ask for directions twice, I had finally found the trailhead — but I only had about 20 minutes left of daylight for an hour long hike. I sat there with World War 2 going on in my head. Should I just go? Should I come back in the morning and add four more hours on to my trip? Or should I just walk away…. Honestly, looking back on this and having gained knowledge and courage throughout my trip, I might have just gone, but at that moment I walked away. I was so mad. I couldn’t believe I was this close to the Arches and wasn’t able to actually go hiking there. The saddest part is I had no idea when I would get another chance like this, but I didn’t think that I should drive all the way back from my motel that was two hours away. But this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I was laying in my hotel room about to go to sleep, pouting and fiddling with my computer, and I scrolled past a beautiful mountain and lake. I follow many nature Instagrams and see things from all around the world. But this beautiful picture was taken in Colorado. Along my way? I then Googled Maroon Bells and it just so happened to be on my way to Denver and it wouldn’t have been if I had not gone to Arches. And if I had not been so upset from missing my shot to go hiking at Arches, I would not have found this beautiful spot. I woke up excited. I had a new adventure planned and it looked as though it was going to be beautiful, but I really had no idea what was in store for me. Upon arrival at Maroon Bells, my jaw dropped. The colors were the most amazing I had ever seen. The whole mountain was painted with color. The water glowed bluish-green. The aspens (which I learned is a type of tree) were sparkling yellow and no matter how many pictures I took, they only tell half the story. Being able to look around me and have these colors surround me in every direction was something I will never forget. Not to mention because I had gone south in Utah and gone through Aspen… I had now conveniently put myself on one of the most beautiful drives in America. The stretch from Aspen, past Mt. Elbert, past the Twin Lakes, and through Leadville is absolutely amazing. I had no cell reception, no radio, and I really didn’t care because I had the world around me to enjoy.Most media discourse surrounding overweight and obesity tends to focus exclusively on human health and healthcare costs (Thompson et al. 1999, 2001; Dixon 2010). However, there is a growing recognition that dietary behaviors associated with overweight and obesity have environmental effects in addition to health implications. As a sign of this growing recognition, the US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) has recommended for the first time that sustainability should be an integral part of developing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (Merrigan et al. 2015), which are published by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and US Department of Health and Human Services every 5 years. In light of this development and mounting evidence that diet and sustainability are intertwined, our study analyzes the environmental implications that food consumption patterns contributing to extra body weight and diet-related diseases have on energy use, blue water footprint, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the US food supply system. Furthermore, while Heller and Keoleian (2014) have evaluated the GHG emissions impact of adopting the USDA recommended diet, our analysis is the first to examine the multiple effects that shifting to the USDA dietary recommendations has on energy use, blue water footprint, and GHG emissions. The blue water footprint refers to the volume of freshwater taken from the surface or ground to create a product, and which has then evaporated, been incorporated into the product, or been returned to a separate catchment from which it was originally withdrawn (Hoekstra et al. 2011). Heller and Keoleian (2014) determined that shifting from our current average diet to the USDA recommended diet (for a population engaged in moderate physical activity) could reduce GHG emissions within the food supply chain by 1 %. However, they also find that shifting food mix alone without accounting for decreased Caloric intake could increase diet-related GHG emissions by 12 %. While our study also examines the impact on emissions of shifting to the USDA dietary recommendations, we assume different Caloric intake levels and include only adults in our analysis. Further explanation is provided in subsequent sections. In another study similar to ours, Meier and Christen (2013) determine that, in Germany, switching from current dietary patterns to the German Nutrition Society dietary recommendations could reduce energy use by 7 %, blue water use by 26 %, GHG emissions by 11 %, and land use by 15 %. Meanwhile, Vanham et al. (2013a) find that adopting these same dietary guidelines in the entire European Union (EU) and Croatia would reduce their diet-related water footprint by 23 %. Additionally, a number of studies investigate the impacts of various other diets on the environment. Vanham et al. (2013a), for example, find that the EU and Croatia as a whole could reduce their total diet-related water footprint by 30 % if they reduced their meat consumption by half or by 38 % if they adopted a vegetarian diet. In another similar study, Vanham et al. (2013b) evaluate the water footprint for three diets—current, healthy (based on regional Food-Based Dietary Guidelines), and vegetarian—in four regions of the EU and determine that transitioning to either the healthy diet or a vegetarian diet substantially reduces the total water footprint in all regions. Meanwhile, Vanham and Bidoglio (2014) examine the impact of these same diets on the water footprint of agricultural products in 365 European river basins and determine that shifting to the healthy or vegetarian diet would reduce the water footprint in most of the basins. Marlow et al. (2009) find that in California, a non-vegetarian diet requires 2.9 times more water, 2.5 times more primary energy, 13 times more fertilizer, and 1.4 times more pesticides than a vegetarian diet. Meanwhile, Renault and Wallender (2000) assess several diets, also within the context of food production in California, and determine that the vegetarian diet yields the greatest results—adopting a vegetarian diet cuts diet-related water consumption by over half. Tilman and Clark (2014) find that current global dietary shifts toward Calorie-dense foods have not only led to enhanced levels of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases around the world, but have also increased agricultural land use and clearing and increased global GHG emissions. They also estimate that by the year 2050, food production emissions will increase 80 % if current dietary trends continue. Conversely, large-scale shifts toward Mediterranean, pescetarian, and vegetarian diets could potentially reduce global agricultural emissions and land clearing by 2050. Eshel and Martin (2006) determine that an omnivorous diet produces approximately 1500 kg CO 2 -eq more than a vegetarian diet incorporating the same number of Calories. Likewise, Weber and Matthews (2008) find that replacing less than 1 day’s worth of red meat and dairy Calories per week with chicken, fish, eggs, or vegetables is more effective in reducing GHG emissions than buying all food that is locally produced for 1 week. Our study contributes to the existing literature by providing further insight and analysis to the environmental costs that various dietary choices have on the food supply system in the USA. While there are many environmental impacts associated with food consumption and dietary patterns, we chose to focus on energy use, the blue water footprint, and GHG emissions in light of their accessibility, both in terms of data availability of these impacts for a wide range of food products as well as their relative significance to researchers, policymakers, and the general public. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, this article is the first to measure the changes in energy use, blue water footprint, and GHG emissions associated with shifting from current consumption patterns to three dietary scenarios, which are based, in part, on the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines. The three dietary scenarios include (1) reducing Caloric intake levels to achieve “normal” weight without shifting food mix, (2) shifting food mix to food patterns recommended by the USDA Dietary Guidelines, without reducing Caloric intake, and (3) reducing Caloric intake levels and shifting food mix to meet USDA Dietary Guidelines in order to achieve and maintain healthy weight. Our analysis uses a bottom-up approach based on a meta-analysis of the existing academic literature and scientific reports to quantify the cumulative energy use, blue water footprint, and GHG emissions throughout the food supply chain associated with the three aforementioned dietary scenarios. The next sections present the methods and data used followed by a summary of the results and a discussion of the results.Murder charge filed in gunning down of teen on Oakland street A memorial sits at the spot where Davon Ellis, 14, was shot and killed in Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood. A memorial sits at the spot where Davon Ellis, 14, was shot and killed in Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood. Photo: Henry K. Lee Photo: Henry K. Lee Image 1 of / 25 Caption Close Murder charge filed in gunning down of teen on Oakland street 1 / 25 Back to Gallery A convicted felon was charged Tuesday with murder in the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy in Oakland’s Fruitvale District, which prosecutors said happened only hours before the suspect went on a mini-shooting spree in Hayward, first firing on a car and then shooting it out with police officers. Donald Higgins, 28, of San Leandro shot and killed Davon Ellis as the boy walked with friends on the 3300 block of Brookdale Avenue shortly before 8 p.m. on Feb. 28, authorities said. Davon’s slaying shocked city leaders, police officials and residents. A freshman at Oakland Technical High School, he was a gifted football player whom relatives described as an easy-going kid. His mother, Marquita Brown, said Tuesday that she was relieved that Higgins was behind bars. “I’m happy he’s caught,” Brown said. “He won’t be on the streets anymore and won’t terrorize again. He will never see the light of day.” None of that, however, could ever erase the agony of loss, she said. Higgins’ arrest “still doesn’t bring my son back. It doesn’t change anything,” Brown said. She added that if she had the chance to talk to Higgins, she would ask him what was going through his mind when he allegedly opened fire on Davon and two of his friends. “I just want to know why,” she said. The three teens were walking together when a man drove up to them and asked if anyone was named Tim, Brown said. They said, “We don’t know a Tim,” she said. “He got out of the car, said, 'Something, something, Tim.’ They said, 'We don’t know you, bruh,’ and then he shot my son in the chest.” Brown said Higgins “has no remorse. He has no soul. He’s totally empty.” After fleeing the scene, Higgins turned up that same evening in Hayward, where he fired shots at an occupied car at Mission Boulevard and Harder Road about 9:30 p.m., later claiming to officers that the occupants were “trying to pull something out on him,” police said. About 2 a.m. on March 1 — hours later — a Hayward police officer stopped a 2004 Infiniti FX35 near Winton Avenue and Soto Road, believing it matched the description from the earlier shooting in that city. That’s when Higgins got out of the car, opened fire at the officer and ran away, authorities said. The officer returned fire, they said. Higgins also fired at a second officer who spotted him coming out of a yard, police said. Higgins later stated that he returned fire only after the officer shot at him. No one was hurt in the shootout, and Higgins was arrested 12 hours later after a search of the neighborhood and a standoff at what turned out to to be his brother’s house on the 300 block of D Street. A loaded, stolen Glock 9mm handgun was recovered, police said. Alameda County prosecutors charged Higgins with murder, shooting at an occupied vehicle, and numerous counts of attempted murder, attempted murder of a police officer, assault on a police officer, weapons enhancements and being a felon in possession of a gun. Higgins has prior convictions for shooting at an occupied vehicle and robbery, court records show. He is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. Henry K. Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: hlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @henrykleeLoading... Loading... As this country inches farther away from the democracy it once pretended to be, the level of propaganda and indoctrination that the average American must wade through in order to get the smallest amount of Truth is staggering. We have reached a point in which Americans are so overwhelmed with the current battle taking place between the Alternative News community and mainstream media, and its barrage of contradicting “Facts,” that most have simply chosen to completely remove themselves from any critical thinking. Even when the government itself reveals an age-old lie to be true, most are so indoctrinated with the idea of the “conspiracy” that they convince themselves that the revelation is just another trick of those deceptive “conspiracy theorists.” This has been seen many times in recent years. A perfect example of this is weather modification. Weather modification, geoengineering, chemtrails; these are all topics that if brought up in most circles today, would garner the speaker the telltale look that most Truthers have become all too familiar with. It is a look that has been ingrained into all who have opted to cast aside their critical thinking for their comforting daily lie. There is a herd mentality that has been established that causes even those on the fence or those interested in “outside the box” ideas, to fall in line while surrounded by the docile mass. So when the Pasadena Star recently released a government “Notice of Intent” on page 11 of the Classifieds, announcing their plan to begin weather modification in Los Angels County, it became clear that those blank stares should be turned inward, for some much-needed self-reflection and reevaluation. Obviously the appropriate area of the paper to release such a controversial topic is the classifieds, where it will no doubt be noticed by all. Sarcasm aside, it is clear they did not want anyone to take notice of this declaration of weather manipulation that has been fervently denied up until last year. Many were also unaware that in 2014 the Navy publicly confirmed previous conjecture in regards to weather modification and the HAARP facility. “…we’re moving on to other ways of managing the ionosphere, which the HAARP was really designed to do, was to inject energy into the ionosphere, to be able to actually control it.” Even after this statement, which was no doubt rationalized away by those unwilling to accept the reality currently slapping them across the face, the internet continued to be awash with “conspiracy theorist” slander and ridicule when discussing weather modification. Some have spoken out claiming that the statement released in the Pasadena Star newspaper, is only a notice to commence “cloud-seeding,” and that cloud-seeding is something that the government has been “open” about for a long time. First of all, open is not the word anyone would use to describe the US government, and second, of course it is cloud-seeding, but most will adamantly deny that even cloud-seeding exists; laughing it off as yet another crazy conspiracy. Twenty years ago, those very same people would have arguing that cloud-seeding itself was a crazy conspiracy. The notice of intent in the Star read further: “Ground-based equipment will be used to disperse silver iodine particles into suitable storm clouds. Criteria have been developed for both initiating and suspending weather modification activities.” The sad truth is that even following a blatant “Notice of Intent” to modify the weather, many are so well trained to ignore anything that goes against the mainstream narrative that they will justify and rationalize in whatever way they need, in order to make this fall in line, even with the statement coming from a small mainstream source. This is no doubt why it was released on page 11 of the Classifieds, so that those looking for a reason to discount its legitimacy will assume that, “if the government wanted to admit something like this they would have done it on the front page.” Ultimately, the spraying of silver iodine into the atmosphere should not be okay with anyone, despite the name or label one wants to give this process in order to satisfy their fragile reality. According to the County of Santa Barbara’s Material Safety Data Sheet(MSDS), silver iodine has the following Hazardous Identification: Potential Acute Health Effects: Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Under Accidental Release Measures is states: Be careful that the product is not present at a concentration level above TLV(threshold limit value). Check TLV on the MSDS and with local authorities. And finally under Precautions: Do not ingest. Do not breathe dust. Wear suitable protective clothing. In case of insufficient ventilation, wear suitable respiratory equipment. If ingested, seek medical advice immediately and show the container or the label. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. When an idea has been thrown out that contradicts one’s carefully constructed reality, their lifelong inculcation of specific ideas and beliefs that support the mainstream narrative has taught them to shut down completely. Not a moments thought is given to the possibility that the idea might have some merit or factual representation, because if the idea was given its proper consideration and found to be correct, even slightly possible, their entire world is suspect. This scares the life out of the average mainstream believer. While many here would insert the appropriate Orwellian reference, Aldous Huxley had a slightly different yet equally scary perception of the future. In his book Brave New World he suggested a future where citizens would be flooded with so much information that the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. It is not hard to see the logic in that thought process when one looks at the overwhelming amount of information, misinformation and outright lies perpetually circulating on the Internet. It becomes hard to know one’s own opinion when over saturated with constantly conflicting narratives. This produces a public that is no longer interested in activism or advocacy because it would appear to be ineffectual at best. The sad but unfortunate truth is that the United States government has become the very thing this nation was founded to prevent. Despite the fact that the country wasn’t able to make it through five presidents before we began to see the cronyism and unilateral decisions that are rampant today, it is easy to see the virtue and justness within the founding ideals of the United States. History has shown us time and time again that human nature will always play its part in any position of power; man is inherently capable of both extreme good and evil. This was exactly the logic behind the second amendment, regardless of how many have attempted to dilute or distort its meaning with modern association. The American people have a right to defend their inalienable and self-evident rights against what the founding fathers saw as an inevitable eventuality: a tyrannical government. They knew that even men in that very room, had the potential to steer the nation in the direction we now face today. What this nation is in dire need of is not a violent revolution, but a revolution of the mind. Americans need to begin to see the danger of current circumstances and the inevitability of history coming full circle. The history of the world if rife with leaders turning corrupt, people rising up to establish order, and repeat. This is due to the inherent qualities of any human being; we are all subject to greed, desire and ambition. All have skeletons in their closet; simply being elected to office does not somehow strip one of their human characteristics. Yet the people tend to cast these public officials is a light of morality by default, when our own nation’s history strongly shows otherwise. The American people can no longer refuse to see the dangers at its feet that are quickly becoming perilous. To ignore the very real dangers of manipulating the ionosphere, and injecting it with potentially harmful materials, or to disregard that this type of government experimentation is happening at all, is very naive and irresponsible at best. But to ignore the fact that up until recently the entire subject was denied, and has now been nonchalantly admitted as if it was commonplace all along, is just reckless. What is important to the future of this country is that each individual personally decides to give equal consideration to all possibilities, despite any pre-conceived misconceptions that have been subtly cast out into American culture for decades. Sources: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/, http://cosb.countyofsb.org/uploadedFiles/pwd/Water/msds.pdf, https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxmx-9RIk8c, https://npinopunintended.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/the-worst-thing-every-president-has-done/ Help Us Be The Change We Wish To See In The World.WASHINGTON — Top advisers to then-candidate Donald Trump privately reassured Canadian officials that, if elected, Trump would work with other countries, despite some of his campaign rhetoric, and hinted that he could change his “more controversial positions” on national security and foreign policy, documents show. Members of Trump’s team also “acknowledged the (at times) mercurial nature of his thinking” in conversations with Canadian officials, blaming his temperamental demeanor on Twitter and his lack of political experience. The conversations between Canadian officials and Trump's advisers took place at “meetings on the margins” of the Republican National Convention in July, according to an internal report to Canada’s Global Affairs department headquarters from its embassy in Washington. The report, along with hundreds of pages of other communications regarding the 2016 presidential election, was originally requested by the National Post and obtained by BuzzFeed News using Canada's freedom of information laws. Officials from the Canadian consulates in Washington and Detroit “attended various events on the margins of the convention, several of which included key advisors to Mr. Trump and his campaign," according to the report emailed to David Morrison — assistant deputy minister to the Americas — in late July. "While many of those advisors espoused Mr. Trump’s traditional positions, particularly on trade agreements, the expansion of energy development and the need for regulatory reform," the email says, "there were several key figures who appeared to indicate a certain flexibility to or evolution of Mr. Trump's more controversial positions, particularly those related to foreign policy and national security." The documents also say Trump's advisers attributed his unpredictability "to the instantaneousness of the medium (e.g. [T]witter) or his background not as a politician but as a businessman focussed on getting the best deal." "They were nevertheless sincere in their reassurance that a Trump presidency would be willing to engage with the international community, albeit in less traditional ways,” the report added. In another batch of election-related communications obtained by BuzzFeed News, Canadian officials in Washington warned that Trump's foreign policy was both “isolationist” and “unpredictable.” Both sets of documents express a general tone of concern over the future of trade agreements between the US and Canada. "The protectionist sentiment that has emerged this election may not only endanger the future of trade deals like the TPP [Trans-Pacific Partnership], but could also impact deals concluded years ago like NAFTA," reads a May 2016 comparison of Trump and Hillary Clinton's platforms. On Monday, Trump signed an executive order pulling the US out of the TPP, or Trans-Pacific Partnership. And as officials note in the documents, Trump has called the North American Free Trade Agreement a "disaster" and vowed to renegotiate it or tear it up. In another email, dated Sept. 19, an official at the Canadian embassy in Washington cites a Peterson Institute report that warns of "trade wars" if Trump withdraws from NAFTA. "The paper is very thorough and comprehensive," writes economic minister Gilles Gauthier. "The conclusion is that a President Trump has domestic legal authority to terminate NAFTA and other free trade agreements. However, in order to impose 35% tariffs on Mexico and/or China, a Trump administration would either need to invoke 'national security exemption', or withdrawing [SIC] from the WTO [World Trade Organization]." "In both instances, this could lead to trade wars," Gauthier writes. "Approximately 4.8 million US jobs would lost in a trade war scenario. Even if a full blown trade war is averted, job losses exceed one million." Since the election, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's top advisers have met with Trump advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon in Washington to try to "to avert a costly trade war," the Globe and Mail reported. Last weekend, Trudeau reportedly "noted the depth of the Canada U.S. economic relationship" in his first phone call with Trump since his inauguration. Elsewhere in the documents, Canadian officials appeared to reference Trump's past comments on NATO — of which Canada is a member and has been criticized for not meeting the organization's defense spending target. "Also up for debate is the future of the U.S.' role in the world," the email reads. "Whether led by the more hawkish Hillary Clinton who could seek to expand alliances, or the more isolationist Donald Trump calling on allies to 'pay their fair share', there may be increased calls for burden-sharing from allies." The Trump Administration did not return a request for comment.An Afghan-born teenager accused of sexually assaulting eight young females in surf at a Gold Coast beach claims he is 16, not 18, and should be tried as a child. The Victorian-based teenager, facing 13 charges, including multiple attempted rape and sexual assault offences, allegedly committed the attacks at Surfers Paradise about midday on January 12. A teenager has been accused of sexually assaulting eight young women in the water at Surfers Paradise. Credit:Glenn Hunt His lawyer told the Southport Magistrates Court during a brief mention of the case on Thursday that his client says he is 16, not 18, and shouldn't be tried as an adult. The teen and his family claim the accused arrived into Australia as a boy without official documents and was given an older age than he actually was by immigration officials.Occlusion (also referred to as interposition) happens when near surfaces overlap far surfaces. If one object partially blocks the view of another object, humans perceive it as closer. BOOM! There's a name for these GIF images:The image tricks the brain into seeing depth. The, which give the illusion of depth perception. You see, your brain expects that the image would remain confined within the white bars. However, when an object in the GIF breaks through these white bars (reference frame), it creates a popping-out illusion, which your brain perceives as 3D. In a sense, it is forced perspective ().Another way to understand this is that the white bars[1]the object in these animations. Therefore, to your brain, the white bars are in front of the object. Now, when the object moves and is no longer blocked by the white bars, your brain perceives that it has movedthe bars and towards you. This generates a 3D illusion. The effect is even more pronounced when the background is out of focus, as with Harry's GIF you posted.Source:Super Bowl 50 is now in the books, so naturally, we're already looking toward next season. Will the champion Broncos be a force once again? Is there any hope for the Browns and other 2015 bottom-feeders? Editor's Picks Tuley: Best early Super Bowl LI value bets With Super Bowl 50 in the books, Chalk's Dave Tuley gives his early value bets for Super Bowl LI, including Atlanta at 40-1. Yes, it's difficult to project anything before free agency and the draft, but our smaller-than-usual panel of experts (21 voters) gave it a whirl. Five teams -- Carolina, New England, Seattle, Green Bay and Denver -- received at least one first-place vote. Below is our way-too-early 2016 hierarchy. Click here to see the final regular-season rankings of 2015 2015 record: 15-1 Voting results: 653 points Why they're here: Including Super Bowl 50, the Panthers have won 20 of their past 23 games, return both their offensive and defensive coordinators, the core of a young defense, get big-bodied Kelvin Benjamin back in the offense, and their franchise QB isn't just coming into his own as a passer, he won't even turn 27 until May. Did we mention they finally have cap space? What could change: Winning is expensive, and returning to a Super Bowl is tough. Josh Norman is going to need about $14 million per year, and they need secondary help beyond him. And the Super Bowl didn't make the tackles look good. 2015 record: 12-4 Voting results: 641 points Why they're here: They haven't won fewer than 12 regular-season games in seven years, kept both offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in the fold, and will also get Tom Brady's blindside protector Nate Solder back. New England doesn't even have a big free agent to lose, as LeGarrette Blount is probably the biggest name who could depart. What could change: Brady turns 39 before New England's first preseason game, and while he's coming off another brilliant season, dramatic QB declines at this age aren't uncommon. The Patriots lack a first-round pick and need to stabilize the O-line. Did we mention Brady has another court date this offseason? 2015 record: 10-6 Voting results: 623 points Why they're here: A quarter of the voting panel had Seattle at No. 1, and that's not hard to imagine given the Seahawks will return nearly every piece of the NFL's top scoring defense, and have a 27-year-old QB coming off a breakthrough passing season. No Beastmode? Well, Thomas Rawls will be back. And don't overlook that Pete Carroll didn't have his top two coordinators poached. What could change: An offensive line that never quite jelled in 2015 could be down two more starters if Russell Okung and J.R. Sweezy move on, and Marshawn Lynch is retiring. Seattle also has a tough decision to make on Jimmy Graham. And will Kam Chancellor be trade bait? 2015 record: 13-3 Voting results: 580 points Why they're here: Despite a disappointing crash in the NFC Championship, the Cardinals will return in 2016 with one of the NFL's deepest rosters. They'll also see the return of Tyrann Mathieu. Bruce Arians hasn't won fewer than 10 games since he arrived three years ago, and despite his shaky postseason the team is 19-3 when Carson Palmer starts over the past two seasons. What could change: Palmer is 36, lacks mobility and the Cardinals always appear an injury at QB away from disaster. Larry Fitzgerald turns 33 in August and Calais Campbell turns 30 days later. Age is an issue with linchpin players. One other big question: Can cornerback Jerraud Powers and safety Rashad Johnson be retained? 2015 record: 12-4 Voting results: 574 points Why they're here: John Elway has proved to be a master of roster assembly, and Denver will return the core of one of the NFL's most dominant defense in 2015, assuming Von Miller is retained. Brock Osweiler got help from the defense, but was 5-2 as a starter and completed 62 percent of his throws. Denver's O-line should be even better in year two of Gary Kubiak's offensive makeover. What could change: Osweiler's seven-start run looks good in the win-loss column, but that was with the NFL's best defense. His QBR was good for 24th, so there will be growing pains. And signing Miller and Osweiler could mean Denver can't afford the emerging Malik Jackson, which would be a big blow. That said, the Broncos also have young defensive talent on the rise. 2015 record: 10-6 Voting results: 569 points Why they're here: It's hard to bet low when Mike Tomlin is entering his 10th season and has finished under.500 zero times. The Steelers had one of the best offenses in the NFL in 2015... without Le'Veon Bell. He'll be back, the ridiculous corps of wide receivers will be too, and Big Ben will be healthy. A defense that has transitioned young is improving and will return Senquez Golson. What could change: The Steelers face a major cap crunch, among the worst in the NFL. In short order, they could lose up to six starters in free agency, including a pair of starting offensive linemen, in front of a QB that is too often playing hurt. They might need to be creative just to keep Heath Miller. No Heeeeaaatth would be a gut punch. 2015 record: 10-6 Voting results: 556 points Why they're here: Though they sit at No. 7, the Packers actually got a No. 1 ranking from one of our panelists. It's not a stretch. Dom Capers' defense improved in 2015, and Green Bay will get Jordy Nelson back on the other side of the ball. It's just not easy to lower expectations on a franchise that consistently replenishes the roster, has talented young players, and hasn't missed the playoffs in seven years. What could change: That improved defense? Well, Mike Neal, Casey Hayward, B.J. Raji and Nick Perry are unrestricted free agents, Julius Peppers could be a cap casualty, and it's hard to say what the future holds in the backfield after Mike McCarthy called out Eddie Lacy for his conditioning issues. And while Nelson is back, will GM Ted Thompson be willing to spend in free agency to add another weapon? That's (famously) not his style. 2015 record: 12-4 Voting results: 547 points Why they're here: The Bengals have great stability on the offensive side of the ball, one of the deepest rosters in the NFL -- with emerging depth along the offensive lines -- and a will have a healthy Andy Dalton returning with an arsenal of weapons after a breakthrough season. They've been to the postseason in five consecutive seasons and should have won a playoff game even with a backup at QB. What could change: What had been a deep secondary could be a lot thinner with Leon Hall, Adam Jones, George Iloka, and Reggie Nelson all headed to free agency. The wide receiving corps could also be facing departures. Unless Dalton takes another step forward, are the Bengals better or merely running in place? 2015 record: 11-5 Voting results: 500 points Why they're here: How much lower can you project an Andy Reid-coached team -- he has 31 wins in three seasons here -- with young stars on both sides of the ball and steady if unspectacular play from quarterback Alex Smith, who is coming off his most efficient season and appears revitalized with actual weapons in the offense
in Chicago—a city known not only for a brutal police riot during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, but also as the home of Saul Alinsky, the legendary organizer whose Rules for Radicals is shot through with disdain for electoral politics. “We realized the limitations of doing Alinsky-style organizing—only picking goals winnable in the short term. That’s not a thing we agree with anymore,” says Kristi Sanford, a spokesperson for Reclaim Chicago. “We believe that you won’t be taken seriously if you can’t pose an electoral threat, endorse candidates, and take out people who impede you at every turn.” Strategy aside, Sanford says, “people don’t always understand what issue organizing is about. People get elections—there’s a very clear ladder of engagement with elections.” In 2015, Reclaim Chicago–backed candidates won seven seats on the City Council and forced three Emanuel-backed incumbents into runoffs. The next year, the group endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders, who won 61 percent of the vote in the 35th Ward in the Democratic primary. It also helped elect five progressives to the Illinois State Legislature. “Bernie Sanders woke a sleeping giant,” says Amanda Weaver, Reclaim Chicago’s executive director. “We can’t just keep fighting for our neighborhoods in our neighborhoods.” The ability to connect local issues to larger struggles is one thing that sets Reclaim Chicago—and activists like Weaver and Ramirez-Rosa—apart from traditional community organizers. Another is the ease with which they also braid together the personal and the political. When I first heard Weaver speak, she introduced herself as “a survivor of sexual assault, a daughter of low-income parents, and a sister who lost a brother to the opioid epidemic.” I asked her why she did that. “It’s important to stand up, say my story, be vulnerable,” she replied. “I think if we’re fighting for our lives together, we have to know each other. It’s important that our relationships are not just transactional.” In the end, though, what makes spending time with Ramirez-Rosa and the folks at Reclaim Chicago so exciting, especially in the Trump era, is their confidence—and their absolute refusal to downsize their dreams. “We can’t be the movement that keeps losing,” Weaver says. “One of the things we’ve learned in Chicago is that in order to win, you have to build coalitions,” says Clem Balanoff, a longtime labor activist who ran the Sanders campaign in Illinois. While Reclaim Chicago has yet to make an endorsement in the 2018 gubernatorial race, many of its members are behind State Senator Daniel Biss, the anti-corporate candidate challenging billionaire businessman J.B. Pritzker for the Democratic nomination for governor. “We’re going to build a different kind of power,” Ramirez-Rosa vows. And Reclaim Chicago is just the beginning, says Tobita Chow, chair of the People’s Lobby. The new movement-backed politics shaking Chicago is a model that Chow wants to see exported as widely as possible: “Because it’s not enough to lobby the government, not enough to appeal to the government. It’s time for us to be the government.” Governing from the left—it’s certainly a radical idea. But Chow argues that if it can happen in the 35th Ward, it can happen anywhere. “We absolutely have to globalize this movement,” says Chow, whose next big idea is a global minimum wage. “You can’t control multinational capital without multinational organizing.” “It’s a long game,” says Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, a young man in a hurry. Clarification: An earlier version of this article stated that Reclaim Chicago was “at the heart of the coalition behind State Senator Daniel Biss,” which could be read as describing an endorsement. The group has not yet endorsed in that race.Last weekend (Sat., June 6, 2015), I competed in my second amateur fight at the Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. But before I get into that, I want to take it all the way back to Thursday, which was the real start of my weight cut. I began the week at right around 135 pounds, meaning I had to lose 10 by Friday. Waking up at around 130 on Thursday, I ate little except for a salad before my mitt session with Coach Joey Rodriguez, Team Alpha Male's boxing coach. Usually, I sweat off at least a couple pounds from hitting pads with him, so I figured with a skin-tight rash guard and hoodie on, there was a decent chance I'd end the workout at 126. With the one pound allowance, that would've meant I was already on weight, meaning I could eat something small and drink some water that night. Instead, I trudged through a punishing mitt session, but ended up weighing a disappointing 129.5 after the workout. As Coach Joey aptly described the situation, "Shit." Without getting too whiny, that meant no water or food that night. In turn, Thursday night was definitely the most difficult to sleep through. I can handle stress and nerves fine, but trying to drift off while thirsty and hungry is a different monster. Regardless, the next morning eventually arrived, and I woke up at about 127.5. Luckily, my apartment complex has a sauna, so I slipped into a sauna suit and sweats. I sat in for around 25 minutes and came out just a few ounces over 126. In short, refueling at all was still out of the question. Before long, the time to leave for the event came. Now, it's important to note a simple fact: the vast majority of MMA promotions -- amateur, professional, or unsanctioned -- are total shit shows in terms of organization. There's a reason someone like Burt Watson is so valuable. To its credit, this event seemed to be keeping its head above water. However, it faced a separate issue, as it was in support of the military and took place on an active military base. That meant everyone who wanted to get into the fights (fighters, corners, family, etc.) had to send a bunch of personal information to the base weeks ahead of the actual event. Naturally, this kills ticket sales, also known as the income of your average amateur fighter. But more importantly, it resulted in plenty of delays. Most of the fighters, myself included, spent at least a couple hours waiting in the visitor center, unable to get onto the base. While waiting is definitely a big part of the fight game -- my personal least favorite part -- it'll still test the patience of dehydrated and hungry athletes. If this read has been a bit of a downer so far, then I'm doing a decent job. Once again, to the promotion's credit, they did another smart thing. Rather than wait for the official weigh-ins, which at some point was delayed an hour to 5:30, we did them a couple hours early once all the fighters had arrived. Instead, of sitting around doing nothing for two hours while on weight, we were all given a chance to drink and eat before weighing in again and squaring off. Which is why I look moderately happy in the picture below. At the real weigh-ins, I made it at 125.1 with underwear on, meaning I would've also made weight had it been for a championship belt. A few hours later, I was up about three pounds. After the official weigh-in, all the fighters waited around and bonded. It was a cool experience; everyone was going through very similar circumstances. There were only eight of us and it was a small room, so fighters and their opponents all talked and joked around trying to pass time. I can happily say that my opponent was/is a very respectful person and more than friendly. I don't need animosity to fight. Nonetheless, in the "for show" weigh-ins later on, I still gave a serious stare down, which was returned in kind. The final noteworthy moment came when one of the men running the event began going over the schedule. At some point, the words "... and at 4:30, Urijah Faber will come by to do a meet-and-greet with the military members." While Urijah definitely does stuff like this fairly often, I had to laugh. The night before, I talked to Urijah after my mitt work. We talked about the details of the fight -- including the event location -- and Team Alpha Male's head honcho wished me well and gave me some advice for the fight. At the same time, I'm fairly certain he had no idea that he was scheduled to come onto the base the next day. The general is a very busy man. It was a welcome surprise. Buy your Cody 'No Love' Garbrandt shirts now, before he's the champion of the world and the cost goes up. Anyway, my dad and I then left the base. To refuel, we had dinner at Mikuni's sushi, which is the unofficial -- or official? I don't know the exact relationship -- home of our team, There's a couple of rolls named after members of the team, and my personal favorite is the "Money" roll. Sleep came much easier on Friday. After a decent-sized lunch of grilled chicken, rice, and sweet potatoes, it was back to the base, where things would get decidedly more interesting. While this fight card was unsanctioned, it was sold to me as having the same rules as CAMO, which is California's regulatory body for amateur MMA. I had to do all the same medical work as if it were a CAMO event, so I had no reason to doubt that. The only difference that I knew about heading into the event was that it was three minute rounds instead of two, and I was more than okay with that. As it turned out, the gloves were also four ounces rather than six and there were no shin guards at all. So, basically, it was a professional fight with shorter rounds and a few minor rule differences (no elbows or heel hooks). While it was surprising -- and the analyst in me would've liked this information ahead of time to plan -- I didn't feel intimidated. A big benefit of being at Team Alpha Male is the huge number of training partners coming in from all over the world to visit. I know from training around the room that I'm ready to fight professionally, but in-cage experience is still important. In our locker room, a walleyball court, I talked to the fighters, listened to music, and played Pokemon. As the co-main event of an admittedly tiny card, I had some time to kill. When I was a couple fights out, I warmed up with one of my cornermen, professional flyweight, knockout artist, and Team Alpha Male Japan ambassador Mike Nakagawa. I hit some pads, worked on my game plan, and practiced some of my favorite combinations. Meanwhile, my other cornerman Amadeo Novella -- strength coach to many of the top fighters on the team (and me!) -- played some music and got our supplies together. After I got a light sweat going and felt comfortable with the snap in my punches, I bounced around until it was my time to go. Before long, I was walking to the ring -- did I mention it was a ring? Found out the day before -- underneath the slamming drums and distorted synthesizers of Sacramento's own experimental hip-hop/punk/noise/industrial group Death Grips. Here's the fight video. Turn your sound down first, and my thoughts/walk through of the match are below. Heading into this fight, I was extremely calm. Some fighters want to be hyped up and aggressive before they enter the cage, but that isn't my style. For better or worse, I'm a thinker and need to have a clear mind. My opponent was 0-2 prior to this fight, but he hadn't fought since 2013. Two years is a life time in MMA, but I still figured I could pick up something from the one fight video I found. Namely, he stood in karate-influenced stance and seemed to play the outside counter game. While I definitely expected him to be much better than that fight showed, most people just get better at their style, so I planned to take out a Southpaw that kickboxes from distance and patiently waits for his opportunities. Wrong! With that in mind, my game plan was pretty simple. I wanted to pressure him with punches and level change feints, walk him into the cage ring, and take advantage with punches and/or takedowns. In the process, I would follow up inside low kicks with off-beat punches and step into knee strikes. None of that happened, except for some level change feints. He came out of the gate quickly, and I circled away. Almost immediately, I stepped on the lower rung of the ring and stumbled a bit like a moron. As I recovered my stance, he slammed a high body kick into my chest. Apparently, when you put a divot into my chest muscle with your bare shin, my immediate reaction is to drop into a double leg. From his back, he rolled into an armbar not long after. My arm was fully extended, but I kept enough pressure on him that he couldn't use his hips to finish. I briefly applied pressure from the top, stacking him on his neck. Despite the danger, I felt quite calm, and told myself that he would get tired breathing as rapidly as he was. Then, I spun around him, spinning my arm out and landing in side control momentarily. From there, I hunted for a guillotine and d'arce choke as he recovered guard. I tried to pass a few times, but he did a nice job of either holding on tight, rolling for the arm, or trying to buck me over whenever I did create some space. For me, this fight was a mixture of my improved wrestling courtesy of TAM and a healthy dose of Hassett Love (the rough part of jiu-jitsu my home gym is known for). Nonetheless, I managed to land some hard punches. Whenever I managed to stand up in the guard, I'd throw all my weight behind a punch when he pulled me back down. Elbows would've been hugely useful here, but that's life. When he did grab an underhook and squeeze, I relied on all the mean, grimy, but ultimately legal techniques I learned back in my days at Hassett's Jiu-Jitsu. I ground my forehead into his jaw, dug my knuckles into his cheek, and repeatedly slammed his head into the mat with my shoulder. Most of the fight took place in this position, so I'll just go through the highlights. Round 1 continued... After slamming my way out of an armbar, I tried to fall back into a knee bar. He twisted, and we landed in the 50/50 guard. Unfortunately, heel hooks were illegal. Instead, I tried a few footlocks with little success. But the highlight of this exchange was when we both sat up from the position, I landed a hard punch that caused the crowd to cheer. Getting some great corner advice that I've since mostly forgotten. Damn, my thighs are pale... Round 2 I landed a sharp front kick to the body to start the round, but he countered with a nice calf kick and follow up punches. On the mat, the only real exchange of interest came when he successful rolled me from half guard. I kept my underhook deep and tried to come up on a single leg, then re-rolled him when he based his knee out to defend. I've been doing that series of sweeps since I started jiu-jitsu. Round 3 I partially landed a high kick to start the round, then we traded some punches. His knee to the body didn't land cleanly, but he then went for a headlock throw. I tried to go with it and swivel around into back mount -- that's how I won my debut -- but he stayed on top. I'm really proud of the triangle set up I used from the bottom, and am equally annoyed that I didn't finish it. With my feet in the hips and controlling one hand, I waited for him to punch and timed it perfectly. He hunkered down initially, but some punches from my back let me move into a good position to finish. The problem came when he moved his leg up. I thought he was looking to lift and slam, so I hooked the leg. Instead, he wrapped me up with his legs and prevented me from moving. We then stalemated for we too long. I even gave the ref a look to stand us back up. There you have it. Overall, I have mixed feelings on my performance, though I do ultimately prefer it to my debut. On the negative side, I threw very few punches despite having made serious improvements to my boxing and feeling quite comfortable there. Similarly, I went for a few submissions on the mat, but I'm frustrated that I couldn't accomplish more. On the other hand, this was the most high level opponent I've faced, and it went down in a strange environment with unexpected rules. When my opponent flipped the script and fought like a bat out of hell, I adjusted. I've said in quite a few of my articles that a sign of a great fighter is the ability to both follow a game plan AND adapt as necessary, and I've done both in my pair of fights. There's obviously an incredibly long way to go, but I'm proud of it regardless. Furthermore, I definitely learned something about the conditioning aspect. I've heard a few UFC fighters say they were exhausted in fights, despite their performance showing no real indication of it. I can understand that more now, as I certainly felt tired in the fight, but it didn't noticeably affect my ability to perform. And, outside of a sore chest, I took very little damage. I have a lot more thoughts, but this is already far too long. Until my next fight, you can follow my fight career by following my INSTAGRAM, or commenting on any of my articles that run on here on Mania each week. Finally, I just have to thank all my coaches and training partners at Team Alpha Male for being both incredibly talented and welcoming. I've spent the vast majority of the last nine months inside Ultimate Fitness, and wins like this make it worth it. I'd also like to wish my opponent luck in his career. He's a very tough fighter and good dude.By Roger Harrabin BBC environment analyst Markets need to be pointed in the right direction, Sir Mark says Sir Mark Moody-Stuart told BBC News the motor industry would adapt to cope with stricter environmental rules. The UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders opposes the idea, saying drivers of the most polluting cars pay extra through road tax and petrol duty. But Sir Mark said this simply let rich people avoid taking responsibility for tackling climate change. Expanding on the views he expressed in a BBC News website Green Room opinion column, Sir Mark said: "Nobody needs a car that does 10-15mpg. "We need very tough regulation saying that you can't drive or build something less than a certain standard. You would be allowed to drive an Aston Martin - but only if it did 50-60mpg." Sir Mark's rule would apply only to new cars. Eventually, old polluting cars would die quietly of their own accord. While car-makers could improve the efficiency of many sports cars to meet such a target, they would struggle to get some heavy, luxury cars to qualify. The UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders spokesman Nigel Wonnacott said drivers of polluting cars already paid extra through VED (road tax) and petrol duty. That was enough. Sir Mark said that, in addition to addressing inefficient cars, he also wanted very tough efficiency standards applied to other sectors, such as buildings and lighting. He added that the rich should not escape their responsibility to tackle climate change: "It is a social thing. We don't say the wealthy can avoid doing what is needed by society. "When we eliminated coal fires in London we didn't say to people in Chelsea you can pay a bit more and toast your crumpets in front of an open fire - we said nobody, but nobody, could have an open fire. "When we introduced catalytic converters the car-makers said it would put the price of cars through the roof - but it didn't. Now we all have to have catalytic converters - that's only right." Sir Mark - currently chairman of the mining group Anglo American - said his years in industry had taught him that the market would provide solutions if governments demanded them with enough conviction. Battle for opinion "Government's job is to set the framework in which industry can compete," he added. "The market is a magical thing - it will meet people's convenience but it needs guiding." He said the EU was far too lax with motor manufacturers. Such comments from a leading industrialist will make an impact on the current European debate in which German car-makers are fighting to avoid being punished for continuing to build heavy cars. They say jobs are at risk if they have to change their models. Sir Mark says that with a growing world demand for cars, jobs lost in one polluting part of the industry will be more than replaced by jobs in a newer, cleaner part of industry. His remarks may chime well with many of the public. Opinion polls consistently show that people are prepared to change their ways to tackle climate change - but only if their neighbours are forced to do the same. This fact is regularly ignored by politicians fearing a potential backlash. They may find in future that it is less controversial for them to impose tough rules on everyone rather than to seek compromises to accommodate minorities. Nigel Case, director of The Classic Car Club in London, said he supported Sir Mark's comments, in theory but said that currently car-makers were not producing clean vehicles attractive to drivers. He noted that the Tesla electric sports car was capable of 60 mph in around 4 seconds, and a top speed of 130 mph. "It sounds great," he said. "But we just can't get hold of one. If there were more cars like this available, it would make drivers feel good driving them."While Indians are busy politicizing the recent ban on Maggi due to its alleged high lead content, technologically advanced Japan has made a smart move to import the high-in-lead Maggi packets for abysmally cheap prices. While this might baffle most, Japanese “Advisory Board Of Smartass Ideas” (ABSI) that reports to its Prime Minister deems it has a valid reason to do it. ABSI’s Chairman Dhakala Gabuka opines that although all of Japan’s nuclear reactors are currently closed after the Tsunami of 2011, nuclear power still stands as a national strategic priority. Prior to the disaster, Japan was generating more than 30% of its electric energy from nuclear reactors. “We generally spend tons of money on lead shielding which prevents or mitigates the level of the nuclear radiation from affecting the environment. But if the allegations of various agencies in India are to be believed, we could easily use those Maggi packets as lead shielding for our reactors. That way, we make sure the food is not thrown away in India and money is not wasted in Japan. It’s a win-win deal and I don’t see any problem. I’m sure Mr.Narendra Modi will approve of this”, he stated in a press conference. While it’s yet to be seen if Nestle will agree for this, Japanese have once again proved that they’re the smartest people on the planet.September 21, 2018 DONTNOD Entertainment’s narrative-driven action-RPG Vampyr continues to receive ongoing support, as the difficulty modes update releases next week, September 26, on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. There’s never been a better time for players to sink their teeth in, as a special discount on Steam for Vampyr is now live in celebration of the Focus Home Publisher’s weekend.Tuesday’s update includes two new game difficulty modes which add further replayability for existing players, and more options for those who haven’t yet sunk their teeth into this dark adventure through 1918 London.Story Mode de-emphasizes combat, placing a greater focus on narrative so players can enjoy Dr. Jonathan Reid’s journey with less challenging gameplay. On the other end of the scale, Hard Mode makes combat much more difficult. Players will receive less experience from killing enemies too, forcing them to rely even more on embracing citizens to grow in power. Upon starting a new game, players will be given the option to choose from these two new modes or a third ‘Normal Mode’ if they wish to play the original Vampyr experience.In addition to the new difficulty modes, the upcoming update introduces a host of optimization tweaks and fixes. Nvidia Ansel will also be made available for PC, which allows players to capture beautiful in-game screenshots, viewing and sharing them in 3D on mobile phone, PC or VR Headset. View the full patchnotes here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/427290/discussions/0/173546235250232080850 – ANG DAMGO NI ELEUTERIA (Remton Siega Zuasola, 2010) Cebuano Remton Zuasola’s debut feature film achieved the (almost) impossible: to shoot a 90-minute film in one long take, the camera following Terya and her family as she departs her home to begin a journey to Germany as a mail-order bride. Voted by: Misha Anissimov (Film Professor, University of San Carlos) Zurich Chan (Director; Teoriya, Boca ) , ) Skilty Labastilla (Member, Young Critics Circle Film Desk) Ed Lejano (Director, UP Film Institute) 49 – MALVAROSA (Gregorio Fernandez, 1958) Fernandez’ engaging family melodrama features a feisty Charito Solis as the youngest and only female sibling of a family beset by misfortunes. Voted by: Adolfo Alix, Jr. (Director; Haruo, Kalayaan ) , ) Christopher Gozum (Director; Anacbanua, Lawas Kan Pinabli ) , ) Gerard Lico (Member, Young Critics Circle Film Desk) Ramon Nocon (Board Member, Society of Filipino Archivists for Film) 48 – A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS FILIPINO (Lamberto Avellana, 1965) Avellana’s adaptation of Nick Joaquin’s landmark play about an upper-class family’s struggles on the cusp of WW2 captures the spirit both of the play and of the human condition of a bygone era. Voted by: Patrick Campos (Professor, UP Film Institute) Ina Avellana Cosio (Senior Lecturer, UP Film Institute) Jojo Devera (Film Writer, Sari-Saring Sineng Pinoy): “A poignant elegy to the custom and ceremony that died with a cityand the innocence and beauty that lived too briefly.” Ramon Nocon (Board Member, Society of Filipino Archivists for Film) 47 – EL FILIBUSTERISMO (Gerardo de Leon, 1962) De Leon’s masterful adaptation of Jose Rizal’s sequel to Noli Me Tangere brought to life the characters that most Filipinos are familiar with from their high school literature classes. Pancho Magalona delivers a towering performance as Simoun. Voted by: Benjamin Garcia (Director; Batad: Sa Paang Palay, Malan ) , ) Nicanor Tiongson (Professor Emeritus, UP Film Institute) Mauro Feria Tumbocon (Founder, Filipino Arts and Cinema) Noel Vera (Film Writer, Critic after Dark): “Jose Rizal’s great social novel turned into Gerardo de Leon’s great Gothic film–Crisostomo Ibarra’s quest for revenge, given unforgettable cinematic life by Pancho Magalona’s menacing performance as Ibarra (here called Simoun), shot through de Leon’s monumentally angled lenses.” 46 – BONA (Lino Brocka, 1980) Brocka directs Aunor in one of her iconic roles: that of a suffering martyr who gets her comeuppance in the end. Voted by: Dwein Tarhata Baltazar (Director, Mamay Umeng ) ) Benjamin Garcia (Director; Batad: Sa Paang Palay, Malan ) , ) Eduardo Roy, Jr. (Director; Bahay Bata ; Ang Pinakamagandang One-Night Stand ) ; ) Shaira Mella Salvador-MacKenzie (Writer; Tanging Yaman, Sana Maulit Muli) 45 – THE MOISES PADILLA STORY (Gerardo de Leon, 1961) De Leon’s gripping political drama based on the real life story of the eponymous hero set the standard for much of the political films that came after it. Voted by: Benjamin Garcia (Director; Batad: Sa Paang Palay, Malan ) , ) Simon Santos (Owner, Video 48) Nestor U. Torre (Film Writer, Philippine Daily Inquirer) Noel Vera (Film Writer, Critic after Dark): “In mostly Roman Catholic Philippines, this is Gerardo de Leon’s Passion Play, a political tract that transcends its propaganda intentions to become a great character study–of the man who becomes the film’s Christ figure (Leopoldo Salcedo at his most heroic), and his compellingly tormented Judas (former president Joseph Estrada, in the performance of his career).” 44 – HINUGOT SA LANGIT (Ishmeel Bernal, 1985) The quintessential Filipino abortion movie expertly navigates the heightened emotions involved in the struggle between personal freedom and societal burden. Voted by: Rody Vera Antoinette Jadaone Jason Jacobo Wenn Deramas 43 – RELASYON (Ishmael Bernal, 1982) Bernal’s empathetic examination of the psyche of a kept woman provided the template for the spate of Filipino mistress films that is to come in the coming years. Voted by: Carlitos Siguion-Reyna Jose Javier Reyes Pam Miras Zig Dulay Wenn Deramas 42 – SALAWAHAN (Ishmael Bernal, 1979) One of the wittiest and most quotable Pinoy films ever, Salawahan shows the lighter side of Bernal, telling the story of two young male cousins who decide to trade courtship styles to hilarious consequences. Voted by: Coreen Jimenez (Director, Kano: An American and His Harem ): “Bernal really knows his comedy. I love watching this movie over and over and over again. One time, I also watched this film in a very intimate screening with Matt Ranillo. That was so fun!” ): “Bernal really knows his comedy. I love watching this movie over and over and over again. One time, I also watched this film in a very intimate screening with Matt Ranillo. That was so fun!” Jon Lazam (Director; Nang gabing maging singlaki ng puso ang bato ni Darna, Hindi sa Atin ang Buwan ) , ) Eileen Legaspi-Ramirez (Art Studies Professor, UP Diliman) Vincent Sandoval (Director; Aparisyon, Señorita ) , ) Jessica Zafra (Film Reviewer, InterAksyon) 41 – KUNG MANGARAP KA’T MAGISING (Mike de Leon, 1977) Perhaps the most romantic film in the list, featuring Hilda Koronel at her loveliest and Christopher de Leon at his dreamiest, Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising was made when Baguio was still the coolest place to be. Voted by: Simon Santos Joaquin Enrico Santos Mike Sandejas Jon Lazam Gary Devilles 40-31 30-21 20-11 10-1 INDIVIDUAL BALLOTS AdvertisementsGeoffrey O’Shaughnessy, Alberta, Canada If I go by all the news coming from the Government on the growth of the economy, I would say, yes, there are signs of a recovery. But then, on my yearly visits back to Limerick, I hear a different story. Shops are still closing, no new ones are opening, people are barely hanging on to the jobs they have. Pubs are empty: no one goes out for a pint. Whatever money people have, they are more cautious in how they spend it. My decision to come home would be very much linked to an economic recovery. I’m in a full-time permanent job in Calgary, working as an assistant superintendent with a large construction company. I have a good pension and healthcare programme. I’m getting great experience that I would not have got in Ireland. There are also great prospects for promotion. To give all that up to move back to Ireland, the recovery would have to be well bedded in, and the job offer would have to be very lucrative. Dean Duke, London I’m not in a particular rush to get home. An unemployment rate of almost 10 per cent is still way too high – there isn’t enough focus on that – and of course that’s relatively low because of the pressure valve of emigration. Could Ireland cope with an influx of people coming home? It annoys me to hear Fine Gael say that tax rates must be cut to attract people back. People left Ireland because of unemployment, not tax rates. I pay more tax here in the UK than I would in Ireland, and I get better public services out of it. Ireland partially got into the mess it was in because of an unsustainable tax base. Now, at the first signs of recovery, politicians are auctioning off tax cuts and spending rises to the electorate. Have we learned nothing? Patrick Evans, Vancouver The unemployment rate is 21.5 per cent for people aged between 15 and 24, and that’s after a wave of emigration not seen since the 1980s. The future probably seems pretty bleak to those people. I know: I was one of them before I left. I have a permanent job and health benefits here in Canada, and I work in a shop. I also get paid more than a new entrant to the Civil Service. Imagine being permanent and having benefits in Ireland when you work in a shop. Why would I return to Ireland, where I would be unable to find a house or a decent job? If I was lucky enough to find a job I don’t think I’d be paid a decent wage, be given benefits or have anywhere near the quality of life I do here.A ticket issued during a Wednesday night concert has one concert promoter calling for a clearly defined noise bylaw as the battle between fans of live music and the new residents of uptown Saint John heats up. Local band Little You Little Me was nearing the end of a set around 10 p.m. when the police arrived at Taco Pica's door. It wasn't the first time noise complaints had been levelled at the venue. But after concert promoter Peter Rowan was issued with a $200 noise bylaw ticket, he called for a solution to the conflict. "The core issue here is the bylaw," said Rowan, who also manages Little You Little Me. Rowan said the city's current noise rules are so vague, they are making it impossible for live music to continue in the uptown. "City council needs to address the situation," he said. "We need to know what the rules are, so we can play by the rules." Concert promoter Peter Rowan poses with a noise bylaw ticket inside one of Taco Pica's green bathrooms. Rowan vows to fight the ticket in court this December. (Submitted by Peter Rowan) A battle has been brewing for months between new uptown residents and the local music scene. Musicians who have been performing and playing in the neighbourhood for years say they've been left dumbfounded by the alleged noise infractions. In recent weeks, stickers have been popping up in the area decrying the noise complaints. 'You can say 'Live life uptown,' but frankly it's 'Kill life uptown' right now.'' - Peter Rowan, music promoter "It's disappointing," said Corey Bonnevie, who plays in several bands, including Little You Little Me. After playing in the neighbourhood for a decade, he said, it's discouraging to see progress stalled by new residents. "You're trying to put on shows and build the music scene and that community," said Bonnevie, "and all it takes is, you know, a few people to really affect that scene from growing." Members of Saint John band Little You Little Me have have had numerous gigs interrupted by police responding to noise complaints. (Submitted by Nienke Izurieta) Rowan said the bulk of the complaints are from relatively new residents of the Bustin's Building, owned by Historica Properties. Historica's president Keith Brideau said new tenants moving into the building are warned they will be living in the entertainment district. "It is tough," Brideau said. "We want tenants to be very happy and you know sometimes we feel like beating our heads against the wall as well." Some tenants, he said, have simply rented space with unrealistic expectations of the area, Brideau said. But it's important to find a middle ground between residents and entertainment venues, he said.. Developer seeks defined limits This can happen, he said, if the city defines acceptable noise levels for the area. With boundaries, Brideau thinks new residents will better understand what they're getting into. Coun. Donna Reardon, who represents the uptown, said it's an issue she would like the city to deal with quickly. She noted the recent residential boom in the area is relatively new. "We've never really had to deal with these two completely different clienteles of residential mixing in with business, and especially the night business," Reardon said. The trend of exposed brick apartments, in essence removing soundproofing, isn't helping the issue, she added. Issue for planning department "I think the planning department needs to look at what they allow and don't allow." Rowan said council is more than happy to grow the tax base but is avoiding dealing with the issue properly. The longer it waits, he said, the more it will hurt the vibrancy of the neighbourhood. "You can say 'Live life uptown,' but frankly it's 'Kill life uptown' right now," Rowan said. "These noise complaints and these nuisance complaints, as far as I'm concerned, are really having an impact on the overall community."Ivanka Trump Ivana (Ivanka) Marie TrumpOmarosa: There's a ‘big red line’ for Trump in Cohen's testimony Ivanka Trump endorses Nikki Haley's daughter for student vice president Trump, Harris, Ocasio-Cortez, Charlie Kirk among Twitter's most-engaged users MORE, in her mother's new memoir, said she once had a “punk phase” in the nineties. Trump wrote in her mother Ivana’s book “Raising Trump” that she was “really into Nirvana” during the phase and once dyed her hair blue, New York Magazine reported Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENT “
Yeshiva instituted a quota system, where a minimum number of blatt had to be learned each week.) The second area in which Rav Leibowitz “grew” his talmidim was in the area of mussar thought and texts. Talmidim were taught how to develop a genuine mussar insight, either in psychology or midos or some other area of Torah growth. Such insight, of course, also had to be logically and textually compelling. The true “Slabodka shmuess” was not an exposition of drush comprised of any Torah thought that comes into the talmid chacham’s mind; no—it had to be derived and based upon a previous Torah text: a Ramban, a Seforno, a Rashi, a Midrash. Otherwise, the integrity of Torah could be compromised, if people’s own ideas were read into the text and represented to the world as Torah. Thirdly, Rav Leibowitz imbued his students with a sense of mission toward Klal Yisrael. His talmidim were in the forefront of chinuch and the revitalization of Torah throughout North America. His students opened Torah institutions and branches in many cities, including Los Angeles, San Diego, St. Louis, Cherry Hill and Manalapan (New Jersey), Cedarhurst, Huntington, Monsey, New York City, Vancouver, Ottowa, Phoenix, and Dallas—and in places in Eretz Yisrael, too. He personified the midah of emes, as well. Once, for example, a wealthy individual gave a $10,000 donation that was doubled by his corporation’s matching-funds program. The problem was that the donor’s check did not clear. Rav Leibowitz promptly refunded the corporation’s money. Any behavior otherwise was sheer anathema to him. He was a genuine Torah sage in every way, and he would never countenance any form of dishonesty, chalilah. Rav Leibowitz had a warmth and a smile that conveyed his love for each member of Klal Yisrael. He also had a great sense of humor, which he utilized to connect with talmidim, baalei batim, and other members of Klal Yisrael. Rav Leibowitz personified the idea of sensitivity toward others and making sure that people realized what it means to cause anxiety to others. A typical shmuess of Rav Leibowitz involved examining Rashi’s comments regarding the person who cursed the name of Hashem, found at the end of Parashas Emor. The pasuk says, “Vayanichuhu ba’mishmar,” they placed him under guard. Rashi comments: “Alone—and they did not leave the person who gathered [sticks] with him.” Why? Rashi explains that even though they both committed their sins during the same time period, one of them, the gatherer of sticks, incurred the death penalty; they just did not know which particular death penalty. But regarding the one who cursed G-d, they did not know what his punishment was to be at all. Rav Leibowitz asked, how does this difference explain why these two prisoners were housed separately? He answered that they were placed in separate locations to avoid the additional anxiety that the one who cursed G-d would feel if he observed that they housed him with someone who incurred the death penalty. How sensitive we must be to each tzelem Elokim, if even a criminal deserves this sensitivity. The lesson is even more profound when we examine the words of the Da’as Zekeinim. From there we see how particularly heinous the blasphemer who cursed Hashem actually was. And yet we see that we should be sensitive to his anxieties. The Rosh Yeshiva was a strong proponent of a muchrach approach to meforshim, but would love the drush of the Chasam Sopher. Indeed, he said that if one wishes to get into the Hagaddah, some drush from the Chasam Sofer is very good, along with a shmuess or a darher. Yet the Rosh Yeshiva did not shtell too long on Maggid. He once said that the Seder is to encourage children, and often dwelling on pshatim for too long one can lose the children. The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com Rav Henoch Leibowitz zt”l was one of the author’s three Rebbeim.Please support us by disabling your ad blocker on our site. Penn's'vegan Bernie Madoff' arrested for embezzling millions from own business When law enforcement arrested raw food restauranteur and 1994 College and Wharton graduate Sarma Melngailis, it was under the most ignominious of circumstances. The fugitive vegan, who disappeared after embezzling millions from her own business, had been caught because her accomplice had ordered a cheese pizza. Police caught up with Melngailis and her husband and alleged accomplice Anthony Stringis on May 12 while they were hiding in Sevierville, Tenn. The couple had been on the run since last July. She now awaits trial for grand larceny, criminal tax fraud and violation of New York state labor regulations after repeatedly failing to pay her employees. She faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. “These defendants are accused of repeatedly stealing from and lying to their loyal employees and to investors who poured money into their company,” Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson said in a statement. Melngailis, who graduated from Penn with an economics major in the College of Arts and Sciences and an accounting concentration in Wharton, opened Pure Food and Wine, an upscale raw food restaurant in New York City’s Gramercy Park neighborhood, in the summer of 2004, 10 years after graduating from Penn. The restaurant was a financial and critical success, featured twice on New York Magazine’s “Top 100 Restaurants,” according to Pure Food and Wine’s website. Alec Baldwin reportedly met his wife there, according to the New York Post. The business, now headquartered in Brooklyn as One Lucky Duck, has since expanded to include a second restaurant, two juice bars and a line of organic snacks, cosmetics and home products sold online. Investigators at the Brooklyn district attorney’s office believe that the business began to fall apart around 2013, when she became involved with her current husband Anthony Stringis. Beginning in January 2014, Melngailis and Stringis collectively withdrew over $1.6 million from her company’s bank accounts, much of which was spent on specialty watches, hotels and casinos in New York and Europe, the attorney’s office said in a May 12 press release. Melngailis subsequently failed to pay her employees five times in 2014, and her company closed temporarily after workers left. The restaurant reopened in April 2015 after Melngailis raised $844,000 from investors, some of which she used to pay back private debts that she and Stringis had incurred. “She’s the vegan Bernie Madoff,” Benjamin Dictor, an attorney representing some of Melngailis’ former employees told the New York Post last month. Prosecutors believe that the couple continued to withdraw hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company’s accounts in order to pay back personal debts, including nearly $325,000 owed to various Connecticut casinos. Within months, Melngailis failed again to pay her employees. By the time the couple disappeared from New York in July, she owed over $40,000 to 89 employees, according to information released by the attorney’s office. “They allegedly gambled away the money or spent it lavishly while leaving everyone else in the lurch,” Thompson said in a statement. Shortly after her arrest, Melngailis told the New York Post that she was not angry at her husband, whose attorney has since accused Melngailis of being the mastermind of the entire thing. “I worked hard, this was my passion,” Melngailis said. “This was all I ever wanted. Why would I throw it up in flames? Talk to my friends. They will tell you this is not me.” Sign up for our newsletter Get our newsletter, Dear Penn, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up At press time, Melngailis’ QuakerNet profile still listed “partner and president” of One Lucky Duck as her occupation. Her New York restaurant’s Yelp page says that it is closed permanently. Prosecutors added that Melngailis’ business owes an additional $409,987.56 in unpaid sales taxes to the state of New York spanning most of the time she was involved with Stringis from January 2014 to July 2015. Currently no trial date has been finalized for Melngailis or her husband. PennConnects Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.When his phone stopped ringing after seven seasons in the NFL, Aaron Francisco wasn’t quite ready to call it quits. Then another ex-player, Deuce Lutui, reached out to him with an invitation to test a different sport — rugby. Though he’d never played the game, Lutui convinced Francisco to fly to Minnesota at his own expense and try out at the National Rugby Football League combine for a spot in a planned national league and a chance to play against international competition at the Independence Cup. Francisco, a defensive back who played for the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts from 2005-10, was intrigued by what Lutui, the league’s director of player development, was pitching. Francisco could be part of a team again. He could show that he still has what it takes to be a professional athlete. And he could get in on the ground floor of a league playing a sport that is wildly popular around the world. “I didn’t really know what to think about but told him, ‘Yeah, if they pull through I’d love to be part of it,’” Francisco says. “I didn’t want to be one of those guys who had a shot at something and didn’t take it and it becomes huge and I felt like I missed out.” Another combine was held last week at the Los Angeles Coliseum, and like the event in Minnesota, it drew more than 150 participants, according to Michael Clements, one of the NRFL’s co-founders. Many of them are like Francisco, former football players who are enthused by the chance at a second life in a new sport. Their ambition may be surpassed only by Clements, who says he is forming a team to play an exhibition against the Leicester Tigers, English power, in August, and plans to launch the 16-team league by 2016. “The world is looking at the U.S. to say ‘Hey, come play this game’ and that’s what we’re doing,“ says Clements. “We’re the ones that are bringing it here.” Except many of those who have tried out for the league are feeling anxious after two canceled exhibition games and broken promises — not to mention an understanding of the amount of capital it takes launch a venture of this size. “After the combine was over, I think they were supposed to contact us within 30 days after and I hadn’t heard from them in two months,” says Francisco, who was told he had made a team that would play against Leicester. “Then (NRFL director of player recruitment Shawn Zobel) called me one day and said everything was good and they’re getting things started up again and I got really excited about it. I joined (the Red Mountain Rugby) league out here just to learn the game and learn as much as I can.” Zach Gentry, who played football at North Carolina State and went to camp with the New York Jets, participated in a combine last year with his brother, Taylor. They were told they made the exhibition team and to be prepared to travel overseas where where they would represent the league, leaving behind their jobs in the U.S. in the process. “I got a call from one of the head guys and he was like, ‘Just notifying you that you may be flying out in the next couple of weeks,'” Zach Gentry says. “I was completely ready and ready to roll and my family and friends expected I was going overseas, but I never got that call. But we were told by (Zobel) that the NRFL is going to happen this year so hopefully it does.” George Robertson, another co-founder of the NRFL, says they are now being more measured in starting up the league, trying to make sure they have the right players, corporate structure, partners and venues. “If we have any fault,” Robertson says, “I don’t know if we realized how ambitious we were when we went down this road.” READY FOR RUGBY? Even if the NRFL is launched, is the U.S. ready to sustain a national rugby league? The sport figures to gain valuable exposure next year when it is an Olympic event for the first time. According to USA Rugby, the main governing body in the U.S., 5 million kids have participated in youth rugby over the past five years, and there are 104,637 people registered with the organization. And another rugby league, the Grand Prix Rugby Football League, announced its debut in 2013, though it has yet to debut. (USA Rugby, however, says it has no relationship with the NRFL and declined to comment on the league’s prospects.) Clements says he sees potential for huge growth in the U.S., and has chosen to build a national league here instead of buying into a team in England. “Why is it that this great sport of rugby that has been around since 1823 is not being played here?” Clements says. “So I went to work, started working with people, grabbed some folks that were very knowledgeable in major league sports, former NFL execs and so forth.” Clements spent most of his life building APS International, which he describes as Home Depot for lawyers. In 2013, according to business records, he and Robertson, formed RugbyLaw with an eye on building the first professional rugby league in the U.S. “This is serious business,” Clements says. “This is a major league economy. And the major league economy is exactly the business model that we’re following. So make no mistake about it — this a multi-billion dollar deal that’s being birthed right now.” Clements declined to name potential investors or executives from other sports with whom he has spoken. Robertson says he believes they need about $200 million to start the league. “The people that are looking at this are owners of major league sports right now,” Clements says. “And internationally, we have international multi-billion dollar entities that are looking in on this right now. And we also have Hollywood high-level entertainment figures.” Joe Furin, general manager of the Los Angeles Coliseum, said that he told Clements he would introduce them to a number of television and entertainment executives while they were in town for the combine. “I think from an industry perspective we’ve seen things come and go, we’ve seen ventures, whether it’s the XFL football league or something like that, so it does take a lot of dynamics to establish a new league and get it going,” Furin says. “We’ve seen hits and we’ve seen misses —you never know what’s going to take hold and grow. Look at something like the X Games. … (When it started) people were wondering if it’s going to happen “Now it’s a staple.” Before the league is launched, Clements and Robertson plan to put on an exhibition game against Leicester, though neither side could confirm a venue when asked by USA TODAY Sports. Zobel says it will be announced in two weeks. Another exhibition between a team called the American Barbarians and the London Irish, which was also backed by RugbyLaw and England’s Premier Rugby Limited of which Leicester is also a part of, collapsed in 2013 after it was scheduled at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. In 2014, another attempt at the exhibition, which is labeled the “Independence Cup,” was postponed a year. “We have a concrete timeline right now,” Zobel says. “When we held our first combine we were in talks and in the process of putting together the Independence Cup with the Leicester Tigers, so it was premature at that combine or once we had told those players that they would receive the invitation a specific date. “With the fact that this game is set in place for August 1, we have specific dates that are set in stone — not necessarily in stone — but a timeline of how things are going to play out in the next nine months.” ‘WHAT MAKES YOU SURE?’ For longtime rugby players, having a professional league in the U.S. would be a dream come true. Derrek Van Klein, a two-time Division II All-American player at the University of Minnesota Duluth who has been playing rugby for six years, learned about the combine online and then was contacted by Zobel. “I thought it’d be great if we could a professional league in the U.S.,” Van Klein says. “That would be a dream for a lot of rugby (players).” Van Klein says he took on the role as the veteran player at the combine in Minnesota last year even though he was younger than most of the participants. He says he was invited to tryout at another combine this year. “I was 22 when I tried out and I felt like most of the players there were in their late 20s,” he says. “So I felt young and undersized — guys that have just been training in the football combines ever since they got out of college — and it was just a big step up from the college level to seeing these guys. The way I looked at it I’d give it a shot and if I wound up being selected for it I’d put school on hold and go play professional rugby if I could.” The NRFL’s Facebook page is also overwhelmed with requests for information and enthusiasm that one day it will become a reality. Despite what seems to be a limited amount of communication from the league, all of the players who spoke to USA TODAY Sports said they were convinced the league would happen as well. But what makes Clements so sure at least the exhibition game will happen this year? “You know what’s always funny when you say, ‘What makes you sure?’ I always like this quote. ‘When does the Lord laugh? It’s when he hears what you have planned.’ “One of the things they say in rugby is you don’t get a try unless you do what?” he added, referring to the term for a score in rugby. “Try.”1. It's tight at the top With four rounds of matches left to play in the Liga Adelante, and 12 points still up for grabs, there are only 10 points separating first-placed CD Leganes and tenth-placed Cordoba CF. 2. Two automatically promoted The top two finishers after the 22 teams in the Liga Adelante have played 42 rounds of matches are automatically promoted. Leganes are currently level at the top with Alaves on 65 points, but in first place due to their superior head-to-head record against the Basques (having won 2-0 at home and drawn 0-0 away). 3. The playoffs Since the 2010/11 campaign, the four teams who finish third, fourth, fifth and sixth have to battle it out through a playoff tournament for the final promotion berth after the end of the regular season (Matchday 42 is on the weekend June 4/5). Currently these positions are occupied by Gimnastic, R.Zaragoza, R.Oviedo and At.Osasuna. The playoffs consist of two-legged semi-finals scheduled for June 8th and 12th, and a two-legged playoff final on June 15th and 19th. 4. Last Year Real Betis were Liga Adelante champions last season and were promoted directly with second-placed Real Sporting. Las Palmas (who had finished fourth in the regular season) beat R.Zaragoza (who had finished sixth) 3-3 in the playoff final, progressing on the away-goals rule. 5. Four teams relegated The bottom four finishers in the Liga Adelante are relegated to the regionally-organised Segunda B. Bilbao Athletic (Athletic Club’s B team) were relegated last weekend, leaving 19th-placed Almeria, 20th-placed UE Llagostera, and 21st-placed Albacete battling to maintain their Liga Adelante status over the coming games.Inaccurate tests covered four of its mini-cars, two of which it manufactured for Nissan Mitsubishi Motors has admitted manipulating test data to overstate the fuel efficiency of 625,000 cars. The Japanese carmaker said the inaccurate tests covered four of its mini-cars, two of which it manufactured for Nissan. The number of Nissan cars affected was 468,000, while 157,000 were sold under the Mitsubishi brand. When Nissan tested the cars supplied by Mitsubishi Motors, it found differences between its figures and Mitsubishi’s results. Nissan asked Mitsubishi Motors to investigate and this led the company to discover “improper conduct” and tests that did not meet Japanese law. The company released the information in a statement as its president, Tetsuro Aikawa, held a news conference. He and other company officials bowed deeply at the start of the briefing. Mitsubishi Motors said: “We found that with respect to the fuel consumption testing data … MMC conducted testing improperly to present better fuel consumption rates than the actual rates and that the testing method was also different from the one required by Japanese law. We express deep apologies to all of our customers and stakeholders for this issue.” Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mitsubishi Motors Corp’s president Tetsuro Aikawa bows with other company executives at a news conference. Photograph: Toru Hanai/Reuters Japan’s sixth-biggest carmaker by market value said it and Nissan had stopped production of the cars and that it would discuss compensation with Nissan. Shares in Mitsubishi Motors, which is controlled by Japan’s Mitsubishi conglomerate, dropped 15% in Tokyo – their biggest fall in almost 12 years. The incorrect testing method was used for other cars manufactured for the Japanese market and Mitsubishi Motors will now look at products made for overseas markets. The company will set up an investigation committee of outside experts, it said. VW emissions cheat software came from Audi – report Read more Mitsubishi Motors joins Hyundai, Kia and Ford on the list of carmakers that have mishandled testing or reporting of their models’ fuel economy. Hyundai and its Kia affiliate agreed to pay $350m (£244m) in 2014 to the US government for overstating vehicles’ fuel economy ratings. Carmakers are under intense scrutiny about the claims they make for their vehicles after Volkswagen admitted last year that it rigged emissions tests. VW has set aside €6.7bn (£4.8bn) to pay for the crisis and its shares are down about 30% since the scandal was revealed in September.Dogecoin has leapt a massive 8% today disrespecting the resistance level of 50 to be trading at 50.8 satoshis. I have been maintaining in earlier analyses that a major move was expected in Dogecoin as the week comes to a close. The bears have given away the slight advantage that they had over the bulls and the onus is now completely on bulls to tighten their grip. Image: https://www.tradingview.com/x/tbIZVXNa/ Taking a technical look at the 240-minute Dogecoin/BTC price chart above reveals that the upmove has been backed by strength and that maintaining this bullish momentum will be the key to see a further rise in the market cap of Dogecoin. Chart Structure – The last candle represents a resounding effort by the bulls to take the cryptocurrency higher. Dogecoin is currently above 50 satoshis but is still below its previous top (marked as the yellow box) of 51.1 satoshis from which it last witnessed a disturbing fall. Until and unless, Dogecoin sustains above 50 satoshis and make serious attempts at taking out the previous peaks, the cryptocurrency runs a tremendous risk of frittering away the gains. Bollinger Bands – As can be seen, the bullish candle has pierced the upper range of Bollinger Band at 50 satoshis. The upper range normally acts as a short-term cap on the price and hence, slight profit booking cannot be ruled out. Relative Strength Index – The strength reading has soared from around 43 to 64.6457, bringing it closer to the overbought level of 70. The bulls now have to do a dual job of maintaining the strength while pushing the price higher. Though the cryptocurrency has managed to temporarily free itself from the clutches of sellers, it must be noted that even a slight slip in momentum may present an opportunity to bears to beat the bulls hollow once again. If the price closes above 50 satoshis, all the short positions must be exited.OG Kush DNA Genetics Indica Origins: Los Angeles Kush x SFV strain Flowering: 57-60 days Harvest: mid September The “Original Gangster” OG Kush comes from the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles and is considered to be the strain that put Southern California buds on par with the flowers coming from up North. Developed over three generations and years of stabilizing as well as developing the perfect fertilizer / food for this particular strain, resulted in a phenomenal kush, said to be the strongest indica today. The OG Kush was formally a clone only strain. She stretches in veg but seems to fill herself out in flower. She has smaller nugs that you can get a good yield from if you supercrop her while she’s growing. OG Kush prefers to be grown indoors in a hydroponic setup. OG Kush, when properly grown, has the highest THC content of all kushes and is sometimes so strong, it “makes your teeth hurt” after you smoke a bowl. When smoked, it feels like a wake-up shot to the head, not unlike an espresso, which makes this smoke perfect as a pick-me-up during a long day of physical labor. Having said this, it is not recommended to smoke OG Kush before bed, as it is known to speed up the heart rate and keep the user awake. There is also another well known OG lineage that was developed in Northern California, and this story went something like this.. A guy – we’ll call him KushDawg for the sake of this story – living somewhere on the Northern California Pacific Coast was growing the original cut from San Fernando Valley, the birthplace of most herb carrying the “OG” label. One evening, KushDawg was hanging out at a local bar when another chap also sitting at the bar offered him a bowl of some very special weed. Intrigued, KushDawg accepted the offer. Once the chap opened the bag and the dank, pungent OG aroma lifted into the air, KushDawg knew immediately, unbeknownst to the chap, that this was in fact his own herb. As they toked the glorious herb, the chap rendered his own opinion as to the origin of the herb, saying that it was so great because it was “Mountain Grown.” KushDawg corrected the chap, “Naw man, this stuff is ‘Ocean Grown,'” meaning that the herb was actually grown indoors on the Pacific Coast. » OG Kush Marijuana Seeds No flash player! It looks like you don’t have flash player installed. Click here to go to Macromedia download page. ** check out our complete library of marijuana strainsMouseprice Latest News Blog Property Guides How to find out what year your house was built How to find out what year your house was built Posted on by Knowing the age of your home, or a property you’re about to buy, can be important for a number of reasons. You may need to make repairs on your home and therefore want to check you use the right materials; you could be purchasing house insurance for the first time, or you might simply just be curious. Whatever your reason, there are several ways to determine the age of your property. Let’s start with the simplest ones. Look at your deeds A good place to start is your title deeds, which could state the date your property was built, or give you a rough idea. If your home is very old, there may not be an exact date or any information regarding age at all. The Land Registry only keeps track of land ownership and not what is built on the land, unfortunately. If, for whatever reason, you don’t have your deeds, you can request a copy here. Just ask It’s plausible that if you’re wondering what the age of your home is, someone else has asked the same question before. Ask your neighbours if they know how old the properties in the area or street are – they may have investigated for themselves already, or their deeds might contain more details than yours. There really is no harm in asking and it may save you a lot of time. If you want to know the age of a property you’re thinking of purchasing, ask the seller or agent. The information may be on the seller’s property information form, which every vendor must fill out before putting their home on the market. A survey of the home, particularly if it’s a structural survey, may also help indicate how old it is. Examine the architecture A quick look at the property’s architecture can give you some clues as to when a property was constructed. Pay particular attention to the windows, skirting boards and doors, as certain styles have gone in and out of fashion over the years. However, an analysis of the architecture will only give you a vague idea of the home’s age, especially when you consider that certain aspects of your property may have been changed or replaced at any point. Different building materials and techniques went out of fashion at various times across the UK, so don’t take your home’s aesthetic as concrete proof of its age. Check the archives If you’ve tried all the methods above but are still stumped as to when your home was built, you’ll need to do a little digging. Luckily, there are lots of great resources out there that can help you, and most of them can be viewed online for free. Old maps may show you when the land your home is built on was first developed – unfortunately, Ordnance Survey do not hold historical maps anymore, but your local library might have some. You could also try old-maps.co.uk. It’s worth taking a look at your local library’s newspaper archive too, if it has one. These newspapers may contain old photos of your home or adverts for its sale. If your local library does not have what you’re looking for, try sites like the National Archives, British Newspaper Archive and the British Library. Local history groups and national conservation and preservation organisations, such as National Trust, English Heritage and Victorian Society may also be able to help you, or at least point you towards someone who can. Get in touch with your local authority too – it may have a record of when planning permission was granted. Another useful online resource is the 1862 Act Register, which contains information on around 2,000 properties, so if your house is really old, it might be on there. The register was the government’s first attempt at documenting property ownership; therefore the information available is limited. You may have more luck with the historical censuses. Every census taken between 1841 and 1911 is available to view online. Hopefully, they should reveal when your home first appeared on the census, giving you a rough idea of when it was built. It’s not always easy to determine exactly how old a property is, but do enough research and you should be able to narrow it down. Along the way, you might find out even more fascinating information about your abode, so sometimes, it’s worth doing all that hard work – good luck!Though Mr. Kerry said Friday that his plan was “within the same framework” as an Egyptian initiative that Israel embraced on July 15 but Hamas rejected, some Israeli officials were irked that Mr. Kerry’s Paris invitation list included the foreign ministers of Turkey and Qatar. Those two nations have lately been the prime political and financial support for Hamas and Gaza, and Israel has tried to quash a separate Qatari cease-fire proposal. Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah of Qatar said at a joint appearance with Mr. Kerry that Gaza “deserves” its own seaport, even “if it’s under international supervision.” Turkey’s Ahmet Davutoglu set broader goals: “to reach a sustainable cease-fire, and at the end of these efforts, to have a two-state solution, which is the real solution for all these disasters and bloodshed.” Mr. Kerry departed for Washington on Saturday night as Israel’s security cabinet was accepting the 24-hour extension in the pause. Even as the cabinet met, more than a dozen rockets had soared into southern and central Israel, four of them intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system. Hamas claimed responsibility for firing two at Tel Aviv. The Israeli military had earlier warned Gaza residents not to return to evacuated areas where heavy fighting had occurred, saying those who do “are placing themselves at risk and are jeopardizing their own safety.” Israel “is continuing to operate against the tunnel threat and maintain its defensive positions in preparation for further operational activity,” it said in a statement. In announcing the cease-fire extension, a senior Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because cabinet meetings are confidential, said, “Obviously our soldiers can protect themselves if they are attacked, and obviously we will continue to work on the tunnels.” Michael Herzog, a retired Israeli general and a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said there was some risk to even a temporary cease-fire. “There was a feeling that we were gaining momentum, so there was reluctance to stop that moment, there was concern that they will use this to regroup and breathe fresh air and so forth,” said Mr. Herzog, who consults frequently with cabinet members. “I think people understand the need to go for humanitarian lull or truce for a while, but then the question is, what follows?”Image by the amazing Stuart F Taylor Today I’m obsessed with risky sex. The kind that gets your heart hammering in time to the thud of your crotch, as you fuck with a nebulous yet oh-so-urgent deadline. Get it over with before the others find you. Risky sex. Like the snatched gropes you have in crowded places, or the slightly-more-than-that which teenagers do on the bus. Sex you have not because you’re too horny to get a room, but because the thrill of being discovered makes it all feel more illicit. Risky sex – almost getting caught The first time I had this feeling was in my first boyfriend’s kitchen. His parents were in the next room – less than ten feet away. We could hear them bickering over the TV remote, and making jokes about the cast of Eastenders. We kissed, because we were shit at conversation, and then our casual groping turned to more. I turned round to look at the doorway, and he stepped forward to press himself up against my arse. Biting kisses into the back of my neck, then bending me over the kitchen counter. It was one of those that stuck out into the middle of the kitchen – a long, smooth, cold surface dividing the room. Giving me something to rest on. To be fucked against. To grip onto for balance while he lifted my skirt, pulled my knickers to one side and fucked me with short, hard strokes. Never quite all the way in: we had to avoid the tell-tale sound of his crotch smacking against my arse. I held still and stared hard at the kitchen door, praying his parents wouldn’t pick that moment to wander through. You know what I mean: that kind of risky. Sex in alleyways. Parks. On trains – the late-night carriages with only two other people. Sex where you hitch your skirt up and sit on it hard, and try not to move too suspiciously. The kind of sex they invented CCTV for. Perhaps forbidden sex with someone you shouldn’t. The grinding, slapping, clenching urgency of a fuck that needs to end before you’re caught. I don’t know why this tempts me right now – I’m far from adventurous at the moment. Anxious and ill and tired, I sit in my room behind my laptop, with the curtains drawn and a drink that’s always one-too-many of whatever I shouldn’t have: coffee, wine, cider, one of each. Maybe risky sex is hot because it’s the one thing I know I can’t do at the moment. I’m horny for danger because I’m feeble and scared, and until I feel better the fantasy’s all I’ve got: public sex. Sex with a stranger. Sex with a colleague in the meeting room when you’re not sure the web cam’s switched off. Maybe riskier. Vertigo sufferers, look away now, but I’m thinking of dizziness and fear. Genuine loss of control. Perhaps a scenario where the sex itself pushes me further into danger – like fucking over a balcony on a tower block ten floors up. Bent over the side, head and arms dangling precariously over the edge. Scared of falling. Scared of looking, but equally scared of closing my eyes. As if facing the danger will stop the worst from happening. He’d hold the railings to brace himself to fuck me harder, and I’d lean further out – feeling that swimming, sick sensation in my stomach as I imagine the pace of the drop. The ground looks far away, but each stroke of his dick inside me nudges me a little further forward. Each jolt might be the one that tips us over the edge. And he has to come. Now. Quickly. Because my head is swimming and the balcony’s creaking and I’m hanging over the edge. And we should stop, but we can’t, because we both need to come. Just one more stroke. One more jolt. One twitch more of my cunt to milk the spunk from his cock, and that split second where we cling to each other: panting and sated and happy. Sweaty enough to slip.KENOSHA, WISCONSIN—The hall belonging to the United Autoworkers, Local 72, is a bell jar of days gone by, and candidates long past. There are photos of the young Walter Reuther, his skull bleeding from a policeman's nightstick, and buttons and posters, fading now from the indirect light, of candidates who came here when labor support could make or break their campaigns. Randy Bryce is kicking off his campaign in the hall on a bright Saturday afternoon. The crowd is an intriguing mixture of elderly people, obvious Wisconsin liberals and, here and there, a smattering of the kind of people for whom Randy Bryce seems more like someone you'd run into on a Friday night around the keg at a fish fry. This is the kind of crowd that all of the smart folks are saying the Democratic party needs to bring
’t drink. When they did drink, he showed their body temperatures were much lower and he presumed that was better. But if you ask Amby Burfoot, he said he felt much better when he ran without drinking. Costill assumed then that drinking was good for you, although the study hadn’t really shown that because it wasn’t a performance trial, and all the runners found when they didn’t drink was that there were no problems associated with not drinking. The American College of Sports Medicine asked David Costill to write the first drinking guidelines, which he did in 1975. He said that runners should drink regularly during exercise, which is pretty good advice. Then, what I discovered, which was really eye-opening, was that a single individual working for the U.S. military decided that water was a tactical weapon. That if the military could be encouraged to drink more during maneuvers, they’d have less heat stroke and less illness and they’d be more productive and could be better soldiers. It was purely his idea. It had no scientific basis at all. Two years later he published a paper supposedly saying that if the US soldiers drank 1.9 liters per hour [64 ounces] when they were exercising in the heat they would perform much better. There was utterly no concrete evidence that that was true. The problem was, his advice was embraced by the U.S. Military. They changed their drinking guidelines to say that you should now drink 1.9 liters per hour. The same people who drew up those guidelines were then invited by the American College of Sports Medicine to get involved with drawing up guidelines for runners. In 1996, that culminated with the new American guidelines, which said that you must drink as much as tolerable during exercise, up to 40 ounces per hour. That became the mantra—that you had to drink before you became thirsty, and as much as possible during exercise. It was after that the problems of hyponatremia really become problematic around the world. In 2007, the ACSM changed it's guidelines. Are there still reforms you would suggest? Drink to thirst regardless of how much weight you lose. The ACSM guideline that one should not lose more than 2 percent body weight is contrary to the published evidence and the findings in elite athletes that drinking "ahead of thirst" impairs exercise performance. Can you talk a little bit about the history of dehydration and sports marketing? One of the principles of selling a product, and if it’s a medical product and you make medical claims, is that you must maximize your market. In my view, those 1996 guidelines, what they do is they maximize the markets for sports drinks. What they are essentially saying is that it’s dangerous to lose any weight during exercise. In other words, it doesn’t matter what exercise you’re doing, you must drink at the same rate that you are sweating. And you mustn’t wait to become thirsty. What that means is that if you go to a gym and start exercising for 10 minutes, you must start drinking before you start, and within 10 minutes you must have drunk a certain amount. That increases the market size for your product, from just marathon runners to everyone who exercises. So when you go onto the street and you see runners jogging along for a couple of miles, they are carrying water with them. They become a target user for your product. They managed to change drinking behavior out of competitive sport for runners and cyclists and triathletes to gym exercisers as well. The consequence of that is that the sale of their product just rocketed thereafter. They had to demonize hydration and make it a disease. Now, dehydration is not a disease, and it only has one symptom, and that is thirst. If you start to exercise, and you don’t drink, after a period of time, you will become thirsty—that’s your body’s way of telling you to drink. The idea that you should drink ahead of thirst is absolutely nonsensical. As I’ve said, we’ve evolved from other creatures. We don’t need to be told when to drink. They regulated their fluid purely by thirst. So why should humans be different from every other creature on earth to be told when and how to drink? The reality is you don’t need to be told when and how much to drink. We have a 300 million year developed system that tells you with exquisite accuracy how much you need to drink and when you need to drink. It’s called thirst. If you rely on thirst you won’t ever become dehydrated, and you won’t also ever become overhydrated. Dr. Tim Noakes in Stockholm in 2011. So what hydration advice would you give to people running their first recreational marathon? That’s a great question, because it wouldn’t be any different from the advice that I’d give to anyone else. It’s listen to your body, and your body will tell you. It’s very important to make this point. There’s now evidence to suggest that if you drink ahead of thirst, that if you drink ahead of the signs, your performance will be impaired, just as it will be impaired if you drink less than you should at thirst. Thirst is your body trying to tell you, Listen, I need fluid. If you don’t replace that fluid, I’m going to slow you down until you drink. Only when you drink am I going to allow you to perform optimally again. The brain, unfortunately, can’t tell you that when you overdrink, you’re going to go slower. So you don’t pick up the messaging. You just go slower without realizing it. It’s very important. And people don’t have to worry about overheating? Or people shouldn’t relate dehydration to overheating? You shouldn’t relate overheating to dehydration. You overheat when you run too fast. That’s the key. You don’t overheat because you become dehydrated. The brain’s too clever. If you’re not going to drink, the brain will slow you down, and that will lower your body temperature, not raise it. So, we’ve got some great studies where we look at people running half marathons, marathons, short ultramarathons, and long ultramarathons. The longer the race, the lower the temperature, because they are running slower. Their levels of dehydration are pretty much the same whatever distance they run. There’s some sort of regulation, that whatever distance you run, if you drink appropriately, you always get the same level of dehydration, however far you run. But the key is that the faster you run, the hotter you are. But it’s still absolutely safe to expect your body temperature to rise. And the fact is that heat stroke occurs very, very infrequently. It’s the exception, not the rule. And when it does happen, there are exceptional circumstances. Most of those people have some other genetic circumstances that are a problem, or they are taking drugs, or they have an infection. It’s not normal to develop heatstroke during a race. If you do develop heatstroke during a race, something else is going on, and that’s affected your body’s ability to control it’s temperature, but it’s not the normal procedure. Normally it’s perfectly safe to run in the heat, and your body will make sure that your to the finish before your temperature rises too high. Are sports drink companies responsible for the perpetuation of a myth? What I learned in writing this book is that we just have to be very careful about the information that we accept. We have to interrogate it very, very carefully to see if it’s true, or if it’s biased information that we’re being forced to believe because it has a commercial drive behind it. People must read this book and draw their own conclusion. In the future, there must be more suspicions when the industry supports medical claims. Be very suspicious of scientists who are speaking on behalf of industry. How independent are they? That’s a very important question that we have to ask. What do you think the response will be in the running community to this book? What do you hope the response will be? I think there will be a lot of anger, and the anger will be directed at me because I’m kind of challenging a dogma. People often don’t like changing their ideas. There will be many people who will find, My gosh, it actually works. I don’t have to drink as much as I thought I did. In fact, many people are already adapting that way. I think it’s going to be a slow process, but ultimately, the truth prevails. Runners will find they don’t need to drink as much as they thought they did. Performances are actually improved when they drink to thirst and they don’t become waterlogged because they overdrank. I don’t know what industry is going to do. I don’t know if they’re going to completely ignore it, and continue on their merry way, promoting overdrinking. Or they might just attack me, but I don’t think that’s a really good way to go about it, because that will just draw more attention to it and more people will read the facts and more people will realize where the truth lies. My hope is that people will keep their minds open and say, Tim Noakes is just the messenger. I’m just giving you the truth. If it’s wrong, that’s fine. Get someone to write the book that contradicts it. For more, check out Waterlogged: The Serious Problem of Overhydration in Endurance Sports, by Dr. Tim Noakes. —Joe Spring @joespring facebook.com/joespring.1KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Virginia man was arrested in Johnson County, Kansas for allegedly posing as a doctor. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Virginia, 30-year-old Vishal Patel used identification details of real doctors to pose as one for online job applications. Prosecutors say Patel obtained this information by posing as a real doctor and contacting several oversight agencies. He told those groups to change the doctors’ records so it would appear those records would be associated with Patel. Along with using those details, prosecutors say Patel also created fake degrees and certificates to try to prove his education. This scheme allegedly allowed Patrol to work as an independent contractor at medical staffing companies and at a free clinic in Newport News, Va. During his time at that clinic, investigators say Patel saw around two dozen patients. According to court documents, the clinic then fired Patel when they could not verify his credentials. Prosecutors charged Patel with wire fraud, furnishing false information in a DEA record, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s office, if convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.Men in Iran are snapping selfies in hijabs to protest the compulsory veiling law that requires all women in the country to wear them. Donning a headscarf and wearing loose, modest clothing in public to prevent sexual advances from men has been enforced for Iranian women since conservative laws were passed in 1983, following the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Punishments for disobedience can range from detention to lashes, but many women have started to rebel. Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad launched the social media campaign #MenInHijab to encourage men to play a role in supporting women’s rights and advocating for change by posting photos of themselves with a headscarf. She founded My Stealthy Freedom, an online movement against the enforced hijab, in 2014. One man who posed for a photo in a hijab beside his unveiled niece described how wearing it evoked a sense of lost identity that was “absolutely unacceptable for any liberated person.” “I decided to stand by my niece and wear the hijab, because the truth is that I don’t want anyone to take my freedoms away from me, so I can’t be indifferent to violation of freedoms of half of my people,” he explained. “Women, when they leave home for the public everyday, have to leave their real identity back at home, and it’s a horrible feeling to have a double identity for a lifetime,” he added. “I sincerely want my wife to be able to live in an Iran where she is the one who can determine what she can wear,” wrote another man, pictured next to his wife. “It is indeed extremely difficult for a woman in Iran to endure wearing these clothes in the midst of our sweltering hot summers just because we want to avoid driving the ire of the officials in the country.” #meninhijab #مردان_باحجاب A photo posted by Ashkan E Verde (@ashkan_nematian) on Jul 31, 2016 at 10:39am PDT Alinejad takes issue with male legislators dictating how women must dress, which she says ultimately compromises their dignity. “These are men making decisions for women. They don’t understand what it’s like,” she told The WorldPost. “To be clear, we are not against the hijab. If you want to wear it, you should wear it! Women in Iran don’t have a choice.” The activist has been blown away by the number of men who have joined the movement since she launched her campaign just over a week ago, but it hasn’t come without some backlash. “People outside of Iran have reacted [to the campaign] by saying ‘you’re ruining the face of Islam’ or ‘Islam doesn’t actually force anyone to wear a hijab.’ We have to educate them. In Iran, it’s compulsory. In some other countries [wearing a hijab is] just a cultural norm,” she said. “There are people who say ‘this is a cultural issue, we shouldn’t get involved,’” she added. “No! This is a human rights issue. We have to talk about it. We must not be silent.” Take a look at these inspirational photos posted to social media of Iranian men showing solidarity with women to challenge enforced hijab laws: 🇮🇷❤️🇮🇷❤️#meninhijab #iran A photo posted by Antonio Paulillo (@_pauliyo_) on Jul 29, 2016 at 1:15pm PDT به تاريخ نگاه كنيم زناني كه تاكنون به حجاب اجباري اعتراض كردند يا در راهپيمايي بزرگ بعد از انقلاب بود و يا زناني كه در خيابان و فضاي عمومي روسري از سر برداشتند و عكس هاي اعتراضي به كمپين آزادي هاي يواشكي فرستادند تا بگويند نمي خواهيم آزادي مان يواشكي باقي بماند. چالش اخير مردان با استقبال خوبي همراه بود و شايد گام بعدي همين باشد كه اعتراض ها را از خانه به فضاي عمومي بگيريم. ايران براي همه ماست چه كساني كه به حجاب باور دارند و چه كساني كه اجبار را دوست ندارند بايد سهمي برابر از خيابان هاي شهر داشته باشند. درست مثل فلسطين و لبنان و بقيه كشورهاي مسلمان كه در خيابان زنان با حجاب و بدون حجاب شانه به شانه هم راه مي روند. اين هم سهم همراهي با زنان در خيابان. فقط بگم خیلی گرم بود و در عرض یک دقیقه با روسری كلي عرق كردم و اصلا بیشتر نتونستم طاقت بیارم که روی سرم باشه. اگر باورت باشد تحملش آسان است اما وقتي تحميلي باشد هرگز. واقعا نمي دانم زناني كه مخالف حجاب اجباري هستن چطور تحمل مي كنند. #مردان_باحجاب #meninhijab A photo posted by Masih Alinejad (@masih.alinejad) on Jul 31, 2016 at 9:46pm PDTWashington, D.C. The Department of Transportation is reviewing whether the FAA has the authority to require drones be registered at their point of sale, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told CBS News on Friday. "That's what we're looking at, the question is what can we do on our own and where do we need Congress to intervene," said Foxx. "The administration has an interagency group working on this, that includes the Department of Homeland Security and other departments that will be focused on this." Sharp rise in close calls between drones and planes Requiring people to register their drone at the point of sale would provide "at least some ability to track it back if we find that they are violating some FAA rule," Foxx said. "That's just one example of the type of thing that we are exploring." Currently, drones are considered hobby aircraft and are exempt from registration because they are supposed to be operated below 400 feet. As CBS has reported, airspace rules are being widely violated. As first reported by CBS News, a record of at least 650 drone sightings have been reported by pilots so far this year. That's compared to 238 in all of 2014. "The FAA needs the ability to set clear rules for when and where consumers can fly drones, require manufacturers to install basic technological safeguards and ensure consumers receive safety information," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, who has introduced a bill to regulate drone use. The near tripling of aircraft-done encounters number "should sound the alarm," she said. In a statement to CBS News, Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, called for better enforcement of existing rules. "Unmanned aircraft systems shouldn't fly close to airports, or manned aircraft or above 400 feet," he said. "These are common-sense guidelines, but many new UAS enthusiasts aren't taking the time to understand where they should and shouldn't fly. Any individual who misuses UAS technology, or uses it in a careless and reckless manner, should be held accountable. The FAA needs to enforce its existing rules if a UAS endangers manned aircraft or people on the ground. " Drones near airports cause security concerns One the biggest challenges to the drone issue is catching the operator. "While we can identify a drone in the air, tracking that drone back to who is controlling it is an enforcement problem that we have," Foxx said. Foxx said there are, in fact, at least federal two teams studying the drone issue. In addition to the inter-agency team that includes Transportation Department officials, DHS officials and the national security world, the Department of Transportation has its own working group studying what action it can take immediately. Foxx says he's hoping to hear the findings of the DOT team in weeks, not months -- but bottom line, Foxx said, is that enforcement is coming. "We've assembled an internal team to spend a lot of time and energy looking at our authority to figure out, you know, what is the most aggressive way that we can deal with this issue," said Foxx. Stricter enforcement of drone laws will be a move away from an almost exclusive FAA focus on educating drone operators about the rules. Since 2011, the agency has issued just five fines with three more pending for drone use. Another 22 investigations remain open. Foxx expects drone manufacturers will step up their education efforts and says the agency is looking at geofencing as a possible remedy manufacturers could build into their devices. Geofencing would be software limiting how high a drone could fly and how close it could get to restricted airspace, including airports. "Geofencing has its benefits and, if manufacturers want to incorporate geofencing into their software, we support them. But as attractive as technology solutions may be, they are no substitute for education," said Wynne. "The operator is responsible for the safety of an aircraft, whether it's manned or unmanned." In an on-camera interview Tuesday, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta called the at least 13 incidents of drones disrupting wildfire firefighting efforts in California a "game changer." He confirmed that discussions about stronger enforcement and the potential need for new regulations are underway. He added the conversation includes law enforcement officials. "We are looking at all of the above," he said. "Let's go back to few years ago -- we had a significant problem with lasers around airports, so we joined together with our law enforcement partners to address lasers being pointed at airplanes. That's what we are doing with unmanned aircraft, bringing together all of our law enforcement partners." Huerta was referencing the 2014 FBI effort to crack down on laser strikes against aircraft that has resulted in some arrests. The latest effort, he said, incorporates "bringing together all of the industry who is trying to find ways to safely integrate unmanned aircraft, working with our field teams who are responsible for enforcing aviation laws, and reaching out to the public to make sure they know this is an extremely unsafe thing to be doing." Despite that FBI crackdown, laser strikes reported by pilots are on pace to set a new all-time record. As of July 17, there had been 3,051 reported.Even before Ted Cruz suspended his campaign a few weeks ago, speculation has been mounting about a potential Supreme Court bid for the brilliant legal scholar. But when asked Friday about the possibility of being a justice, Cruz demurred. "That is not a desire of my heart," he said. "Frankly, all the times I've interviewed you, I've never asked if you have any aspirations or felt called if asked to serve on the Supreme Court,” said WBAP-AM host Chris Salcedo in an interview with Cruz Friday. "I mean, I know you have the sharp intelligence to handle the job. But is it even something you even consider?" "You know, Chris, I’ll tell you. That is not a desire of my heart," answered Cruz, adding, "I have had several opportunities in the past to go to the bench, and I certainly deeply respect the job the justices do. But I think our country is in crisis. And I think we need a strong conservative president who will appoint not just one, but two, three, four, five Supreme Court justices who are principled constitutionalists." "That is not a desire of my heart." Sen. Ted Cruz Cruz went on to argue that he could be far more impactful as a president than as a justice, citing the need to repeal Obamacare, defend religious freedom, and protect our allies, particularly Israel. "I believe that I can do a great deal more good fighting across the political spectrum because we also need leadership to repeal every word of Obamacare, to pass a flat-tax and abolish the IRS, to protect religious liberty and stop the federal government form violating our First Amendment rights and to stand with our friends and allies, especially the nation of Israel," said Cruz. So what are the chances Cruz is actually offered a justice bid? Even if presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump wins, it's certainly not a lock that he'd name Cruz. When asked about that possibility recently, Trump was not enthusiastic about the idea, saying, he'd have to "think about it," but following up the comment by criticizing Cruz's "tough temperament." "I don't know, I'd have to think about it," Trump said when asked about selecting Cruz. Responding to the interviewer's suggestion that it could "unite" the party, Trump said, "There's a whole question of uniting and there's a whole question as to temperament. He's certainly a smart guy, but there's also a temperament issue.... He's got a tough temperament for what we're talking about. I mean, you have to be a very, very smart, rational person, in my opinion... to be a justice of any kind. You need the proper temperament, and that would be a question that I have." Before winning the Texas senate seat in 2012, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas (the youngest solicitor general in the nation), where he argued on behalf of the state before the Supreme Court. Here's an excerpt from his Senate bio sketch highlighting his legal experience: Before being elected, Ted received national acclaim as the Solicitor General of Texas, the State's chief lawyer before the U.S. Supreme Court. Serving under Attorney General Greg Abbott, Ted was the nation’s youngest Solicitor General, the longest serving Solicitor General in Texas, and the first Hispanic Solicitor General of Texas. In private practice in Houston, Ted spent five years as a partner at one of the nation’s largest law firms, where he led the firm’s U.S. Supreme Court and national Appellate Litigation practice. Ted has authored more than 80 U.S. Supreme Court briefs and argued 43 oral arguments, including nine before the U.S. Supreme Court. During Ted’s service as Solicitor General, Texas achieved an unprecedented series of landmark national victories, including successfully defending: • U.S. sovereignty against the UN and the World Court in Medellin v. Texas; • The Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms; • The constitutionality of the Texas Ten Commandments monument; • The constitutionality of the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance; • The constitutionality of the Texas Sexually Violent Predator Civil Commitment law; and • The Texas congressional redistricting plan. Partial transcript via TheBlaze.Construction of a luxury outlet mall near the Vancouver International Airport has started. The McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport will occupy 30 acres next to the airport, and 376,000 square feet of retail space once development is complete. The site will be developed in two phases and is close to the Canada Line Templeton station. “McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport will offer a highly distinctive, luxury-oriented retail destination in Vancouver,” says Joan Jove, McArthurGlen’s Development Director for North America. “We are already seeing strong interest from leading European and North American fashion brands. Vancouver offers an excellent location, economic strength, tourism potential, as well as a strong partner in the Vancouver Airport Authority – all elements that guarantee success when opening a premium retail centre.” In Europe, McArthurGlen outlets are known for retailers such as Prada, Armani, Burberry and Michael Kors. The outlet mall will feature two “luxury piazzas,” according to the developer. There will be pedestrian-friendly walkways, tree-lined streets and the architecture will be inspired by historic Vancouver buildings including the Sinclair Centre, the Rowing Club and the Gastown neighhourhood. B.C. residents are some of the best customers of the Seattle Premium Outlets in Washington State. The Richmond development is expected to create 1,000 jobs. This is McArthurGlen’s first outlet mall in North America. It will open to shoppers in 2015.The exterior of U.S. Bank Stadium continued to take shape during construction in Minneapolis, Monday, July 20, 2015. Updated: 11:39 a.m. \| Posted: 10:02 a.m. The Minnesota Vikings are suing Wells Fargo, saying the bank is trying to muscle in on the image of the new stadium the team is building in downtown Minneapolis, which is named for a Wells Fargo competitor. A suit filed in Hennepin County District Court on Tuesday says the bank and the team struck a deal that allowed Wells Fargo to put 56-foot square roof signs atop each of the two office towers the bank is building near the stadium — since formally named for rival U.S. Bank. "Wells Fargo has recently started installing mounted and illuminated roof top signs that do not conform to the parties agreement in an effort to permanently 'photo bomb' the image of the iconic U.S. Bank Stadium," according to the complaint submitted on behalf of the Vikings by a Minneapolis law firm, which adds, "The prohibited action must be stopped immediately." Wells Fargo spokesperson John Hobot said in a statement on Wednesday that the company is "satisfied with the signage package that was approved for our $300 million community investment initiative for our new campus." Part of the new signage on the east side of U.S. Bank Stadium is secured into place in Minneapolis, Monday, July 20, 2015. Jeffrey Thompson \| MPR News file Minnesota Vikings vice president Lester Bagley said the team had been trying to come to terms with Wells Fargo about the signs. "We objected repeatedly. We met with them. We called them, we objected in writing," Bagley said. "This is our last resort." Bagley said the sign agreement signed in 2014 provides for the possibility of a court injunction. "Bottom line, they violated an agreement, in writing, a signed agreement," Bagley said. "We felt it was important to call them on it." Exhibits filed with the suit include a sign agreement signed between Wells Fargo and StadCo, the holding company for the Vikings stadium development effort. The complaint calls illuminated signs with raised lettering a "material deviation from the roof signage" agreed to in February 2014. The suit suggests the bank and the team have been tussling over whether Wells Fargo could light the signs, the entire roof, or nothing at all. A photo dated Monday shows the signs in place on the roof of the new bank building. Court records show the lawsuit has been assigned to Hennepin County District Court Judge James Moore. A court spokesperson says a hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 30. The Vikings said in 2013 the team feared a prominent display of a brand near their stadium could diminish the value of the naming rights of their new $1 billion stadium, particularly in aerial television and photo images of the new stadium and surrounding area. The U.S. Bank Stadium name is already displayed in large script across the north half of the stadium's roof, seven months before the building opens. Neither the team nor the bank have disclosed what U.S. Bank paid the team for the naming rights. Read the complaint MPR News reporter Jon Collins contributed to this story.LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s continued membership of the European Union is contingent upon it being allowed to stop migrants from the bloc tapping into its relatively generous welfare system, Prime Minister David Cameron will warn on Friday. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron delivers a speech to business leaders at a UK Investment Summit at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, south Wales November 21, 2014. REUTERS/Rebecca Naden In a speech designed to breathe new life into his campaign to be re-elected in May next year, Cameron will say he wants EU migrants in work to have to wait four years before they can access welfare benefits and for unemployed EU migrants not to be eligible for any help from the British state at all. With polls showing immigration is voters’ top concern, Cameron is under pressure to take a tougher line on the issue. Many of his Conservative lawmakers fear the rise in popularity of the anti-EU UK Independence Party, which this month won its second seat in parliament, threatens their re-election chances. The speech is likely to upset EU partners such as Poland which has suggested such measures would be discriminatory. But Cameron will not call the EU’s freedom of movement rules into question as some EU leaders had feared and will not advocate migrant quotas or an “emergency brake” on inflows. If re-elected, he has promised to renegotiate Britain’s ties with the EU before giving Britons an in/out membership referendum in 2017. He will make it clear on Friday he thinks his renegotiation will succeed. But he will also drop his strongest hint yet that he may campaign for Britain to leave the bloc if he fails. “I will negotiate a cut to EU migration and make welfare reform an absolute requirement in renegotiation,” Cameron will say, according to advance extracts released by his office. “If I succeed, I will, as I have said, campaign to keep this country in a reformed EU. If our concerns fall on deaf ears and we cannot put our relationship with the EU on a better footing, then of course I rule nothing out.” If implemented, his proposals, which are designed to make Britain a less attractive place for migrant labor, would affect over 300,000 EU migrants, many of them working in low-wage low-skilled jobs. Welfare payments to EU migrants’ children living outside Britain would be stopped and jobless EU migrants would be removed if they were unable to find work within six months. Nationals from member states joining the EU in future would also be banned from joining the British labor market until their home economies had converged more closely with current members. Such changes would require the agreement of other EU states and possibly necessitate a change to the bloc’s founding treaties, something most countries are reluctant to do. Under the EU’s freedom of movement rules, EU citizens are entitled to work anywhere in the bloc. That has seen hundreds of thousands of EU nationals come to work in Britain, which has the bloc’s fastest-growing economy. Figures published on Thursday showed 228,000 EU citizens had moved to Britain in the year to June alone — the highest recorded figure — adding political pressure on Cameron to act. UKIP and parts of the Conservative party say the public is unhappy about what it perceives to be abuse of the welfare system by unemployed EU migrants and is worried that those migrants who do find jobs are depressing wages. Britain has already cut access to social security payments for EU migrants this year, tightening the eligibility criteria, increasing the waiting period before migrants are entitled to payments, and halving the length of time for which they can claim unemployment and child benefits. Cameron is expected to say he wants his proposed changes to apply to the whole of the EU. Failing that, he will say he wants a UK-only settlement.Emotional scenes of Germans and Austrians civilians welcomed exhausted migrants arriving in their countries have contrasted starkly with the treatment they had received in Hungary. Budapest sparked outrage after putting migrants in holding camps and a series of confrontations between Hungarian police and refugees were caught on film. Related: Pope Francis Calls on Parishes to House Refugees, Says Vatican Will Do Same Germany, Europe’s wealthiest country, also said it would make it easier to deport asylum seekers from countries considered "safe," such as Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania, to cope with the huge influx from war-torn states like Syria, Iraq and Eritrea. On Sunday, a convoy of around 140 cars and vans filled with food and water left Vienna, Austria, to collect exhausted migrants, who had set out to walk the 110-mile stretch through the rain from Hungary's capital Budapest to the Austrian border. Related: Austria to End Measure Letting Refugees Pass Through Freely Onlookers clapped and chanted: "Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here," as volunteers loaded their vehicles with food, water and soft toys. Munich police told NBC News that 28,500 people had arrived in the city over the past week, with 17,800 on Saturday and Sunday alone. Authorities said the city was running out of beds, and would be sending people to other states within Germany much more quickly. Also on Monday, British prime minister David Cameron said the U.K. will take 20,000 refugees from Syria over the next five years. He told lawmakers that the country had a “moral responsibility” to resettle refugees living in camps bordering Syria, while doing all it could to end the conflict in the country. Vulnerable children would be prioritized, he said. Earlier, French President Francois said his country would welcome 24,000 refugees, and that he and Merkel had agreed on a mechanism to spread the migrant load across Europe. But Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orban, said he wasn't prepared to pitch in and questioned how any EU quota system for migrants could work. He pledged to push on with the effort to build an impregnable 11.5-foot high barrier on its southern border to keep the migrants out. Orban’s government has shrugged off the symbolism and Cold War echoes — noted by critics in western Europe — of razor-wire barriers and watchtowers along borders in formerly Communist eastern Europe. "We are protecting Europe according to European rules that say borders can be crossed only in certain areas in a controlled way and after registration," he said in the an interview with an Austrian broadcaster. Asked if soldiers along the frontier would get orders to shoot, he said: "It is not necessary because there will be a fence that cannot be crossed. Whoever wants nevertheless to cross the fence must be arrested and prosecuted. No use of arms will be necessary." The raging debate — and the fence — had not stopped migrants from moving norther. Several hundred migrants woke up in a field near the border with Serbia on Monday morning after spending a night in the cold. Some 500 people, mostly Syrians, camped in an open field at temperatures of around 46 degrees Fahrenheit because nearby transit camps were overcrowded. The police did not allow them to walk some three miles to the nearest border town of Roszke to seek shelter instead. "The situation is very very sad," said Amer, a student from Damascus. "Everybody here feels cold and tired and nobody wants to stay here, but there's no buses... one bus at two hours, and there's about 500 [people], maybe more. The situation is very, very bad."On the eve of his retirement, I spoke with Roger Cutler, longtime W3C participant from Chevron. IJ: Roger, since you have been participating in W3C for some time, can you describe how Chevron’s interests have changed? RC: In 2000 our focus was on XML and Web Services. As those areas matured, we turned our interests to Semantic Web technology. As end users of Web technology we are often insulated from standards through our dependency on vendors. For example, although we think HTML5 will be important to us, nonetheless we don’t have a particular axe to grind since vendors will come between us and HTML5 much of the time. But in the case of the Semantic Web we are trying to access the technology more directly and much of the expertise in the field can be found within the W3C. IJ: How is Chevron using Semantic Web technology? RC: In one project we sought to exploit the technical strengths of Semantic Web technology such as the expressiveness and reasoning achievable with OWL. While our efforts in that project have been a success as far as the technology goes, we have not yet seen a significant business benefit. A second effort focused on challenging integration problems that involve information about equipment in major capital projects such as an oil rig or platform. These capital projects involve tens of thousands of objects: flanges, pumps, blowout preventers, sub-assemblies, and so on. All the pieces of equipment come with documents (for safety and regulatory reasons, engineering drawings, etc.) and manufacturer’s specifications (e.g., temperatures at which the components function). The equipment data associated with these projects are both valuable and complex. We tried to exploit the expressiveness of OWL to create an ontology that puts this together and deals with the complexity. This has been technically successful but again we haven’t yet deployed the solution so we have not yet derived any business benefit from it. Obviously we’re at the stage of learning and experimenting with the technology. IJ: Can you describe where the data comes from and how it is managed? RC: All this information about equipment lives in different forms in a number of different systems and is handled separately by different organizations with different data models. For example, the people who build facilities and determine what equipment they will use have data about the equipment. The people doing the maintenance of the equipment have much the same data, only structured differently, and with additional information specific to their needs. Then there are the production people running the equipment, turning on valves and seeking to maximize production on
[67] The single eventually peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a total of 17 weeks; and topped the American mainstream rock chart.[73] It was Slade's first and only top 20 hit in the States. Its success, it has been suggested, was partly due to the accompanying music video which was filmed at Eastnor Castle in Ledbury, Herefordshire, England and was heavily shown on the MTV music channel.[67] In August 1984, "My Oh My" was released as a follow-up, it peaked at number 37 for a total of 11 weeks, again with the help of a heavily rotated music video on MTV.[73] Quiet Riot meanwhile released another Slade song, "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", which peaked at number 51.[72] The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome was reworked with a couple of alternative tracks and different artwork, and was released in North America as Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply.[74] The album was a success, getting to number 33 in the US and number 26 in Canada.[73][75] The final single from the album was "Slam the Hammer Down" which peaked at number 92.[27] A tour with Ozzy Osbourne was cancelled after several warm-up gigs, when Lea collapsed in the dressing room after a performance. He was later diagnosed with hepatitis C. The band returned to the UK and did not tour again, mainly due to differences within the band and problems in Holder's family life.[15][67] Second decline in popularity (1985–1990) [ edit ] Promotional photo of Slade in 1986 In mid-1984, Polydor released a new compilation, Slade's Greats, which peaked at number 89, and during the autumn a full European tour was announced to promote the album.[23] Tickets were being sold before the band had confirmed that the tour would actually take place and shortly after it had to be cancelled because Holder, who was facing a divorce from his first wife, was furious this had gone ahead without his permission.[15][76][77] In late 1984, a new single, similar in style to "My Oh My" was released in the UK. Entitled "All Join Hands", the song made number 15 in the charts.[23] "Merry Xmas Everybody" was also re-released, peaking at number 47 in the UK.[23] At the beginning of 1985, Slade released the single "7 Year Bitch" which stalled at number 60 in the UK when it failed to make radio playlists.[23] The band protested that there had been no reaction to Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" which was a hit record.[78] The single did make number 39 in German charts however.[61] A following single was released in March entitled "Myzsterious Mizster Jones". The single marked a return for Slade's trademark of spelling titles incorrectly, which had not been done since the 1973 hit "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me". Despite being a radio-friendly track, the single only peaked at number 50 in the UK[23] Neither "7 Year Bitch" nor "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" was released in America but the single "Little Sheila" was, where it reached number 86 in the Billboard charts and number 13 in the American mainstream rock chart.[27] It was also released in Canada, where it got to number 50, and Germany.[73][79] Rogues Gallery, an album heavily reliant on Lea playing on synthesizer, was released in the UK during March, and in America during May. Reported to be one of the band's most polished productions, the band aimed to produce an album where all tracks were potential hit singles.[78] Despite receiving critical acclaim in both Europe and America, partly due to due to the lack of live appearances, Slade were unable to retain their new-found American audience or rekindled British following, and the album failed to live up to commercial expectations, causing the band to largely fade from sight once more. In the UK, the album reached number 60,[23] whilst in America it made number 132.[73] The album was a big hit in Norway, peaking at number 5. It also charted in other European countries.[80] In November, the band released a party album called Crackers - The Christmas Party Album which peaked at number 34 and was certified UK Gold later that month.[23] Repackaged on several occasions under various names such as The Party Album and Slade's Crazee Christmas; it contained Slade hits and songs that had been successful for other artists.[17] Amazed at what Bob Geldof had achieved with Live Aid, Holder penned the lyrics to "Do You Believe in Miracles" which was also released in November.[78] The single's earnings went to charity but it only peaked at number 54 in the UK.[23] The final release of the year was another re-release of "Merry Xmas Everybody" which peaked at number 48 in the UK.[23] In 1986, two new Slade tracks, "We Won't Give In" and "Wild Wild Party", were used for the British film "Knights & Emeralds".[81] That same year, the rock band The Redbeards From Texas released a cover of the 1972 Slade hit, Gudbuy T'Jane and in late 1986; "Okey Cokey" was re-released for the second time but failed to chart, whilst "Merry Xmas Everybody" was once again re-released, peaking at number 71.[23] 1986 also saw Slade's first official fan convention at the Finsbury Leisure Centre, Old Street, London.[82] To avoid becoming a 'Christmas' hit band, Slade did not release the single "Still the Same" in December 1986 but left it until February 1987.[83] The single was not a hit, reaching only number 73 in the UK, leaving RCA wondering whether it might have been a better idea to release it at Christmas.[23][83] Released in April, "That's What Friends Are For" suffered a similar fate, peaking at number 95.[23] Slade's final studio album, You Boyz Make Big Noize, was released a week later. It was produced by Roy Thomas Baker, Lea and Punter.[84] The album was poorly promoted with no accompanying tour or music videos and spent just one week in the UK chart, peaking at number 98.[23] Like much of Slade's later material, it fared better in Norway where it got to number 12.[85] Following the album's failure, RCA agreed to let Slade return to their own Cheapskate Records label, although RCA still continued distributing. A new single, also called "You Boyz Make Big Noize" was released in August. Influenced by the Beastie Boys' musical style, it lacked the synthesiser sound of the album.[77] It was another commercial failure, just creeping into the top 100 at number 94.[23] The single did not feature on the European version of the album but became the title track for the American version which was also released in August.[17] The album was not successful in America, neither was the single "Ooh La La in L.A." despite receiving radio play in the city of Los Angeles.[86][87][88] In late 1987, "We Won't Give In" was released as a single in the UK,[89] where it missed the top 100, peaking at No. 121.[90] The band's 1987 official fan convention was held at The Royal Standard Convention, Walthamstow, London.[82] In 1988, Slade released a cover of the Chris Montez song "Let's Dance"; a re-mix of the track from Crackers – The Christmas Party Album.[77][91] The band held their third official fan club convention at Drummonds Convention, King's Cross, London.[82] In late 1989, after what was initially supposed to be an 18-month break, Holder announced plans for a new album. Due to be released in 1990, the album never materialised, nor did the tour that would have followed had the album been a success.[92][93] 1989 saw "Merry Xmas Everybody" make another new chart appearance, this time reaching number 99 the week after Let's Party by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers, which sampled the song, topped the chart.[23] In 1989, Hill formed his own group Blessings in Disguise with Ex-Wizzard keyboard player, Bill Hunt, Craig Fenney and Bob Lamb.[94] During 1990, Lea released his own version of Slade's "We'll Bring the House Down" under the name The Clout.[95] At the end of the year, "Merry Xmas Everybody" was again re-released and peaked at number 93.[23] In late 1990, both Holder and Lea produced a cover of "Merry Xmas Everybody" by the band The Metal Gurus, known mainly as The Mission.[96] The single peaked at No. 55 in the UK[97] and both Holder and Lea appeared in the song's music video,[98] whilst Holder provided lead vocals on one of the single's b-sides, another Slade cover, "Gudbuy T'Jane".[99] All artist royalties from the sale of the single were donated to Childline.[96] Brief comeback and break-up (1991–1992) [ edit ] In April 1991, the Slade fan club-organised a 25th anniversary party. The band, who were invited, played one song, Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" which turned out to be their last live performance.[100] In that same year, Lea produced the single "Where Have All the Good Girls Gone" for the Crybabys, which was not a success.[71] Later, Polydor Records, after hearing Crying in the Rain, contacted Slade about a new compilation album. It was hoped that Slade would promote it by releasing two brand new singles and, if successful, would record a new studio album.[101] The first single, "Radio Wall of Sound", written by Lea and originally intended for a solo project, was released in October.[55] The compilation album, Wall of Hits was released the following month, along with a video compilation under the same name. Both the single and the album were moderately successful reaching number 21 and number 34 respectively.[23] The album later went certified UK Silver and in an attempt to promote it further, a second single, "Universe" was released in December. Despite a number of TV performances, the single failed to reach the top 100. As a result, in January 1992, Polydor withdrew the option for a new album and future singles.[15] In March 1992, the band returned to Rich Bitch Studios to record a new house/dance-style version of "We'll Bring the House Down". However, by the end of the month, Holder had decided to finally leave the band. He had become weary of the constant arguing and discontent within the band, and effectively managing their day-to-day affairs. He left after 26 years with the band to explore other career paths. Believing Holder to be an integral member of Slade, Lea also effectively retired from the band, preferring to work alone in the studio, rather than continue without Holder. Powell briefly became a bartender in a hotel his wife managed, but would soon re-join Hill to form Slade II later in the year.[102] Aftermath and recent years (1993–present) [ edit ] Slade II was formed in 1992 by Hill with Powell and three other musicians - Craig Fenney (bass), Steve Makin (guitar) and Steve Whalley (Lead vocals and guitar). The suggestion to call the group Slade II came from Holder, but Lea was not happy with the Slade name being used at all. The group's name was only shortened to Slade again, some years later. Working solidly on the UK theatre circuit during the winter months and throughout Europe the rest of the year, the band released one studio album in 1994 entitled Keep on Rockin', which featured Steve Whalley on vocals.[103] The album was not successful, nor were the singles "Hot Luv" and "Black and White World". The band have seen many line-ups (including Dave Glover on bass, plus present incumbents Mal McNulty on guitar and vocals and John Berry on bass and vocals) but Hill and Powell have remained constant throughout.[15] Slade were reunited for two events during 1996: the funeral of long-time Slade manager Chas Chandler and an episode of the television show This Is Your Life which featured Holder as the subject.[104][105] Also in 1996, a compilation entitled The Genesis of Slade was released, which contained rare and some previously unreleased material from The Vendors, Steve Brett & The Mavericks and The 'N Betweens.[106] During 1997, a new Slade compilation, Feel the Noize – Greatest Hits, reached number 19 in the UK, while in the following year, a remix of "Merry Xmas Everybody", released under the name Slade Vs. Flush, made number 30.[23] In 1999, BBC One broadcast a newly made documentary on the band, titled It's Slade, which featured new interviews with all four members of the band, along with various other musical artists and celebrities such as Ozzy Osbourne, Noel Gallagher, Status Quo, Toyah Wilcox and Suzi Quatro. It was narrated by Radio One's Mark Radcliffe.[107][108] In 2000, Holder was appointed as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire[109] for his services to music and his voice was famously recorded for lift announcements at the Walsall New Art Gallery.[110] In 2002, Slade II shortened their name to Slade and re-released their album Keep on Rockin' with a handful of new tracks included, retitled Cum on Let's Party.[111] The band also released two new singles, titled "Some Exercise" and "Take Me Home". Both singles were released in Belgium through Virgin Records.[112] In 2003, incarcerated serial killer Rosemary West announced her supposed engagement to bassist Dave Glover. The supposed engagement was called off shortly afterwards and Glover was summarily fired from Slade by Dave Hill. Glover admitted having written to her about the case, but denied any romantic involvement.[113] An American compilation was released by Shout! Factory in 2004, titled Get Yer Boots On: The Best of Slade.[114] In 2005, Steve Whalley, original singer for Slade II, left the band and was replaced by Mal McNulty, who has sung for the band since.[115] In November 2005, Polydor released a new Slade compilation, The Very Best of Slade, which peaked at number 39 in the UK.[116] A DVD was also released for the first time, featuring a collection of Slade videos and promos.[117] From 2006 to 2007, music label Salvo remastered and released all of Slade's catalogue, including a four-disc anthology set entitled The Slade Box (Anthology 1969–1991) and a package of all live albums in one Slade Alive! - The Live Anthology.[118] The remastered series also included the release of a new compilation called simply B-Sides, which featured all of the band's B-sides.[119] Shout! Factory also released the compilation In for a Penny: Raves & Faves in 2007.[120] In late 2006, UK chart rules changed to allow downloads of old singles eligible to chart, which allowed "Merry Xmas Everybody" to return to the chart. It has re-entered the UK Top 75 every Christmas since then, most successfully in 2007 when it peaked at number 20.[23] In 2009, a new compilation was released, Live at the BBC. It featured songs recorded for BBC sessions between 1969 and 1972, Radio 1 jingles recorded in 1973 and 1974, and, on the second disc, songs recorded live at the Paris Theatre, London, in August 1972.[121] In November 2009, Universal Music released a new compilation entitled Merry Xmas Everybody: Party Hits, which peaked at number 151 in the UK.[23] In 2010, all four original members of Slade attended a business meeting hoping that maybe this could lead to the band reuniting for a farewell tour. However, the meeting soon dissolved into the same continued arguments on matters spanning back to the band's original break-up, and led to such an idea being dismissed.[122][123] In 2011, Salvo released a remastered version of Sladest which included a previously unreleased studio version of the live track "Hear Me Calling".[124] On the evening of 21 December 2012, BBC Four held Slade Night,[125] which consisted of a showing of the 1999 documentary It's Slade, Slade at the BBC,[126] and the band's 1975 film Slade in Flame respectively. Slade at the BBC is a compilation of the band's performances from the BBC archives throughout their career from 1969 to 1991, introduced by Noddy Holder.[127] According to BARB, the viewing figure for It's Slade was 608,000 whilst Slade at the BBC had a total of 477,000 viewers.[128] After years of working with Lise Lyng Falkenberg, since 2006, Powell's biography Look Wot I Dun – My Life in Slade was released on 14 October 2013, by Omnibus Press (Music Sales Ltd).[129] The book is based on more than 50 hours of interviews with Powell as well as his own 20 years of diaries and notebooks he kept due to his problems with short-term memory following his 1973 accident.[130] Additionally the book featured contributions and quotes from interviews of 28 of Powell's friends, colleagues and family members.[131] It looks in detail at Slade's long career and Powell's life, which included booze-ups with Ozzy Osbourne. To promote the book, Powell appeared at a number of Waterstones book signings, as well as a charity "Tea with Don Powell" event, a question and answer session, where Powell discussed his life with Clive Eakin of BBC Coventry & Warwick. It was in support of the National Autistic Society.[131] In 2015, the box set When Slade Rocked the World was released.[132] Musical style [ edit ] Slade have been cited as influences on bands working in a number of genres including progressive rock, heavy metal, glam rock, hard rock and pop rock.[133] Many Slade songs were written specifically for audience participation, such as "Get Down and Get With It", "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", "Cum on Feel the Noize", "Give Us a Goal", "We'll Bring The House Down", "Rock and Roll Preacher" and "My Oh My".[134] In the days before Slade, Holder, Lea, Hill and Powell were influenced by American blues artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson II, John Lee Hooker and Howlin' Wolf but then became interested in the work of Little Richard.[135][136] Later they were to draw artistic influence from contemporary rock acts including the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Joe Brown, Cream, the Kinks, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, the Rolling Stones, Rufus Thomas, the Who, the Pretty Things, and Screaming Lord Sutch.[133] Chas Chandler's connections with The Animals and Jimi Hendrix also had an influence.[137] The 1969 album Beginnings, released under the name Ambrose Slade, featured many musical influences with covers of songs by Steppenwolf, Ted Nugent, Frank Zappa, The Moody Blues, The Beatles and Marvin Gaye.[citation needed] The album contained elements of psychedelic rock and classic 1960s rock.[citation needed] Play It Loud (1970), was also influenced by 1960s classic rock but also showed leanings towards a harder rock sound.[citation needed] Their 1972 live album, Slade Alive!, featured cover versions of songs by Ten Years After, The Lovin' Spoonful, Bobby Marchan and Steppenwolf and although the album contained strong elements of classic rock it also hinted at the glam rock sound to come.[citation needed] The 1971 single "Coz I Luv You", was inspired by the guitar styles of Django Reinhardt and Stephan Grapelli.[138] Slayed? (1972) merged glam rock with classic rock, and whilst the 1974 album, Old New Borrowed and Blue, continued in this vein, it also featured pop-rock, rock ballads and novelty tracks.[139] The next album was the 1974 soundtrack Slade in Flame which saw a return to 1960s classic rock, to fit with the theme of the film. The single from the album, "Far Far Away" had an acoustic rock sound, whereas the following single "How Does It Feel?" featured the use of brass and woodwind instruments.[21] In 1975, while residing in the States, Slade was influenced by Southern boogie rock bands and as a result, Nobody's Fools featured a wide mixture of styles including soul, country, rock, funk, folk and blues. The album also featured some soulful female backing vocalists.[140] After the band returned to the UK in 1977, they began to merge their American influences with a classic, hard rock. Return to Base (1979) featured elements of classic rock, acoustic rock, rock ballads, ambient rock and rock and roll.[141] Two albums, released in 1981; We'll Bring the House Down and Till Deaf Do Us Part adopted a hard rock and heavy metal sound, as a result of the band's revival amongst heavy metal fans, following their success at the Reading Festival.[141] The 1983 album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome featured a change in musical direction, with a more commercial-friendly rock sound on some tracks, mixed with hard rock and glam metal influences. Some of the tracks hinted at a motor racing theme.[142] One single from the album, "My Oh My" followed a power ballad sound, whilst the next single, "Run Runaway" was reminiscent of a Scottish jig. Slade's next album, Rogues Gallery featured a strong use of synthesisers, which were a popular instrument in the latter half of the 1980s as did the band's final album You Boyz Make Big Noize, although this album had a slightly grittier hard rock sound.[143] Legacy [ edit ] Slade have influenced numerous artists including: Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins, the Ramones, Sex Pistols, the Clash, Kiss, Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot, Poison, Def Leppard, Cheap Trick, Twisted Sister, the Undertones, the Replacements and the Runaways.[144][145] Other artists include Hanoi Rocks, Queen, Kirka, Hot Leg, Candlebox, Cock Sparrer and Girlschool. Their anarchic attitude was adopted by the Damned, the Wonder Stuff, and Oasis, the latter of whom covered "Cum on Feel the Noize". Comedians Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Paul Whitehouse and Mark Williams affectionately parodied the band in a number of what the band called 'hysterically accurate' "Slade in Residence" and "Slade on Holiday" sketches, in their The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer television programme in the early 1990s.[8] Joey Ramone stated "I spent most of the early 70s listening to Slade Alive! thinking to myself, "Wow – this is what I want to do. I want to make that kind of intensity for myself. A couple of years later I was at CBGB's doing my best Noddy Holder."[8] Steve Jones of Sex Pistols stated "Slade never compromised. We always had the feeling that they were on our side. I don't know but I think we were right."[8] NME commented on Slade's legacy in a review of a greatest hits album, "They embodied the glorious absurdity of the greatest pop, in the sideburns, the mirrored top hat and Dave Hill's pudding bowl haircut. As such they were the simplest, most effective possible, riposte to prog rock's bloated pretensions and pseudo-intellect."[146] In 1981, Adam and the Ants' lead guitarist and co-songwriter Marco Pirroni, who now owns Dave Hill's original trademark 'Superyob' guitar, stated that he was greatly influenced by the first gig he ever attended which was Slade at Wembley Pool in 1973.[147][148] British presenter Gareth Jones, also known as Gaz Top, is a known Slade fan who hosted the 1986 Slade documentary "Slade Perseverance".[149][150] Jones also appeared at the 1986 and 1987 official Slade fan club conventions.[82] Other famous Slade fans include English ex-football player Gary Lineker[151][152] and Welsh football player Nigel Vaughan, whom Lea and Hill visited on Boxing Day 1989 at the football ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers.[153][154] Ozzy Osbourne commented during a Slade documentary, "Noddy Holder's got one of greatest voices in rock ever."[155] On his show, 'Breakfast With Alice' on Planet Rock, Alice Cooper stated "I love Slade. One of the oddest-looking bands of all time... Twisted Sister lived on Slade, and so did Quiet Riot pretty much. They wrote the catchiest songs around."[156][157] In 2008, Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe said, '"...like with Alice Cooper and Bowie and Slade – those fucking bands gave 150 percent. It was about fashion, it was about music, it was about pushing the envelope".[158] Status Quo bassist John "Rhino" Edwards stated in a 2010 interview, "I thought the best violin player was Jimmy Lea out of Slade. Oh, he's just brilliant. He's a brilliant musician, that guy. He's a serious bass player. That band (Slade) are so underrated as players. So original."[159] Twisted Sister vocalist Dee Snider once described Twisted Sister as Slade meets the Sex Pistols. Twisted Sister's guitarist Jay Jay French stated "I would say our direct lineage these days is a bit of Slade and Alice Cooper."[160] On the 2011 final Mark Radcliffe & Stuart Maconie BBC Radio Two show, Manic Street Preachers bassist Nicky Wire stated that he believed Slade's post-Reading material was very underrated.[161] Kiss bassist Gene Simmons stated that his band's early songwriting ethos and stage performance was influenced by Slade. In his book Kiss and Make-Up, Simmons wrote "... we liked the way they (Slade) connected with the crowd and the way they wrote anthems... we wanted that same energy, that same irresistible simplicity".[162] Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick said that his band went to see Slade perform, and that they (Slade) used "every cheap trick in the book", thus inadvertently coining his group's name. Cheap Trick covered the song "When the Lights Are Out" on their 2009 release, The Latest.[163] Quiet Riot had US hits with covers of "Cum on Feel the Noize" and "Mama Weer All Crazee Now". The origins of Slade's influence on Quiet Riot date back to the early 1970s, when Kevin DuBrow photographed Slade during their first Los Angeles appearance at the Whisky a Go Go. However, Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali claims that DeBrow was not a fan of Slade, favouring fellow British rock bands Queen and Humble Pie.[164] Recognition [ edit ] In 1971, Record Mirror magazine voted Slade number 10 in the top UK groups based on singles for the year.[165] During 1972, the then popular teen magazine, Fab 208, voted the band "Group of the Year" whilst in the Record Mirror magazine that same year; Slade were voted number two in the most promising British groups list, number five in the top 18 groups list and number 17 in the male groups category.[166][167] Also in 1972, Slade were voted number one top band and leading recording act in the NME magazine chart points survey, and number one top live band.[168] Radio Luxembourg presented Slade with the award for "Britain's act/group of the year" in 1973.[169][170] In February 1973, Slade were voted Best Live Band by the Disc Music Awards. The same year, the band were again voted the world's top group in the NME Poll and top group in the BBC World Service Poll. In April 1973, Record Mirror magazine ranked Slade at number three of top 10 in both the album and singles band chart. Record Mirror's exclusive chart survey was based on a point system allocated according to position and length of time in UK charts for the first three months of the year.[171] In July 1973, Record Mirror magazine ranked Slade at number six of 10 in the UK group singles chart and number 3 in the UK group albums chart.[172] In 1973 and 1974, the band received the Carl-Alan award for Top Group.[173] In early 1974, the band were voted the number one foreign group by Spain's biggest music magazine of the time and were voted best overseas group in Finland, Belgium and Ireland.[173][174][175][176] The Disc Music Awards rated Slade as the best live group and top British group. Slade made number four in the "top groups in the world" category. Individual members were also acknowledged; Noddy Holder was number five in the best British male singers whilst Jim Lea made number nine in the top songwriter list. In the Record and Radio Mirror poll results of 1974, Slade were voted top British group, with Holder number two in the top British male singer list. Dave Hill and Jim Lea made the top British guitarist list at number one and seven respectively. Lea also appeared at number nine in the top British keyboardist list and number two in the miscellaneous instruments list. Don Powell was voted top British percussionist. The band collected the 1974 Belgian award for Best World Group.[177][178] In February 1976, Record Mirror magazine voted Slade the third best UK group with Noddy Holder number eighth in the best male singer and number six in the best songwriter categories.[179] In 1980, Record Mirror voted the band number one for the most inspired comeback of the year.[180] Biographies [ edit ] The Slade Story by George Tremlett. London: Futura Publications, 1975. ISBN 0-8600-7193-6 by George Tremlett. London: Futura Publications, 1975. ISBN 0-8600-7193-6 Slade, Feel the Noize!: An Illustrated Biography by Chris Charlesworth. London: Omnibus Press, 1984. ISBN 0-7119-0538-X by Chris Charlesworth. London: Omnibus Press, 1984. ISBN 0-7119-0538-X Slade – Perseverance: 25 Years of Noize: A Discography compiled by Morten Langkilde Rasmussen. Hvidovre: M. Langkilde Rasmussen, 1996. ISBN 8798497928 compiled by Morten Langkilde Rasmussen. Hvidovre: M. Langkilde Rasmussen, 1996. ISBN 8798497928 Who's Crazee Now?: My Autobiography by Noddy Holder with Lisa Verrico. London: Ebury Press, 2000 ISBN 0-09-187503-X by Noddy Holder with Lisa Verrico. London: Ebury Press, 2000 ISBN 0-09-187503-X Cum On Feel the Noize! The Story of Slade by Alan Parker & Steve Grantley. London: Carlton Books, 2006 ISBN 978-1-84442-151-0 by Alan Parker & Steve Grantley. London: Carlton Books, 2006 ISBN 978-1-84442-151-0 Look Wot I Dun: My Life in Slade by Don Powell and Lise Lyng Falkenberg. London: Omnibus Press, 2013 ISBN 978-1-78305-040-6 by Don Powell and Lise Lyng Falkenberg. London: Omnibus Press, 2013 ISBN 978-1-78305-040-6 So Here It Is: The Autobiography by Dave Hill. Unbound, 2017 ISBN 978-1-78352-420-4 by Dave Hill. Unbound, 2017 ISBN 978-1-78352-420-4 THE NOIZE - The Slade Discography by Ian Edmundson and Chris Selby, Amazon, 2019 ISBN 978-1794359154 Personnel [ edit ] Current members Dave Hill – Guitar, Vocals (1966–present) Don Powell – Drums (1966–present) John Berry – Vocals, Bass, Violin (2003–present) Russell Keefe – Vocals, Keys (2019–present) Former members Noddy Holder – Vocals, Guitar (1966–1992) Jim Lea – Bass, Vocals (1966–1992) Steve Whalley – Vocals, Guitar (1992–2005) Steve Makin – Guitar (1992–1996) Craig Fenney – Bass, Vocals (1992–1994) Trevor Holliday – Bass, Vocals (1994–2000) Dave Glover – Bass, Vocals (2000–2003) Mal McNulty – Vocals, Guitar (2005–2019) Line-ups Timeline Discography [ edit ] Certified albums and singles [ edit ] In the UK, the band has sold a certified 520,000 albums and 1.8 million singles.[181] See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] Sources [ edit ]Net users would face a heavy bill if they had to pay for what they watch online Sending letters to persistent pirates will not stop them copying, suggests research. Only 33% of those receiving a letter from their ISP would stop pirating content, found a survey carried out by legal firm Wiggin. However, it found 80% would stop if the letter were followed by action such as cutting net connections. The finding comes a week before the release of a UK government report aimed at tackling web piracy. The research, commissioned by media lawyers Wiggin, questioned more than 1,500 UK consumers about their changing digital media habits. On June 16, the government is widely expected to publish the final version of the Carter Report. Among the topics considered by the wide-ranging report will be recommendations that ISPs investigate "technical solutions" to piracy which could involve slowing down connection speeds for unrepentant pirates. "A letter would not be enough," said Alexander Ross, partner in the media and technology group at Wiggin. "It does take an ultimate sanction." Cash for content The survey also found that there could be a lucrative market for ISPs if they did changed their flat rates for prices based on usage. Keen consumers of video, online games would pay a premium to maintain their access to these sorts of content, said Mr Ross. Media consumption habits are changing radically, suggests the research Men aged 20-34 asked in the survey said they would pay £48 per month for such media. Women aged 25-34 would pay up to £39 per month. On average, suggests the research, web users would pay £26 per month to keep access to their favourite firm of online content. "The suggestion is that if ISPs develop content services of their own and tier their access there are ready and willing customers for it," said Mr Ross. In line with the interest in web content, the survey revealed strong interest, 7% of those questioned, in watching them on family TV sets. The appeal of this crossed age divides, found the survey, with 77% of males and 61% of women aged 45-54 keen to do so. Also popular were on-demand TV services. Among those questioned, 46% said they were occasional and regular users of the BBC iPlayer. Up from 13% in 2008. Similarly, 4OD use was up from 16% to 28% and ITVPlayer up from 12% to 25%. "The distinction between the sit back experience of scheduled broadcasting and the sit forward experience of on demand access is becoming ever more blurred, and consumers are driving the convergence," said Mr Ross. However, 49% of those questioned said they thought it was currently too difficult to connect up a TV and PC to get at net content. "Internet on the main television is set to become a mass market reality within a short period," said Russell Hart, boss of Entertainment Media Research which carried out the survey for Wiggin. Though, he added, makers of TVs had to be sure their products were cheap enough and easy to use if this potential market was to be tapped. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionUpdate 21 August: See the latest statement on this from the BHA: https://humanism.org.uk/2013/08/21/schools-remove-section-28-like-policies/ 45 schools continue to have sex and relationships education (SRE) policies that either replicate section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 or are unhelpfully vague on the issue, the British Humanist Association (BHA) can reveal. Section 28, which said that local authorities ‘shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality’, was repealed a decade ago, and the BHA believes that all the schools concerned should urgently review their policies to remove offending statements. A month ago @sarahlicity contacted the BHA after she discovered that
a change where you can’t target defeated enemies. The new tiers of Wildwing and Polarian Explorer attire can now be redeemed from the gift window. There’s a new balloon emoji you can use... happy birthday to us! The missing Gardener badge, Pet Derby badges, and PvP badges are now visible in the badge interface. Two Castle Magic Item Detectors can now be used for the same kind of item. The Charmer’s Mystical Flute is marked as a Crowns item.By: Ben Leonard Follow @ben___leonard The Giants’ bullpen has been downright awful this season. Jeremy Affeldt was one of the main culprits until he went down with a shoulder injury, the severity of which can be debated. So when he was sidelined, fellow lefty Josh Osich was forced to step up. The former sixth-round pick out of Oregon State looks like the real deal so far, only allowing two baserunners in six games. He has quickly gained manager Bruce Bochy’s trust, coming in for high-leverage situations like he has been with the team for all three championship runs. Mostly because the rest of the crowded, mediocre bullpen can’t stay off the phantom DL, but still. Not to go on a tangent, but this is my second straight article on middle relievers. Someone’s got to give them the love they deserve. Josh Osich is the only one in the Giants ‘pen who deserves anything remotely near love at this point. His mix of a high 90’s fastball and a decent cutter have been enough to flummox the eighteen hitters he has faced this season, so much so that he has hardly ever had to throw his changeup, which he has thrown just eleven times. Osich’s very short big league highlight reel will not jump out at you because he does not have an exciting breaking ball or offspeed pitch, and will probably bore you. But that does not mean he cannot be very effective with low fastballs. Danny Espinosa striking out? Never seen that before. I’m not calling him the next Mariano Rivera, but he could very well become the next Jeremy Affeldt for the Giants. I make that comparison not because Affeldt and Osich pitch similarly, but because they get similar results as lefty relievers. Affeldt relies on hitting his spots with his big looping curve and a much slower fastball while Osich will dare innocent hitters to hit his fastball. Let’s be clear, we’re talking about vintage Affeldt. Comparing Osich to the 2015 version of Affeldt would be downright insulting. Osich’s big league sample size has been way too small and dominant to analyze right/left splits properly, so we’ll look at his minor league numbers. Affeldt had always been very effective getting both right-handed and left-handed hitters alike out, and throughout his minor league career, so has Osich: Year AVG (Right) AVG (Left) 2012.256.308 2013.214.213 2014.237.222 2015.196.156 This trait makes Osich incredibly valuable, much more so than if he were just another Javier Lopez-esque lefty specialist. It leaves Bochy with more flexibility in his bullpen and allows him to keep Osich in for more than just one or two batters (Yeah, I’m talking to you, Javi). In his prime, Affeldt, now 36, was great for that very same reason. But he had more effective secondary pitches, something Osich will have to hone if he doesn’t want to go down the Hunter Strickland path from last postseason. Hitters will eventually adjust to time up his fastball and cutter, and Osich will pay dearly for his lack of offspeed pitches. He might be the next to fall victim to the perpetual soap opera that is the Giants’ crowded roster situation when Tim Hudson or Tim Lincecum comes back. However, if he keeps putting up zeroes, the Giants will be forced to keep him up. Jean Machi would likely be the first to be designated for assignment when Hudson returns for his start after the All-Star Break, and Osich could go back down when Affeldt and/or Lincecum inevitably return from the disabled list. Affeldt’s return would be a net minus for the Giants, because it would likely send Osich, the Giants’ future relief ace, back down to Triple-A Fresno Sacramento. Enjoy this sneak preview of Osich while you can. PS: He also totally looks like Barry Zito. Let’s hope the similarities end at a superficial level. Cover Image: San Francisco Giants pitcher Josh Osich (61) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during the sixth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, July 11, 2015. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)A new mobile phone network is launching in the UK today, one that’s promising to shake up the status quo and offer an ethical alternative for those looking to steer clear of the big-name incumbents. The People’s Operator (TPO) will be flicking its switch to ‘on’ later this morning, offering a quarter of its profits to good causes. And The Next Web caught up with the folk behind this new venture to get the lowdown on what the British public can expect on launch. But first, it may help to have a quick glance at the current mobile landscape in the UK…it’s a far more crowded market than you probably thought. The UK already has more than fifty mobile networks, the vast majority of which you likely haven’t even heard of – for example, Lyca Mobile, Go Mobile and Vectone Mobile. Indeed, a personal favorite of mine is actually GiffGaff, a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) network largely staffed by its community of users, with no call centres. The majority of these are what are known as mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), meaning they don’t own their own network infrastructure…they piggyback off the four big guys’ mobile phone masts. These are EE (formerly Everything Everywhere) which comprises of the T-Mobile and Orange brands, O2, Vodafone and 3. The People’s Operator is another MVNO, and while the founders wouldn’t confirm which big gun would be powering its new network for contractual reasons, we do happen to know this will be EE. Meet the founders TPO is founded by Andrew Rosenfeld (Chair), Mark Epstein (Vice-Chair) and Tom Gutteridge (Vice-Chair). You may have encountered Rosenfeld before, a British businessman who co-founded Minerva, a FTSE 250 property investment and development firm. He was also recently given a role with the Labour party to increase its donor base and reel in more supporters. Epstein and Gutteridge previously co-founded a communications company called Mass1, and the three TPO founders met through their work in the so-called ‘Third Sector’. Rosenfeld has been involved in a number of initiatives around not-for-profits, having been chairman of the NSPCC Full Stop campaign, which raised £250m for children in the UK. “The challenge for me has always been to combine commerce and giving in communities,” says Rosenfeld. “So we hatched together the idea of creating a mobile phone network, that would run as a commercial enterprise but which would also help communities.” “It’s called The People’s Operator because that’s what it’s built to do – it’s built to help people”, adds Gutteridge. “It’s built to support causes and to generate support direct to local communities. It matters because we can offer a great deal to our users – a great mobile deal – and it matters to the causes because we’re going to share a percentage of our profits with them.” The three co-founders are the sole shareholders in the company. How it works TPO will launch initially as a PAYG network only, which will likely curtail sign-ups a little to begin with, but early next year it will start offering SIM-only contracts as you’d expect from any network, covering data, texts and calls bundles. In terms of pricing, it’s completely free TPO-to-TPO for texts and calls, which will obviously help with the network (pardon the pun) effect, and is a similar deal as you already get with the likes of GiffGaff. The founders weren’t revealing too much about the roadmap for pricing when bundles and contracts come into play in the new year, but for now it will cost 7.5p per text message on PAYG, and voice calls will cost 12.5p. But the real kicker comes in the business model TPO is operating. They’ve set up a Foundation which will receive 25% of TPO’s profits, and they’ll allocate the funds accordingly to good causes – so, for example, you could be a charity that puts in an application to receive funding for a specific project. Sir Christopher Kelly, who is currently the Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and Chair of the King’s Fund, is heading up the Foundation. In addition to this, a user can also allocate a further 10% to go to a cause of their choosing, a sum that comes directly from their calls, texts and data spend. Alternatively, organisations can receive 10% of call, text and data spend in respect of any customers that they help sign up to TPO In terms of the company’s physical set-up, details around the number of employees weren’t forthcoming, but the founders did say they would have an in-house call center based at their office in London’s Shoreditch area…yup, Tech City. Work started on The People’s Operator in November last year, and prior to launch the company’s founders say that they’re aiming to one of the largest telecom operators in the UK. “We don’t see ourselves as a niche player – we see ourselves as a commercial operator first,” says Rosenfeld. “The more money we make, the more money can be given to good causes.” And given that they’re piggybacking off EE’s network, 4G will be arriving at some point, though timescales for this aren’t yet clear. A key selling point, however, could be the ability to manage multiple SIM cards from a single account – so let’s say you need one for you iPad, iPhone and WiFi dongle, they can each be topped up from one online profile, rather than having to set up three separate accounts for each SIM. This is something that’s sorely missing from GiffGaff’s offering. As with any competitive market, TPO will have its work cut out for it in terms of gaining traction. They tell us that they’ve partnered with some big UK organizations “to help get scale”, including Childline and NSPCC. The exact nature of these partnerships remains to be seen…but suffice to say, they’ll be pushing and promoting TPO as an ethical mobile phone network. However, businesses will be a key market for TPO, and they have more than one eye on the corporate pie. “CSR is a bit of a minefield in corporations,” says Gutteridge. “It’s a drag. What we want to do is talk to corporate businesses, and say ‘we can really help you here’ if you sign up with us. This would be good for CSR, great branding and it would be great for us too.” So, an interesting alternative for sure. With so many existing MVNOs already plying their trade across the country, we’ll be keen to see whether its ethical credentials will win the hearts, minds and wallets of the UK’s mobile masses. The new mobile network’s website will be going live at 9.30am today (November 19), as will its Twitter account. ➤ The People’s Operator Image Credit – Thinkstock Read next: Alibaba rumored to purchase 15-20% stake in Sina WeiboThe story of Matthew Shepard began on December 1, 1976 when he was born to Judy and Dennis Shepard in Casper, Wyoming. He went to public school in Casper until his junior year of high school when he moved with his family to Saudi Arabia. Matt had to finish his high school education at The American School in Switzerland because there were no American high schools in Saudi Arabia at the time. In both high schools, he was elected by his peers to be a peer counselor. He was easy to talk to, made friends easily and actively fought for the acceptance of all people. Matt had a great passion for equality. His experiences abroad fueled his love for travel and gave him the chance to make many new friends from around the world. Matt’s college career eventually took him back to Wyoming where he studied political science, foreign relations and languages at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. The horrific events that took place shortly after midnight on October 7, 1998 would become one of the most notorious anti-gay hate crimes in American history and spawned an activist movement that, more than a decade later, would result in passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a federal law against bias crimes directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people. Two men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, abducted Matt and drove him to a remote area east of Laramie, Wyoming. He was tied to a split-rail fence where the two men severely assaulted him with the butt of a pistol. He was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later, he was found by a bicyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. Matt died on October 12 at 12:53 a.m. at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado with his family by his side. His memorial service was attended by friends and family from around the world and garnered immense media attention that brought Matt’s story to the forefront of the fight against bigotry and hate. The life and death of Matthew Shepard changed the way we talk about, and deal with, hate in America. Since his death, Matt’s legacy has challenged and inspired millions of individuals to erase hate in all its forms. Although Matt’s life was short, his story continues to have a great impact on young and old alike. His legacy lives on in thousands of people who actively fight to replace hate with understanding, compassion, and acceptance.A new study suggests reform to clean air standards would cost the U.S. economy billions each year. (iStock) Last week, 175 world leaders inked an accord to slow climate change by cutting carbon emissions worldwide. The agreement commits the U.S. to reduce carbon emissions 26 percent by 2025. Other nations have made similar commitments. But even as the ink dries, a debate rages about how to achieve the reductions. Some believe it should be done top-down, by regulation, directing the industries that emit most of the carbon pollution to make specific cuts. Others believe that the government should refrain from industry-by-industry directives and instead tax carbon uniformly across the entire economy. Proponents of a carbon tax (including the American Sustainable Business Council) argue that it a tax is simpler, easier to administer, harder to cheat and less disruptive of healthy market competition than any other approach. Conservative politicians continue to doubt climate change, but the evidence grows. Behind the scenes, some conservatives are quietly discussing how to back away from denial and what to propose in its place. Some conservatives are beginning to consider a "revenue-neutral, border-adjusted carbon tax." They see this option as the most market-friendly, limited-government approach to climate change. Let's focus on the two words "border-adjustment." These two words are essential for political support of a carbon tax. Border adjustment means that that the U.S. would apply a tax on products and services from countries that don't put a price on carbon. Without border adjustment, if the U.S. imposes a carbon tax and the countries that we trade with don't, then U.S. companies (and workers) suffer a disadvantage. U.S.-made goods and services will be more expensive than the same goods produced elsewhere. Jobs and profits will move to countries that refuse to address climate change. The threat is greatest for industries that use a lot of energy such as the metals, cement and paper industries. The bad news is that border adjustment may not be legal. Existing trade agreements like NAFTA and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade prohibit most tariffs on international trade, and the World Trade Organization enforces these restrictions. New agreements in formation like the Trans-Pacific Partnership carry these limits even further. Economists and policy experts disagree on whether a border-adjusted carbon tax can withstand legal challenge. It's a murky area, without clear precedent. Tabitha Benney, a professor at the University of Utah, writes, "Under current international law... border adjustments are illegal." She points out that international bodies like the WTO have the legal muscle to force the U.S. to roll back a carbon tax if it does not comply with existing international trade agreements. This is more than an abstract threat. The WTO has already flexed its muscle to undermine climate progress. In February it struck down a plan by India to install 100 gigawatts of solar capacity, because India's plan required that some of the solar cells and panels be made locally. (The ruling is under appeal, with China taking India's side against the U.S.) Others claim a border adjust for carbon can survive WTO scrutiny. Jennifer Hillman is a former member of the WTO Appellate Body (a group within WTO that judges claims of unfair trade practices) and argues that a carbon tax can be designed in a way that complies with existing trade agreements. "The key is to structure [it] as a straightforward extension of domestic climate policy to imports. If so designed, there should be few questions about the measure's consistency with the WTO rules." The American Action Forum, a self-described "center-right" think tank, expands on Hillman's argument, showing that the question of border adjustment cuts across the usual partisan lines in the climate debate.Manager Rafa Benitez has hailed the performances of both Karl Darlow and Andros Townsend in the weekend’s victory over Crystal Palace. With Townsend’s free kick just ahead of the hour mark proving to be enough to return all three points in Alan Pardew’s first return to St James’ Park since taking the Palace job, Benitez knew it was a huge three points for the side – lifting Newcastle out of the relegation places on the day – and whilst he had praise for the whole team, the goalscorer and the penalty saving stopper came in for specific praise. The Chronicle have the gaffer quoted as saying in his post game press conference. ‘It was not just the penalty. The balls in the air when he punched the ball and he caught the ball two or three times, he gave confidence to the team that we needed in defence. He was important for the team. You can say always when a keeper saves a penalty that he is a hero, but then we can say the same with Andros. He did really well, I am really pleased for him – and hopefully he doesn`t need to save anymore penalties. That would be fine.’ Benitez again spoke about not looking at the Premier League table though or thinking anything had been achieved yet, as Newcastle are far from safe this season. Whilst two wins from Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur would be nice, Rafa himself said we simply had to win one – Villa – and until that happens nobody should be thinking about Spurs. ‘No, we have to win one – the next one – and after, we will think about the other one. That`s the only way.’ With Darlow’s penalty save making headlines, he was also interviewed at the full time whistle and he hoped it would prove to be crucial in the battle to avoid relegation this year. ‘Hopefully it will be. If it saves us from relegation, then of course it’s going to be a big moment for this club. I just hope it can prove to be a moment that will be remembered and hopefully we can get out of this mess that we have got ourselves into. I was just preparing because I thought he’d given a free-kick to the defending team, so I was waiting to take that. Then I saw him point at the penalty spot and everyone was a bit bemused. That’s four without loss now and we move on to Aston Villa knowing it’s going to be another tricky game, and that we need to come away from there with three points again.’00:48 Winter Storm Ryan Dropping Snow From the West to Upper Midwest Snow from Ryan is currently falling from California's Sierra Nevada into the northern Rockies and northern Plains. A band of moderate-to-heavy rain also continues to soak Northern California. At a Glance Parts of Alaska are seeing their first snow of the season this weekend. Snow is not uncommon in northern Alaska during this month. The calendar may say early August, but for one part of the United States, the first significant snowfall of the season is piling up this weekend. Given the time of year, it's probably no surprise that the location in the U.S. is Alaska (though snow can also fall in the higher terrain of the Lower 48 in August as well). (MORE: Signs of Fall That Can Appear in August ) A cold front pushed cooler air into northern Alaska to begin the weekend and now a strong area of low pressure has developed over the state. That weather system is helping to generate snow in northern Alaska's Brooks Range and western North Slope, as well as some higher terrain areas in other parts of the state. The National Weather Service says that snow levels will fall to near pass level in the Brooks Range this weekend. A total of 3-6 inches of snow is possible in the Brooks Range through Sunday evening west of the Dalton Highway. Lighter amounts are forecast for the Dalton Highway and Atigun Pass. "Those with outdoor activities or travel plans in the Brooks Range especially over Atigun Pass over the weekend should be prepared for winter weather conditions," the NWS warned in a statement. (MORE: Winter Storm Central ) Winter storm warnings have been issued by the NWS in August during the past two years in our nation's 49th state. This occurred on Aug. 22 (2016) and Aug. 26 (2015), and both were in the Brooks Range. The NWS has not issued a winter weather advisory, winter storm watch or winter storm warning for the snow this weekend. Snow in northern Alaska during August is not uncommon. The average first measurable snow in Utqiaġvik, formerly known as Barrow, typically occurs near Aug. 23. Farther south, Fairbanks has seen snow as early as Aug. 25, but the average first measurable snow usually arrives in late September. For comparison, the earliest the first measurable snow typically arrives in lower elevations of the Lower 48 is October, mainly near the Canadian border. (MORE: Here's When the First Snow Typically Arrives in the U.S. )Back in September of 1970 I found myself in the charming ancient city of Damascus. The natives were friendly and helpful, especially as I was suffering from food poisoning thanks to a Lebanese kebab I”d eaten two days previously. My stay in the city was interrupted by the sudden death of Gamal Abdel Nasser, the Egyptian strongman who had been twice defeated by the Israelis yet remained a great hero to the Egyptian public. The Syrians provided a plane for the press corps and flew the lot of us to Cairo for the funeral. When I approached the press attachÃ© in the airport and thanked him for the gesture, I remember the bittersweet smile he gave and his words: “Try and remember that not all of us Syrians are what Israel says we are.” Forty-two years later, Syria continues to be the whipping boy of the unholy triple alliance of Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. They say politics makes for strange bedfellows, but it’s not so strange when you think of it. All three are experts in oppression, religious zealotry, and paying zillions to Washington lobbies. Israel has captured Palestinian lands through force of (American) arms and continues to oppress millions of Palestinians under its occupation. The various bombardments of Gaza have killed thousands of innocents, yet the great American comedian Elie Wiesel recently asked Obama, “How is it that Assad is still in power?” “The Syrian conflict has nothing to do with freedom and everything to do with the new Cold War between the West and Russia.” Saudi Arabia, a country whose human-rights record makes Syria look like Switzerland, is the godfather of international terror in exchange for peace at home. The Saudis have funded terror from the start, but because of their powerful DC connections and their ability to bribe everyone involved, Uncle Sam and his poodle the EU are turning a blind eye as Saudi-financed jihadis and al-Qaeda fighters pour into Syria. The third great democrat/humanist leading the propaganda fight against Syria is Al Thani, the Qatari thief whose family has lorded over the tiny Gulf strip since the early 19th century. Qatar recently bribed FIFA to assign the 2022 World Cup to that crappy little pseudo-country. Al Thani and his gang of thieves have now set their hooded eyes on bigger projects such as establishing a Sunni corridor that isolates Iran and Iraq. While la Clinton rails against Russia for arming the Syrian regime, she forgets that Uncle Sam arms the Saudis, the Israelis, the Qataris, and now even the Libyans. The Arab Spring is a far more complex event than credulous Western journalists imagine. It is not about the weak rising against the strong. It’s about a transfer of power to rival clans and religious groups. The Saudis want Assad out because he’s a man who, like his father before him, kept Sunni Islamists at bay. Pay to Play - Put your money where your mouth is and subscribe for an ad-free experience and to join the world famous Takimag comment board.Route 14 I decided to head north towards Lavender Town, perhaps I’ll visit the graves of my fallen friends. While travelling along the shore I spot Suicune on the water, he spots me and runs off to the north. Oh, I was so close! I thought for sure I’d be the first this time. - Eusine? How did you- It seems Suicune likes to visit hilly areas near water. I know just the place, it’s to the north! Meet me there and we’ll do battle for the last time! - Err… OK? Eusine just stands there, so I figure I’ll just leave him to his meditation or whatever he’s doing and continue northwards. Lavender Town They converted the the tower into a radio station, I’m not sure how to feel about that. It doesn’t seem to be working right now, word around town is that there’s a problem with the power plant. I remember where the power plant is so after visiting the new shrine to pay my respects to the fallen I keep on travelling. Rock Tunnel It’s very dark in here and it seems trainers don’t come here anymore, well.. trainers who make noise don’t seem to be here. After fumbling around and bumping into more walls than I’d care to admit I eventually make it out the other side. Route 10 I quickly surf around to the power plant on Jam’s back. This simply won’t do! Without my precious machine part the whole region is without power! Please calm down, sir. We’ve already spotted the suspect in Cerulean City and our top men are on it. What the hell? Policemen are real? You there! You wouldn’t mind going to Cerulean to retrieve that machine part would you? I’m sure my comrades have caught the thief by now. - Sure, it’s not like this has nothing to do with me. And I’m heading to Cerulean anyway! Great, thanks! Cerulean City Let’s just challenge the gym. Excusing me, I must be out of here getting now. No-one must be knowing of me being in Rocket Team here. Looks like this guy didn’t get the memo… - Hey, pal. I’m going to save us both a lot of time here. The rocket gang broke up so can you just hand over whatever it is you’ve taken and we’ll never speak of this again. Oh noes! This thing is now useless to me now. Just take it, I go back to home country and make Rocket Team new! I look at the machine part and it seems to simply be a big red plastic button that was removed from a console or something, writing on the button reads “ON”. Apart from our rocket friend the gym is empty. A brief chat with some locals reveals that Misty likes to visit a pond to the north. Route 25 It seems the Nugget Bridge trainers were told not to battle on the bridge anymore, now they simply ambush trainers on the way to the pond by Bill’s house. After dealing with them I see Misty with a boy up ahead. I’m not sure what to do here, it’s clear she’d want some privacy here but I really want that badge. Misty giggles flirtatiously with the boy. Yo! Dude! She wants it! Make a move! Startled by the ‘dex’s outburst the boy sees me and runs away. What the hell! What’s your problem you jerk! Oh, it’s you. It’s been a while, handsome. - Hi… sorry I interrupted your date. But I lost my badges and I’d like to battle you again to get a new one. Oh, well why didn’t you say so? I think Surge and Sabrina left me some messages about something like that, the new girl Janine was hysterical about something… I think I see why, cutie. Of course I’ll battle you again, meet me at the gym! - But what about your… guy… friend? Hm? Oh don’t worry about him, I have my eyes on someone else now… Creepy… Cerulean City Hello again! I’m glad you showed up! You’re sure you don’t want dinner before we battle? Maybe see a movie? - No thanks, I’d like to battle for the badge please. How original! A pokemon battle for our first date! I’d like that a lot! - Our first what? Go Golduck! - Oh um… go Acanthite! - Fly! Water pulse! Golduck fires a short pulse of water that catches Acanthite before she flys up. Water pulse! Golduck fires another pulse but it doesn’t reach Acanthite while she’s high up above. Acanthite swoops down with talons outstretched but golduck deftly sidesteps and dodges the attack. - Fly! Disable! Golduck stares into Acanthite’s eyes, she forgets how to fly and hops a couple of times in a vein attempt to take off. - Night slash! Water pulse! Golduck fires a pulse that critically hits Acanthite, she vanishes during the impact as water splashes everywhere. Acanthite jumps out from golduck’s shadow but golduck quickly turns and guards against most of the damage while Acanthite shashes it with her talons. - Acanthite come back! Go Jam! Psychic! Golduck’s eyes glow and Jam is thrown to a wall with a loud splat, Jam stands back up on her tentacles and morphs back into her normal shape. - Sludge bomb! Psychic! Jam spits a glob of goo at golduck that explodes on contact, covering golduck in poisonous goop. Golduck’s eyes glow again and Jam is flung against the wall once more and Jam just bounces back, angrier than ever. - Sludge bomb! Psychic! Jam throws another sludge bomb at golduck, completely burying it in goo. Go Quagsire! Jam, return! Go Nippy II! Earthquake! Quagsire stomps the ground and the whole arena shakes. Nippy loses balance and topples over. - Strength! Rain dance! Nippy grabs quagsire with her claws and slams it into the ground. Quagsire jumps back up and dances a little jig, it then begins to rain… indoors. Hmm, quagsires are part ground types maybe I’ll try… - Brine! Earthquake! Nippy spits out a gout of briny water, but quagsire absorbs it into it’s skin and heals. Quagsire then stomps the ground to trigger another earthquake, cracks appear on the walls and one of the roof beams comes tumbling down onto Nippy. You’re such a gentleman, you’re going easy on me aren’t you. I wish she was wrong but for some reason I kind of am going easy on her. But now I have no choice. - Nippy return! Go Zuul! Earthquake! Quagsire stomps the ground once again and the whole arena shakes, but Zuul hovers inches above the ground and is completely unaffected. - Shadow ball! Amnesia! Zuul pitches a shadow ball, it arcs across the arena and implodes in quagsire’s face. Quagsire instantly forgets how much it hurts and seems ready to continue. - Shadow ball! Water pulse! Zuul winds up and then pitches another shadow ball. Having forgotten what happened last turn, quagsire takes the imploding shadow ball to the face once more. Go Starmie! - Shadow ball! Confuse ray! Zuul forms a shadow ball between her hands, leaps up and slams the shadow ball onto starmie as she comes down. Starmie flops to the floor and the gem in it’s core goes dark. Go Lapras! - Thunderbolt! Sing! Zuul, arm outstretched, points a finger at lapras and fires a bolt of lightning at it. With electricity still arcing around it, lapras tries to lull Zuul to sleep with a song but chokes as paralysis takes hold. - Thunderbolt! Ice beam! Zuul quickdraws a fingergun and shoots a lightning bolt from the hip, frazzling lapras. ZUUL! Wow! You’re so strong, you can definitely have a new Cascade Badge! - Thanks. Such a romantic first date! Hey, let’s go to Mt. Moon tomorrow! - Sure… I’m just going to the pokemon center first. Call me!NEWARK - A ShopRite supermarket is set to open on Springfield Avenue later this month, bringing hundreds of jobs and a new option for groceries in an area of the city once called a "food desert." Ryan Smith, a spokesman for Illinois-based Tucker Development, said the store will officially open on Sept. 30 after roughly two years of construction. The store is the anchor of the Tucker-backed Springfield Avenue Marketplace, a $94 million mixed-use retail and housing complex that borders South Orange Avenue to the north and Jones Street to the west. ShopRite spokeswoman Karen O'Shea said the store will employ 360 employees at the "full-service, state of the art" store, 85 of which will be full-time. Of 340 who are already hired, more than 60 percent are Newark residents. In addition to the usual offerings of food and other items, the 70,000-square foot location will also include other amenities, such as community meeting rooms and an on-site dietician. "It's going to be fantastic store. It will have everything you'd expect from Shop-Rite and more," O'Shea said. The residential portion of the project, 24 Jones, will begin filling 152 market-rate units by later October or early fall, according to Smith. The complex also includes plans for retails and a pair of fast-food restaurants, which rankled some of its neighbors earlier this year. It is unclear when those might open, though Smith said it would be later than the Shop-Rite and residential buildings. It will also feature another 55,000 square feet of retail space, though no other tenants had been confirmed as of earlier this week. The ShopRite marks the latest development in something of a grocery store renaissance for Newark, which until recent years had gone decades without a new option where they could fill their cabinets. That streak ended in 2012 with an opening of a Food Depot in the Central Ward, and is set to continue next year when a Whole Foods opens in the former Hahne's department store building on Broad Street. Tucker has also been tapped for other local developments, including a Courtyard Marriott opened in 2012, making it the first new hotel built downtown in 40 years. Edison-based ShopRite claims 255 family-owned locations stretching from Maryland to Connecticut. The Newark location will be owned and operated by the Greenstein family, which has owned the supermarket's location in Bloomfield for 60 years. Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Photo The same day that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel of the United States blasted the actions of a Chinese ship in the South China Sea as “irresponsible,” China announced that it would deploy a military ship to work with an American vessel involved in the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons. The willingness of China to work with the United States Navy was not intended as amends for the near collision on Dec. 5 between the American guided-missile cruiser, the Cowpens, and a Chinese ship that suddenly cut across its bow. But the declaration by China’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday that one of its navy ships would protect the American ship, the Cape Ray, which is being fitted with mobile laboratories for destroying the chemical weapons at sea, was widely seen as a desire by China to cooperate with the United States Navy in an important international operation. Both navies are watching each other with mounting rivalry, and wariness. The Chinese Navy is showing more confidence in certain areas, particularly after launching more than a dozen new modern frigates with strong air defense capabilities. But that does not preclude a desire by China to learn from the United States Navy, the world’s most powerful, said Lyle J. Goldstein, a professor at the China Maritime Studies Institute at the United States Naval War College in Rhode Island. “This is a very positive and welcome signal, especially coming on the heels of the latest naval incident in the South China Sea,” Mr. Goldstein said of the offer that the People’s Liberation Army Navy work with the Americans. “Undoubtedly the PLA Navy is eager to work with the U.S. Navy in actual operations,” The Foreign Ministry did not specify what kind of ship China would send to the operation being overseen by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the intergovernmental organization based in The Hague that verifies compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention. That group has said the American vessel, the Cape Ray, will receive the chemical weapons from Syria at an unnamed port in Italy from Danish and Norwegian ships. It was most likely that one of the new dozen or so Chinese frigates known as the Jiangkai-II would be dispatched for the operation, Mr. Goldstein said. “The PLA Navy has been building these frigates at a rapid clip
Enron. Freeman emphasized, At every step in the rule-making for deregulation in California from 1996 until today, Enron, more than anybody else, used their enormous resources to urge the most extreme positions that resulted in maximum secrecy and lack of accountability. State Senator Dunn was succinct on the same point. Enrons sophisticated lobbying efforts helped create the very market it would later exploit. Key to Enrons strategy was to ensure that it could operate in secret. It accomplished this goal, not in California, but through lobbying in Washington, via the offices of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. There, in 1992, commission chairwoman Wendy Gramm, the wife of Texas Senator Phil Gramm, wrote rules to exempt energy companies from normal financial accounting rules. Six weeks after the rules were approved, Gramm left the commission and joined the Enron board. Enron was active in California as well, working to make sure the new electricity market would operate outside of the central exchange where officials matched supply and demand on an hourly basis. That allowed major players to influence prices in myriad ways. Loretta Lynch of the PUC described Enrons greatest innovation -- the creation of its own electricity marketplace, with its own set of rival firms, where prices were set before the energy was shipped to the central exchange. In the fourth quarter of 2000, Lynch said, when energy prices were spiking, five Enron affiliates -- Enron Energy Services Inc., Enron Power Marketing, Inc., Enron Energy Marketing Corp., the New Power Co., and Portland General Electric -- bought and sold 10,167,782 megawatt-hours of electricity to and from each other, at prices as high as $1,100 per megawatt-hour (more than 10 times the cost of generation). These trades were not only among affiliated companies; the same individuals were managing all these companies. These trades were in fact sham transactions -- Enron was selling the same megawatts back and forth to itself, causing the price to rise with each sale -- all under the rules it had helped to create... This was truly a Ponzi scheme. There were other players in the market, of course, but they soon realized it was in their interest to go along with Enrons games rather than undercut the inflated prices. McCullough testified that the five independent generators who bought into California on the eve of deregulation -- the energy firms Duke, Dynegy, Reliant, Mirant and AES -- each ran their power plants at just half their rated capacity through the months of the crises, helping create the appearance of shortage. Enron had no actual capacity, and so found more creative ways to exploit the California market. Aside from sham transactions, Lynch said Enron was a leader in the practice of megawatt laundering, whereby a firm would sell California power to out-of-state customers, creating artificial shortages at home. Exports from California quadrupled from 1999 to 2000, Lynch said. Still another market ruse was to create congestion on the states transmission grid. That is, by committing to ship more energy than a particular line could handle, Enron could, under the rules in California, force the state to pay a premium to keep the power off-line. Senator Dunn described one early episode in which Enron traders bought the right to sell 2,900 megawatts over a 16-hour period, and then scheduled all that juice over a 15-megawatt line. State regulators fined Enron $25,000 when the ruse came to light. The California energy crisis ended when federal regulators moved to impose caps on wholesale electricity prices in June of 2001. And while Obviously Enron had many other problems, Freeman observed, it is beyond dispute that as a trader, Enron made money buying and selling when prices were high, and as prices settled down so did their profits. Those price caps are set to expire this September. Freeman warned that, unless federal regulation continues, the energy crisis could well resume. California is still vulnerable, he said. Lynch took a broader view. Drawing parallels between energy and the telecommunications industry, which is now seeing cross-country mergers, bankruptcies, high-technology affiliates and other changes, the PUC president called for renewed commitment to government regulation of the free market. Said Lynch, Congress must keep it simple, keep it clear and keep regulation and enforcement strong.DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. -- Whether you love or hate your homeowner's association (HOA), you know that when the dues are due, you have to pay. But how much do you know about how that money gets spent? A group of homeowners in Douglasville, Ga. said they’ve been trying for years to answer that question. They said that for years their dues have been going up with little explanation why. They asked to see their bank statements and receipts for spending but the board, through its attorney, repeatedly said no. Four years ago, Iva Wilmott said he was hired by HOA treasurer Kevin Sanders to fix a fence for the neighborhood and paint some of Sander’s personal furniture. He said both jobs were paid with one check from the HOA account. “I didn’t feel too good about it but he paid me, so I said okay,” said Wilmott. RELATED \| HOA Horrors: Few checks and balances put residents at mercy of boards, covenants Wilmott reported it to a friend he knew in the neighborhood but didn’t tell law enforcement. When concerns started to grow on other issues, the story of the “check” surfaced. Sign up for the daily Speed Feed Newsletter Thank You Something went wrong. This email will be delivered to your inbox once a day in the morning. Thank You for signing up for the Speed Feed Please try again later. Submit The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office agreed to look into it and subpoenaed 5 years of bank records to help in the case. In his interview, Sanders told Detective Skinner he paid cash for the personal projects and adamantly denied doing anything wrong. In the recorded interview, you can hear Skinner ask, “Has there ever been any time, any occasion with the HOA account, where you have siphoned money to, let’s say, $5 or more off the account?” Sanders responds, “No.” “No circumstances whatsoever?” the detective asks again. Sanders repeats his answer, “No.” Sanders goes on to tell the detective why he believes the allegation was made. He claimed a homeowner, Sherry Adams, was disgruntled over her HOA dues and wanted to get him removed from the board, believing that would absolve her responsibility to pay. RELATED \| How far is too far: Do homeowner associations have too much power? At the time Adams was defending herself against a lawsuit regarding her past due HOA fees and violations posed against her property, as well as a court order demanding she stay away from Sanders. Adams filed her own lawsuits raising questions about the board’s behavior. Adams said that while her personal frustration with how the board handled her case started her quest for answers, she quickly found other homeowners that shared her concerns. Regardless, Douglas County, unable to find proof of criminal wrongdoing in regard to the check in question, closed the case. It’s unclear why they even subpoenaed the bank records since the sheriff’s office admits investigators never examined them specifically for red flags. They were focused on the check. But the fact that bank statements were now in the hands of someone other than the HOA board meant 11Alive and others in the community had another opportunity to file an open records request to get them.Rio Ferdinand and Steven Caulker rap and sing during hilarious QPR initiation test Ferdinand raps Notorious BIG's 'Juicy' and Caulker signs City High's 'What would you do?' Ferdinand joined QPR on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United Caulker signed from Cardiff in an £8million deal Harry Redknapp's side currently in Germany on pre-season tour Rio Ferdinand and Steven Caulker are now fully fledged members of the QPR squad having officially been initiated by their team-mates. The two new central defenders were forced to sing songs during the club's pre-season tour to Germany. Ferdinand, who joined on a free after being released by Manchester United, rapped a bit of Notorious BIG's 'Juicy'. Caulker, who signed from Cardiff in an £8million deal, sung City High's 'What would you do?'. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Danny Simpson: Rio will fit straight in after he's sung his song High spirits: Rio Ferdinand seemed to enjoy the limelight as he rapped during the initiation test Holding his own: Rio Ferdinand rapped a bit of Notorious BIG's Juicy in front of his team-mates Nervous? Steven Caulker didn't appear so comfortable as he sung in front of his new QPR team-mates Finding his feet: Steven Caulker sung a bit of City High's What would you do during the initiation test While 36-year-old Ferdinand seemed to thrive in the spotlight, 22-year-old Caulker seemed more reticent and uncomfortable. But Caulker did manage a whole chorus of his song while Ferdinand could only manage one line. Using an empty water bottle as a microphone, the England pair were far from pitch perfect as they sang at an Italian restaurant in Germany. QPR beat Rot Weiss Erfurt 1-0 on Tuesday and are next in action against Red Bull Leipzig on Saturday. Ferdinand watched from the sidelines after doing the pre-match warm-up and the Rs wasted no time in showing the former United man what they can do. Jack Collison, who is training with the club after being released by the Hammers, watched from the stands but remains hopeful of sorting out his future in the coming weeks.CLICK HERE to read Crash.net's full exclusive interview with Randy de Puniet Randy de Puniet says Suzuki should consider supplying a satellite MotoGP team in the near future to give it the best chance of competing on terms with Honda, Yamaha and Ducati on its return to the category. Suzuki returns to the premier level of motorcycle racing in 2015 with its first factory MotoGP entry since 2011, with Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales signed to lead the manufacturer's efforts. As it stands, there are only plans for Suzuki to persevere with its single factory-backed team, but de Puniet, who led development on the GSX-RR, says the manufacturer should consider adopting a satellite team to aid development, get it on terms with rivals and avoid the mistakes of previous efforts. "For sure they haven't got as many people there as Honda but there were always enough people it was more the bike and getting it developed," he told Crash.net. "I think they need to put two satellite bikes in a different team to try to get as much data as possible because it's the development where the improvement will come. I really don't think that only having two riders is going to be enough, they need a satellite team but that's a question of money. "It's the satellite bikes which give Honda, Yamaha and Ducati an advantage. If Suzuki isn't careful it'll be like in the Kawasaki days when there was only one bike there and you can't get a bike developed like that." Reflecting on the decision by Suzuki to sign up Espargaro and Vinales instead of himself, though de Puniet - who will race in World Superbikes in 2015 with Suzuki instead - admits he is disappointed to be passed over, he understands the decision-making process and suggests that it is the right time for a career change. "A lot of people have said to me that you must be disappointed and sure I am but they didn't make any commitment before the year and have decided to take a young fast Moto2 rider and Aleix who has established speed and it has to be said that they've both done a great job this year. "If they had put slower riders than me or even ones of the same speed it would have been harder to handle after having spent 2 years working for Suzuki but when you've got riders like that taking over you can understand the decision. They haven't done anything which they didn't agree to or anything unreasonable so for that reason I'm happy to continue working with Suzuki in their Superbike team and also some testing of the MotoGP bike. "In the end they never lied to me, they were always open with me and I can't really complain because the decision is theirs. They told me that I wouldn't be part of the MotoGP squad well in advance of the announcement and that meant I also had time to think what I wanted to do. But on the positive side they did say they were happy with what I was doing and wanted to keep me and we came up with this plan. "Honestly I would rather have a chance of fighting for podiums next year than running around in 10th or 12th in MotoGP. I'm 34 next year anyway and I thought it was a good time to switch." CLICK HERE to read Crash.net's full exclusive interview with Randy de PunietChristian Benteke has only scored one league goal since Sam Allardyce was appointed as manager in December Christian Benteke "will not dictate" his future at Crystal Palace, according to manager Sam Allardyce, after reports the striker is disillusioned at the club. The 26-year-old has scored 14 goals for the club since signing for £27m from Liverpool last summer, but only one in the league during the past 11 games. "He has a five-year deal so we'll tell him what he'll do," said Allardyce. "It's the usual speculation to try and stir the pot, I suppose." The former England manager added: "He's our player and he'll not dictate what he wants to do or doesn't want to do, as far as I'm concerned. He accepted that contract in good faith. "If both parties agree then that's a different matter but for me, rumours like that at this stage of the season: I wouldn't have thought he had said that." Struggling Crystal Palace are 18th in the Premier League, with 22 points from 26 games. They visit eighth-placed West Brom on Saturday (15:00 GMT).Software security: Does quality provide a blueprint for change? Josh Meier Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jul 15, 2016 Software security has been in the news a lot lately, between various high profile social media hacks to massive data breaches it feels like people in the industry are always talking about security, or more appropriately, the lack thereof. While having a conversation with somebody from my company’s internal security team a few weeks ago I had a bit of an epiphany: security in 2016 is much like quality was in 1999. Let’s think back 17 years and remember what the quality process was like in 1999. Code was written in rather monolithic chunks with very little thought (if any) given to how that code was to be tested. Testers were on completely separate teams, often times denied access to early versions of the software and code. Testers would write massive sets of test cases from technical specifications and would accept large drops of code from developers only after a feature was considered completed. Automation was either a pipe dream or only existed for very stable features that had been around for a while. A manual testing blitz would then kick off, bugs would be filed, work thrown back over the wall, rinse and repeat. After several of these cycles it was the testers job to give a go/no-go on whether the product was good enough to ship, essentially acting as gatekeepers. Slowly the industry started realizing that was a ridiculous way of writing software and we started to make iterative improvements, evolving the process into what is commonplace today. Engineers actively consider things such as designing for testability, continuous integration and unit testing. Testers are often embedded directly into the teams doing the work, involved from the beginning, often times pairing with developers while code is being written. Some companies have moved to unified engineering where everybody on the team is responsible for the end-to-end SDLC. Testers have also largely been removed as gatekeepers, their job is to communicate risk, not provide approvals). The process isn’t perfect yet (it likely never will be) and there are still companies that haven’t fully address the shortcomings mentioned above. Nearly two decades worth of iteration and there are still many areas for improvement. This kind of change takes time, but if you look at software quality today compared to 1999, it’s like night and day. Now: can we apply some of these lessons to the way we, as an industry, handle system security? I think we can. Let’s look at some of the problems with the security industry today. Most companies have dedicated security teams that: Look at things after code is written Tell us why the current solution isn’t going to work without providing alternatives Act as gate keepers instead of risk advisors Aren’t accountable for the success of the product/team they are reviewing Most companies also have engineers who: Think of security as an obstacle instead of simply another aspect of development Don’t understand security concepts/best practices Are not thinking about security until the end (if at all) In general, that results in a lack of distributed understanding and knowledge around security, a lack of general purpose tools to support continual security testing during CI, security teams that act as gatekeepers, and a general misunderstanding of how to approach writing secure code. This is nearly exactly where quality was in 1999! The time to act is now.We need to start looking at the changes that were made to improve the general quality of software and start applying those same principles. There is a blueprint available for us, all we have to do is follow it.It was an electrifying scene as fans welcomed girl group Little Mix at Sydney airport on Friday. However, onlookers got a little more then they bargained for as The X Factor UK winners shared a flight with the Brisbane Lions AFL squad. But as the pop band posed for photos with fans, the Australian footy stars made a quick and unassuming exit - but one player was spotted bumping into singer Perrie Edwards. When stars collide: Fans got a little more then they bargained for as British girl band Little Mix arrived at Sydney airport having shared a flight with the Brisbane Lions AFL squad Oh, dear! As Perrie Edwards and her band mates posed for photos with fans, the Lions stars made a quick and unassuming exit - but one player, believed to be rookie Jackson Paine, accidentally bumped into the blonde Most of the Lions made a beeline past the waiting fans and paparazzi, but notably this player seemed to enjoy his time in the celebrity spotlight. With his iPhone handy, the plucky AFL star - believed to be rookie Jackson Paine - filmed the airport scene unfolding as he walked through the gate. But at one point he appeared so distracted by his phone, he didn't see the starlet in front of him and his shoulder into the Black Magic singer as he tried to make his way around her at the last minute. Clearly a little surprised, Perrie jumped back while giving her hair a flirty flick, before returning to her duties signing autographs and taking snaps. Having a good time: Most of the Lions made a beeline past the waiting fans and paparazzi, but notably this player seemed to enjoy his time in the celebrity spotlight Whoops! While she certainly enjoyed her meet and greet with fans, single Perrie looked briefly flustered as the tall and handsome football star brushed past, as he filmed the airport scene unfolding Sorry! Clearly a little surprised, Perrie jumped back while giving her hair a flirty flick, before returning to her duties signing autographs and taking snaps Looking good, Perrie! With her blonde hair styled straight and loose, the 22-year-old concealed her gaze behind a pair of dark sunglasses as she smiled for the cameras Here comes another one! Zayn Malik's ex-fiancée Perrie looked effortlessly stylish for the flight in a Vans crop top, a black hoodie and tight-fitting jeans While she certainly enjoyed her meet and greet with fans, single Perrie looked briefly flustered as the tall and handsome football star brushed past. Zayn Malik's ex-fiancée Perrie looked effortlessly stylish for her flight in a Vans crop top, a black hoodie and tight-fitting jeans. With her blonde hair styled straight and loose, the 22-year-old concealed her gaze behind a pair of dark sunglasses as she smiled for the cameras. Meanwhile: The other Little Mix band members, including Jesy Nelson (centre), Leigh-Anne Pinnock (far right) and Jade Thirlwall (right, behind Jesy) were also spotted High fliers: Jesy, 24, (left) wore a green print dress and accessorised with several bracelets and a studded leather handbag, while Jade (right) looked sexy in workout chic Runway ready or ready for a run? The 23-year-old flaunted her curves in figure-hugging black and white leggings and a busty crop top Meanwhile, the other Little Mix band members, including Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall were also spotted. Jade, 23, opted for workout chic, flaunting her curves in figure-hugging black and white leggings and a crop top. And 24-year-old Leigh-Anne looked simply radiant in a plunging orange singlet while she put on a delightfully leggy display in a pair of high-waisted shorts. Finally, Jesy, also 24, concealed her curves behind a green print dress and accessorised with several bracelets and a studded leather handbag. Little Mix are currently Down Under for an Australian concert tour. Radiant: Leigh-Anne looked simply radiant in a plunging orange singlet while she put on a delightfully leggy display in a pair of high-waisted shortsASRock reveals world's first X99 Mini-ITX motherboard Written by Antony Leather Companies: #asrock ASRock has announced the world's first mini-ITX motherboard that's based on Intel's X99 chipset and LGA2011-v3 CPU socket. Announcing ahead of the CeBIT technology show in Germany, the X99E-ITX/ac appears to lack quad-channel memory support, sporting only two DIMM slots but is otherwise very well-equipped. It has six right-angled SATA 6Gbps ports with two of these making up a SATA Express connector,, dual LAN ports, USB 3.1 support and the box also states that it offers a full x4 speed M.2 port as well. There's just a single 16x PCI-E slot, though, but that's the usual story for mini-ITX motherboards. Squeezing in the hefty CPU socket onto a mini-ITX form factor PCB has meant some compromises, though, and there's very little room around the CPU socket itself. In fact, it sits right next to the DIMM slots so it's not suprising that ASRock has included a compact cooler in the package too. We've heard rumours of at least one other manufacturer working on a mini-ITX X99 motherboard too but we applaud ASRock for taking this bold move and we're sure it will be a hit with small formfactor fans. ASRock also announced a range of other USB 3.1-equipped motherboards too. Both the Z97 Extreme6/3.1 and X99 Extreme6/3.1 offer an on-board USB 3.1 Type-C connector while also sporting two USB 3.1 Type-A connectors courtesy of a PCI-Express card. Pricing has yet to be confirmed but we'll report back when we here more. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.This article is about a German engineering company. For the former Fujitsu-Siemens company, see Fujitsu Siemens Computers. For other uses, see Siemens (disambiguation) Siemens AG ( German pronunciation: [ˈziːməns][2][3][4] or [-mɛns][4]) is a German conglomerate company headquartered in Berlin and Munich and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe with branch offices abroad. The principal divisions of the company are Industry, Energy, Healthcare (Siemens Healthineers), and Infrastructure & Cities, which represent the main activities of the company.[5][6][7] The company is a prominent maker of medical diagnostics equipment and its medical health-care division, which generates about 12 percent of the company's total sales, is its second-most profitable unit, after the industrial automation division.[8] The company is a component of the Euro Stoxx 50 stock market index.[9] Siemens and its subsidiaries employ approximately 379,000 people worldwide and reported global revenue of around €83 billion in 2018 according to its earnings release. History [ edit ] 1847 to 1901 [ edit ] Siemens & Halske was founded by Werner von Siemens and Johann Georg Halske on 12 October 1847. Based on the telegraph, their invention used a needle to point to the sequence of letters, instead of using Morse code. The company, then called Telegraphen-Bauanstalt von Siemens & Halske, opened its first workshop on 12 October.[10] In 1848, the company built the first long-distance telegraph line in Europe; 500 km from Berlin to Frankfurt am Main. In 1850, the founder's younger brother, Carl Wilhelm Siemens, later Sir William Siemens, started to represent the company in London. The London agency became a branch office in 1858. In the 1850s, the company was involved in building long distance telegraph networks in Russia. In 1855, a company branch headed by another brother, Carl Heinrich von Siemens, opened in St Petersburg, Russia. In 1867, Siemens completed the monumental Indo-European telegraph line stretching over 11,000 km from London to Calcutta.[11] First electric locomotive, built in 1879 by company founder Werner von Siemens. In 1867, Werner von Siemens described a dynamo without permanent magnets. A similar system was also independently invented by Charles Wheatstone, but Siemens became the first company to build such devices. In 1881, a Siemens AC Alternator driven by a watermill was used to power the world's first electric street lighting in the town of Godalming, United Kingdom. The company continued to grow and diversified into electric trains and light bulbs. In 1887, it opened its first office in Japan.[12] In 1890, the founder retired and left running the company to his brother Carl and sons Arnold and Wilhelm. 1901 to 1933 [ edit ] The company built airplanes during World War I, for example this Siemens airplane in 1926. Siemens & Halske (S & H) was incorporated in 1897, and then merged parts of its activities with Schuckert & Co., Nuremberg in 1903 to become Siemens-Schuckert. In 1907, Siemens (Siemens & Halske and Siemens-Schuckert) had 34,324 employees and was the seventh-largest company in the German empire by number of employees.[13] (see List of German companies by employees in 1907) In 1919, S & H and two other companies jointly formed the Osram lightbulb company.[citation needed] British Siemens advertisement from the 1920s era. During the 1920s and 1930s, S & H started to manufacture radios, television sets, and electron microscopes.[14] In 1932, Reiniger, Gebbert & Schall (Erlangen), Phönix AG (Rudolstadt) and Siemens-Reiniger-Veifa mbH (Berlin) merged to form the Siemens-Reiniger-Werke AG (SRW), the third of the so-called parent companies that merged in 1966 to form the present-day Siemens AG.[15] In the 1920s, Siemens constructed the Ardnacrusha Hydro Power station on the River Shannon in the then Irish Free State, and it was a world first for its design. The company is remembered for its desire to raise the wages of its under-paid workers only to be overruled by the Cumann na nGaedheal government.[16] 1933 to 1945 [ edit ] [17] Prisoners around 1944 working at a Siemens factory in KZ Bobrek, a subcamp of Auschwitz concentration camp A Siemens truck being used as a Nazi public address vehicle in 1932 Siemens (at the time: Siemens-Schuckert) exploited the forced labour of deported people in extermination camps. The company owned a plant in Auschwitz concentration camp.[17][18] During the final years of World War II, numerous plants and factories in Berlin and other major cities were destroyed by Allied air raids. To prevent further losses, manufacturing was therefore moved to alternative places and regions not affected by the air war. The goal was to secure continued production of important war-related and everyday goods. According to records, Siemens was operating almost 400 alternative or relocated manufacturing plants at the end of 1944 and in early 1945. In 1972, Siemens sued German satirist F.C. Delius for his satirical history of the company, Unsere Siemenswelt, and it was determined much of the book contained false claims although the trial itself publicized Siemens' history in Nazi Germany.[19] The company supplied electrical parts to Nazi concentration camps and death camps. The factories had poor working conditions, where malnutrition and death were common. Also, the scholarship has shown that the camp factories were created, run, and supplied by the SS, in conjunction with company officials, sometimes high-level officials.[20][21][22][23] Siemens businessman and Nazi Party member John Rabe is, however, credited with saving many Chinese lives during the infamous Nanking Massacre. He later toured Germany lecturing on the atrocities committed by Japanese forces in Nanking.[24] 1945 to 2001 [ edit ] In the 1950s, and from their new base in Bavaria, S&H started to manufacture computers, semiconductor devices, washing machines, and pacemakers.[citation needed] In 1966, Siemens & Halske (S&H, founded in 1847), Siemens-Schuckertwerke (SSW, founded in 1903) and Siemens-Reiniger-Werke (SRW, founded in 1932) merged to form Siemens AG.[15] In 1969, Siemens formed Kraftwerk Union with AEG by pooling their nuclear power businesses.[25] The company's first digital telephone exchange was produced in 1980. In 1988, Siemens and GEC acquired the UK defence and technology company Plessey. Plessey's holdings were split, and Siemens took over the avionics, radar and traffic control businesses—as Siemens Plessey.[26] In 1985, Siemens bought Allis-Chalmers' interest in the partnership company Siemens-Allis (formed 1978) which supplied electrical control equipment. It was incorporated into Siemens' Energy and Automation division.[27] In 1987, Siemens reintegrated Kraftwerk Union, the unit overseeing nuclear power business.[25] In 1991, Siemens acquired Nixdorf Computer AG and renamed it Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG, in order to produce personal computers.[28] In October 1991, Siemens acquired the Industrial Systems Division of Texas Instruments, Inc, based in Johnson City, Tennessee. This division was organized as Siemens Industrial Automation, Inc.,[29] and was later absorbed by Siemens Energy and Automation, Inc. In 1992, Siemens bought out IBM's half of ROLM (Siemens had bought into ROLM five years earlier), thus creating SiemensROLM Communications; eventually dropping ROLM from the name later in the 1990s.[30] In 1993-1994, Siemens C651 electric trains for Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system were built in Austria.[citation needed] In 1997, Siemens agreed to sell the defence arm of Siemens Plessey to British Aerospace (BAe) and a German aerospace company, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace. BAe and DASA acquired the British and German divisions of the operation respectively.[31] In October 1997, Siemens Financial Services (SFS) was founded to act as competence center for financing issues and as a manager of financial risks within Siemens. In 1998, Siemens acquired Westinghouse Power Generation for more than $1.5 billion from the CBS Corporation and moving Siemens from third to second in the world power generation market.[32] In 1999, Siemens' semiconductor operations were spun off into a new company called Infineon Technologies. In the same year, Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG became part of Fujitsu Siemens Computers AG, with its retail banking technology group becoming Wincor Nixdorf.[28] In 2000, Shared Medical Systems Corporation[33] was acquired by the Siemens' Medical Engineering Group,[34] eventually becoming part of Siemens Medical Solutions. Also in 2000, Atecs-Mannesman was acquired by Siemens,[35] The sale was finalised in April 2001 with 50% of the shares acquired, acquisition, Mannesmann VDO AG merged into Siemens Automotive forming Siemens VDO Automotive AG, Atecs Mannesmann Dematic Systems merged into Siemens Production and Logistics forming Siemens Dematic AG, Mannesmann Demag Delaval merged into the Power Generation division of Siemens AG.[36] Other parts of the company were acquired by Robert Bosch GmbH at the same time.[37] Also, Moore Products Co. of Spring House, PA USA was acquired by Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.[38] 2001 to 2005 [ edit ] In 2001, Chemtech Group of Brazil was incorporated into the Siemens Group;[39] it provides industrial process optimisation, consultancy and other engineering services.[40] Also in 2001, Siemens formed joint venture Framatome with Areva SA of France by merging much of the companies' nuclear businesses.[25] In 2002, Siemens sold some of its business activities to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (KKR), with its metering business included in the sale package.[41] In 2003, Siemens acquired the flow division of Danfoss and incorporated it into the Automation and Drives division.[42] Also in 2003 Siemens acquired IndX software (realtime data organisation and presentation).[43][44] The same year in an unrelated development Siemens reopened its office in Kabul.[45] Also in 2003 agreed to buy Alstom Industrial Turbines; a manufacturer of small, medium and industrial gas turbines for €1.1 billion.[46][47] On 11 February 2003, Siemens planned to shorten phones' shelf life by bringing out annual Xelibri lines, with new devices launched as spring -summer and autumn-winter collections.[48] On 6 March 2003, the company opened an office in San Jose.[49] On 7 March 2003, the company announced that it planned to gain 10 per cent of the mainland China market for handsets.[50] On 18 March 2003, the company unveiled the latest in its series of Xelibri fashion phones.[51] In 2004, the wind energy company Bonus Energy in Brande, Denmark was acquired,[52][53] forming Siemens Wind Power division.[54] Also in 2004 Siemens invested in Dasan Networks (South Korea, broadband network equipment) acquiring ~40% of the shares,[55] Nokia Siemens disinvested itself of the shares in 2008.[56] The same year Siemens acquired Photo-Scan (UK, CCTV systems),[57] US Filter Corporation (water and Waste Water Treatment Technologies/ Solutions, acquired from Veolia),[58] Hunstville Electronics Corporation (automobile electronics, acquired from Chrysler),[59] and Chantry Networks (WLAN equipment).[60] In 2005, Siemens sold the Siemens mobile manufacturing business to BenQ, forming the BenQ-Siemens division. Also in 2005 Siemens acquired Flender Holding GmbH (Bocholt, Germany, gears/industrial drives),[61] Bewator AB (building security systems),[62] Wheelabrator Air Pollution Control, Inc. (Industrial and power station dust control systems),[63] AN Windenergie GmbH. (Wind energy),[64] Power Technologies Inc. (Schenectady, USA, energy industry software and training),[65] CTI Molecular Imaging (Positron emission tomography and molecular imaging systems),[66][67] Myrio (IPTV systems),[68] Shaw Power Technologies International Ltd (UK/USA, electrical engineering consulting, acquired from Shaw Group),[69][70] and Transmitton (Ashby de la Zouch UK, rail and other industry control and asset management).[71] 2005 and continuing: worldwide bribery scandal [ edit ] In 2005 Germany opened investigations into Siemens business practices worldwide, prompted by requests from prosecutors in Italy, Liechtenstein and Switzerland; US investigators joined in 2006 and the US investigators addressed violations only since 2001, when Siemens started selling shares in a US stock exchange.[72] The investigators found that bribing officials to win contracts was standard operating procedure.[72][73] Over that time period the company paid around $1.3 billion in bribes in many countries and kept separate books to hide them.[73] Fines were anticipated to be as high as $5 billion as the investigation unfolded.[74] Settlement negotiations took place through most of 2008 and when they were announced in December they were far less, driven in part by Siemens' cooperation, in part by the imminent change in US administrations (the Obama administration was about to take over from the Bush administration), and in part by the dependence of the US military on Siemens as a contractor.[72][74][73] The company paid a total of about $1.6 billion, around $800 million in each of the US and Germany. This was the largest bribery fine in history, at the time. The money paid to Germany included a $270 million fine paid the year before (related to bribes in Nigeria[75]). The US payment included $450 million in fines and penalties and a forfeiture of $350 million in profits.[73] The company was also obligated to spend $1 billion on setting up and funding new internal compliance regimens.[72] Siemens pleaded guilty to violating accounting provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; the parent company did not plead guilty to paying bribes (although its Bangladesh and Venezuela subsidiaries did[73]); such a guilty plea would have barred Siemens from contracting for the US government.[72] As the scandal had started breaking, Siemens had fired its chairman and CEO Heinrich von Pierer, and had hired its first non-German
The current arrangements allow Germany to pursue its narrowly conceived national interests but are pushing the eurozone as a whole into a long-lasting depression that will affect Germany as well. Germany is advocating a reduction in budget deficits while pursuing an orthodox monetary policy whose sole objective is to control inflation. This causes GDPs to fall and debt ratios to rise, hurting the heavily indebted countries that pay high risk premiums more than it does countries with better credit ratings, because it renders the former countries' debt unsustainable. From time to time, they need to be rescued; and Germany always does what it must – but only that, and no more – to save the euro. As soon as the crisis abates, German leaders start to whittle down the promises they have made. So the austerity policy championed by Germany perpetuates the crisis that puts Germany in charge of policy. Japan has adhered to the monetary doctrine advocated by Germany, and it has experienced 25 years of stagnation, despite engaging in occasional fiscal stimulus. It has now changed sides and embraced quantitative easing on an unprecedented scale. Europe is entering on a course from which Japan is desperate to escape. And, while Japan is a country with a long, unified history, and thus could survive a quarter-century of stagnation, the European Union is an incomplete association of sovereign states that is unlikely to withstand a similar experience. There is no escaping the conclusion that current policies are ill conceived. They do not even serve Germany's narrow national self-interest, because the results are politically and humanly intolerable; eventually, they will not be tolerated. There is a real danger that the euro will destroy the EU and leave Europe seething with resentments and unsettled claims. The danger may not be imminent; but the later it happens, the worse the consequences. That is not in Germany's interest. Sinn sidesteps this argument by claiming that there is no legal basis for compelling Germany to choose between agreeing to eurobonds or leaving the euro. He suggests that, if anybody ought to leave the euro, it is the Mediterranean countries, which should devalue their currencies. That is a recipe for disaster. They would have to default on their debts, precipitating global financial turmoil that may be beyond the capacity of authorities to contain. The heavily indebted countries must channel their citizens' rising discontent into a more constructive channel by coming together and calling on Germany to make the choice. The newly formed Italian government is well placed to lead such an effort. As I have shown, Italy would be infinitely better off, whatever Germany were to decide. And if Germany failed to respond, it would have to bear the responsibility for the consequences. I am sure that Germany does not want to be responsible for the EU's collapse. It did not seek to dominate Europe, and is unwilling to accept the responsibilities and contingent liabilities that go with such a position. That is one of the reasons for the current crisis. Yet Germany has been thrust into a position of leadership. Europe would benefit from a benevolent hegemonic power. So would Germany.Mass Effect 2's tamer (and sideboobless) sex scenes led some to believe that BioWare held something back, after the 2008 uproar over Mass Effect started by the Network That Must Not Be Named. But a dev sternly denies that charge. User Menelaos1971 opened a forum thread on the subject, calling the sex scene in Mass Effect 1 "a step in the right direction for Rated M games," but implied that the uninformed uproar over it chilled BioWare's intent to extend the theme in the sequel. He also alleged that BioWare was given orders from EA that an M for violence was OK, but not nudity, because it might affect sales. "Or was it just EA lawyers," Menelaos1972 wrote. Stanley Woo, a member of the QA story team for the game, replied forcefully: It's kinda funny that this topic keeps coming up over and over again. People who claim to be old enough and mature enough to handle sex and nudity in a game seem to believe that any lack of sex and nudity in the game is a sign of self-censorship. They generally don't believe that a game can be called "mature" without explicit sex and/or nudity. Let me tell you, folks, that as a developer full of mature individuals, we are also free to not have explicit sex and/or nudity in our games, no matter what you, Fox News, the government, or Bunky the Wonder Clown has to say about it. We have never considered it a "problem," it is simply a choice we have made and we have every right to make that choice. Advertisement Later on, answering another forum poster who dragged parenting into the discuss, Woo continues: You are absolutely correct. It is not our job to parent the child or determine what content is acceptable or unacceptable for our players. But on the other hand, it is not your job to dictate what content we include or don't include in our games. Game development is not a collaborative effort between developers and gamers; it is a dictatorship, where we alone determine what content goes into our game. You the player make the choice whether that content is acceptable to you (and/or your family) or not. I agree, but I think forum user Gorn Kregore put it a little more succinctly. "Two words: Get laid." Sex and Nudity [BioWare Social Network, via Cinemablend. There are no spoilers in this thread]A data flaw in Seattle’s new billing system for utilities flooded about 3,000 customers with redundant email notices — and a link that showed them other people’s bills. Seattle’s new billing system for utilities, already afflicted by delays and cost overruns, launched Monday morning with a data flaw that sent 3,041 customers a link to other customers’ bills, including their names, addresses and energy or water use. Along with the privacy breakdown, the city sent six to 12 redundant email notices to those same customers, marking new trouble for a computer update, nearly a year late, $34 million over budget, and expected to reach $100 million. The problems showed up in about one-tenth of the initial batch of 30,000 utility bills compiled during the changeover Sunday night and sent Monday morning, City Light spokesman Scott Thomsen said Monday night. It’s likely that far fewer than 3,000 people inadvertently saw other people’s bills, because the city disabled the online billing link at 10:30 a.m., after a customer called to report the mistake, he said. The Monday morning batch of 30,000 bills includes thousands of postal mail bills that weren’t affected, as well as electronic bills that worked properly. Some were City Light bills, others Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) water, sewer and garbage bills. If customers clicked an online link to the electronic-payment option, they may have seen images of other customers’ bills in.pdf form, Thomsen said. That would have displayed other people’s names, addresses, energy use and billing amounts, as well as any discounts they receive, or any solar-energy generation. At no time were bank-account numbers, credit-card numbers, Social Security numbers or similar financial data exposed, he said. E-billing customers who didn’t click the online payment link, but whose payments are still deducted automatically, received redundant but accurate emails, Thomsen said. Both the e-billing link and the automatic payments for the new bills were disabled, while technicians worked Monday night. They would continue as long as needed to fix the flaw, Thomsen said. Electronic payment has been restored for people who were billed before the weekend. He said 735 customers who use automatic billing received 12 email notices, and 2,306 others who pay their bills online got six email notices. An investigation continues, but Thomsen said “there was an error on what we sent to KUBRA,” the city’s third-party billing company. The new system worked properly during final validation tests, he said. On the other hand, the city had to integrate some 40 information-technology applications, affecting 420,000 customers, most of whom are served by both City Light and SPU. “This appears to be a data issue of some sort that we need to sort out,” Thomsen said. “We did anticipate with any new system, there’s the potential for problems like this to crop up, so this is the one that we have. We’re trying to address it as quickly as we can. “We take anything that deals with a customer’s bill seriously and we’re working diligently to resolve this.” The new system, created by Oracle with involvement by city staff and PricewaterhouseCoopers, was to launch in October 2015, but changes in the project’s scope led the City Council in November to approve a revised budget. The changes were related to identity protection for customers, regulatory requirements and testing. Monday’s e-billing errors create an early customer-relations headache for Larry Weis, the new general manager hired this year from Austin, Texas. In a statement this spring, he stressed the need to prepare methodically, taking as much time as needed, to avoid the kind of hasty startup that cost Los Angeles $181 million due to billing errors. The city had already planned to add 10 to 15 call-center staffers Tuesday morning just to deal with ordinary transition issues, Thomsen said City Light will send updates to the 3,041 affected customers, and he urged them not to flood the call center. Instead, the city plans to publish an announcement and “frequently asked questions,” sometime Tuesday morning at www.seattle.gov/light.Weekly Update – 8/11/2017 Aug 11 - TheFeelTrain 50,000 people used to live here... now it's a ghost town. Wait, wrong multi-billion dollar gaming franchise. My bad. What I meant to say was there's 50,000 people here now, and none of them are playing on Ghost Town because the game isn't out yet. It would also help if we planned on remaking Ghost Town, which we don't. At least not right now. But we are super grateful you're all here. We never expected to get anywhere near this many players, especially before the game is even released. It's awesome to see that 50,000 other people are just as excited about Halo on the PC as we are. With that said, I expect to see 500,000 by the end of the next week. Or else you're fired. Now let's do some updating, shall we? PAX West 2017 It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's just the light reflecting off of Church's and Greg's balding heads. I lied, there is actually a plane. Carrying our glorious leaders to the faraway land of Seattle. The boys (Bean, Church, and Greg) are going to PAX West on September 1-4. Be there or be square. And no, Installation 01 does not have a booth or anything like that. That'd be too cool. This is more just a way for you to meet the people behind the game, while you wait for the game. Look for these men on the PAX West floor. Twitch Shooters Just to throw another announcement onto the pile, we're now officially a game in Twitch's directory! It took a few extra steps to get there, but we've made it. So don't worry your pretty little heads about whether or not you'll be able to stream Installation 01 to your millions of followers. twitch.tv/directory/game/Installation 01 I'm not quite sure why you'd want to look at a mostly blank page, but hey, we're just happy that it exists. It'll be full of streamers one day. Not this day, and probably not tomorrow. But one day. The wiki page on GiantBomb (where Twitch gets its games from) is also blank, so feel free to help out and add some much-needed information to it. Web and Flow If you follow us on Twitter, you already know that I may have accidentally deleted Church's account while doing some testing for new features. When you accidentally delete the lead director's account while testing new features. 😳 pic.twitter.com/5hSvXU9Hsw — Installation 01 (@Installation01) August 9, 2017 What was the mysterious feature that caused such destruction? Why it's friend requests, of course. Coming soon to a website (and video game) near you. Through the power of Beangie.NET, you can add friends and then invite them to your games, join a matchmaking lobby together, collaborate on a Forge map, and all those other things you used to do on Xbox Live in 2007. We're still testing everything out right now, but you should see notifications popping up in the top right corner in the next few days if everything goes to plan. There are also a few more notable things you should be aware of. I've had a couple of people who use inferior date formats complain that the date is in the wrong order, so now that's gone. Instead you can just see how long someone has been around. Respect your grizzled ancients. One more tweak is with the spartan viewer, it should load a bit more smoothly now. I had to configure some compression settings. We inch ever closer to the elusive website customization. Blame Bean One man. One game. Many years. Many platforms. Through the use of complex Photoshop research tools, it has been discovered that Bean is actually Todd Howard's long lost son. Because of this, we'll be re-releasing Installation 01 every few years as different editions. Even decades from now, even if everyone is tired of us, we just won't go away. We're also making sure to sprinkle extra bugs into the code. Thanks, Bean. This is the end. Of the update, not Installation 01. We're still here. And we'll be here next week with yet another update. We haven't missed a week, and we don't plan on it anytime soon. TheFeelTrainJones, hired to boost taxi hailing app’s reputation, is latest in string of high-level executives to leave as firm faces multiple controversies Taxi hailing app Uber has been thrust deeper into turmoil with the departure of company president Jeff Jones, a marketing expert hired to help bolster its reputation. Jones quit less than seven months after joining the San Francisco company, an Uber spokesman said on Sunday. The reasons for his departure were not immediately clear, but Jones’ role was put into question after Uber earlier this month launched a search for a chief operating officer to help run the company alongside chief executive Travis Kalanick. Jones had been performing some of those COO responsibilities. He joined Uber from Target, where he was chief marketing officer and is credited with modernising the retailer’s brand. “We want to thank Jeff for his six months at the company and wish him all the best,” an Uber spokesman said in an emailed statement. Jones is the latest in a string of high-level executives to leave the company. Last month, engineering executive Amit Singhal was asked to resign amid a sexual harassment allegation stemming from his previous job at Alphabet Inc’s Google. Earlier this month, Ed Baker, Uber’s vice president of product and growth, and Charlie Miller, Uber’s top security researcher, departed. Technology news site Recode first reported Jones’ departure on Sunday. While Uber has long had a reputation as an aggressive and unapologetic startup, it has faced multiple controversies over the past several weeks which have put Kalanick’s leadership capabilities and the company’s future into question. A former Uber employee last month published a blogpost describing a workplace where sexual harassment was common and went unpunished. The blog post prompted an internal investigation that is being led by former US attorney general Eric Holder. Then, Bloomberg released a video that showed Kalanick berating an Uber driver who had complained about cuts to rates paid to drivers, resulting in Kalanick making a public apology. Earlier this month, Uber confirmed it had used a secret technology program dubbed “Greyball”, which effectively changes the app view for specific riders to evade authorities in cities where the service has been banned. Uber has since prohibited the use of Greyball to target local regulators. Jones joined Uber in August and was widely expected to be Kalanick’s No 2. He was given the task of overseeing the bulk of Uber’s global operations, including leading the ride-hailing program, running local Uber services in every city, marketing and customer service and working with drivers.In spite of reassurances from the Washington talking heads and policy wonks that the U.S. is not about to launch an attack on Iran, or countenance an Israeli strike, the Sunday Times has the real scoop: “President George W. Bush has told the Israeli government that he may be prepared to approve a future military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations with Tehran break down, according to a senior Pentagon official. “Despite the opposition of his own generals and widespread skepticism that America is ready to risk the military, political, and economic consequences of an airborne strike on Iran, the president has given an ‘amber light’ to an Israeli plan to attack Iran’s main nuclear sites with long-range bombing sorties, the official told The Sunday Times. “‘Amber means get on with your preparations, stand by for immediate attack, and tell us when you’re ready,’ the official said. But the Israelis have also been told that they can expect no help from American forces and will not be able to use U.S. military bases in Iraq for logistical support.” It seems, however, that the Israelis have already been using U.S. bases in Iraq to train for the coming attack. There have been denials all around from the Iraqis, the Americans, and the Israelis but both the Iraqi media and the Israeli media have reported, as the New York Post put it, that “Israeli warplanes have been flying over Iraq and landing at U.S. bases there in preparation for an attack on Iran.” The Iraqi Web site Nahrainet reported Israeli fighter jets have been in rehearsals, so to speak, for their much-anticipated strike at Iran, flying at night over Jordanian airspace and arriving at U.S. air bases in Nasiriyah in southern Iraq and near Haditha in western Anbar province. The Israelis, in concert with their amen corner in the U.S., have been engaged in a propaganda blitz targeting Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons program, the whole point of which is not to pressure the Iranians into backing down, but to force the U.S. to take action in lieu of the Israelis going it alone. Why fight if your big brother is willing to wage the battle? To that end, the Israelis are taking aim at Washington, rather than Tehran, in a full-scale political assault that shows every sign of succeeding where it counts in the Oval Office. The Times cites a top Pentagon official: “It’s really all down to the Israelis. This administration will not attack Iran. This has already been decided. But the president is really preoccupied with the nuclear threat against Israel and I know he doesn’t believe that anything but force will deter Iran.” Translation: The U.S. will not be the first to attack Iran, but it may well join in once the Israelis get things started. Laura Rozen, writing in Mother Jones, reports that a parade of Israeli officials including Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi is due in Washington over the next two weeks to impress upon the Americans the urgent necessity of taking military action. Rozen spoke to neocon superhawk David Wurmser, former adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney on Middle Eastern affairs, who said: “‘Ultimately, my gut tells me that most of the administration on most levels would push back very hard,’ on Israeli pressure on Washington to authorize it to strike Iran, Wurmser added. ‘What those in the administration who don’t want Israel to act probably won’t want is for it to be taken to the highest level. They would always be afraid that [the president] might not be so tough on the Israelis. If the Israeli [government] really intends to do something, they would go to the highest level without a lot of people knowing.'” They may have gotten to the president already, as Rozen reports: “A former Pentagon intelligence official who spoke with Mother Jones also alleges that Meir Dagan, the chief of the Israeli intelligence service, the Mossad, held secret meetings with officials in the White House on Wednesday. Neither the Israeli embassy nor National Security Council would comment on whether Dagan had been at the White House.” This is really the crux of the matter: George W. Bush. Reckless, more radical than most of his advisers, and now dangerously fixated on his “legacy,” he is more determined than ever to leave his lasting mark on the Middle East and the world and, given that the Constitution has been abandoned, and a single man can take us to war without the consent of Congress or the people, an apocalyptic departure from office seems more likely than not. As in the run-up to the Iraq war, the prelude to this far greater conflict is marked by attempts to circumvent what one Bush official disdainfully referred to as “the reality-based community” and “stove-pipe” the Israelis’ analysis of Iran intelligence into the White House. Our own National Intelligence Estimate, compiled by the CIA and a raft of other intelligence-gathering outfits, says that the Iranians abandoned their nuclear weapons program years ago and they aren’t anywhere near weaponization of their nascent nuclear capabilities at the present time. The Israelis beg to differ, and they are stating their case to Bush in person whispering in a presidential ear that has been unusually receptive to them in the past. Wurmser gives the odds of the Israelis attacking Iran before Bush leaves office as “slightly, slightly above 50-50.” If that happens, then it is only a matter of time a very short time before the U.S. is involved in a large-scale conflict with Iran that will send oil prices skyrocketing past $300 per barrel and bring the world economy to a screeching halt. Not only that, but war with Tehran will upend the American political landscape and give John McCain more than a fighting chance to beat frontrunner Barack Obama. In this context, the Israeli pressure for military action can be seen as a direct attempt to influence an American election that, so far, is not going to their liking. Obama has openly stated that he favors negotiating with the Iranians, which is what the Israelis fear most. How better to eliminate this possibility than by tying Obama’s hands the moment he gets into office? With the U.S. already engaged in hostilities with Iran, negotiations will be off the table and the Israelis will be off the hook. The Telegraph reports that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert recently told one of his closest friends that “in three months’ time it will be a different Middle East.” Yes, and also, perhaps, a very different America NOTES IN THE MARGIN One of the best features of the Freedom and Prosperity Society conference I attended in Bodrum, Turkey, last month was meeting Sean Gabb, director of Britain’s Libertarian Alliance, a teacher, novelist, and classical scholar. Check out his report on the conference here. The guy is a real pleasure to read. Read more by Justin RaimondoEarlier this year, we reported that in its 52-years of operation sandwich chain Subway - for the first time ever - contracted in 2016, closing 359 U.S. locations. Bloomberg described the situation as the “biggest retrenchment in the history of the restaurant chain” whose total store count dropped 1.3% from 27,103 in 2015 to 26,744, while the company failed to keep up with the latest fast-food eatery trends. “Subway is in the midst of a massive transformation, and change of this size takes time,” a representative for the company told Business Insider. “Our goal is to strengthen the Subway brand in every market around the world to give Subway franchisees the greatest opportunity to successfully grow their businesses.” Confirming that Subway has indeed peaked in its 5 decades-long business cycle, even as management desperately attempts to engineer a soft landing, a Subway representative said that another 909 locations have been closed in 2017, representing more than 3% of the chain’s 2016 U.S. stores. This is the second consecutive year that subway has closed hundreds of locations. The company is currently operating 25,835 shops in the U.S., compared with 26,744 at the end of 2016. Sales in 2016 have also declined -1.70% after 359 locations were dropped. It’s evident that a domestic sales slowdown has rippled its way through the company in 2017, and will most likely persist through 2018. There is more bad news: the company’s international business has stalled with the decline of 471 international shops. In 2017, the chain had 44,014 worldwide, down from its 44,485 stores in 2016. Subway has failed to keep pace with fast-casual competitors: Panera, Starbucks, and Sweetgreen, as the company, is not deemed cool by millennials. "Today, people are ever more educated on nutrition, food sourcing, and ethical holistic business models," Sara Bamossy, the chief strategy officer at ad agency Pitch, told Business Insider. “To create (or to rekindle) loyalty and sales, it is not enough to label something as ‘natural’ and it’s not enough to be affordably priced.” On top of Subway’s troubles, the overall restaurant industry is waning and could fry the dreams of a smooth transition by management. The private company has been pressured not only by a sharp recent decline in US restaurant traffic and sales – an industry which as we reported recently suffered its worst collapse since 2009 – but by the industry’s heavy reliance on discounts and promotions. Subway also has lost some of its luster as a healthier-food option, Bloomberg notes as it has been working to restore its status by eliminating antibiotics from its chicken and switching to cage-free eggs. Mitesh Raval, a Virginia franchise owner, said “the national promotional focus over the past five years … has decimated [us] and left many franchisees unprofitable and even insolvent.” More than 400 franchise owners have banded together and signed a petition, which “protests chain’s plans to roll out its famous $5 footlong deal in January." The deal officially starts on Jan 1, 2018, while the appetite for a more larger crisis with franchisees could be evident in 2018. And of course, no one can forget Subway’s former spokesman Jared Fogle, who turned out to be a creep, charged with having sex with minors and possessing child pornography. Subway bet the farm on branding with Fogle and cut ties with him in 2015, just around the time when store closures started. In summary, the compounding effect of store closures, eatery trends, waning restaurant industry, and poor advertisement choices, have ultimately dethroned Subway, and now forced the company into a contraction phase for the second year in a row.Scientists have recognised for some years that light pollution from buildings, vehicles and streetlights is a growing phenomenon that impacts on the behaviour and success of many animals including migrating birds, hunting bats and the moths they try to capture. As the human population grows the problem is due to worsen and even remote coastal areas are now being affected by civilization’s tell-tale glow-in-the-sky. Turtles, disoriented as they return to their nesting beaches, or confused hatchlings struggling to find the sea, are iconic examples. Now, a new study conducted by scientists from the University of Exeter and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Exeter looks at the true extent to which light pollution is affecting key marine wildlife in the UK. The research team set up a series of laboratory experiments to determine whether the less well known, but highly important inhabitants of the seashore were also affected. Using the dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus), a key seashore species that modulates biodiversity and community structure of our coasts, they kept one group of dogwhelks in artificially-lit night sky conditions, while a control group experienced a more natural night/day cycle. The research showed that those dogwhelks kept under artificial lighting conditions were less likely to seek out shelter and spent longer seeking food – putting them at exposed risk to predators and placing them in more stressful conditions. The study showed, for the first time, that night time light changes species interactions at the heart of the way in which natural food chains work, raising concern about how generalised these impacts may be for natural marine wildlife. Dr Thomas Davies from the University of Exeter highlighted how historically overlooked the impacts of light pollution on coastal ecosystems has been, saying: “There has been a surge of research into the impacts of artificial lighting on land animals and plants over the last six years, but the influence on coastal animals of lights from harbours, marinas, piers and promenades has received very little attention. Understanding how to manage ecosystems to improve biodiversity gains is as important in the built marine environment as it is in our city parks, gardens, streets, rivers and canals. This study highlights that night-time lighting in coastal cities can impact biodiversity on rocky shores popular with beachgoers that enjoy the diversity of life they offer year round.” Dogwhelks are far from unimportant along rocky coasts, where they can occur in dense aggregations, and play a key role in the ecological balance, feeding on barnacles, limpets and mussels. Disturbing these balances can have major ramifications across habitats and up food webs. PML senior ecologist Dr Ana Queirós who co-authored the study said: “It is not just nesting turtles and hatchlings on the beaches that are affected: it is the whole way in which shore food chains work, because this is tightly dependent on species interactions such as the ones we measured: who eats who. We must be cautious with generalisations, but we have been slow in recognising night time light as a worldwide marine issue. However, unlike for climate change, the solution for night time light pollution is well within our reach, as restricting use of lights to specific colours can much limit their negative impacts on wildlife, as has been shown in terrestrial studies. We should be acting on coastal light pollution immediately, because this time, we can actually fix the problem.”An illustration of a total solar eclipse. NASA/GSFC/CI Lab The great American total solar eclipse of 2017 is upon us. On Monday, the moon will slip in front of the sun and cast a dark shadow that will travel across the contiguous United States. A partial solar eclipse will be visible around the entire country, but totality— when the moon fully blocks the sun and produces eerie-looking effects— can be seen only within a 60- to 70-mile-wide sliver. The path of totality will touch 14 states, but hotels in those regions began selling out a year ago. If you're not planning to travel and brave the traffic, though, there will be plenty of ways to watch a livestreamed video of the eclipse. Below, Business Insider has compiled a collection of what should be the best feeds. As new ones go live, we'll embed or link to them — so bookmark this page for later. NASA is pulling out all of the stops with two live feeds of the solar eclipse, via NASA TV and NASA Edge, across multiple popular streaming-video services. We recommend watching those. NASA's first stream goes on air at 8:45 a.m. PT/11:45 a.m. ET, about an hour before the darkest shadow of the moon, called the umbra, first touches Oregon. From there, the umbra will zoom southeast at between 1,440 and 2,370 mph, ending its American journey 93 minutes later in South Carolina. This map shows where and when the umbra — and totality — will arrive across the US: A US map of the total solar eclipse's shadow on Monday. NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio (Here's a larger version of the map, or you can figure out the exact time for your viewing location with NASA's interactive eclipse map.) When a feed will broadcast totality depends on where its cameras are. The longest totality will last at any location is less than three minutes, but some feeds will have dozens of cameras sprinkled across the country. Note: You may need to disable Flash and ad blockers for the feeds to work. We've also included links directly to the streaming sites in case you're having trouble watching. 1. NASA TV On solar-eclipse day, the space agency's main feed is going to be epic. NASA TV has mapped out live video coverage for its "Eclipse Across America" segment from 12 locations on the ground, jets in the sky, telescopes, and dozens of high-altitude balloons. (Yes, we said "epic" for a reason.) These feeds should run from about noon to 4 p.m. ET. Other services In addition to desktop video feeds, the space agency will also host live video on Periscope.tv, Twitch, and its family of mobile apps. 2. NASA Edge NASA Edge is the space agency's edgier video production and is typically unscripted. Its feed will be a "megacast" of the solar eclipse from Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois, and will run from 11:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. In addition to NASA Edge's main live feed, you can watch direct feeds of the eclipse from the H-Alpha Telescope, the Ca-K Telescope, and the White Light Telescope. It'll also have a channel to show off freshly processed photos of the event. 3. Slooh This company has partnerships with observatories all over the world, allowing it to stream almost any astronomical event. We like Slooh because it fills its broadcasts with commentary from a rotating cast of experts who speak conversationally. On eclipse day, it'll base its broadcast out of Stanley, Idaho. The feed should go live at noon ET, but you may need to register to watch. 4. Stream.live Stream is a newer, interactive video-feed service that we don't plan to embed here, but you can access it for free at eclipse.stream.live on Monday. Stream has partnered with NASA to string together an interactive feed that will feature footage from 52 high-altitude balloons launched from schools, universities, astronomy clubs, and elsewhere in the path of totality. The balloons will fly 100,000 feet in the air. "The viewer will be able to pick which balloon they want to watch via the interactive map on the site," Will Jamieson, Stream's CEO, told Business Insider in an email. Stream.live Stream's balloon cameras "will be aiming horizontal" to capture "both the Earth as well as space," Jamieson said. This means there's a very good chance the feeds will show the oval-shaped umbra speeding across the ground as it races east.Turkish cleric links objections to infant rape to pre-marital sex ISTANBUL The mufti of the Black Sea province of Samsun has raised eyebrows after questioning the sincerity of those who object to the rape of infants, saying they should also display the same reaction to youngsters engaging in pre-marital sex.“If you cannot object to a 18-year-old’s pre-marital sex, your objections to seven-month-old babies being raped are just crocodile tears … Chastity can be lost with very attractive offers following puberty. A relationship that starts with good intentions can end up badly. A youngster loses their chastity while in the bloom. Unchastity begins with the eyes, ears and hands,” mufti Hayrettin Öztürk said in a speech in Samsun on Oct. 13.“Passion is such a thing that if you don’t draw a line, there is no place to stop you. Allah tells us ‘do not show [yourself] like women of ignorance,’” he added.His statement has prompted the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) to launch an internal investigation on the case.“We have invited our cleric to Ankara, we will meet and listen to him,” said Mehmet Emin Özafşar, the vice head of the Diyanet.Öztürk previously made headlines after warning people against performing the “horon,” a Black Sea folk dance, with other members of the opposite sex. Men and women dancing together was religiously impermissible, he warned.Vedic shlokas are embedded with scientific knowledge, said Arvind Untawale, a retired scientist from Goa, and pushed budding scientists in the city to explore science through ancient scriptures. Untawale, who was an oceanographer at Indian the Institute of Oceanography at Goa, was speaking at the inaugural session of the eighth Indian Youth Science Congress on Thursday at the University of Mumbai (MU). The lecture reminded one of the talk on aircraft technology and other scientific discoveries in ancient India at the Indian Science Congress in 2015, which was also hosted by MU. The claims were roundly denounced as untrue and called ‘pseudo-science’ by many academicians and scientists. Speaking at the convocation hall, Untawale said, “We must think about our past, and what our rishi munis did. They were thinking through meditation. In Hindu tradition, we have the Vedas, which is full of knowledge.” He said that in addition to their superficial meanings, the Vedic shlokas have also been coded with scientific knowledge, such as information on movements of planets. One needs to be a Sanskrit scholar to decode it, he said. Untawale rued that the young generation is indifferent to ancient knowledge. “It’s said that we should always be forward looking, but we must not forget our past. There is lot to learn from it,” he said. When HT asked him about the scientific community’s apprehensions about the various claims made by proponents of Vedic science, he said that the scientific community is “ignorant” of the Vedas. “They don’t know Sanskrit and have not read the Vedas,” he said, adding that the study of ancient science will prove useful to students. He denied that the proponents of the Vedas exaggerate the scientific knowhows of ancient India. He went on appropriating the theories about paranormal activities in the Vedic era. “Through meditation, the rishi munis were able to develop powers that allowed them to teleport themselves to even other planets.” The congress, which is being jointly organised by MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, SRM University and Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, is an annual event that provides an opportunity to young researchers to present their work. It will continue through Saturday. READ MORE Mumbai university gets its ‘first transgender’ student First Published: Feb 17, 2017 00:37 ISTIt’s Decorative Gourd Season, Motherfuckers I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get my hands on some fucking gourds and arrange them in a horn-shaped basket on my dining room table. That shit is going to look so seasonal. I’m about to head up to the attic right
, and then at the wooded area surrounding us. "Well, tell me about your wife and kids, while we're, you know, bonding." I laughed again. "My wife, her name is Norma. We met during a dance, when I was stationed up in Weselton as a castle guard. I met her, and it was pretty much love at first sight. I used to be a real charmer, let me tell you. 10 years later, it still feels like just yesterday. My children, Jorge and Belinde. I love them both. Jorge is defending the house as I'm gone, but he always has my uncle, who I mentioned earlier, across the street." Anca seemed interested, as we continued walking. "But wait, where do you reside now? Weselton?" I shook my head and scoffed, "No, we ran to Corona, met my uncle and cousin there, and then..." I paused for a second, knowing that I would have to tell her about Rej, "Well, it's a bit tough to explain, but I got into trouble with some guys on the road to Corona, and the leader threatened to kill me. His name was Wolf, I guess my uncle was friends with him. I still remember, the Wolf was holding a knife to my throat, as I held my arms up. My cousin rushed in with an axe he found in the yard, and..." I paused, as Anca gulped, "Well, the Wolf heard him coming, and stabbed Rej right into the stomach. At that point, Uncle Jer just lost control and... you know, killed... Wolf..." Anca looked devastated. "Oh my, that's horrible! I'm really sorry you had to go through that." I thanked her for the sympathy, and continued. "Well, Jer and I decided that our best course of action was to visit Denmark, to see my father. He lived in Blavand, like I did in my childhood." Anca interrupted, "What happened to your mother?" I replied quickly, "Oh, uh, she died when I was a teenager. Tragic, really." Anca cringed, and let me continue. "Anyways, while Jer, Norma, and the kids all sped up to the first town in Denmark, I decided to visit Weselton, grab some valuables we used to own, and then continue. We ended up coming to Blavand, met with my father, who apologized for my rough childhood, and then, a few days later, he died, some illness that was unknown. Of course, my heart was absolutely crushed within those few weeks, so it really took me some courage to, you know, come here." Anca nodded. "That's really rough. I can't even begin to know how you feel." Anca had a worried look on her face. "As I told you before, I haven't ever had anything devastating happen in my life. I mean, the most crushing thing is that my mother told me I couldn't play violin for a living. Never really any... death. Though, I guess that Adgar and Idunn's deaths were pretty horrible. It's not like I knew them personally, though. I guess, well, you know what I mean." I nodded. She continued, "I'm guessing I'm going to see something horrible on the way up here, aren't I?" I hesitated, then nodded and let out an exasperated, "Most likely." Anca looked down, and moved a bit away from me. I put my arm around her and said, "Don't worry. You're with me, an army veteran, and a former guard of the Duke of Weselton. I'll never let you be in danger, and if you are, I'll protect you, understand?" She nodded, and then tried to lay her head on my shoulder. After a couple of minutes, she whispered, "Oh, this wouldn't work," and then straightened herself out. We walked a bit longer, until we reached a small building. It seemed to be abandoned. I looked it over, and then said to Anca, "I'm sure we could stay in here for the night, but we should be careful." She nodded, and then gave me a thumbs up. I waved her into the building, as I scoped the surroundings. There was nothing of note around, but I looked for landmarks. There was a large rock nearby the building, that I stored in my memory for when we were heading back. I looked back up at the sky. It was painted a wonderful shade of navy blue, with specks of white thrown on. I admired the sky once again, for a second, but stepped into the building. Anca had already set up the bed rolls for the night, and then looked at me for the fire. I nodded, and reached into my knapsack for logs. I couldn't find one, but I found my matches. I whispered to Anca, "If there's one thing that every building has, it's spare wood. Let me check downstairs, keep my sword." I grabbed my sword out of my pocket, and set it on the ground next to her. She was shivering, and she whispered, "Please hurry back." This confused me, it wasn't necessarily cold outside, so why she would be shivering is a reason unbeknownst to me. I lifted up the hatch to the basement, and then lit a match, I scoped the dark room closely, when I finally found a few logs. They were a bit damp, but having fire on there should easily dry them up. I grabbed about 7, threw them in my knapsack, lit another match, and then went back up the ladder. I closed the hatch, and then looked back to Anca. She was still in the same spot. I set a few logs down onto the ground in front of her. Remembering the dampness, I told her to wait, and then stepped outside to grab some kindling. I made a pile underneath the logs, and then lit those on fire. Before long, the logs became aflame, as the fire danced to life. I took off my coat, and set it around Anca's shoulders. She gladly took the coat, and held it to her shoulders. She whispered, "Thank you." I nodded in acknowledgement, and then laid down on my own bed roll to sleep. Anca repeated, "Thank you," under her breath, until finally lying down, herself. I finally drifted off to sleep, when I was awoken by a terrifying sound, that rattled my bones. I sat up and looked. It was a scream. And it was from Anca.Taking LinkedIn from an Oracle shop to a big data leader SCALE: You’re best known for co-creating Kafka at LinkedIn, but what was your history there before Kafka? Jay Kreps: I joined LinkedIn with the intention of being more of a user of data infrastructure, working on recommendation algorithms and that kind of thing. That’s what I had done previously; I had more of a machine learning background. I did actually work on a bunch of things like that at LinkedIn, but my observation was that a lot of our problems were less about creating fancy algorithms and more just basic data and scaling issues. That was what held us back on almost everything we did. The first project I did in there in the infrastructure space was a key-value store called Voldemort, one of the very early NoSQL systems. It was a distributed key-value store and a clone of Amazon Dynamo, basically. I had read that paper and we did an implementation of that and put it into production. It’s actually still used at LinkedIn at very large scale — I think probably getting north of a million requests per second. We open sourced it, and that was really fun, and after that I thought, “Hey, this actually is a much bigger impact to work on these data systems that, in some sense, make every problem better.” So I was kind of hooked on it. “Over time the systems that we had that did that kind of data stream transport were just melting under scale and growth, so it became clear we had to do something.” I really liked the open source aspect of it, as well. That was the the first time I had had any involvement in open source, and when we did Voldemort there was a bunch of different people contributing code, I got to work with these really smart people in different parts of the world, and that was really fun. The next thing I did was the Hadoop deployment at LinkedIn. The goal was this data lake idea where you get a copy of everything happening in the organization into Hadoop. We thought that would be a really easy thing to do, so we budgeted 3 weeks to get data in, and then a couple months to rebuild the People You May Know feature. And we said, “Well, the hard thing will be this cool recommendation algorithm, but the the first thing we’ll have to do is just get the data.” It turned out to be a bit of a reverse. We did that, and we did a couple other projects, and we were just struggling to build a pipeline of data for Hadoop. Kreps (left) and some former LinkedIn colleagues in 2013. Credit: Derrick Harris Because of that, I got interested in how data was flowing in the rest of the organization, and my observation was we had this problem everywhere. We wanted to make use of the same data in real time for security and fraud detection, and for more-real-time recommendations so we don’t show you the same stuff every time. And the same stuff we wanted to get into Hadoop, we also wanted to get into the data warehouse and we wanted to get into search indexes. We had all these different systems, some we wanted to respond and act in real time while some were offline data dumps like Hadoop, and that was how we came up with the idea of Kafka. We pitched it internally and people were like, “Well, that sounds like a lot of work.” But over time the systems that we had that did that kind of data stream transport were just melting under scale and growth, so it became clear we had to do something. “You always have the advantage of youthful arrogance. With Kafka, we said it would take about 3 months, and then we worked on it for the next 5 years.” When did you join LinkedIn? I recall you telling me previously that you joined when People You May Know was still an Oracle application. That’s right. I joined in 2007, and we got to do a bunch of really fun work to scale the whole site in different parts, which was really challenging. It was fun, too. A lot of the things that came out of really getting all the data together was the ability to do much more sophisticated stuff with it, to do use more predictive ingredients on the stuff. Of course, the rest of the company took that much further after I was not involved in that area much anymore. They added a whole team of data scientists doing this stuff that ended up being much better than I ever was. How difficult was it in those early days to build new tech from scratch and deploy systems like Hadoop at scale? You always have the advantage of youthful arrogance. With Kafka, we said it would take about 3 months, and then we worked on it for the next 5 years. We did ship it at least after 4 or 5 months, so we got something done in that time period. Kafka’s a fun one because it’s one of the core problems in distributed systems, which is producing an ordered log or stream of data that’s fault-tolerant and replicated over machines. This is something that exists in the world, it’s a common algorithm or thing that you would learn about if you took a distributed systems class, but there was this opportunity to do it at a really massive scale. Now, I think, LinkedIn has about 800 billion requests going through these logs. Some things were definitely kind of risky projects, but they paid off in the end.Surprisingly, he also called for a “need to empower law enforcement to patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized.” Such statements, coming from a leading presidential candidate, are only the latest examples of anti-Muslim rhetoric making the jump from the firing of hate groups to mainstream political discourse. But such jumps are not random and, in fact, have come after years of planning. The Center for Security Policy, a hate group that serves as the anti-Muslim movement’s premier think tank, has worked hard to earn the ear of elected officials and has sadly succeeded in this strategy. Of the eight people appointed as advisors to 2016 candidates Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz, all have connections to CSP and half hold ranking positions within the group, including its founder, Frank Gaffney. Listed below are detailed profiles of the eight anti-Muslim advisors Cruz and Trump have appointed to advisory roles in their campaigns. Frank Gaffney, president of Center for Security Policy, appointed to Ted Cruz’s National Security Coalition on March 17 Frank Gaffney is the founder of the anti-Muslim movement’s preeminent think tank, the Center for Security Policy (CSP). He also is one of the most outspoken anti-Muslim activists in America today, propagating conspiracy theories about the Muslim Brotherhood infiltrating the White House and producing reports calling for a ban on all Muslim immigration to the U.S. When asked at an event in 2015 about Somali refugees working at meat processing plants in the U.S., for example, Gaffney stated, “I don’t know about you, but it kind of creeps me out that they are getting jobs in the food supply of the United States.” Gaffney has also made efforts to associate with loud-and-proud racists. In September of 2015, Gaffney invited on his radio show Jared Taylor, one of the most prominent white nationalists in America, to discuss the Syrian refugee crisis. During the interview, Gaffney called Taylor’s openly racist American Renaissance website “wonderful.” Despite such ties to known racists, Gaffney does not operate on the political fringe. In recent years, he and his organization have grown closer to Cruz, with whom he has frequently shared a stage at anti-Muslim events. In February 2014, Gaffney spoke on a panel titled, “American Security and The Iranian Bomb: Analyzing Threats at Home and Abroad“ with Cruz. A month later, Cruz spoke at a “National Security Action Summit” organized by Breitbart News, which featured a host of anti-Muslim activists including Gaffney and three other members of Cruz’s National Security Coalition. In September 2014, Cruz spoke via video at another CSP co-sponsored Action Summit. A year later, in February 2015, Cruz spoke at the CSP’s “Defeat Jihad Summit.” Gaffney also held four “National Security Action Summit” events last year in Nevada, South Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa, all key primary states. Cruz attended the first, in South Carolina, and submitted a video speech for the other three. The CSP summits featured a number of GOP presidential hopefuls speaking alongside notorious anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant figures. In September 2015, Cruz teamed up with his rival Donald Trump to organize a rally in opposition to the nuclear treaty signed with Iran. CSP co-sponsored the event in D.C. Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin (Ret.), Executive VP of the anti-LGBT Family Research Council, Appointed to Ted Cruz’s National Security Coalition on March 17 Boykin works for the anti-LGBT Family Research Council (FRC), but is more known for his activism in the anti-Muslim world. In the past, Boykin, who brings with him a decorated career in the U.S. Army, has worked closely with the Center for Security Policy and has openly stated that Islam should not be protected under the First Amendment. In 2012, Boykin infamously claimed, “The continent of Europe is dark, it is hopelessly lost and it’s going to get worse. Every expert will tell you that by the middle of this century the continent of Europe will be an Islamic continent, and they can’t reverse it, they can’t stop it. It is because they took Jesus out of their societies and it’s been replaced by darkness.” Last month, Boykin endorsed Ted Cruz for president, claiming Cruz was “a man of character integrity and courage.” It wasn’t a surprise, considering Boykin and Cruz have shared the stage before. In February of 2015, Cruz and Boykin both spoke at the CSP’s “Defeat Jihad Summit” in Washington, D.C. In March last year, Boykin participated in Frank Gaffney’s National Security Action Summit in South Carolina. A year earlier, both Cruz and Gaffney spoke at the Breitbart-sponsored National Security Action Conference in DC. Boykin also attended and spoke at the Cruz/Trump anti-Iran nuclear deal rally in D.C. in September of 2015. Clare Lopez – VP for research and analysis at the anti-Muslim Center for Security Policy, Appointed to Ted Cruz’s National Security Coalition on March 17 Lopez, a longtime Gaffney ally, is a key figure at CSP, previously serving as a fellow before becoming vice president of the think tank. Like her boss Frank Gaffney, Lopez peddles anti-Muslim conspiracy theories. She has long claimed that the Muslim Brotherhood has “infiltrated and suborned the U.S. government to actively assist … the mission of its grand jihad.” In 2013, she wrote a report linking Huma Abedin, deputy chief of staff to then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to the Muslim Brotherhood — a favored allegation that has never been proven. Also in 2013, she stated at a speaking engagement, “When people in other bona fide religions follow their doctrines they become better people — Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, Jews. When Muslims follow their doctrine, they become jihadists.” In 2014, she said that because Obama’s father was Muslim, that “de facto makes him [Obama] a Muslim,” which in turn explains why the president “attacks and punishes Israel while allowing the Islamic State to grow and conquer.” Lopez has also participated in a number of events featuring Cruz, including the March 2014 National Security Action summit in Washington, D.C. and the “Defeat Jihad Summit” in February of 2015. Andy McCarthy – Columnist for National Review, Appointed to Ted Cruz’s National Security Coalition on March 17 McCarthy, like Boykin, is not employed by an anti-Muslim group, but he is very active in the movement, especially on the anti-Muslim speaking circuit. McCarthy recently claimed that Islam is not a religion and therefore may not deserve legal protections. In 2010, McCarthy co-authored a CSP-published report titled, “Shariah: The Threat to America.” The report concluded with a number of alarmist recommendations, including a call for U.S. government to halt outreach to Muslim communities “through Muslim Brotherhood fronts whose mission it is to destroy our country from within, as such practices are both reckless and counterproductive.” Other recommendations included warning Imams that they will be charged with sedition if they advocate for Shariah in America. The report also called for dismantling so-called “no-go zones”—non-existent neighborhoods where law enforcement are rumored to be unable to police because they’re heavily Muslim. McCarthy praised Cruz in a December 2015 National Review column. “Cruz understands that the most immediate enemy the United States confronts on the world stage is Islamic supremacism, which ignites jihadist violence through its state sponsors, terror networks, and activist organizations.” Like Clare Lopez, McCarthy has spoken at anti-Muslim events with Cruz, including the “Defeat Jihad Summit” in 2015 and the second National Security Action Summit in September of 2014. Fred Fleitz – Senior Vice President for Policy and Programs at the anti-Muslim Center for Security Policy, Appointed to Ted Cruz’s National Security Coalition on March 17 Fleitz is another Center for Security Policy staffer appointed to the Cruz team. Like Clare Lopez, Fleitz served as a CSP fellow before moving up the ranks. Fleitz is a co-author of a 2015 report published by CSP titled, “The Secure Freedom Strategy: A Plan for Victory Over the Global Jihad Movement.” Other authors of the report include Cruz National Security Coalition members Jerry Boykin, Frank Gaffney and Clare Lopez. The report concludes with a number of radical recommendations including stopping the immigration of “Shariah-adherent” individuals to the U.S. Fleitz recently attacked President Obama for speaking at a mosque, claiming the mosque had “known terrorist ties.” Sen. Jeff Sessions – key politician in the anti-Muslim movement, Appointed as Chair of Trump’s National Security Advisory Committee on March 3 Sen. Jeff Sessions is one of the most outspoken anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim federal officials who, unsurprisingly, endorsed Trump last month. In 2014, Sessions received the “Daring the Odds” award from anti-Muslim hate group the David Horowitz Freedom Center for his efforts to prevent undocumented youth from receiving temporary status in the United States. Previous winners of the award include Pamela Geller, who heads the anti-Muslim groups American Freedom Defense Initiative and Stop the Islamization of America. The Center for Security Policy awarded Sessions with its “Keeper of the Flame” award in October of 2015. In September 2015, Sessions attacked President Obama’s plan to resettle Syrian refugees in the United States, stating, “It has also been reported that 3 in 4 of those seeking relocation from the Middle East are not refugees but economic migrants from many countries.” Walid Phares – Anti-Muslim activist and former Lebanese Christian Militia member, Trump revealed Phares is on his council of advisors on March 22, 2016 Walid Phares is a Lebanese Christian with a troubled past. After Mitt Romney announced in 2011 that Phares would serve as co-chair for his Middle East advisory group, Mother Jones revealed that Phares, “was a high ranking political official in a sectarian religious militia responsible for massacres during Lebanon's brutal, 15-year civil war.” Earlier that year, Phares was scheduled to testify at hearings discussing radical Islam that were organized by U.S. Rep. Peter King, a close friend of a number of anti-Muslim groups. King was forced to drop Phares from the witness list after his militia ties became known. Phares has spoken at several events organized by the Center for Security Policy, including a National Security Group Lunch on in February 2015, and another similar event in December of that year. He has also been a guest on Frank Gaffney’s Secure Freedom Radio show. Phares was also a guest on an ACT! for America series in 2011. ACT! is the largest grassroots anti-Muslim hate group in America, run by Brigitte Gabriel. Joseph E. Schmitz – Senior Fellow with the anti-Muslim Center for Security Policy, named to Trump’s council of advisors on March 22, 2016 Schmitz spent three years as the Pentagon’s Inspector General before leaving under a barrage of scrutiny. According to the Los Angles Times, “Schmitz slowed or blocked investigations of senior Bush administration officials, spent taxpayer money on pet projects and accepted gifts that may have violated ethics guidelines.” Today, Schmitz is a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy. He has been a guest on Frank Gaffney’s Secure Freedom Radio show and in June of 2013, he spoke at a CSP event. CSP also published a book penned by Schmitz, titled “Inspector General Handbook.” Schmitz is also a co-author of two CSP reports: “Shariah: The Threat to America,” and “The Secure Freedom Strategy: A Plan for Victory Over the Global Jihad Movement.”There’s a natural tendency for us to become complacent. After spending a period of time acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge, we feel justified in resting our laurels. We develop a sense of competence and accomplishment. We think that we’ve arrived. That’s a dangerous mindset to have today. The present information we have is insufficient for solving the problems of tomorrow. Not only that, it is often an obstacle to future developments because our fixed paradigms prevent us from developing new perspectives. It’s hence important to always keep evolving. We are in an age where we’re merely one step away from being disrupted in virtually every industry. But it’s not a recent phenomenon. Even in ancient times Marcus Aurelius has remarked,“the universe is change, life is an opinion”. But how do we make sure that we never keep improving? Complacency is an insidious virus that creeps into our life. We never notice how we’ve stagnated until it’s far too late. It sounds difficult, but if there’s one person who knows how to keep improving, it’s Frank Shamrock. Enter Frank Shamrock Mixed martial arts is one of the fastest evolving sports. It incorporates the most effective techniques from every fighting style. To succeed at this sport, you must constantly adapt and respond to the latest developments. Frank Shamrock knows that. An undefeated four-time champion, Shamrock has managed to stay on top of his game throughout his career. It’s an incredible feat when you consider how stiff the competition is in this field. He has done that by becoming a student of the game. Shamrock does that through an elegant system he calls Plus, Minus, and Equals. As Ryan Holiday explains in Ego Is The Enemy, Shamrock believed that for a fighter to become great they need someone better they can learn from, someone lesser they can teach and someone equal that they can challenge themselves against. This method allows him to get real and continuous feedback about he knows and what he doesn’t, from every angle. It keeps him grounded and doesn’t allow him to develop an ego. As Frank Shamrock says, “false ideas about yourself destroy you”. Let’s break down how Shamrock does it. PLUS: Have Someone To Learn From The most dangerous thing a person can do is believe that he already knows all that he needs to. It’s thinking that one has graduated and past the point where he still needs to learn. Having a mentor or coach who is clearly knowledgeable prevents us from falling into that trap. It subordinates the ego because the student knows that he is not better than the master he apprentices under. Alexander the Great had Aristotle to tutor him in governance and ethics before he established his empire. Helen Keller had Anne Sullivan who taught her how to read and write. Michael Jordan had Dean Smith and Phil Jackson to help him win at the highest level. No matter your talent and ability, there is always a mentor or coach who can help you improve. They see the potential hidden within us, and the glaring mistakes that we gloss over. The best part is that these mentors are everywhere. Through courses, books, and podcasts, you have access to the greatest minds from all ages. You’ll always find someone to learn from if you look hard enough. As it is often said, “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear”. MINUS: Have Someone To Teach You cannot teach without learning. Researchers have found that students who were enlisted to tutor others recall information more accurately and apply it more effectively. The result is what has been termed the protege effect — those who learn to teach do better than those who learn without any purpose. It makes perfect sense. You’re forced to consolidate your knowledge and think through an issue from multiple angles before you can teach someone. There is always something to learn when you have to deconstruct an idea and reformulate it for someone else. The Minus concept is a fine accompaniment to Jim Rohn’s often quoted phrase that “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”. It recognises that you don’t always need to seek out people who are better than you because learning opportunities are everywhere. EQUAL: Have Someone To Challenge If you look at sporting achievement, you’ll notice that most records are broken at the highest levels of competition. Competition spurs us to be the best version of ourselves. It appeals to our Darwinian instinct that only the fittest survive. It cultivates a do-or-die mentality that is extremely beneficial when adopted for short periods of time. That’s not all. What’s worth noting is that competitors often aren’t afraid to exchange pointers as well. Competition breeds mutual respect. That makes it the starting point for future collaboration. It’s hence important that you find your scene. Ernest Hemingway had to move to Paris in the 1920s to join a scene of expatriate writers and artists who had taken up residence in the Left Bank. That’s where all the action took place, and where his peers were. Without moving, Hemingway would never have developed the skill and connections he needed to succeed in writing. Our best work is not done alone. We need equals who will hold us accountable and motivate us to push on even in the face of great difficulty. Always Stay A Student We live in a world where everyone seems to think they know enough. In many aspects, most people strive to be opinionated rather than informed. For these people, learning stopped the moment they left school. They ignore the latest developments and are willfully ignorant. As Epictetus remarked, “it is impossible to learn that which one thinks he already knows”. It’s fine to not know everything. Frank Shamrock’s career was built on this premise. That was his competitive advantage.He acknowledged his shortcomings and set out to fix them. He stayed a student even when he was the best in the world. We should strive to do the same.PS4 and Xbox One’s APUs’ Chips Will Get New Manufacturer This Year; AMD “Pleased” With Console Sales Giuseppe Nelva April 20, 2014 1:19:04 AM EST AMD recently held its quarterly earnings conference call for the first fiscal quarter of 2014, and it included some interesting information about the chips that form the heart of the PS4 and of the Xbox One. General Manager of Global Business Units Lisa Su explained that chips made at the new semiconductor foundry GlobalFoundtries will start being delivered for consoles in the second half of this year, even if the new manufacturer won’t result in a reduction in costs for AMD itself (which probably means that Sony and Microsoft won’t see their costs reduced as well for the moment). Su also mentioned that there has been some seasonality in the performance of the consoles (and of the chips) in the latest quarter coming out of the holidays, but the company is pleased with the results. AMD isn’t seeing any significant inventory build-up and expects higher sales of semi-conductors for PS4 and Xbox One in the second half of the year, entering the second holiday season. We see that the consoles are selling through nicely. The addition of the new foundry to the manufacturing pipeline also means that at least part of the semiconductors for the two consoles will be manufactured in Singapore, Dresden, Germany and Saratoga County, NY, USA. Previously they were produced only by the Taiwan-based foundry TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company).By Mason Mohon \| USA While recently reading up on the late GOP tax reform legislation, which has more than a few changes on United States tax policy, I came across a particular article from CNN. It was titled 7 reasons why Republicans may have made a bad bet on the tax bill. The article then goes on to list seven reasons, and they are rough. The article, written by CNN Politics Reporter and Editor-at-Large Chris Cillizza is full of logical fallacies, mental jumps, and stretches that make my arm ache just to look at. The left’s attacks on Trump and Republicanism leave me astounded, for nobody in their right mind should or would take this seriously. The first reason for the tax bill being bad is that “opposition is high… and growing”. CNN’s polls showed that the majority of the people oppose the tax bill, along with another poll that shows that non-Republicans think it goes against the middle class in favor of the wealthy. This is not a reason why the tax bill is bad for a few reasons. First, CNN polls a majority leftist audience, with studies reporting that the average CNN viewer profile “is a college-educated woman between the ages of 25 and 54, who tends to lean to the political left.” CNN has been polling leftists and progressive liberals, so why would their polls ever be in favor of a GOP proposal. At the same time, just because the majority opposes it, that does not mean that it is bad. This is a classic case of the appeal to the majority fallacy. It may be permissible if the author had a real impact on majority opposition, but he rounds off his reasoning with the two-word statement “That’s bad!” The author had the option to make the argument that a significant amount of GOP voters are unhappy with the tax plan, which would harm the GOP in the next election and put many Congressmen in a dangerous position when it comes to re-election, but Cillizza did not, and his argument is still bad. This also would not have gotten around the issue of probably biased polling so he would have had to use a non-biased poll for this too. The next reason is much shorter but just as bad. The CNN author claims that “People think the plan won’t help them.” Yes, people think the plan won’t help them. There are no statistics that say it will not, and there is no proof that the 37% of the population that believes this is grounded in fact. This reason does not matter at all. Reason three seems to have a bit of well-sourced grounding. Donald Trump has claimed this tax bill is not here to serve his interests, yet they do source to a New York Times article that does provide well-sourced reasoning as to why the bill will not cause harm to Trump. Trump should not be lying, but make that your point. The president bending the truth is not a reason in itself as to why the plan won’t work. Reason four faces the same issues as reason one: CNN polled left-wing people, and these left-wing people didn’t like it. Cillizza argues that people see this as a tax cut for the rich, with no backing as to whether or not it actually is. It doesn’t matter what the majority believes if there is no proof that they are well founded in their beliefs. Reason five and six argue that Trump is not popular, citing his recent record low approval rating of 35% as a reason why the tax cut is bad. It is no secret that the approval rating is low, but why does this mean that it was a “bad bet” for the Republicans. The president has nearly nothing to lose. Six says that people do not trust the president on taxation, but that does not matter either. The author still does not make an argument for any impact of this on Trump or the GOP. The last reason brought back memories of the 2016 election campaign season. Seven states that people want to see the president’s tax returns, which is the same complaint we heard leading up to November last year. Whether or not Trump has skeletons in his taxation closet has nothing to do with the plan’s impact on America, though, either. The mainstream media, and CNN in particular, has shown themselves to be serious jokes. They do not seem to care about accountability to actual factual argumentation anymore. They obsess over appealing to a young leftist audience that will click on anything that even sort of depicts Trump in a negative light. As a libertarian and former (reluctant) Johnson supporter, it sucks to have to defend the current president from these senseless attacks. A lack of journalistic integrity makes the targeted side look good. It makes it look like CNN is in an echo chamber that will just feed the left-wing mob, rather than attack with strong arguments and facts. I see media companies left and right dipping into this pitiful type of journalism, and it saddens me to see that this is what the exchange of ideas has come to. CNN, along with the mainstream media, is day-by-day becoming more and more of a joke, and all I can do is cringe. Advertisements Like this: Like Loading...After vertical video addict Joshua Feuerstein yelled at his fans about how Starbucks is “taking the Christ out of Christmas” because they’re using solid red cups, even CNN wanted to know what the hell he was whining about. Turns out the answer is nothing. When asked to defend his rant, Feuerstein had little to say (other than a jab at how President Obama isn’t truly Christian) and got verbally thrashed by the other guest, radio host Pete Dominick, who offered a much better way to spread the love of Christ than anything Feuerstein had to offer: Feuerstein spent half the interview complaining about how he couldn’t hear what Dominick was saying. I don’t know if I believe him. But if he’s being honest, I think I figured out what went wrong. Whenever someone uses a normal video camera orientation on him, he loses all of his powers. By the way, if you want a quick lesson in how to appear on television, just watch Dominick. His facial reactions throughout the segment were perfection. (via Joe. My. God.)'Jewish state' "In my vision of peace, two people live in good neighbourly relations, each with their own flag... Neither threaten the other's security," he told his audience at Bar-Ilan University, outside Tel Aviv. "If we receive this guarantee regarding demilitarisation and Israel's security needs, and if the Palestinians recognise Israel as the state of the Jewish people, then we will be ready in a future peace agreement to reach a solution where a demilitarised Palestinian state exists alongside the Jewish state," he said.He also called for "immediate negotiations for peace without prior arrangements", and said he was willing to meet Arab leaders anywhere to discuss the issue. "I call the leaders of the Arab nations to co-operate with the Palestinians and with us on economic peace," he said. On the critical issue of Israeli settlements where he has received considerable US public pressure in the last few weeks, Netanyahu equivocated. He said "we have no intention of building new settlements" but added that "there is a need to enable the residents to live normal lives, to allow mothers and fathers to raise their children", rehashing oft-used lines to defend so-called "natural growth" of settlements. Netanyahu also said Israel would not recognise the right of return for Palestinian refugees, saying that the problem must be solved outside of Israel's borders. And he said Jerusalem – half of which it occupied in the 1967 Middle East war, the half which Palestinians want for the capital of their future state - would remain undivided, meaning kept in Israeli hands. Palestinians reject terms The Palestinian Authority based in Ramallah in the West Bank reacted angrily. Netanyahu's terms A Palestinian state must be demilitarised Palestinian refugees must be resettled outside of Israel Jerusalem will remain undivided Palestinians must recognise Israel as a Jewish state Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, dismissed the speech, saying: "Netanyahu's remarks have sabotaged all initiatives, paralysed all efforts being made and challenges the Palestinian, Arab and American positions." Saeb Erekat, the Palestinians
that I didn’t know HerO before he joined Liquid in 2011. He was on oGs before, where he came in contact with Liquid players due to a partnership between the two teams that let Liquid’s players stay in the oGs house. He ended up joining Liquid as one of the first ever Koreans to join a foreign team in StarCraft II. In this, just as he was in so many more aspects in SC2, he was a pioneer.I was relatively new to the game then, had picked Protoss as my go-to race and was looking for someone to show me the way. And thus, HerO. When he began streaming, it was a completely new experience unlike anything ever before. Not only did he play an extremely entertaining playstyle that nobody else was capable of pulling off at the time, he was also tearing apart the Korean ladder. Suddenly there was an absolute top Korean on a foreign team actually streaming his games frequently.The way it usually goes with top Koreans is that success follows them abroad. In HerO’s case however, it was a little different. He’d had none before he joined Liquid. He went abroad without any notable results to speak of. He was recruited for his potential and personality, both of which we hadn’t gotten to know before. Fans couldn’t look into the walls of the oGs house and had no opportunities to meet him at events to discover that he actually spoke English very fluently. In HerO’s case, he found his success abroad and carried it home.His first few tournament appearances weren’t mindblowing, but he showed the foundations for greatness. A sixth place at MLG Raleigh 2011 and similar performances at another MLG and in Code A weren’t what you’d expect from someone who consistently ranked at the very top of the Korean ladder. Then along came Dreamhack Winter 2011. In many ways, this tournament epitomizes HerO’s career. Somewhere within himself he finally found a rhythm that let him overcome nerves and emotions and showcase his real skill. In just one swift tournament run he got Artosis to call him the “best Protoss in the world”, turned everyone’s heads and became a beloved figure in the community.He showed play that was unseen before. Where others had been relying on 2-base all-ins for almost two years, HerO took PvZ to a lategame stage with remarkable ease, seemingly getting more into his zone with every passing minute. He introduced warp prism centered harassment, colossus-free macro playstyles, a large variety of openings and a way to pressure Zergs without fully committing. Looking back, HerO never entirely got the credit he deserves for his innovations to the entire Protoss race and the absolutely groundbreaking impact he had on pushing the metagame forward.At Dreamhack Winter 2011, HerO finally conquered not only his fears, but those of all Protoss. To remind you, this was at a time when Protoss was in its most dire state ever in SC2. Zergs had figured out essentially every all-in (until immortal/sentry came along) and Terrans had an almost unbeatable 1-1-1 at their disposal, all empowered by a map pool that gave Protoss huge disadvantages against the other two races. PvP didn’t help either, as great Protoss players were often knocked out due to the incomplete, coinflippy nature of the matchup in Wings of Liberty.And then along came Dreamhack Winter 2011. Beating strong macro Zergs at their own game, HerO secured a place in his very first Grand Finals, only to be faced with fear itself. His opponent was not only a Terran, it was THE most deadly 1-1-1 Terran in the world at the time—Puma. HerO was tasked with overcoming his own struggles, a statistically factual imbalance in maps and strategies, and an opponent that knew perfectly well how to make use of all these factors.When HerO shattered Puma’s 1-1-1 on Dual Sight, the best 1-1-1 map in the pool, in their third game, every Protoss in the world rejoiced. HerO ended up winning the series in a deciding seventh game, perfectly encapsulating his triumph over himself, the game’s own hardships, and his opponent. It was a magical moment that’s now forever engraved in StarCraft’s history.It invigorated HerO’s career. From that moment on he was a champion. No matter how much he struggled at times, he was always a champion. Maybe that thought helped him overcome the personal issues that were holding him back time and time again. Maybe it simply changed his mindset. We will never truly know, but in that moment he evolved from someone who had the talent to make it big into someone who was a contender to win any tournament he entered.For a long time, HerO was one of the greatest players to look up to. He was dedicated, played the game in ways that never became boring, drove the metagame forward like few other Protoss players ever did, and had what it took to compete with and beat the absolute best.When the 1-1-1 terrorized Protoss, it was HerO who showed the way to beat it. When Zergs started to clue into broodlord/infestor, it was HerO who showed how to tear them apart with warp prism usage.When blink was at its strongest, it was HerO who showed how to make the absolute most of its strengths.It was HerO who figured out how to play Protoss in an aggressive, yet not committed macro playstyle - an ideal that to this day is regarded by many as the optimal way to play Protoss and SC2 in general. He did all this with a race that nobody else thought had the potential to play this way until he came along.In the grand scheme of SC2, these are all concepts we’ve come to accept as pillars in gameplay by now. Yet what’s always forgotten is that even these constants have their roots somewhere. And in the case of the Protoss race, a lot of them can be traced back to none other than Liquid’HerO.When KeSPA announced their switch over to SC2, a lot of their players (such as Bisu, Stork and Rain) were asked who they followed to study the game and whose playstyles they enjoyed. Almost every Protoss then named HerO as the one to watch. The one who “knew what he was doing” (quote: Bisu - http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/news-archive/339200-interviews-bisu-coach-park-and-jaedong). HerO was always that player, the one who pushed Protoss to its limits and explored strategies. It’s no coincidence that HerO’s IEM Cologne victory came at a time of Protoss dominance over Terran. Few players ever understood how to push their race as far as HerO did, and in this case he may well have been the straw that broke the camel’s back and forced Blizzard to finally make balance patches.How many players in the game’s history can say that they won at least one Premier tournament each year for four years straight? I don’t have the exact number for you, but HerO is among them. Dreamhack Winter 2011, 2012, NASL Season 4, WCS America 2013 Season 1, IEM Cologne 2014. Other top placements include a semifinal and a quarterfinal in Code S, second places at another Dreamhack and NASL, second places in stacked online tournaments like the Warer.com Invitational and the StarsWar League S3. Semifinals at another IEM, another Dreamhack, another MLG. HerO can look back on his career with Liquid and be proud of his accomplishments.HerO became a champion with Liquid, because of Liquid and he played a massive part in making Liquid a championship caliber team. “Class is permanent” they say, and in HerO’s case that has certainly proven true. HerO is back in Code S now, where he was a mainstay in his prime. So despite him leaving Liquid, there is still a road ahead for him. WCS is harsh on Korea, but HerO has shown time and time again that he has the ability to overcome anything. It’s an ability he found within himself when he was given the chance to shine on Liquid. And that’s precisely why, despite parting ways with the team now, a part of him will always remain Liquid’HerO.: Olli - Olli on Twitter : shiroiusagi - shiroiusagi on Twitter : ESLOlli Administrator "Declaring anything a disaster because aLive popped up out of nowhere is just downright silly."An 11-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy were found dead inside their Georgia home early Saturday morning — shot and killed by apparent home invaders, multiple outlets report. The incident happened in Jonesboro on Libby Lane in the Marlborough subdivision, NBC 11-Alive reports. Two families lived in the house, WSB-TV reports, though no adults were at the house at the time of the shooting. Get push notifications with news, features and more. The children who were found dead were brother and sister, CBS-46 reports. GBI medical examiner getting ready to remove bodies of 15 and 11 year olds killed in early morning home in Clayton Co pic.twitter.com/5R5vuJMz9D — Steve Gehlbach (@SteveGWSB) October 22, 2016 “A number of children” were inside the home at the time of the robbery — including a 6-year-old child, NBC 11-Alive reports. None of those children appear to be injured. WSB-TV A 911 call was placed after the break-in, around 5 a.m., WSB-TV reports. No suspects have been named — though investigators are on the scene interviewing the surviving children for information and possibly descriptions of the burglars. Brother & sister ages 15 and 11 murdered during home invasion in Clayton Co. other siblings young as 6 inside & okay pic.twitter.com/qhelHfWeUq — Steve Gehlbach (@SteveGWSB) October 22, 2016 No one has been taken into custody yet, NBC 11-Alive reports. Police are still also trying to confirm if anything has been stolen from the home, CBS-46 reports. • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. “It’s very tragic. It’s senseless. And not only in the Atlanta area, but in the country we have got to do something about this violence,” Clayton County police Chief Michael Register told WSB-TV. The Clayton County police department could not be reached for comment.WATCH: The Dark Knight Rises 'Trailer 3' Hits the Internet (Video) The super hero legend 'The Avengers' swept away the overseas audience before its debut in the US theatres when it was released last weekend in 39 countries. In its first week of release, the movie has sold over $185.1 million from the overseas tickets. "You hope that the magnitude of this kind of opening sends a signal that this is a for-everyone film," The Washington Times quotes Dave Hollis, Head of distribution for Disney, as saying. "You can't put up these kinds of numbers if it's just for guys or just for the fans. These numbers say that it is for everyone, 8 to 80," he added. The movie has set records in several countries. Its largest overseas sale came from UK. "Among the revenue highlights for "The Avengers" was $25.5 million in Great Britain, $19.8 million in Australia, $16.9 million in Mexico and $13.9 million in France," said The Associated Press. Amongst all of "The Avengers" current success, The Dark Knight Rises is already responding with its third official trailer scheduled to preview alongside The Avenger's domestic debut this week. A viral campaign has been launched on The Dark Knight Rises official website in building hype for trailer. Fans are asked to join in the manhunt for the masked vigilante known as Batman by collecting evidence and reporting it to the Gotham City Police dept. Doing so will begin unlocking screenshot previews from the upcoming trailer. More screenshots are being revealed throughout the day. The Dark Knight Rises will look to surpass its predecessor "The Dark Knight" by seeking to exceed the $1 billion mark. The Avengers may give TDKR a run for its money with brilliant performances from actor Robert Downey Jr. aka Iron Man. The Avengers has been produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and is based on the Marvel Comics book series "The Avengers," first published in 1963. The film features super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. The story is set when an enemy threatens global safety and security; protagonist Nick Furry builds his team to bring the world back from a disaster. Amidst a star studded cast, each character had its time to shine under director Joss Whedon's watch. Fans enjoyed seeing big name superheroes interacting with one another as well as teaming up to battle Loki's invading horde. Currently, movies which are leading the U.S box office are 'Think Like a Man" with $18 million, "The Pirates! Band of Misfits" with $11.4 million, "The Lucky One" with $11.3 million, "The Hunger Games" with $11.2 million and "The Five-Year Engagement" with $11.2 million over the weekend. With "The Avengers" releasing on 4th May across the US, fans can witness how the movie will far domestically along with a preview of another highly anticipated film The Dark Knight Rises. Check out leaked screens from The Dark Knight Rises trailer coming out May 4. Click "START" to begin. UPDATE: The Dark Knight Rises 'Trailer 3' Hits the Internet (Video) RELATED NEWS: Dark Knight Rises: Bane's New Voice Reveals Pure Evil, Plus Promo Photos New Dark Knight Rises Footage Reveal at CinemaCon 2012 in Vegas Preview of IMAX Scenes in 'Dark Knight Rises' New Trailer, Avengers Debut Dark Knight Rises: New Trailer Release Confirmed May 4 Dark Knight Rises: 10 New Photos Reveal Bane Brawl, Cat Burglary, and More Dark Knight Rises: Sexy Catwoman the Reason for PG13 Sensual Rating?App Categories in Android Oreo Will Allow for Better Organization Here at XDA we have been monitoring the Android developer site and the Android Open Source Project for changes and new API additions, and so far we have found many new additions and changes. These include commands to customise battery saver, a command line interface for theming (which led to rootless Substratum on Android Oreo) and now something else – Google has created app categories which are defined within the app’s manifest file. Now, you’re probably familiar with the fact that the Google Play Store already allows applications to be categorized. However, currently this category is only useful to the user before installing the app. Once the app is installed, neither the Android system nor any other third-party app on your device will know what category that app belongs to. But that will change with the addition of app categories to Android 8.0 Oreo. App Categories in Android Oreo This change can be observed on the Android Developer site, added to the Package Manager class. The example use mentioned in the documentation is that apps, or perhaps the Android system itself, can use the categories to provide more meaningful data such as when summarizing battery, network, or storage use. This means that, perhaps in the future, the Android Settings app could show you battery statistics grouped by different app types. So if you play a lot of games, then the game category may dominate your battery statistics. Or if you listen to a lot of music, the apps in the music category will dominate your network statistics. There are some other interesting scenarios where these new app categories may be useful for certain third party applications. For instance, a third party launcher can use the app categories to automatically create folders or drawer tabs filled with games or social apps. Google’s addition of categories. That being said, this addition will only be active for apps built targeting SDK26, or Android Oreo. Furthermore, there are only a handful of predefined categories that apps can define in their manifest file. Currently, the following categories are supported: Audio Game Image Maps News Productivity Social Video Otherwise, the app is in the “undefined” category. If an app does not specify which of these categories it fits in, then the installer package (AKA the Google Play Store in most cases) may define the category for it using setApplicationCategoryHint. Although the current category list is not very large, especially when compared to the extensive list of categories in the Google Play Store, it’s certainly a start. We hope to see more categories being added as well as apps start to categorize themselves, but given that Android Oreo will only be on a handful of devices by the end of this year, there isn’t much incentive for developers to start.On Friday, news broke of a number of warning letters sent to application developers for iPhone and iPad applications, warning them that by using Apple’s in-app payment mechanism, they were violating a patent issued to “inventions” firm Lodsys. The patent in question was filed in December 2003 as part of series of continuations on earlier patent applications dating back to 1992. The patent is credited to Dan Abelow, who sold his extensive portfolio of patents to holding firm Lodsys in 2004. Several days passed since the letters were received before Lodsys issued a response, but the company has taken steps to explain its actions. Taking to what looks to be a newly created blog, Lodsys has added a series of Q&A style posts which take a number of questions submitted to the company over the course of Friday and the following weekend, explaining why the company is actively contacting application developers – not Apple – and clarifying why it justified in pursuing the licensing of its technology. The first post, written in response to accusations that the company is a “parasite, troll, should die etc”, states that Lodsys is trying to “get value for the assets that it owns” with the reasoning that every other company selling products or services does the same, doing business to make a profit. The post calls for an end to the “name calling, threats and irrationality” adding that “the death threats are seriously uncool”. Lodsys then replies to statements that the patents that it was rewarded were “too broad”: The patents were issued and recognized as invention from a patent application filed in August of 1992. It is all too easy to look back with 18.5 years of hindsight, and knowledge of how the market has evolved, and say “of course this is how everyone is going to do it” or “the patents are too broad.” The company says it specialises in efficiently selling rights to patents, seeking economic return to sell its lawfully acquired rights, much like a tech company “solves a problem to make money”. It argues that its patent licensing encourages more invention and ensures the “economic profit pie” is distributed to suppliers which provide the technologies users in products or services. Lodsys writes: In an ideal world, there will be a more efficient marketplace than litigation, or direct sales, or aggregation and then direct sales in order to acquire all the necessary patent rights. But for an app developer to take a year or two to write an application and to see money from the app, is good fortune built on top of the contributions of the entire shared ecosystem, including independent inventor’s patent outputs. Reiteating its stance that it was simply contacting developers so that they could license its patents, Lodsys says it is trying to sell its patents in the most efficient way it can. It says it has a consistent pricing model, which ensures independent developers aren’t asked to pay huge sums of money for a license. How Much Will Developers Need To Pay? Just how much the licensees would have to pay was previously unknown, but Lodsys addresses that in yet another of its posts. The company, surprised that none of the press asked just how much licensees would have to pay, seems to encourage sales dialog over a flat fee or dedicated cut of revenue. Adding that its portfolio has several different “fields of use”, the amount a licensee pays depends on its usage. However, it does state that if a developer was to use the in-app purchasing mechanism, it would have to pay 0.575% of US revenue over for the period of the notice letter to the expiration of the patent, plus applicable past usage. It uses the example that if an application sells US$1m worth of sales in a year, the licensee would have an need to pay $5,750 per year. Why Target Developers And Not Apple? Lodsys says that Apple, Google and Microsoft have already licensed the necessary patents. As it stands, each of these companies that licensed the patent are not able to provide the same rights for third-party business applications, explaining why developers have been contacted over Apple itself: The value of the customer relationship is between the Application vendor of record and the paying customer, the OS (is acting as an enabler) and the retailers (are acting as a conduit to connect that value), and taking their % for that middleman role. One blogger suggested that an OS or device vendor or retailer could choose to contact Lodsys and purchase a license on behalf of its application ecosystem, but so far such discussions haven’t taken place. From Lodsys’ perspective, it is seeking to be paid value for rights it holds and which are being used by others. Economically, the best return is probably to license each Application vendor for a piece of value, rather than to include in a “buyout” for an OS vendor. Lodsys wants people to use the rights in their products and services, not to stop using it. Our goal is to popularize the technology, have it used by many people and to make relatively small amounts per licensee, but to have the large volume of licensees aggregate to be a worthwhile business. In effect, Lodsys says that iOS developers are profiting from its inventions, whether its is by additional sales or a reduction in costs. As the patent rights take care of an overall solution (or which Apple is already covered), Lodsys says that it is only fair that developers is accountable for the “entire solution which captures the value (rather than a technology supplier or a retailer). Reading back through the posts, the full picture becomes clear. Lodsys is asking for a small percentage of revenue from developers, a cut that we assume it is taking from Apple, Google and Microsoft when the payment technology is incorporated within an app. The assumption here is that because Apple is providing the technology, developers are exempt from patent licenses because the Cupertino-based company is acting on their behalf. If Apple did know about the patent and didn’t disclose it, does Apple have a large part to play in not adequately briefing developers? Will developers accept the fee and pay to license in-app payments? We don’t know. We have contacted the developers involved for comment. We get the impression this could run and run, stay tuned for updates. Read next: GTalk and AIM users can now chat to each other without logging into both servicesA young man of African origin was filmed violently attacking an elderly woman on the street of the German city of Nurnberg. The suspect was sent for psychiatric examination; his motive remains unclear. The footage shows the man wearing only a pair of shorts walking causally along the street. As an elderly woman passes by he suddenly strikes her such a violent blow that he knocks her to the ground. The video also shows that there was no argument or any other form of interaction between the two before the attack. A video of the incident was first obtained by a local media outlet and then published on YouTube by an activist group. The German police confirmed that the incident had been filmed and posted on social media. The woman was taken to hospital, and it was found that she had sustained life-threatening injuries, including several bone fractures. According to a police statement, the man attacked the woman and repeatedly hit her in the head after knocking her down. Her life is still in danger, according to police, who added that the suspect had been sent for psychiatric evaluation in a “specialized clinic.” READ MORE: 8 people, including a minor injured in Munich stabbing attack Witnesses to the incident were quick to intervene. They stopped the attacker from further beating the victim, and held him until the police arrived. According to a police statement, the man surrendered without any resistance. The suspect was not previously known to the authorities, the statement said. Later, the police said that he was a “man from Africa,” 23 years old. Police also opened an attempted murder investigation. However, the causes of the incident remain unknown. Police found no evidence that the attacker and his victim knew each other, as reported by the dpa news agency.Over the weekend, a local Atlanta bar Diesel Filling Station’s outdoor sign read “We Proudly Don’t Serve SweetWater. Go Braves.” This action brought to the surface a highly discussed issue with a recent announcement by Georgia’s largest craft brewery. Right before the start of the baseball season, SweetWater Brewery (Atlanta, GA) announced a partnership with the Atlanta Braves. Not only is the brewery an official sponsor of the team, but they also have sponsored a “beer island” in the entrance plaza- perfect timing with their two best-selling beers launching in cans. A win for craft beer right? You’d think so. Especially when the “island” was previously Coors branded. That was until a local Atlanta newspaper published an article stating the SweetWater threw out other local breweries. The more I thought about it, the more this didn’t seem likely. It’s simply not a good move for a craft brewery to do so. So, I made calls. Did some research. And guess what? None of this is as nefarious as you’ve been lead to believe. First, let’s look at what SweetWater did do. They did partner with the Atlanta Braves, which comes with a hefty price tag. In return for that sponsorship money, they bought the right to brand the island in the plaza. That’s fair. That’s business. SweetWater thought it was a good move to not only support the team, but introduce game goers to their cans. What SweetWater didn’t do- demand, ask, or request the other craft brands be kicked out of the stadium. After conversations with SweetWater, the simple answer is – “We don’t have that power.” This prompted me to approach Aramark, the national food service agent that oversees the vendors and restaurants in the plaza, about the beer selections at Turner Field. While the individual asked not to be named, he tells me (Beer Street Journal) that there has been no directive to drop other [local] craft brands, but that for this season, Aramark is scaling back the number of SKUs carried in the park and there is no ban on local craft beer. Furthermore, Aramark is making a concerted effort to eliminate all glass bottles from Turner Field. Last season, beer in the craft beer island was poured from glass into cups. However, glass still made it’s way into the stands. In addition, the 16oz format (especially for cans) is preferred by the company, citing pricing structure. The newly branded island (as of opening day) sold Sweetwater IPA and 420 Pale in 16oz cans along side Sierra Nevada tallboy cans, Blue Moon, and Redd’s Apple Ale. But wait, there’s more. I’m also told that local brewery Terrapin Beer Co. will soon be back in the park. The distributor is working on finalizing the paperwork and placement. Ultimately, to say the SweetWater banned, or maliciously forced out local breweries is inaccurate. Being the “Exclusive craft beer sponsor of the Braves” refers to the fact that they are the ONLY craft brewery currently sponsoring the Braves. There is no ban on local breweries. Aramark has the power in this situation. As for the sign? Diesel’s Justin Haynie tells BSJ that they haven’t sold SweetWater in three years, due to a falling out, and completely unrelated to the above. As for this long-winded piece – hopefully it keeps some negativity out of the craft brewing industry.Despite the squawks of the Conservative party, a programme about the history of heckling was transmitted on Monday on BBC3. The party's head of communications, Guy Black, had protested that the BBC had departed so far from its duty of impartiality that three hecklers had been fitted with microphones and incited to shout: "Michael Howard is a liar", "You can't trust the Tories", and "You can only trust Tony Blair". Being marooned in a house which cannot get BBC3 I was unable to see this programme, but the information in the Tory complaint struck me as very odd. What on earth does the shouting of these prearranged slogans have to do with the art of heckling? This isn't heckling: it is simply abuse, heckling's meagre and impoverished second cousin. One needs to ask, as no doubt the programme did, what heckling means. The primary definition refers to processes in the textile trade, where to heckle was to tease or comb out flax or hemp fibres, to go through them, as might be said, with a fine-tooth comb. The leap across to the secondary meaning - to interrupt political speakers with awkward or embarrassing questions - was made in Scotland, and specifically perhaps in Dundee, a famously radical town where the hecklers who combed the flax had established a reputation as the most radical and stroppy element in the workforce. By 1800, according to an account by Graham Ogilvy in Billy Kay's anthology The Dundee Book, they were already operating as a powerful trade union. To some extent, a local employer noted in 1809, they controlled the trade, dictating wages, conditions and bonuses (mostly taking the form of drink), all enforced by combination and strike. The heckling shop, said another observer, was frequently the arena of violent harangue and ferocious debate. One heckler would be given the task of reading out the day's news while the others worked. What they did when they moved from factory floor to public meeting had a second relevance. "Heckling" then was a method of firing off questions designed to tease or comb out truths that politicians might wish to conceal or avoid. Perhaps the most famous heckle of the last 50 years was uttered by some anonymous hero in the dockyard town of Chatham, where Harold Wilson was making a speech. Having hymned the nation's maritime glories, Wilson asked what he meant to be a purely rhetorical question: "And why am I saying all this?" To which a voice from the back of the hall replied, "Because you are in Chatham" - thus teasing, if not yanking, out the essential truth that Wilson was simply buttering them up because he wanted their votes. The best of the heckling, though born out of animosity, was seasoned by spontaneous wit. And the best of the victim speakers enjoyed it: they would seize on a heckle and turn it by some crowd-pleasing retort to their advantage. Wilson himself - as quoted in Brewer's Politics, edited by Nicholas Comfort - was an acknowledged expert in this technique. Heckler (interrupting a passage in a Wilson speech about Labour's spending plans): "What about Vietnam?" Wilson: "The government has no plans to increase public expenditure in Vietnam". Heckler: "Rubbish!" Wilson: "I'll come to your special interest in a minute, sir." Heckler (a supporter of white supremacy in Rhodesia): "Why are you talking to savages?" Wilson: "We don't talk to savages. We just let them into our meetings." But while letting a heckler in was one thing, letting a heckler dominate was quite another. That was graphically demonstrated at a meeting in the Fulham byelection campaign of 1986. Denis Healey, the star attraction, in his ripest, most rubicund form, suggesting a man who had come direct from a rather good dinner, was repeatedly assailed by a spirited heckler - I think over Ireland. Eventually, gazing on him benignly, Denis suggested that since he had such firm views on the way these things should be run, perhaps he would like to tell us what he would do were he in charge. Old hands gasped. They knew the rule that you mustn't ever offer the floor to your opponent. Leaping on to his chair and launching a torrential tirade, the heckler seemed unstoppable, until a staunch staff member of the party newspaper Labour Weekly set off a slow handclap which drowned him out. Interruptions from individual hecklers, as opposed to disruptive claques, used to be one of the lures to turn up at political meetings. Since nowadays spontaneity has been more or less steamrollered out of such open public meetings as still occur, the art of the cut-and-thrust intervention and the sharp unplotted riposte has more or less disappeared. The gaiety of nations is diminished by its demise. McElsewhere@aol.comPacked stadiums and millions of viewers online - People watching other people playing video games has become a pretty big deal. It was pretty impressive when the League of Legends World Series last year filled a stadium used for a football world cup with 40,000 fans... and that's before you consider the 27 million people who watched online. Yep, 27 million viewers, more than the population of Australia. Numbers like that show how eSports, or electronic sports, has exploded in recent years. "eSports is growing rapidy and is the process of seeping in to mainstream society," according to Daniel Ringland, Riot Games' eSports manager for Oceania. Skip Souncloud Track FireFox NVDA users - To access the following content, press 'M' to enter the iFrame. It really is cracking the mainstream too, last month an Australian gambling website announced it would take bets on some of these competitions and in the last year games have been broadcast on TV. This isn't a new phenomenon though, South Korea have been doing it for decades and started televising it around 2000. eSports' biggest communities are in South Korea and China, but North America and Europe are catching up and bringing some healthy competition. There's big money at stake in these competitions. One game, Defence of the Ancients, had a prize pool of over $18 million for it's 2015 international tournament. Chad 'Spunj' Burchill from Perth is part of the Vox Eminor Counterstrike team. Earlier this year they competed at the ELS One competition in Poland. "The stadium they had there, it was just this massive stadium and it was packed with people. The home crowd were playing and it was insane. You don't even see that kinda stuff with big sporting events," Spunj says. But potential players beware, eSports isn't what you would consider a casual gaming experience. "I'm the in game leader, I call what strategies we're going to do and I have to micromanage all the players and think about what the other team is going to do, so for me, mine is a very stressful role." The skills of players like Spunj don't stay sharp by themselves, there's a lot of training that goes into getting pro. "We're probably looking at about four to five hours a day. The other teams, the professional teams around the world, they're treating it like a proper job, they're doing eight plus hours a day."It’s not quite a video of Bigfoot, but it’s cuter. The tufted ground squirrel (Rheithrosciurus macrotis), native to Borneo’s forests, enjoys the distinction of being both the squirrel with the fluffiest tail and the only one with alleged bloodthirsty tendencies. Local legend has it that the poofy vampire hangs out in trees and, with an adorable, cuddly hop, jumps on unsuspecting deer to disembowel them and drink their blood – but there’s never been any proof of that, since the elusive squirrel has only revealed itself to humans in fleeting encounters and blurry photographs. A new black and white video clip shows the animal, which is twice the size of other tree squirrels, foraging in the ground during the night. Researchers from the University of Michigan and Victoria University joined forces with the staff of the Gunung Palung National Park to study the ecology of the area. What they didn’t expect to find in their infrared footage was the first known video of the squirrel, which neither confirms nor denies the bloodsucking rumors: although the animal’s tail is indisputably plush in the 15-second clip, nobody's sure what it’s doing lurking in the corner of the frame.Show full PR text Skyfire Launches the First Flash Video Enabled Mobile Browser for Android The first'mobile browser for the Social Media generation' eliminates broken links from your Facebook stream, tracks Twitter buzz, and makes sharing easy Mountain View, CA – April 29, 2010– Skyfire, maker of the award-winning web-browser for mobile devices, today launches Skyfire 2.0 for Android, making the mobile internet experience faster, Flash-enabled and fun, with media recommendations and social features. Skyfire is one of the fastest growing mobile browsers in the world, ranking in the top 10 all-time apps in the Nokia Ovi Store and Windows Marketplace. Skyfire 2.0 for Android is built upon many of the popular features of Skyfire's 1.0 browser, and uses cloud computing to give a "booster engine" to mobile phones so they can handle rich media like video. And now, Skyfire 2.0 for Android takes mobile browsing to a new level with the addition of the SkyBarTM, a new toolbar that lets users enjoy millions of videos previously unviewable on mobile, and also discover the latest buzz on any topic they browse. What is the SkyBarTM? The SkyBar brings the best of the internet to a mobile user's fingertips, without any additional searching. By activating the SkyBar with a single touch, users are given access to Flash videos on a web page that otherwise would not play, related content recommendations, and easier sharing with their social networks. · Video –The "Video" icon enables users to play millions of Flash videos around the web that otherwise do not play on mobile. This unlocks content trapped behind those error messages with question marks and blue Legos. Behind the scenes, videos are translated into a format easier for the phone to play, like html5 video. · Related Content – The "Explore" icon brings the most relevant content on the internet to a user's fingertips based on what they are viewing at the time. The Explore button pulls video, buzz, news, images and other sites from the web based on what is on the current page. · Sharing – The "Share" icon lets users share any article or video easily to their friends on Facebook,
="field is-grouped"> <p class="control"> <router-link to='/cart' class="button is-info"> <span class="icon"> <i class="fa fa-shopping-cart"></i> </span> <span>Checkout ({{itemsInCart}})</span> </router-link> </p> </div> </div> The itemsInCart value draws its data from the store and the get cartProducts call. We make modifications to the data in our computed property so that we display the current number of items the customer would like to purchase. The classes here add in styling from the Bulma CSS library and the <router-link> components render anchor tags for navigation. Finally, we have the Cart component for rendering the items the user would like to buy and the total cost for their order. src/components/Cart.vue <template> <div class="cart"> <h1 class="title">Your Cart</h1> <p v-show="!products.length"> <i>Your cart is empty!</i> <router-link to="/">Go shopping</router-link> </p> <table class="table is-striped" v-show="products.length"> <thead> <tr> <td>Name</td> <td>Price</td> <td>Quantity</td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr v-for="p in products"> <td>{{ p.name }}</td> <td>${{ p.price }}</td> <td>{{ p.quantity }}</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Total:</b></td> <td></td> <td><b>${{ total }}</b></td> </tr> </tbody> <script> import { mapGetters } from 'vuex' export default { computed: { ...mapGetters({ products: 'cartProducts' }), total () { return this.products.reduce((total, p) => { return total + p.price * p.quantity }, 0) } }, methods: { checkout(){ alert('Pay us $' + this.total) } } } </script> Here we use computed properties with the mapGetters helper function to bind the added value of the store to products in the local component scope. We read this one to our calculate our total in a value local to this component but that derives its information from the global store. Lastly, we add a method for checkout that shows an alert for the total amount of money the user owes. If you are interested in building out real life payment processing you can view this tutorial. 💥 Conclusion Vuex is a state management package for Vue.js that handles modifications to the state tree within a single source of truth called aptly the State. The State can only be modified with Mutators which must be syncronous functions. To run asynchronous functions or perform other tasks we can define Actions which can be called from components and ultimately call Mutators. We can access the State values within components through Getter functions. The `mapGetters` and `mapActions` can simplify our component definitions. Though Vuex brings in many new concepts to Vue.js application development it can be very helpful in managing complex application state. It is not necessary or required for many Vue.js applications but learning knowing about it can make you a better, more productive developer.We’re in a renaissance of television animation at the moment. As the medium’s come to be taken more seriously in the West and been given more leeway in the kinds of stories it tells, there’s been a push to grapple with more substantive content. There was Aang’s struggle to remain a pacifist in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Adventure Time’s later seasons have flirted with a bizarre existentialist sort of vibe, and Steven Universe is hard at work trying to grapple with the question of whether peace, love and understanding can really heal all wounds. By that same token, the gulf between those more experimental series and animation “for kids” seems to grow wider by the day, leaving some shows to fall into the gulf of growing pains the medium is currently experiencing. On the one hand, shows like Steven Universe are appealing to a broad audience intentionally (the episode “Bismuth” ranked number one in ratings for the P18-49 demographic when it aired), as opposed to peripheral audience that have always sort of existed around shows like Spongebob and My Little Pony or the brief spate of shows from MTV’s dearly departed animation division (which ran more toward the late teens-to-adults audience that The Simpsons had carved out a space for). But while Cartoon Network and now Netflix (leading with the new Voltron) have embraced the change in intended viewing audience to a broader spectrum, Disney still seems to operate on a binary (so what else is new). This is how Wander Over Yonder found itself falling into relative obscurity (you can read an overview of the show here). Have a seat and let me tell you the sad tale, readers. The show was created by Craig McCracken, creator of The Powerpuff Girls, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, and one of the most pedigreed names in TV animation since the 1990s. It had Lauren Faust as part of its crew in the first season, before she went on to work on her own individual projects, and Noelle Stevenson of LumberJanes in season 2. And yet, all of that talent couldn’t save it from an early grave, with only two out of three planned seasons making it to air. News of the show’s cancellation reached the team after season two had been written but before it had even premiered–Disney thought that 80 episodes was “enough,” and the fact that the show garnered better ratings in repeats than premieres seemed to bolster that. While the crew was both open and optimistic in their discussions about Disney’s handling of the show, as a fan it was pretty disheartening to see that Disney both refused to let the show take a serialized turn in season 2 (which discourages repeat viewings) and then doubling down on that by cancelling the show once there were enough episodes to squeeze some rerun money out of (the latter is perhaps my own mildly cynical take). The compromise the writers reached after being turned down for serialization–to have four 22 minute “plot” episodes and the rest as 11 minute stand-alones–earned the series a bit more time in the spotlight (including a review slot on the AV Club), but also some accompanying frustration from fans who came in looking for a more narrative-driven, Gravity Falls sort of experience rather than a stylistic hybrid. Wander Over Yonder is a weird, earnest show that was only starting to find its niche before it was cancelled (the letter writing campaign is really quite moving, though now that the crew has all moved onto different projects, a comeback has become an increasingly long shot). And that’s a terrible shame. I tell you all of that partly because the show’s production history, with the unusual openness on the part of the (very kind) crew, has been an interesting insight into the current Western animation landscape. But I also just wanted to give the show a eulogy, because it was truly something special. When I initially reviewed the show I told y’all about the bright colors and the sincerity and the really clever homages to classic animation. And I’ll repeat what I said then: Wander, as a protagonist, is very special. I stumbled on this show when I was in a particularly low place–something I can see clearly now, even if at the time it felt normal. It was surprising and unexpected to be able to watch an idealistic character who wasn’t young and inexperienced, but who had seen the horrors life had to offer and fought to hold onto the belief that hope and trust are worth holding onto. That enemies are friends you haven’t made yet. And yes, the real world is more complicated than that. I love seeing Steven Universe tackle mental illness and trauma in raw ways that can sometimes be difficult to watch. It’s downright important art. But as much as that show can be uplifting, it’s also challenging, and there have been times when I wasn’t up for that. Wander was there for me in that moment, set in a universe that was purely, beautifully aspirational and hopeful at every turn. It’s not a perfect show (there are certainly critiques I could make about the early writing for Dominator, much as I found her a fun character), but it is a deeply comforting one. It was smart in its willingness to be silly, inventive in its form, and endearing in its constant attempts to do better. Its moments of quiet could be breathtaking (one late-game episode evokes the quiet melancholy of The Little Prince), and its goofiness was often inspired (I’m still not over Weird Al as an Evil Supervillain Banana). It deserved more than it got, and more notoriety than it will probably have in future (given Disney’s disinterest in more than a handful of merch and its current unavailability for easy streaming). But that doesn’t make its existence less special or worthwhile, and I’d encourage you to give it a shot. In the meantime, a very fond farewell. And to the WOY crew, my deepest thanks for putting on one heck of a show. Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site! Want to share this on Tumblr? There’s a post for that! Vrai is a queer author and pop culture blogger; it’s possible they’re still kind of heart-eyed over Dom. You can read more essays and find out about their fiction at Fashionable Tinfoil Accessories, support their work via Patreon or PayPal, or remind them of the existence of Tweets. —The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.— Follow The Mary Sue on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, & Google+.When you watch a reality dating show purportedly about finding "true love," you learn to take every relationship formed with a giant grain of salt (or an entire salt shaker of giant grains of salt). But once in awhile, you see a pair whose love is so convincing that you buy into it completely. Friends through thick and thin. Ready for After Paradise tonight! @carlywad #bachelorinparadise hair and makeup: @girlgetglamorous @girlgetglamoroushair A photo posted by Jade Roper (@jadelizroper) on Sep 7, 2015 at 5:52pm PDT Carly and Jade first became friends during Chris Soules' season of "The Bachelor." They didn't find love with America's most boring farmer, but they did find love and affection with each other. And on "Bachelor In Paradise," their relationship got a chance to shine. We saw them supporting each other's romantic decisions, giggling about being "horny" for the dudes they were dating (holler! ladies have sex drives, too!), and coming through for each other when things got tough. Everything about Kirk and Carly's 11th-hour breakup gave me uncomfortable flashbacks to terrible breakups in my past, but the one silver lining was seeing just how deeply Jade felt for Carly -- and how quickly she lent her emotional support in a heartbreaking moment. When Carly leaves Kirk after their initial breakup talk, she runs across the beach with tears streaming down her face calling Jade's name. Off-camera, viewers can hear Jade's voice: "I'm here. I'm here. I'm here," she says over and over again. Later on, Jade steps in when Kirk is trying to speak to Carly after she's repeatedly told him she doesn't want to have a conversation. "I feel like you should respect her," says Jade. Sometimes a woman needs a best friend to say what she can't. Since filming "Bachelor In Paradise," Carly and Jade have been palling around Nashville, singing Taylor Swift songs and making adorable #friendshipgoals t-shirts. These could just be social media moments curated by two reality TV stars, but it feels like much more than that. What could be more realistic than two women forming a lasting bond while trapped at a Mexican resort/adult summer camp for a month with nothing to do but chill? It's far easier to picture finding a best friend in Paradise than a long-term boyfriend. Jade and Carly may just be the latest besties to steal the hearts of "Bachelor" viewers, but there's something deeply heartening about seeing women lust after a loving, supportive lady friendship rather than a lackluster "real man." #RelationshipGoals, indeed. THE WAY CARLY CALLED FOR JADE AND JADE SAID SHES HERE JUST KILLED ME @jadelizroper @carlywaddell YALL SRE THE DEFINITION OF FRIENDHIP GOALS — jo (@killinitjo) September 7, 2015 if you havent realized, jade and carly are the only true relationship goals on this show. #BachelorInParadise — jazzy #30 (@JazzyGoring) September 7, 2015 So lucky to have found my weirdos in paradise. All u really need....is your squad.... #friendshipgoals pic.twitter.com/5xnlViPTzD — Carly Waddell (@carlywaddell) September 8, 2015 For more on "Bachelor In Paradise," listen to our "Here To Make Friends" podcast finale recap, featuring JJ Lane: The best tweets about the "Bachelor In Paradise" finale...Plastic bag lobbying group influences curriculum PUBLIC EDUCATION Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Plastic bag lobbying group influences curriculum 1 / 8 Back to Gallery Under pressure from a lobbying group for the plastics industry, California school officials edited a new environmental curriculum to include positive messages about plastic shopping bags, interviews and documents show. The rewritten textbooks and teacher's guides coincided with a public relations and lobbying effort by the American Chemistry Council to fight proposed plastic bag bans throughout the country, including one eventually approved in San Francisco. But despite the positive message, activists say plastic bags kill marine animals, leach toxic chemicals, and take an estimated 1,000 years to decompose in landfills. In 2009, a private consultant hired by state school officials added a new section to the 11th-grade teacher's edition textbook called "The Advantages of Plastic Shopping Bags." The title and some of the textbook language were inserted almost verbatim from letters written by the chemistry council. The additions included: "Plastic shopping bags are very convenient to use. They take less energy to manufacture than paper bags, cost less to transport, and can be reused." Americans use an estimated 100 billion plastic shopping bags each year - almost all of which are thrown into the garbage. Grocery stores and other retailers spend about $4 billion a year to purchase the bags for customers. "The American Chemistry Council obviously got engaged to protect their bottom line," said state Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills (Los Angeles County), author of the 2003 legislation requiring that environmental principles and concepts be taught in the state's public schools. She was unaware of the lobby's efforts until contacted by California Watch. Testing the curriculum The environmental curriculum, which took seven years to develop, is being tested at 20 school districts that include 140 schools and more than 14,000 students. An additional 400 school districts have signed up to use the curriculum, according to Bryan Ehlers, the California Environmental Protection Agency's assistant secretary for education and quality programs. Of those 400 districts, three are in the Bay Area - New Haven Unified School District in Union City, Napa Valley Unified School District and Guerneville Elementary School District, the agency said. "Parents should be outraged that their kids are going to be potentially taught bogus facts written by a plastic-industry consultant suggesting advantages of plastic bags," said Mark Murray, executive director of Californians Against Waste, a recycling and environmental lobbying group. The chemistry council declined to comment in detail about its work on California's environmental curriculum. But its views were made known to the state during a period of public review and comment on the curriculum. The group said it "takes exception to the overall tone, instructional approach and the lack of solutions offered - most especially the lack of mention of the overall solution of plastic recycling," wrote Alyson Thomas, senior account executive with Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, a lobbying firm retained by the trade group. Removing the additions Kenneth McDonald, spokesman for the California Department of Education, said he was not aware that the trade group's edits had been included. He said the development and editing of the content was Cal/EPA's responsibility. The education department's sole duty was to review the curriculum for accuracy, content and overt bias, he said. "Whether or not there was corporate input, nothing problematic was seen," he said of the changes. After hearing from California Watch about the chemical industry additions and edits, Pavley said she would write to Cal/EPA to ask officials to remove some of the trade group's additions. She said the rest of the curriculum was excellent. As Cal/EPA began preparing the curriculum in 2004, it called together industry trade groups and environmental organizations to provide advice on writing the new curriculum. A representative from the American Chemistry Council was present at the meeting. So were representatives from oil giant BP, National Geographic and the California Ocean Science Trust. The American Chemistry Council did not provide any financial backing for the development of the curriculum. By 2009, the curriculum was mostly written, and the chemistry council once again weighed in with criticisms and suggested edits for a section in the 11th-grade text that portrays plastic bags as harmful to the environment. At the time, the trade group was fighting state and city plastic shopping bag bans across the country. In 2010, it successfully squashed legislation that would have banned plastic bags in California. It was unsuccessful in San Francisco and Los Angeles County, which in recent years have imposed bans. Although the group will not say how much money it spent on advertising and lobbying the issue, state documents show it has spent more than $9 million lobbying government agencies since 2003. Control over edits The state had handed the bulk of the curriculum development and editing responsibility to Gerald Lieberman, director of the State Education and Environment Roundtable, a nonprofit group working to enhance environmental education in schools. Lieberman said the state gave him discretion over whether to include editorial suggestions and comments from outside sources. The first edit of the teacher's edition had been highly critical of plastic shopping bags. It highlighted the long decomposition rate of the bags and their threat to marine life and ocean health. That information remains in the text. A letter with the chemistry council's comments about the 11th-grade curriculum was presented to Lieberman in 2009 as submissions during a nine-month public comment period. "I never made changes to the text anywhere, in any of the units, that I didn't see as improving the educational value of the materials, or I would not have made the changes," he said. Lieberman incorporated almost all of the trade group's suggestions into the teacher's edition, which provides the context and lesson plan for the course. He added the section on the benefits of plastic bags after the chemistry council complained in a letter: "To counteract what is perceived as an exclusively negative positioning of plastic bags issues, we recommend adding a section here entitled 'Benefits of Plastic Shopping Bags.' "The results of an online vote showed of 27,378 total votes cast by stakeholders, Fighting Hawks received 57 percent, beating out Roughriders. The winning name comes after more than a year of work by committees and three public votes. The school has played simply as UND or North Dakota since retiring its Fighting Sioux name in 2012 due to the possibility of NCAA sanctions. When asked initially what name he voted for UND, President Robert Kelley said he didn't have a favorite but later told reporters he picked Fighting Hawks in the last vote. "Obviously it's far from over," Kelley said. "We've got a lot of work still to do, but the big part of getting through the selection of the new name is over." Plans are in place to hire a design company to create a Fighting Hawks logo and while the new nickname will be used immediately. In fact, UND spokesman Peter Johnson, during his turn at the press conference, started by proclaiming "Go Fighting Hawks!" and thrusting his fist into the air. Full implementation could take as long as three years depending on the program. "Some things will go quicker than others," UND Athletic Director Brian Faison said. "It's like uniforms. We can do some things next year, no problem, but others are more problematic because of when you have to order the jerseys, but we'll work through it." In an email, Johnson said $276,433 has been put into the nickname selection process so far. Vice President for University and Public Affairs Susan Walton said she realized it was a significant cost to the university and didn't know how much logo development and implementation would cost. DeAnna Carlson Zink, the executive vice president and CEO of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation, acknowledged there will always be those who refuse to let go of the Fighting Sioux nickname. "But this really is a historic moment," Zink said. "It's only our third nickname in history and now we move forward. We move forward with respect for the legacy and tradition of the Fighting Sioux and even the Flickertails, and look forward to creating new traditions." A winner from the start Fighting Hawks proved to be the frontrunner in all three nickname votes this fall, winning 31 percent of votes during the first vote and 46 percent of votes during the second round. Nodaks, North Stars and Sundogs were eliminated in the course of the first two votes. About 82,000 stakeholders could have voted, including alumni, students, UND employees, retirees, donors and season ticket holders, putting turnout for the final vote at 33 percent. The third round of voting had the highest turnout while 32 percent of stakeholders cast ballots in the second vote and 27 percent during the first vote in October. Zink said she was pleased with voter turnout, something Walton echoed. "We're really pleased people stayed with the process and people who had the opportunity to vote exercised that right," Walton said. Tim O'Keefe, who led the Alumni Association and Foundation through some of the most tumultuous years of the nickname controversy, said he was also happy with voter turnout. "In these last two votes especially, it really speaks to the passion of alumni and for that matter our current students," he said. "It bodes well for the future simply from the standpoint that people care." Former North Dakota Governor and UND's future interim president Ed Schafer voted for Roughriders but he said he's just happy a name has been picked so they can move forward. "The point is we needed to get here, to this point in time, to have a name chosen to move forward and build it into the character of the university," he said. To begin rebranding, the school will officially release a request for proposals in the next few days seeking a design firm to create a logo to accompany Fighting Hawks. Walton said the logo will be created by midsummer with implementation for the fall 2016 semester. Ralph Engelstad Arena Manager Jody Hodgson said he doesn't know what will happen with the UND's athletic arena as the university rebrands with its new nickname and logo, but the existing Fighting Sioux logos will remain in place because they're allowed in the terms of the amended settlement agreement with the NCAA. "We're just fresh into this situation and moving forward we'll have to figure things out as we go," he said. A group of stakeholders will help select the design firm while another group will work with the firm to create the logo, Walton said. How the final decision will be made remains unclear because with Kelley retiring in January, Schafer will take office until he is replaced by a new president as early as July 2016, she said. Schafer said earlier this month he wants to be involved in the process, something UND Student Body President Matt Kopp said, too. "It seems to me the students I'm talking to are voting for Fighting Hawks and that makes me think there will be some buy-in," he said. City spokesman Pete Haga said UND's nickname change gives the city a change to further its partnership with the school. "I think this gives us a chance to rally around and support, recognizing there are as always different opinions moving forward, but there is a critical need to make sure the university and community moves forward successfully," he said. A long road The vote for UND's nickname has been met with both adversity and support from the public. UND officially retired the Fighting Sioux nickname about three years ago when the NCAA threatened sanctions for teams using Native American imagery. After being appointed by Kelley in September 2014, the first nickname task force held open forums to gather public feedback throughout the fall and winter. At some of those meetings, attendees said they wanted the Fighting Sioux name back while others stressed the need to pick a new logo and move on. "Move forward for (student athletes)," UND women's basketball coach Travis Brewster said at an open forum in November 2014. "Move forward for the university." Moving forward was not always easy. Rep. Scott Louser, R-Minot, filed legislation Jan. 7 attempting to extend a moratorium prohibiting the school from picking a new nickname until July 2017, though it ultimately failed. A second nickname committee gathered more than 1,000 individual suggestions from the public throughout April and then narrowed them down to five, controversially voting to take continuing to play as UND or North Dakota off the ballot. Kelley, amid outcry, briefly reconsidered before upholding the committee's recommendation. This fall, a former Bismarck mayor first registered the trade names and later trademarks of the words that were nickname possibilities in an effort to stop the vote until UND/North Dakota was included. At Wednesday's press conference, Walton maintained the university is confident they will be able to move forward with implementing the Fighting Hawks name. Days before the online vote for the nickname was set to start in October, three people filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop the vote without the addition of UND/ North Dakota and inclusion of Sioux tribes in the vote. Fargo judge Thomas Olson denied the injunction to stop the vote, citing the plaintiffs' failure to show the vote would cause irreparable harm. An audio recording of that hearing reveals Nils Eberhardt, one of three attorneys from the North Dakota Attorney General's office representing the defendants, said the nickname vote was merely a "feeling-out process." Officials maintain the winner of the vote will be the school's athletic nickname. In addition to lawmakers and lawsuits, the public also tried to preserve the Fighting Sioux nickname. Eunice Davidson and her husband David Davidson Sr., avid supporters of the name, organized a group in the spring called The Sioux Were Silenced that distributed information through social media and YouTube in an effort to revive the old name. Throughout the late summer and into fall two protests were held and one student organized a small stand-in in protest of Kelley's decision to keep UND/North Dakota off the ballot. Former UND hockey player Frank Burgraff is a proponent of the Fighting Sioux nickname and said he'll never buy in to UND's new nickname. "They took my legacy away from me," he said. Reaction Many took to social media to express frustration with UND's announcement Wednesday including notable alumnus Minnesota Twins President Dave St. Peter, who joked he was a fan of Bison Slayers but could live with Fighting Hawks. Former UND Student Body President Tanner Franklin, who served as co-chairman of the task force that developed the process of picking a nickname, said he's disappointed with the end result. "All the time that was spent, all the dollars that were spent, all the research that went into this, and we came up with a name that I don't feel as though identifies with this institution or the state and I'm really disappointed that's what it came to," he said. Others were happy with the announcement. Kathleen Neset, the chairwoman of the State Board of Higher Education that governs the state's 11 public institutions, said in an emailed statement that she was pleased UND let stakeholders have a say. "We are making decisions now that will impact the future generations of North Dakota," she wrote. "It is time to unite in the cause for our students and work together toward their success." Jesse Taken Alive is a member of the Standing Rock Tribal Council and was a proponent of retiring the Fighting Sioux name for years. He said in a text message that he's thankful and looks forward to the full adoption of the new name and logo. "It has been a long and interesting journey," he said. "In our Lakota language we say Wopila (a heart given thank you)." Spirit Lake Sioux tribal representatives didn't respond to attempts to contact them but Leander "Russ" McDonald, a former tribal council chairman and member of the nickname committee, said he feels his alma mater is moving in the right direction. McDonald said when he came to UND as a student in 1997 he didn't have an opinion on the use of the Fighting Sioux name but grew to dislike its use the longer he was on campus. "It's so important to have a safe and equitable environment on these different campuses to concentrate on education rather than concentrating on ethnicity and races," he said. A new UND While a lot of changes are in store for UND, some things will remain the same. Several UND entities including the Champions Club, NoDak Nation, and Dacotah Legacy Collection will retain their names, as will the Alumni Association and Foundation's annual Sioux Awards. UND will continue using an interlocking "ND" for its athletic logo in the interim but Kelley and Hodgson have both said they won't censor what fans wear on campus or at games. Fighting Sioux gear is still commonplace in Grand Forks and the national anthem continually concludes with the crowd singing, "the home of the Sioux" at hockey games. While the NCAA could investigate the continued use of the Fighting Sioux name by fans if other schools complain, Faison shook his head when asked about it at Wednesday's press conference. "We'll see," he said. "I think it's what you do with it and what the mark looks like will be a big determining factor in ultimate acceptance." Faison also acknowledged some will never support UND as the Fighting Hawks. "I think it's naive to think there won't still be people who always treasure being the Fighting Sioux," he said. "Some people will never change and I get that but I think the majority of people over time will embrace the new."Jimmy Carter is by far the best ex-president the United States has ever had, and he underscored that again this morning by announcing that Guinea Worm cases have reached an all-time low. For those of you who have never heard of it, Guinea Worm is one of the worst parasites you can get. The worms burrow inside of you, grow to almost three feet long, are incredibly painful, and finally pop out of the skin and have to be reeled out, inch by inch, over many days. They are an ancient affliction in tropical countries, but Carter has led an effort to eradicate them. Last year, I caught up with Carter in rural Ethiopia and wrote about his efforts to fight river blindness and Guinea Worm, and ran a video of it as well. Today he announces that Guinea Worm is down to 5,000 cases worldwide — mostly in Sudan, Mali and Ghana — and tantalizingly close to eradication. If it is eradicated, it will be only the second ailment, after smallpox, that we’ve been able to eliminate form Earth. Carter sees this as a race between him and the worm: will he be able to eliminate Guinea Worm while he’s still on Earth? I hope he wins the race, and it looks as if eradication may be achievable in the next few years. Worldwide cases have already been reduced by 99.7 percent, and Carter’s work has truly transformed those villages where the worm used to be endemic. He shows that these are battles we can win. Let’s hope that President Bush, in figuring out what to do in his post-presidency, borrows a page from Jimmy Carter. There are lots of diseases waiting for a wealthy, well-connected Texan to lead the fight against.As Congress tries to tackle the many sides of immigration reform, one of Silicon Valley’s most contentious debates is getting renewed focus: Should high-tech companies be required to hire Americans before recruiting temporary workers from abroad? The U.S. Senate’s compromise measure would require employers seeking foreign programmers, engineers and other skilled workers to post jobs on a government website and give preference to American job applicants who are “equally or better qualified.” That and other proposed regulations could make it more difficult and expensive for firms to sponsor workers through H-1B visas. “They are imposing a recruitment requirement for the first time ever,” said Paul Herzog, a Los Angeles immigration lawyer. “That’s a big deal. … That should make anti-H-1B people happy.” But it’s sending a chill through the Indian tech industry because the bill would ban companies from using temporary foreign workers for more than half their U.S. workforces. That provision mostly targets technology outsourcing firms based in India that for years have dominated H-1B recruitment. There are indications Silicon Valley also has reservations even though the measure would increase the number of H-1B visas. “Supporters of the Senate bill thought the business community would rally around it,” but they’re not, said Stuart Anderson, of the National Foundation for American Policy, which favors more H-1B visas. Instead, Silicon Valley groups are lobbying to change provisions that would increase H-1B workers’ minimum pay, tighten rules against displacing U.S. workers and give the Department of Labor more power to investigate hiring. But one Silicon Valley entrepreneur welcomes the new restrictions. Too many companies use the three-year H-1B visa to bring in cheaper labor, undermining the U.S. tech workforce, the CEO of Newark-based Systems in Motion warned Congress last week. “The visas are primarily being used for lower costs,” Neeraj Gupta said in his Senate testimony. Each year, technology outsourcing companies such as Cognizant, Infosys, Wipro and Tata Consultancy Services bring thousands of mostly Indian tech workers to the United States on the temporary visas. The 10 firms that hired the most H-1B workers, most of them India-based, grabbed about 20 percent of the visas in an annual rush that used up all 85,000 this spring. Many of the workers do tech support for banks and other U.S. firms that contract with the outsourcers. “Those are all jobs that Americans can easily do, or can easily be trained for,” said Gupta, who testified April 22 before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Gupta, himself a one-time H-1B worker, now runs what he calls a “domestic outsourcing” IT consulting company that competes for contracts with many of the companies he criticizes. He sees both the world’s “best and brightest” innovators and future entrepreneurs coming into the United States alongside many more H-1B visa-holders whose main appeal to employers is their willingness to work for lower wages doing the tech world’s grunt work. Others say the Indian firms are being unfairly vilified to deflect attention from broader problems with the H-1B program, which critics blame for suppressing pay and employment of older, experienced U.S. engineers. H-1B program critics and supporters have long wielded competing studies to debate these workers’ value. An Economic Policy Institute report last week asserted that the glut of foreign workers has contributed to computer industry wage stagnation, and it rejected industry claims of a U.S. talent shortage in science and engineering. At the same time, just 3.2 percent of computer and math workers were unemployed in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And, at $78,200, the average annual earnings of an H-1B worker was about 10 percent higher than U.S. workers with at least a bachelor’s degree in any field, according to a 2011 study by the Public Policy Institute of California. In IT occupations, new foreign workers earned about 7 percent less than U.S.-born IT workers, but those differences reversed as the foreign workers gained more job experience, the same study said. “I don’t find any convincing evidence that H-1B workers are earning less than U.S. workers,” said study’s author, Magnus Lofstrom. While acknowledging that some multinational firms have taken advantage of America’s immigration system to employ “underpaid, sometimes grossly underpaid workers,” Bay Area recruiter Vikki Pachera insists cutting-edge Silicon Valley firms are clamoring for global talent. “In tech, there’s plenty of jobs,” Pachera said. “We’re certainly producing a lot of great, skilled workers, but there are just not enough of them.” Extraordinarily talented people often come in on visas, she said. The Senate proposal is a compromise among tech firms, such as Facebook and Microsoft, that say they are desperate for hard-to-find talent, and longtime H-1B skeptics such as U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., one of the comprehensive bill’s sponsors. He said at last week’s hearing that Americans would be shocked to learn that so many H-1Bs go to outsourcing firms largely based in India “who are finding workers, engineers, who will work at low wages in the U.S. for three years.” The companies that the new bill could hit hardest have been mostly silent since its introduction.Welcome home! You have landed at the best Minder, The Sweeney and The Professionals forum on the web. Since 1997 minder.org has been number 1 on the web for fans TV's 'Minder' and its four stars George Cole, Dennis Waterman, Gary Webster and Glynn Edwards. You can also find information about the remake of the show that starred Shane Richie and Lex Shrapnel. On this page you will find all the facts you need to know about Minder - please explore the menus and links above for much more information on the show. Enjoy the site! Minder Facts & Stats Minder was created by the writer Leon Griffiths. The series was first broadcast in October 1979 and came to an end in March 1994. In 2009, a further six episodes of the show were produced with brand new characters. The show featured four main characters during its initial run, the legendary George Cole as Arthur Daley, Dennis Waterman as his minder Terry McCann, replaced from series eight onwards by Gary Webster as Ray Daley, Arthur's nephew. The series also starred Glynn Edwards as Dave 'The Barman' Harris. During the 70s and 80s The Terry McCann Years is the original series that featured Dennis Waterman as Arthur's original hard man Minder Terry McCann. In 1991 this series was followed by The Ray Daley Years that featured Gary Webster as Arthur's nephew Ray Daley until 1994. In 2009, Shane Richie starred in a six episode remake of Minder as Arthur's nephew Archie Daley, with his minder Jamie Cartwright played by Lex Shrapnel. The series contained 106 regular episodes and two feature length specials 'Minder On The Orient Express' in 1985
hrushchev’s six-day vacation.” According to Pacepa, Khrushchev “wanted to go down in history as the Soviet leader who had exported communism to Central and South America.” He chose Romania as his point of export, since it was the only Latin country in the Soviet bloc and provided a logical liaison to Latin America because of the similarity of language and culture. Pacepa claims that the Theology of Liberation was not merely infiltrated by the KGB, it was actually the brainchild of Soviet intelligence services. “The movement was born in the KGB, and it had a KGB-invented name: Liberation Theology,” Pacepa said. According to the General, during those years, the KGB had a penchant for “liberation” movements, and a Theology of Liberation fit right in. The National Liberation Army of Columbia (FARC), created by the KGB with help from Fidel Castro; the “National Liberation Army of Bolivia, created by the KGB with help from “Che” Guevara; and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), created by the KGB with help from Yasser Arafat are just a few additional “liberation” movements born at the Lubyanka — the headquarters of the KGB. Pacepa said that Liberation Theology was born of a 1960s top-secret “Party-State Dezinformatsiya Program” approved by Aleksandr Shelepin, the chairman of the KGB, and by Politburo member Aleksey Kirichenko, who coordinated the Communist Party’s international policies. The program mandated that “the KGB take secret control of the World Council of Churches (WCC), based in Geneva, Switzerland, and use it as cover for converting Liberation Theology into a South American revolutionary tool,” Pacepa said. The Soviets were aware that the WCC was the largest international ecumenical organization after the Vatican, he said, representing some 550 million Christians of various denominations throughout 120 countries. According to Pacepa the KGB followed a step-by-step procedure to bring Liberation Theology to Latin America, starting with the establishment of an intermediate international religious organization called the Christian Peace Conference (CPC), headquartered in Prague. Its main task “was to bring the KGB-created Liberation Theology into the real world,” he said. “The new Christian Peace Conference was managed by the KGB and was subordinated to the venerable World Peace Council, another KGB creation, founded in 1949 and by then also headquartered in Prague,” he said. In his work with the Soviet bloc intelligence community, Pacepa managed the Romanian operations of the World Peace Council (WPC). “Most of the WPC’s employees were undercover Soviet bloc intelligence officers. The WPC’s two publications in French, Nouvelles perspectives and Courier de la paix, were also managed by undercover KGB – and Romanian DIE – intelligence officers,” he said. Pacepa said that in 1968 “the KGB-created Christian Peace Conference, supported by the world-wide World Peace Council, was able to maneuver a group of leftist South American bishops into holding a Conference of Latin American Bishops at Medellin, Colombia.” Though the Conference’s official task was to seek solutions to poverty, its “undeclared goal” was “to recognize a new religious movement encouraging the poor to rebel against the ‘institutionalized violence of poverty,’ and to recommend the new movement to the World Council of Churches for official approval,” he said. “The Medellin Conference achieved both goals. It also bought the KGB-born name ‘Liberation Theology,’” he said. Pacepa said that although he has good reason to suspect that there was an organic connection between the KGB and some of the leading promoters of Liberation Theology, he has no evidence to prove it. “I recently glanced through Gutierrez’s book A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, Salvation (1971), and I had the feeling that it was written at the Lubyanka,” he said. “No wonder he is now credited with being the founder of Liberation Theology,” he said. Six years after Pacepa’s defection to the West, the Vatican issued its first of two scathing critiques of Liberation Theology, under the guidance of then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. The stated purpose of the first “instruction” was to draw attention “to the deviations, and risks of deviation, damaging to the faith and to Christian living, that are brought about by certain forms of liberation theology which use, in an insufficiently critical manner, concepts borrowed from various currents of Marxist thought.” The Vatican instruction also warned that the theologies of liberation generate “a disastrous confusion between the ‘poor’ of the Scripture and the ‘proletariat’ of Marx.” In so doing, it said, “they pervert the Christian meaning of the poor, and they transform the fight for the rights of the poor into a class fight within the ideological perspective of the class struggle.” In Pacepa’s words, Liberation Theology was “deliberately designed to undermine the Church and destabilize the West by subordinating religion to an atheist political ideology for its geopolitical gain.” Follow Thomas D. Williams on Twitter @tdwilliamsromeRepublic FC spoiled its fans last season. The sellout crowds that packed Hughes Stadium and Bonney Field almost always saw the home side prevail in its USL matches. Sacramento lost its regular-season opener to the Harrisburg City Islanders at Hughes Stadium and its regular-season finale to the Los Angeles Galaxy II at Bonney Field. In between, Republic FC was unbeaten in 12 USL home matches. Then Sacramento won three playoff matches at Bonney Field en route to the USL championship in its inaugural season, finishing 13-2-2 in USL home games. It’s been a different story this season. Republic FC (10-8-4, 34 points) is 6-4-1 at Bonney Field entering Saturday night’s match against Real Monarchs SLC (2-13-7, 13 points) and battling to stay in the Western Conference race. Republic FC is in seventh place; the top six qualify for the playoffs. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Sacramento Bee But the players insist there’s been no drop-off in effort or the quality of their play at home. Instead, opponents are coming into Sacramento with a common game plan – score a quick goal, then pack everyone into the box defensively (“parking the bus,” in soccer parlance) to thwart Republic FC’s superior passing, possession and creativity with the ball. “Last year, we were new in the league and teams didn’t know anything about us, so they actually came and played soccer,” defensive midfielder Ivan Mirkovic said. “This year, every single team has come to Bonney not to play soccer but to hit us, foul us and just to defend.” In 1-0 home losses to the Austin Aztex and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Sacramento outshot opponents by a combined 31-7. Colorado Springs scored in the third minute and took only two more shots. The Aztex opened the second half with a 58th-minute goal and never took another shot. Last year, we were new in the league and teams didn’t know anything about us, so they actually came and played soccer. This year, every single team has come to Bonney not to play soccer but to hit us, foul us and just to defend. Republic FC midfielder Ivan Mirkovic Orange County Blues FC went up 2-1 before halftime, then held on for the win while playing physically. The Blues committed 13 fouls to Republic FC’s six and played the final 30 minutes a man down after Luka Petricevic’s red-card ejection. Even during the emotion of Preki’s last game as coach, a crushing 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy II, Republic FC outshot its rival 17-11 and committed just seven penalties to Los Angeles’ 13. Republic FC goalkeeper Patrick McLain, who was with OC Blues FC last season, said his old team didn’t pay much attention to how Republic FC played in the first two matches that ended in a split. Orange County won 2-1 in mid-April in Irvine, and Sacramento prevailed 2-1 in early May at Hughes Stadium. “The first two times we played them, we didn’t make any changes, and we were more focused on what we were doing,” McLain said. “The third time, there was an attempt at a more strategic approach.” The Blues played more defensively in that July match at Bonney Field. Though Sacramento dominated possession and outshot the Blues 12-5, Republic FC needed a goal by Octavio Guzman in stoppage time to prevail 2-1. The contrast in how teams play Republic FC at Bonney Field and at home was on display in the Aug. 14 match against Switchbacks FC in Colorado Springs. The teams tied 3-3 six days after Republic FC’s 1-0 loss at Bonney Field in which Colorado Springs took only three shots. In Colorado Springs, Switchbacks FC took 18 shots and led 3-1 in the 82nd minute before Mickey Daly and Mirkovic scored goals as Republic FC rallied for the draw. “We scored early and the game was just wide open, so it must have been fun to watch,” said McLain, who had a team-record nine saves. “Certainly the altitude played a role. Guys get tired; that opens the game up.” While Republic FC players may be frustrated with opposing teams’ tactics at Bonney Field, coach Paul Buckle understands why they’re doing it. 6-4-1 Republic FC’s home record this season “If a coach sees a team come to Bonney Field that is successful, they have every right to look at it and do the same,” Buckle said. “And that’s what’s happening. Teams are coming in and parking the bus and, at times, they’re parking two buses. It’s a challenge, but we’ve got to find ways of breaking teams down, staying patient and not getting frustrated to make it easy for a team to score against us.” It’s unlikely Real Monarchs will deviate from visiting teams’ strategy. In a May 30 match at Bonney Field, Max Rauhofer scored in the seventh minute for Real Monarchs before David Estrada tied it in the 19th minute. The match ended in a 1-1 draw even though Sacramento outshot Salt Lake City 20-4. Though last in the Western Conference, Real Monarchs have played well against Sacramento. They have a win and two ties in three matches, potentially costing Republic FC seven points, which would put Sacramento at the top of the standings. “It does drive us crazy,” McLain said. “To their credit, they have executed their game plan every time we’ve played them.” In other words, they have done a good job of parking the bus.From left to right: Kim Jong Un’s New Year’s Day speeches on Jan. 1, 2015, Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 1, 2013. (Photos by Reuters/Kyodo/KCNA) Forget Sony Pictures: Now it’s Kim Jong Un’s eyebrows that have been hacked. In a piece titled “Brow you see them,” the South China Morning Post noted North Korea’s Supreme Leader appeared at a New Year’s Day speech sans what scientists call supercilium. “In what appeared to be a case of severe over-plucking, Kim’s brows appeared to be significantly shorter than on earlier occasions, sitting above his eyes like little dashes,” the paper wrote. It’s hard to tell from pictures. Left: Kim Jong Un on April 9, 2014. Right: Kim Jong Un on April 13, 2012,. (Photos by KCNA/Kyodo via Reuters) Kim’s new look distracted from a speech in which he offered to enter “high-level talks” with South Korea. “We believe we can resume suspended senior-level talks and hold other talks on specific issues if South Korea sincerely has a position that it wants to improve North-South relations through a dialogue,” the sheared Kim said, perhaps inspired by a post on the Web site Celebs With No Eyebrows. “And there is no reason not to hold the highest-level talks if the atmosphere and conditions are met.” As the Hermit Kingdom is not known for its public relations skills, Kim’s appearance is often scrutinized by those looking for hints at the nation’s next move. When Kim sported a walking stick — or cane, depending on the news report — in October, it wasn’t just gout or diabetes, but a pointed message, some said. “A South Korean analyst said Kim probably broke his media silence to dispel outside speculation that he wasn’t in control and to win sympathy from a domestic audience by creating the image of a leader who works through pain,” Fox noted. In 2013, North Korea also had to deny Kim had plastic surgery to look like his grandfather, North Korea’s founder Kim Il Sung. “The false report … released by enemies is a hideous criminal act which the party, state, army and people can never tolerate,” North Korea’s news agency said. For the record, Kim has sported trimmed eyebrows before. His look, like his position on detente with South Korea, is perhaps evolving.It may seem like an extreme way to check-out of a hotel, but a man has jumped off the roof of the Four Seasons in Denver, Colorado with the help of jet pack. Daredevil Nick Macomber strapped into the hydrogen- and nitrogen-powered jetpack made by Go Fast at sunrise and took off from the 45 floor, making a loop of the building and then landing safely back on the hotel roof. In total, Macomber was airborne for around 30 seconds. Macomber’s brief journey yesterday was a test flight for a world record attempt from the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere planned for later this year. We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view. From 15p €0.18 $0.18 $0.27 a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras. Macomber is no stranger to jet pack travel. In 2012 he carried the Olympic torch whilst flying past the National Space Centre in Leicester. Jet packs are powered by a pressurised blast of non-flammable hydrogen peroxide and nitrogen. Arguably the most famous flight took place at the opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, when Bill Suitor jet packed into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in front of 100,000 people. In May, a man used a jet pack to navigate around Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Building as part of the Smithsonian Magazine’s Future Is Here Festival. Last year, the “world’s first practical jetpack” was cleared by aviation regulators in New Zealand to allow for manned test-flights. We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view. At The Independent, no one tells us what to write. That’s why, in an era of political lies and Brexit bias, more readers are turning to an independent source. Subscribe from just 15p a day for extra exclusives, events and ebooks – all with no ads. Subscribe nowAbout this article: This is a weekly report on the online pauper meta. The data it uses are from last Wednesday to this Wednesday. It looks at the data that Tom Scudder and I collect from a selection of dailies. We watch the replays on MTGO to figure out how each person did, not just the 3-1s and 4-0s that Wizards publishes. This allows us to see the whole picture and figure out how well each deck did in total. Now, this data is just for this week and just from the data we collects so it does ignore the other 3-1/4-0 results which means it is not perfect. Additionally, the conclusions in this article are based on this week, and as the meta is fluid, the top decks shift. This is intended to see what decks are performing well this week and what to expect in the future. This uses the data from the 6/4, 6/7 afternoon, and 6/7 evening dailies. Burn? Burn. The deck has jumped up to be the king of the hill, knocking off MBC from its throne for the first time since Treasure Cruise was banned. In addition, it has become such a large part of the meta that it made MBC fall to only 12.18% of the meta. The red menace has been a real threat, but to what extent can it maintain its spot on top with slightly below average results? As long as MBC is a major deck, I expect Burn to stay as MBC cannot deal with the deck as it was able to handle W Tokens. Be ready for burn, in deck selection and especially in the board. One of the biggest responses to Burn was a WR Tokens deck by MadarmeBK that did fantastic over the week. It used Conclave Phalanx, tokens, and burn to outrace Burn. The deck will be covered more in depth downwards on the page. There is a big deck missing from these graphs – Affinity. The deck has slowly decreased in prominence, and it actually went below the 5% mark. This is one of the first times one of the 5 biggest decks – Affinity, Delver, MBC, Stompy, and UR Fiend – went below the 5% mark in over a month. Another interesting bit is how the “Other” group again grew in prominence. This means that it is very viable to play a smaller deck and get results. This is the second week in a row that this happened and I’m watching to see if it continues. Through this graph, the decks with the best weeks are quite clear – Delver, Stompy, and UR Fiend. Esper Fae Combo had the most mediocre week it has had in a while, but still not too bad. The decks that did the worst are MBC and UB Angler. Burn had a week that is slightly below average, but not terrible. Nothing is too shocking here, but it is always an interesting graph to look at. Thanks for reading! – Najay1 Winners 1. Stompy – After a down week, Stompy came back in force. Again the deck was not super popular at 5.88% of the meta, but it did great from those pilots. With a 57.14% cash rate and a 62.75% win rate, Stompy ran over a lot of the competition this week. At least part of this can be attributed to a strong matchup v. Burn and a weak matchup v. Affinity. Additionally, as rogue decks have started to make more of an impact on the scene, Stompy is able to make many of these easy matchups. I still like Stompy right now, although if Burn drops in popularity, so may Stompy’s results. 2. Delver – Interesting that Delver increased its popularity up to 8.82% – the highest in a while. I would expect this is because Gut Shot has not been as close to as popular as many thought it would be. I think that the popularity of Delver is very important in determining whether the card is worth a spot in the board and if it continues to rise, then I would expect more Gut Shots to come out. This could make for a cyclical pattern in the meta, which would be very exciting. Delver still ran well on the top tables with a 38.10% cash rate and a 60.00% win rate. Delver still looks to be a fantastic choice for the meta, and more people will continue to make that choice. 3. UR Fiend – UR Fiend also had a good week, but not as strong as either of above with a 38.46% cash rate and a 53.49% win rate. One of the main stories to see is whether Gut Shot will become a staple of the deck. 3 of the 7 decks reported by Wizards played the card, most of them as a 2-3 of card in the main. This could very much improve their results against Delver, which has never been a great matchup for them. Additionally, if MBC remains big in the meta, I doubt this deck can become too great. Losers 1. Affinity – Affinity is here less so because of its popularity, but because of its lack of it this week. For the first week in a very long time, Affinity made up of less than 5% of the meta at 4.62%. Affinity’s share of the meta has slowly moved down and down throughout the DtK season and now into the current season. The deck was around 8.5% prominence consistently until 2 weeks ago and last week it dropped to 6.40% prominence. In addition to its shrinking popularity, the deck didn’t do great with an 18.18% cash rate and 47.22% win rate. Now there were only 11 Affinity pilots this week so be aware of high potential uncertainty in those numbers. Despite all of this, I do not expect the deck to shrink much lower in prominence. The deck is widely regarded as a top deck and it is well known among the Pauper community. The lower popularity does mean that it may be safe to prepare for less Affinity in your sideboard, at least for the upcoming week. 2. MBC – The now 2nd most popular deck in the meta, MBC made up 12.18% of all decks. This is the lowest it has been in a few weeks and comes directly out of the difficulty of facing burn. In the last season, MBC was 5-28 versus Burn and it does not have too many strong options to shore up the matchup. The best black life gain spell is Gary and that is already a 4-of. Other than that, the two main life gain spells are Corrupt and Tendrils of Agony, both bad versus Burn. Unless Burn goes back downwards, I do not think MBC will or should rise up again as evidenced by a 20.69% cash rate and a 44.68% win rate, both sub-par. 3. UB Angler – This last deck has become another very common force in the meta over the past few weeks. Making up 8.40% of the meta, UB Angler has exploded onto the scene very similarly to last season when it did the same things. Sadly, it is also putting up more sub-par results with a 25.00% cash rate and a 42.37% win rate, something of a trend recently. UB Angler has not had enough strong weeks to counter the amount of bad weeks that it has experienced and continues to struggle – especially with Burn being such a major part of the meta. Not a fan of this deck right now, but you must be ready to face it. Deck to Watch For Hexproof – In a MBC dominated meta, Hexproof would not seem to be a great option, but it has done surprisingly well with a 50% cash rate and a 66.67% win rate this week out of 4 tries (which isn’t very significant). The reason why Hexproof seems to be a contender is its strength against a lot of the other top decks. Burn is the most popular deck and Hexproof can easily beat that deck as it has built in lifegain, a faster clock, and doesn’t let Burn kill its creatures (although that usually doesn’t happen). Even though it isn’t great against MBC, it has serious game against Burn, Delver, and UB Angler – the 3 other top decks. If MBC stays down, Hexproof may end up surprising some people. Brew of the Week [d title=”RW Tokens by MadarameBK – June 9th, 2015 (Pauper)”] Tokens Package 4 Battle Screech 4 Raise the Alarm 4 Squadron Hawk 3 Conclave Phalanx 3 Guardians’ Pledge 2 Veteran Armorer Rebel Package 4 Ramosian Lieutenant 2 Aven Riftwatcher 1 Bound in Silence 1 Nightwind Glider Burn/Removal 4 Lightning Bolt 2 Firebolt 2 Flame Slash 1 Journey to Nowhere Other Spells 1 Faithless Looting 1 Prismatic Strands Lands 4 Boros Garrison 4 Plains 4 Wind-Scarred Crag 3 Ancient Den 3 Great Furnace 3 Mountain Sideboard 3 Pyroblast 2 Electrickery 2 Gorilla Shaman 2 Lumithread Field 2 Molten Rain 1 Prismatic Strands 1 Disenchant 1 Patrician’s Scorn 1 Relic of Progenitus [/d] Here is the MTGGoldfish page. By far one of my favorite brews to come out recently, this deck really utilizes a card many had written off – [c]Conclave Phalanx[/c]. I’m using the latest list that madarameBK used as he made the list and knows it better than I do. The deck is mainly 3 parts as split into above. The tokens package is the main part of the list and it creates the main aggro focus of the deck. The deck has lots of burn and removal to back up the aggression. Lastly, it has a rebels package (which some other versions do not have) centered around Ramosian Lieutenant for the search function. With that it can find cards valuable against various decks. Aven Riftwatcher is great against Burn and other aggro decks, Nightwind Glider can take down all of MBC’s 2/2s, and it can even get Bound in Silence for removal on demand. This is an innovative list that was designed to take down the current meta and looks to be a fantastic meta deck. I’m not sure how it will fare in the future, but I love this deck for the upcoming week and expect it to leap in popularity. Predictions 1. Burn will remain as the top deck, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it decline a bit in popularity. 2. MBC and UB Angler will continue to have large followings, but will put up below average results. 3. The RW Tokens brew will find more success and potentially could be a breakout deck for the week. 4. UR Fiend will not have as strong of a week as it has the past two weeks. Data With thanks to Tom Scudder. Check out his Facebook and his Spreadsheet. PCT Results The PCT is a weekly tournament hosted on Gatherling.com by LongTimeGone. It occurs Tuesday at 8 pm Eastern.The women of Umoja come from separate Samburu villages scattered across Kenya’s Rift Valley, yet they all share one feature: they are the victims of abuse, rape, forced marriages, and fled their male-dominated communities in favor of a female utopia. Men have dominated Kenyan society for centuries. They are the breadwinners, the rulers of their cities and villages, the voices of authority in their workplaces and homes. They are also the enforcers of a concerning cultural norm: widespread violence and brutality against women. Until recently, most Kenyan women accepted their fates with silence, unable to fight the power of the patriarchy. Now, more women are finally striking back by striking out on their own. The Samburu are a major African tribe with villages clustered throughout the Rift Valley. Like the majority of Kenya’s ethnic groups, they are acutely patriarchal, and have been for centuries. Women are frequently subjected to spousal abuse and rape and, once victims, they are ostracized and sometimes literally shunned or removed from their communities. Such was the case for 14 women in 1990. For decades, British soldiers had visited Kenya to conduct military exercises. These visits would frequently culminate in the sexual assault of Kenyan women, who were powerless to stop the soldiers or receive justice in the aftermath of rape. In 1990, soldiers at one Samburu village raped 14 women, who were subsequently shamed by their community and deemed unworthy of marriage or family. Rebecca Lolosoli, a politically active member of her tribe, attempted to help these women by educating them about their rights. For this offense, she was brutally beaten by Samburu men from her village, who had warned her against speaking out to the community. Lolosoli took her advocacy, left her husband, and fled her village to start a new life with the fourteen abandoned women. From Broadly, a documentary on the women of Umoja. Now, in the desert surrounding Mount Kenya, a matriarchal community thrives. Umoja, named for the Swahili word meaning “unity,” is an exclusively female village, led by Lolosoli. Here, women are leaders, homeowners, entrepreneurs, and caregivers. They govern and sustain themselves successfully. They choose their own marriages. They coexist peacefully and teach their children the importance of gender equality. Though Umoja initially started as an exclusive escape for Lolosoli and her fourteen compatriots, the community eventually opened to all survivors of sexual abuse and violence as a place to escape abuse and heal. If and when inhabitants choose to leave, they are empowered, ready to start anew with partners of their choosing. As such, the community’s population is in constant flux. At times, the village has housed as many as 60 women (and their collective brood of 200 children). Nowadays, the population hovers around 20 women, and their families. They sustain themselves by making intricate beaded jewelry unique to their tribe, which they sell to tourists passing through the village. Umoja’s leaders also enforce a $12 entry fee at the gates of the village, and sleeping accommodations at a nearby campsite are available for a small charge. As a one-of-a-kind, first-of-its-kind establishment, Umoja relies on the contributions of its frequent visitors to feed its inhabitants, and sustain its growth. In the typical Samburu village, money made by a woman is given to her husband, who controls the family’s purse strings. In Umoja, women keep the money they earn from their business ventures, and learn how to financially support themselves and their families. Umoja stands in stark contrast to the lived reality of gender for most Kenyan women. All of Kenya’s major ethnic groups have a patriarchal structure where the oldest men within a tribe control politics, arrange marriages, and elevate younger men by awarding them properties, livestock, and women. Most women are subjected to traditions that undermine their value as people, and, instead, treat them as property. By dominating the land and livestock, men control the flow of money in agriculture-based tribal economies; Kenyan women own just 3 percent of the country’s land, according to a 2013 study by the Nature Conservancy. Per Samburu customs, women are generally not allowed to own land or inherit it — even as the women themselves are inheritable property. Umoja is a launching pad for societal change, eschewing Kenya’s most harmful cultural norms. Umoja is a launching pad for societal change, eschewing and outright reversing Kenya’s more harmful cultural norms. Among the Samburu, female genital mutilation (FGM) is widely viewed as a rite of passage into womanhood for preteen girls; Lolosoli and her cofounders stress the dangers behind this tradition to young girls, encouraging them to denounce this antiquated and misogynist tradition. Forced marriages are a prominent part of Samburu culture as well, in which young girls — often no older than 13 — are betrothed to men who are decades their senior, with goats and cows given in exchange. By contrast, Lolosoli encourages women to find their own husbands and create families built by love rather than dowry trade-offs. In 2011, Umoja’s success inspired the creation of Unity, a sister village. Half of the women living in Umoja left to establish Unity, in part due to political and ideological differences they had with Lolosoli. Despite those personal incompatibilities, Unity carries forward its predecessor’s tradition of spreading education to women and their children in the hopes that future generations of Samburu will acknowledge and support gender equality. Lolosoli has brought a small-scale enlightenment to the Samburu community, and her message has spread throughout the broader Rift Valley. Across Kenya, though, the fight for gender equality is still very much in its infancy. Many men continue to push back against the idea of equality between men and women, and Umoja and Unity routinely receive violent threats from men in neighboring tribes. Most of these threats come from abandoned husbands, intent on forcing their wives back into subservience. Others target Lolosoli herself, who as the matriarch of the community, is no stranger to death threats. For much of Kenya, the patriarchal dynamic still prevails. Men are the heads of families, and women are merely the “necks”—their sole roles being to support the heads. In Umoja, women are the heads of households, the supportive necks of their community, and the bodies laboring to sustain the village. In Umoja, women are everything. * * * Further Reading: “The Land of No Men: Inside Kenya's Women-Only Village,” Broadly, September 8, 2015 “Kenya’s National Gender Context and its Implications for Conservation: A Gender Analysis,” The National Conservancy Central Science, July 2013.This is an excerpt from the book Watergate: The Hoax, by Ashton Gray, now on sale at Amazon, iBooks, Barnes & Noble, and other fine book retailers. This is taken from Chapter 16, “The Sea Project, Ingo Swann, and a Damned Liar”: Whatever he [L. Ron Hubbard] did in Tangier at the beginning of 1967, he was going to be coming back there. On this trip, he stayed in Tangier until nearly the end of February, when he flew to an old familiar place: Las Palmas, Canary Islands. He was there to meet up with his ship the Enchanter, which arrived there on 25 February 1967. This event brings up an anecdote that is a classic example of the kind of uncorroborated gossip and garbage that is the stock-in-trade for the Hubbard hatchet-job “biographers” from Britain, all of them in league with the CIA and the Five Eyes. It’s embodied in the following melodramatic “account” of Hubbard’s arrival in Las Palmas to meet the Enchanter, told in Russell Miller’s Bare-Faced Messiah by one Virginia Downsborough, who opened herself to any smearer of Hubbard who wanted to probe her. She claimed to have been aboard the Enchanter, coming from Hull with a small crew—even though other sources cited in this book say the ship was in Clearwater, Florida, when purchased, and that Downsborough arrived later on a different ship, the Avon River. According to her, though, she and the Enchanter had already arrived when Hubbard got to Las Palmas, flying in from Tangier: We found him a hotel in Las Palmas and next day I went back to see if he was all right, because he did not seem to be too well. When I went in to his room there were drugs of all kinds everywhere. He seemed to be taking about sixty thousand different pills. I was appalled, particularly after listening to all his tirades against drugs and the medical profession. There was something very wrong with him, but I didn’t know what it was except that he was in a state of deep depression; he told me he didn’t have any more gains and he wanted to die. That’s what he said: “I want to die.”... I moved into an adjoining room in the hotel to take care of him. He refused to eat the hotel food, so I got a little hotplate and cooked meals for him in the room, simple things, things that he liked. My main concern was to try and get him off all the pills he was on.... I don’t know what drugs he was taking—they certainly weren’t making him high—but I knew I had to get him over it. I discussed it with him and gradually took them away. He didn’t carry on about it. He had brought a great pile of unopened mail with him from Tangier, a lot of it from Mary Sue, and I got him to start reading her letters. After about three weeks he decided he would get out of bed. It’s oh-so-breathy, isn’t it? It’s been quoted and requoted and told and retold all over the Internet, all over the world, to “prove” what a fraud ol’ Hubbard was, taking all these drugs—about 60,000 different pills, don’t you know!—and being depressed, and lying in bed for three whole weeks. So much for the effectiveness of Scientology. There’s one slight problem with Ms. Downsborough’s self-aggrandizing Florence Nightingale act: She and the miserable hack Russell Miller didn’t check the microfiche records for HASI, Inc., at the Arizona Corporation Commission. If they had, they would have discovered that on 28 February 1967—just three days after Hubbard met the Enchanter in Las Palmas on 25 February—he was nowhere near Las Palmas or any hotel there, hotplate or not; he was over 2,000 miles away, in the little burg of Crawley, West Sussex, England, where he and Mary Sue signed a notarized annual report for HASI, Inc. Crawley is 9.7 miles from East Grinstead, home of Saint Hill Manor. The annual report covered the fiscal year that had ended on 30 April 1966. [Below is a detail from that document, showing the date and signatures. —Ed.] So the question becomes whether Ms. Downsborough is merely a self-aggrandizing muck-raking liar, or a damned self-aggrandizing muck-raking liar. (Miller unquestionably is the latter.) Watergate: The Hoax is available now at Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble. Order it today! Rewrite history with the truth!One of the goals of Firefox have always been to make the lives of web developers as easy and productive as possible, by providing tools and a very extensible web browser to enable people to create amazing things. The idea here is to list a lot of the tools and options available to you as web developers using Firefox. Native developer tools in Firefox We are working on building a great set of developer tools for you included in Firefox. They are described much more in detail in Developer Tools in Firefox Aurora 10 and there are some very interesting implications for what we can accomplish with them! We are evaluating and experimenting with a number of user interfaces and code approaches to try and find the most optimal ways to work with code in a page. If you install Firefox Aurora you can try them out right now! Let us know what you think. Also stay tuned to
Dark Souls is essentially turn-based. The game plays a split-second of real-time action then is paused, giving time for commands and votes to come in. Sure, that did let people progress and have fun and finally finish the game after 43 days, 8 hours, 13 minutes, and 49 seconds. It’s hugely impressive, don’t get me wrong, but “Can we do the impossible?” became “Can we be arsed?” Anywho, you can now join in with Dark Souls II. Here’s what their final fight against Gwyn looks like with all the pauses stripped out – it actually took over half an hour:Guinness, the Irish stout that once famously advertised itself under the slogan “Guinness is good for you,” took a step this week to inject 21st-century food culture into its 256-year-old product. Guinness is going vegan. The company announced on Monday that starting at the end of 2016, its beer will no longer contain trace amounts of fish bladder, an integral part of its filtration process. Few customers — except perhaps vegans and vegetarians who enjoy a pint — were probably even aware that the famous inky-black drink contained any fish parts at all. But it is actually quite common for cask beers to be filtered using isinglass, a gelatinlike substance derived from the dried swim bladders of fish that is used to separate out unwanted solids like yeast particles from a brew, the company said. “Isinglass has been used widely within the brewing industry as a means of filtration for decades,” the company said in a statement on Monday after a report in The Times of London. “However, because of its use we could not label Guinness as suitable for vegetarians and have been looking for an alternative solution for some time.”Background: BlogObject.setIntroWithAnecdotalStoryString(storyString); Before being promoted from Tech Support to Software Engineer, I had spent some time browsing the companies source code. As a lowly Tech Support Representative, I was granted access to this code because I was charged with the task of troubleshooting, identifying, (and eventually fixing) bugs and memory leaks that our Engineering department “could not reproduce”. At roughly 2–3 million lines, the Objective-C code was intimidating to say the least. After 3 intimate months of working with the language and this bloated code base, I noticed something unique about Objective-C that has since then, changed the way I code EVERYTHING! DRY & WET Coding (tl;dr): [‘DRY’, ‘WET’].map(&:describe_coding_convention_string) As the newest eager beaver Engineer on the block, every time I heard coding convention or acronym I was not familiar with, I ran straight to the Internet to learn about it. DRY and WET were the flavors of the week. DRY: Don’t Repeat Yourself The DRY programming philosophy was first coined in The Pragmatic Programmer by Dennis Ritchie and Francisco Granados. The philosophy is to eliminate as much repetitive information as possible. “Every piece of knowledge must have a single, unambiguous, authoritative representation within a system.” — The Pragmatic Programmer WET: We Enjoy Typing Ironically enough, the term WET is easily described as a code or a system, that is not “DRY” enough. Typically is used if someone did not execute something according to the Philosophy. “Hey Bro[grammer], that module is totes WET!!!! DRY it up and deploy so we can finish off that Blue Moon Keg in the break-room.” -Nobody Ever Maybe you won’t hear it used like that, but here is an example of WET coding: var Category = function(objectProperties) { this.childCategory = objectProperties.childCategory \|\| []; this.name = objectProperties.name \|\| ""; this.description = objectProperties.description \|\| ""; } Category.prototype.getChildCategoryName = function() { if (!this.childCategory instanceof Category) { throw("Child Category is not of instance Category") } return this.childCategory.name; } Category.prototype.getChildCategoryAge = function() { if (!this.childCategory instanceof Category) { throw("Child Category is not of instance Category") } return this.childCategory.age; } In this case, before accessing object specific properties of childCategory, a safeguard was used check if the childCategory is instanceof Category. This is WET because the line: if (!this.childCategory instanceof Category) { throw("Child Category is not of instance Category") } Is used more than once to provide the same functionality. (In fact, this is a snippet of a class I wrote in which that line of code was used 7–10 times, and eventually revised because of the repetition.) DRY principals would instead suggest that you store this code in a function and then reference it in one line for each method, therefore creating one source. As I was searching through DRY and WET coding philosophies, I stumbled across this Stack Overflow answer which referenced another acronym: DAMP. DAMP: Descriptive And Meaningful Phrases [SLBlogController willIncludeRelevantLearningOpportunity]; DAMP has nothing to do with DRY and WET Before you take up your torches in fear of being told to abandoned your long standing philosophy about code duplication and efficiency, its helpful to note that DAMP has nothing to do with the DRY and WET philosophies. And no, it does not mean your code is partially DRY, and partially WET. Descriptive and Meaningful Phrases can peacefully coexist alongside DRY/WET philosophies. What is DAMP? DAMP applies to how you name all the things. DAMP (Descriptive And Meaningful Phrases) promotes the readability of the code. To maintain code, you first need to understand the code. To understand it, you have to read it. Consider for a moment how much time you spend reading code. It’s a lot. DAMP increases maintainability by reducing the time necessary to read and understand the code. — Chris Edwards Chris is right! How many hours have you wasted trying to decrypt and decipher poorly written, unreadable code? It’s up there in the thousands for me. If I had a dollar for every time I saw this: NOT DAMP! //dataLog.js var data = [1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9]; var logData = function(data) { data.each(function(i, idx) { console.log(i); }); }; logData(data); Now I know: this is a pretty easy-to-read JavaScript code example, and yeah, perhaps a non-JavaScript developer could figure out what is happening here. However, every time I look at the above example, a small nuclear weapon explodes in my cerebellum begging to know more about what is happening. // What is this data for? If it wasn’t defined here, would we know // what data type it is? var data = [1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9]; // What kind of data are we logging? // What is the data type of the argument? var logData = function(data) { // What are the arguments inside the each function? data.each(function(i, idx) { console.log(i, idx); }); }; // Well at-least I know something happens here...-_-' logData(data); These would be the same questions that ANYONE would ask, not only developers. If I showed this code to someone without programming experience, there is nothing they would find that describes what is trying to be accomplished. Lets get DAMP: Name ‘all the things’ as if you were going to describe it to someone. If your variable is a primary array of baby names, then describe it that way: In a duck typed language like JavaScript, where variable types are not explicitly declared, I tend to include the data type in the name: var primaryBabyNamesArray = ["Spencer", "Mallory", "Collin", "Connor"]; var secondaryBabyNamesArray = ["Lily", "Janet", "Greta", "Tearlach"]; However in Objective-C: NSArray *primaryBabyNames = @[@”Roger”, @”Wendy”, @”Richard”]; Lets take that first brain-melting example and make it DAMP: //slPrintChildArrayNamesModuleButCommentsAreNotNeededWhenYouProgramWithDAMPFundementals.js var childAgesArray = [1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9]; var logEachAgeInArray = function(agesArray) { agesArray.each(function(ageInteger, index) { console.log(ageInteger, index); }); }; logEachAgeInArray(childAgesArray); The whole point of DAMP is that my anyone could understand what this code is trying to accomplish, even if I removed all of the guts from it, leaving only the function, variable, argument and file names. In fact can you still tell whats going on when I remove its guts? //slPrintChildArrayNamesModule.js var childAgesArray; //Guts get assigned here var logEachAgeInArray = function(agesArray) { //Guts here }; logEachAgeInArray(childAgesArray); Here is a shorted example of a predictive search example I worked on, that has the “guts” stripped out: function slGutlessPredictiveSearchCtrl($scope) { //... omitted for brevity $scope.inputValueIsPreFilledFromNttParam = GUTS $scope.requestedSearchTermForHighlighting = GUTS $scope.searchAsYouTypeArray = GUTS $scope.indexOfLastItemInSearchAsYouTypeArray = GUTS $scope.selectedSearchTermResultIndex = GUTS $scope.searchQuery = GUTS if ($attrs.value && $attrs.value!== “”) { $scope.searchQuery = $attrs.value; $scope.inputValueIsPreFilledFromNttParam GUTS } else { $scope.searchQuery = GUTS } $scope.shouldHideResultPaneBasedOnInputBlur = GUTS $scope.freezeResultPane = GUTS $scope.preRequestValidation = function(newValue, oldValue) { return { GUTS }; }; $scope.postRequestValidation = function(data) { GUTS }; $scope.sendSearchAsYouTypeRequest = function(searchTerm) { $http({method: ‘GET’, url:url}) .success($scope.searchAsYouTypeRequestDidRespondWithSuccess) .error($scope.searchAsYouTypeRequestDidRespondWithError); }; $scope.searchAsYouTypeRequestDidRespondWithSuccess = function(data, status, headers, config) { GUTS }; $scope.searchAsYouTypeRequestDidRespondWithError = function(data, status, headers, config) { GUTS }; $scope.shouldShowResultsPane = function(){ GUTS }; $scope.shouldShowProductCategorySubList = function() { GUTS }; $scope.shouldShowSearchSuggestionsSubList = function() { GUTS }; $scope.shouldBeHighlightedBasedOnResultTypeAndTypeIndex = function(resultType, typeIndex, nameValue) {GUTS}; $scope.upArrowKeyPressed = function() {GUTS}; $scope.downArrowKeyPressed = function() {GUTS}; $scope.setSelectedIndexViaMouseOver = function(resultType, typeIndex) {GUTS}; $scope.submitProductCategoryToAnalytics = function(productCategory, $event) {GUTS}; $scope.submitSuggestionToAnalytics = function(suggestion, $event) { GUTS }; //... omitted for brevity }; Do not be afraid to spell out everything. In this example. I wanted to write this directive as a story, a description, a meaningful roadmap from one step to the next. Determining the name of whatever you are writing (file, method, function, variable, class, namespace, etc.) should be the most important thing you do before you add the ‘guts’. In the same manner, it should also be the easiest thing to do! Need a function expression that determines if a loading screen should be visible? shouldShowLoadingScreenOnStart Have an array of objects which has color mappings? colorMappingsArray //Adding "Array" for duck-typed langs Need a NSValueTransformer subclass which converts true to red and false to black? SLBoolToRedColorValueTransformer Once you can describe your feature, type it out! // My variable stores local user sessions var localUserSessionArray; // My function executes as a callback to a successful ajax response which is for my news feed. var newsFeedResponseWasSuccessful = function(responseObject) { //... } // What if its just my late night news feed? var lateNightNewsFeedResponseWasSuccessful(responseObject) { //... } Why DAMP? Your Code stops becoming ‘Code’ Have you looked up “code definition” on Google lately? This is the first definition you find on one of their fancy cards:Oftentimes, there’s not a one step solution to solving your skin’s issues. For example, your T-zone can be oily, and your cheeks may be dry. So what do you do when you face the dilemma of wanting to use a mask to treat the oiler parts of your face and another to hydrate? You multi-mask! Here’s a step by step guide on how to multi-mask. It’s actually not as crazy as it sounds. It’s a practice that Instagrammers and beauty editors alike are doing. As the name suggests, you just mix and match your masks as needed, depending on the issues in the areas you’re treating. Multi-masking involves simultaneously applying a variety of masks to different areas of the face to treat those unique concerns. Trust us: It’s a time-saver and a skin-reliever. Plus, it’s really simple to do! Here’s how to multi-mask: First, pick what masks you want to apply by checking different areas of your skin to identify what unique treatments are needed. We’ve prepared four items for our multi-masking session to address various concerns around our eyes, cheeks, lips and T-zone. First, the Missha Speedy Solution Brightening Eye Patch will go directly under the eyes. It’s made of cool and refreshing hydrogel, so these patches are perfect for keeping puffiness in check and hydrating the delicate under eye area. They also contain broccoli extract and hyaluronic acid, which will help to brighten. Alternatively, you can also use a wash-off mask designed to help hydrate the eye area. The next area to treat is the T-zone. If you’re oiler in the T-zone, you can go with a clay-based mask that helps to draw out impurities and unclog the pores. But if you’re trying to get rid of those dreaded blackheads on your nose that never seem to go away, you can combat them with the Goodal Deep Clean Pore Glacial Clay—a Kaolin clay based mask that’s formulated with fermented ingredients that will unclog pores and work to cool and tighten them. Don’t forget your lips! Unfortunately, there aren’t many lip masks out there, but the Skinfood Pomegranate Collagen Mask is one that hits the target (it’s adorably shaped like lips). The mask contains ample amounts of pomegranate and collagen extract, and both help to intensely hydrate the skin. By infusing as much hydration into the lips as possible, it helps to soothe chapped lips and reduce any visible signs of aging. Let’s move on to the cheeks and any other remaining areas of the face. With your fingertips, you can apply another mask all over the rest of your face. We like to use the RE:P Bio Fresh Mask With Real Vitality Herb. The mask is formulated with clay, which will pull out impurities, but unlike the Goodal mask, it’s not as intense. Instead, it contains real rose and jasmine flowers, which will work to brighten and hydrate the skin. Remember though, your masks may have different wait times, so follow the directions for each (leaving a clay mask on for too long could end up doing more harm than good). Once you take everything off, take a look in the mirror. Hopefully, your skin is a more glow-y and looking happier!Military advisers actively participate in only around 10 percent of Afghan special forces operations against the Taliban, according to a U.S. spokesman for the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan. A vast majority of Afghan special operations against the Taliban are “completely independent of NATO,” Army Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland told reporters during a press briefing Thursday. Cleveland is head of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and is stationed at Ft. Bragg. “They do it by themselves,” added Cleveland, saying, “they don’t need any assistance, whatsoever.” While Cleveland’s assertions are largely reflected in the data, approximately 20 percent of those operations do have some kind of NATO assistance. Half of them are referred to as “enabled operations,” where NATO forces aid in mission planning, logistics, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The remaining 10 percent are referred to as “advise” operations, and involve NATO, as well as U.S. forces, accompanying the Afghans. “Those are the examples where you may NATO members that go outside of the wire … and then do accompany Afghan forces as they move towards an objective,” said Cleveland. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Thompson, a Green Beret who was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) Tuesday, was participating in an “advise” operation when he was killed. Afghanistan’s special forces have been particularly busy as of late, which has required them to travel extensively across the country to fight off Taliban threats on a nightly basis. The month of August represents the height of the Afghan fighting season, the time when the country’s typically brutal weather conditions are ideal for Taliban-led, guerrilla-style combat. Currently, Taliban forces are engaged in the so-called “Operation Omari,” a mission to seize territory in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, which holds special significance in Taliban lore. Cleveland explained that the Taliban’s goal is to seize and hold terrain in Helmand in order to develop a sanctuary from which they can operate. Taliban forces were slow to take advantage of the fighting season, according to the general, but they have recently caused serious problems for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in several provinces, including Helmand, Nangarhar and Kunduz. All three provinces have been major flash points since the U.S. invasion 15 years ago. Follow Russ Read on Twitter Send tips to russ@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. 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.(JTA) — The Democratic Party platform drafting committee is top heavy with veterans of political battles over Israel — some friendly, some critical, and including at least one major backer of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. The Democratic National Committee named the committee on Monday, a day after reports emerged that Bernie Sanders, an Independent senator from Vermont running for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, wants the platform to elevate the issue of Palestinian rights. The names signal that the robust debate on Israel that has rattled the party’s relationship with the mainstream pro-Israel community over the past two years will continue through the party convention in Philadelphia in July. Sanders, the first Jewish candidate to win major party nominating contests, named five of the committee’s members, while Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and front-runner in the party’s presidential primaries, named six. The remaining four were named by the DNC’s chairwoman, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., among the most prominent Jewish leaders in the party. Three of the Sanders backers on the committee — Cornel West, a philosopher and social activist; James Zogby, the president of the Arab American Institute, and Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to Congress — are known in part for their criticisms of Israel. West is a prominent BDS backer and Zogby has spoken forcefully against attempts to marginalize the movement. Ellison has called for greater consideration of Palestinian rights, but also has close ties to his home state Jewish community and says Israel’s security must be taken into account. The standout appointment is West, a fiery speaker who has called the Gaza Strip “the ‘hood on steroids” and, in 2014, wrote that the crimes of Hamas “pale in the face of the U.S. supported Israeli slaughters of innocent civilians.” Zogby and Ellison are longtime insiders who have taken leadership roles in the party, so their inclusion is not extraordinary. Among the six Clinton backers is Wendy Sherman, the former deputy secretary of state who was a lead negotiator in the Iran nuclear talks. Sherman, who has spoken lovingly of her involvement in Jewish life in suburban Maryland, was wounded by the tough criticisms of the deal from Israel’s government and centrist pro-Israel organizations. Another Clinton appointee is Neera Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress who in recent years has taken a lead role in trying to establish a dialogue between Israel’s government and the American progressive community. Wasserman Schultz’s picks include Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., who will be the committee’s chairman. Cummings is close to his state’s Jewish community and for years has run a program sending a dozen or so black high-schoolers from the Baltimore area to Israel. Another of her picks is former Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., who is also close to the pro-Israel community. Berman shepherded through far-reaching Iran sanctions in 2010 when he was chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., also a Wasserman Schultz pick, has been critical of Israel in her career, joining 59 House members, including Ellison, in a letter after the 2009 Gaza War urging the Obama administration to pressure Israel to allow increased humanitarian relief into the strip. She also joined Ellison in speaking against a resolution condemning the 2009 U.N. report on the war, which was reviled by Israel’s government and the mainstream pro-Israel community. Wasserman Schultz also named Bonnie Schaefer, the former CEO of Claire’s, the mall jewelery chain, and a philanthropist who is involved with the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Weizmann Institute of Science. The drafting committee presents the document to the full platform committee, which votes on it during the convention. Usually there are few objections. In 2012, however, the drafting committee omitted from the draft platform recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. New language including the recognition was passed during the meeting of the full committee, but not without objections and boos. All four of the Congress members on the drafting committee – Cummings, Lee, Ellison and Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., a Clinton appointee – are endorsed by the political action committee affiliated with J Street, the liberal Middle East policy group. This story "Bernie Sanders Taps Prominent Critics of Israel for Democratic Platform Committee" was written by Ron Kampeas.This could get ugly. REUTERS/Alexander Demianchuk REUTERS This week, the U.S. and European countries upped the sanctions ante on Russia, targeting the country’s arms, energy and banking sectors. The idea is to hit the Kremlin where it hurts—the pocketbook—to dissuade the country’s support of pro-Russia rebels fighting in Ukraine. Russia had previously returned sanctions fire mostly with fiery rhetoric and travel bans on Americans that probably weren’t planning on vacationing in Moscow anytime soon. Reports out of Russia this week, however, indicate the Kremlin is ready to raise the stakes of the sanctions tit-for-tat, Bloomberg reports, with a retaliatory safety investigation into McDonald’s cheese. As if the threat of taking on the golden arches wasn’t punishment enough, Russia said it is also mulling a ban on the import of chicken from the U.S. There have been no reports of a run on McChicken with cheese sandwiches in the country. Here’s more from Bloomberg on how the sanctions might affect McChicken with cheese availability in Russia: Russia’s food safety agency said it may ban imports of U.S. poultry and some European fruit due to contamination of the products, according Bloomberg BNA, citing Russian state media. The food safety agency, known as Rosselkhoznadzor, also said it will examine suppliers of McDonald’s cheese for their use of antibiotics…. Officials from McDonald’s, based in Oak Brook, Illinois, didn’t respond to a request for comment. While Russia and the U.S. have long sparred over agricultural trade, the actions fueled speculation they could be retaliatory. The 28-nation European Union and the U.S. plan to impose stiffer sanctions to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government… Russia was the second-largest market, after Mexico, for U.S. chicken last year, according to the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council. The U.S. exported about $309 million worth of broiler chickens to Russia last year, according to the council.Next week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will present his case against President Obama's talks with Iran; he is expected to portray Iran as an untrustworthy actor and Obama's diplomacy as naive and a distraction from more sanctions or even military action. This case suffered a major setback this week as a major intelligence leak showed that Israel's own intelligence service, the Mossad, privately contradicted Netanyahu's public statements on Iran. The leaked secret cables show that as Netanyahu was presenting at the United Nations in 2012 a narrative that Iran that was just “weeks” away from producing enough enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb, Israel's own intelligence service found a very different conclusion. From The Guardian : Mossad took a different view. In a report shared with South African spies on 22 October 2012 – but likely written earlier – it conceded that Iran was “working to close gaps in areas that appear legitimate, such as enrichment reactors, which will reduce the time required to produce weapons from the time the instruction is actually given”. But the report also states that Iran “does not appear to be ready” to enrich uranium to the higher levels necessary for nuclear weapons. To build a bomb requires enrichment to 90%. Mossad estimated that Iran then had “about 100kg of material enriched to 20%” (which was later diluted or converted under the terms of the 2013 Geneva agreement). Iran has always said it is developing a nuclear programme for civilian energy purposes. But Netanyahu's politicization of the Iran situation is nothing new. For decades, he has misled if not outright lied to Western allies about Iran's nuclear program as well as Iraq's. It's a record that Members of Congress should ponder on before they leap to applaud for his upcoming address. Netanyahu's Tall Tales On Iran And Iraq SPONSORED In 1992, Benjamin Netanyahu wasn't yet Prime Minister; he was a Likud member of the Knesset, Israel's parliament. He told his fellow lawmakers that Iran was 3 to 5 years away from a nuclear bomb, and that the only way to stop them was for them to be “uprooted by an international front headed by the U.S.” By 1996, Netanyahu rode a right-wing wave in Israel and was elected Prime Minister; in July he was given his first opportunity to address the U.S. Congress. In his speech, he said Iran was the “most dangerous” of Middle East regimes and warned about the consequences of it acquiring nuclear weapons, saying that it would create “catastrophic consequences…for all of mankind.” He drew on many of the same themes he first introduced in his book Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorists. In that book he warned that “hundreds of thousands, and possibly millions” would perish if Iran were to possess nuclear weapons. In both his speech to Congress and his book published a year earlier, he dedicated a significant amount of words to the supposed Iraq WMD threat as well. In 2002, he appeared before Congress as a private citizen to join a Congressional panel looking into the alleged threat from Iraq. Here's a snippet from his testimony at that time: There’s no question that [Saddam] has not given upon on his nuclear program, not [sic] whatsoever. There is also no question that he was not satisfied with the arsenal of chemical and biological weapons that he had and was trying to perfect them constantly…So I think, frankly, it is not serious to assume that this man, who 20 years ago was very close to producing an atomic bomb, spent the last 20 years sitting on his hands. He has not. And every indication we have is that he is pursuing, pursuing with abandon, pursuing with every ounce of effort, the establishment of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons. If anyone makes an opposite assumption or cannot draw the lines connecting the dots, that is simply not an objective assessment of what has happened. Saddam is hell-bent on achieving atomic bombs, atomic capabilities, as soon as he can Netanyahu went on to tell Congress that he believes “that even free and unfettered inspections will not uncover these portable manufacturing sites of death” – referring to centrifuges Iraq was supposedly using to produce nuclear weapons. In other words: nothing short of war was going to stop this Iraqi threat. Watch his an excerpt of his speech below: Thirteen years later, Netanyahu has yet to offer any sort of mea culpa for his remarks before the Congress about Iraq, but he did return his sights to his original target: Iran. In September of 2012, he appeared on Meet The Press to claim that Iran was “very close, they are six months away from being about 90 percent of having the enriched uranium for an atom bomb.” And it was that year where he gave his infamous cartoon-bomb-chart-assisted U.N. speech, which the recent leaks of Mossad intelligence severely undercut. Calling His Bluff? In 2001, a private video was filmed of Netanyahu at a campaign supporter's house shows him boasting that “America is a thing you can move very easily” – noting that he purposely dragged on the process with the Palestinians in order to prevent any resolution. And indeed during his 2011 speech to Congress, he seemed to be proved correct. At that time, Members of Congress gave him 29 standing ovations, more than they gave their own president. But things appear to have changed as he may have finally overplayed his hand. His upcoming address to Congress is being boycotted by nearly 30 Members of Congress; the White House won't be meeting with him, and neither will Secretary of State John Kerry. Additional sanctions on Iran, more or less designed to kill talks with that country, appear to be stalled, and a historic Iran deal appears imminent. After 20 years of telling tall tales about Iran, Iraq, and the Palestinians, Netanyahu may finally be learning that you can't bluff forever. Eventually, people wise up to the act.By Gessler Arzani’s home in Charlotte is peppered with decor and mementos from his years spent in Germany. The largest relic of his time spent overseas, however, is upstairs in the house’s largest room. From floor to ceiling, the room abounds with beer glasses. That’s not an exaggeration. Running from the hardwood floors to the popcorn ceiling, across windows, walls and doors, are shelves filled with beer glasses. Three separate shelving units stand alone in the middle of the room. And above all of this, more glasses are displayed on shelves affixed to the two beams that run across the ceiling. All told, there are 4,200 beer glasses in this room, making Gessler’s collection one of the largest in the country. Some glasses are as small as shot glasses, others as big as a boot. There are tulips, snifters, goblets and flutes. Chalices, dimple mugs, snifters and stanges. There’s the tall Warsteiner glass that tapers out like a megaphone, it so absurdly large that Gessler perched it upon its own shelf and affixed both the shelf and the glass with Velcro. And there’s the one that started it all, a small glass from a brewery in Wiesbaden, Germany that Gessler purchased in 1961. After serving in the Army, Gessler worked for General Electric in Syracuse before transferring to Germany. It wasn’t long after he acquired that first glass that he learned to say “Can I buy a glass?” in German. Like so many in Gessler’s collection, the Wiesbaden brewery no longer exists. Still, it holds the distinction of starting Gessler on a journey he’s been on for more than half a century. Each glass charts a step in that journey. This room is a map. Walking through it, you pass by not only Germany but also Italy, Poland, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, England and Ireland. One section houses glasses from the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Iceland is represented, too. There is a section brimming with glasses from India, Japan, Korea and other Asian countries. The Americas are there, with glasses from Canada, the United States and Mexico. Gessler did not visit all of these countries. His own pursuits were relegated primarily to Germany and central Europe, but he met other collectors over the years who were happy to trade glasses with him. He shipped 500 glasses from Germany back to Syracuse, where most of the glasses were boxed up and kept in a cellar. Things changed when he moved to Charlotte. You can have one room in the house, his wife said, but that’s the only one you can have. The collection continued to grow throughout the years, as Gessler accumulated more and more glasses. He bought a big collection from a guy in Tuscon, Arizona, and rented a Ford Econoline van to bring them all back. A collection of this magnitude is not without its troubles. Gessler once spent several days taking down the glasses and shelves so that someone could roof the house (the glass room sits just below the roof on the second floor). Once he had reinstalled everything, his wife decided that the roof looked so good that they should have the siding done, too. Down they came. Now he hopes to take them down for a final time. Gessler is 82-years-old, and his knees are not those that carried him to and fro so many breweries in search of glasses. He and his wife will look to move into a one-story house soon, and he wants to give away the entire collection. The catch? The person must take all 4,200 of them, and they must pack them up themselves. Gessler hopes to give away the entire collection to one place that can house them all, with a preference to a local venue where he could visit from time to time. If you think you can help, please e-mail cltbeer@gmail.com and I will relay the message to Gessler. To see more photos of Gessler’s collection, visit the Charlotte Beer Facebook page.of his results by some rules of thumb which he has difficulty putting into words even to himself. To exactly what set of cues he is responding it is difficult to say, for apparently no one has made an analysis of the exact difference between records which are judged positive and those which are judged negative or inconclusive. For the experimenter the problem is different, since he is obliged to say exactly how he has arrived at an answer. His procedure, therefore, will usually be, as in the Indiana studies, to settle upon some rather obvious aspect of response that can be definitely measured, and then find out how well he can do at detection with this information about each response. Naturally, he is discarding a good deal of information while he does this, information about other features of the response which might be supplementary or superior to that which he is using. For example, in most GSR work only the maximum amplitude of the response is considered. It may well be that the duration of the response also has a meaning (beyond its correlation with amplitude). In fact, an unreported portion of the Indiana study indicated that this was true. The field operator might allow for this feature intuitively along with other characteristics such as latency, doubleness or singleness of response, rate of rise, etc. Not that the experimenter could not study these things, but he must take them one by one, test them singly and according to various rules of combination and weighting, a laborious and lengthy process. His hope, of course, is that in the long run he will be able to tell the field operator just what he should take into account to secure maximum reliability of decision. Certain suggestions can be offered a priori and some from experimental evidence. The logic of the detection task imposes certain requirements. Basically the assignment is one of differentiating two conditions, truth telling and lying, on the basis of readings which are correlated with them ("prediction" in the statistical sense of the word). The operator or experimenter must proceed by finding, for a given S, the mean response to the critical and to the neutral questions. The alternative, of simply comparing critical responses of an S to those of other persons, will not be satisfactory because Ss differ in their level of responsiveness to any stimulus. By representing the responses to critical questions by R o and those to neutral questions by R n, we may say the first quantity to be considered is R c — R n. We must then decide on the basis of data which sign of the result is indicative of lying, if either. We might, under some circumstances, then determine from data how many persons will be correctly classified when the difference is of a certain degree. The number of detections would -157-Greetings, Guild Wars 2 players! Once again, the ArenaNet team will be flying to Cologne in a few weeks for gamescom 2015. From August 5 to August 9, we’ll be at the largest European video-game event showing the first Guild Wars 2 expansion ever, Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns™. Our World Tournament Series Player vs. Player championships will also make an appearance at this year’s show, with a live tournament on the show floor pitting finalists from Europe, North America, and China in a fight for prize money and the coveted Tyrian lion trophy, “The Pride.” As with last year, we’ll be partnering with our friends from Twitch, so you’ll be able to find us at the Twitch booth in Hall 9 in the consumer area. We’ll have game stations ready for you, as well as other activities for you to take part in. Let’s have a look. Come and Play Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns Whether you’re a seasoned Guild Wars 2 veteran or a new visitor to the world of Tyria, we would love to have you come and stop by our space! We’ll have Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns in its latest playable iteration available at the booth, and if you come and try the game, you might leave with some goodies that our community team will be handing over exclusively to those who play the game. Enjoy the World Tournament Series Finals We’ll also be celebrating the European finals of our World Tournament Series PvP tournaments on the big ESL stage. The final will take place on Saturday, August 8, and will involve four
, 1L); assertEquals(3, repository.getCommits().size()); }); Running this test generates the following output: --Adding invalidates Collection Cache insert into commit (id, repository_id, review) values (default, 1, false) insert into commit_change (commit_id, index_id, diff, path) values (3, 0, '0b3,17...', 'Main.java') --committed JDBC Connection select commits0_.repository_id as reposito3_0_0_, commits0_.id as id1_1_0_, commits0_.id as id11_1_1_, commits0_.repository_id as reposito3_1_1_, commits0_.review as review2_1_1_ from commit commits0_ where commits0_.repository_id=1 --committed JDBC Connection After a new Commit entity is persisted, the Repository.commits collection cache is cleared and the associated Commits entities are fetched from the database (the next time the collection is accessed). Removing existing Collection entries Removing a Collection element follows the same pattern: LOGGER.info("Removing invalidates Collection Cache"); doInTransaction(session -> { Repository repository = (Repository) session.get(Repository.class, 1L); assertEquals(2, repository.getCommits().size()); Commit removable = repository.getCommits().get(0); repository.removeCommit(removable); }); doInTransaction(session -> { Repository repository = (Repository) session.get(Repository.class, 1L); assertEquals(1, repository.getCommits().size()); }); The following output gets generated: --Removing invalidates Collection Cache delete from commit_change where commit_id=1 delete from commit where id=1 --committed JDBC Connection select commits0_.repository_id as reposito3_0_0_, commits0_.id as id1_1_0_, commits0_.id as id1_1_1_, commits0_.repository_id as reposito3_1_1_, commits0_.review as review2_1_1_ from commit commits0_ where commits0_.repository_id=1 --committed JDBC Connection The Collection Cache is evicted once its structure gets changed. Removing Collection elements directly Hibernate can ensure cache consistency, as long as it’s aware of all changes the target cached collection undergoes. Hibernate uses its own Collection types (e.g. PersistentBag, PersistentSet) to allow lazy-loading or detect dirty state. If an internal Collection element is deleted without updating the Collection state, Hibernate won’t be able to invalidate the currently cached Collection entry: LOGGER.info("Removing Child causes inconsistencies"); doInTransaction(session -> { Commit commit = (Commit) session.get(Commit.class, 1L); session.delete(commit); }); try { doInTransaction(session -> { Repository repository = (Repository) session.get(Repository.class, 1L); assertEquals(1, repository.getCommits().size()); }); } catch (ObjectNotFoundException e) { LOGGER.warn("Object not found", e); } --Removing Child causes inconsistencies delete from commit_change where commit_id=1 delete from commit where id=1 -committed JDBC Connection select collection0_.id as id1_1_0_, collection0_.repository_id as reposito3_1_0_, collection0_.review as review2_1_0_ from commit collection0_ where collection0_.id=1 --No row with the given identifier exists: -- [CollectionCacheTest$Commit#1] --rolled JDBC Connection When the Commit entity was deleted, Hibernate didn’t know it had to update all the associated Collection Caches. The next time we load the Commit collection, Hibernate will realize some entities don’t exist anymore and it will throw an exception. Updating Collection elements using HQL Hibernate can maintain cache consistency when executing bulk updates through HQL: LOGGER.info("Updating Child entities using HQL"); doInTransaction(session -> { Repository repository = (Repository) session.get(Repository.class, 1L); for (Commit commit : repository.getCommits()) { assertFalse(commit.review); } }); doInTransaction(session -> { session.createQuery( "update Commit c " + "set c.review = true ").executeUpdate(); }); doInTransaction(session -> { Repository repository = (Repository) session.get(Repository.class, 1L); for(Commit commit : repository.getCommits()) { assertTrue(commit.review); } }); Running this test case generates the following SQL: --Updating Child entities using HQL --committed JDBC Connection update commit set review=true --committed JDBC Connection select commits0_.repository_id as reposito3_0_0_, commits0_.id as id1_1_0_, commits0_.id as id1_1_1_, commits0_.repository_id as reposito3_1_1_, commits0_.review as review2_1_1_ from commit commits0_ where commits0_.repository_id=1 --committed JDBC Connection The first transaction doesn’t require hitting the database, only relying on the second-level cache. The HQL UPDATE clears the Collection Cache, so Hibernate will have to reload it from the database when the collection is accessed afterward. Updating Collection elements using SQL Hibernate can also invalidate cache entries for bulk SQL UPDATE statements: LOGGER.info("Updating Child entities using SQL"); doInTransaction(session -> { Repository repository = (Repository) session.get(Repository.class, 1L); for (Commit commit : repository.getCommits()) { assertFalse(commit.review); } }); doInTransaction(session -> { session.createSQLQuery( "update Commit c " + "set c.review = true ").addSynchronizedEntityClass(Commit.class).executeUpdate(); }); doInTransaction(session -> { Repository repository = (Repository) session.get(Repository.class, 1L); for(Commit commit : repository.getCommits()) { assertTrue(commit.review); } }); Generating the following output: --Updating Child entities using SQL --committed JDBC Connection update commit set review=true --committed JDBC Connection select commits0_.repository_id as reposito3_0_0_, commits0_.id as id1_1_0_, commits0_.id as id1_1_1_, commits0_.repository_id as reposito3_1_1_, commits0_.review as review2_1_1_ from commit commits0_ where commits0_.repository_id=1 --committed JDBC Connection The BulkOperationCleanupAction is responsible for cleaning up the second-level cache on bulk DML statements. While Hibernate can detect the affected cache regions when executing a HQL statement, for native queries you need to instruct Hibernate what regions the statement should invalidate. If you don’t specify any such region, Hibernate will clear all second-level cache regions. If you enjoyed this article, I bet you are going to love my Book and Video Courses as well. Conclusion The Collection Cache is a very useful feature, complementing the second-level entity cache. This way we can store an entire entity graph, reducing the database querying workload in read-mostly applications. Like with AUTO flushing, Hibernate cannot introspect the affected tablespaces when executing native queries. To avoid consistency issues (when using AUTO flushing) or cache misses (second-level cache), whenever we need to run a native query we have to explicitly declare the targeted tables, so Hibernate can take the appropriate actions (e.g. flushing or invalidating cache regions). Code available on GitHub. Download free ebook sample Share this: TweetBreaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. April 1, 2017, 9:49 AM GMT / Updated April 1, 2017, 9:49 AM GMT By Corky Siemaszko The cellphone footage is jarring: An apparently high motorist is slumped behind the wheel of a van stopped in the middle of an Ohio street. His face is ashy white. His eyes are dead to the world. His vehicle is still in gear but not moving because his foot, unaccountably, is still on the brake. “Hey dude! Hey! Hey! Hey!” Jennifer Dillon, the motorist who shot the footage, yells. “You gotta wake up man! You gotta wake up! You cannot die!” Thanks to the overdose antidote Narcan, the man did indeed survive, said Lt. Don Grossmyer of the Maple Heights, Ohio police department. “I could tell you he was released before we could get to the hospital to talk to him,” he said. But for Grossmyer, this was just the latest example of a troubling trend that law enforcement is seeing elsewhere in Ohio and in other states that are struggling to contain an epidemic of opioid overdoses — motorists driving while drugged. “I don’t know the numbers for that, but I can tell you it’s a newer upcoming occurrence,” Grossmyer told NBC News. “Just recently, within the last year, we’ve being seeing this.” J.T. Griffin, chief government affairs officer for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said "opioids and heroin are not traditionally something that is abused while people are driving." "But we're definitely keeping an eye on it," he said. "The stories you hear are horrible. You hear of parents getting high in cars and just passing out." Perhaps the best known example of that happened last September in East Liverpool, Ohio, where police posted a photo of a couple passed out from a drug overdose in a van while a young child looks on helplessly from a back seat. East Liverpool Police Department posted a photograph on the departments Facebook page of a couple overdosing on heroin in an SUV while a 4-year-old looks on from the back seat. East Liverpool Police "Alcohol is still the biggest drug drivers are abusing, marijuana is the other," said Griffin. And those numbers are staggering. The 2014 National Survey of Drug Use and Health found that 10 million people ages 12 or older admitted driving under the influence of “illicit drugs,” a category that includes marijuana, heroin, cocaine, tranquilizers and “misuse of prescription medications.” The feds also appear to share Grossmyer’s concerns. The National Highway Safety Administration reported last year that the percentage of drivers who tested positive for drugs in a 2014 survey was a whopping 20 percent. The agency also cited a 2011 study which concluded “the prevalence of drugged driving is similar to drunk driving among college students.” Also, a report on the NHTSA site under the heading “Dangers of Drugged Driving,” showed a “steep” 9.3 percent increase in traffic deaths for the first nine months of 2015. Among the biggest jumps in deaths were in Rust Belt states like Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, where local officials are grappling with drug overdoses. Even bigger increases were seen in the Pacific Northwest and South (including Florida), which have also been dealing with an upsurge in heroin and methamphetamine abuse. One reason why there are more reports of driving while on drugs may be because the addicts aren't waiting to get home to get high. And heroin addicts, in particular, have to keep to a fixed schedule. "Addicts know that if they get high at 2 p.m., they know they’re going to want to high again at 6 p.m. because they won’t want to go through withdrawal,” Sue Marchese-Debiak, coordinator of the Bergen County Office of Addiction Services in New Jersey, told The Patch.com. “They know the timing.”The Jewish Roots Of The House Of Saud Family Tree CIF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION www.cifiaonline.com الخلفية التاريخية للآل سعود، حكام المملكة العربية السعودية THE ORIGIN AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF SAUDI ROYAL FAMILY Historians have traced that the Sauds belonged to Anza tribe who were settled in Najd around 1450 AD. It is said that Sauds were originally Jews and shrewd Feudal Lords. who were settled in Najd around 1450 AD. It is said that Sauds were originally Jews and shrewd Feudal Lords. Read more.. In early 1960s, the Sawt al Arab Broadcasting Station in Cairo, Egypt and the Yemen Broadcasting Station in Sana’a confirmed the Jewish ancestry of the Saudi Royal family. King Faisal (1906-1975), who ruled the Kingdom between 1964-75, confirmed Jewish ancestry of Saudi Royals. In an interview to Washington post on September 17, 1969, King Faisal is reported to have said “We, the Saudi family are cousins of the Jews. We entirely disagree with any Arab or Muslim Authority which shows any antagonism to the Jews; but we must live together with them in peace. Our country (Arabia) is the Fountain head from where the first Jew sprang, and his descendants spread out all over the world.” Read more. It is claimed that the roots of Saudi ruling family have also been described in detail in a book written in 1810 by a researcher Ibn Rushed (not the Muslim philosopher Ibn Rushd of Cardoba, Spain who lived during 1126-1198). He mentioned about an individual Murdakhai Bin Abraham Bin Moshe Al Dounami, also known as Merkhan, a trader from Basra, Iraq and how he had claimed that he is from Arabian Peninsula but his father had fled earlier to Basra and changed his name for security reasons. He married a bedouin woman and had children. One of his sons name was Saud. Mohammed Ibn Saud (the son of this Saud) later became the founder of Saud dynasty in Arabia. It is claimed that when this book surfaced in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Royals hunted for its copies and destroyed it. A copy of this book is claimed to be available in US Congress library and many attempts by academicians from various US Universities to acquire this book have failed as this book is placed on a HOLD STATUS since 1981. Our readers are requested to let us know if they have credible information in this context. There is an official Saudi account of the ancestor of al-Saud Clan. Saudis claim the ancestor of current Saudi Royals was Mani Ibn Rabiah al-Muraydi who had settled in Diriya. The ancestry of Mani Ibn Rabia is not known; except that he was the descendant of Aniza (Anza) tribe. Mani was invited by a relative named Ibn Dir. Ibn Dir was the ruler of many villages that make up modern-day Riyadh. Ibn Dir gifted Mani two small villages where he settled and renamed these villages as al-Diriya. Read more. The researchers have found out the ancestor of al-Saud to be Murdakhai Bin Abraham Bin Moshe, a Jew from Anza tribe who lived in Basra, Iraq and moved to Najd and settled in Diriya. The official account of al-Sauds claims their ancestor to be Mani Ibn Rabia al-Muaydi, from Aniza (Anza) tribe who settled in Diriya. Probably both these accounts are referring to the same person who is the ancestor of Saudi Royals. Watch the following video clip. Former Lebanese Minister Wiam Wahhab, in a TV interview also confirms that Saudi Royal family is the descendant of Jews. Some people claim that ancestors do not matter in Islam. Once you have accepted Islam, it does not matter who were your ancestors. It is true that ancestry has no significance in Islam as long as you have accepted Islam in a true sense. If someone uses deception and fools Muslims about his acceptance of Islam, it means he is still the adherent of the religion of his ancestors. Look at the systematic destruction of Islam in the hands of Saudi Royals, how they have destroyed all Islamic memorials in the name of Islam and how they are terrorizing the Muslim world and killing Muslims everywhere. This is a clear evidence that Wahhabism is a Jewish ploy with which they are plundering the Muslim world and fooling 1.5 billion Muslims around the Globe. video clip. King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia admitted in March 2015 that all his predecessor Kings, including his father, (King Abdulaziz, King Saud, King Faisal, King Khaled, King Fahd, and King Abdullah ) were Jews. He also admitted that there were many other Jews in the Royal Family, like Naif bin Abduaziz. Watch the following. King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia admitted in March 2015 that all his predecessor Kings, including his father, (King Abdulaziz, King Saud, King Faisal, King Khaled, King Fahd, and King Abdullah ) were Jews. He also admitted that there were many other Jews in the Royal Family, like Naif bin Abduaziz. Watch the following video clip. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu admitted in 2012 that Israel and Saudi Arabia have alliance in the Middle East. It is reported that Saudi Royal family trusts Israeli and US mercenaries as their personal body Guards : US and Israeli mercenary security personnel working for private contractors are allegedly used by Saudi Royal family to guard Saud family Princelings. This Praetorian Guards use balaclava (face cover) and other disguises during security operations which allows for anonymity. Read more….. Saudi Royal’s Jewish ancestry is also confirmed from the fact that they have destroyed and eliminated the entire Islamic Heritage and established Salafism, a new religion in Arabian Peninsula. Read more. MOHAMMED IBN ABD AL-WAHHAB Mohammed Ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703-1799), born in Uyayna in Najd, belonged to Banu Tamim Tribe. Some historians have claimed that Muhammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab, grand parents belonged to Doenmeh Jewish community. This was claimed to have been disclosed in intelligence reports of Iraqi Government which became public after US occupation of Iraq. Ibn Abd al-Wahha b studied in his childhood from his father. Later, he spent some time in Basra, Southern Iraq from where he traveled to Makka and Madina. All historians agree that his new thinking of rebellion against Islam was developed when he was in Basra. By the time he returned to his native town Uyayna in 1740 he had completely transformed into a rebel against Islam. He started propagating his new ideology claiming that the entire population of Muslims of Arabian Peninsula and that of the world was Mushrikeen and that what he was preaching was real Islam. CONFESSIONS OF A BRITISH SPY Memoirs Of Mr. Hempher, The British Spy to the Middle East is a book that was published in series (episodes) in Spiegel, the German paper and later in a prominent French paper. It is reported that a Lebanese doctor translated the book into Arabic. Waqf Ikhlas publications, Turkeytranslated it into English under title: Confessions of a British spy and British enmity against Islam. Read more… is a book that was published in series (episodes) inIt is reported that a Lebanese doctor translated the book into Arabic.translated it into English under title: Hempher’s confessions were mentioned in a research study titled “The Emergence of al-Wahhabiyya Movement and its historical roots” by Col. al-Amri Sa’id Mahmud Najm, General Military Intelligence Directorate, Government of Iraq. This research study was discovered by US forces in May 2003 after their capture of Iraq. Read more.. were mentioned in a research study titledby Col. al-Amri Sa’id Mahmud Najm, General Military Intelligence Directorate, Government of Iraq. This research study was discovered by US forces in May 2003 after their capture of Iraq. David Livingstone, a famous Canadian author wrote an Article titled “The House of Saud – No more Islamic than Billy Graham” in which he has described about British Spy Hempher and his covert operations in Arabian Peninsula. a famous Canadian author wrote an Article titledin which he has described about British Spy Hempher and his covert operations in Arabian Peninsula. Read more.. Mufti of Makka, Shaikh Ahmad Zayni Dahlan in his famous book titled “Fitna-tul-Wahhabiyya”. Read more.. A similar work exposing the Wahhabi terror was documented by the well knownin his famous book titled The book narrates the actions of a covert British agent, Hempher, who was sent to Turkey, the then Head of the Ottoman Empire in 1710, to find ways and means to cause dissension, riots and dismantling of the khilafah in Istanbul, Turkey. At the beginning of his account, Hempher stated he went to Istanbul, embraced Islam, learned Holy Quran and pretended to be a very pious Muslim. During this time, Hempher became fully aware of the difference between Sunnis and Shiites. Hempher was later sent to Basra, Iraq with the following instructions detailed on Page 20 of this book. QUOTE – “Your duty this time is to diagnose the Shia-Sunni controversies well and to report to the ministry. The more successful you are in aggravating the differences among Muslims, the greater will be your service to England. We, the English people, have to make mischief and arouse schism in all our colonies in order that we may live in welfare and luxury. Only by means of such instigations will we be able to demolish the Ottoman Empire. Otherwise, how could a nation with a small population bring another nation with a greater population under its sway? Look for the mouth of the chasm with all your might, and get in as soon as you find it. You should know that the Ottoman and Iranian Empires have reached the nadir of their lives. Therefore, your first duty is to instigate the people against the administration! History has shown that ‘The source of all sorts of revolutions is public rebellions.’ When the unity of Muslims is broken and the common sympathy among them is impaired, their forces will be dissolved and thus we shall easily destroy them.”UNQUOTE While staying in Basra, Hempher joined a Carpenter’s shop where he worked as a cover. He further stated in his book on page 23 as follows: QUOTE – “From time to time a young man would call at our Carpenter’s shop. His attire was that of a student doing scientific research, and he understood Arabic, Persian, and Turkish. His name was Mohammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab and he was from Najd, Eastern Arabia. This guy was rude and nervous person. While abusing the Ottoman Government, he would never speak ill of the Iranian Government. The common ground which made him and the shop-owner Abdur-Ridaa so friendly was that both were inimical towards the Khalifa in Istanbul.” UNQUOTE Hempher further stated on page 24 as follows: QUOTE – “During a dinner conversation at Abdur-Ridaa’s place, the following dispute took place between Mohammad of Najd and a guest from Qom, a Shiite scholar named Shaikh Jawad: Shaikh Jawad: “Since you accept that Ali (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) was a Mujtahid, why don’t you follow him like Shiites do?” Muhammad of Najd: “Ali (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) is no different from ‘Umar (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) or other Sahabah. His statements cannot be of a documentary capacity. Only the Qur’an and the Sunnah are authentic documents.” Shaikh Jawad: “Since our Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) said, ‘I am the City of knowledge, and ‘Ali (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) is its Gate,’ shouldn’t there be difference between ‘Ali (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) and the other Sahabah?” Muhammad of Najd: “If Ali’s (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) statements were of a documentary capacity, would not the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) have said, ‘I have left you the Qur’an, the Sunna, and ‘Ali (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ)?'” Shaikh Jawad: “Yes, we can assume that Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) said so. For it is stated in Hadith, ‘I leave (behind me) Allah’s Book and my Ahle Bayt.’ And ‘Ali (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) is the greatest member of the Ahle Bayt.” Mohammad of Najd denied that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) had said so. UNQUOTE Well, Hempher found that Mohammed Abdul Wahhab had a lot of hatred for the Sunnah and the family and descendants of the Holy Messenger (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) and was misquoting Quran and hadith. Therefore, he established very intimate friendship with Mohammad bin Abdul Wahhab of Najd and launched a campaign of praising him. Hempher told him, “You are greater than ‘Umar (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) and Ali (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ). If Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) was alive now, he would appoint you as his Khalifa instead of them. I expect that Islam will be renovated and improved in your hands. You are the only scholar who will spread Islam all over the world.” Foundation of Deceit – On page 28 of this book, Hempher described the foundation of deceit as follows: QUOTE – “Mohammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhab and I decided to make a new interpretation of Qur’an to reflect only our points of view and would be entirely contrary to the explanations made by the Sahabah, Imams of Fiqh and Mufassireen of Quran. We started reading the Qur’an and talking on its verses. The purpose. was to mislead Mohammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhab. After all, he was trying to present himself as a revolutionist and would therefore accept my views and ideas with pleasure. UNQUOTE While talking about Mu’ta, Hempher narrated as follows : QUOTE – “I sensed that Mohammad of Najd desired a woman as he was single. I told him, ‘Come on, let us each get a woman by Mut’a. We will have great fun with them.’ He accepted with a nod. This was a great opportunity for me, so I promised to find a woman for him to enjoy. My aim was to ally the timidity he had about people. He asked me to keep it a secret between us and that even the woman should not know his name. I hurriedly went to one of the Christian prostitutes who were sent by the Ministry of Colonies with the task of seducing the Muslim youth. I explained the matter to one of them. She accepted to help, so I gave her the nickname Safiyya. I took Mohammad of Najd to her house. Safiyya was at home, alone. We made a one-week marriage contract for Mohammad of Najd, who gave the woman some gold in the name of ‘Mehr.’ Thus we began to mislead Mohammad of Najd; Safiyya from inside, and I from outside.” – UNQUOTE Hempher recounts an incident of Mohammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab getting drunk with the Christian prostitute nick named ‘Safiyya’, as follows: QUOTE – “I told Safiyya to make Ibn Abdul Wahhab drunk heavily. Afterwards, she said, ‘I did as you said and made him drink excessively. He danced and had sex with me several times in the night.’ From then on Safiyya and I completely took control of Mohammad of Najd. In our farewell talk the Minister of Colonies said, ‘We captured Spain from Muslims by means of alcohol and fornication. Let us take all our lands back by using these two great forces again.’ Now I know how true a statement it was.- UNQUOTE Hempher further elaborated: QUOTE – “The Ministry devised a subtle scheme for Mohammad of Najd, as detailed below: (i) He is to declare all Muslims as disbelievers and announce that it is halal to kill them, to seize their property, to violate their chastity, to make their men slaves and their women concubines and to sell them at slave markets. (ii) He is to strive to dissuade Muslims from obeying the Khalifa. He is to provoke them to revolt against him. He is to prepare armies for this purpose. He is to exploit every opportunity to spread the conviction that it is necessary to fight against the notables of Hejaz and bring disgrace on them. (iii) He is to allege that the mausoleums, domes and sacred places in Muslim countries are idols and polytheistic milieus and must therefore be demolished. He is to do his best to produce occasions for insulting Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) his Sahabah, and all prominent scholars. (iv) He is to do his utmost to encourage insurrections, oppressions and anarchy in Muslim countries. (v) He is to try to publish a copy of the Qur’an interpolated with additions and excisions, as is the case with Ahadith.” After explaining this scheme, the Secretary added, ‘Do not panic at this huge program. For our duty is to sow the seeds for annihilating Islam. There will come generations to complete this job.’ Mohammad of Najd promised me that he would implement all the points of the scheme and added, ‘For the time being I can execute them partly.’ A couple of years later the Ministry of Commonwealth managed to cajole Mohammad bin Sa’ud, the Amir of Der’iyya, into joining our team. They sent me a messenger to inform about this and to establish a mutual affection and cooperation between the two Mohammads. For earning Muslims’ hearts and trusts, we exploited Mohammad of Najd religiously, and Mohammad bin Sa’ud politically. It is a historical fact that States based on religion have lived longer and have been more powerful and more imposing. Thus we continuously became more and more powerful. We made Der’iyya the Center of our subversive operations. And we named our new religion, the Wahhabi religion.” UNQUOTE It is reported that initially Ibn Aabdul Wahhab managed to convert Uyayna’s Town In-charge Uthman Ibn Mu’ammar into his new religion and with his support started implementing his new ideology in the town by force. The first evil act committed by Ibn Abd al-Wahhab was, by conspiring with Ibn Mu’ammar, one night, he destroyed the Dome and pious grave of Hadhrat Zayd Ibn al-Khattab (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) who was Sahabi of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) and brother of Hadhrat Umer Ibn al-Khattab (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ), the second Caliph of Islam. Destruction of the Dome and his anti-Islam activities in collusion with local Town In-Charge drew the attention of Sulaiman Ibn Mhammad of Bani Khalid, the Tribal Chief of Al-Hasa who was a good Muslim. He ordered the arrest of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab. The news reached Ibn Abd al-Wahhab in time and he fled from Uyayna. Read more… BRIEF HISTORY OF SAUDS Mohammad Ibn Saud was a shrewd tribal Lord of neighboring Diriyya, Najd who cared more about power, money and women, as had been the case with most of the feudal lords in medieval times. He gave protection to Ibn Abd al-Wahhab on the instruction of the British agents and quickly envisioned the possibility of forming a State in Arabian Peninsula based on Wahhabism, the new religious theory preached by Ibn Abd al-Wahhab. Thus, the first Saudi State came into being in the year 1744 AD (1157 AH) when Ibn Abd al-Wahhab and Mohammad Ibn Saud formed an alliance and hatched a political conspiracy to establish a State based on Wahhabism, away from Islam. To cement the alliance further Ibn Saud’s sister was married to Ibn Abd al-Wahhab. As per the terms of alliance, Ibn Abd al-Wahhab became de facto Minister for Religious Affairs whose job was to convert people into the new religion and create religious fanaticism in masses. The plan was to use newly converted religious fanatics to expand Sauds’ territory and eventually form a large Saudi State in Arabian Peninsula. The following 183 years, between 1744-1927, Sauds fought wars with all Muslim rulers of Arabian Peninsula and were finally successful in wiping out Islam and Muslims from Arabian Peninsula in 1927 when Abdul Aziz declared himself as King of the newly formed state of ‘Saudi Arabia’. Currently Sauds are planning to expand their territory into major part of the Globe using religious fanaticism of their scholars. Read more.. It is in Hadith – ‘A person with eyes protruding, with a long beard and head clean-shaven (named Zul-Khawaisara who was from the tribe of Banu Tamim) came to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) and declared: ‘O Muhammad! (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) fear Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی). ‘ The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) replied: ‘If I disobey Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی) then who else will obey Him? I am obedient to Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی) at all times and never disobedient. Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی) has sent me as Amin (Honest for the entire world, but you don’t accept me as an honest man? A Sahabi (Hadhrat Umer – رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ ) became infuriated and sought permission to remove him from the presence of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم). The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) prevented him from doing so. After the person had left, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) said: ‘From his progeny (descendants) will rise a Group who will recite the Holy Quran but it will not go below their throats. They will leave the Deen (Islam) just as an arrow leaves the bowstring. They will kill Muslims but spare the idolaters. If I ever confronted these people I would slaughter them just as the people of Aad had been destroyed’. (Mishkat, pp – 535). Since Ibn Abd al-Wahhab also belonged to Banu Tamim, therefore, as per the above Hadith, he is indeed from the direct descendants of Zul Khawaisara. There cannot be two opinions in this context. Imam Bukhari has quoted this Hadith from Abdullah Ibn Umar(رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) that Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) once prayed for Syria and Yemen. It is narrated that there were some people of Najd also present in the gathering and they requested the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) to make supplication (du’a) for Najd also. Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) continued saying: ‘O! Allah, Shower Blessings on Syria and Yemen’. The people of Najd again requested the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) to offer prayers for Najd. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) said: ‘It is a place of tremor and mischief (Fitna) and the Horn of Shaitaan will rise from there.’ (Bukhari, Vol – ii, P – 1050). The above Hadith clearly specifies following conclusive points. It is abundantly clear that the place called Najd is not blessed from Islamic point of view as Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) called it a place of Fitna and Evil. When we look at the geographical position of Najd, it lies to the East of Madina. In other Ahadith, it is mentioned that Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) pointed his hand towards the East and said, ‘there, that is the direction from where Fitna will emerge. This place is deprived of the prayers of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم). Hoping of any Islamic good coming out of this place is against the Will of Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی). In these circumstances, the Wahhabism or Salafism coming out of this place cannot be good or virtuous. As per Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) prophecy this religion is tribulation and fitna in Islam. We pray Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی) to safeguard us from this Fitna. The Arabic word used in the above Hadith is ‘Qarnush Shaitaan’,(horn of Shaitaan) which indeed refers to Ibn Abd al-Wahhab. However, in Misbahul Lughaat (page 663) (the dictionary used by Salafis/Deobandis, etc.) the meaning of this word is written as ‘One who follows the advice of Satan’. Therefore, as per the Hadith, Ibn Abd al-Wahhab and his devotees (Salafis) are the followers of Satan. For the past 100 years, this tribulation (Fitna) has gradually swept the entire world. Millions of innocent Muslims have become victims of this movement. Wahhabis /Salafis and their like minded groups have mislead millions of innocent Muslims with the slogans of Shirk, Kufr, Biddah, etc. Read Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) warnings about Salafism The first Saudi State lasted between 1744 -1818 when their last ruler Abdullah bin Saud was executed by Ottomans ( دَوْلَتِ عَلِيّهٔ عُثمَانِیّه ). Read more… The second Saudi state was established in 1824 and lasted till 1890 in central Arabia; when its last ruler Abdur Rahman Ibn Faisal Ibn Turki was defeated by Al-Rashids. Read more… Abdul Aziz bin Abdur Rahman Al-Saud (1876-1953) was the founding ruler of third Saudi State in Najd. He had fled and took refuge in Kuwait in 1890 along with his father Abdur Rahman and entire family whenSecond Saudi State was defeated by Al-Rashids. In 1901, Abdul Aziz returned to Najd and with the help of Kuwaitis, recaptured Riyadh from Al-Rashids. Later on, with the help of British Government, he established his hold on entire Arabian Peninsula over a period of 27 years. The following is the gist of capture of States in Arabia by British trained Wahhabi Army. (i) On Nov. 2, 1921, Ibn Saud captured Hail, ending the ancient dynasty of the Rashids. (ii) In July, 1922, Ibn Saud overran Jauf and ended the ancient Shalan dynasty. (iii) On Aug. 24, 1924, the
good news then. Early returns indicate that’s just what they did in drafting safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye inside the Top 40 picks. 2. The Jaguars’ chances to improve, as it would be with a Tom Coughlin/Doug Marrone operation, are going to run right through the lines of scrimmage. The offensive line is, of course, dependent on Cam Robinson coming through at left tackle. The defensive line, on the other hand, has shown plenty of progress, particularly with Yannick Ngakoue and Michael Bennett flashing early in camp. 3. Carolina’s coaches insisted that Kelvin Benjamin would be just fine when rumblings about the fourth-year star’s weight were boiling over. It’s easier to believe them after Benjamin spent the first quarter Thursday night boxing out the Texans’ secondary. 4. A list of running backs who had a higher APY (average per year) than Devonta Freeman will on his new five-year, $41.25 million deal: Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, Steven Jackson, DeAngelo Williams, Arian Foster, Marshawn Lynch. Freeman is the highest paid back right now. But he’s not closest to highest paid ever at his position. And that’s sort of weird, but indicative of the running back market. 5. There will be a lot of attention on offensive rookies John Ross and Joe Mixon when the Bengals open their season in a month. Here’s another name to watch: Tyler Boyd. Early in camp, the second-year receiver – who was close a lot last year – looks like he’s ready to break through after a respectable 54-catch rookie year. 6. Speaking of the Bengals, I’d be surprised if they move AJ McCarron for anything short of a blow-em-away deal. Cincinnati could have had a second-round pick for him this offseason, and chose to keep him, with the logic being if they deal him, they’ll have to spend a pick to replace him. And if they just keep him and let him walk in 2018, they’ll get a comp pick back anyway. 7. Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said this week that Le’Veon Bell isn’t helping himself holding out, and maybe that’s true. But other people I know in that building, based on how Bell handled last year’s suspension, aren’t too worried. They’ve seen him be away and come back ready to go. They trust he can do it again. 8. Keep tabs on Titans’ second-year Clydesdale Derrick Henry. Along with DeMarco Murray, the team now feels it has two legitimate starting running backs on roster, given the camp that the former Heisman Trophy winner Henry is having. 9. Vince Wilfork probably doesn’t have a real shot at the Hall of Fame, and maybe he shouldn’t. But that he’s in the conversation shows that sometimes stats shouldn’t mean much. He had a total (!) of 16.0 sacks over his 13 years in the NFL. And he had a better career than a lot of players who have posted that many sacks in a single season. 10. Speaking of the Hall of Fame, now that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is in, it’s worth wondering if Jimmy Johnson will get into the team’s ring of honor. I’d bet it happens before too long. FOUR DOWNS Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images 1. Will full-time officials make a difference? On Wednesday, the NFLRA ratified the implementation of full-time officials that the league had sought for quite some time. And the referee’s union did it thanks to two pretty significant concessions that should at least help the NFL avoid the pool of qualified officials thinning out: 1) An official can’t be compelled to go full-time; and 2) Full-time officials can maintain outside employment, provided the NFL remains that official’s primary employer. The concern from the jump with going to full-time officials was that many of the most qualified guys were also the most accomplished off the field, and, as such, the most likely to leave officiating if they were forced to focus completely on football. As it was negotiated, those officials can now either say “no” if they’re recruited to go full-time or keep their toe in another pool if they want to do it. To me, that’s a sensible solution to give the NFL the dedicated group it wanted while making sure the larger group is as strong as possible. Some more details from the agreement? The set-up—ensuring that each field position is represented among the 21-24 full-timers and no more than five come from any one spot—should give the league a wide range of perspectives from game action. And to be sure of it, those employed will have to engage at the league level. The full-timers will be at meetings for the competition committee, general managers advisory committee, coaches’ subcommittee and player safety advisory panel. They’ll also be at the league office once a month, work OTAs and minicamps, help mentor new officials, participate in college and high school officiating clinics, scout lower-level officials, work at least one game day with Alberto Riveron and Co. on Park Ave., do video review work, and keep a constant dialogue with the league office. That’s just in case you were wondering how they’ll fill all the time. “In-season, there isn’t a whole more that guys can do other than what they’re required to do to get ready for the next—studying video, looking at tendencies and all that,” said NFLRA executive director Scott Green. “The big difference for them will be during the dark period (designated time off for all part-timers that runs from the end of the season until May 15).” So what difference will you be able to see? As I wrote Wednesday, the league hopes that, through improved communication, the immediate affect will be more consistency from crew to crew. We’ll see if that much is visible. 2. The NFL’s offensive line crisis. What have I noticed in a week-and-a-half at training camps with nine teams? How the offensive line storyline of this offseason (a bad draft class leading to the overpayment of a mediocre free-agent group) has carried right over into the dog days of summer. To refresh, eight free-agent linemen (none of them was Anthony Munoz) got $9 million or more per year in free agency, which was in anticipation of the aforementioned lackluster college crop. How lackluster? Well, for the first time in 12 years, no offensive linemen went in the first 10 picks of the draft; and for the first time ever (yes, I went all the way back to 1936, through 82 drafts), no offensive linemen went in the top 15. The first one off the board was 25-year-old Utah tackle Garrett Bolles, to Denver at 20. So two Sundays ago, I was in Minnesota. And while the focus has been in their offensive backfield, the Vikings believe their hopes hinge on a line rebuilt around newcomers Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers. (Reiff was on the shelf that afternoon). Last Thursday, I was in Indianapolis, where Ballard decided to stand pat up front, and hope for development with the young players Grigson brought in, knowing that it’ll need to be better whenever Luck, and his surgically repaired throwing shoulder, are fully functional again. On Thursday afternoon, I shot down to Cincy, where the Bengals are optimistic they can bounce back—so long as young tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher grow into their roles. And I swung through Detroit on Monday, where the Lions were trying to figure out how to replace injured sophomore left tackle Taylor Decker. And they aren’t the only ones with a lot of uncertainty up front. Seattle. Houston. The Rams. The Jets. The Chargers. Denver. Carolina. And so on. The winter and spring seemed to signal a crisis in developing young offensive linemen in the era of the college spread. From what I’ve seen so far, this fall might well confirm it. 3. The sense in signing Jay Cutler. So what makes the Dolphins think that 2016 wasn’t an aberration for Cutler? Well, for one, the then-Bears quarterback was never right last year, and Miami knows it. While his thumb injury first made news after Chicago’s Week 2 loss to the Eagles, he actually initially hurt it in the team’s Week 1 loss to the Texans, and he was still dealing with when he tried to come back in midseason. After that, there was another factor—how the Bears’ instability started to wear him down. Cutler was smart enough to see a bad situation when he was in one, and he had a string of those over eight seasons as a Bear. In that time, the franchise cycled through three head coaches, three general managers, six offensive coordinators, five different leading receivers and countless offensive line combinations. That’s not making an excuse for Cutler, who certainly could have fought through all of it better. It’s just an explanation of why Miami might be a better fit. Those close to Cutler say he believes the Dolphins offense is the most talented group he’s had since his early years in Denver. If you take that, and combine it with Cutler’s affection for Miami coach Adam Gase—he had his best Chicago season in Gase’s scheme and there’s a relationship there going back a decade—you can see where there’s at least guarded optimism that this one will be a little different for the 34-year-old veteran going into Year 12. 4. Martellus Bennett explains. Last week, Packers tight end Martellus Bennett sub-tweeted this at Jets rookie Jamal Adams, after Adams said he “would die on the field” if it was his choice: Look football is great but I ain't dying for this shit. Lol. — Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) July 31, 2017 So I figured I’d ask Bennett about it, and my first question was whether his feelings on Adams’ comments related back to the Boston University CTE study, which is what Adams was referencing. He said it wasn’t. “The study was skewed,” Bennett said. “There were variables in the study that weren’t 100 percent either.” What was it about then? “Find a higher purpose in life,” he continued. “For them, they’re young. But I mean, look, football’s gonna end. It’s inevitable. If you’re lucky, it’s three-and-a-half years, that’s the average. Football’s gonna end. One day, everyone has to retire. You’re gonna have to stop playing, stop coaching, it’s going to end. But life is going to continue after football. … “For me, it just messes up the message for the younger kids growing up, to think that it’s on the level where you have to die to perform on a high level, to be good at something. It’s not true. It’s not true at all. It’s misinformation – us being on the platform we’re on, we can’t say s--- like that. Only one percent of kids from college go to the NFL. There are so many great opportunities. No longer do you have to dribble a ball or catch a ball to be great, those days are gone. There are multiple options for you to be successful. If you want to be a football player, great, you can be a good football player, you can be a great football player, you can still have a life. Football’s not the end-all, be-all. This isn’t a career, it’s a job. A career is something you can do for a lifetime. You can’t do this for a lifetime. … Think the owner would die for the team? No, they’re gonna sell the team and continue with their life. I just think, I don’t know, for me the logic and thinking is very immature. There’s just room for growth.” Bennett is nothing if not interesting. It’s good to see here he’s taking an interest in where younger players are headed. TRAINING CAMP LESSON FOR THIS WEEK Matt Stafford worked with independent quarterback coaches in the offseason to fine-tune his mechanics and mental approach. Paul Sancya/AP These days, it seems like every quarterback has had his own version of a swing coach from the time he could grip a football. Matthew Stafford had one when he was a kid, too. The guy’s name was John Stafford. And after those first few lessons from dad, Matt would just rely on the coaches for whatever team he was on, eschewing the outside help that so many guys seek out now. “I was 8, and my dad was teaching me in the front yard,” Stafford said. “I felt like I threw the ball pretty well. My dad understood the mechanics of throwing and got me into a pretty good spot.” It’s hard to argue much with the results. Stafford won a state title in high school, started three seasons in the SEC, became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, and has made two Pro Bowls. And yet, 20 years later at 28 years old, he headed back to the well that his dad dug for him when he was in elementary school. Over the last few months, Stafford made trips to Orange County to visit with Adam Dedeaux and Tom House—who work with nearly half the starting quarterbacks in the NFL—and try to take his game to the next level. Which is where we find our training camp lesson: Closing in on 30 years old used to matter for a quarterback, and it still does, but in a much better way. In today’s NFL, players at that position are actually getting better after 30. Four of the league’s top five in passer rating last year were in their 30s, and four of the last six Super Bowls were won by quarterbacks in their 30s. Lions coach Jim Caldwell doesn’t think that’s a coincidence, either. In fact, as he sees it, his quarterback’s growth last year is proof that he gets it the same way that Tom Brady and Peyton Manning did when they were around his age. “It’s a natural progression,” Caldwell said. “I always talk about that window between the fifth year and the eighth year. What kind of climb are they making? Are they climbing? If they’re climbing, you can tell you have somebody special and that’s what he’s doing at this point in time. He’s always been a fine leader, he’s just started to get a little more vocal, he takes a little more ownership of things, runs the show. “He’s always done all the little things to get better. That’s the thing about him now, he’s looking at the fine details of every single little thing that we do, and trying to find a way to improve it.” And if he needed motivation to take it to the next level, last year gave it to him. Stafford got off to a red-hot start, and his passer rating was 100.5 through three quarters of the season. A dislocated middle finger on his throwing hand caused his play to plummet in December, but having the taste of how far he could push his game (coordinator Jim Bob Cooter has helped) pushed Stafford to find new solutions. One of those happened to come in the form of Dedeaux and House, who came at the recommendation of, among others, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. “At a certain point of your career, you think you’re playing a high level and you’re just trying to find every little thing you can that could possibly make you better,” Stafford said. “I wasn’t going out there 100 percent dead set on, Hey, this is what I’m gonna do. I was going there on a see-what-they’re-about basis. And I liked what I heard and saw, some of that stuff comes really naturally for me, and some of it I have to work extremely hard to get to. “But it’s nothing the average fan is going to be able to see. It’s a lot of little, tiny tweaks, and then there’s a whole off-the-field side of it that’s a positive too.” Stafford didn’t want to get into too much detail—he did say the off-field part focuses on self-evaluation—but he affirmed he’s seen a difference. Whether it works, in the end, remains to be seen. But just the act of making the effort to fine-tune everything is something that bodes well for Stafford’s longevity, if for no other reason than it’s how it’s worked for a number of other quarterbacks of this generation. “As you gain experience in this league, you keep finding ways to challenge yourself mentally,” Stafford said. “That’s one of the ways, just to be as detail oriented as you can possibly be. … I’m always looking for ways to get better, and this was an opportunity.” The Lions believe a healthy Stafford could easily pick up where the injury knocked him off last year, and show all that progress he made was sustainable. Which is to say they’re pretty sure that monster contract they’re about to give him will be worth it. Recent history could bring some comfort there too. • Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.By Christopher Rice When I used to go out and race, the cops would just show up, break us all up, and we would go to a different spot. None of them really gave any tickets. I guess we had it good where we were at. Just so everyone knows the highway patrol is having a field day busting street racers. They impounded 31 cars this weekend. They have been gathering evidence for months with tons of video and undercover officers. Just Google "Street Racing Sting", cars are taken, people arrested and plans to take more cars. It is nuts. Troopers describe the undercover operation as the largest vehicle seizure ever. Troopers say they began receiving information several months ago about racing. The patrol mounted an investigation using undercover officers, confidential informants and hidden cameras . Charges include prearranged racing, spontaneous racing, reckless driving and stop sign violations. Prearranged racing and spontaneous racing are both misdemeanors punishable by revoked driving privileges, fines and jail time. But prearranged racing also includes vehicle seizure. Related: Underground America is back online. How to beat the police, CPS, DEA, FBI, IRS and NSA. How to beat any drug test, police sting and how to beat your court case and more. Troopers say their crackdown will make the highways safer, "Street racing is extremely dangerous, and it places lives at risk," Col. Walter J. Wilson Jr., commander of the Highway Patrol, said in a statement. One trooper told General Strike to end Corruption that these stings were planned not for public safety but to fill the city coffers. Because drug stings cost a lot of money and they have to burn the drugs afterwards. Prostitution stings are also costly and really bring in no money as most prostitutes don't even show up in court to pay their fines. But a supped up racing car can be auctioned off easily. Getting together in a parking lot "is just a social thing," said Amy Kranenberg, 25, of Virginia Beach. "We have a hobby just as anyone has a hobby," she said. "We're all ages, all races. There are people that spend $200 on their cars or $30,000 on their cars. They're not doing drugs or drinking and driving." Those charged with racing, if convicted, could lose their driver's licenses for up to two years. Whether owners get their cars back "is up to the judge." While drunk drivers get to keep their vehicles and drivers licenses. Police promise more of the same in a crack down on illegal street racing.When President Obama bragged earlier that "The United States is and will remain the one indispensable nation in the world..." adding that "no other nation can do what we do," we should have guessed some more war-mongering was coming... and sure enough. As AP reports, it appears Syrian airstrikes are on their way, but there's a mind-blowing twist in US foreign policy: "In an effort to avoid unintentionally strengthening the Syrian government, the White House could seek to balance strikes against the Islamic State with attacks on Assad regime targets." In the words of the Guinness commercial, Brilliant. As AP reports, The intelligence gathered by U.S. military surveillance flights over Syria could support a broad bombing campaign against the Islamic State militant group, but current and former U.S. officials differ on whether air power would significantly degrade what some have called a "terrorist army." "Air power needs to be applied like a thunderstorm, not a drizzle," Deptula said, entailing "24-7 overwatch with force application on every move of ISIL personnel." Further complicating the plans, any military action against Islamic State militants in Syria would also have the effect of putting the U.S. on the same side as Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose ouster the Obama administration has sought for years. So first Iran and now Syria are best buddies with America? Well we can't have that... The U.S. is not cooperating or sharing intelligence with the Assad government, Pentagon and State Department spokesmen said. But the U.S. flights are occurring in eastern Syria, away from most of Syria's air defenses. And experts expressed doubt that Syria would attempt to shoot down American aircraft that are paving the way for a possible bombing campaign against Assad's enemies.... In an effort to avoid unintentionally strengthening the Syrian government, the White House could seek to balance strikes against the Islamic State with attacks on Assad regime targets. However, that option is largely unappealing to the president given that it could open the U.S. to the kind of long-term commitment to Syria's stability that Obama has sought to avoid. * * * So to summarize: ...the limited airstrikes in Iraq (which the Iraqi government did not ask for) now appear to be expanding into '24/7 carpet-bombing' of ISIS targets in Syria (which the US are not asking permission or forgiveness for) and in the interests of "fairness doctrine" America will bomb al-Assad's military installations to maintain some 'balance' between the moderate terrorists, extreme terrorists (and national armies), and scary-as-shit terrorists... Is there something we missed? White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Monday tried to tamp down the notion that action against the Islamic State group could bolster Assad, saying, "We're not interested in trying to help the Assad regime." However, he acknowledged that "there are a lot of cross pressures here." "Cross-pressures" indeed. And all humanitarian.The prosecutor's office in the western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate is investigating whether two men arrested last month for storing large amounts of explosives were members of the Old School Society (OSS), a right-wing terror group suspected of planning attacks on refugee centers and mosques, the magazine "Spiegel" reported on Saturday. The pair - a man aged 18 from Lauterecken and another aged 24 from Mettmann near Düsseldorf - were detained on December 29. More than a week later, almost 90 people had to be evacuated from a neighborhood of Lauterecken over safety concerns, as police removed the large cache of home-made explosives from one of the suspect's houses. "Spiegel" said that during a police interrogation, the younger man had admitted attending an OSS meeting last summer in Rhineland-Palatinate. He said one of the attendees had vaguely discussed carrying out an attack, asking if anyone could produce a large amount of explosives for him. The pair told investigators the explosives were obtained to make fireworks for a private New Year's Eve party. One of the bombs found in the flat was emblazoned with a swastika and symbol of the Nazi SS, police said. Police believe other evidence also links the pair to right-wing extremism. The younger suspect had posed for photos on social media wearing T-shirts emblazoned with right-wing logos. His alleged accomplice had been reported to police previously over violations of the Explosives Act and for having right-wing literature on him. Watch video 26:03 Share Quadriga - Germany's Neo-Nazis - To Ban Or Not To Ban? Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/1I71B Quadriga - Germany's Neo-Nazis - To Ban Or Not To Ban? mm/tj (dpa, AFP)National and state polls conducted after the national party nominating conventions in July picked up a surge by Democrat Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonSanders: 'I fully expect' fair treatment by DNC in 2020 after 'not quite even handed' 2016 primary Sanders: 'Damn right' I'll make the large corporations pay 'fair share of taxes' Former Sanders campaign spokesman: Clinton staff are 'biggest a--holes in American politics' MORE. Pennsylvania is no exception. In the latest Franklin & Marshall College Poll, Clinton holds an 11 percent lead over Republican 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 among likely voters, 49 percent to 38 percent. She has a slightly larger edge, 48 percent to 35 percent, among registered voters. The poll entered the field on Friday, July 29, the day after the Democratic convention adjourned, in order to gauge the bounce for Clinton. The survey asked voters about the Republican convention as well. The poll also picked up the reaction of voters to the debate over the weekend that focused on Trump’s comments about the Kahn family and the response by Gold Star families. The internals in polls among registered voters clearly spell out why Clinton has opened up a big lead in Pennsylvania. The Democratic convention appeared to benefit her more than the Republican convention aided Trump. Nearly two in three voters (62 percent) who watched the Democratic convention reported being more likely to vote for Clinton, while only two in five (40 percent) of those who watched the Republican convention said they were more likely to vote for Trump. Despite the fact that both candidates are more unpopular with voters than popular with the state electorate, there is no indication that voter turnout will be lower than the turnout in 2012. Pennsylvania voters are indicating a willingness to vote in November with some 89 percent of voters saying they are “certain to vote.” Additionally, a large number of respondents, 74 percent, are “very much interested” in the 2016 election. Presidential Characteristics There are a number of characteristics and attributes that matter in the selection of a president. In most of them, Clinton holds sizable leads: the experience to be president, who is better able to handle foreign policy, and who will best protect the US against terrorism. Clinton and Trump are more evenly divided on which candidate is most prepared to fix the nation’s economic problems and who is more honest and trustworthy. Demographics and Regionalism In this poll, Clinton has acquired more support among Democratic voters (78 percent) than Trump has among Republican voters (69 percent), which is major reason why she leads in the poll. She also holds the edge in many of the important sub-groups. Her support comes from female voters garnering 58 percent to Trump’s 27 percent, a stunning 31 percent gap. Trump does win the male vote, but his margin is rather slim, a six-point advantage. There has been an ongoing debate concerning the millennial vote and whether Clinton would carry it, considering the support young voters gave Bernie Sanders Bernard (Bernie) SandersPush to end U.S. support for Saudi war hits Senate setback Sanders: 'I fully expect' fair treatment by DNC in 2020 after 'not quite even handed' 2016 primary Sanders: 'Damn right' I'll make the large corporations pay 'fair share of taxes' MORE. In Pennsylvania, she currently leads the under 35-age group, 45 percent to 25 percent. Clinton also has the edge among voters with incomes $35,000 and higher, and the minority vote. Trump does top her with voters in the lowest income and education groups, including those that live in the rural parts of the state, say they are conservative, and say they are gun owners. Conversely, Clinton leads among voters with college degrees and non-white voters. As one might expect, Trump does well in the rust belt portion of the state, the southwest, and in the northwest, another part of the state with a large working class population. He leads in the Pennsylvania “T,” the large swath of geography that goes up through the heartland of the state and fans across the border with New York. Clinton’s geographic strength is in Philadelphia and its collar counties, the Lehigh Valley, and the northeast. She also leads in Allegheny, largely because of support in Pittsburgh. Put another way, Clinton dominates in the population centers of the state. The importance of the state For most of two decades the state was considered a critical swing state in the presidential contest. The expression, win two of three states, Florida, Ohio or Pennsylvania, and you won the presidential election was de rigueur. The state was among those getting the most campaign visits by the candidates and the most money spent on television commercials. Early on in the 2012 Election, Pennsylvania looked like a win for the Democrats. As a result, the Romney and Obama campaigns paid no attention to the state. That changed about two weeks before the election when Romney reached the conclusion he could not win Ohio and finally began to campaign in the Keystone State. At this point, both campaigns have indicated the importance of Pennsylvania in their Electoral College strategy. Trump somewhat more than the Clinton. Both Clinton and Trump have campaigned in the state since wrapping up their respective nominations. Time will tell as both campaigns reassess their strategies for winning in the battleground states whether they return to Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Senate Contest There can be no doubt that the Pennsylvania U.S. senate election is one of the key races in the nation. The Democrats need to pick up five seats to take back control of the senate, which they lost in 2014, of course, four if they win the presidency. Democrat Katie McGinty is challenging Republican incumbent Pat Toomey. The contest pits the conservative Toomey, a former three-term congressman from the Lehigh Valley and head of the Club for Growth, against the liberal McGinty, who worked for 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 Al Gore Albert (Al) Arnold GoreOvernight Energy: Trump ends talks with California on car emissions \| Dems face tough vote on Green New Deal \| Climate PAC backing Inslee in possible 2020 run New climate PAC will back Inslee for president Howard Schultz must run as a Democrat for chance in 2020 MORE, and more recently was chief-of- staff to Governor Tom Wolf. She also ran in a four-person gubernatorial primary in 2014, coming in fourth to the ultimate winner Tom Wolf. In the recent F&M poll McGinty holds a one-point lead over Toomey, 39 percent to 38 percent among likely voters, with 23 percent undecided. Her lead is larger among registered voters, 38 percent to 30 percent, with almost one-third of the voters not making a selection as of yet. It appears that McGinty has benefitted from the decline in ticket splitting so evident in the 2012 presidential election, and her electoral fate could be determined by whether Clinton might win the state by a substantial margin. In 2012, the Democrats swept every statewide office on the ballot for the first time since the 1970’s. Toomey has not endorsed Trump and did not attend the Republican convention, while McGinty was a strong backer of Hillary Clinton and spoke at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia. So far the campaign is dominated by a spate of negative commercials, and is likely to remain bitter. The two campaign and the assorted PACs that have joined in, and with others likely to participate, could top the record spending of $40 plus million that was poured into the 2012 contest between incumbent Democrat Senator Bob Casey Robert (Bob) Patrick CaseyTrump claims Democrats ‘don’t mind executing babies after birth’ after blocked abortion bill Democrats block abortion bill in Senate GOP wants to pit Ocasio-Cortez against Democrats in the Senate MORE and Republican Tom Smith. Madonna is the director of the Franklin & Marshall College poll, a professor of Public Affairs, and the director Center for Politics & Public Affairs at the college. Follow him on Twitter @terrymadonna The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. US President Barack Obama has signed his landmark healthcare bill into law in a ceremony at the White House. The new law will eventually extend health insurance cover to about 32 million Americans who currently do not have any. Mr Obama said he was signing the bill for people like his mother "who argued with insurance companies even as she battled cancer in her final days". The bill is strongly opposed by the Republicans, who say it is too costly. The bill I'm signing will set in motion reforms that generations of Americans have fought for and marched for and hungered to see President Barack Obama Immediately after the signing, attorneys general from 13 states - 12 Republicans and one Democrat - began legal proceedings against the federal government seeking to stop the reforms on the grounds that they are unconstitutional. Mr Obama was joined at the White House signing ceremony by healthcare reform supporters including Democrats from both Houses of Congress who supported the measure. He said the bill's provisions were "desperately needed", adding: "The bill I'm signing will set in motion reforms that generations of Americans have fought for and marched for and hungered to see." He hailed the "historic leadership and uncommon courage" of the Democratic leadership in Congress that secured the bill's passage, singling out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for particular praise. MARDELL'S AMERICA The Democrats feel a new optimism with a solid victory under their belt. They feel they've proved that they can govern, can make a difference Mark Mardell, BBC North America editor Read Mark's thoughts in full He concluded: "Today after almost a century of trial, today after over a year of debate, today after all the votes have been tallied, health insurance reform becomes law in the United States of America. Today. "All of the overheated rhetoric over reform will finally confront the reality of reform." Mr Obama now has to sell the reforms to a divided American public before November's mid-term elections. On Thursday, he will go to the state of Iowa to talk about how the new law will help to lower healthcare costs for small businesses and families. KEY HEALTHCARE REFORMS Cost: $940bn over 10 years; would reduce deficit by $143bn Coverage: Expanded to 32m currently uninsured Americans Medicare: Prescription drug coverage gap closed; affected over-65s receive rebate and discount on brand name drugs Medicaid: Expanded to include families under 65 with gross income of up to 133% of federal poverty level and childless adults Insurance reforms: Insurers can no longer deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions Insurance exchanges: Uninsured and self-employed able to purchase insurance through state-based exchanges Subsidies: Low-income individuals and families wanting to purchase own health insurance eligible for subsidies Individual Mandate: Those not covered by Medicaid or Medicare must be insured or face fine High-cost insurance: Employers offering workers pricier plans subject to tax on excess premium Q&A: What next for health reform? Now for a climate bill? After a heated debate, the House of Representatives voted 219-212 late on Sunday to send the 10-year, $938bn bill to Mr Obama. Not one Republican voted for the bill, and some Democrats also voted against it. The measure, which the Senate passed in December, is expected to expand health insurance coverage to about 95% of eligible Americans, compared with the 83% covered today. It will ban insurance company practices such as denying coverage to people with existing medical problems. Correspondents say the bill represents the biggest expansion of the federal government's social safety net since President Lyndon Johnson enacted the Medicare and Medicaid government-funded healthcare programmes for the elderly and poor in the 1960s. Mr Obama's campaign to overhaul US healthcare seemed stalled in January, when a Republican won a special election to fill the late Edward Kennedy's Massachusetts Senate seat, and with it, enough Republican votes to prevent the bill from coming to a final vote in the Senate. But Democrats came up with a plan that required the House to approve the Senate-passed measure - despite its opposition to many of its provisions - and then have both chambers pass a measure incorporating numerous changes after the president signed it into law. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionA demonstrator smashes a Starbucks window using a trash can at 12th and I streets in Washington, D.C., on Friday, during a march that ended with a partial encirclement and mass arrest. (Brett Ziegler for USN&WR) Prosecutors announced Friday afternoon that they are dropping a felony rioting charge against one of the journalists arrested after covering a violent confrontation outside President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Evan Engel, a senior producer at Vocativ, and six other journalists were among a crowd of 235 people penned in and arrested following a dramatic chase through the streets of downtown Washington. At least four other journalists were released without charges. Bill Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in the nation’s capital, issued a statement saying the office would no longer pursue the felony rioting case against Engel. The charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and a large fine. Engel’s employer had hired a prominent Washington attorney to represent him, and in a statement the new media outlet called his arrest “an affront to the First Amendment and journalistic freedom.” Miller’s Friday statement said: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today filed a notice seeking the dismissal of the felony rioting charge filed against Evan A. Engel. After consultation with the counsel for Mr. Engel, who is a journalist with Vocativ, as well as a review of evidence presented to us by law enforcement, we have concluded that we will not proceed with the charge against this individual. We are continuing to work with the Metropolitan Police Department to review evidence related to the arrests on Jan. 20. As in all of our cases, we are always willing to consider additional information that people bring forward. Because these matters remain pending in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, we have no comment on other specific individuals beyond our public filings. The case against Mr. Engel is now dismissed. Miller was unable to comment on the status of felony charges facing the remaining six journalists, including Alex Rubinstein of RT and freelancer Aaron Cantu, who has written for Vice and Al-Jazeera America. Case DISMISSED. Thanks to @vocativ, the legal team, & all who reached out with support. My thoughts are with all journalists still charged. — Evan Engel (@evanengel) January
, Steinbrecher believes any effort to establish a new physical hall "may not be in the near future." "We're not going to go willy-nilly and take a bid from a city and say, 'Well, we're going to push this hall here' without thorough investigation and guarantees of sustainability, because we just don't want another failure." For Huckel, currently president of the board of directors for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, the first hurdle is addressing the hall's finances. "It's a museum. It loses money," Huckel declares. "You have to have financial backers to fill that hole. It's a money sink, not a moneymaker. "None of them make money. None of them. They all have a sugar daddy. Baseball has the Clark Foundation and Jane [Forbes] Clark; she balances the budget with a check. The Basketball Hall of Fame survives because of the City of Springfield, the State of Massachusetts and Mass Mutual Insurance Co. Football balances their budget on the NFL Hall of Fame Game, which they get the rights to." One seemingly modest funding proposalfloated back during Huckel's time with the hall of famewas that a small percentage of youth soccer registration fees go toward hall operations. "There are 3 million kids playing soccer through U.S. Youth Soccer," Huckel explains. "What would happen if we got a penny for the hall of fame from each of those kids who registered? That'd be a big chunk of money. But that kind of idea, while put forward, never came to fruition." Finding a site isn't the problem. "Most people tend to say we want a domiciled hall of fame," Steinbrecher says. "We want brick and mortar. And we have had inquiries from a plethora of citiesWashington, D.C., Chicago, Springfield, Mass., Rochester, St. Louisall wanting to discuss domiciling the hall of fame. So there's significant interest. "But there has to be financial backing in order to do that. Every city thinks it's Soccer City USA. But I can guarantee you this: Nothing will be done unless it's financially feasible to maintain and sustain it." Over the past several weeks, both the baseball and pro football halls of fame celebrated annual induction weekends (even without a living inductee into Cooperstown for the first time since 1965). The National Soccer Hall of Fame also continues to induct new members every year (this week, U.S. Soccer announced that the 2013 ceremony will be held Oct. 11 at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.). And for the honored few, the absence of a structural hall does not detract from the significance of their achievement. "When you hear hard-ass soccer players break down and cry when you tell them they're being inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame," Steinbrecher says, "it is very meaningful." But while those enshrined in Cooperstown are commemorated with a plaque, and those in Canton are immortalized with a bust, soccer hall of famers get a Web page. Moreover, a sports hall of fame is more than a house of hallows. It is also a focal point, a symbol of the sport's acceptance and endurance. It's where history is not just honored but also bequeathed. Gradually and increasingly, America is rearing more soccer fans and players for life. The question remains, when will they see their inheritance? [page] (For more than a decade, there was a Soccer Hall of Fame in New York. What happened? Here's the story.) Cooperstown or bust The largest city in Otsego County, N.Y. is Oneonta, situated amid the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains. While the Susquehanna River forms Oneonta's southern spine, the waterway's source flows from 23 miles north in Cooperstown, Otsego's county seat and, since 1939, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. In 1977, Oneonta Mayor James Lettis posed a question to Albert Colone, a lifelong Oneonta resident then serving as supervisor of the town's recreation department, during one of their weekly Thursday meetings. "He had gotten some correspondence from alumni at in-town Hartwick College and Oneonta State wondering if there was such a thing as a National Soccer Hall of Fame," Colone recalls. In 1950, the same year the U.S. upset mighty England in the World Cup, the Philadelphia Oldtimers Soccer Association, a small group of former professional and amateur players, formed their self-declared National Soccer Hall of Fame. Over the ensuing three years, the Oldtimers inducted 50 people before transferring oversight to the U.S. Soccer Football Association. However, this hall of fame lacked any physical presence or means to provide ongoing honor. Enamored with Cooperstown's example, Oneonta decided to push forward with a soccer counterpart in 1979. After not receiving any immediate response to their hall of fame bid from U.S. Soccer, by mid-1980, the ad hoc Oneonta Soccer of Fame committee, chaired by Colone, began proclaiming the town home to the National Soccer Hall of Fame. That declaration and the accompanying publicity it generated began fostering a self-fulfilling endeavor. "As soon as the soccer public became aware of what we were attempting to do, it was remarkable," Colone recalls. "People started sending us stuff... Things started to come in that were absolute treasures to soccer's history." Soccer organizations and regional soccer halls of fame contributed items. Longtime U.S. soccer historian Sam Foulds donated his formidable archives. When the original NASL disbanded in 1983, former player Howie Charbonneau, then working in the league's front office, passed along the NASL's archives, including hundreds of reels of match footage. But for Colone, the crown jewel was famed photographer John Albok's invaluable catalog, which includes hundreds of pristine photos of soccer in 1930s New York City as well as rare color film of soccer being played in such places as Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds. In 1983, Oneonta finally received two essential sanctions: an educational charter from the State of New York and, in August, the official imprimatur of U.S. Soccer. Located along Ford Avenue in downtown Oneonta, the hall subsisted on donations from visitors, gift shop revenue, state grants, local contributions and entry fees from area soccer tournaments. "From the day I became involved on a day-to-day basis and for the 19 years that followed, there wasn't a day in our lives at the Soccer Hall of Fame that I would call financially secure," Colone says. "But we stayed alive. Somehow, someway we stayed alive." The Hall of Fame secured a $4.5 million challenge grant in 1993 for the next phase in its development. However, it couldn't leverage the funds unless matched by public/private sources. In January 1997, the museum temporarily closed its doors due to financial woes. That month, Colone left his post. "With the prospect of this challenge grant coming down the pike, operating in the red, along with this anticipated growth of the project," Colone says, "there were some philosophical issues that I found myself in a position that was contrary to other members of our organization." "The Hall of Fame was kind of at a standstill, how it was going to progress," recalls Jack Huckel, then head soccer coach at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. "I believe there was a feeling in Oneonta that if we don't do something, then nothing's going to happen. It was a struggling museum then, barely making funding and having visitors in the range of 3,000 or so a year. This was a chance to put it on the map." In 1998, owners of At-A-Glance, one of the largest manufacturers of time management products located in nearby Sidney, N.Y., became the largest of numerous capital donors to a new 35,000-square-foot National Soccer Hall of Fame museum project, which broke ground in November 1998 on a nearby 61-acre plot. Less than eight months later, on June 12, 1999, the official grand opening ceremony was held for the new $5.5 million Soccer Hall of Fame museum. Among the dignitaries in attendance were U.S. Soccer Secretary General Hank Steinbrecher, as well as soccer stars Tony Meola, Eric Wynalda and Mary Harvey. However, one person was conspicuously absent from the occasion: Al Colone. Although he was praised from the podium that day, Colone set foot inside the new Hall of Fame only once over the ensuing decade. "It wasn't mine anymore," says Colone. Soccer City RIP In May 2000, Huckel left Skidmore College to become director of museum and archives at the Soccer Hall of Fame. The high points of his tenure range from simplespeaking to kids about the sportto loftythe annual hall of fame induction ceremonies, always festive, well-attended and emotional events. But from the start, the hall's finances were uneasy. The Soccer Hall of Fame operated as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and reported yearly expenses averaged around $1.5 million. But lacking steady and sturdy revenue streams, the hall's annual losses gradually grew to $700,000 for both fiscal years 2009 and 2010. That sort of funding crunch made for some creative curating on Huckel's part. He remembers his first stab at assembling an exhibit was one commemorating the United States' victory in the 1999 Women's World Cup. Huckel contacted Sports Illustrated seeking permission to incorporate their iconic cover image of Brandi Chastain celebrating her game-winning penalty kick. Instead, the magazine demanded a licensing fee of $10,000, "which was more than I had in the budget for the whole dang thing." So, Huckel decided to mount the magazine itself inside the display case, "and keep three more [copies] in the back." "I think initially Will [Lunn, the hall's president] thought [the hall] could survive as a business," Huckel says. "After a couple of years, I came to understand that it would not and that we needed a more robust plan to drive donation revenue, develop a sugar daddy or create an endowment. For a relatively modest endowmentsomewhere in the range of $10 million and living off the income from thatwe probably could have survived... That would have kept our doors open." Steinbrecher boils the hall's financial struggles down to a simpler diagnosis: traffic. "You can't have a sustainable hall with a staff and everything it takes to keep it up with only 17,000 visitors," says Steinbrecher. "There was a lot of analysis about, 'Well, you're only 15 miles from Cooperstown, why can't you sustain it?' Oneonta is a hard place to get to, it's not a travel destination, and the sustainability of the hall is what ultimately led to its demise." Grants quickly evaporated as admissions did not match projections and, moreover, those with the resources to bring about long-term financial security for the hall remained unapproached or uninterested. "I don't question motives. I just see what happened," says Huckel. "What happened was that those involved in soccer who had the deep pockets to do that, for whatever reason, chose not to even though we, in apparently ineffective ways, approached them. "Lamar Hunt and Phil Anschutz were visitors to the Hall of Fame. I know they had conversations with the president regarding funding. Lamar was a member of the board, so he was well aware of the financial condition of the museum in 2005–06." For years, people solicited Colone's opinion about the hall's ultimate fate. And for years, he declined public comment. "But, if I had to say what may have been their demise, I have to say it may have been they forgot why they were in business," the now-68-year-old Colone contends. "Every time I read an article in the local paper after I left, it was either about them raising money or spending money. Very little was written about history or the core principle of the organization." In February 2010, the Soccer Hall of Fame announced it was permanently shuttering the Oneonta facility. In October, the bulk of the hall's archives was shipped south to North Carolina. The most distinctive physical feature of the Soccer Hall of Fame building was a giant soccer ball measuring nearly 18 feet across, sculpted so it appeared to be exploding through an exterior wall. The motif served as the backdrop for induction ceremonies and other events. When Ioxus, a technology manufacturer, purchased the former Hall of Fame facility in 2011, the exploding soccer ball was removed. During the time the National Soccer Hall of Fame was in operation, the Otsego County Tourism Office was located along Main Street in Oneonta. Their website's domain name? VisitCooperstown.com.An actor in a new puppet-based video series for students says storytelling is how we'll break down the gender norms that hold us all back. They were playing one of those magical self-generating kids’ games, where the rules are fuzzy, the atmosphere electric. I was, as usual, walking between pockets of people. I do not know what trickster-god possessed me on that day. Before I could stop myself I’d crossed the threshold. “Hey, can I play too?” Katie, the leader, didn’t hesitate: “No. Only girls can play this game.” I sputtered, “But... Steven’s not a girl!” Katie’s expression, the mixture of amusement and surprise as she stopped short and gazed over, is forever fixed in my memory. “Oh, yeah!” she said, “I forgot!” I stood bewildered, frozen, as the group giggled away from me back into their secret realm. I was trapped in Boy World, where every game (sometimes, it seemed, every interaction) needed to come down to being a winner or a loser — “neither” didn’t exist. Competition causes me psychic pain which, at that age, I did not yet have the tools to handle. Here was Steven freely walking the mysterious Girl World that I was forever barred from, and I had just witnessed a girl have to re-realize Steven was a boy. Mythologically speaking, this impenetrable, confounding, aching moment, at 7 years old, was precisely when I decided to pretend to be cisgender. Years later, when one of my best friends inadvertently sparked me remembering who I am, I found I’d built a prison out of imposed maleness compounded by my natural weirdness. Friends always affectionately called me an alien. But whether accepted or rejected, I always felt like an imposter. An ever-present sense of terror and unbelonging. I even slowly forgot what I was hiding. I just knew that, whatever it was, I must not be exposed. And then came what storyteller Ursula Le Guin describes when she writes, “Anyone who has been able to break from the grip of a controlling, crippling belief or bigotry or enforced ignorance knows the sense of coming out into the light and air, of release, being set free to fly, to transcend.” A new video series, BreakthroughU, is delving into complicated social issues, including the daily struggles of a gender-nonconforming person. The series, which is mainly intended for college and high school audiences, explores events arising from gender-based discrimination and violence as they commonly occur in campus and school life. Through storytelling, the videos address issues including intimate partner violence (in heterosexual and same-sex couples), nonconsensual image sharing, sexual harassment, discrimination against gender-nonconforming and transgender people, hypermasculinity, and gender policing. The videos also take an unusual approach — the characters are played by puppets. When I first saw the BreakthroughU script, about 10 minutes before my audition to play the role of Sam, the gender-nonconforming character, I discovered this person's experience of gender to be different from mine. Whereas Sam (at least on the day the script takes place) identifies as a woman, so likely has some sense of what a woman is, one of the major qualities of my gender experience is my lack of this sense. I simply do not have the seemingly innate sense of womanness or manness that many cis and trans folk do. I honed in on the “fluid” in “gender-fluid” and decided to work with water imagery. Water is something nonhuman that led me out of my own story, into the space between stories, and into Sam’s story. Sam and I have an overlap of experience, but we do not experience gender nonconformity in the same way. Like how a trans woman and a cis woman are both women but have been given different experiences of womanness. Same concept, different context. Finding my way into Sam’s story drove home an important lesson. I was able to imagine into both the story Sam uses to identify themselves and the context from which that story arose. This practice is my job as an actor, but I am realizing I do not always carry this practice everywhere I go. I would like to learn to, and I would urge you to do the same. The ability to walk out of one's own story and experience the story of another is not something new we need to add to ourselves, it is something ancient we can work to remember, re-embody. Storytelling helps us do this. Stories that explicitly seek to move us to think differently and create change in the world — like BreakthroughU and the rest of Breakthrough’s wonderful content — or any other mode from fiction to memoir to journalism. Any story, well told, can awaken and heal. We can all learn to name the sensation of leaving our own story, entering the land outside the stories, and passing into the story of another. We can carry this sensation out of the helpful — but often passive — privacy of our inner lives and into active, engaged, moment-to-moment practice. The video series helps viewers enter into this practice by providing tools, like an action hotline, which is a one-on-one coaching and mentoring resource for students who want to challenge gender norms and change the culture of gender-based violence in their campus communities. As a storyteller and a gender-nonconforming human, there is a part of me that makes its home in that space outside our poisoned stories. But I make no claim to that space. My circumstances may have brought me there, but no one can own the in-between. No matter who you have been told you are, you are welcome there. It is a place of power. Power that no one is required to take or earn. Power that does not seek to overpower. Le Guin writes, “There is a kind of refusal to serve power that isn’t a revolt or a rebellion, but a revolution in the sense of reversing meanings, of changing how things are understood.” Our identities contain our stories; our stories contain our identities. Any separation between the two is a game of the socialized intellectual mind; the two are not in fact divisible. Only by witnessing our fellow beings in context — imagining into their world and their relationship with both their world and all the many worlds that make up Our World — do we have a chance to see each other with open eyes, hear each other with open ears, and help each other with open arms. This is the only way true culture change is possible. GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ is a storyteller featured in an educational video series developed by Breakthrough, a global human rights organization working to make violence and discrimination against women and girls unacceptable, through cutting-edge multimedia campaigns, community mobilization, agenda-setting, and leadership training.American Landmark Properties, which used to own Willis Tower in Chicago, has purchased the Illinois Science + Technology Park in downtown Skokie, the village announced Friday. The 24-acre property that is home to an open-campus biotech park near Searle Parkway and Niles Avenue had been up for sale by developer Forest City Enterprises for well over a year, officials said. The selling price was $77 million, according to American Landmark Properties, which released information about the completed sale Thursday.. "The Illinois Science + Technology Park represented a rare opportunity to acquire one of Chicago's premier life sciences and technology campuses," said John Roeser, executive vice president of Skokie-based American Landmark Properties. Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen called American Landmark Properties "a world-class developer from our very own community" in a written statement following announcement of the sale. Van Dusen said it was Forest City's vision that established the property from the onset. He said the sale "(furthers) both the important scientific work that had occurred at the campus under prior owners and Skokie's stature as an important center of research and development in the state." Once home to two pharmaceutical companies, the property was sold by Pfizer Pharmaceutical Co. to Forest City more than 10 years ago. Forest City and the village had announced big plans for the park, including building it out to as many as 10 buildings as tenants came in. But those plans never fully materialized, in part because of the recession and the state budget crisis, which left the park without some state funding that was expected, officials said. Van Dusen recently hinted that the sale was in the works and that the park could be expanded under a new ownership. The mayor called the science park "a significant contributor to Skokie's employment base and economic growth." According to the village, about 1,500 employees work at the park. It was earlier expected that the park could have as many as twice that number once the build-out was completed. The park currently has five buildings although a sixth building on the site remains a shell because state funding fell through, village officials said. There are no specific plans for that building, according to American Landmark Properties, but the company is looking for a tenant or tenants. The building, which includes 136,000 square feet of space, would be constructed to the specifications of those who occupy it, the company said. According to Roeser, three existing fully renovated lab and office buildings are currently 86 percent leased to "leading domestic and multi-national life science, energy and nanotech companies." According to the new owners, the park includes 556,650 square feet of fully developed office, laboratory and amenity space. Other development opportunities, include up to 1.3 million square feet of new office and lab facilities on he park property as well as 500,000 square feet of mixed use retail and residential space, the company stated. NanoBusiness Alliance, an organization that said it was about "creating a collective voice for the emerging small tech industry," was the first tenant of the park. Since then, the park has become home to major national and international firms such as New Zealand-based Lanzatech and Better Pharma Development Services USA, which is headquartered in Germany. It also leases space to NorthShore University Health Systems. Leasing agents Scott Brandwein and David Saad of Los Angeles-based real-estate service giant CBRE have been retained as the leasing agents for the park property, according to American Landmark Properties. "We are seeing a lot of momentum in the market from science-based (research and development) companies encompassing a variety of industries, along with our Chicago-area research universities," said Brandwein.Western companies are being fleeced for hundreds of millions by cybercriminals. Is it time to give them a dose of their own medicine? If we’re losing the war against cybercrime, then should we take off the gloves and strike back electronically against hackers? As banks reel from another major hacking revelation, a former US director of intelligence has joined some of them in advocating for online counterstrikes against cybercriminals. In February, security firm Kaspersky detailed a direct hack against 100 banks, in a co-ordinated heist worth up to $1bn. This follows growing sentiment among banks, expressed privately, that they should be allowed to hack back against the cybercriminals penetrating their networks. At February’s Davos forum, senior banking officials reportedly lobbied for permission to track down hackers’ computers and disable them. They are frustrated by sustained hacking campaigns from attackers in other countries, intent on disrupting their web sites and stealing their data. Dennis Blair, former director of national intelligence in the Obama administration, has now spoken out in favour of electronic countermeasures, known in cybersecurity circles as hacking back, or strikeback. Blair co-authored a 2013 report from the US Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property. It considered explicitly authorising strikeback operations but stopped short of endorsing this measure at the time. Instead, the report suggested exploring non-destructive alternatives, such as electronically tagging stolen data for later detection. It also called for a rethinking of the laws that forbid hacking, even in self-defence. Western law enforcers don’t have jurisdiction in the countries where cybercriminals operate. Ideally, they would pass information about hackers onto their counterparts there, said Blair, but in many cases local police are un-cooperative. It’s time to up the ante, he suggested. “I am more leaning towards some controlled experiments in officially conducting aggressive cyber-tracking of where attacks come from, discovering their origin, and then taking electronic action against them,” he told the Guardian. Legal problems There’s just one problem with strikeback operations, said Mark Rasch, a former federal cybercrime prosecutor and the head of Maryland-based Rasch Technology and Cyber-law: it’s against the law. “You have to start with the general assumption that hacking back is most likely illegal,” he said. Long-standing laws on both sides of the Atlantic clearly forbid unauthorised tampering with a computer, even if someone is using that computer to attack you. In the UK, the Computer Misuse Act sets those rules. In the US, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act does the same. Even without this legislation, the law generally frowns upon what Rasch calls “self help”. Judges dislike vigilante justice. The stakes are getting higher, though. Since the report’s release, corporate America has seen several devastating cyber-attacks. JP Morgan suffered a breach affecting 76 million households. Home Depot and Target were also hacked, and most recently, Sony Entertainment was embarrassed by the theft of internal documents. “I’ve been seeing the way that technology is developing. I think it’s worth some limited legislation to post penalties back to hackers,” Mr Blair said, adding that companies should work with law enforcement rather than taking matters into their own hands. “Law enforcement authorities can go back down the same route that [the hackers] use to attack, and cause physical damage to their equipment,” he added. A Gentler Poke Is frying someone’s laptop remotely with a killer poke even possible? Even if it is, it may not achieve the desired effect, says Dave Dittrich, a computer specialist at the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory, who is a specialist in the topic. “How expensive is it to buy a new one? $500? Cyber is not the same as physical when it comes to disabling ‘weapons’ to remove a threat.” Frying is not the only form of counter-hack, points out Dittrich. “I prefer the term ‘active response continuum’ to make it clear and explicit that there is a wide range of actions, from benign to very aggressive and intrusive,” he said. These actions include simply probing an attacker’s computer to see what kinds of attack tool they are using. “That falls on the lower end of the active response continuum, and has less chance of causing any harm to anyone (beyond trespassing, which may still be a crime, but a lesser offense),” Dittrich said. Could laws be tweaked to allow gentler forms of active defence? Even if they were, technical problems remain, warned Jon Ramsey, chief technology officer at Dell SecureWorks, Dell’s security unit. One of the biggest challenges is attribution, he pointed out. It is difficult to trace an attack to a specific individual in cyberspace. “Without accurate traceback there is a significant and substantial risk that organisations start attacking legitimate organizations,” he said. “Where would this end? It would cascade out of control. Threat actors often use compromised devices of companies and individuals that become unwilling and unknowing participants in attacks and are attacked themselves.” For example, cybercriminals frequently launch compromised computers that are part of a botnet to launch their attacks, said Bill Nelson. He is the executive director of FS-ISAC, a US industry forum for financial services firms to privately share information about cyber threats. A botnet is a large collection of computers owned by innocent users, which have been infected by malware. The malware enables cybercriminals to remotely control the computers. “We do not endorse hacking back because there can be significant unintended consequences,” said Nelson. These issues apparently haven’t stopped financial institutions from considering the idea in private before. In December, Bloomberg reported that banks had considered using offshore contractors to carry out a counter-attack, after a widespread attack on the US banking community that US officials believed was mounted from within Iran. According to Bloomberg, the FBI discovered that computers used in a cyber-attack on the banking community had been disabled by a third party, and the agency had investigated banks to see if they had already engaged in strikeback activity across national boundaries. It apparently absolved banks under investigation, though. Banks would have been particularly sensitive to the idea of hacking back across international borders, said John Pescatore, who worked in the Secret Service and the NSA before becoming director of security research and training company the SANS Institute. “They need to cross country boundaries to do it. That’s what was really coming out of Davos,” he said, adding that these companies are well aware of the legal dangers when crossing international lines. “It’s that boundary crossing issue where I think the larger financial institutions are saying: ‘we need some help’.” Sharing is caring Instead of engaging in such legally risky behaviour, banks that are attacked should simply share information about it with the government to help prepare an industry-wide response, argued John Carson. He is the executive vice president of BITS, the technology policy division of the US Financial Services Round Table, an industry association for financial firms. Information sharing, while good for cybersecurity, may carry its own legal risks, Carson warned: “Today if there is an attack, there’s a reluctance to share that information because it could be used against that institution in a civil suit.” Legislators are trying to plug that gap. In January, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) was reintroduced in the House. The Bill would allow companies to share information about cyber-threats and hacks with law enforcement without fear of legal reprisal. In February, Senator Tom Carper (D-Del) also introduced the Cyber Threat Sharing Act of 2015, which would accomplish similar goals. President Obama also signed an executive order advocating cybersecurity information sharing. Armed with this information, the government might be the ideal partner to hack back against cybercriminals. Blair affirms that banks shouldn’t handle it themselves: “I still think it should be handled through law enforcement authorities, and I would not give some immunity to companies who try it on their own. Because then you just make it wild west, vigilante stuff.” Law enforcement is equally constrained by the law, though, said Rasch. “You can get a warrant to search and seize stuff, but since when did law enforcement have the authorisation to impose punishments on their own? If that’s what you’re talking about with hacking back, I don’t think they can do it,” he said. The real question, he added, is whether a government would consider refusing to prosecute law enforcement in the event of a cyber strikeback. But at that point, it stops being a legal discussion. “You’re getting out of the realm of law. You’re getting into the realm of politics,” he warned. At this level, the problem is that one government may simply have different rules or priorities to another. If a government refuses to prosecute its own cybercriminals when they’re attacking companies in your country, then should your government support strikebacks by law enforcement that believes it has identified a hacking group? “It’s a dangerous game you play, when you decide that because they’re not following the rules, you’re not going to either. Because then you don’t have rules,” he said. The problem seems simple: do you take the high road, or stoop to their level? At stake are not only millions of dollars in intellectual property, but also elements of critical national infrastructure, and even free speech. As we face such threats, Blair remains convinced that strikebacks are a useful deterrent. He is less concerned with the legal debate than he is with the fact that western firms are being fleeced by shadowy cyber-crooks half a world away. “Sitting around sucking our thumbs debating legal points is getting us nowhere,” he concluded. “We’re being robbed blind.”BEIJING: Taking advantage of the US government shutdown, China has taken center stage of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Apec ) summit in Indonesia and proposed a'maritime silk route' connecting China and South East Asia.US President Barack Obama has cancelled his visit to the Apec summit and dispatched secretary of state John Kerry to the meeting because of the budget crisis at home."China cannot develop in isolation of the Asia-Pacific and the Asia-Pacific cannot prosper without China," Chinese President Xi Xinping said suggesting that countries in the region may need Chinese cooperation more than they need US backing.Beijing is also hoping the enhanced cooperation on the proposed maritime silk route will soften the adverse impact of its disputes with five sea neighbors over ownership of islands, sources said.Xi has signed over $100 billion worth of contracts during his recent tours of Central Asia and South East Asia indicating a sharp spurt in Beijing's efforts to woo the Asian market. More deals are in the pipeline as Chinese premier Li Keqiang is due to begin on a four nation tour that would include Thailand and Vietnam on Wednesday.The enhanced focus on Asian markets might augur well for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's forthcoming visit to Beijing, which is expected to take place on October 23. India and China are expected to ink some major agreements covering prickly issues like market access during the visit."Beijing is basically saying it will bankroll big projects in the neighborhood. The implicit signal is to keep US companies out of the Asian circuit. The move gives China a strategic advantages, and produces more demand to feed its factories," an investment banker from a US bank told TNN.China is desperate to tap more of the Asian market because demand for its exports from Europe and the US in on the slide, sources said.Two-way trade between India and China was $26.5 billion in the first five months of 2013 till May. The two neighbors clocked $67 billion in bilateral trade in 2012, falling from $74 billion the year before. Both countries are looking forward to a major decision during Singh's Beijing visit to jumpstart the economic relationship.Pushing for regional free trade agreements, Xi said in Jakarta, "As a Chinese saying goes, 'The Ocean is vast because it admits hundreds of rivers'. China has always actively supported and participated in the process of Asia-Pacific economic integration."A new international idea competition is announced by reSITE Festival, ARCHIP (Architectural Institute in Prague) and Skanska, to find new ideas for the River Vltava, in Prague, Czech Republic. Skanska Bridging Prague Design Competition is a challenge for interdisciplinary collaboration on new conceptions to connect the river with the historical capital city. Competitors are asked to develop a new Vision Plan for this section of the riverfront that creates a unified experience linking cultural, recreational, ecological, historical and economic opportunities. Thorough inventory and analysis of the river will reveal issues relative to access from the historical center to the river, cultural adjacency, transportation (over land and water), economics and development, poor transport planning and pedestrian connection. “We want a visionary proposal from a diverse group of competitors for the future of the river. The jurors will look for a multi-disciplinary approach that integrates landscape architecture, urbanism, architecture, art, urban ecology and other fields. This is how the modern urban project should be” says Martin Barry, Fulbright Scholar and Director of reSITE Festival. Regina Loukotová, the Rector of ARCHIP adds: “The competition, both for students and professionals, can contribute significant benefits to the City of Prague – specific conceptions and strategies. A simple and clearly described idea might clarify even a complex and complicated problem. An external view might help us to see the relationship between the city and the river in a different perspective.” The scope of the competition is the Vltava riverbank and its immediate context from Libensky Most (Bridge) to the north to Zeleznicni most (Railway Bridge) to the south. This section of the river has really various character and quality on both riverbanks, which gives competitors a chance to select and work on a wide scope of places and areas. The proposals should use existing potential of the Vltava river, define its connection with the city – and lead to creation of attractive public spaces of adequate scale, living by variety of activities. Prize Money 1st €3000 2nd €2000 3rd €1000 Prizemoney will be donated by the main sponsor, Skanska company. The international competition in anonymous and open to all interested parties, regardless of age or profession. An entry can be submitted by an individual, a company, or a team. The projects will be judged in two rounds, the winners will be chosen by an international jury, composed of renowned professionals like Kate Orff, Alexandros Washburn, Jakub Cigler, Adam Gebrian, Igor Kovačević or Jan Skalický. Competition regulations and complete brief plus material are available at competition website. Registration is free of charge. Entries in English language are to be sent only in digital form – the deadline is Monday, May14, 2012.Dear David Cameron, You recently claimed that certain forms of modern communication cannot be allowed to happen in private. I wanted to let you know that writing was invented over five thousand years ago and speaking, privately or publicly, predates writing by hundreds of thousands of years. There is nothing modern about private communication. What is modern, are high literacy rates and the Internet. High literacy rates mean people communicate though writing much more than they used to. The Internet facilitates written communication, identifies the communicators, and due to the nature of writing, keeps a record of it. This gives governments the ability to monitor their citizen’s communication on mass for the first time. Ever. Never before in history has a government had as much access to their citizen’s private information as today. The question is whether this communication record should be private or not and who should decide this. It is my opinion that a citizen should be able to decide themselves whether to communicate in private or publicly without trusting a third party such as a company or government to look after their information. That is the original, most natural way to live. It is thankfully still generally accepted that when we speak to someone everything we say should not be recorded and sent to a central database. However, it appears that there is no limit to the type of communication you wish to monitor, Mr Cameron. Most of us carry a microphone around with us in our
a game in which he and the far right were the only players. The far right, a party called Svoboda, grew larger in these conditions, but never remotely large enough to pose a real challenge to the Yanukovych regime in democratic elections. In this arrangement Yanukovych could then tell gullible westerners that he was the alternative to the far right. In fact, Svoboda was a house opposition that, during the revolution, rebelled against its own leadership. Against the wishes of their leaders, the radical youth of Svoboda fought in considerable numbers, alongside of course people of completely different views. They fought and they took risks and they died, sometimes while trying to save others. In the post-revolutionary situation these young men will likely seek new leadership. The leader of Svoboda, according to opinion polls, has little popular support; if he chooses to run for president, which is unlikely, he will lose. The radical alternative to Svoboda is Right Sector, a group of far-right organizations whose frankly admitted goal was not a European future but a national revolution against all foreign influences. In the long run, Right Sector is the group to watch. For the time being, its leaders have been very careful, in conversations with both Jews and Russians, to stress that their goal is political and not ethnic or racial. In the days after the revolution they have not caused violence or disorder. On the contrary, the subway runs in Kiev. The grotesque residences of Yanukovych are visited by tourists, but they are not looted. The main one is now being used as a base for archival research by investigative journalists. The transitional authorities were not from the right, or even from the western part of Ukraine, where nationalism is more widespread. The speaker of the parliament and the acting president is a Baptist preacher from southeastern Ukraine. All of the power ministries, where of course any coup-plotter would plant his own people, were led by professionals and Russian speakers. The acting minister of internal affairs was half Armenian and half Russian. The acting minister of defense was of Roma origin. The provisional authorities are now being supplanted by a new government, chosen by parliament, which is very similar in its general orientation. The new prime minister is a Russian-speaking conservative technocrat. Both of the major presidential candidates in the elections planned for May are Russian speakers. The likely next president, Vitali Klitschko, is the son of a general in the Soviet armed forces, best known in the West as the heavyweight champion boxer. He is a chess player and a Russian speaker. He does his best to speak Ukrainian. It does not come terribly naturally. He is not a Ukrainian nationalist. As specialists in Russian and Ukrainian nationalism have been predicting for weeks, the claim that the Ukrainian revolution is a “nationalist coup,” as Yanukovych, in Russian exile, said on Friday, has become a pretext for Russian intervention. This now appears to be underway in the Crimea, where the Russian flag has been raised over the regional parliament and gunmen have occupied the airports. Meanwhile, Russia has put army battle groups on alert and sent naval cruisers from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Whatever course the Russian intervention may take, it is not an attempt to stop a fascist coup, since nothing of the kind has taken place. What has taken place is a popular revolution, with all of the messiness, confusion, and opposition that entails. The young leaders of the Maidan, some of them radical leftists, have risked their lives to oppose a regime that represented, at an extreme, the inequalities that we criticize at home. They have an experience of revolution that we do not. Part of that experience, unfortunately, is that Westerners are provincial, gullible, and reactionary. Thus far the new Ukrainian authorities have reacted with remarkable calm. It is entirely possible that a Russian attack on Ukraine will provoke a strong nationalist reaction: indeed, it would be rather surprising if it did not, since invasions have a way of bringing out the worst in people. If this is what does happen, we should see events for what they are: an entirely unprovoked attack by one nation upon the sovereign territory of another. Insofar as we have accepted the presentation of the revolution as a fascist coup, we have delayed policies that might have stopped the killing earlier, and helped prepare the way for war. Insofar as we wish for peace and democracy, we are going to have to begin by getting the story right. This is the second installment of Timothy Snyder’s series on Russian ideology and the Ukrainian revolution. In the next part, Snyder examines Putin’s intentions in Crimea.Comment on the Reddit Emails Post a reply 3 posts • Page 1 of 1 Dave Killoran PowerScore Staff Posts: 3013 Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2011 1:18 pm Points: 3,012 Website Reply with quote On Reddit this morning, Because we were closed for the Holidays, scores will be released tomorrow and Thursday. Test Administration Group Law School Admmission Council I've been asked quite a bit about this on First, the one thing that catches your eye is the spelling error. That error makes the email look false from the get-go, but several other users noted that they had also received emails from that address with the same error. In fact, one of the emails even had a slightly different error! Now, this could be the sign of an extremely well-organized hoax, but I seriously doubt that. It appears that someone at LSAC just isn't a very good speller Second, another reason I was originally skeptical of this email was the blunt manner of telling the student the score release date, and stating it was over two separate days. That is not LSAC's normal operating procedure, and it makes the whole thing ring hollow, and I said so on Twitter. Subsequent to those comments, /user/msp95713 reached out to me and offered just about any way possible to prove that the email was real. He revealed his real name, forwarded the email to me, and also offered to allow me to log into his account. Based on all that, I feel that the email is probably real. I say "probably" since nothing is really provable these days, and anything can be faked with the tools out there. But I think he's probably telling the truth, and for his sake it's worth making that clear. So, what does this all mean? In a word: nothing. LSAC has always stated that LSAT scores will come out on the announced day, and in the past they have done this even on the same day that scores are released. For the September 2016 score release, on the very day scores were released the reps were saying they'd be out "tomorrow." When I called them the next morning—after scores were already out—they still told me it would be that day! In other words, the fallback position is to quote the standard release date. Assuming this email is real, that's likely what's going on here. What about the email citing score release over two days? What does that mean? Also nothing. Once scores start coming out, they come out over hours, and that often stretches into the next day (for the September16 LSAT, some students didn't receive their LSAT scores until 4 or 5 AM the next day). That would be a reasonable explanation for this. I still think it's very odd that they'd say anything at all (especially in such a blunt fashion), but the bottom line is that this manner of phrasing doesn't change anything. If you have any questions, please let me know below. Thanks! /user/msp95713 posted that he had received an email from LSAC stating that:I've been asked quite a bit about this on Twitter, so please allow me a moment to share a few thoughts on this email.First, the one thing that catches your eye is the spelling error. That error makes the email look false from the get-go, but several other users noted that they had also received emails from that address with the same error. In fact, one of the emails even had a slightly different error! Now, this could be the sign of an extremely well-organized hoax, but I seriously doubt that. It appears that someone at LSAC just isn't a very good spellerSecond, another reason I was originally skeptical of this email was the blunt manner of telling the student the score release date, and stating it was over two separate days. That is not LSAC's normal operating procedure, and it makes the whole thing ring hollow, and I said so on Twitter.Subsequent to those comments, /user/msp95713 reached out to me and offered just about any way possible to prove that the email was real. He revealed his real name, forwarded the email to me, and also offered to allow me to log into his account. Based on all that, I feel that the email is probably real. I say "probably" since nothing is really provable these days, and anything can be faked with the tools out there. But I think he's probably telling the truth, and for his sake it's worth making that clear.In a word: nothing. LSAC has always stated that LSAT scores will come out on the announced day, and in the past they have done this even on the same day that scores are released. For the September 2016 score release, on the very day scores were released the reps were saying they'd be out "tomorrow." When I called them the next morning—after scores were already out—they still told me it would be that day! In other words, the fallback position is to quote the standard release date. Assuming this email is real, that's likely what's going on here.Also nothing. Once scores start coming out, they come out over hours, and that often stretches into the next day (for the September16 LSAT, some students didn't receive their LSAT scores until 4 or 5 AM the next day). That would be a reasonable explanation for this. I still think it's very odd that they'd say anything at all (especially in such a blunt fashion), but the bottom line is that this manner of phrasing doesn't change anything.If you have any questions, please let me know below. Thanks! PowerScore Test Preparation Follow me on Twitter at My LSAT Articles: Dave KilloranPowerScore Test PreparationFollow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DaveKilloran My LSAT Articles: http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/author/dave-killoran ChandlerSteiger LSAT Novice Posts: 1 Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2017 2:03 pm Points: 1 Reply with quote Just got an email from a school saying that my application was complete so I logged into the applicant online status checker and under the requirements list there is a check next to "Future LSAT Score Received". I took the LSAT in Sep., so I already had a reportable score but this makes it sound like my Dec. score was received, right? Dave Killoran PowerScore Staff Posts: 3013 Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2011 1:18 pm Points: 3,012 Website Reply with quote ChandlerSteiger wrote: Just got an email from a school saying that my application was complete so I logged into the applicant online status checker and under the requirements list there is a check next to "Future LSAT Score Received". I took the LSAT in Sep., so I already had a reportable score but this makes it sound like my Dec. score was received, right? Yes, I talked to Mike Spivey about this a while ago, and we don't recall this happening before. Usually the law schools get the scores a day or two after they are released. So, something is going on, and it would seem that law schools are getting December scores and thus checking the apps as complete. A good sign I think! Yes, I talked to Mike Spivey about this a while ago, and we don't recall this happening before. Usually the law schools get the scores a day or two after they are released. So, something is going on, and it would seem that law schools are getting December scores and thus checking the apps as complete. A good sign I think! PowerScore Test Preparation Follow me on Twitter at My LSAT Articles: Dave KilloranPowerScore Test PreparationFollow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DaveKilloran My LSAT Articles: http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/author/dave-killoran Post a reply 3 posts • Page 1 of 1Talia al Ghul (Arabic: تاليا الغول; TAH-liə al GOOL[1][2]) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman. The character was created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Bob Brown, and first appeared in Detective Comics #411 (May 1971). Talia is the daughter of the supervillain Ra's al Ghul, the grand-daughter of Sensei, the half-sister of Nyssa Raatko, on-and-off romantic interest of the superhero Batman, and the mother of Damian Wayne (the fifth Robin). She has alternately been depicted as an anti-hero. Talia has appeared in over 500 individual comics issues,[3] and has been featured in various media adaptions. The character was voiced by Helen Slater and Olivia Hussey in the DC Animated Universe, which became her first appearances in media other than comic books. The character was subsequently portrayed by Marion Cotillard in the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises, and Lexa Doig in the television series Arrow. Publication history [ edit ] The character was created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Bob Brown as simply Talia originally.[4] The character's creation and depiction was inspired by other works of fiction, such as the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and the Fu Manchu fiction.[5][6][7][8] The character first appeared in Detective Comics #411 (May 1971). She is most commonly depicted as a romantic interest for Batman, a villain, or a combination of the two. Her father, the leader of a worldwide criminal and terrorist empire, considered Batman the man most worthy to marry Talia and become his successor.[9] Absent a spouse, Talia was considered as an heir to her father and his organization.[10][11][12] While Batman is uninterested in the criminal empire, he has often demonstrated romantic feelings for Talia. Talia has saved the life of Batman or helped him on numerous occasions. The majority of her criminal acts have been committed at the behest of her father and motivated by loyalty to her father rather than personal gain. She had been depicted as morally ambiguous or an antiheroic figure.[13] In the mid to late 90's part of her father's name was incorporated to hers as a kind of surname to help readers associate her with Ra's al Ghul. Recent depictions have shown her to be more often an enemy of Batman and a supervillain in her own right, such as leading the League of Assassins,[13][14] as part of the Secret Society of Super Villains,[15] and as the mastermind behind Leviathan.[16] IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time List ranked Talia as #42.[17] She was ranked 25th in Comics Buyer's Guide's "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.[18] Fictional character biography [ edit ] Early years [ edit ] The first Talia comic story appears in "Into the Den of the Death-Dealers!" in Detective Comics #411 (May 1971), written by Dennis O'Neil. In the story, Batman rescues her from Dr. Darrk, apparently the leader of the League of Assassins. It is eventually revealed that the League is just one part of Ra's al Ghul's organization, The Demon, and that Darrk apparently turned against Ra's after failing in a mission (the usual punishment for this is death). At the end of the story, she shoots and kills Darrk to save Batman's life. Batman #244 (Sept. 1972). Art by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano. Talia and Batman share a kiss in#244 (Sept. 1972). Art by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano. Talia next appears in "Daughter of the Demon" in Batman #232 (June 1971). In the story, Dick Grayson (Robin) is kidnapped. Ra's al Ghul enters the Batcave, revealing to Batman that he knows Batman's secret identity and saying that Talia was also kidnapped along with Dick. Batman then goes with Ra's to search for Dick and Talia; in the end, it is revealed that Talia loves Batman and that the entire kidnapping is a setup designed by Ra's as a final test of Batman's suitability to be Talia's husband and his successor. Though Batman rejects Ra's offer, he nevertheless returns Talia's feelings. Ra's and Talia consider Batman to be married to Talia with only their consent necessary in DC Special Series #15 (1978) in the story "I Now Pronounce You Batman and Wife!".[19] In the years since the character met Batman, Talia is repeatedly depicted as torn between loyalty to her father and her love of Batman. However, she has proven an important 'ally' in her way; most prominently, she encourages Batman to return to Gotham City when it is declared a "No Man's Land" (1999) following an earthquake, and Batman had lost his fighting spirit and did not believe he could save Gotham. Son of the Demon [ edit ] In the graphic novel Son of the Demon (1987) by Mike W. Barr, Ra's al Ghul successfully enlists Batman's aid in defeating a rogue assassin who had murdered his wife and Talia's mother, Melisande. Talia witnessed the murder as a young child. During this story line, Batman marries Talia and the prior marriage from DC Special Series #15 (1978) is referenced. They have conjugal relations which results in her becoming pregnant. Batman is nearly killed protecting Talia from an attack by the assassin's agents. In retrospect, Talia concludes that she could never keep Batman, as he would be continuously forced to defend her, so she fakes a miscarriage, and the marriage is dissolved. In later continuity, after Talia gives birth the child is left at an orphanage. He is adopted and given the name Ibn al Xu'ffasch which is Arabic for'son of the bat'. The only other clue to the child's heritage is a jewel-encrusted necklace Batman had given to Talia which Talia leaves with the child. It is referenced in three Elseworlds storylines: Kingdom Come, its sequel The Kingdom, and Brotherhood of the Bat feature two alternate versions of the child as an adult, coming to terms with his dual heritage. Birth of the Demon [ edit ] The graphic novel Batman: Birth of the Demon (1992) by Dennis O'Neil explains how her father met her mother at Woodstock and that she was of Arab descent. Talia's mother later dies of a drug overdose in this story. Bane [ edit ] Talia al Ghul in Detective Comics #700 (Legacy Part One: Progeny of the Demon) After Bane enters the League of Assassins, Ra's considers Bane a potential heir to his empire instead of Batman and wants his daughter to marry him. Talia later rejects the brute, regarding him as merely a cunning animal compared to the more cultured intelligence of his predecessor. After Batman defeats Bane in the Legacy comic series (1996), Ra's agrees that Bane was unworthy of his daughter (Detective Comics #701 and Robin #33), and calls off their engagement. Following Legacy, Bane has a nightmare in Batman: Bane (1997) of Talia (presumed to be deceased) betraying him and stabbing him and then embracing Batman. In Birds of Prey #26 (2001), written by Dixon, Bane continues to express his obsession with Talia. At the end of the story, Talia is pleased at the supposed death of Bane in one of her father's underground sanctums. LexCorp [ edit ] The Talia character was written to begin a new phase of her fictional life near the turn of the century. Talia, disillusioned with her father and his plans and using the name Talia Head for herself,[20][21] leaves him to run LexCorp as its new CEO when Lex Luthor becomes President of the United States. Although she seemingly supports Luthor, she secretly works to undermine him, anonymously leaking news of his underhanded dealings to Superman. In Superman/Batman #6 (March 2004), when the time comes for Luthor's downfall, she sells all of LexCorp's assets to the Wayne Foundation, leaving Luthor penniless and his crimes exposed to all. Death and the Maidens [ edit ] In Batman: Death and the Maidens (2003) written by Greg Rucka, it is revealed that Ra's al Ghul met a woman by whom he had a daughter named Nyssa during his travels in Russia in the 18th century. Ra's abandons Nyssa at a crucial time: she is tortured, her entire family is killed in a concentration camp during the Holocaust, and she is rendered sterile when Nazi doctors pour acid into her uterus. Seeking vengeance, Nyssa plans to use her considerable wealth and resources to kill Ra's by befriending, kidnapping, and brainwashing Talia, turning her into a weapon to kill their father. To this end, she captures Talia and kills and resurrects her in rapid succession in a Lazarus Pit, leaving Talia virtually broken from the trauma of dying again and again in so short a time as Nyssa asks Talia why her father is 'letting' this happen to her. Rendered apathetic by her time in the camp, unable to feel anything, Nyssa also plans to assassinate Superman with Kryptonite bullets she stole from the Batcave, hoping that, by uniting the world in one moment of tragedy, she would manage to rouse herself once more. While Batman is successful in preventing the assassination of Superman, he is unable to stop Nyssa from killing Ra's. This, in turn, is actually part of a greater plan concocted by Ra's, who wants to ensure that his daughters would accept their destinies as his heirs and take up his genocidal campaign. Realizing and accepting this, Nyssa and Talia become the heads of The Demon, with Talia disavowing her love for Bruce Wayne as another result of her torture at Nyssa's hands (both sisters then consider Batman to be their enemy). Talia from then on became more often Batman's enemy than an ally.[19] The Society [ edit ] In Countdown to Infinite Crisis, it is revealed that Talia is one of the core members of the Secret Society of Super Villains (the others were Lex Luthor (secretly Alexander Luthor, Jr. in disguise), Black Adam, Doctor Psycho, Deathstroke, and Calculator). This is revealed to be part of one of half-sister Nyssa's plans to take over the planet and bring about world peace and equality. After Nyssa is killed by Batgirl Cassandra Cain, Talia assumes leadership of the League.[13][19] Under the Hood and Red Hood: The Lost Days [ edit ] Red Hood and the Outlaws#2 (2011). Art by Kenneth Rocafort. Talia al Ghul in#2 (2011). Art by Kenneth Rocafort. During the "Death in the Family" (1988) storyline, Jason Todd, the second Robin, is murdered by the Joker in Ethiopia. He was later revived as a character, and in Under the Hood (2005), he is discovered by the League of Assassins. In "Lost Days", out of her love for Batman, Talia takes Jason to her father and Jason spends months in the care of the League of Assassins. Although his body recuperates, Jason's mind is shattered. Seeing no other way to help him, Talia takes Jason down to the Lazarus Pit and throws his body in while her father regenerates himself. Jason is fully revived in body and mind. Immediately afterward, in order to spare Jason her father's wrath, she aids the boy's escape. Livid at the fact that Batman failed to avenge his (Jason's) death by killing the Joker and that Batman had done nothing more than imprison him again, Jason pursues his own brand of justice. In order to stall him from killing Batman, Talia agrees to finance Jason and aid him in his training, so that he can then become the second Red Hood.[22][23] In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, this story was changed, whereby Red Hood and the Outlaws #2 (2011) shows that, shortly after Jason Todd's return from the dead, Talia al Ghul, out of her love for Batman, takes him to a secret cult of warrior monks called the All Caste to train in becoming a skilled assassin. Batman and Son [ edit ] Talia al Ghul in Robin:Son of Batman #5 Cover by Patrick Gleason and Mick Gray The concept of Talia and Batman having a child from Son of the Demon is reinterpreted into continuity in the story Batman and Son (2006), written by Grant Morrison. Their son is grown in an artificial womb and named Damian. He is raised and trained in the League of Assassins. Talia introduces him to Batman as part of a grand scheme involving ninja Man-Bats and the kidnapping of the British Prime Minister's wife. Morrison said he relied on his shaky memories of Son of the Demon before writing so he "messed up a lot of the details" such as Talia drugging Batman before sex.[24] Morrison's mistake was later retconned by then Batman and Robin writer Peter J. Tomasi in the title Robin Rises Omega where Batman admits that he fell in love and followed his heart. R.I.P. and Final Crisis [ edit ] During the Batman R.I.P. storyline, Talia and Damian become aware of the Black Glove's plot against Batman and begins devising a plan to help save him. They arrive at Wayne Manor just in time to save Commissioner James Gordon from being killed by assorted booby traps created by the Black Glove. This is referenced in issue 39 of the old 52. She offers to join forces with Gordon to save Batman. She and Gordon arrive too late, however, and are informed by Robin that Batman went missing and may be dead following a battle with Doctor Hurt. Furious that her love may be dead, she sends out her ninja Man-Bats to murder Jezebel Jet, who plays a major role in trying to kill Batman. Soon after it is revealed Batman did not die, but survives only to be captured by Darkseid during the Final Crisis and then apparently murdered by the New God. Following Batman's apparent death, Talia apparently decides to leave Damian in the hands of his adopted brother Dick Grayson, who later takes on the role of Batman, and selects Damian to succeed Tim Drake as Robin. In Final Crisis, she is placed on the new Society's inner circle by Libra. Despite Talia's interaction with the new Society she still behaves lovingly and almost devoted to Batman. It is revealed in Gotham City Sirens #2 that Talia has trained Catwoman to resist even the most intense psychological coercion to reveal Bruce Wayne's secret identity. Following an operation in which Damian's spine is replaced, it is revealed that Talia inserts an implant into his spine that allows her or anyone she chooses, including Deathstroke, to control Damian's body remotely. She intends to use this device to force Damian to kill Dick Grayson, whom she perceives as holding her son back from his potential.[25] After Grayson frees Damian, Talia reveals to her son that she has begun cloning him after realizing that the Boy Wonder has completely sided with his father's circle during their confrontation. She is too much of a perfectionist to love her son after he has defied her in such a manner, and is no longer welcome in the House of al Ghul.[26] Batman Incorporated [ edit ] In Batman Incorporated, written by Grant Morrison, Talia is revealed to be the mastermind behind the Leviathan, a shadowy organization formed to oppose Bruce's "Batman Incorporated" project. She places a bounty of US$500,000,000 dollars on Damian's head, and declares war on Batman.[27][28] In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2, #2 (2012), a Talia origin issue, she puts her father, Ra's al Ghul, under house arrest for opposing her plan and takes his men away with her.[29] She claims to Batman that her agents have infiltrated all of Gotham's infrastructure and that she is providing the poor with purpose by arming them and giving them slogans to chant, as well as an enemy to fight. Talia says Batman must choose between saving Gotham from suicide or saving their son Damian from a death sentence.[30] Her clone of Damian, known as the Heretic, stabs Damian through the chest and delivers the killing stroke to her son, a move that leaves Batman devastated.[31] After the Heretic's final loss against Batman, Talia kills him, destroys Wayne Tower, and challenges Batman to a duel to the death in the Batcave.[32] There, Talia poisons Batman. He embraces and kisses her mid-battle, not knowing that her lips were covered with poison, and he apologizes for not being able to love her the way she wants and admits defeat. Talia asks Batman to beg for the antidote but he does not respond. Jason Todd arrives at the Batcave and offers Talia the Oroboro trigger, a device that would trigger the destruction of seven cities and that she claims would provide a new source of energy for the world. When she attempts to activate the device, Jason reveals that he has double-crossed her and that the weapons the device would trigger had already been disarmed. Talia is then shot and killed by Spyral agent Kathy Kane, buried, and her body later disappears from the grave site along with that of Damian.[33] Morrison's writing of the Batman, Talia, and Damian saga drew from his own personal experience as a child of divorce.[34] The end of Batman Incorporated marked the end of his seven-year run on the characters.[35] After Batman was preoccupied with a series of cases that would not end, Talia's body is taken from the grave by her father, Ra's, so that he wishes to resurrect his daughter and his grandson, Damian, whose body was taken also. Batman continues his pursuit for Ra's and to reclaim his son's body.[36] Ra's attempted to resurrect Talia alongside Damian in what he thought was a Lazarus Pit in the island of Themyscira, but instead Ra's discovered that it was a portal to a Netherworld in the Pit's former location, of which both Wonder Woman and Batman were already aware. Ra's flees with the bodies afterwards.[37] Batman arrives too late, when Ra's has successfully had the bodies placed in a Lazarus Pit, leaving Batman in dread.[38] The resurrections fail, leaving Ra's to realize his arrogance for allowing the Heretic to kill his grandson, and regret of allowing his daughter, Talia to clone Damian. After defeating Ra's in combat as Batman intends to reclaim his son's body, their battle is intervened by Darkseid's elite member Glorious Godfrey and some Parademons.[39] Batman is forced to team-up with Ra's to battle Godfrey (who was here to retrieve the Chaos Shard, a powerful crystal that once belonged to Darkseid which Ra's has hidden inside Damian's body) and the Parademons had taken the bodies of Talia and Damian. Ra's manages to get his daughter's body from the Parademons in the sky, but falls into the gorge of Nanda Parbat along with Talia's body, while Batman tries to retrieve his son's body from Godfrey.[40] Following Damian's resurrection, Talia had emerged on Nanda Parbat with no memory of who she was. She kills a nearby Tibetan to eat their food.[41] Later, Talia was approached by a shadowy figure; she is able to recognize the robed figure and feared that faction known as the Lu'un Darga is upon release, she is then knocked unconscious.[42] The robed figure restores Talia's memory and attempts to influence her as a servant, but Talia resists his control and knocks the robed figure with stalagmites. She tries to escape in the Lu'un Darga's unknown lair of the inner core with the heart of the Lazarus Pit.[43] When Talia was reunited with her son in the Lu'un Darga's lair on al Ghul Island, Damian is aware of his quest about the Lu'un Darga, does not desire to see her and attacks. In their battle, Talia unsuccessfully convinces Damian. She explains that Ra's and his al Ghul family wage war against the ancient immortals of the Lu'un Darga claiming to be guardians of the Lazarus Pit. While Ra's sought to bring power and balance of life to Earth, the Lu'un Darga then tried to take back all life and cleanse Earth entirely because they would bring their own destruction to see Earth and the heart of the Lazarus Pit. Talia also tells him he is being used as a pawn of Ra's to steal the Lu'un Darga's power. The mysterious robed figure was revealed to be Den Darga, who thanked Damian's inadvertently for bringing the relic and attempts to bring about the end of life on Earth. While Den Darga destroys al Ghul Island by causing it to sink, he attempts to cleanse Talia and Damian's souls, but the clones of Damian insulate him and sacrifice their lives. Den Darga flees, leaving Talia and Damian to the abyss; they were rescued by Damian's friends. Afterwards, Talia is hopeful to move somewhere to a safe place and tells her conscious son to rest.[44] When Damian is awake, Talia convinced her son to calm down and explains that she had been finding redemption for herself for her retribution against him and inaction after Den Darga's attack. She informs him that if he chooses vigilantism, it will corrupt him of his misdeeds. Talia then tells her son, Damian that he too can either choose between staying or leaving, after approving of who he is, except that his mother has been correcting herself and is regretful of her choices. As he chooses to leave and says goodbye to his mother, Talia regroups with the League of Assassins to prepare for war against Den Darga and the Lu'un Darga.[45] Talia, along with Batman, show up again later in the title to aid their son in saving all life on Earth from the threat of Den and the Lu'un Darga.[46] They are portrayed as a bickering couple but also put things aside to help.[47] Their mission is a success though Damian ends up giving his life to save humanity. He is later brought back to life by Suren Darga. With the world saved and satisfied her son is safe she goes ahead to rejoin the League of Assassins.[48] DC Rebirth [ edit ] Subsequently in DC Rebirth, Talia al Ghul shows up for her son, Damian Wayne's birthday and warns him of Ra's al Ghul plot to send the Demon's Fist against Damian and the Teen Titans in a plan to assassinate them to prove their worth to the Demon's Head. These targets will later become Damian's Teen Titans teammates after he saves them, kidnaps them and makes them aware of the Fist and their plans.[49] She later appears in Batman #33. Batman and Catwoman come to Khadym to see Holly Robinson, who has been hiding with Talia since fleeing Gotham after killing hundreds of terrorists. Talia initially refuses to allow them to see Holly, going as far as severely wounding Batman and challenging Catwoman to a duel. Selina manages to defeat Talia by wounding her in the same manner that she did Batman beforehand. Powers and abilities [ edit ] Talia has been written to be an athlete at the peak of physical conditioning and has been trained in many forms of martial arts.[13][19] She was educated in the arts and sciences, and she holds advanced degrees in biology, engineering, and business as an MBA.[13][50] She is also quite proficient with most hand weapons. Often underestimated, Talia is also an excellent hand-to-hand fighter. In other media [ edit ] Television [ edit ] Animated [ edit ] Talia in the DC Animated Universe. Art by Bruce Timm. Live action [ edit ] The character has a cameo appearance as a child in season one of Legends of Tomorrow, portrayed by Milli Wilkinson. , portrayed by Milli Wilkinson. Talia al Ghul appears in a recurring role in the live-action series Arrow, portrayed by Lexa Doig.[51] This version was Oliver Queen's mentor and later Simon Morrison's trainer. Introduced in season five, she reveals her alliance to Prometheus to Oliver. Talia and Simon kidnap Oliver, assisting Morrison to make Oliver suffer because of Ra's al Ghul's death. Prometheus's team and Talia's group of assassins capture Team Arrow to which Oliver recruits Deathstroke, Captain Boomerang, Dark Archer and Nyssa al Ghul to stop the two and free Team Arrow. Nyssa fights Talia and is apparently defeated by her paternal half-sister. When Morrison commits suicide which triggers C4 bombs across the whole island, Talia's fate is unknown. However, season seven revealed that Talia survived thanks to a drug provided by Ricardo Diaz. After "running afoul of an old foe in Gotham", she was incarcerated at Slabside Maximum Security Prison where she was placed in Level 2. Under the "Demon" alias, Talia helped Diaz to order different attacks on Oliver. After Oliver helped in her escape, Talia dropped off the USB involving Jarrett Parker's illegal psychiatric activities on them to Felicity Smoak which led to Level 2 getting shut down and Jarrett getting fired. Though Talia later returned and slew Jarrett as payback for what she has been through. Film [ edit ] Live action [ edit ] Animated [ edit ] Talia al Ghul appears in a non-speaking cameo appearance in Batman: Under the Red Hood. . Talia al Ghul appears in Son of Batman, [60] voiced by Morena Baccarin. During the movie's prologue, she leads the defense of the League of Assassins' base. Then, she brings her son Damian Wayne to Batman to help avenge his grandfather. Talia is captured soon after a failed attack on Deathstroke's base, attempting to regain full control of the League, and is subjected to torture. Later, Deathstroke uses the threat of killing her to make Damian come after her. In addition to her wounds from the torture,
's new job, here's a look at some of Muschamp looks. Frighteningly angry Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports Brendan Maloney/US Presswire Chuck Cook/USA TODAY Sports Enthusiasm unknown to mankind Doug Benc/Getty Images Brian Bahr/Getty Images Brian Bahr/Getty Images AP Photo/John Raoux Watching over his team Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT/Getty Images Can't bear to watch Will Muschamp will show that he learned from his first head-coaching stint and succeed in South Carolina. Sam Greenwood/Getty Images Angrily pointing Sam Greenwood/Getty Images Sam Greenwood/Getty Images Kim Klement/US Presswire Confusion Stephen Morton/AP Photo AP Photo/Phil Sandlin AP Photo/Bill Haber Hand through hair AP Photo/Phil Sandlin Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Rob Foldy/Getty Images Sadness in the rainAcross the Nation, the Islamic Movement is quietly, community by community, conquering America. How? Elected officials defend and promote the jihadist. In fact, in many cases, it is the Department of Justice (DOJ) and state governments that have done their best to accommodate Muslims even when the supported Muslim community is waging Civilization Jihad, lawfare, against an affected location. Such a battle is occurring in exurban Henrico County in central Virginia between legacy American property rights and expansion of the Islamic Center of Richmond (ICR). In addition to legal harassment, the community of Hoehns Lakeview Farms has experienced numerous acts of criminal violence including death threats. For details, link and view a video Living in Fear, (see video below). Seeking protection for her community, ‘dominant landowner’ Sylvia Hoehns Wright solicited help from Christopher Peace, delegate Hanover County for VA General Assembly who influenced the enactment of an antiSLAPP amendment effective July 1, 2016 which not only protected Wright’s community but all state of Virginia residents. So, what can you do? Make a choice to ‘stand with’, join Wright and her community in an effort to hold governmental leaders accountable. Educate yourself, review GoFundMe – Hoehns Lakeview Farms,. As delegate Christopher Peace says, “Protecting religious freedom does not mean permitting people to violate the law in the name of religious freedom. Religious freedom remains freedom to believe, but not a freedom to act in violation of facially neutral laws. For many years people defended racist laws as being required by their religion. But religion should not grant one the right to ignore the law. Jefferson advised us that if a neutral law required action that violated a person’s religious belief that person had to abide by the law. We are a nation of laws after all.” Lawfare, American Property Rights versus Muslim Supremacy http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/syhwright Living in Fear, GoFundMe – Hoehns Lakeview Farms, https://www.gofundme.com/a5hp78uc Lawfare, living in fearthegaysiandiaries: Dear Diary, This is an entry about firsts. It was the summer I graduated from college. I met up with him in a busy night market in Tainan. He was a teacher, and we talked for quite a while about our respective lives in his apartment and cuddled. Afterwards, we had beef noodle soup at a very small restaurant nearby and continued the conversation. It was his favorite place. He said I was cute and it was nice spending time with me. That was my first meeting enabled by a dating app. During college, I was never very comfortable with my sexuality. I avoided talking about dating with friends and sat quietly in a corner whenever the topic of relationships came up in social gatherings. The idea of meeting guys in a romantic context, or even dating, was foreign and scary. My first forays were restricted to reading online erotic fiction and chatting with anonymous guys in some unknown corner of the world. I had heard of apps like Jack’d and Grindr but never tried them. But at that time, having just graduated from college and traveling in a foreign country where no one knows me, I discarded my usual cautiousness and summoned the courage to download Jack’d, and that was the beginning of my experience with dating apps. The first experience was exciting - a real-life connection with a gay guy. Even better, it was someone who thought I was cute and with whom I shared a connection. I started conjuring up all these expectations for this new tool - perhaps new friends? New connections? Finding people who are similar to me? In the fall, I started professional school in Southern California and started using Jack’d more regularly. Using apps was nothing like what I had expected - it turned out to be a rather self-esteem crushing experience. I talked with people, opened up and thought that I made new friends, but more often I was quickly blocked or ignored after sending a face picture. I learned all the lingo: “top”, “bottom”, “looking” and it took a while to realize what “friend and fun” really meant. I learned that it was socially acceptable to ask to fuck in the first message. It wasn’t long before I started dreading the inevitable question of “pic?” and became afraid to show people my face. I was never felt so disrespected and judged in my life. Going through these rejections, I developed intense emotions that I had not experienced before. I felt ugly, undesirable, and worthless. For the first time I discovered the concept of my own body image and it was a very poor one. The elusive vision of belonging and romance that I hoped to find in the virtual world never materialized. Instead, I found my first heartbreaks, shame, meaningless hookups and fear of catching some unwanted bugs. At one point, I met this guy while spending my break in LA. He was really nice, and we chatted, met up and got along well. We decided that it would be cool for him to take me to a gay club in LA since I have never been. It was about a year and half into my graduate school and a while after that trip to Taiwan. I was a busy graduate student, and I rarely went out; I was still very discreet, and the concept of gay club only existed peripherally in my mind. In fact, I barely even went out to school parties. On a Friday night, we had Brazilian food for dinner and went across the street to one of the busy clubs in West Hollywood. All I have to say at this point is that it was simply eye opening. To see the go go boys dancing, with perfect abs and glistening muscles. Troupes of hot gay guys drinking, dancing and grinding. Occasionally, I would see people I recognized from dating apps, many of whom have always ignored me. Then, we went to Asian night Gameboi at the notorious Rage. I had heard of these places before and knew some guys who would spend 3 hours driving up every weekend from San Diego just to go clubbing here. So that was a taste of life in Hollywood. The glamour and debauchery that I had only read in books. The energy, sweat, cologne, alcohol, EDM music, lust all blended in the nauseating but intoxicating dance floor. The sex appeal of impossibly beautiful bodies and overwhelming flow of lust. Guys everywhere grinding, making out and putting their hands in god knows what places. I had never experienced anything like this before. I was so focused on school and academics. I was a good student. Since then, I started clubbing. After my (really important) school exam, I got pretty drunk and for the first time grinded and made out with a boy on the dance floor. I felt so bad about it the next day I found him on Jack’d and apologized for my poor decision making while under the influence. I was fascinated by that life. I went more regularly, sometimes by myself because I didn’t know many people in LA. That glamourous life was so alluring and addicting. Through clubbing, I picked up a few new emotions - jealousy and bitterness. I was jealous that no one hit on me. I was jealous that hot Asian boys would desperately try to get with the white guy. I was bitter that I would be too busy with school to ever look anything close to a go go boy. I was bitter that people had boyfriends but still grinded with strangers while I was just standing in the corner, watching. I learned to be vain and superficial. I learned to buy skin tight t-shirts and skinny jeans that didn’t quite fit my thick thighs. I learned to work out and learned to stop eating carbs. And I learned that I was seriously ashamed for all the potato queens. I had no idea what I was doing anymore, and I craved answers… I was hurt, jaded and cynical, and I hated gay guys. I was online stalking this guy I met on Jack’d one day and stumbled upon his Tumblr. I had no idea what a Tumblr was at the time - California boys just have all these random social media things that I have never heard of. Snapchat what? When I finally met up with that person, the encounter was completely different from all my other app enabled meetings. I had stayed up all night reading his Tumblr. I read about his school struggles, body image issues, dating mishaps and other experiences that resonated with me so much. It was like getting to know the story of a person before I even met him. He was inevitably super embarrassed that I had read his Tumblr, but our conversation was deep and personal. It felt more like I was talking to a person and not an objectified app profile. I realized me and him were not so different after all. That was when I started exploring the world of gaysian Tumblr and subreddit where others shared their stories of romance, heartbreak, insecurities, fears and bitterness. It was such a surprise to find these stories. When I stumbled on stories of successful romantic relationships, I became more hopeful. I realized that there is a community of people who were not as concerned with superficial traits. They also voiced their dissatisfaction with the things I had observed in the gay community and reflected deeply on many issues. After snooping around for a while, I finally summoned enough courage to create my own Tumblr and messaged the people whose writing I loved. Through that, I discovered friendship. Despite the physical distances, I found people who understood my experiences and shared my struggles. Reading stories provided insights and answers to my questions. It was the pivotal point where I began to reflect on and compare my own experiences. I had a better understanding of why people act the way they do, of their insecurities and of the past traumas that still drive people’s behaviors. From their stories, I came up with my own answers and reoriented myself with new directions. Feeling burnt out from professional school, I decided to take a year off to get a Masters of Public Health on the East Coast. During orientation, we were challenged to take leadership roles and put our efforts into improving a community in need of public health professionals. I realized I was in such a community all along. As a gaysian, I felt incredibly isolated and that my feelings and experiences were not well captured by existing groups. My formative contacts with the gay world were anything but positive. I was in a community where people like me lacked guidance and role models in a critical period of self discovery. So along with my good friend Jeff (met through Tumblr of course), we decided to found Gaysian Third Space (G3S), a place for gaysians to share their stories and provide mentorship for those who are still finding themselves. We named it Third Space because we wanted it to be different - a place outside of dating apps and the clubbing scene - where individuals can find a supportive community that encourages each other to grow and mature as they explore their own identities. These were my series of “firsts”. Through the work I am doing with G3S and collaborating with other gaysian organizations such as GAPIMNY, I hope the next generation of gaysians coming to terms with their identities will have different, more positive and supportive “firsts”. Fish – If you are interested in learning more about the work at G3S, please follow our Tumblr at gaysianthirdspace.tumblr.com. We run a number of different programs for the G3S Community, including Follower Fridays, tinychats, and the newly-formed G3S Mentors program! We are always looking for more people to engage in discussions on gaysian issues as well as additional collaborators to further our mission. Join us to create a supportive and thriving safe space for gaysians and feel free to contact us on Tumblr or at gaysianthirdspace@gmail.com if you have any questions or suggestions.Thread Space In earlier chapters, we discussed time travel in terms of transitions between world lines, and shown how it can be used to predict the behavior of simple time loops. However, in order to understand more complex phenomena, it is necessary to generalize this. Thread space refers to the space of all possible combinations of things that could ever occur, down to the tiniest detail of even intrinsically random events (like nuclear decay or quantum interactions). A single instance of such a combination is referred to as a thread. Note that in relativistic contexts it's necessary to consider each reference frame having its own threads, but that will not be covered in this text. It's also useful to consider offset threads; that is, given a spacetime vector $\vec x$, then $A + \vec x$ is also a thread. We can usually consider all the offset threads of a given thread together with the first thread, but it becomes important when discussing thread distance and teleportation. No Exercises The Rzewski Field In order to properly understand the relationships between individual threads, we also need to introduce the Rzewski field, one of the fundamental fields in the universe. (Note that in some contexts it may also be referred to as the subspace field.) The Rzewski field defines a unique value associated with each point in spacetime across every thread. It is theorized to be the underlying reason that that there are points in spacetime that are distinct from one another, as opposed to having a universe containing only a single point. This is also what makes different threads distinct from each other, and, most importantly for practical purposes, can be measured to directly determine how similar two threads are to each other. There are a number of different ways this can be measured, but one of the most common and useful is thread distance, measured in humes. In your other coursework you may have already encountered humes, when measuring how “anomalous” something is with a Kant counter or similar device. In time travel, we use a different tool, the divergence meter. Instead of comparing to a set of fixed pocket dimensions, a divergence meter allows measuring thread distance directly relative to other threads, and is generally much more sensitive. Note that thread distance does not directly tell us what is different between two threads, but it does tell us how different the threads are, and it can be used to help find where major changes may have occurred. No Exercises Algebraic Properties of Thread Distance Thread distance, notated $d(A,B)$ for any given threads A, B, allows us to define a metric space and induces a topology that allows us to reason about thread space. While the precise details of the Rizewski field are very important for theoretical causality, for practical purposes we need not concern ourselves with it, except for a few basic concepts. Since thread distance is a metric, we have the following properties: $d(A,B)\in\Bbb R$ — Thread distance is a real number. — Thread distance is a real number. $d(A,B)\ge0$ — Thread distance is non-negative. — Thread distance is non-negative. $d(A,A)=0$ — Thread distance from a thread to itself is zero. — Thread distance from a thread to itself is zero. $d(A,B)=d(B,A)$ — Thread distance is reflexive; it's the same measured in either direction. — Thread distance is reflexive; it's the same measured in either direction. $d(A,B)\le d(A,C) + d(B,C)$ — Thread distance obeys the triangle inequality; the sum of distances to some third thread will be at least as large as the direct distance between two threads. (i.e. There are no ‘shortcuts’.) These properties are important because it allows us to use analytical tools to reason about thread space, and in particular it allows us to define the concept of thread potential, discussed in section 3.5. Exercises Given that $d(K, Q) = 1.5\,\mathrm{Hm}$ and that $d(T, Q) = 7.0\,\mathrm{Hm}$, what is the maximum possible value for $d(K, T)$? Advanced Let $f(\vec x) = d(E+\vec x, E)$. Prove that $ abla\times abla f(\vec x)=0$. Thread Convergence and Time Loops In chapter 2, we discussed time loops in terms of world lines, as if each iteration of the loop was exactly identical to the previous. In practice, each iteration of a world line will inevitably have at least some small difference, stemming from Bell's theorem and the fact that it's impossible to observe anything without changing its state. As a result, it makes more sense to talk about world lines as the limits of loop iteration. Given a time loop with a thread sequence $A^{(1)}, B^{(1)}, A^{(2)}, B^{(2)}...$, then if we can split this sequence up into only finitely many convergent Cauchy sequences, it is possible to define our world lines as the limits of those sequences. In our example, if $A^{(1)}, A^{(2)}...$ and $B^{(1)}, B^{(2)}...$ are both Cauchy sequences, then we can refer to $A = \lim_{n\to\infty} A^{(n)}$ and $B = \lim_{n\to\infty} B^{(n)}$ as world lines. In other terms, if after an arbitrary number of times around the loop, it becomes arbitrarily hard to distinguish between each $A^{(n)}$ and $A^{(n+1)}$, then it still makes sense to consider them as world lines. However, in some cases it is not possible to split up a thread sequence in this way, and any such sequence will instead converge to a set of closed curves or higher-order manifolds in thread space. These world manifolds can sometimes still be considered in a similar way to world lines, but systems containing world manifolds are not in general solvable using algebraic techniques. Some methods for solving these more difficult systems are presented in chapter 4. No Exercises Thread Potential One other important property of thread distance is the way it varies over time and space. In particular, it is continuously differentiable, and ‘at infinity’ it is identically zero. That is: (1) \begin{align} \lim_{\|\vec x\|\to\infty} d(A+\vec x,B+\vec x)=0 \end{align} Measuring thread distances between separate threads is useful for determining how similar they are, and reasoning about convergence. However, and in some ways even more importantly, we can also measure thread distance between points that are only separated by space and time. Doing this makes it possible to define a potential field based on thread distance ‘to infinity’, called thread potential and notated $ abla^2 d(E)$, with some extremely useful properties. (2) \begin{align} abla^2 d(E) = abla \cdot abla d(E+\vec x, \infty) \end{align} This quantity turns out to be enormously important in later chapters, because it allows us to directly relate the probabilities of different events to each other: (3) \begin{align} abla^2 d(E_1)\, P(E_1) = abla^2 d(E_2)\, P(E_2) \end{align} The ratio of the probabilities of two events, is also one of the main determining factors when estimating how easy or difficult it would be to change those events via time travel. It also enables us to locate and map out nearby events that will be susceptible to modification, by following the gradient of the thread potential to its peak. Example 1 We measure the thread potential of some event $E$ to be: (4) \begin{align} abla^2d(E)=1 \end{align} After modifying the past so that $E'$ occurs instead, we wish to instead revert the change to $E$. Unfortunately, when we measure the thread potential: (5) \begin{align} abla^2d(E')=0.1 \end{align} Computing the relative probabilities: (6) \begin{align} \frac{P(E)}{P(E')} = \frac{ abla^2d(E')}{ abla^2d(E)} = \frac{0.1}{1} = 0.1 \end{align} Since $E$ is only 1/10th as likely as $E'$, it will be much more difficult to return to $E$ than it was originally to get to $E'$.Browner on 78-yd TD: New Orleans Saints at Washington Redskins 2015 New Orleans Saints cornerback Brandon Browner (39) knocks down Washington Redskins guard Spencer Long (61) as Redskins running back Matt Jones (31) runs past for a 78-yard touchdown during the game between the New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins at FedEx Field on Sunday, November 15, 2015. (Photo by Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com \| The Times-Picayune) (Michael DeMocker) Brandon Browner didn't commit a penalty or launch into a locker-room tirade this week but he still managed to create controversy. During Matt Jones' 78-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter of the New Orleans Saints' 47-14 loss to Washington Redskins on Sunday, the embattled New Orleans Saints cornerback elected to take a cheap shot at Redskins guard Spencer Long rather than attempt to tackle Jones near mid-field. On the play, a screen pass to the running back Jones on the right side of the field, Browner, No. 39, pursues the play from his position on the left side. Browner enters the broadcast video at the bottom of the screen as Jones cuts back back to his left near the 40-yard line. Instead of trying to make a diving tackle, Browner instead elects to peel back and take out Long who is trailing the play. Jones rambled 78 yards for a touchdown, which gave the Redskins a 21-14 lead. "Sunday Night Football" analyst Rodney Harrison said: "I don't understand. I'm watching and I'm like, go make the tackle. He comes back and he peels back and hits a lineman. This is why this is the worst defense in the league. That's just a selfish play." It's difficult to see the angle Browner had on Jones from the broadcast video but it appears he could have at least made a diving attempt to slow down Jones. The video of the play went viral on social media in the wake of the Saints' 47-14 loss, angering many Saints fans who already were disillusioned by the one-sided loss. Former Saints linebacker Scott Shanle tweeted that he was "speechless" and "confused" by Browner's actions on the play. Browner already had been a lightning rod for Saints fans because of his poor play in the first half of the season. He entered Week 10 as the NFL leader in penalties with 17. He also has been one of the worst cornerbacks in pass coverage in recent NFL history, according to Pro Football Focus, a widely respected analytics website.THE Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, claims his side “stand on the brink of greatness” after they moved one step closer to completing the Europa League/EFL Cup double, by beating Anderlecht in extra time. Now just 3 games away from the historic double, Mourinho says victory in Stockholm would be “the greatest achievement in the history of Man United”, far surpassing that of 1999 or 2008. “It would be the an amazing moment for this club, the best. Many teams have won the treble, but who has ever won the Europa League and EFL Cup in the same season? No one, yet,” Jose said, as he embraced an emotional Sir Alex Ferguson at the final whistle. Having seen off heavyweights like FC Rostov and Zorya to reach the semifinals, Paul Pogba declared “nights like tonight” are why he made the world record move from Champions League semi-finalists Juventus. “It’s a dream come true” a breathless Paul Pogba told ESPN in the aftermath of United’s win over the Belgian giants. “It’s why I back here. Juve could never give me this. They almost never qualified for the Europa League and they’ve never even made it past the EFL third-round once.” “At the start of the season I never thought this would be possible. Beating Anderlecht in extra time in the Europa League quarter final? It’s what we all dreamed about as kids,” 5-time Premier League winner Michael Carrick added. Follow BS Football on Facebook & twitter for more…Freeboard is a trending open-source project that looks to have some promise. It describes itself as “a damn-sexy, open source real-time dashboard builder for IOT and other web mashups. A free open-source alternative to Geckoboard.” In an age where data is critical, the means for displaying it intuitively will come at a premium. Luckily, the open-source bug has caught dashboards as well. Now, if you want to display the data that you collect, you can do so easily, and you can collaborate with others to ensure that it will always be this way. Freeboard is HTML-based, and is simple enough to run as a stand-alone web application. This is why it is ideal for Internet of Things devices that have a limited ability to be able to serve up complex, dynamic pages. It can be run from a local server or hard drive by downloading or cloning the index.html page from Github. Freeboard is one component of the Internet of Things chain that was missing: a sexy, open-source dashboard that could compile all of the information interconnected devices are passing amongst one another, and display it in an alluring format for human eyes. You may well see it being used the next time you turn on that smart watch you’ve always wanted. ——————————————————————————- Freeboard’s source code. You can contribute there. Freeboard’s creator Jim Heising, and Bug Labs.Corner Bradley Fletcher is day-to-day after suffering a concussion Monday, the Eagles said. He did not practice yesterday... Tackle Dennis Kelly, recovering from back surgery, was a partial practice participant. He said he hasn't been cleared for contact... Running back Chris Polk was asked about his swooping tackle, when he dropped Redskins kickoff returner Chris Thompson on the Washington 9. "I held on for dear life. Thank God he went down, because I'm not used to tackling," Polk said. "It's something I'm working on... It's definitely a rush, running down there like your hair's on fire and just making plays. There's no other feeling like that"... Reporters aren't allowed to watch full-team periods in practice, but apparently backup QB Nick Foles gets a few reps every day with the first-team offense, in case he has to play. Rookie Matt Barkley said he works pretty much exclusively with the scout team.I did not say Russian jets could use İncirlik: Turkish FM ANKARA DHA photo When asked if he had said Russian jets could use İncirlik, Çavuşoğlu said: “I did not make such a comment. We said that we could cooperate with everyone in the fight against ISIS [ISIL],” he said in comments following a cabinet meeting in Ankara. “We said that we could cooperate with Russia in the period ahead in the fight against Daesh. I did not make any comment referring to Russian planes coming to the İncirlik Air Base,” the foreign minister added, using an Arabic acronym for ISIL. Some reports published on the Turkish media on July 4 suggested that Turkey was considering to allow Russian jets use the base in the southern province of Adana. The base is currently used by the U.S-led coalition fighting ISIL and has troops and jets from the United State, Germany, United Kingdom, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. “We will cooperate with everyone who fights Daesh,” Çavuşoğlu told TRT Haber in June 3’s remarks. “We have been doing this for quite a while, and we opened Incirlik Air Base for those who want to join the active fight against Daesh. “Why not cooperate with Russia as well on these terms? Daesh is our common enemy, and we need to fight this enemy.” The Kremlin described the notion that Turkey could open up Incirlik as a “serious statement” although it said it had not had any contact with Ankara on the matter. Russia said it was looking to “revive” the sharing of information with Turkey in the fight against Islamic State. “Channels to exchange information with Turkey have not been working lately. We now have to revive and relaunch them,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Last week’s bomb attack on the main airport Istanbul - which left 45 people dead and hundreds wounded - showed the importance of working together to counter terrorism, he said. Russian nationals have been identified as two of the three suspected Islamic States suicide bombers behind the airport attack, which is thought to have been masterminded by a Chechen. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on July 4 he had not suggested that Turkey could open up its İncirlik Air Base to Russia, adding that Ankara was open to cooperating with Moscow in the fight against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).House lawmakers are seeking an independent investigation into IT staffers of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the congresswoman is expected to testify, reports the Washington Free Beacon. One staffer, Imran Awan, was arrested earlier this week trying to board a flight to Pakistan. He was charged with bank fraud including defrauding the Congressional Federal Credit Union. Back in February, Mr. Awan became the subject of an investigation for allegedly stealing equipment from House offices. There are also reports he hacked into House office systems and accessed sensitive information. The House Judiciary and Oversight Committee members have expressed interest in conducting an independent investigation. Ms. Wasserman Schultz has come under fire for keeping Mr. Awan on staff payroll even though information about his activity became public in February. She has also reportedly been uncooperative in the investigation. Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Almost a month into the new year, the yearly summaries and annual resolutions posts season is definitely over. We have been working in Data Analysis for a while (in stealth mode for the most part, shame on us!) but we felt this was a good time to give you a sneak peek on what we have been up to. A bit late for a 2016 recap? Maybe! One thing is granted, the Last Mover Advantage is on our side! As you may already know, we are really passionate about all things Open Source. We have been working on many open source tools to improve developers’ life by providing well-tested, clean & extensible components, which are used by a thriving community of users and contributors. GitHub has been a great tool to share this passion as it enables seamless collaboration with fellow developers, so we thought it would be interesting to study the use of GitHub for open source projects during 2016. In this post we wanted to share our findings to give you insight about trends and fun facts in the OSS ecosystem, and pay a deserved tribute to some of the OSS heroes out there! We will also discuss the tech stack and techniques we used and walk you through some of the challenges we faced – this may come in handy if you want to perform this type of Data Analysis. Hint: we played around with first-class Data Analysis tools such as Apache Spark, Databricks, Apache Zeppelin and Google BigQuery. The Tech Stack Before going deep into the data insights, let us walk you through the steps that got us there and the tools we tried out in the process. The GitHub Archive records all the public activity on GitHub and can be accessed for free. You can grab historical data of the activity registered on GitHub since 2/12/2011 on its website. For that purpose, it provides an endpoint that lets you request the historical data files by hour, each of which has an average size of over 80MB when unzipped. So for one year this is a lot of data provided you want to store it and process it yourself (700GB+)! This was a job for Spark! Spark lets us process data in a computer cluster in a fast and efficient manner. There are several ways to use it but we aimed at Databricks owing to the high level of abstraction it provides, by using web notebooks (very similar to Jupyter Notebook’s) and by exploiting Amazon EC2 instances with ease. It also lets you load files from S3 out of the box, so we crafted a script called gh2s3 to transfer the GitHub Archive’s 2016 data to S3. In order to get the users’ locations, we made use of Scrapy (a Python library to build crawlers) to extract this data from GitHub’s API. Scrapy allows to throttle the request rate to stay inside GitHub’s rate limits, among many other things. So our initial setup using Databricks is represented in the diagram below. Apache Zeppelin is an amazing open source alternative to DataBricks. In
. They would like to hear from anyone who has seen the spheres in the past years. They want to know where and when anyone has observed the jelly balls and at what depths. If you can supplement that with information about the temperature and currents that would be very helpful too. Was it floating or was is down on the seabed? They would also like to know if you have seen anything resembling eggs or embryos inside the jelly balls. Contact: If any readers of ScienceNordic have seen such large spheres in the sea or know anyone who has, please contact Halldis Ringvold – post@buzzingkid.no – or Gro I. van der Meeren – grom@imr.no ------------------------------------- Read the Norwegian version of this article at forskning.noThe new owners of Formula 1 will relocate from Bernie Ecclestone's current London offices, said CEO Formula One Group Chase Carey. The historic headquarters of Formula 1, located in the very high-end Knightsbridge at Princes Gate, are simply not big enough to accommodate the company as it seeks to transform Grand Prix racing. "We will not be able to run the business from Bernie's offices, they are too small," said Carey. "There isn't even room there for me now. We will find somewhere else. I am living here most of the time in an apartment in central London, and Formula One will still be based in the United Kingdom." Bernie Ecclestone lives in a modestly-sized penthouse above F1's offices at Princes Gate, a convenient location for him to get to work. Whether he will choose to remain there, given his sudden retiree status, is uncertain. True to his working class origins, Bernie still has milk delivered to his doorstep every day. GALLERY: F1 drivers' wives and girlfriends Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and TwitterTHE STORY The project features the scene from the movie Captain America I. Red Skull is escaping in his flying-wing with the cosmic cube, and Captain America is chasing him, but he is losing his target. Thanks to Peggy Carter and Colonel Chester Phillips, who come with Red Skull's roadster for help! After kissing Peggy goodbye, the mighty Captain jumps onto the aircraft from the roadster and saves the day! THE FLYING-WING The flying-wing is built mainly with dark grey, light grey, black and some dark red bricks. The front cockpit can open and fit one minifig, probably Red Skull himself. The back cockpit can also open, where Red Skull place the cosmic cube. THE ROADSTER The roadster is built with black and dark red bricks, and can fit two minifigures comfortably. Peggy and Colonel Chester Phillips are driving the luxurious car, although it is Red Skull's ride. For more details of the roadster, please refer to this link (including the car model from real bricks): https://ideas.lego.com/projects/83538/updates THE MINIFIGS This project includes four minifigs: Captain America, Red Skull, Peggy Carter and Colonel Chester Phillips. As for the accessories: Captain America is holding his shield; Red Skull has a big gun in one hand and the cosmic cube in the other; Peggy and the Colonel are both holding a pistol. All four minifigs have custom decals on their heads and torsos. Thank you all for viewing!Download raw source MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.25.207.149 with HTTP; Thu, 30 Apr 2015 12:06:31 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.25.207.149 with HTTP; Thu, 30 Apr 2015 12:06:31 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <D167D416.29BFC%gthrush@politico.com> References: <D14F43F2.2758A%gthrush@politico.com> <9374D19F-BDFB-48A1-9187-7ED02AB7F745@gmail.com> <D1669CE2.299E2%gthrush@politico.com> <CAE6FiQ_OXRtVOiyMb39304WGTdoSCtNY0qy-Vz+61k+SZJ4PSw@mail.gmail.com> <D167D416.29BFC%gthrush@politico.com> Date: Thu, 30 Apr 2015 15:06:31 -0400 Delivered-To: john.podesta@gmail.com Message-ID: <CAE6FiQ-Oz5ZAXr28Qmb1foWSue7YKVVFSKhd9RzZwh7Mxj2Kkw@mail.gmail.com> Subject: Re: sorry to bother... From: John Podesta <john.podesta@gmail.com> To: Glenn Thrush <gthrush@politico.com> Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=001a11c268a625493c0514f5cb85 --001a11c268a625493c0514f5cb85 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Sure. Sorry for the delay I was on a plane. On Apr 30, 2015 9:44 AM, "Glenn Thrush" <gthrush@politico.com> wrote: > Can I send u a couple of grafs, OTR, to make sure I=E2=80=99m not fuckin= g > anything up? > -- > Glenn Thrush > Chief Political Correspondent, POLITICO > Senior Staff Writer, POLITICO Magazine > Cell (call first): 202-731-4974 > Desk: 703-647-8543 > http://www.politico.com/reporters/GlennThrush.html > > From: John Podesta <john.podesta@gmail.com> > Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 6:34 PM > To: Glenn Thrush <gthrush@politico.com> > Subject: Re: sorry to bother... > > OTR: not sure what you mean by the first issue. I'm the sultan of flat. > My whole pitch is all are welcome and grow the network. > On Apr 29, 2015 11:38 AM, "Glenn Thrush" <gthrush@politico.com> wrote: > >> Hey sir=E2=80=94 sorry to bother =E2=80=94 OTR question >> >> Was working on a fundraising story (when Maggie and Matea=E2=80=99s sto= ries >> popped) >> Been talking to bundlers who told me that one of the reasons you need to >> get HRC out on the road was simply that the Hillfunders mid-level strate= gy >> was getting enough traction and you had to mine the old 08 crowd a littl= e >> quicker than u thought=E2=80=A6 >> Also- to be a pain in the ass =E2=80=94 I=E2=80=99ve heard that u were n= ever entirely on >> board with the whole =E2=80=98flat=E2=80=99 idea in the first place. >> Cheers/Thrush >> -- >> Glenn Thrush >> Chief Political Correspondent, POLITICO >> Senior Staff Writer, POLITICO Magazine >> Cell (call first): 202-731-4974 >> Desk: 703-647-8543 >> http://www.politico.com/reporters/GlennThrush.html >> >> >> --001a11c268a625493c0514f5cb85 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <p dir=3D"ltr">Sure. Sorry for the delay I was on a plane. </p> <div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Apr 30, 2015 9:44 AM, "Glenn Thrush"= ; <<a href=3D"mailto:gthrush@politico.com">gthrush@politico.com</a>> = wrote:<br type=3D"attribution"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"m= argin:0 0 0.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"> <div style=3D"word-wrap:break-word"> <div> <div>Can I send u a couple of grafs, OTR, to make sure I=E2=80=99m not fuck= ing anything up?</div> <div style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14p= x"> <div>--=C2=A0</div> <div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium"><b style=3D"font-size:1= 6px">Glenn Thrush</b></div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri">Chief Political Correspondent,=C2=A0<fon= t color=3D"#ff0000">POLITICO</font></div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri">Senior Staff Writer,=C2=A0<font color=3D= "#ff0000">POLITICO</font>=C2=A0Magazine</div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri">Cell (call first): =C2=A0<a href=3D"tel:= 202-731-4974" value=3D"+12027314974" target=3D"_blank">202-731-4974</a></di= v> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri">Desk: <a href=3D"tel:703-647-8543" value= =3D"+17036478543" target=3D"_blank">703-647-8543</a></div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri"><a href=3D"http://www.politico.com/repor= ters/GlennThrush.html" target=3D"_blank">http://www.politico.com/reporters/= GlennThrush.html</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14p= x"> <br> </div> <span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14= px"> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri;font-size:11pt;text-align:left;color:blac= k;BORDER-BOTTOM:medium none;BORDER-LEFT:medium none;PADDING-BOTTOM:0in;PADD= ING-LEFT:0in;PADDING-RIGHT:0in;BORDER-TOP:#b5c4df 1pt solid;BORDER-RIGHT:me= dium none;PADDING-TOP:3pt"> <span style=3D"font-weight:bold">From: </span>John Podesta <<a href=3D"m= ailto:john.podesta@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">john.podesta@gmail.com</a>&= gt;<br> <span style=3D"font-weight:bold">Date: </span>Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at = 6:34 PM<br> <span style=3D"font-weight:bold">To: </span>Glenn Thrush <<a href=3D"mai= lto:gthrush@politico.com" target=3D"_blank">gthrush@politico.com</a>><br= > <span style=3D"font-weight:bold">Subject: </span>Re: sorry to bother...<br> </div> <div><br> </div> <div> <div> <p dir=3D"ltr">OTR: not sure what you mean by the first issue. I'm the = sultan of flat. My whole pitch is all are welcome and grow the network. </p> <div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Apr 29, 2015 11:38 AM, "Glenn Thrush&quo= t; <<a href=3D"mailto:gthrush@politico.com" target=3D"_blank">gthrush@po= litico.com</a>> wrote:<br type=3D"attribution"> <blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0.8ex;border-left:1p= x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"> <div style=3D"word-wrap:break-word;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:14px;font-fam= ily:Calibri,sans-serif"> <div> <div>Hey sir=E2=80=94 sorry to bother =E2=80=94 OTR question</div> <div><br> </div> <div>Was working on a fundraising story (when Maggie and Matea=E2=80=99s st= ories popped)</div> <div>Been talking to bundlers who told me that one of the reasons you need = to get HRC out on the road was simply that the Hillfunders mid-level strate= gy was getting enough traction and you had to mine the old 08 crowd a littl= e quicker than u thought=E2=80=A6</div> <div>Also- to be a pain in the ass =E2=80=94 I=E2=80=99ve heard that u were= never entirely on board with the whole =E2=80=98flat=E2=80=99 idea in the = first place.</div> <div>Cheers/Thrush</div> <div> <div>--=C2=A0</div> <div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium"><b style=3D"font-size:1= 6px">Glenn Thrush</b></div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri">Chief Political Correspondent,=C2=A0<fon= t color=3D"#ff0000">POLITICO</font></div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri">Senior Staff Writer,=C2=A0<font color=3D= "#ff0000">POLITICO</font>=C2=A0Magazine</div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri">Cell (call first): =C2=A0<a href=3D"tel:= 202-731-4974" value=3D"+12027314974" target=3D"_blank">202-731-4974</a></di= v> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri">Desk: <a href=3D"tel:703-647-8543" value= =3D"+17036478543" target=3D"_blank"> 703-647-8543</a></div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri"><a href=3D"http://www.politico.com/repor= ters/GlennThrush.html" target=3D"_blank">http://www.politico.com/reporters/= GlennThrush.html</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div><br> </div> <span> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri;font-size:11pt;text-align:left;color:blac= k;BORDER-BOTTOM:medium none;BORDER-LEFT:medium none;PADDING-BOTTOM:0in;PADD= ING-LEFT:0in;PADDING-RIGHT:0in;BORDER-TOP:#b5c4df 1pt solid;BORDER-RIGHT:me= dium none;PADDING-TOP:3pt"> <br> </div> <div> <div dir=3D"auto"> <blockquote type=3D"cite"> <div> <div> <div></div> </div> </div> </blockquote> </div> </div> </span></div> </blockquote> </div> </div> </div> </span> </div> </blockquote></div> --001a11c268a625493c0514f5cb85--If the United States had a stable population an argument can be made that we can reduce our energy consumption. But even if we cut our energy consumption 10 or maybe even 20 per cent, we are still using way too much energy in the face of peak oil and global warming. And it will not be as easy to reduce energy consumption as many make it out to be. We already have the highways and the airports and the McMansions and the automobiles and it takes energy and a whole lot of energy to build something different. A substantial reduction in energy consumption in the United States will be a Herculean task with many required to make sacrifices that they will refuse to make. But how does anyone honestly expect the United States to cut its energy consumption while its population is rising? It is a pipe dream to expect a rising United States population can consume less energy. A rising population will require the country to build new infrastructure for the larger population. This takes energy and adds to fossil fuel consumption. And further it takes energy to sustain the larger population.Unite Stratford City by BDP in East London is on the shortlist for the Carbuncle Cup, Britain’s ugliest building prize. Courtesy of George Rex/Flickr Americans invented the Razzies to call out bad acting as a counterpoint to the Oscars. But while bad movie performances might linger in the subconscious, bad buildings scar the landscapes of our everyday lives. Which is why the Brits have the Carbuncle Cup, in which the public nominates candidates for Britain’s ugliest new building of the year, as a counterpoint to the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Stirling Prize for architectural excellence. Sponsored by British architecture magazine Building Design, the Carbuncle Cup has been given out annually since 2006, inspired by similar honors bestowed by Prospect magazine in Scotland. The name is said to have come from a 1984 quote by Prince Charles, who called Richard Rogers’ proposed extension of London’s National Gallery a “monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend.” The shortlist for this year’s Carbuncle Cup was announced this week, with Building Design editor Thomas Lane calling the awards “architecture’s most dubious accolade,” and “architecture’s ultimate name and shame competition” in an announcement. Vauxhall Tower by Broadway Malyan is the centrepiece of the St. George Wharf development on the southern end of London’s Vauxhall Bridge. Courtesy of George Rex/Flickr “Good architecture should provide decent places for people to live and work, enhance our towns and cities, be enduring and ultimately uplift the spirit of everyone who interacts with those buildings,” Lane wrote. “The sad reality is that far too much new development falls short of these basic tenets of good design. Significant amounts of time and money is spent on new development and good design should be a given, not an afterthought. The result is great swathes of Britain’s towns and cities are mediocre, uninspiring with no real identity.” The shortlist of architectural mediocrity was culled from 13 buildings nominated by the public by a panel consisting of Lane, architectural correspondent Ike Ijeh, Building Design columnist and adviser to the Prince’s Trust Hank Dittmar, and architect and former RIBA President Owen Luder. “Reader comments on each nomination were also considered during the selection process,” Lane noted. Nominees include the Vauxhall Tower by Broadway Malyan (above), a 50-story building on St. George Wharf development on the southern end of London’s Vauxhall Bridge. Lane wrote that Berkeley Group chief executive Tony Pidgley “described the nomination as ‘sad’ and conceded the scheme ‘could have been better,’ ” adding “that the firm was prepared to live and learn from its mistakes.” Lane noted that the Unite Stratford City by BDP in East London (top) “drew unanimous condemnation” from the magazine’s readership. “Typical comments included, ‘if I was a dictator I would be very proud of this building, ‘utterly grotesque,’ ‘complete failure of the design process’ and ‘I say we take off and nuke it from orbit,’ ” Lane wrote. The Trinity Square by 3D Reid supplanted a Brutalist parking garage. Courtesy of John Lord/Flickr The most nominated building was Trinity Square by 3D Reid (above), which replaced a Brutalist parking garage memorably featured in the 1971 film Get Carter. Lane noted that Carbuncle Cup judge Luder—also the architect of the demolished car park—commented: “The first principle of demolition should be to put up something that was better than was there before. Whatever you thought of the car park, this project is much worse.” See the rest of the nominees on Building Design. The winner will be announced next week.Pin 786 Shares Eat your feelings with these Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars. It’s a 3 ingredient dessert that fulfills all those late night cravings. I love easy desserts. This one is an “eat your feelings” dessert at its finest. It’s super easy to make and it’s one of the most popular flavor combinations in the world: chocolate and peanut butter. You can’t go wrong with this. It’s like eating a giant Reese’s candy bar and it’s amazing. I’d like to say these last a few days sitting on the counter, but let’s face it, they don’t. They get consumed well before they ever have a chance to go bad. TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS This picture and recipe has been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. Crazy, huh? While most of the people that make it have no problems and enjoy this decadent dessert, here a few troubleshooting tips: MY OTHER RECIPES MY OTHER RECIPES MY OTHER RECIPES 1. Peanut Butter Problems: Depending on the brand of peanut butter you use it may require more powdered sugar than listed. Add enough powdered sugar to get a thick consistency that will hold a shape. 2. Chocolate Problems: Cheap chocolate produces terrible results. Some of those store brands of chocolate chips are actually chocolate flavored chips. Big difference. I personally use Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate. I have found that they melt and harden in a variety of uses. What you see in the picture didn’t require any special cutting method. If they are refrigerated for a long time and get too cold, they will be very difficult to cut. 3. Sticking Problems: This is either your pan or your chocolate. I have used a glass pan as well as a metal nonstick pan with no problems. I do not line it or spray it with anything. Some pans, especially ones with scratches, cause sticking problems, as well as cheap chocolate. If you are worried, line the bottom of your pan with wax or parchment paper. Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars - 3 Ingredient Dessert Eat your feelings with these Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars. It's a 3 ingredient dessert that fulfills all those late night cravings. Cook Time 15 mins Total Time 15 mins Print Pin Servings: 9 Servings Ingredients 2 bags 4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 1/2 cups peanut butter 1/2 cup powdered sugar US Customary - Metric Instructions Melt 1 bag chocolate chips in the microwave (15 seconds, stir, repeat until melted smooth). Spread chocolate in bottom of a non-stick 9x9 pan. Let harden. Use a hand mixer to mix together 1 1/2 cups peanut butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Spread over hardened chocolate. Melt 1 more bag of chocolate chips. Spread on top of peanut butter layer. Let harden. Nutrition Calories: 741 kcal \| Carbohydrates: 56 g \| Protein: 15 g \| Fat: 52 g \| Saturated Fat: 22 g \| Cholesterol: 4 mg \| Sodium: 205 mg \| Potassium: 732 mg \| Fiber: 8 g \| Sugar: 39 g \| Vitamin A: 0.8 % \| Calcium: 6.8 % \| Iron: 32.6 % If you liked this recipe, check out my new 3 ingredient dessert…Chocolate Pretzel Caramel Bars. This recipe first appeared on The Stay At Home Chef on March 11, 2013The Register’s All-County football teams: FIRST TEAM OFFENSE var _ndnq = _ndnq \|\| []; _ndnq.push([’embed’]); http://launch.newsinc.com/js/embed.js Quarterbacks JT DANIELS Mater Dei, 6-2, 200, Sr. The Register’s offensive player of the year. CHASE GARBERS Corona del Mar, 6-3, 215, Sr. He was the Pacific Coast League most valuable player. Garbers was second in Orange County passing yardage with 3,900 yards. He also threw for 47 touchdowns with only four interceptions. Ten of his touchdown passes came during the playoffs as the Sea Kings advanced to the CIF-SS Division 4 championship game. Garbers surpassed 300 yards in five games, including 329 yards with four touchdowns in Corona del Mar’s 35-34 win over Lompoc in the Division 4 semifinals. Garbers committed to Cal. JACK SEARS San Clemente, 6-3, 200, Sr. He was South Coast League offensive player of the year. Sears completed 68 percent of his passes for 2,610 yards and 37 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,135 yards and nine touchdowns. Sears rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 223 yards and two touchdowns in the Tritons’ 45-35 win Murrieta Valley in the CIF-SS Division 2 championship game. He threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns in a CIF Regional win over Edison. Sears committed to USC. RUNNING BACK KC CARR Tustin, 5-11, 165, Jr. Tustin coach Myron Miller wasn’t sure that Carr, because of his size, could carry the load in the Tillers’ run-heavy offense. Carr had no problem with it. He led Orange County in rushing with 2,757 yards, ran for 38 touchdowns and averaged 230 yards a game. He rushed for 437 yards over two playoff games. Carr was named Empire League offensive player of the year. WIDE RECEIVERS TAE LE Corona del Mar, 6-4, 230, Jr. He was quarterback Chase Garbers’ favorite target. Le finished with 78 receptions, second-most in Orange County, for a county-high 1,311 yards and 22 touchdowns. Le had 22 receptions and four touchdowns in the playoffs. He reguarly showed that he could outleap a defensive back to pull in a pass. Le, who is being recruited by some colleges as a tight end, was All-Pacific Coast League first team. AUSTIN OSBORNE Mission Viejo, 6-3, 180, Jr. Osborne finished with 36 receptions for 961 yards and 16 touchdowns. His stats would have been greater, but he often did not play much in the second half of the Diablos’ many one-sided wins. He averaged 27 yards a reception and was All-South Coast League first team. “He’s a big down-the-field receiver,” Mission Viejo coach Bob Johnson said, “and he’s got good speed.” Osborne was All-County first team last year too. AMON-RA ST. BROWN Mater Dei, 6-0, 187, Jr. St. Brown’s 1,229 yards were second highest figure in O.C. He had 60 catches, 21 of them for touchdowns. He was All-Trinity League first team, along with his older brother, Osiris. He started the season strong, with seven receptions for 137 yards and four touchdowns in a season-opening win over Bishop Amat, and ended it strong, too, with six catches for 140 yards and a touchdown in the loss to St. John Bosco in the CIF-SS Division 1 final. “Amon-Ra wants to make the big play in crunch time,” Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson said, “and he usually does so.” OSIRIS ST. BROWN Mater Dei, 6-2, 185, Sr. He earned the MVP award for offense in the Trinity League. St. Brown had 62 receptions for 1,127 yards and 19 touchdowns. His best game came in a league win over Orange Lutheran as he had 11 catches for 149 yards and three touchdowns. “Osiris is a precise route-runner with tremendous breakaway capability,” Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson said. He committed to Stanford. OFFENSIVE LINEMEN TOMMY BROWN Mater Dei, 6-7, 321, Jr. He played left tackle for an offense that averaged 53 points a game and helped quarterback JT Daniels set Orange County single-season records for passing yardage and passing touchdowns. Brown, son of Foothill baseball coach Vince Brown, has scholarship offers from 10 schools, and there are likely many more to come during the spring and summer. “Tommy’s upside is tremendous,” Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson said. “He’s still growing. I look for him to have a dominating senior year.” BRETT NEILON Santa Margarita, 6-3, 288, Sr. He was All-Trinity League first team. Neilon, a center, anchored an offense that averaged 30 points a game. Neilon is extremely agile for his size. He was selected to play in next month’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl Game in San Antonio. Neilon, who received a stack of scholarship offers, committed to USC. RYAN NELSON Buena Park, 6-6, 275, Sr. He was one of the better two-way linemen in Orange County, lining up at tackle on offense and at various positions on defense. Linemen rarely get a league’s player of the year honor, but Nelson did so in the Freeway League, which named him league co-player of the year with teammate Cedric Dashiell II. Nelson helped the Coyotes win the league championship, finish 10-2 and average 37 points a game. He committed to Virginia. JARRETT PATERSON Mission Viejo, 6-5, 270, Jr. Diablos coach Bob Johnson raved about Patterson’s combination of playing ability and smarts. “He’s so solid,” Johnson said. “He’s big, strong, getting bigger and getting stronger, and very bright.” Patterson was All-South Coast League first team. Patterson helped the team average 52 points a game in league and 46 points a game overall. He likely will be among Orange County football’s top recruits in the 2017 season. MIKE SAFFELL Edison, 6-3, 290, Sr. Saffell was the center on the offensive line and an important leader for the Chargers as they won Sunset League and CIF-SS Division 3 titles. He was named Sunset League offensive lineman of the year. The best centers block a defensive lineman then get down field to take on a linebacker, and Saffell did that with regularity, showing a consisent mix of tenacity and quickness. Saffell commited to Cal. ALL COUNTY FOOTBALL Contact the writer: sfryer@scng.comTwitter's experiment with promoting its Favorite button seems to have worked, and now it's looking to see what else the button can do. The company's latest experiment involves letting users favorite accounts — not just tweets — and can be found inside the most recent version of its Android app. Favoriting an account won't do much just yet, but it will begin sending you push notifications whenever that person tweets. The new experiment was originally spotted by Yahoo's Drew Olanoff. Fav'ing accounts on twitter? Hmmm pic.twitter.com/SLOkziMYZw — drew olanoff (@drew) December 24, 2013 Twitter already offers push notifications for tweets, albeit buried inside a menu on user profiles. But the company has frequently experimented with re-launching features, and favoriting is likely no different. Most recently, Direct Messages were resuscitated as one of Twitter's most prominent features after having long been regarded as an afterthought. Favoriting an account isn't being positioned quite as front-and-center just yet though: for better or worse, turning on push notifications or favoriting a user's account doesn't show up in that person's Connect tab like favoriting a tweet of theirs would. As with most Twitter experiments, favoriting accounts could disappear entirely As with most Twitter experiments, favoriting accounts could either disappear entirely or eventually expand and make its way to the iPhone. At that point, it could have the same utility as it does today, or do something new. The feature could potentially allow you to show off your favorite accounts on your profile, CNBC's Eli Langer speculates. "Allowing a user to showcase their favorite accounts — if that is indeed the direction Twitter is taking — on their own profile by favoriting other accounts is the #FollowFriday on steroids," he writes. This kind of feature recalls MySpace's divisive "Top 8," which let users pick their favorite friends to display on their profile. Chinese Twitter competitor Sina Weibo offers a similar feature to this too, giving users a way to highlight accounts that they like, The Next Web points out. Like the @-reply and the retweet, Twitter's Favorite button came to life as users saw fit. Now it may be up to Twitter to lead users toward where it should go next, but figuring that out is no longer much of a risk: the Twitter of 2013 uses tiny micro-experiments to test out its new feature ideas, using user feedback to help it figure out what should stay, what should go, and what should be tweaked. Some of those features could turn into the next retweet, while others may fall from the nest like discarded eggs.Flamini set for Rayo Vallecano trial By Football Espana staff Former Arsenal and Milan midfielder Mathieu Flamini will undergo a trial with La Liga 123 outfit Rayo Vallecano this week, say reports in Spain. The 33-year-old is a free agent having ended his one-year stint at Crystal Palace in June and has failed to find a new club since his Selhurst Park exit. The Marseille-native will arrive in Vallecas this week to begin training with the second tier Spanish club, according to a report in Radio Marca. Michel’s side have moved into the playoff positions in the division for the first time this season after Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Barcelona B. Rayo are reportedly keen on adding a holding midfield player to their squad to compliment regulars Santi Comesana and Fran Beltran in the side.Subscribe to The Atlantic’s Politics & Policy Daily, a roundup of ideas and events in American politics. In all the coverage of the Trump administration’s fraught interactions with Special Counsel Robert Mueller, it has been easy to miss the potentially more consequential interplay unfolding across town: that between Mueller’s team and Congress. Related Story Only Mueller's Team Knows What It's Actually Doing Last month, Republican Representative Ron DeSantis proposed a measure to limit funding for Mueller’s probe to six months and restrict its scope. More recently, there have been spats between Mueller’s team and the GOP-led congressional investigations of Russia’s election interference. Congress’s approach to the investigation—both in its relationship with Mueller and the fervor with which it gathers evidence and executes its oversight role—is of decisive importance for Trump’s future. When it comes to righting presidential wrongs, special prosecutors generally play only a supporting role. True power over the investigation and removal of sitting presidents has always run through Congress. Special or independent prosecutors have been used to investigate three presidents (and their administrations): President Nixon for Watergate, President Reagan for Iran-Contra, and President Clinton for the Whitewater scandal and later the Lewinsky affair. If history is any guide, Trump’s fate will be decided not by Mueller but by Congress. In all three of those precedents, the appointment of special or independent prosecutors and their subsequent investigations took years to bear results, especially with respect to the president. None of those investigations was particularly disruptive until a credible threat of impeachment materialized. And, most importantly for Trump, none of the investigations on their own significantly eroded intra-party support for the president. If these precedents are a reliable guide, Trump ought to benefit from the two-way street that runs between congressional backing (needed to stave off impeachment) and popular support within the party (needed to discourage congressmen from abandoning ship). Based on timing alone, the key to his fate will likely be the 2018 midterm elections, not the special counsel. If Democrats take back the House—and regain the power to issue subpoenas and hold public hearings—Trump will be in real trouble. The real lesson from the history of presidential scandals is that it is tough for a special prosecutor alone to bring down an administration. Start with timing. Republican members of Congress are praying a smoking gun does not emerge to damage their party’s president in the 14 months between now and the midterms. On this count, they may be in luck. “Saturday Night Massacre” aside, the Watergate special investigation took 14 months before it reached a fever pitch with the Supreme Court’s ruling that Nixon was required to turn over the White House tapes. And although Nixon resigned shortly thereafter, in August 1974, the investigation itself ran until 1977. That case was the speediest of the three. Iran-Contra Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh was appointed in December 1986, first indicted senior officials in 1988, and did not publish his final report until 1993. Kenneth Starr’s tenure as independent counsel is notorious for its protracted timeline, running from January 1994 to September 1998. Given the sensitivity of his remit, Mueller will likely be in no rush to produce findings with anything less than certainty. If he follows his predecessors’ timelines, that could take a while.Perhaps
call that our table is ready (this is when the sprinting to the restaurant occurred) 6:31 - seated, but breathing heavily. 6:55 - full and walking out. As you can see, my life changed in a little over an hour when I had Marufuku for the first time. Seriously...and I don't say this too lightly: some of the best ramen I've had. Top 3 for sure. After living in LA for a couple of years and being blessed by the ramen Gods down there, I think I've found my SF fix. It was absolutely amazing - I haven't had this good of ramen since LA (I haven't been to Japan yet ok - bear with me). Back to the food - I ordered the Hakata Deluxe (Hakata style ramen with pork broth) - $16.99. It comes with Buta Kakuni (braised thick pork belly), Chashu (simmered pork belly), soft boiled egg, green onions, kikurage mushrooms, bean sprouts, corn, and nori. I'm not the biggest fan of Hakata style noodles, but I didn't care - the broth is so rich and flavorful that you forget about anything that matters. The Buta Kakuni is unlike anything I've ever had and I'm drooling just thinking about. The service is amazing and quick - you're in and out in less than 30 mins (at least for a small party). Come here. You will not regret it. This may be the best ramen in SF but need to have a least a few others to declare a winner. First things first, get a reservation or you'll have to kill over an hour in the mall area (easily done though). The dining area was full of people and the wooded walls and dark colors paired well with my expectations. It was hot in the restaurant so I recommend leaving your coat in the car. The food! I was not disappointed. We had Takoyaki and they were piping hot and tasted great. My Veggie Ramen was very flavorful and packed with all kinds of unique items that filled my belly in no time. Our friends had some kind of chicken ramen and the chicken was fantastic. Wow! I washed it all down with some Japanese beer and left very happy and stuffed. This was possibly our best dinner during our time in SF. One of the few ramen place I like in SF! I'm from SoCal and I really love ramen/tsukemen places down there because I do feel that some of the ramen joints in socal are comparable to ramen in Japan, and Marufuku is definitely one of the ramen places that I'd say is comparable to the quality I've experienced in japan! I always order the HAKATA TONKATSU or HAKATA TONKATSU DELUXE (extra piece of fatty pork) +BROTH: VERY FLAVORFUL, very rich and not that salty! It's def some sort of bone broth with garlic in it if I were to guess, but I really enjoy. The meat is MELT IN YOUR MOUTH and when I take a bite of it, I feel it melting! The noodles are perfectly al dente with a soft boiled egg to complement everything else! I always ask for spicy because I love that extra kick. If you want more meat, and you're a fan of FATTY MEAT, definitely get the deluxe as it's only a few dollars more, and you get a large piece of pork that is nicely roasted but each bite feels like you're literally eating fat... but FLAVORFUL FAT! :) To beat the line, I recommend either coming in on a weekday and/or coming in 20 mins before the restaurant opens as this place gets quite busy! This is easily on my top 3 for sure! The SF ramen game has ruined it for me, as I haven't really found (yet) my favorite ramen spot in Seattle. My sister and I ordered: - Tokoyaki: they were great but nothing I haven't had before - Hakata Tonkotsu DX: the thick slice pork belly that is extra to this ramen, with the delicious pork broth - Chicken Paitan DX: white broth and a little creamy. It comes with a chicken thigh on a sizzling plate. They only serve this 15 per lunch and dinner! With only 2 ramen to choose from, the broth is so delicious and tasted very distinct. The noodles also tasted different-- seems fresher. The service was also great and fast. They were attentive and organized. If you want to get on this place, just know that people wait and line up for hours! We came and waited for it to open and that's how we scored the seats. Sign up for reservations through yelp. I'll miss this ramen place! Located on the 2nd floor of Japantown's Kinokuniya Mall, we've passed by Marufuku Ramen a number of times and there is always a long line of patrons waiting to get in! They have a Yelp app to check in to, but, that seems to be used after the first wave of patrons get seated. My kids wanted to try the ramen so I stood in line starting at 4:15 pm on a Sunday evening and I was the 3rd from the front. By the time they opened their doors at 5 pm, the line was about 60 people deep. No joke. We were seated immediately at a community table in the center of the dining room. Within 5 minutes of placing our orders, our food was served. They are very prompt, efficient, and service-oriented - which isn't my usual experience at many busy restaurants in Japantown. While they have a limited menu of items, what they offered was perfect. They offer a rich Hakata-style tonkatsu (pork) broth and a chicken, rich, white Paiten broth. Plus you can add sides (ie. corn, mushrooms, bean sprouts, extra noodles) to your ramen or customize the spiciness of the broth. We tried both styles of broth and added an order of takoyaki. OMG, both of the broths were delicious... rich, flavorful, but not overwhelming. I tried my chicken ramen with a medium spiciness and it had the perfect bite. The chasu slices from the tonkatsu ramen was wonderful. Usually the chasu from ramen restaurants are bland and dry. My slices of chicken were tender and flavorful. And, the seasoned egg that came with each bowl of ramen was to-die-for. Seriously, the egg white and yolk was sooooo tender, gooey, and perfectly-seasoned. The only item we didn't care for was the takoyaki - the texture was on the rare, doughy side. The customer service at Marufuku was outstanding. The wait staff came by often to clear our used dishes and refilled our glasses with a refreshing pitcher of cucumber, lemon, and mint-infused water. Overall, a wonderful, satisfying experience at Marufuku. No wonder the line to dine here is insane! This is absolutely one of my favorite ramens - definitely top 3. The broth is absolutely smooth, fatty, and overwhelmingly satisfying. I ordered the tonkatsu (pork broth) and my SO the tonkatsu DX which came with extra pieces of pork belly - my goodness were those absolutely worth it. I can't wait to come back again and try the paitan. It's been plenty cold? That's a good enough excuse to go back soon, right? I went here with my boyfriend for dinner around 8pm on a Saturday. There was no wait, which was quite surprising since there usually is a long wait. We were on the hunt for the best ramen place and this was one of the places we haven't tried yet. We both got the tonkotsu ramen and enjoyed it, but it's not our favorite ramen place. The broth was very good, the meat was well marinated and not overcooked, but the noodles were firm. We prefer when our noodles are thicker and more on the chewy side. For the price we paid, we felt the portion size could be a bit bigger. We were both were still satisfied with the food we ate. I'd recommend this place if the line isn't too long, but I don'wait. It's a good place if you're craving ramen, but there are better ramen places in this neighborhood. I've tried a handful of ramen spots, and this place just does it for me. I usually get the Hakata Tonkatsu Deluxe (medium spicy), but I've also tried their Chicken Paitan deluxe (which comes with a sizzling, super flavorful braised chicken leg/thigh) and you really can't go wrong with either. Both broths are rich in flavor, and the noodles are just the right texture for me. Just a fyi, the wait can get REALLY long, but joining the waitlist on Yelp does help a little. Currently my favorite Ramen spot in the city. What I tried: Tonkotsu Ramen - prefect Chicken Paitan DX- chicken is delicious Overall thoughts: Everything was perfect The wait usually ranges from half an hour to an hour. The best is to join the wait list on yelp or arrive a little before they open. Usually a line starts forming before they open. If there is a waitlist, there are plenty of shops in the plaza to check out and kill time. Reasonable price for good Ramen Service is really quick. They seem to want customers in and out quick so others can be seated. Understandable. Best soft boiled eggs I ever had and best Ramen chashu I ever had. The chashu is flavorful unlike other places. Broth is extremely flavorful too. If you can handle a little bit of spice, I definitely recommend medium spicy for the best flavor. Bowls look pretty small when served but it's actually a lot of food! Tasty ramen! The wait is long, so be sure to book a seat on Yelp ahead of time. The portions are small. Each bowl is 80% of the size of what you typically see at other ramen restaurants. The bowl itself is also very uniquely shaped. The taste is awesome! The soup is thick, warm, and flavorful. There is a creamy structure, and it has a lot of umami. The interior of the restaurant is also very nice. Very modern renovations, with cool lighting under the seats. The staff are also very friendly, even though they are very busy, they were also very helpful. Overall, definitely worth the wait! Will come back I'm going to say, get here an hour before they to stand in line or else you'll have to wait an hour or two to get seated. When my mom and I visited my brother, he took us here because it was very good. At first, when he told me that people go there an hour before opening, I thought he was joking... but nope. When we got there 30-45 minutes before opening, the line was already long and we thought we wouldn't make it in the first round. Luckily we got the last seats!! Menu is very simple, they only have 2 flavors of broth ramen and other sides and appetizers to order. My mom and brother got the Hakata Deluxe which comes with more meat and I got the Chicken Paitan Deluxe which comes with a grilled chicken leg on the side. It was all so yummy, but my favorite was the chicken paitan! It was light and not too oily compared to the Hakata. Their portion is quite big so when we finished we were all so full! Now that my brother introduced this place, I'm gonna tell him to take us here every time we visit SF!In this week’s eSkeptic, we present an article from Skeptic magazine issue 7.4 (1999) in which three psychologists examine in detail the most recent scientific evidence (at the time) regarding the efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. The authors consider strategies employed by EMDR’s proponents to deal with negative findings, and note historical parallels between EMDR and other controversial treatments. This scientific and historical analysis of EMDR may help shed light on a variety of other potentially pseudoscientific practices in the field of clinical psychology. In this respect, EMDR serves as a useful object lesson in the study of pseudoscience. Eye Movement Magic: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing by Gerald M. Rosen, Richard J. Mcnally & Scott O. Lilienfeld While strolling through a park one day, Francine Shapiro noticed that certain of her troubling thoughts suddenly lost their distressing qualities. Curious about what had happened, Shapiro regenerated the mental images and again found them no longer upsetting. Attending closely to her behavior, she realized that her eyes had been spontaneously and rapidly shifting back and forth. Suspecting that rapid eye movements might possess hitherto untapped therapeutic powers, Shapiro began informal tests on her friends. She asked them to concentrate on a traumatic or disturbing memory and to track her finger visually as she moved it back and forth in front of their eyes. Her friends reported feeling better and their memories were no longer disturbing. Shapiro’s serendipitous observations inspired her to conduct a formal study in fulfillment of her doctoral dissertation in clinical psychology at the California based, never-accredited, and nowdefunct Professional School of Psychological Studies. This was an opportune time to conduct such a study. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) had been recognized in 1980 by the American Psychiatric Association as a distinct mental disorder resulting from exposure to extreme, terrifying events, such as combat and rape. People with PTSD often feel “numb,” finding it difficult to experience positive emotions for loved ones, they are often hypervigilant and startle easily, and they typically “re-live” their terrible experiences in the form of nightmares and recurrent disturbing recollections of the trauma. This last PTSD symptom constituted the very phenomenon that Shapiro believed eye movements might help. What better way to test her discovery, therefore, than to apply the induction of eye movements to the treatment of traumatic memories associated with PTSD? Shapiro treated 22 PTSD patients in her dissertation study by asking them to recall a traumatic memory and to follow her moving fingers with their eyes. She published her findings in 1989 in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, reporting that a single session of “Eye Movement Desensitization” abolished the distress associated with a traumatic memory in 100% of the patients. These results caught the attention of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists who were accustomed to spending much more time desensitizing the traumatic memories of their patients. Shapiro concluded that eye movements somehow accelerated the desensitization process associated with traditional imaginal exposure techniques. Further, she claimed that clinicians could “achieve complete desensitization of 75–80% of any individually treated trauma-related memory in a single 50-minute session,” simply by reading her 1989 article. Shortly thereafter, Shapiro renamed her method “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing” or EMDR, a method that one enthusiast has claimed to be “the most revolutionary, important method to emerge in psychotherapy in decades.” Others have declared EMDR to be nothing short of “amazing,” “profound,” and a “miracle” (see Shapiro and Forrest, 1997). Although several popular expositions of EMDR have appeared (Gastright, 1995; Lilienfeld, 1996), the need to revisit this topic is pressing when one considers that the EMDR phenomenon thrives with unabated vigor and intensity, a full decade since its inception. EMDR workshops are offered throughout the world on an almost weekly basis. EMDR has been used to treat survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing, refugees in Bosnia and other areas ravaged by war, and communities where major natural disasters have occurred. EMDR enthusiasts have a professional organization to promote their method—the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association (EMDRIA), and new applications of the method now can be discussed at the annual international EMDRIA conference. The National Institute of Mental Health has recently funded two major clinical outcome trials comparing EMDR with other treatments (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy and Prozac). Reflecting the major impact EMDR appears to be having in clinical psychology, the Journal of Anxiety Disorders, a leading peer-reviewed academic journal, recently featured a special issue (Spring, 1999) with 13 articles devoted entirely to EMDR. Clearly, this is a treatment method that warrants continued scrutiny. Moving beyond popular expositions on EMDR, we examine in detail the most recent scientific evidence that bears on the method’s efficacy consider strategies employed by EMDR’s proponents to deal with negative findings, and note historical parallels between EMDR and other controversial treatments. This scientific and historical analysis of EMDR may help shed light on a variety of other potentially pseudoscientific practices in the field of clinical psychology. In this respect, EMDR serves as a useful object lesson in the study of pseudoscience. The Spread of EMDR Shortly after completion of her doctorate, Shapiro founded the EMDR Institute, Inc. and promoted her admittedly experimental method in weekend training workshops held throughout the world. By 1990, the claim was made that EMDR had evolved into a complex methodology, so that Shapiro’s original article could no longer suffice as an adequate description of the method. Instead, a more costly two-day workshop was required to be “certified.” By 1991, even more training was required and a “Level II” workshop was mandatory for certification by the EMDR Institute, Inc. Thus, in the short span of two years, Shapiro had gone from her 1989 statement to an elaborate proprietary training model. These changes were reported to be motivated by clinical “experience,” without any data to show that Level II training yielded better results than Level I, or the written instructions from 1989. Despite the absence of data, clinicians were told that using EMDR without appropriate training is dangerous, and training in authorized workshops became the minimum standard. By 1997, over 25,000 mental health professionals had accepted Shapiro’s dictum and completed at least one of the workshops. Shapiro report[ed] that a single session of ‘Eye Movement Desensitization’ abolished the distress associated with a traumatic memory in 100% of the patients. One of us completed both Level I and Level II training and experienced first hand the revival-tent fervor of EMDR enthusiasts (Rosen, 1996). Shapiro spoke about an increasing range of applications for EMDR, the possibility of reversing cycles of violence in our society, and the use of EMDR in humanitarian efforts throughout the world. EMDR trainers went to Oklahoma City in the wake of the bombing, and volunteered their services in war ravaged Bosnia. Shapiro raised the possibility that EMDR might help people combat cancer or other terminal illnesses. An announcement for specialty workshops suggested the use of EMDR for everyday life issues, with such titles as, “Using EMDR to Help People Reach Their Peak at Work.” Dr. Shapiro’s vision of EMDR’s contribution to our mental health and the world’s future seemed boundless. In addition to highly successful workshops, Shapiro began making headway in the academic and professional world of clinical psychology. She received the 1994 Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award from the California State Psychological Association, and she gave invited lectures for the American Psychological Association, the European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, and other international associations. A Committee within the American Psychological Association officially listed EMDR as “probably efficacious for civilian PTSD” after two randomized clinical trials with traumatized civilians found the method better than no treatment at all. These developments lent further credence to the novel notion that eye movements could assist in the cure of mental ailments. EMDR clearly represents a major event in the landscape of contemporary clinical psychology. Unfortunately, a careful analysis of published studies demonstrates that something is terribly amiss. Playing Fair With Science Studies on EMDR have found scant empirical support for the dramatic claims made by its enthusiasts. Most damaging are a number of recent well controlled studies that have consistently failed to find evidence that eye movements possess any therapeutic powers (see DeBell and Jones, 1997; Foa and Meadows, 1997; Lohr, Tolin and Lilienfeld, 1998; McNally, 1999a). Individuals who simply imagine a traumatic memory while staring straight ahead do as well as those who visually track the therapist’s moving finger (Hazlett-Stevens, Lytle, and Borkevec, 1996). Other recent studies have compared EMDR with more traditional methods that expose clients to traumatic memories and desensitize anxiety. These studies find EMDR no more, and sometimes less, effective than the traditional methods of exposure (Devilly and Spence, 1999; Muris, Merckelbach, Van-Haaften and Mayer, 1997). Findings like these suggest that Shapiro borrowed elements from extant methods, added the unnecessary ingredient of finger waving, and then took her technique on the road before science could catch up. Shapiro’s general response to negative findings has been to cite numerous publications that demonstrate EMDR’s effectiveness and to point out that a Committee within the American Psychological Association (APA) has recognized the method as empirically supported and effective in treating civilian PTSD. Unfortunately, the Committee’s standards only require that two studies demonstrate a method as more effective than no treatment. Anyone familiar with the history of psychotherapy will understand that this is not a stringent requirement, since almost all psychological interventions instil a sense of hope, demonstrate a placebo effect, and achieve effects greater than no treatment (Frank, 1973). Indeed, according to the APA Committee’s criteria, both personal prayer and sugar pills should be considered empirically supported treatments, as these interventions have been found in multiple controlled studies to be more effective than the absence of treatment. More to the point, any treatment that adds an inert ingredient (such as eye movements) to an already developed treatment (such as exposure based therapies) can meet the criteria. In this context, one can view APA’s listing of Shapiro’s eye movement method as a reflection on the Committee’s weak criteria, rather than a ringing endorsement of EMDR. Shapiro also contends that studies failing to support EMDR have not employed the method faithfully, whereas studies demonstrating positive effects have had good “treatment fidelity.” This position assumes that EMDR is effective; there are critical procedural components to which one must faithfully adhere; and treatment effects, though powerful, are not so robust that violations in procedural integrity can be ignored. The argument sounds reasonable at first; but, in fact, Shapiro has misused the concept of treatment fidelity by continually changing the procedures and levels of training which define faithful adherence to the method (Rosen, 1999). Thus, Shapiro originally claimed that simple written descriptions were sufficient to learn the method. By the time psychologists had implemented the 1989 written instructions and found no difference between EMDR and a no-eye movement control, it had become necessary to take Level I training. By the time Level I trained psychologists were finding in controlled studies that EMDR was not as effective as Shapiro had claimed, they were accused of being only half-trained because they had not taken the Level II workshop. Then Roger Pitman and his colleagues at Harvard Medical School received Level II training and compared the eye movements of EMDR with a control condition that employed finger tapping (Pitman, Orr, Altman, Longpre, Poire, and Macklin, 1996). By the time their finding of no difference between groups was published, Shapiro was claiming that “alternate forms of bilateral stimulation” could work just as well as eye movements. In other words, Pitman and his colleagues, some of the most prominent researchers in the field of PTSD, had just wasted their time comparing EMDR with itself! Shapiro has…continually chang[ed] the procedures and levels of training which define faithful adherence to the method. …scientists who investigate the efficacy of EMDR are forced to ‘Keep running just to stay in the same place.’ The shifting procedures and training requirements for EMDR have created a seemingly endless catchup game for scientists. How can scientists test a method whose proponents insist on treatment fidelity for the induction of eye movements, then state that alternate tapping strategies are possible, next argue that various protocols must be followed, and then switch the decision rules for those protocols? How can scientists know they have been properly trained in a method when simple written descriptions first sufficed, then a Level I workshop was required, and then Level II training was the minimum standard? One can easily comprehend how the strategy adopted by Shapiro and other EMDR enthusiasts has created a slippery slope where refuted hypotheses constantly change, and the data never catch up. Like the Red Queen in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, scientists who investigate the efficacy of EMDR are forced to keep running just to stay in the same place. Lessons from History: Mesmer and Shapiro If Shapiro had merely described EMDR as a minor variant of existing desensitization techniques using imagery, or if she had stopped to test the role of eye movements before marketing her method, we would not be writing this article today. However, instead of following this road in a manner consistent with the tenets of science, Shapiro demonstrated striking entrepreneurial zeal and parlayed her “discovery” into a spectacularly successful commercial enterprise. This is not the first time that a controversial method has been so promoted. In fact, the story of EMDR is eerily reminiscent of Franz Mesmer’s discoveries in the late 18th century, with McNally (1999b) documenting no fewer than 17 striking parallels between the histories of the Mesmerism and EMDR movements. Consider, for example, that some scholars hold that Mesmer creatively applied the scientific concepts of his day in a sincere effort to alleviate human suffering, thereby establishing the foundations of modern hypnosis. Others regard Mesmer as a cynical wheelerdealer whose contributions to hypnosis were nothing more than the happy side effect of his entrepreneurial zeal. Shapiro has similarly provoked widely discrepant professional appraisals. Both Mesmer and Shapiro had their therapeutic epiphanies while walking outdoors; Mesmer was on a retreat in the Alps, Shapiro was strolling through a park. Like Shapiro, Mesmer established a lucrative institute for providing training, and insisted that trainees sign a document promising they would not impart their newly formed and powerful skills to others. Both were charismatic leaders who inspired the founding of professional societies to promote their therapies, and both offered pro bono treatment in the face of criticism that they were merely engaged in profit-making. Both Mesmerism and EMDR have been proclaimed useful for an astonishing range of ailments. Some characteristics of ingeniously promoted “miracle cures” Therapy is discovered through a personal epiphany. Therapy is proclaimed useful for an astonishing range of ailments. Founders establish lucrative training institutes and insist on trainee secrecy. Charismatic leaders inspire the founding of professional societies to promote the therapy. Leaders offer pro bono treatment in the face of criticism. Disappointing results are blamed on poorly trained researchers. Professional appraisals of the therapy vary from extremely positive to extremely negative. Animal magnetism therapists touted the method for gout, blindness, deafness, scurvy, and paralysis in addition to psychosomatic problems. EMDR therapists claim their method is useful for paranoid schizophrenia, learning disabilities, eating disorders, grief, substance abuse, rage, guilt, multiple personality disorder, cancer, and even AIDS. Both Mesmer and Shapiro have challenged scientists to test their methods, and both have complained that disappointing results were attributable to poorly trained researchers. Although the striking parallels between Mesmer and Shapiro in no way impugn the scientific validity of EMDR, comparative analysis suggests that ingeniously promoted “miracle cures” are likely to share many properties. Animal Magnetism Therapy and EMDR are two historically salient treatments that have stirred great excitement, only to fail the tests of time and science. There have been many others. A physician, James Walsh, wrote in 1923 on “The Story of the Cures that Fail,” and noted the importance of a patient’s faith in treatment. Dr. Walsh also observed that faddish techniques often parallel the latest developments in science. Thus, Mesmerism occurred at a time when early experiments on electricity had captured the imagination of the public. Likewise, references by Shapiro to “accelerated information processing” and “neuro networks” echo computer metaphors common today. Historical lessons from cures that fail illustrate how novel treatments initially induce high levels of expectancies, but often lose their effectiveness over time. The history of failed therapies argues for caution and skepticism when bold new claims are made. Unfortunately, many of EMDR’s proponents have made the very errors that Dr. Walsh so presciently warned us about. The continued acceptance and proliferation of EMDR among psychologists also represents a fundamental shift of attitude toward the most basic assumptions concerning burden of proof. Thus, before it was demonstrated convincingly that eye movements mattered, thousands of professionals started taking expensive workshops and waving their fingers. These psychologists, and the public, might consider a useful caution provided by James Oberg and reiterated by Carl Sagan (1995): it is a virtue to keep an open mind when evaluating new ideas, “just not so open that your brains fall out.”A goodwill visit by an Indian warship to South Korea’s Incheon port aimed at strengthening military ties ended up causing deep embarrassment to the Indian Navy after two of its sailors were accused of sexual harassment by a local woman. The groping incident is said to have taken place at a convenience store on the night of October 23, the very same day stealth frigate INS Sahyadri anchored at the port, casting a shadow on the five-day visit. There were some tense moments at the Indian embassy in Seoul and on the warship — commanded by Captain Kunal Singh Rajkumar — after the Incheon police launched an investigation on the basis of the woman’s complaint about inappropriate behaviour from the sailors. Indian officials cooperated with the investigation but there were fears that the scandal could cut short the visit to the deeply conservative country. The matter was resolved on October 25 only after officials from the Indian embassy and the warship extended “sincerest apologies and deep regrets” to the complainant and her family, allowing the warship’s visit to continue on its “agreed agenda”. A senior officer said the navy would get to the bottom of the matter and initiate strict disciplinary action after the warship returned. The vessel, which left Incheon on Tuesday, is on an operational deployment to Northwest Pacific region and South China Sea in line with India’s Act East policy. Describing the incident as “unfortunate,” the Indian mission said in a statement that neither the Indian Navy nor the Indian government would tolerate such conduct under any circumstances. “Any infringement of conduct codes will be dealt in accordance with the most stringent provision of the Indian Navy law,” the statement said, adding the Indian mission learnt of the incident with “great dismay.” The embassy stressed that the incident would not be allowed to “dampen the goodwill” between the two countries. South Korea is slowly finding its feet in the Indian defence market - Samsung Techwin, in partnership with Larsen & Toubro, recently won a Rs 4,875 crore order to supply howitzers to the Indian Army. Also, South Korean yard Kangnam Corporation is competing with global firms for a possible collaboration with Goa Shipyard Limited to build 12 minesweepers in India at a cost of Rs 32,000 crore. The Korean navy will take part in an international fleet review being staged by India off the Vizag coast in February. First Published: Oct 29, 2015 00:57 ISTToronto police are continuing their investigation after a body was found in a fire pit at a North York park on Saturday morning. Officers were called to Northwood Park, near Sheppard Avenue West and Sentinel Road, just after 10 a.m. after a passerby discovered the body and called police. Officers found evidence of a recent fire and the body was badly burnt, making identification a challenge. Police said the victim is a white male, believed to be between 20 to 35 years old with short black hair. Det. Shannon Dawson said the investigation is focused on determining who the deceased man is. The motive is unknown and police have no information on suspects at this time. Police are asking for anyone who may have witnessed anything to contact them. The fire pit at Northwood parks picnic area #1 where a dead man's body was found yesterday morning @CityNews pic.twitter.com/ChgPE92Bj2 — Adrian Ghobrial (@CityAdrian) April 10, 2016 Former Toronto police homicide detective David Perry said it’s unlikely that the victim was killed at the site. “My educated guess would be that this is a secondary crime scene, that there is another primary crime scene somewhere were the person was actually murdered,” said Perry, who is now the CEO of Investigative Solutions Network. “This is probably what we would call a disorganized crime scene, where somebody panicked and was in a real hurry to get rid of this body. These are efforts to throw police off, quite often they are not sufficient.”Gramatik Becomes the First DJ to Launch a Cryptocurrency; Makes $2.3 Million In 24 Hours Gramatik’s cryptocurrency, GRMTK, has proven successful. But blockchain technology still faces serious hurdles before it becomes widely adopted. Two weeks ago, over 40 major artists, including Mariah Carey and G-Eazy, signed-on to support rising cryptocurrency, Monero. Dubbed “Project Coral Reef,” the initiative allowed music fans to purchase discounted merchandise and albums from their favorite musicians. The news sent the digital currency to record highs of $249.58 per share. A month earlier, Icelandic singer and songwriter Björk gave away 100 free AudioCoins to fans who purchased her new album. Though the coins were only worth 25 cents, the ambitious project proved that artists are increasingly looking to promote blockchain technology. Now, one artist has found an interesting way to benefit from the rise of cryptocurrency in the music industry. Introducing GRMTK. Slovenian electro producer Gramatik became the first DJ to “tokenize” himself using the Ethereum toolkit application, Tokit. The software allows users to embed their intellectual property rights, revenue, and royalties into a programmable token. Fans and investors who purchase tokens would then share in the revenue from Gramatik’s works. In a press release statement, Gramatik explained how GRMTK works. “GRMTK isn’t just a cryptocurrency, it’s much more than that. Now, my audience can share in my inspiration and success by also owning the rights and royalties of my music, and anything I create and distribute on my upcoming channel. If you hold 100 GRMTK tokens, then you own 100 tokens worth of the rights and royalties of the music and projects I create.” Speaking about his decision to launch his own cryptocurrency, the Slovenian electro DJ told the BBC, “I don’t need a major label sucking the life out of me. I was always annoyed about the intermediaries in the industry who extract monetary value from artists. It means creatives have to be business savvy and a lot of them aren’t.” “Using the blockchain has fixed the problem for me.” Within 24 hours of launching GRMTK, Gramatik raised $2.25 million. Blockchain entertainment studio SingularDTV created the cryptocurrency. Is the music industry ready for blockchain, however? Not just yet. Unfortunately, GRMTK still has serious drawbacks. First, the Ethereum blockchain can’t support large-scale transactions just yet. The technology can only handle 20 to 30 transactions per second. SingularDTV, however, believes that the cryptocurrency will eventually expand. Accordingly, Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin, who co-created SingularDTV, explained, “In 18 months to two years, we could have 100,000 transactions per second, and at that point you’d be able to handle the surge of a big artist release.” Featured image by YouTube. Got a tip? Email [email protected]; anonymity protected.Advertisement While the flying car is yet to become commonplace, an Israeli firm believes its version of the much anticipated transport could seen be ferrying passengers around in the air. Called the CityHawk, the five seater could be ferrying four passengers using giant jet fuel powered fans. It is based on the Cormorant, a military craft set to ferry wounded soldiers from the battlefield. Scroll down for video The radical design uses enclosed fans, allowing it to land and take off in enclosed spaces. Although initial versions will have a pilot, future craft will be able to fly themselves. 'Metro Skyways Ltd., a subsidiary of Urban Aeronautics plans to launch the design and development of a four-passenger, Vertical-Takeoff and Landing (VTOL), ﬂying car based on Urban Aeronautics' internal rotor, Fancraft™ technology.' the firm said today. The vehicle will initially be powered by jet fuel, but will be designed from the outset to convert to liquid hydrogen and eventually also to 700 bar compressed hydrogen, once such options become commercially feasible. 'CityHawk is unique in combining a compact, car-sized design that has a four passenger capacity, no exposed rotors or wings, no batteries and potential for zero carbon emissions,' the firm says. The development of CityHawk is expected to take ﬁve years and draws on UrbanAero's experience in developing and ﬂight testing its one ton, unmanned Cormorant that is being developed by the company's second subsidiary, Tactical Robotics Ltd. CityHawk will be similar to Cormorant in shape and size. CityHawk will initially be piloted by a human pilot, the technology is being developed and tested on Tactical Robotics' Cormorant prototype which already ﬂies fully autonomously. Cormorant has so far accumulated in excess of 200 ﬂight tests. CityHawk's ﬁrst public demonstration will take place at an airshow shortly after completion of development. CityHawk will initially be piloted by a human pilot, the technology is being developed and tested on Tactical Robotics' Cormorant prototype which already ﬂies fully autonomously. As the technology of autonomy and regulatory infrastructure mature, CityHawk will eventually transport passengers robotically. The hydrogen powered version of the craft will rely on direct feed of hydrogen into a state-of-the art turboshaft engine as an alternative to fuel cells and electric motors. All CityHawks will be equipped with a standard rocket deployed parachute that will bring them safely down to the ground should any ﬂight critical event occur while airborne. A flying ambulance has successfully completed its first ever autonomous flight. Dubbed the Cormorant, this vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is designed to carry 1,000 pounds every 31 miles, allowing it to deliver suppliers to war zones and carry wounded soldiers to safety CORMORANT FIGURES Capacity: 2 patients Length: 20 ft 4 in (6.2 m) Width: 11 ft 6 in (
critically endangered" to simply "vulnerable to extinction." The birds have fared even better since then: by 2005 the population of Mauritius kestrels had soared to between 800 and 1,000 birds, more than had existed on their island home for more than a century. But although the Mauritius kestrel has recovered, the factors that drove it nearly extinct remain. Mauritius—one of the several islands in the Republic of Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean—is almost completely deforested and overrun by invasive species such as black rats (Rattus rattus), Indian mongooses (Herpestes javanicus) and feral cats. Deforestation started when people colonized the previously uninhabited island in the 17th century. Today none of the island's primary forests—the kestrels' original habitat—remain and 98 percent of the rest of the island's woodlands have been converted into sugar cane plantations or are regularly cut down for lumber. The only unmanaged forests remaining are in the most inaccessible parts of the island. So what's a kestrel to do in the face of this human-caused habitat change? According to research published February 20 in Current Biology, Mauritius kestrels have, over the past 23 years, started breeding at a younger age. This allows them to still have the same number of offspring, but it also comes at a cost: The birds die younger, too. (The birds are intensively monitored, so the researchers had access to extensive data on birth and survival rates.) The study compared two populations of birds. One group lived in areas with no native flora. The other lived in regions with more than 30 percent native plants. The first group died at much younger ages, but they also adapted their breeding strategies. "We found that birds from both types of habitat still ultimately produce the same number of offspring in a lifetime," lead author Samantha Cartwright, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Reading in England, said in a press release. "The strategy is a good one: Breeding when younger compensates for the increased risk of dying sooner." Cartwright said this "adaptive, plastic response is a testament to how resilient this species is," but also called the adaptation a warning. As she and her fellow researchers wrote in their paper, "our results suggest that human activities can have a persistent effect on the life histories of wild organisms.... Given the ubiquity of human-induced habitat change, the patterns we report could be widespread but remain poorly documented due to the short-term nature of most studies that attempt to quantify only the immediate impact of habitat change on fitness traits." This new paper builds on an earlier study by most of the same authors (with the exception of Cartwright), which was published in January 2013 in Ecology Letters. The previous study found the female kestrels that grew up in poor habitats were forced to disperse farther distances to find their own nesting sites than the females living in better habitats. At the time the authors theorized that this energy expenditure might reduce the former's fecundity (which the new paper disproves) as well as decrease their life spans (which appears to be the case). Previous studies have also shown that the kestrels have a fairly low genetic diversity. The current study does not examine that as a facet of the species's overall health. The birds also suffered from exposure to DDT and other chemicals used in the 1950s and '60s. There do not appear to be any recent studies examining the long-term effects of these chemicals on the kestrels. One wonders if this life cycle change will be enough to keep the birds healthy in the long run. A survey conducted between 2011 and 2012 found that the population of Mauritius kestrels has dropped again, this time down to about 400 individuals, according to the nongovernmental organization BirdLife International, based in Cambridge, England. At least one subpopulation has disappeared since 2005 and others are shrinking. BirdLife reports only a single population is currently considered stable and that there is no genetic transfer between isolated groups. Obviously the successful recovery of the Mauritius kestrel remains fragile and the future of the species remains to be written. Photos: A young Mauritius kestrel. Three mature Mauritius kestrels in a man-made nesting box. Photos by Samantha J. Cartwright, used with permissionToday, I’m here to talk to you about one of the more contentious arguments in our hobby. No, I’m not going to talk about which edition of a particular game is my favorite. I’m also not going to talk about the GM “cheating” by fudging dice results. Instead I’m going to take you to a subject that has divided tabletop gamers for a long time. This argument is as old as character creation itself. More specifically I’m going to tell you why I prefer point buy over randomly generated stats for my characters. For some, brought up in the days of 1st and 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons, the very notion of buying your character’s statistics is sacrilege. You roll the dice and you play what you are given. That’s how it’s always been and how it always will be for them. They find joy in the randomness and unpredictability of the character they may be given to play. I don’t. I find it caters to a certain style of character design that I just don’t agree with. I think we can all agree that the various numbers on the character are the skeleton that the rest of the character hangs off of. Characterization, personality, and everything else are the parts of the character that hide the ugly bare bones and muscle that propel the character through the game. But to me, randomly generating those stats is akin to building the skeleton without knowing what that character is going to look like. Is he going to be tall or short? Is he going to have the standard two arms and legs? Is he even going to be a he? And when that happens, I’ve found that having one leg be longer than the other or a shoulder joint that doesn’t work quite right is a lot more common. When I have to build a character to fit the framework I’m given, I get a lot less enjoyment out of the game, especially when the numbers aren’t able to be used to fit a given concept. Instead, I would much rather build the skeleton to fit the concept that I have. Point buy gives a player that control to build a character that he is happy with, making the numbers fit how he wants it to play. Or at the very least you can set your character on the correct path to eventually fulfilling the concept you have for him after several sessions. “But roleplaying a flawed character is a very rewarding challenge!” I hear some of you crying. And this is true. But in my mind, being forced into accepting a flaw is going to be more of an exercise in frustration than fun nine times out of ten. Besides, the most rewarding flaws I’ve ever played had nothing to do with the numbers. Being forced into a situation in which I have to roleplay a character with a low intelligence is not a flaw. It is not something that he can overcome. It is a truth on his character sheet. A disease like alcoholism or drug addiction or cancer has nothing to do with a number that is on the character sheet. These are things that can be further highlighted by numbers on the sheet – a character who has sought answers in the bottom of a bottle for years may find himself with shattered health, resulting in severely diminished physical attributes, but a low Constitution score is not indicative of that. Yes, you can get there from randomly generated stats and coming up with a Constitution score of 6. But to me that is very much a case of putting the cart before the horse. You may have a vehicle, but you have no means to drive it. It can make any further characterization seem forced and shoehorned to fit into that character instead of letting the character grow organically from your original decision and your choices. But point buy to me isn’t just about statistics and attributes. It’s about all aspects of character creation. It’s one of the reasons I think I love superhero gaming so much, even if I don’t run or play it very often. Because those superpowers are so varied those systems seem to necessitate some kind of point buy system. And in implementing that kind of system you give the player all sorts of other choices to make. How powerful do I want this ability to be? How reliable or dangerous do I want it? Am I willing to make sacrifices in one area to make it more effective in another area? And maybe it’s just the designer in me, but having full and complete control over all of those knobs and dials just makes me incredibly happy and makes the resulting character so much more fun to play. I’ve really enjoyed seeing the industry embrace the concept of more controlled character creation over the past few years and moving away from the more random elements of character creation. In the end, what it really comes down to for me is choice. With point buy, I am making the choice to build my character this way. With anything else, that choice is being made for me. And I just don’t grok that. Agree? Disagree? Sound off in the comments! The following two tabs change content below. Bio Latest Posts Ben Erickson Contributing Writer for d20 Radio Mild mannered fraud analyst by day, incorrigible system tinker monkey by night, Ben has taken a strong interest in roleplaying games since grade school, especially when it comes to creation and world building. After being introduced to the idea through the Final Fantasy series and kit-bashing together several games with younger brother and friends in his earliest years to help tell their stories, he was introduced to the official world of tabletop roleplaying games through the boxed introductory set of West End Games Star Wars Roleplaying Game before moving into Dungeons and Dragons. Latest posts by Ben Erickson see all) The Workshop: Creature Feature – The Shambling Mound - February 26, 2019 Comments commentsIf you plan on going to the Baltimore Running Festival on Oct. 18 and cheer for the runners, slow down, hotshot. There are a few things you should learn so you know how to clap and chant properly. Take a peek at the website: CHEER WORDS Here are some words of encouragement to offer runners as they pass your Cheering Section onsite or at home: 1. "Way to Run" 2. "Awesome" 3. "Looking Strong" 4. "Looking Good" 5. "Enjoy Baltimore" "Thanks! I will after the feeling of death goes away!" 6. "You Can Do It" 7. "You're Flying" 8. "Keep it Up" NOTE: Unless you are at the Stadium near the finish line, please DO NOT cheer "Almost there", "Not far to go" etc. After running 26 miles, "almost there" is a few hundred feet from the finish line. That's right; read that note again. DO NOT make runners think they're almost done when they're actually at mile 13. Is there history behind this? Was there an incident when marathon trolls yelled "ALMOST THERE" after the second mile? Honestly, "Almost there" is less distracting than "You're flying!" Photo of Chicago Marathon: AP H/t to JoeMedia playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Michelle Obama: "Now we’re feeling what not having hope feels like… hope is necessary.” Her husband repeatedly used messages of hope in his presidential campaigns and during his time in office. But US First Lady Michelle Obama has struck a much less upbeat tone in her last TV interview before the family leaves the White House. Speaking to talk show host Oprah Winfrey, Mrs Obama said America's outlook had changed since Donald Trump won November's election. "Now we're feeling what not having hope feels like," she said. Mrs Obama played an unusually prominent role in the 2016 election cycle, throwing her support behind Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and trading barbs with Mr Trump. She called on women to rise up against him over his groping comments and denounced his campaign's "hateful language". In turn, the Republican accused her of spending too much time campaigning for Mrs Clinton. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Michelle Obama and Donald Trump's duelling speeches on women Mrs Obama does not mention the president-elect by name in the preview clip of the Oprah Winfrey interview, to be aired by the CBS network on Monday. But she repeats previous assertions that the US needs "an adult" in the White House, saying the country's president should provide stability and inspiration. "Having a grown-up in the White House who can say to you in times of crisis, 'Hey it's going to be ok, let's remember the good things we have, let's look at the future, let's look at all the things that we're building..." she says. "All of this is important for our kids to stay focused and to feel like their work isn't in vain, that their lives aren't in vain. What do we do if we don't have hope?" She says she believes the US public will come to appreciate Barack Obama's impact with time. Mrs Obama is an unusually popular figure in America's political landscape, with a favourability rating, measured by Gallup at 64%, that is significantly higher than that of Mr Trump, Mrs Clinton, and her husband. Oprah Winfrey endorsed Barack Obama for president in 2007 but failed to do so publicly in 2012. She urged voters to choose Hillary Clinton in November's poll, saying: "You don't have to like her... Do you like democracy or do you want a demagogue?"Laura Ingraham (Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images) An immigration backlash — and a huge win for the grassroots. The high point of David Brat’s shoestring campaign came a week before Tuesday’s election, at the Dominion Club in Glen Allen, Va. House majority leader Eric Cantor is a member of the club — a place, its website says, where “you and your family can experience a vacation every day of the year.” It is located just blocks away from Cantor’s home. Brat had arrived to campaign against the House majority leader, and he had a high-profile rabble-rouser in tow. Advertisement Advertisement “I thought, I’m just going to do one more push for him at the end,” says Laura Ingraham, the conservative radio-talk-show host who for months now has used her nationally syndicated program, The Laura Ingraham Show, to promote the economics professor. “We just decided we were going to be really bold.” Bold they were. At the country-club rally near Cantor’s home, Ingraham floated a proposal. “I was thinking about this prisoner swap,” she told the crowd of over 600. “I kind of wish that President Obama would have thought this through a little bit more. Instead of sending five Taliban MVPs over there, he could have just traded one Eric Cantor.” Cantor won’t wind up in Afghanistan, but Brat’s shocking upset on Tuesday will send him packing come January. Brat himself is now among a small group who, like former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura and former Massachusetts senator Scott Brown, who have managed to pull off historic political upsets. Advertisement It is as much a victory for conservative media — voices like Ingraham, her fellow radio-talk-show host Mark Levin, columnist Ann Coulter, and Internet provocateur Matt Drudge — as it is for Brat. Although national tea-party groups were quick to claim credit for the turn of events (Tea Party Patriots president Jenny Beth Martin congratulated the “local tea-party activists who helped propel him over the top”), they did little to boost his candidacy. It was conservative-media figures, Ingraham chief among them, who helped amplify his message beyond what his limited campaign budget allowed. Advertisement “National tea-party groups were either not present or silent,” Ingraham says. Having supported Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell against attacks from the right, Ingraham is not your typical tea partier. In this case, she credits grassroots activists for doing the campaign’s heavy lifting without an organized infusion of outside tea-party funds. After hearing about Brat through friends in Richmond — she is a graduate of the University of Virginia law school — Ingraham spoke with him by phone several months ago. Though his campaign had attracted little support and even less media attention, she found him, she says, “really smart, really dedicated, and really courageous.” She began putting him on the air. “I thought to myself, ‘Wow, somebody without any political experience trying to take on Cantor and he’s just completely unafraid.’ It was something to see.” Advertisement “I decided, ‘Look, if we’re ever going to get any good people to challenge the failed establishment, we’re going to at least need to give them a platform and a fair hearing,’” she says, “so I helped give him a platform and a bigger microphone.” Advertisement It was the issue of immigration in particular that drew her into the race against Cantor. Ingraham was a vocal opponent of the 2007 immigration-reform proposal supported by President George W. Bush and, since Mitt Romney’s defeat in 2012, she has again used her radio show to rally conservatives against any legislation that includes a pathway to citizenship for those here illegally. She railed against the Gang of Eight’s comprehensive bill, which passed the Senate in April of last year, and then sought to prevent the House from taking it up by extracting concessions from the lawmakers who appeared on her show. “Will you go to conference on immigration, yes or no?” she routinely asked Republican congressmen who joined her on the air. Advertisement With the midterm elections in sight, she has pushed GOP candidates to sign a pledge circulated by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group devoted to opposing illegal immigration and limiting legal immigration to the U.S. The vast majority of Republicans are treating Obamacare as the dominant issue of the midterm election, but Ingraham has framed matters differently, arguing that immigration is the most important issue facing Americans today. “If conservatives go the wrong way on this issue,” she says, “all the other issues that we care about are academic.” Brat’s surprise victory suggests that it can also be a potent political weapon. On the campaign trail, he told voters that a vote for Cantor was a vote for amnesty and open borders. Ingraham and Levin used their microphones to promote his candidacy and to blast Cantor, who since February of last year has openly supported an unspecified version of the DREAM Act, which would legalize those who entered the country illegally as children. “It is time to provide an opportunity for legal residence and citizenship for those who were brought to this country as children and who know no other home,” Cantor said in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute. In her endorsement of Brat, Ann Coulter denounced Cantor as a “maniacal amnesty supporter.” Levin celebrated Brat’s “ass-kicking” victory and denounced members of the Republican leadership as “paper tigers.” Advertisement Advertisement Ingraham’s focus on immigration is a part of a larger attempt to push the party toward an embrace of economic populism. She refers to immigration as a “vessel” that has an impact on other issues like wages and health care, and says that proponents of immigration reform from the business-friendly Chamber of Commerce to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg simply don’t grasp the needs and interests of working-class Republicans. “The GOP has to be known as the party of the working people,” she says. “Black, white, Asian, single women. We care about their standard of living going down. And if it means throwing a House majority leader out of office, then we’ll do that.” It worked: Though rumors were circulating as recently as yesterday that House Republicans were preparing to take up immigration reform once again, Brat’s victory has political analysts on both left and right declaring it dead on arrival. Advertisement Now Ingraham is setting her sights on 2016: In particular, she wants to ensure that the Republican nominee is not cut from Cantor’s cloth. Brat’s victory, she says, is a step in the right direction: “Everybody that’s hoping and praying for a Jeb Bush run, they should spend a lot of time focusing on what just happened in Virginia.” — Eliana Johnson is a political reporter for National Review Online.Photo Donald J. Trump and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas remain locked in a tight race for the lead in Iowa less than three weeks before the state’s caucuses, according to a new poll. A survey from Quinnipiac University released on Monday found that 31 percent of likely Republican caucusgoers are planning to back Mr. Trump, while 29 percent support Mr. Cruz. The poll had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points. Mr. Trump and Mr. Cruz remain essentially tied in the crucial state that kicks off the presidential nominating process. Trailing them are Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, at 15 percent, and Ben Carson, the retired neurosurgeon, whose support has dropped to 7 percent. “The Iowa Republican caucuses are tight as a tick entering the final two weeks of the campaign,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. “Voters like Senator Ted Cruz better than Donald Trump and give him much higher scores for honesty, empathy, experience and for sharing their values.” Mr. Cruz has seen a surge in popularity in Iowa, where the caucuses take place on Feb. 1, in recent months as he has consolidated the support of evangelical Christian voters and as Mr. Carson’s backing has receded. But Mr. Trump has been attacking the Texas senator more aggressively of late, raising questions about the Cruz family’s roots in Cuba and Canada. A December poll from Quinnipiac also showed Mr. Trump leading Mr. Cruz by a single percentage point, suggesting the dynamics in the state are starting to stabilize. While Mr. Trump remains polarizing in Iowa, he is viewed by many as the best suited to handle the economy and terrorism, which Iowans view as the most important issues facing the country. Republicans in the state also like his stance on immigration, which includes building a wall along the border with Mexico and deporting anyone who has entered the country illegally. Mr. Cruz is seen as stronger generally on foreign policy, more trustworthy and more empathetic than Mr. Trump. The poll finds that the rest of the Republican field has largely faded in Iowa, with Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey with 4 percent support and former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida at 3 percent. Find out what you need to know about the 2016 presidential race today, and get politics news updates via Facebook, Twitter and the First Draft newsletter.BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Second-seeded Fabio Fognini of Italy reached the quarterfinals of the Copa Claro Wednesday, defeating Leonardo Mayer of Argentina 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2. Fognini also defeated Mayer on Sunday in the Royal Guard Open final in Vina del Mar, Chile. Third-seeded Tommy Robredo of Spain also got through to the quarterfinals, beating Guido Pella of Argentina 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. Fourth-seeded Nicolas Almagro, who beat Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 6-2, 7-5, advanced to the second round of the clay-court tournament. Almagro has won 12 ATP titles — all on clay — and six have come on the annual Latin American swing. Top-seeded David Ferrer plays his second-round match on Thursday. Fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers was upset by fellow Spaniard Pablo Andujar 6-3, 6-0. Andujar reached the quarterfinals. Eighth-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France advanced to the second round, defeating Alejandro Gonzalez of Colombia 6-4, 7-5. Other unseeded players advancing to the second round included Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine and Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain.And this is a curious little manga. Boku ni Koisuru Mechanical (僕に恋するメカニカル, Mechanical Love) is a seinen manga by Watarai Keiji (渡会けいじ) that’s basically Terminator 2 x silly manga romance parody — a kind of love letter to things the mangaka is clearly very fond of. Watarai-sensei is actually one of my favorite artists, and when I saw this was a new series of his (at the time, years ago) I was pretty excited. I first learned about him with his manga O/A, which I’ll probably review later. O/A really hooked me for some quite bizarre, quite hilarious humor on top of really strong art that was both cute and cool. I felt a resonance with Watarai-sensei’s likes (perhaps because he’s such a westaboo — a huge fan of western culture), and have since become a fan of his. Mechanical started off strong for me with its first two chapters, seeming like an opportunity for the author to do whatever the Hell he wanted. Pretty cool. However, to be honest, I think that while this series has a lot of good things about it — both in concept and in execution — it’s missing some things that would make it truly great. Much as I like it, I can see why it was finished within 14 chapters at 3 volumes. The premise is simple, but there’s quite a bit to it. We start the series by meeting this guy: Shinjou Maita. He’s a fairly standard college-age otaku (in his case, a movie nerd): passionate about what he’s into, not very sociable, unliked, and rather cynical. The series begins with him getting kicked down after saying some rude things to a pair of girls mocking him (because he was in a zombie costume, recruiting for his school’s movie club), but then a beautiful girl appears to help him. This very cliche scene does indeed seem to be the start of a love comedy. This girl, Hotohara Shiori, comes to Maita to join the movie research society. They get along pretty well, and on their walk home after school’s let out she reveals that she joined the club because of him! Maita is ecstatic. He doesn’t question why someone would suddenly be interested in him. As a reader, you can assume the two of them made a promise under a sakura tree long, long ago or something. Well, whatever the reason, it doesn’t matter to our protagonist because he’s just happy someone has shown him affection. He gets back to his apartment, but is shocked to see it broken in. He picks up a bat, bracing himself for a burglar. Unexpected! Kind of a lot happens after this, a lot of which needs explaining, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to go over every one of the significant plot details. So, here’s the rundown: Understood? Alright, so, with this you should expect the series to mostly be about Maita getting into sexual situations with robot girls and then getting saved in the nick of time, but — “spoilers” — that only really happens one more time after chapter 1, and even during that time Maita already knows to not expect any sudden romance from random girls. Instead, this series is mostly a slice of life/romance where Maita lives with his robot guardian (who he nicknames Sutako) and slowly develops a relationship with Integra. The series is pretty down to earth with occasional spikes of zaniness for comedic effect. In my opinion, it has a kind of nostalgic atmosphere, as there is quite a bit of emphasis on the past and on Maita teaching Sutako things about the world and culture. There’s also some action it it, and I think it’s really cool action, but it’s certainly not the focus. There isn’t much more I can say about the story and characters from hereon. Dr. Camilla is lackadaisical but keeps things under control, Integra is a straight-laced tsundere who’s kind of a goofball, and Sutako is a cute, quiet little robot who learns more things over time. To me the best aspect of the series is seeing Maita’s daily life with Sutako. These moments are funny, cute, and heartwarming. However, there’s a little problem with it, and as I explain that problem I’ll explain some other faults. Boku ni Koisuru Mechanical has weird pacing. While the scenes between Sutako and Maita are nice, logically speaking they may not be earned. Very shortly after the manga starts, they have suddenly been living together for days. Their regular daily life is explored largely in a flashback chapter, which is a good chapter, but we didn’t really get much between them beforehand to make that chapter and their brother/sister (maybe father/daughter) sort of relationship feel as significant as it could. It sort of feels like the series is missing some transitional parts that could bind the good stuff in the manga together and make big moments bigger. Because it’s like this, character-based jokes also feel a little weaker because we haven’t gotten a lot of time to get to know the characters. Sutako is probably the best, most well-rounded character in the series such that it’s worth reading for her alone, but having read the author’s work previous to this, O/A, I know he’s capable of fleshing out characters better than this and can really get the reader endeared to a fairly wide cast. I can’t say “in fairness, the series ended quickly so we just COULDN’T get a full grasp on the whole cast” because Sutako is quickly likable, her rival robot from the future is a strong character, there’s two other characters introduced later that are pretty great, and Dr. Camilla has potential as a funnier character. Maita, Integra, and another significant character are ones I’d call important, but they’re not as strong as the rest, which isn’t the best thing since we see them a lot. Maita could be a lot better, which is really clear to me from one of the final chapters which was really quite good and focused pretty much exclusively on him and his development. Prior to that, though, he was pretty much a typical protagonist that was serviceable and that’s about it. I would still recommend this series, however. It’s not bad at all, honestly. It’s very funny and entertaining (featuring some weird and unique humor as well as sexual humor if you’re into that), it’s very well drawn (the art style is adorable, but also awesome when it needs to be), and aspects of it are truly excellent. It’s really a damn shame it couldn’t quite bring all of itself together to really make Watarai-sensei’s vision shine. In the last few chapters, perhaps because he knew it was ending, there are some really stellar things on display. For instance, the penultimate chapter is amazing and I really, really enjoyed pretty much everything about it. The chapter before that one? A very nice one for Integra and Maita. I have to wonder if, had it been allowed to go further, the series would have gotten better and better. I feel like it would’ve. The author VERY UNSUBTLY indicated as much in the last chapter. After explaining what the series would have been and hinting at more, he speaks through a character lamenting in the final panels that they wanted to do something cooler than this, but now it’s ruined, bitterly declaring this all “lame”. In the end, I find this manga quite interesting. It’s a great thing to see an artist have such loose and free reign with what they want to do, but a little sad seeing how it died early, for whatever the reason. I may have problems with it, and that blunt ending might leave you feeling bad, but I nonetheless think you should give the series a shot. You might like it even more than I did! In any case, I’ve got my eye on Watarai-sensei’s latest work (Benten Rock You.) and am hoping it turns out better (update: it also ended in three volumes; bummer). Thanks for reading. Hopefully see you next week. Import Boku ni Koisuru Mechanical: Bookwalker (guide), CDJapan, honto (guide), ebookjapan Watarai Keiji’s Bookwalker author page: [link] Watarai Keiji O/AThe Syrian leader then ratcheted up pressure on France to steer clear of military action two days ahead of a parliamentary debate on the issue. Two thirds of French people are against participating, according to a poll out on Saturday. Assad said: "Whoever contributes to financially or militarily to bolstering terrorists is an enemy of the Syrian people. Whoever is against the interests of Syria and its people is an enemy." "The French people are not our enemy. If the policies of the French state are hostile to the Syrian people, this state will be its enemy. This hostility will end when the French state changes its policies. There will be repercussions – negative, of course – against the interests of France," he warned. Mr Assad accused the US president of being a weak leader. "If Obama was strong, he would have said publicly: 'We have no evidence of the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian State'. He would have said publicly: 'The only way to proceed is through UN investigations. We therefore refer everything to the Security Council.' But Obama is weak because he is facing pressure from within the United States," he said. Mr Assad said it was too late for dialogue with rebel opponents. "We are fighting terrorists. Eighty to 90 per cent of those we are fighting belong to Al Qaeda. They are not interested in reform or in politics. The only way to deal with them is to annihilate them. Only then will we be able to talk about political measures," he said. The Assad regime asked the United Nations to stop the US from taking military action against Syria, claiming it wanted help achieving a "political solution" to the civil war. Bashar Ja'afari, Syria's ambassador to the UN, demanded in a letter that Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary-General, "shoulder his responsibilities for preventing any aggression on Syria". He called on the UN Security Council to "maintain its role as a safety valve to prevent the absurd use of force out of the frame of international legitimacy", according to the Syrian state media agency. The US, meanwhile, must "play its role as a peace sponsor" rather than "a state that uses force against whoever opposes its policies", Mr Ja'afari wrote to Mr Ban and Maria Cristina Perceval, Argentina's ambassador to the UN and the current president of the Security Council. More than 100,000 people are believed to have been killed since Mr Ja'afari's government began cracking down on reformist protesters two years ago, beginning a slide into civil war.OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The sellout crowd at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium hopes they don't witness NFL history on Sunday. The Baltimore Ravens (0-2) are the only active NFL team never to have an 0-3 start, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Ravens, who are celebrating their 20th season, would like to hold onto that distinction after playing the first-place Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) on Sunday. In the Ravens' previous three 0-2 starts, Baltimore won its third game, beating the Browns in 1999, the Broncos in 2002 and the Jets in 2005. This year, Baltimore lost to the Broncos and Raiders on the road to start the season, putting them in an unfamiliar situation under coach John Harbaugh. This is the first time the Ravens have started 0-2 in Harbaugh's eight seasons. "We all understand the situation," Harbaugh said. "We've lost two games in a row before. We've lost three games in a row before, and we've overcome it. But we've never done it at the beginning of a season, so it feels a lot tougher. Until you win your first game, you always have in the back of your mind: 'Can we win a game?' Of course you can. But you got to win one." If not, the Ravens will join the rest of the 31 teams in the league in knowing how it feels to be 0-3.Oh how I do love Coco xD So I finally watched Kyoukai no Kanata, and all I could think about was how Coco would be Mirai and Rarity would be like a senpai for Coco. I was in an overly anime mood when I decided to make this picture. She is SOOO MOE. I imagined her saying to herself, "Rarity-senpai finally noticed me!" in this picture. I might upload a whole "process" pic for this one. My Little Build Fighters gallery: checkerboardazn.deviantart.com… dax812 A special thanks tofor helping me decide on a color scheme I know ALOT of bronies out there watch anime, so that got me thinking. I want to make an MLP inspired anime. I know it is crazy, but hear me out on this. I plan for this to be a series of 5 (give or take), 30 minute episodes. This is probably one of the most ambitious projects in the MLP community. This isn't even coco's final form. Think of it like this: MLPx(Kill la Kill + Infinite Stratos + Final Fantasy) The following are the people I am looking for are these groups: VAs Animators willing to animate humans storyboard artists background artists concept artists sound and music writers If you are interested, send me a portfolio of your works based on individual groups to my email: checkerboardazn@gmail.com. Deviantart Notes are also fine. Do not mix groups, ie: sending a portfolio of art and music and voice samples. Animation will be done in 2d and done in an moe anime style. Artwork pertaining to this project: checkerboardazn.deviantart.com… This picture is part of a new ongoing project I am starting now that I am done with my "My Little Build Fighters" series. This "Project" is to help me with painting as well as character consistency Hopefully I will improve.Ben Yanke ad orientem.” His Excellency Bishop Robert Morlino of the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, announced that beginning in October, his Masses in the Cathedral will be celebrated ad orientem, as part of Cardinal Sarah’s recent encouragement for priests and bishops to follow suit. He further discusses Cardinal Sarah’s and Pope Benedict’s writings on the matter. In October, I will start to offer the 11am Mass at the Cathedral Parish.”His Excellency Bishop Robert Morlino of the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, announced that beginning in October, his Masses in the Cathedral will be celebrated, as part of Cardinal Sarah’s recent encouragement
magnitude of geological changes, such as the formation of mountain ranges. Therefore, some other mechanism must be responsible for physically deforming the Earth's surface. So, Chamberlin "reverse engineered" the Earth. He needed a new theory for planetary formation that could explain why the Earth's climate remained constant, while also allowing for dynamic geological changes. He began to believe that, instead of a molten beginning, the Earth had been assembled from cold rocky formations in space. Advertisement And that's how Chamberlin arrived at the Planetesimal Hypothesis, with the assistance of a young astronomer named Forest Ray Moulton. The two scientists claimed that the building blocks for our solar system had been pulled out of our sun by a larger, traveling star that happened to pass through our celestial neighborhood. This larger star created a tidal force that stretched the sun in two directions—toward and away from the star—causing it to eject material in the form of two, rotating spiral arms, pulled sideways by the passing star. As this material cooled, some of it formed solid bodies of varying sizes that eventually coalesced into the planets, including our Earth. Over time, the Earth continued to grow in size, as meteorites regularly bombarded the planet. This bombardment decreased in intensity, as the finite supply of rocky matter in the solar system grew smaller. A New Theory of Everything As the new big thing in science, the Planetesimal Hypothesis had something for everyone. Advertisement Now, the popular view in geology was that the Earth had a solid interior, with radioactive elements creating pockets of magma that were responsible for volcanic eruptions. As a 1927 edition of The Science Newsletter reported: Geologists now tell us that instead of living on a thin crust of rock and earth, floating like slag on a sea of seething lava and molten rock, as we were taught a generation ago, we are living on the outer weathered crust of a globe as rigid as steel and heavier than any of the common rocks…..It is now thought that the great bulk of the interior of the earth, all of it to within 1,800 miles of the surface, is a mass of heavy metal, principally if not wholly iron, or iron and nickel. So that Mother Earth has a heart of iron, heavy but strong. This new theory about the Earth's structure also appeared to explain the mechanism that caused geological deformations, such as mountains. Chamberlin suggested that some of the planetesimals in the early solar system were denser than others—and, as a result, segments of the Earth's surface had different properties. Continents were composed of lighter materials than ocean basins, which is why they were higher. Gravitational forces were said to be constantly pulling the surface downward. The oceanic basins sank the most—which exerted horizontal pressure on the continents, causing their borders to wrinkle into mountain ranges. Advertisement Evolutionary biologists likewise endorsed the Planetesimal Hypothesis. Laplace's theory had envisioned a molten, superheated Earth slowly cooling over millions of years. During that period, life couldn't survive. But, according to Chamberlin's theory, the Earth was formed from already-solid rock. Biologists believed that this extended the timeline allowing for life to evolve. Moreover, if the Earth had been smaller millions of years ago, gravity would have been weaker. Biologists believed that's why prehistoric life (such as the dinosaurs) were so much bigger than life on Earth today. Lower gravity created a niche for evolution to spawn gigantic creatures. And, weaker gravity, they believed, also enabled the emergence of flying species. (As one biologist wrote, "The evolution of ﬂight under existing conditions seems inconceivable because a creature would require a very highly developed mechanism before the air could appreciably help it to overcome gravity.") Advertisement Arguably, the Planetestimal Hypothesis' most profound impact was on how we viewed the universe. The Nebular Hypothesis had suggested that planets were the byproduct of stellar formation, which meant it was likely that all the stars had planets, possibly inhabited by extraterrestrial life. But Chamberlin's theory stipulated that the planets in our solar system were the result of a freak accident. As such, the scientific consensus—which just a few decades earlier had contemplated a "plurality of worlds" in the universe—now favored a paucity of worlds. The perceived chances for life beyond the Earth plummeted. Turnaround Over time, piece by theoretical piece, the Planetesimal Hypothesis began to fall apart. The astrophysicist Henry Norris Russell calculated that any planets produced by a stellar encounter would orbit the sun far closer than in our actual solar system. But the fatal blow came in 1939, when astrophysicist Lyman Spitzer proved that any material torn from the hot interior of the sun—no longer held together by strong gravitational forces—would rapidly dissipate into space before it could condense into planetesimals. Advertisement Before too long, everything old was new again. Geologists turned their attention back to early 20th century theories of continental drift, which grew into the science of plate tectonics. Laplace was partially vindicated, as variations on the Nebular Hypothesis became the basis for the current theories of solar system formation. And the universe, once again, was teeming with the possibility of extraterrestrial life. [Images: NASA]We Recast “Clueless” With The Queens Of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Clueless hit theaters on July 19, 1995—launching Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd and the phrase “as if” into the pop culture stratosphere. Yes, believe it or not, the quintessentially quotable teen movie is 20 years old. And we’re celebrating by recasting the movie with queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race! Related: We Cast The “Clueless” Broadway Musical So strap on your tiny backpack, grab your flip phone, and hop in our Jeep: Because we’re headed back to Bronson Alcott High with the fierce stars of Drag Race. Willam as Cher Horowitz If you think Willam would be perfect as Cher (played by Alicia Silverstone in the movie, duh), you’re not alone: Willam actually played her in a Peaches Christ production of Clueless, and she slayed. Plus she’s always great as a ditzy California blonde. Look at her—she’s a natural! Good luck with that whole virgin thing, though, girl. Oops, sorry, “hymenally challenged.” Dida Ritz as Dionne Stacy Dash has gone to the dark side (Fox News), so Dionne could use some new blood. Enter Dida Ritz. An easy choice—girlfriend has the stems for all those miniskirts. But let’s get one thing straight, she DOES NOT wear polyester hair, okay? Adore Delano as Tai Frasier Adore wouldn’t actually have act much to play rough-around-the-edges Tai (played by the late Britanny Murphy). Adore’s transformation from boy to drag queen is pretty much Tai’s before-and-after makeover. Plus, she’s got the singing chops for both “Rollin’ With The Homies” and the Mentos theme. Ooooh… PROJECT! Alaska as Amber Ah, Amber, the class bitch. Who do we know that could possibly portray Cher’s nasal nemesis? Who, who, who? Why, Alaska, of course! After all, Amber steals every scene she’s in and doesn’t always fit in with the cool clique. We’ll have to check if Alaska is allowed to have balls flying at her face, though. Latrice Royale as Murray Latrice in boy drag would be brilliant as Dionne’s boyfriend, Murray. Know why? Because, just like Donald Faison’s character, she’s keeps it real! Just imagine Latrice saying, “Your man Christian is a cake boy! He’s a disco-dancing, Oscar-Wilde-reading, Streisand-ticket-holding, friend of Dorothy’s.” Perfection. Also, what a pleasant change of pace for a drag queen to wear sweatsuits and flats. Milk as Christian Speaking of cake boys, wouldn’t Milk make a good Christian? He’s a dreamy, stylish Baldwin that any girl would be happy to have a doomed crush on. It’s a lesson every woman needs to learn eventually, and we’re sure Milk would let them down gently. Phi Phi O’Hara as Elton Phi Phi knows a thing or two about playing the villain. We think she’d be sublime as the sullen, privileged and popular Elton. We’ll send you a Cranberries CD so you can prepare for your role, Phi Phi. Just don’t leave it in the quad. BenDeLaCreme as Josh Who better to play the faux-grunge, college kid than a queen who knows all about hipsters, intellectuals and crispy Seattle weather? Put down that razor and let those chin pubes grow, Ben, because you’re hired! Pearl as Travis Birkenstock Those sleepy eyes would come in handy if Pearl were cast as Travis, Brecken Meyer’s adorable stoner with a deep love of McMuffins. But remember, Pearl, it’s one thing to spark up a doobie and get wasted at parties, but it’s quite another to be fried all day. #NoSleepwalking. Tammie Brown as Miss Geist Honestly, there’s no one but Tammie Brown who could play this role. Tammie embodies the quirky innocence and kindness that made the lonely-hearted teacher one of Cher’s favorite projects. “Did you sign up for the environmental fair?” We would if Tammie were asking. Chad Michaels as Mr. Hall Chad Michaels is a PROFESSIONAL. We’re sure he’d be up for the challenge of playing Cher’s debate teacher (played by the legendary Wallace Shawn in the movie.) Think of the chemistry he’d have with Tammie when Mr. Hall and Miss Geist share a thermos of coffee that leads to everlasting love. “Old people can be so sweet!” Not that Chad and Tammie are old, of course. Hey, it’s in the script. Look it up. Katya as Ms. Stoeger Katya’s comic timing and Russian gymnast training make her a fine choice for everyone’s favorite surly lesbian gym teacher from Beverly Hills. We think even Julie Brown would approve. Bianca Del Rio as Mel Horowitz Cher’s dad is a litigator—that’s the scariest kind of lawyer. Bianca del Rio is a stand-up comic—the scariest kind of drag queen. Seriously, though: Mel Horowitz (played by Dan Hedaya in the movie) is basically the straight-dad version of Bianca. He’s always yelling and he’s got a one liner for everything. Maybe Bianca should become a lawyer in real life. Baloney! RuPaul as Cher’s Mom Okay, so Cher’s late mother wasn’t really a full character in Clueless, she was more of a guiding presence illustrated in a giant tacky portrait. We know just the icon to make a cameo in this role. They don’t call her Mama Ru for nothing, after all. And with that, our Drag Race reimagining of Clueless is complete. We hope you enjoyed this feature presentation. We’re outtie.Sen. Rand Paul said Thursday that another senator confided that he too was surveilled by the Obama administration. “I know one other senator has already confided in me that he was surveilled by the Obama administration,” Mr. Paul, Kentucky Republican, said on Fox News. Mr. Paul said two sources also have information that shows he was surveilled during the 2016 presidential campaign as well. “There are rumors about other people who ran for president as well,” he said. “I’m concerned not only for myself but for Americans in general.” Mr. Paul also said he agrees with President Trump’s decision to fire former FBI Director James B. Comey, and that there is more agreement on this issue than it may seem. “I think we’ve probably never had someone fired where both sides really agreed with the firing more than you can imagine,” Mr. Paul, Kentucky Republican, said on CBS News. He said the timing that many are calling suspicious actually makes sense considering the delays in the Trump administration confirmations. “We have the slowest approval of a Cabinet in the history in the country,” Mr. Paul explained. “When they did get in place, they did a review.” Mr. Paul said Mr. Comey’s firing had nothing to do with the Russia investigation, but rather the agency’s shortcomings under the FBI director’s leadership, such as the Orlando shooting at a gay nightclub last year. “I think the FBI dropped the ball,” Mr. Paul said. “There were many warning signs.” Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.poster="http://v.politico.com/images/1155968404/201708/594/1155968404_5528208853001_5528163551001-vs.jpg?pubId=1155968404" true Tillerson: I've told Russia our relationship can get worse, 'and it just did' Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that he’s warned Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the relationship between the U.S. and Moscow is bad — but it can get worse. “I told President Putin when I saw him in the Kremlin in March and I’ve told Foreign Minister Lavrov repeatedly, ‘The situation’s bad, but believe me, it can get worse’ — and it just did,” Tillerson told reporters. Story Continued Below Tillerson addressed the press with a rare appearance at Tuesday’s State Department briefing, where he talked about his first six months as secretary of state and answered a few questions. He said he and President Donald Trump are not “very happy” with Congress’ vote to sanction Russia, but “all indications are he will sign that bill, and then we’ll just work with it.” The bill, which was approved overwhelmingly in both chambers, allows Congress to block any attempt to ease or end penalties against the Kremlin and imposes new sanctions in response to Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election. The most reliable politics newsletter. Sign up for POLITICO Playbook and get the latest news, every morning — in your inbox. Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. Tillerson conceded that the vote was representative of the American people’s view “because it was made by their representatives in the Congress.” But he also suggested that Americans support the Trump administration’s overtures to establish a warmer relationship with Russia. “I think the American people want the two most powerful nuclear nations in the world to have a better relationship,” Tillerson said. “I don’t think the American people want us to have a bad relationship with a huge nuclear power, but I think they are frustrated, and I think a lot of this reflects the frustration that we’ve not seen the kind of improvement in the relationship with Russia that all of us would like to see.” Since Trump took office, Tillerson said, the administration has been “very clear” with Russia that “we want to work with you, but you are going to have to take some steps to address some of these concerns yourself.” Putin has denied Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election, despite the intelligence community’s assessment that the Kremlin meddled to boost Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. And Putin’s government responded Sunday to Obama-era actions against Moscow, which included seizure of two Russian compounds in the U.S. and the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats, by ordering a 755-person reduction in U.S. diplomatic staff. “I think from his perspective and how he looks in the eyes of his own people, he felt he had to do something,” Tillerson said of the delayed response. “Does it make our life more difficult? Of course it makes our life more difficult.” He added that he will meet with Lavrov, his Russian counterpart, “on the margins of the meetings in Manila” this weekend, where he will attend an Association of Southeast Asian Nations forum. The two, he said, have already spoken since Sunday’s actions. “I would say our conversation following the actions has been professional. There’s been no belligerence,” Tillerson said. “Foreign Minister Lavrov and I understand our roles. We understand our responsibilities, and I think he’s as committed as I am to trying to find ways that we can bring this relationship back close to one another.”Two balloons purportedly from Pakistan with a message for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Urdu were found in a village near Dinanagar in Punjab. At 11:30 pm on Friday, yellow-coloured balloons with a note in Urdu saying “Modiji, Ayub ki talwarein abhi hamare paas hain, Islam zindabad” were first spotted by Chanan Singh, a guard of village Kesal outside his house. The ballons were later handed over to the Dinanagar police. Advertising Deep tensions remain between India and Pakistan post the Indian Army’s surgical strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Thursday. The border areas are on a security alert and notably, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was on a visit to the border districts of Gurdaspur and Pathankot today to review the arrangements for the safe evacuations of villagers in apprehension of retaliation by Pakistan. Watch What Else Is Making News In July, a balloon with a picture of Pakistan flag with the message ‘I love Pakistan’ was recovered from Dinanagar. Last year, armed terrorists had attacked a police station at Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur district, killing seven people along with the Superintendent of Police.This column is dedicated to the late Dorothy Rodham, a very proud mom and grandma who did good in the world. The true political state of the union is best revealed in a recent poll in Time magazine that found that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton would win an epic and possibly realigning landslide in a presidential election against any Republican candidate. First, the numbers. Then, the reasons. In the Time poll, Clinton would defeat Mitt Romney by a whopping 55 percent to 38 percent. She would defeat Rick Perry by an even more devastating 58 percent to 32 percent. These are realigning numbers. In this hypothetical match-up, the Clinton landslide would be so huge, and the Republican defeat so catastrophic, that Democrats would almost certainly regain control of the House and maintain control of the Senate. In the Time poll, President Obama also defeats any candidate in the Republican field, though by far smaller margins than Clinton. Anyone who suggests that “Obama is toast” should not be taken seriously. I believe the president, whom I support, would be a slight favorite in a close election against Romney, and could win a landslide against other Republicans, who have not come close to crossing the threshold of being serious contenders for commander in chief. The lesson of the Time poll, which I believe would be replicated in other polls, though possibly not as dramatically, is this: The next great realignment in American politics is very likely to be a Democratic realignment. It cannot be a Republican realignment, because the GOP has moved so far to the extreme right that it is now far outside the mainstream of American opinion. While it is true that Hillary Clinton’s huge popularity is partly due to her being removed from partisan politics as Secretary of State, there are other powerful messages for both parties in her soaring popularity. Hillary Clinton represents the brand of the Democratic Party embodied by traditional Democratic presidents in hard economic times. She is identified with the great prosperity of the Bill Clinton presidency. But there are other powerful forces at work: Hillary Clinton is part of what I once called “The Female Century.” Throughout the nation and around the world there is an epochal movement toward true equality for women. By contrast, some Republicans slander Planned Parenthood. Many Republicans aggressively oppose pay equity for women. Congressional Republicans launch hostile attacks on countless programs that benefit women. I have written before, and will write again, that a tidal wave of support from female voters will be a powerful factor helping President Obama and Democrats in 2012. This “woman power” that benefits Hillary Clinton with women now benefits her with many men as well. In an economy where many view the 1 percent as unfairly gaining at the expense of the other 99 percent, Hillary Clinton is seen as a fighter. She never gives up. She is a voice for those who feel disempowered, including white male blue-collar workers, blacks who feel trapped in joblessness and injustice, Hispanics who are told their dreams can no longer come true and seniors who trust Hillary Clinton as their protector. Hillary Clinton will not run for president in 2012. She will be one of the greatest assets of President Obama, who had the good judgment to name her Secretary of State. Hillary Clinton disproves the notion that America is a rightist nation. If the 2016 election were held today, America would not turn to the right, it would turn to Clinton. In the eyes of voters, Hillary Clinton is the North Star of an America where Democrats act like Democrats and where every woman deserves equal pay, every worker deserves a job and nobody should be left behind. The great source of Clinton’s strength is that the dreams of women are the dreams for all. Dorothy Rodham was one great mom who raised one great daughter. If Democrats remember why, they will do just fine in 2012. Brent Budowsky The Hill Brent Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd …Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Tenn.), then chief deputy majority whip of the House. He holds an LL.M. in international financial law from the London School of Economics. He can be read on The Hill’s Pundits Blog and reached at <i>brentbbi@webtv.net</i>.‘You Have to See It Before It Happens’ Chang W. Lee, a staff photographer for The New York Times, is photographing the Olympics. He spoke with James Estrin from London on Sunday night. The interview has been edited. Q. You shot Usain Bolt tonight. A. I had three remotes. Only one mattered because he didn’t react much where the other remote cameras were. Q. The race lasts less than 10 seconds. How long does it take for you to set up the remotes and plan? On Assignment Chang W. Lee Chang W. Lee has covered sports, among other things, since he was hired at the Times in 1995. Now Batting for NYT » A. About four hours. I had three cases of gear with me. Q. You shoot your camera during the race, and that triggers the other remote cameras wirelessly? A. I use a pocket wizard. Today, I was shooting inside a moat: a little enclosure partially below ground level. One of the remotes was right in front of me. My two other remotes were not within my eyesight, so I had to use a pocket wizard midpoint that relays the signal to trigger those remotes. It happens so fast. You just hopes it works. My remotes fired, but nothing happened in two of those spots. Q. You’re taking pictures with the camera in your hands, too, right? A. There were nine runners, and out of them, seven were possible gold-medal winners. So, do I go tight on two or three? Or do I want to shoot a wider angle and have four or seven or nine? If you don’t have a remote, you only have one chance. In less than 10 seconds when they are running at you, it’s hard to see who’s winning. From the side, on TV, you can see, but from the front, you can’t. The gold-medal winner can be in one place, and the silver medal winner can be five lanes over. You never know, and in a split-second decision, you can’t really get everything. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times Q. Can you even make a decision in 10 seconds? A. Before it happens, you decide what you’re going to do. But you never know what’s going to happen, and the remote is for that. Q. It took 4 hours of preparation to photograph for 10 seconds? A. Less than 10 seconds. It’s just the finish line, and a few seconds of reaction. Q. What did you shoot this morning? A. I shot field hockey this morning. Q. I don’t understand the rules of field hockey. A. I don’t either. I have no ideas what the rules are. I shot basketball and baseball for more than 15 years, and I don’t know all of the rules. Q. What do you focus on then? A. One thing I’ve learned covering sports is if you see it — it’s too late. You have to see it before it happens. Every sport — actually not just sports, but everything that I take pictures of, whatever the story — is being done by human beings. There are things you never can predict. Things can happen that you don’t expect. As a photographer, you have to open your mind to different things. So if you see it — it’s too late — you need to anticipate. In sports, like everything else, it’s human stories. And with human stories, anything can happen. Sometimes, there’s magic in front of your eyes. In the Olympics, these athletes have put their whole lives into it, and when it comes to the end, the finish line or a gold medal match, a lot of things can happen that you never expected. You need to be ready for it. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times Q. How many Olympics have you shot before? A. Nagano, Sydney, Beijing, Vancouver and this one. Two winter and three summer. I couldn’t do 2002, because I was in Afghanistan. Q. How can you make a photo that’s different? A. Making a different picture is one thing, but making a great picture is another. You can use techniques like slow shutter speeds that will make photos look different, but the best pictures are always about the human story. For me, the best picture doesn’t necessarily have to be different. The Olympics is about enduring hardships for one goal, for that one moment. Making different pictures is important — like the arrow shot I had — but it’s just a picture. It’s not storytelling. What really matters is life and feelings and emotions. Q. Tell me about that arrow photo. A. We have a six-column floater picture every day in the newspaper, and I was assigned to find a photo that we don’t have story for. I tried archery. I had never shot archery either. I shot an elimination round of 32 competitors, and then had to go to my next assignment. When I was leaving, I thought maybe I should try to get the arrow in the air by itself. I was almost at the exit, and then I saw there was a practice round. To be honest with you, my new 1DX camera can do 14 frames a second with fixed focus, and I thought it would be perfect. I thought I would blur out the background. There were 20 to 30 athletes shooting, and I focused on one. In order to do that, you can’t wait until they shoot — you have to click before they let go. Q. You’re at what? 1/8000th of a second? A. No — I don’t remember, but the point is not the shutter speed. The point is, you let it burst for 14 frames a second. This is how you make a different kind of picture. You have to see it beforehand, and then figure out how to get it. Q. What has it been like at the Olympics, other than shooting? A. There is nothing else. We get up, go to the venue, take pictures, then edit and go to the next one. We do two or three assignments a day. It’s just busy — tired and sleepy, but it’s worth it. Q. Why? A. Because we get to witness history here. I get to really feel the efforts of the athletes. And share great moments with the rest of the world. It’s an important job. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times Correction: An earlier version of this post misidentified Lucija Polavder in Slide 10 as Slovakian. She is from Slovenia. You can find more Olympics photographs by Chang W. Lee, Doug Mills (whom we featured on Lens on Tuesday), and others published daily here. You can follow @JamesEstrin and @nytimesphoto on Twitter. Lens is also on Facebook.I think Hiya guys! How's it going today? I just realized that although I have been super excited about Halloween I don't actually have plans. I'll probably end up going to Six Flags for the'stand in line for hours' ride lol. Seriously even going to the movies would be better than visiting the park that day. While I try and come up with something to do, I'll share some more nail art! Win-win, right? Well it's not very good nail art, but hey nail fails deserve some love too. Bat stamping plus pond technique... well you guys will have to be the judge.In all seriousness though this truly is border-line nail fail territory, but I'm somehow still in deep like with it. The stamping and the pond effect didn't work well together, especially with the switching of the two colors. I mean is it me or does this look like camouflage print? Hmm camo-bat?! Haha.The main polish for this mani is calledfrom. (By the way, if you never picked up the Sheer Tints four-set they are now available at T.J. Maxx for like $3.99.) Then I used a black stamping polish fromand a white one from. The stamping plate is fromand it's theplate.The pond mani technique is sweet and simple, though it can have a tedious dry time. First you put on one layer of a sheer polish, wait to dry, and then stamp the image across your nail. Once that is dry, put on another layer of the sheer polish and after some dry time stamp the image (in this case with another color) again across the nail. Make sure each time you stamp the image it is not aligning at all. Now repeat this process three to four times.Yeah... that's a lot of freaking layers! It took about an hour to dry or at least for me to feel comfortable with it. The last thing I wanted was this thing to smear everywhere right before bed haha. Wake up with my pond mani on the side of my face, bats and all haha.And, of course, I had to take out the matte topcoat to see how it would look!Ehh... I think this one time I'm going to have to stick with the glossy version. I do plan on having a tutorial for a pond mani on YouTube, though not this particular design. Unless you guys really want camo-bats! Spoiler alert... I don't think anyone will want it, ha.Ebola road map loses way on cultural issues Posted The response to the Ebola epidemic must take into account the local cultural and religious views in areas like West Africa, otherwise it's doomed to fail, writes Peter Curson. The Ebola epidemic continues to rage through West Africa and now isolated cases are beginning to appear further afield. So far more than 4000 people have caught the disease and almost 2000 have died. There are now real fears that the epidemic is heading for many of the large cities with the possibility of thousands of new cases, and in Europe there have been calls for military teams to be sent to help control the outbreak by establishing air bridges and field hospitals. Recently the World Health Organisation (WHO) released an important Ebola Response Roadmap, the purpose of which is to provide oversight and assistance to governments and others in producing country-specific response plans to the current Ebola outbreak as well as to plan for possible future epidemics. The WHO document underlines measures of coordination and international support as well as ways of strengthening the planning and preparedness of countries to detect and respond to an Ebola incident. The report outlines a series of major objectives and priority actions including such things as rapid detection methods, ways of strengthening a country's preparedness and emergency response interventions. The body of the Roadmap goes on to discuss the mobilisation and deployment of international expertise, the medical care of health workers, access to diagnostic facilities, the availability of protective equipment and other essential supplies, as well as information management and coordination and crisis management procedures at the national and local level. It also delineates the major roles and responsibilities of those reacting to an outbreak and the role of the private sector. It further discusses the provision of adequate health care staff and hospital and other medical facilities both nationally and regionally and the need to put in place adequate measures of surveillance and contact tracing. Finally, the document provides a broad economic costing of what might be expected by countries reacting to and trying to manage an outbreak. Such things are without any doubt absolutely critical and of overarching importance in the context of African nations with limited resources and poorly developed surveillance, detection and response systems. But given the course of the present outbreak of Ebola in West Africa what is missing from the WHO plan? To be sure the Roadmap contains a small section on the importance of community engagement and the need to understand local groups and traditional medicine. But so far the Western response and the public health campaigns have paid only scant attention to such things and have failed dismally to come to grips with local cultural and traditional views and/or enter the frame of reference of local people and understand how they evaluate risk, see infectious disease, understand the role of animal populations, and react to Western medical and foreign interventions. In many ways it is a significant failing. Add this to the fact that the literacy rate in parts of West Africa is among the lowest in the world and that countries affected by Ebola possessed at best fragile health systems and very poor disease surveillance networks and it is small wonder that we have ended up with social chaos and public hysteria. People also remain highly sceptical about their government's ability to protect them during epidemic crises and remain wary of "outsiders". Throughout the area affected by Ebola and in many other parts of Africa, people including many health care workers, are scared and react accordingly. Denial, fear, hysteria and panic are the order of the day, and many hospitals and clinics are closed or avoided by people as well as by some health care workers who fear catching Ebola. Add this to the human reaction when confronted by alien-appearing figures dressed from head to toe in protective clothing, with confronting hoods, masks, goggles and long rubber gloves, and you can understand why the immediate response of many people is to deny the existence of Ebola, hide and/or flee. Health clinics and hospitals are often feared as being the source of the virus while many people remain fearful that if they report or identify a body of a relative they may well be ostracised by the local community and/or forced into formal quarantine. In many cases dead bodies have been left to lie on the streets. Formal government quarantine and isolation procedures such as road blocks have added another dimension and produced scenes of social chaos as people have often tried to storm through the barricades and in some places it appears that the state infrastructure is close to collapse. There seems little doubt that people harbour deep-seated fears about infection and contagion, particularly when the disease in question is not common. Such is a mix of rational and irrational fears governed in large by our social and cultural background as well as being influenced by the people around us, and although we don't fully comprehend the mechanisms involved, fear is an emotion that is highly contagious. People also remain highly sceptical about their government's ability to protect them during epidemic crises and remain wary of "outsiders". An important part of all of this is the way Western authorities including the WHO have applied Western concepts of medicine and epidemic control without paying enough attention to local customs, traditions and behaviour. Much of this goes to the very heart of Western medicine and concerns the nature of risk. As far as the WHO and Western medical authorities are concerned, risk is a definable, measurable phenomenon, something that can be established by experience and by statistically comparing those exposed to an infection with those not exposed. For ordinary people in West Africa, however, nothing could be further from the truth. For them risk is shaped by local traditions and culture and by people around them. It is a longstanding cultural, social and emotional phenomenon and remains something to be feared particularly when associated with "outsiders". Failure to recognise this and construct adequate reaction and response plans accordingly, is partly responsible for the wave of emotional fear and panic that has swept through much of the affected areas and that threatens to overwhelm the number of cases and deaths. While Western medicine is a very important part of the solution in addressing this epidemic, for "outsiders" to impose it upon local populations without fully taking into account the nature of local traditions, culture and social organisation, is in many ways almost as dangerous as Ebola itself. There seems little doubt that the Ebola crisis and our reaction to it, requires us to rethink and remodel how we respond to such crises. Peter Curson is a medical demographer and currently Professor of Population & Security at the University of Sydney. His particular field is epidemics of infectious disease and human behaviour. View his full profile here. Topics: health, diseases-and-disorders, religion-and-beliefs, community-and-societyThe sweetie shop is a staple of Scottish life, a place of gossip and a charnel house for teeth. And for 38 years, Christine Gillan has been the best saleswoman on the west coast. Her daughter Audrey went along as she made her final rounds olly Pan Drops, Soor Plooms, Chocolate Italian Creams, Rich Butter Treacle, Cinnamon Balls, Liquorice Comfits. The names of the sweeties reel off my tongue, taking me back to summers spent in my mum's car, when I "helped" as she sold boilings, toffees, chocolates and fudges to the corner shops and cafés of the west of Scotland. I was five years old when my mother, Christine, became a "sweetie lady", selling twinkling jars of sugared delights for Buchanan's, a traditional confectionery company then most famous for its waxpaper-wrapped toffees the size of an old penny. Each day she'd get up at dawn, meticulously apply her make-up and put on an immaculate suit and high heels. She ate a good breakfast, then, picking up her order book and applying a last coat of lipstick, she'd head out of our Glasgow cul de sac in her company car. This summer, after 38 years on the road, Mum handed over her car keys and put down her paperwork for the last time. At 65, she was persuaded by my father that she should say goodbye to this life in sweeties – those wet, west-coast Scottish winters were taking their toll and the time had come to relax. It was not something she did with relish. Christine was saying farewell to customers who
people — first for testing (the ‘Ad-Hoc’ bit) and then for general distribution via TestFlight or the App Store. When you join an iOS development team, you’re either a ‘Member’ or an ‘Admin’. Anyone can create development certificates, but only those with admin privileges can create distribution certificates. The App ID This is a unique identifier for your app. Apple recommends using a ‘reverse-domain name style string’ of the form: com.yourcompanyname.yourappname. You can then associate ‘entitlements’ to your App ID, such as iCloud, Push Notifications, Apple Pay, etc. It’s also possible to create ‘wildcard’ App IDs, e.g. com.yourcompanyname., which can be used for multiple apps. While these can be useful in some cases, note that you can’t associate entitlements to them. Extra tip: if you’re planning on releasing an Android app as well, then you should avoid using hyphens (-) in your App ID — otherwise you won’t be able to use the same one on both platforms. The List of Devices This is a list of devices. This is perhaps the most annoying part of the process: if you want to distribute your app to testers (without using TestFlight), then they need to send you their device’s ‘Unique Device Identifier’ or UDID. Unfortunately, you can’t find it within iOS itself: they’ll need to connect their device to a computer. I heartily recommend the website whatsmyudid.com, which provides clear, illustrated instructions about what to do. However, you should still mentally prepare yourself for people sending you all kinds of random, irrelevant strings with the question: ‘Is this it?’ (Hint: if it’s not a 40-character, hexadecimal string, then the answer is no. ) Creating a Provisioning Profile Congratulations, you’re now ready to build your provisioning profile! Again, there are quite a few options, but the main ones are: iOS App Development : for testing the app on a physical device while developing. : for testing the app on a physical device while developing. Ad Hoc : for distributing the app to non-TestFlight testers (e.g. via HockeyApp). : for distributing the app to non-TestFlight testers (e.g. via HockeyApp). App Store: for distributing the app via TestFlight or the App Store. (Note that this one doesn’t work on its own: your app will still need signing by Apple.) Here are the key differences between them: Provisioning Profile Certificate App ID List of Devices iOS App Development iOS App Development Yes Yes Ad Hoc App Store and Ad-Hoc Yes Yes App Store App Store and Ad-Hoc Yes No So when iOS attempts to install an app, it checks the following things: That the private key used to sign the app matches the public key in the certificate; That the App ID is correct; That the entitlements required are associated with the App ID; That the device itself is in the list of devices. If anyone of these conditions fail, then the app will not install — and you’ll see a greyed-out app icon with no error message or clue for how to proceed. But at least now you have somewhere to start: you can go through those four bullet points manually, and make sure everything is as it should be. (We’ve found it’s usually an issue with the list of devices.) The End I hope this post helped demystify what’s going on when you create a provisioning profile. If not, then please feel free to leave a question in the comments below! Footnotes This doesn’t apply to the iOS simulator or a jailbroken device. [back] Note that these correspond to the sections of the left-hand menu within ‘Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles’. [back] Although this is all a lot more elaborate than Android’s system, one of the great advantages is that you can recreate certificates. On Android, if you lose the original private key then you’re screwed: you won’t be able to update your original app, and you’ll have to convince all your existing users to download a new one. [back] I once even got sent a 40-character, hexadecimal string that wasn’t a valid UDID, and looked nothing like the actual one they eventually sent me. To this day, I still have no idea where they got it from. [back] You liked this article? You'd probably be a good match for our ever-growing tech team at Theodo. Join UsLive Today Week Month 3 Month 6 Month Year 3 Year 5 Year 10 Year All Time Gold Silver Platinum Palladium Bitcoin Grams Ounces Kilograms British Pounds US Dollar Euro Gold Price Chart BullionByPost is the UK’s best place to view and track the gold price via our fast loading charts. As the UK’s No.1 online bullion dealer we accurately provide you with all the real-time fluctuations and movements in the gold price updated every 5 seconds. Whether you’re looking to follow the live price, view the gold price today, this week, month, year, or historically - we’ve got it covered. Using the chart options above and on the left hand side, there are hundreds of charts to view with a choice of variables to help you find exactly what you want. You can tailor your chart via Time Frame, Weight and Currency. As well as the constantly updated gold spot price displayed in our charts, a benchmark is also set twice a day, known as the LBMA Gold Price, or the ‘Gold Fix’. This benchmark is set at around 10:30 and 15:00 GMT after a series of auctions between some of the major players in the gold industry. The LBMA Gold Price is used for the trade of gold and gold derivative assets by the largest traders in the gold industry including miners, refiners, and central banks. However, the majority of gold traded around the world will use the gold spot price. Time Frame There are ten standard time frames above to view the gold price. These options allow you to view the prices within any time period you choose from 1970 up until the live price. If you would like to view a specific time frame, simply select any one of the 1 Year, 3 Year, 5 Year and All Time options to build your own chart the way you want to see it. This is an extremely useful tool and can be a very important aid in choosing the right time to invest in gold. While we can never be sure of what will happen in the future, looking back at the historical fluctuations of the gold price can give us a good idea of what the precious metal might do next. Investors in gold all have different levels of knowledge and experience of gold bullion. Somebody looking at the gold price in 2016 for the very first time will have a different perspective to an investor who has been tracking gold since 2008, for example. Viewing the gold price chart in different time frames means that this won’t be a problem, allowing investors of all levels of experience the necessary information required to make the wisest investment decisions. Weight You can view the price via our three weight options above. These options allow you to view in Grams (g), Kilograms (kg) and Troy Ounces (T/Oz) which is the standard option. Investors should take note that the troy ounce, a unit often used to measure precious metals, is not the same as the common avoirdupois ounce. The troy ounce is around 3 grams heavier, at 31.105g. Gold is an expensive commodity and not everybody is able to buy it by the kilo! Our three different weight options allow you to view the gold price according to different quantities, allowing you to relate its fluctuations to your respective budget. Our Investment Calculator is an excellent tool that will do the hard work for you, giving you a range of packages according to your budget, empowering you to make the investment decision that best suits you. Currency The gold price charts can be viewed in different currencies including British Pound Sterling (GBP), Euros (EUR) and US Dollars (USD). For large periods of human history, fiat currencies such as the Pound and the Dollar were backed by physical gold bullion. Although this is no longer the case, the daily fluctuations of global currencies can still affect the price of gold. For example, on a certain day the value of the pound may rise, meaning that the price of a certain weight of gold will appear to have dropped. Looking at the same weight of gold in other currencies, however, may demonstrate that this is in fact not true. Comparing the movement of the gold price in different currencies allows us to gain a better perspective of the fluctuations of the value of gold based on demand for the precious metal, rather than just the changing value of a certain currency. That being said, the changing values of currencies is one of the major reasons investors put their faith in gold. Although we have long abandoned the Gold Standard, many central banks and private investors alike aim to hold a portion of their wealth in gold bullion, due to the universal belief in the value of gold. While fiat currencies are prone to inflation and many have come and gone throughout history, gold bullion has always been considered a highly precious commodity. When the value of currencies and other investments are under threat, the value of gold will often increase, confirming the precious metal’s reputation as the ultimate safe-haven asset. How to Buy Gold Whether you're new to buying gold or an experienced investor, why not read our ultimate guide to buying gold. At BullionByPost we are dedicated to providing the best solutions for your bullion investment needs and have compiled a complete guide to investing gold, with the aim of giving you all the necessary information for you to make the right decisions. Investing your money in gold bullion can be a big commitment and we are aware that you will want to know all you can before putting your faith in the precious metal. The guide provides essential reading for all covering topics including why buy gold, when to buy gold, storing gold and paying CGT. View the How to Buy Gold Guide now. Register Today Why not take 30 seconds to register your FREE account and start enjoying a host of benefits including our price alert service, monthly gold news, round the clock access to your personal account to view your invoices, buy gold and monitor your investment performance 24 hours a day.Image caption The UK government has a vast portfolio of services available online, such as this Directgov portal Ahead of a nationwide deadline over regulating the use of cookies, the BBC has learned that the "majority" of the UK government's own websites will fail to comply in time. All UK sites have been given until 26 May to make sure visitors are able to give "informed consent" over cookies. Cookies are pieces of personal data stored when users browse the web. The Cabinet Office said the government was "working to achieve compliance at the earliest possible date". Once the new rules take force, consent will most likely be obtained by ticking a "yes" box when visiting a site - although other approaches have been suggested. The regulations are designed to protect user privacy when using the web. "As in the private sector, where it is estimated that very few websites will be compliant by the 26th May, so it is true of the government estate," a Cabinet Office spokesman told the BBC. "The majority of department websites will not be compliant with the legislation by that date." Showing 'commitment' The BBC understands that the sites, which range from those run by local councils to national departments, have been told that no action will be taken by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) over the deadline miss - provided they were "showing a commitment" to eventually make changes. Cookie flavours Cookies are small files that allow a website to recognise and track users. The ICO groups them into three overlapping groups: Session cookies Files that allow a site to link the actions of a visitor during a single browser session. These might be used by an internet bank or webmail service. They are not stored long term and are considered "less privacy intrusive" than persistent cookies. Persistent cookies These remain on the user's device between sessions and allow one or several sites to remember details about the visitor. They may be used by marketers to target advertising or to avoid the user having to provide a password each visit. First and third-party cookies A cookie is classed as being first-party if it is set by the site being visited. It might be used to study how people navigate a site. It is classed as third-party if it is issued by a different server to that of the domain being visited. It could be used to trigger a banner advert based on the visitor's viewing habits. "The impression I'm getting from the ICO is that even if there are complaints and you're found not to be compliant, unless it can be shown your intent was to avoid compliance, then they would work with you," said Mike MacAuley from the Local Government Association, which has hosted discussions on the issue. The ICO did not want to comment on the issue when contacted by the BBC. On 26 May the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) imposes an EU directive designed to protect internet users' privacy. The law says that sites must provide "clear and comprehensive" information about the use of cookies. In computing, cookies are small text files that help organise and store browsing information. However, cookies are increasingly being used to power targeted advertising, by gathering data about sites visited and search terms used. It is these "tracking" cookies, which users do not often know about, which the EU hopes to clamp down on with the regulations. The deadline had originally been set for May last year. However, the ICO - which will be enforcing the rules in the UK - decided to give firms an extra year to comply with the laws in order to avoid an "overnight" change. At the time, communications minister Ed Vaizey said: "It will take some time for workable technical solutions to be developed, evaluated and rolled out so we have decided that a phased in approach is right." 'No problem' While government websites do not carry advertising, cookies are still used to carry out various tasks, such as helping site administrators monitor levels of traffic. "If people listen to our advice and are prepared to take steps towards compliance there shouldn't be a problem," Dave Evans, the ICO's group manager for business and industry, told E-Consultancy last month. "However, if businesses deliberately stop short of total compliance, then there is a risk." Mr MacAuley said meetings had been held earlier this month between the LGA's members and the ICO to discuss how best to comply. "I think the issue is really more about what the spirit of the regulations is intended to prevent," he said. "They're intended to prevent any kind of malicious exploitation of cookies, or any wilful avoidance of the regulations. I think the ICO takes a very dim view of that. "However I don't think local governments would in any way try to do either of those things." Business frustration Vinod Bange, a lawyer for Taylor Wessing who has spent time consulting companies who are cautious of the changes, said the small number of businesses who have invested in meeting the guideline deadline could be left feeling frustrated. Image caption The ICO's website has implemented its own consent mechanism on its site "There will be some companies out there wondering why they've gone to the expense, and committed a lot of resource, into trying to tackle a problem which is not going to be enforced," he said. In the interview with E-Consultancy, the ICO's Mr Evans said there would not be a team of investigators seeking out infringing sites, but would act on complaints. "How likely it is that complaints will flood in, we don't know," he said. "It may be that the great British public simply isn't that concerned about cookies."Editor's Note: Ask a what? A Certified Cicerone ®. That is, a beer expert who has passed a particular certification exam administered by the Craft Beer Institute. Curious about beer certifications? Read more here. Did reading our guide to Belgian beer styles leave you craving saison? We can't blame you; these farmhouse ales are pretty darn delicious, with their citrusy scent and floral and peppery flavor. But which specific beers should you seek out? We asked our crew of beer experts for their picks: the best saisons on the market today, domestic or imported. Here are their recommendations, along with ideas for food pairings. "Brasserie Dupont's 'Vieille Provision,' commonly known as Saison Dupont is to the saison style category what The Wire is to episodic TV, Jay-Z is to rapping, Jordan is to basketball and Ali is to boxing."—Sayre Piotrkowski (Hog's Apothecary) "Saison Dupont is the best classic example of a true Belgian saison. It beautifully displays noted of citrus and pepper flavors with a hint of farmhouse funk aroma and finishes extremely dry. Since saisons are traditionally farmhouse ales they respond wonderfully to the addition of wild yeast strains (in particular the ever popular brettanomyces) that allow the beer to develop spicy, funky, sour and even tropical fruit flavors and aromas. Among my favorite examples of these types of "wild" saisons are Crooked Stave Surette, Prairie 'Merica, and Lost Abbey Saint's Devotion. My go-to food pairing for saison is a simple Caesar salad topped with parmesan, croutons dusted with herbs, and grilled salmon or chicken."—Tyler Morton (Taste of Tops) "Logsdon's Seizoen Bretta out of Hood River, OR has been my go-to saison for several years now. Seizoen Bretta is a classic interpretation of the style with lemony esters and peppery phenolics, the beer finishes dry with a decent amount of brett funk that separates it from the rest. As far as pairing goes, saison can be paired with almost anything, but if you want to stay traditional go with seafood, maybe moules frites."—Ryan Spencer (Bailey's Taproom) "Stillwater Stateside Saison embodies everything I love about saisons: the spicy hops, the dry finish, and the slight funkiness imparted by the farmhouse yeast. Not surprisingly, several Belgian breweries make exceptional saisons and my favorite is Brasserie Jandrain-Jandrenouille's IV Saison, with a light fruitiness and dry peppery finish that is so refreshing. Saisons pair wonderfully with vegetables and stinky cheeses, so keep it fresh and funky."—Judy Neff (Pints & Plates) "Boulevard Brewing is making some of the very finest saisons foreign or domestic right here in Missouri. Tank 7 Saison is an orangey golden hued beauty with billowing head, light citrus notes and peppery phenols from real Belgian ale yeast. At 8% ABV it packs a sneaky wallop for the unsuspecting drinker. What's more, Boulevard annually releases a special version of Tank 7 spiked with wild Brettanomyces yeast. Called Boulevard Saison Brett, the beer has an added layer of funk with plenty of sweaty, horse-blanket aroma and flavor to please saison and sour lovers alike. Both beers are extremely versatile for pairings too. Despite their considerable strength, neither will overpower lighter fare such as salads or white fish. They will also work well with chicken dishes, lobster, pork tenderloin, and creamy cheeses."—Chris Kline (Schnuck Markets) "One of my favorite saisons is a seasonal brew from the Maui Brewing Co, Lemongrass Saison. During a collaboration with The Lost Abbey, a traditional saison recipe was enhanced with the addition of Maui-grown lemongrass. The soft mouthfeel of the beer with the delicate flavor of locally grown lemongrass, matched perfectly with the Champagne-like effervescence of the beer."—Bill Carl (Southern Wine & Spirits of Hawaii) "I love new school saisons, creative saisons like the pinot noir barrel aged Bellwoods Farmageddon, or super funky saisons like anything from Fantome, but for me it always come back to Saison Dupont. I think it's the best example of the style and is one of the most delicious drinks I've ever had. I always try to have a bottle or two on hand. It's great to drink on its own, but it's also one of the most versatile food beers out there. It can go well across the board with charcuterie, fish dishes, roast pork, spicy Thai food, washed rind cheeses, Thanksgiving dinner... I enjoyed a bottle with the better part of the tasting menu at Eleven Madison Park and it was fantastic."—Jesse Vallins (The Saint Tavern) "The saison style is as varied as are the stories about how the style came to be. No matter how the modern incarnation of the style was developed, there are a wide range of great flavors and beers that we call saison. Jolly Pumpkin Bam Bière deliciously delivers the slightly sour "farmhouse" side of saison, while Lift Bridge Farm Girl is a great example of the everyday refreshment found in saison. Ommegang Hennepin is a great example of saisons with higher ABV, yet great, crisp drinkability. For a great pairing with saisons I love soft, earthy cheeses like Camembert or brie."—Dan Parker (Better Beer Society) "Enegren Brewing Company's Golden Spur Saison is on the top of my long list of favorite saisons. Crystal clear and brilliant gold with airy aromas of citrus and hints of banana, this brew is full of bright fruity esters balanced by a complex peppery finish and a sparkling carbonation that dries the palate and leaves you needing just one more sip to quench your thirst. At a local tap takeover, Golden Spur was paired with Spur-battered onion rings and a matching Spur-spiked Dijon mustard, which both married together in flavor and simultaneously cut through the richness of the fried batter thanks to the effervescence."—Becki Kregoski (Bites 'n Brews) "Saison Bernice by Sante Adairius is a fabulously rustic and soulful saison with an earthy brettanomyces funk. I recently did an interview with Tim Clifford, Sante Adairius's co-owner and brewer, which you can check out here. Why not eat like the Middle Ages French farmers who brewed these spontaneously fermented farmhouse beers? Back then it was inexpensive farm fresh food, but today it's still simple to grab a fresh crusty baguette, tomatoes, olive oil, herbes de provence, and a rich double or mild triple cream cheese to spread."—Chris Cohen (San Francisco Homebrewers Guild) "I've really been enjoying domestically produced saisons lately. They are also more likely to be fresh than imports, which makes a huge difference. Two stick out in my mind as must haves: North Coast's Le Merle and Pretty Things Jack D'Or. For me, Le Merle is just perfectly balanced in flavors with a prominent but not overpowering yeast pepperiness, light effervescent body, and a great dry finish. Jack D'Or is heaven. It's got a stronger malt presence in body, with a great spice from the rye and a nice hop flavor. For something outside the normal saison, I really enjoyed Stone Brewing Co's 'Matt's Burning Rosids', which is an imperial smoked saison. The smokiness comes off as more of a singed oakiness to me, but that lovely saison yeast still shines through. It's unexpected, and I like that. Locally to me in Cincinnati there are a few breweries producing excellent saisons: Rockmill Brewery, Blank Slate, and Rhinegeist all get gold stars."—Lindsay Bohanske (Love Beer, Love Food) 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.The National Prison Rape Elimination Commission final report is grim reading, especially the finding that prisoners report more rape committed by guards than by other prisoners. More than 7.3 million Americans are confined in U.S. correctional facilities or supervised in the community, at a cost of more than $68 billion annually. Given our country's enormous investment in corrections, we should ensure that these environments are as safe and productive as they can be. Sexual abuse undermines those goals. It makes correctional environments more dangerous for staff as well as prisoners, consumes scarce resources, and undermines rehabilitation. It also carries the potential to devastate the lives of victims. The many interrelated consequences of sexual abuse for individuals and society are difficult to pinpoint and nearly impossible to quantify, but they are powerfully captured in individual accounts of abuse and its impact. Former prisoner Necole Brown told the Commission, "I continue to contend with flashbacks of what this correctional officer did to me and the guilt, shame, and rage that comes with having been sexually violated for so many years. I felt lost for a very long time struggling with this.... I still struggle with the memories of this ordeal and take it out on friends and family who are trying to be there for me now." Air Force veteran Tom Cahill, who was arrested and detained for just a single night in a San Antonio jail, recalled the lasting effects of being gang-raped and beaten by other inmates. "I've been hospitalized more times than I can count and I didn't pay for those hospitalizations, the tax payers paid. My career as a journalist and photographer was completely derailed.... For the past two decades, I've received a non-service connected security pension from the Veteran's Administration at the cost of about $200,000 in connection with the only major trauma I've ever suffered, the rape."... Victims and witnesses often are bullied into silence and harmed if they speak out. In a letter to the advocacy organization Just Detention International, one prisoner conveyed a chilling threat she received from the male officer who was abusing her: "Remember if you tell anyone anything, you'll have to look over your shoulder for the rest of your life." Efforts to promote reporting must be accompanied by policies and protocols to protect victims and witnesses from retaliation. And because some incarcerated individuals will never be comfortable reporting abuse internally, facilities must give prisoners the option of speaking confidentially with a crisis center or other outside agency.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Oliver Letwin tells Radio 4's Today why the government should abandon plans to appeal the court ruling on Brexit Theresa May should abandon an appeal against the court ruling that means MPs must vote on the UK leaving the EU, leading Conservatives say. Sir Oliver Letwin, former head of the government's Brexit preparations, and two former law officers said the case should not go to the Supreme Court. Instead, they want ministers to bring a bill to Parliament to start the process of Brexit as soon as possible. The government said it would robustly defend its position at the appeal. The MPs voiced their concerns after the Supreme Court decided on Friday that the Scottish and Welsh governments should have a say at the appeal hearing in December. Former minister Sir Oliver, who oversaw a "Brexit Unit" in the Cabinet Office after the referendum, told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme that the Supreme Court hearing could see ministers' powers outside Parliament curbed. He added that one of the advantages of bringing a "fast and tightly timetabled and constrained bill" to Parliament, giving the government the ability to trigger Brexit without any constraints on its negotiating power, was that it avoided "any risk of the Supreme Court deciding to accord the devolved administrations some rights or even some veto powers" over triggering Article 50. Image copyright Reuters Image caption The government is appealing against a High Court ruling in a case led by Gina Miller Former Solicitor General Sir Edward Garnier said Mrs May should drop the appeal to avoid expense and a row about judges' powers, while former Attorney General Dominic Grieve said he could not see the point of continuing with the case. All three said ministers should bring a bill allowing the government to begin leaving the European Union - triggering Article 50 - as soon as possible. Legal questions at the heart of the Article 50 ruling All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU Sir Edward said: "That way you avoid an unnecessary legal row, you avoid a lot of unnecessary expense, but you also avoid an opportunity for ill-motivated people to attack the judiciary, to misconstrue the motives of both parties to the lawsuit, and you provide certainty." Mr Grieve said: "I can't see the point in the government continuing with the case and also agree that if they enact primary legislation, they will get it through Parliament. "I think their chances of success in court are low." Image copyright PA, Getty Images Image caption Sir Oliver Letwin (L), Sir Edward Garnier (C) and Dominic Grieve all support triggering Article 50 before the end of March The three MPs all backed the Remain campaign at the June referendum. They all now support triggering Article 50 before the end of March - the deadline set out by the prime minister. Conservative MP Owen Paterson, who was a Leave campaigner, said he believed the government had a "very strong case" for its appeal. "The problem with getting into any saga with courts is you can't predict the outcome," he said, adding that uncertainty over Brexit was damaging for the economy. "My concern is that we deliver on what the people wanted.... There was this huge vote to leave, it has to be delivered. If it is not delivered there will be the most shattering damage to the integrity of the establishment." 'On track' A government spokesman said: "The country voted to leave the European Union in a referendum approved by an Act of Parliament and the government is determined to respect that result. "We will robustly defend our position in the forthcoming appeal. As the prime minister made clear [on Friday], our work is on track and we remain committed to triggering Article 50 by the end of March next year." The High Court ruled in early November that Parliament must vote on whether Article 50 could be invoked. A final judgement from the Supreme Court is not expected until January.When you setup ClearPass, you always need to authenticate your operator. In this post, I will describe an easy way to use Active Directory for ClearPass operator login. I use AD here because most of my customers use AD. So, we can work with it and do not have to set up something new or use the admin database in ClearPass. This will only create a shadow database with separate passwords and a separate structure. ClearPass Operator Login – Copy the Existing Service ClearPass use itself for authentication as well. This means when you hit the login button on the ClearPass login page, ClearPass create a TACACS request and authenticate the user with a service. This service is the default “[Policy Manager Admin Network Login Service]”: To remove or to disable this service make it impossible for ClearPass to authenticate the operator. So, the best option is to adjust the service to use AD as well. But, this is a default service and you cannot change it. The only option is to copy the service and modify the copy. To copy the service, select the service (check the checkmark at the beginning of the row) and hit the “Copy” button at the below the table. This creates a new service in the last row. Open this service to modify the service: The service is the same as the original one. But we change this soon. ClearPass Operator Login – Modify the Copy of the Default Service Select the second tab, “Service” and change at least the name: You can also change the description, but actually, the default description is pretty good. Go to “Authentication”: Add the AD to the list of “Authentication Sources”. I also set it to top of the list as this is my main repository for users. Leave the existing sources in the list. My users use “[email protected]” as authentication name. To strip the “@domain.tld” from the name enable the “Strip Username Rules” and add “user:@”. Go to the “Roles” tab: You do not have to use roles mapping. But it makes life easier if you do. I have a default role mapping profile. Every group in my active directory, which is used for authentication and/or authorization has a role in ClearPass. This role mapping profile maps the group from AD to a role in ClearPass. The benefit of role mapping comes on the next tab: This is the default enforcement policy. There are many conditions for default roles. I simply match my AD groups to those roles and so I can use the “[Admin Network Login Policy]”. This saves me a lot of time. But, as always, you can, of course, create your own rules and policies. But remember, to have a fallback plan, include the conditions from above in your policy. This makes sure, you can use the local admin account in the condition of disaster. so, change the default password for the admin account to something safe and complicated and hide it somewhere. ClearPass Operator Login – Activate the Service To use the new service, you have to move it in front of the old one. Go back to the “Services” list and click the “Reorder” button: Move it to position one. And now, finger crossed that it works. Logout from ClearPass and use an AD account to log in again. To make it, even more secure, use a different browser to test the login without logging out before. If you are in again, we did it correctly. You can now disable the old service. Just click the green light at the end of the row. It turns red. Also, test the login with the built-in account, to make sure that the fall back plan is working. If you find this post interesting, leave me a comment and share it with your friends. If you don’t like the post, leave me a comment and share it with your enemy. But whatever you do, leave me a comment, now. Share this: Email Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Twitter Tumblr Pocket Pinterest Like this: Like Loading...In 2011 a passionate debate flared up about who deserves the credit for the discovery that our universe is expanding. Here are some of the background facts. By February 1922, US astronomer Vesto Slipher had already measured the redshifts for 41 galaxies. British astrophysicist Arthur Eddington, who listed them in his 1923 book The Mathematical Theory of Relativity (Cambridge University Press), noted that “the great preponderance of positive (receding) velocities is very striking.” He did add, however, that the lack of observations from the Southern Hemisphere precluded any definitive conclusions. In 1924 Swedish astronomer Knut Lundmark provided tentative, qualitative evidence for the expansion. However, his results did not carry much weight, since he relied on the implausible assumption that all galaxies have the same diameter and his correlation between velocity and distance was not readily apparent. A stronger case for an expanding universe came from Belgian priest and cosmologist Georges Lemaître who, in 1927, published a paper in French entitled “A homogeneous universe of constant mass and increasing radius accounting for the radial velocity of extragalactic nebulae.” In that paper, Lemaître reported on the expanding-universe solutions to Einstein’s general relativity equations. He also used Slipher’s results in combination with distance estimates, now based on the rather inaccurate assumption that all galaxies have the same luminosity, to propose a tentative “Hubble law” v = H 0 d, that is, a linear relationship between distance d and recession velocity v. Lemaître derived the value of 625 kilometers per second per megaparsec for the Hubble constant H 0. (The expansion rate actually changes with time as 1/t; the “constant” H 0 is its present value.) Hubble, shown in figure 1 redshift data—and distance was more significant and convincing. It became the widely cited origin of the discovery of the expanding universe. The value Hubble obtained for the Hubble constant was 500 km s−1 Mpc−1. Unfortunately, Lemaître’s paper received little attention. Two years later Edwinshown in figure, published his seminal paper with improved distance determinations based on the brightnesses of certain classes of stars. His resulting linear relation between recession velocity—again, obtained from Slipher’sdata—and distance was more significant and convincing. It became the widely cited origin of the discovery of the expanding universe. The valueobtained for thewas 500 km sMpc Hubble law was that in the English translation of Lemaître’s paper, which appeared in 1931, certain paragraphs were omitted. Suspicion arose that the omission reflected some form of censorship, possibly encouraged by Hubble. After extensive research, one of us (Livio) discovered conclusive evidence that, following the publication of Hubble’s more precise results, Lemaître, out of modesty, deleted those paragraphs from the translation because he thought they were superseded by Hubble’s work. 1 479, 171 (2011). 1. M. Livio, Nature, 171 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/479171a Hubble and his assistant Milton Humason provided the best observational proof in a series of papers, and all were aided by Slipher’s redshifts. A key driver for the recent debate over who discovered thelaw was that in the English translation of Lemaître’s paper, which appeared in 1931, certain paragraphs were omitted. Suspicion arose that the omission reflected some form of censorship, possibly encouraged byAfter extensive research, one of us (Livio) discovered conclusive evidence that, following the publication ofmore precise results, Lemaître, out of modesty, deleted those paragraphs from the translation because he thought they were superseded bywork.In brief, Lundmark was the first to offer observational evidence for the expansion, Lemaître made the tentative connection between theory and observations,and his assistant Milton Humason provided the best observational proof in a series of papers, and all were aided by Slipher’s Early measurements Ever since the 1920s, physicists have known that we live in an expanding universe. In the framework of general relativity and given the “cosmological principle” that the universe is the same at all locations and in all directions on large scales, the expansion is measured by a single function of time, the scale factor R(t). The evolution of the scale factor is governed by what is known as the Friedmann equation, which describes how the curvature of space is determined by the density of matter and radiation and the density of the so-called dark energy, the physical manifestation of Einstein’s cosmological constant. The most recent observations of the cosmic microwave background, by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) and the Planck space observatory, indicate that matter and dark energy combine so as to produce nearly, if not exactly, zero spatial curvature. The Hubble constant is a direct measure of the current expansion rate and is the key parameter in determining the age of the universe, t 0, through t 0 ∝ H 0 −1. (Matter and dark energy play a smaller role, causing
a global flu pandemic after holding an emergency meeting. It means the swine flu virus is spreading in at least two regions of the world with rising cases being seen in the UK, Australia, Japan and Chile. WHO chief Dr Margaret Chan said the move did not mean the virus was causing more severe illness or more deaths. The swine flu (H1N1) virus first emerged in Mexico in April and has since spread to 74 countries. We have evidence to suggest we are seeing the first pandemic of the 21st Century Dr Margaret Chan, WHO director general Send us your comments Calm urged in UK Official reports say there have been nearly 30,000 cases globally and 141 deaths, with figures rising daily. Hong Kong said it was closing all its nurseries and primary schools for two weeks following 12 school cases. It is the first flu pandemic in 40 years - the last in 1968 killed about one million people. However, the current pandemic seems to be moderate and causing mild illness in most people. Most cases are occurring in young working age adults and a third to a half of complications are presenting in otherwise healthy people. Dr Chan said: "We have evidence to suggest we are seeing the first pandemic of the 21st Century. "Moving to pandemic phase six does not imply we will see increased in deaths or serious cases." She added it was important to get the right balance between complacency and vigilance and that pandemic strategies would vary between countries depending on their specific situation. It is global and fulfilling the requirements of a pandemic Professor John Oxford, flu expert And the WHO does not recommend closure of borders or any restrictions on the movement of people, goods or services. But the picture could change very quickly. "No other pandemic has been detected so early or watched so closely," Dr Chan said. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for calm. "Let me stress: this is a formal statement about the geographical spread of the disease. It is not in itself a cause for alarm," he said. He warned that in the developing world the consequences of the virus could be more serious, and that the southern hemisphere was now entering the flu season. One factor which has prompted the move to a level six pandemic was that in the southern hemisphere, the virus seems to be crowding out normal seasonal influenza. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. The move was not prompted by the situation in any one country but the reports that it had spread in several parts of the world, officials said. The BBC's Imogen Foulkes, in Geneva, says that while the number of cases has made the declaration inevitable, the WHO will have to manage the global anxiety the declaration of a pandemic will generate. Experts have warned that poorer nations, especially those in the southern hemisphere now heading into their winter season, face the greatest risk from the flu pandemic. Pandemic planning There have been more than 800 cases in the UK with some areas of Scotland being particularly hard hit. The government has been stockpiling antivirals such as Tamiflu and has ordered vaccine, some doses of which could be available by October. SWINE FLU - THE BASICS Symptoms usually similar to seasonal flu It is a new version of the H1N1 strain which caused the 1918 flu pandemic Current treatments do work, but as yet there is no vaccine Good personal hygiene, such as washing hands, covering nose when sneezing advised What comes next in flu fight England's chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson said the WHO declaration of a pandemic would not significantly change the way the UK was dealing with swine flu at the moment. But he added there could be some minor changes to who received antivirals. "The declaration of a pandemic per se doesn't make a big difference to the way we are handling the outbreaks we have. "We are going to continue to investigate every case that occurs and treat their contacts with antivirals even though they may not be ill. "The difference is that the Health Protection Agency has learnt a lot about approaching this question of antiviral prophylaxis and they are going to be treating the closer contacts of the cases, rather than the more far-flung contacts, because they feel that that is supported by what they know so far about how the disease is transmitting. He added: "These flu viruses can change their pattern of attack, so when we come into the flu season in the autumn and winter in this country, when we expect a big surge of cases, we need to watch very carefully to see if the character of the virus is changing." There is concern that the virus might mutate in the southern hemisphere over its winter and become more virulent, but there's no sign of that yet Fergus Walsh BBC's medical correspondent Read Fergus's thoughts in full Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said a move to level six means that countries need to be ready to implement pandemic plans immediately but the UK was already operating at a "heightened state of readiness". But it could affect the speed at which the UK gets pandemic vaccine supplies but that had been factored into pandemic planning. Flu expert Professor John Oxford said people should not panic as the outbreak was milder than others seen in the past century. "It is global and fulfilling the requirements of a pandemic but I don't think anyone should worry because nothing drastic has happened between yesterday and today." Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionSafe levels of electrical stimulation can enhance your capacity to think more creatively, according to a new study by Georgetown researchers. Georgetown psychology professor Adam Green and Dr. Peter Turkeltaub of Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) and MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, and a team of colleagues published the study yesterday online in Cerebral Cortex. The team used Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to stimulate an area of the brain known to be associated with creativity in combination with giving test subjects verbal cues to think more creatively. “We found that the individuals who were most able to ramp up activity in a region at the far front of the brain, called the frontopolar cortex, were the ones most able to ramp up the creativity of the connections they formed,” Green explains. “Since ramping up activity in frontopolar cortex appeared to support a natural boost in creative thinking, we predicted that stimulating activity in this brain region would facilitate this boost, allowing people to reach higher creative heights.” Use of tDCS targeting frontopolar cortex in two creativity tasks allowed the test subjects to form more creative analogical connections between sets of words, and to generate more creative associations between words. “This work is a departure from traditional research that treats creativity as a static trait,” Green says. “Instead, we focused on creativity as a dynamic state that can change quickly within an individual when they ‘put their thinking cap on.’ ” “The findings of this study offer the new suggestion that giving individuals a “zap” of electrical stimulation can enhance the brain’s natural thinking cap boost in creativity,” he adds. The researchers wrote that their results provide “novel evidence” that tDCS enhances the “conscious augmentation of creativity elicited by cognitive intervention, and extends the known boundaries of tDCS enhancement to analogical reasoning, a form of creative intelligence that is a powerful engine for innovation.” Turkletaub, a GUMC cognitive neurologist, hopes that one day doctors may be able to improve creative analogical reasoning using both cueing and tDCS to help people with brain disorders. “People with speech and language difficulties often can’t find or produce the words they need,” he explains. “Enhancing creative analogical reasoning might allow them to find alternate ways of expressing their ideas using different words, gestures, or other approaches to convey a similar meaning.” Green and Turkeltaub say that although their results are promising, “it is important to be cautious about applications of tDCS.” They say that much remains unknown about exactly how tDCS affects brain function, and early reports of tDCS effects need further replication before researchers can further gauge how substantive these effects are. “Any effort to use electric current for stimulating the brain outside the laboratory or clinic could be dangerous and should be strongly discouraged,” Green cautioned. About this neuroscience research Funding: This work was supported by awards from the National Science Foundation, The John Templeton Foundation, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences via Georgetown Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science (KL2 TR000102) and Pymetrics. Source: Ryan King – Georgetown University Medical Center Image Credit: The image is adapted from the Georgetown University press release. Original Research: Abstract for “Thinking Cap Plus Thinking Zap: tDCS of Frontopolar Cortex Improves Creative Analogical Reasoning and Facilitates Conscious Augmentation of State Creativity in Verb Generation” by Adam E. Green, Katherine A. Spiegel, Evan J. Giangrande, Adam B. Weinberger, Natalie M. Gallagher and Peter E. Turkeltaub in Cerebral Cortex. Published online April 13 2016 doi:10.1093/cercor/bhw080 Abstract Thinking Cap Plus Thinking Zap: tDCS of Frontopolar Cortex Improves Creative Analogical Reasoning and Facilitates Conscious Augmentation of State Creativity in Verb Generation Recent neuroimaging evidence indicates neural mechanisms that support transient improvements in creative performance (augmented state creativity) in response to cognitive interventions (creativity cueing). Separately, neural interventions via tDCS show encouraging potential for modulating neuronal function during creative performance. If cognitive and neural interventions are separately effective, can they be combined? Does state creativity augmentation represent “real” creativity, or do interventions simply yield divergence by diminishing meaningfulness/appropriateness? Can augmenting state creativity bolster creative reasoning that supports innovation, particularly analogical reasoning? To address these questions, we combined tDCS with creativity cueing. Testing a regionally specific hypothesis from neuroimaging, high-definition tDCS-targeted frontopolar cortex activity recently shown to predict state creativity augmentation. In a novel analogy finding task, participants under tDCS formulated substantially more creative analogical connections in a large matrix search space (creativity indexed via latent semantic analysis). Critically, increased analogical creativity was not due to diminished accuracy in discerning valid analogies, indicating “real” creativity rather than inappropriate divergence. A simpler relational creativity paradigm (modified verb generation) revealed a tDCS-by-cue interaction; tDCS further enhanced creativity cue-related increases in semantic distance. Findings point to the potential of noninvasive neuromodulation to enhance creative relational cognition, including augmentation of the deliberate effort to formulate connections between distant concepts. “Thinking Cap Plus Thinking Zap: tDCS of Frontopolar Cortex Improves Creative Analogical Reasoning and Facilitates Conscious Augmentation of State Creativity in Verb Generation” by Adam E. Green, Katherine A. Spiegel, Evan J. Giangrande, Adam B. Weinberger, Natalie M. Gallagher and Peter E. Turkeltaub in Cerebral Cortex. Published online April 13 2016 doi:10.1093/cercor/bhw080 Feel free to share this neuroscience news.Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The bank was set up in 2012 to fund renewable energy projects The Green Investment Bank (GIB), set up by the UK government five years ago, has been sold to Macquarie Bank, with a value of £2.3bn. The Treasury secures £1.7bn through the process, with a further £600m of liabilities taken on by the Australia-based business lender. The bank was set up to fund renewable and low-carbon projects and has invested about £800m per year so far. That includes total government funding of £1.5bn since 2012. The deal with Macquarie should see that rise to £3bn per year over three years. It requires the new owner to retain its name and headquarters team in Edinburgh. A new asset management division is being set up in the Scottish capital. The bank currently employees 50 people in Edinburgh and 85 in London. Although all the shares are transferring, the government is appointing independent trustees with the power to ensure it continues to have an environmental mission. Image copyright PA UK Climate Change and Industry Minister Nick Hurd, who signed the deal on Wednesday, said the government had turned a profit on the deal. He said the Green Investment Bank had been "very successful in attracting private capital to the UK's green economy". "It now makes sense to move it into the private sector where it will be free from the constraints of public sector ownership, allowing it to build further on its success," he said. "This deal gives us the best of both worlds. We have secured fair value for the UK taxpayer. "GIB has a well-funded new owner that is committed to the bank's green mission, with a track record of success in green investment and an ambition to grow the business." Long-term future Macquarie Group chief executive David Fass said the deal would open new opportunities in low-carbon investment in the UK and further afield. "We are excited by a business that will take a leading role in the green economy, using the specialist knowledge of our teams in Edinburgh and London," he said. Lord Smith of Kelvin, chairman of the GIB, said the sale decision had been supported by the board as it believed that attracting new investors was the "best available route" to securing the long-term future of the business. "Macquarie has made significant and important commitments to the UK government to maintain GIB as a discrete entity within its business, maintaining GIB's investment focus and approach with a target to invest more capital each year than GIB has historically." Lord Smith added: "Macquarie will also uphold GIB's green investment principles and report transparently on GIB's green impact. "Macquarie will utilise the market-leading expertise of the existing GIB team and will build on GIB's deep commitment to Edinburgh." The Scottish government did not favour the sale, but has welcomed the commitments made by the new owners of GIB. Scottish Economy Secretary Keith Brown said: "This announcement is testament to the talent and opportunity to be found here, and I look forward to working with the Macquarie Group to ensure its ambitious plans for Scotland are realised." Competitive bidding Environment pressure group Greenpeace has criticised the bank's sale and Macquarie's past role in infrastructure funding. The organisation's policy director, Doug Parr, said: "At a time when the government should be shoring up the low-carbon industry for post-Brexit Britain, they have given away one of our key tools for advancing green technologies. "The hole left by the Green Investment Bank will slow our transition to a clean energy system, set us back on reaching our climate targets, and mean more of the jobs from new sectors will go elsewhere." The sale was a competitive bidding process, begun under then UK Business Secretary Sajid Javed. It was delayed by the complexity of the deal, particularly after GIB signed an £800m funding deal for offshore wind at the start of this year. There was also a legal challenge lodged by a consortium that lost out to Macquarie. Included in the arrangements for the sale is the setting up of a new joint venture for financing offshore wind projects, along with another Macquarie infrastructure fund, and USS, the university staff pension fund.The first show in the new season of The Grand Tour demonstrates just how far Jeremy Clarkson has evolved when it comes to electric cars. Once an arch-skeptic on the new technology, Clarkson was utterly wowed by the acceleration of a battery-powered Rimac supercar. “I’ve never seen anything move as quickly as that,” he says into the camera, clearly stunned. “Not in number plates.” When it comes to electric car supremo Elon Musk, however, the antipathy is still very much alive. Musk launched a libel lawsuit after a 2008 edition of Top Gear on the BBC showed Tesla electric cars running out of power on the race track and suffering brake failure. The California tech entrepreneur claimed that Top Gear had faked those scenes. He lost the libel case but continued to attack Clarkson and his team claiming their shows were more about “entertainment” than the “truth.” “He sued me and lost, he appealed and lost. You go online and you read that we ‘made it up,’ that we ‘faked it’…We didn’t,” Clarkson told The Daily Beast. “You see, if anybody is going to get sued, I mean you can't say that sort of thing. I could say all sorts of things about Musk but I won’t. “Musk doesn’t like losing. Unfortunately he did twice…He’s just got sour grapes.” Clarkson was fired by the BBC after a fracas with one of Top Gear’s producers; he is now promoting a second season of The Grand Tour, a similar motoring show that is financed and streamed by Amazon, which began on Friday. “I actually reviewed the new Tesla in the new show and in many ways, it’s tremendous,” Clarkson said. “I’ve got no ax to grind. He’s the only one who ever behaved in such a petulant way—most industry bosses are a lot more grown up.” It is not the Tesla that features in the first show of the new season named “Past, Present or Future,” but a Croatian creation: the Rimac Concept One. In a straight road race against a hybrid Honda supercar and an old-fashioned gas-guzzling Lamborghini, the electric Rimac proves to have vastly superior acceleration. “ As Piers Morgan found to his cost coming over here and lecturing Americans on things: You tend to end up with an orange face hosting a breakfast TV show if you’re not careful. ” — Jeremy Clarkson Richard Hammond, the youngest of the presenting trio, is in the driving seat of the electric car. In a second race—an uphill slalom though the Swiss mountains—Hammond spins out of control doing 120 miles per hour into a bend and the car ricochets down a hill and bursts into flames. “As Hammond found to his cost—some of the electric cars are really, really fast,” Clarkson explained. The crash could easily have proved fatal: Hammond’s left leg was shattered and he was temporarily trapped inside before the $2.5 million supercar was engulfed in flames. Rescue workers freed him from the wreckage and he was helivaced off the mountain. In the show, of course, Clarkson and third presenter James May simply joke about Hammond’s propensity to get into disastrous accidents—he was in a coma for two weeks after a previous crash. “Hammond’s accident was extremely serious for about five minutes, and then not quite so serious,” said Clarkson. “If we were a schmaltzy show with a dying dog on it then yeah, we’d all be in tears and ‘Are you alright?’ and getting him crutches and a wheelchair and making him a cup of tea—but we’re not that show. We’re an unusual show in that we just carry on. We’re not like the U.S. Marines, we do leave a man in the field.” Clarkson revealed in The Sunday Times last month that he was almost involved in his own high-tech vehicle accident. He described what happened for the first time to The Daily Beast. He was in a semi-autonomous car driving along the M4 motorway in South West England. “The idea is that it checks its surroundings before changing lanes on the motorway,” he said. “But twice it failed to spot a much faster car coming up on the outside lane and half pulled out nearly causing a massive accident. And then when it realizes it’s done it, it just shuts its systems down and says, right you’re back in control now, ‘Oh, that’s brilliant!’” “If you could show me a robot that can make a sandwich then I might think we’re on the way to a driverless car but they haven’t yet and that’s a relatively simple thing. Negotiating a city ring road or getting from one side of Manhattan to the other when they haven’t even built a robot that can make a sandwich or climb a flight of stairs or open a door? We’re a long way off driverless cars—a long, long way off,” he said. “Maybe 50 years from now? I won’t be alive—so it doesn’t bother me because I’ll never have one.” There is undoubtedly a flurry of technological breakthroughs right now, and Clarkson fears it may be a sign of imminent collapse in the automobile industry. “There’s no question that there’s a supernova thing going on,” he said. “Legislation which is driving market forces is causing the car industry to change. It is sort of burning more brightly, like a sun does before it dies. It’s burning more brightly than it ever has before, we’ve got 400 horsepower hot hatchbacks coming along, 1100 horsepower supercars. It’s just nuts how exciting cars have become in the last year or so—I think in two or three years, large, large numbers of them will be electric and that’ll make them even faster actually because there’s an unbelievable amount of power from batteries, as Tesla is demonstrating.” While these new technologies are explored in the show, there is always plenty for the traditionalists to revel in. Clarkson, Hammond, May, executive producer Andy Wilman and the production team they brought from Top Gear are responsible for shaping the series with no input from Amazon. Not much has changed from the BBC incarnation—although the British broadcaster retained the rights to the popular individual features like “Stars in Reasonably Priced Cars,” forcing them to invent replacement features. Some of those, including a test driver known as “The American,” were ditched after the first season of The Grand Tour. A pointless segment that “killed off” celebrities before they reached the studio was also scrapped—as Hammond explains in the first episode of the new season—“because you all hated it!” Instead, we have a return to the celebrity racing format, tweaked to be sufficiently different from the original in the eyes of the law. Now we see who is fastest from a given field of entertainment. In the first week that was: reality show judges. There was a time trial between a judge from the British version of The Voice, Ricky Wilson, and David Hasselhoff, who appeared on America’s Got Talent among many other things. Hasselhoff warned that he was just very talented at acting like a good driver, which proved to be an accurate prophecy as he struggled around the race track. It’s clear that winning over a bigger American audience is more of a concern since the team took the Jeff Bezos dime, but Clarkson said features like the inclusion of Hasselhoff and the failed “American” segment were not specific pitches to attract viewers in the U.S. “It’s way more intricate than that because there’s two Americas, so if we went monster truck racing and tractor pulling, the other America and the rest of the world would go, what on Earth are you doing? And if we review the latest BMW M3 while driving through Switzerland, then the monster truck enthusiasts will think that we’re probably communists. You don’t want to alienate anybody—well, that sounds ridiculous coming from me—but I don’t want the show to alienate anybody. It is very difficult to make a car show that appeals to the Middle of America and everywhere else, so you just have to bear that in mind and try to steer a fine line between the two and try and make something for everyone every week.” Clarkson is certainly aiming to walk a fine line when it comes to alienating potential viewers in the half of America that swept Donald Trump to power. He is usually willing to sound off on any given topic, but raising the Trump question causes him to shrink back. “As a visitor to America, I feel it is not for me to have opinions on internal American politics. I’m allowed to have opinions on Brexit and [British prime minister] Mrs. May and [Labour leader] Jeremy Corbyn, but as Piers Morgan found to his cost coming over here and lecturing Americans on things: You tend to end up with an orange face hosting a breakfast TV show if you’re not careful.” Morgan—who was once punched in the face three times by Clarkson—is now slumming it on ITV’s Good Morning Britain after a newspaper editorship and a short-lived prime-time CNN chat show in which he tried to take on the U.S. gun lobby. Clarkson’s fight with Morgan became a celebrated tabloid punch-up but it was another violent outburst that got Clarkson fired from the BBC. He reportedly attacked producer Oisin Tymon after he was told he could not have a steak after a day of filming. With its star sacked, Top Gear employed Matt LeBlanc to try and keep the global franchise going but Joey from Friends struggled to recapture the blokes-talking-about-cars magic that proved to be such a ratings winner. Clarkson, 57, and his team have already signed up for a third season of The Grand Tour with Amazon. He is making no plans for retirement just yet despite the danger of spending so much time racing cars, although he was forced to give up smoking this year after contracting pneumonia in both lungs. “You’ll know when it’s time to retire because you just think I can’t be bothered to be funny or interesting. You go to an old people’s home and they tend to be quite insular and dreary because they can’t be bothered to be funny because they’ve been funny all their lives and it’s time for other people to entertain them,” he said. “If I’ve got a day’s filming and I know it’s a good story and I know it’s a good script and the weather is what it’s supposed to be, I’m literally chomping at the bit to go and do that, even after whatever it is, 30 years...If I got to a corner and I’m driving somebody else’s £400,000 supercar and then I can’t be bothered to drive it round sideways, then it’s definitely time to jack it in.”NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. newspaper publisher McClatchy Co reported a quarterly loss on Thursday because of layoff charges and falling advertising revenue. An employee passes newspaper fronts of McClatchy Co. owned newspapers in their Washington office July 24, 2008. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque McClatchy, which publishes newspapers such as The Miami Herald and The Sacramento Bee, posted a first-quarter net loss of $37.5 million, or 45 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $849,000, or 1 cent a share, a year earlier. Revenue fell 25 percent to $365.6 million. The Sacramento, California-based company’s performance during the quarter is similar to that of other newspaper publishers from Gannett Co Inc to The New York Times Co. Newspapers across the United States are facing mounting losses and heavy debt payments. McClatchy, which last week received a delisting notice from the New York Stock Exchange because of its low share price, has been taking drastic action to save money as it deals with more than $2 billion in debt related to its purchase of Knight Ridder Inc in 2006. In March, the company said it would cut 1,600 jobs, or 15 percent of its workforce, and slash executive pay by 10 percent to 15 percent. It also has suspended cash dividends. Excluding $19.7 million in charges related to the layoffs, McClatchy reported a loss of $22.9 million, or 28 cents a share. That missed three analysts’ estimates between losses of 5 cents and 16 cents a share, according to Reuters Estimates. Ad revenue fell 29.5 percent to $284.7 million, including a nearly 5 percent fall in online ad revenue. So far, April’s revenue looks similar to the first quarter’s, Chief Executive Gary Pruitt said in a statement. “The economic environment is still weak and, like everyone else, our visibility on advertising trends is limited,” he said. McClatchy plans to use its cash primarily to keep paying off debt. It said it has no debt maturities until 2011. Earlier this month, it paid off $31 million in debt. The company also said it is in compliance with the borrowing terms it set up with its lenders. McClatchy shares rose a penny to 57 cents in early trading on the New York Stock Exchange.Photo by Maclyn Bean Robin Staps is one of the best songwriters in metal, and is the guitarist of one of the most interesting metal bands with THE OCEAN. After three full-lengths, a double album and two interwoven concept albums, the band, as well as its founder Robin, were ready to finally take on the dream: to write an album about the ocean. Two months after its release, in which it has received universal acclaim, the band is preparing to come back stateside to play on The Summer Slaughter Tour. However, back in April, I gave Robin a call to pick his brain a bit. After giving me a tour of their practice/performance space, where a bunch of lucky people got to witness the album played live in its entirety for the first time ever on release day, I got the chance to talk to Robin about his favorite new music, scuba diving, and how the record almost ended up as an instrumental. First off, let me just take a moment and tip my hat to you. The reviews of the album have been nothing short of general acclaim; you got perfect scores on our site, Metalsucks, and super high scores from various other sites and publications. How have you been responding to people’s reactions to the new material? Well reactions have been very good, so I’m very happy about that. I never really know what to expect from press reactions when I write music and I don’t really care that much [about what they’re going to think] either when it comes to writing new music, but it is always good to hear that people dig it. When you guys streamed the record in its entirety, it was only the instrumental version. Any particular reason for this decision? Well, it definitely was a tough choice for us to make, but in the end I think it’s pretty cool to have people listen to the instrumental album first and then be surprised by the vocal version. That was kind of the idea behind it. I think it works better that way rather than the other way around. But yeah, the reaction even to that were good so far in every regard, and it seems that everyone is really excited about this album. But we’ll see how it goes when we hit the road. We’re actually rehearsing the album now for the first time ever; we’ve never actually played these songs together live so far, and that’s still a long way to go, not so much in regards to playing, but with the whole production surrounding it. We’ve been programming lights day and night now, and been working out the little details, tweaking sounds and stuff like that, but it’s been coming along nicely. We’re all really excited to finally play those songs live. One thing worth mentioning is how intense your live shows have always been, especially with the last two records. Your live shows usually have well-sequenced lighting with a video show in the background, which is always fun to watch. Have you been exploring different concepts in regards to what you’re going to do to utilize the album’s theme into your live shows? Of course. That’s exactly what we’re working on right now. We want to visualize the musical journey that this album is, from the surface to the depths of the ocean, with regards to lighting and videos as well. With the videos, we’re gonna show the movie that comes with the limited edition box set versions of the album that has been specifically written to go along with the music, really. It’s kind of like visualizing the audio content of the record, so we’re going to have projections live onto the screen behind the drum kit with the movie, which has lots of oceanic stuff in it, a lot of things that I filmed myself in Australia last year, actually. I’m a scuba diver myself, so I filmed tons of footage there. But it’s not only ocean creatures; there’s a protagonist, a female protagonist, that is going through different stages of joy and pain and fear and terror throughout the album, or the journey, making references to the lyrical journey, which is more like the psychological journey from the surface to the depths of the human mind, basically. So that’s what’s going to be on the screen behind the band. And with the lighting we have to sidedrops now; they’re illuminated in changing shades of turquoise and blue and stuff like that. We’re also working with some light bulbs which is really cool, creating that “old school” feel somehow, creating a deep sea atmosphere where we have just things glowing in the dark, basically. So we’re trying to get that put into action as well. What I see right now is our guy, Jean Michael, is just up there programming day and night, since the beginning of the week; he doesn’t really have a life apart from that. [laughs] And it’s been progressing really well so far. It’s gonna be really cool. That sounds like it’s going to be really cool to watch! Now, let’s talk about the new album for a bit. Originally, the album was designed to be an instrumental, or as an album with very sparse vocals, until you heard what Loïc (Rossetti) came up with. Why did you feel like you wanted to make an instrumental album, and not have it as a dual-disc album with one purely instrumental and one with the vocals on it as we have now? There were a couple of things that contributed to that decision. First of all, when I wrote the music, or when I started thinking about the album, I thought that there was not really much room for vocals because…I mean, what are you gonna do? It’s a journey from the surface to the bottom of the ocean; what are you going to sing about? I didn’t want to have Loïc be singing about fights between oceanic creatures at different depth levels. That would sound a bit silly. So I was like ‘this concept doesn’t really call for vocals’. It could work great as an instrumental record, and that was not an abstract idea to us. We had done that before. Fogdiver, our first album, was an instrumental, and we all listen to a lot of instrumental music, so we were like ‘yeah, fair enough. Let’s do that’. But what also contributed to it was that Loïc was really sick, and after the massive touring we did throughout 2011, his voice had suffered a lot. Some of the doctors he was seeing told him he had to stop screaming all together if he didn’t want to lose his voice, and we took that very seriously, and he did too. He actually said to us “I don’t know if I can still tour with you guys that much’, and were like ‘Fair enough. Maybe it’s just the right moment in time for us to do an instrumental record’, and that’s what we all agreed on. But then in 2012, we took about half a year off, which we hadn’t done since about 2009. We didn’t do any shows for those few months. And during that time off, through his recovery, his voice got better, and he started seeing some different doctors, and they didn’t tell him anymore that he had to have an operation on his vocal cords. They said it could get fine if he just rests his cords and his voice for a bit more. And since he was getting better, he was a bit more keen to be on the album. During the same time, I came to the same conclusion, that I really want him to be on the album because we’ve established him as our vocalist and he plays a really important role when it comes down to just making this energy spill over from the stage into the crowd. Yeah, he’s definitely an energetic guy on stage. Exactly. So I felt like something would, essentially, be missing if he wasn’t to play with us anymore, so we both arrived at the same conclusion. We both said to one another ‘alright, let’s record some vocals’. We had just recorded the last two tracks on the record, so what the idea was, actually, was kind of having the entire record be instrumental, and have the fans think it was all instrumental, then all of a sudden have his vocals come in. So we did that and recorded it fairly quickly. Then we started fooling around and recorded some ideas, or some sketches of other parts for the album. We had a pretty good session, Loïc and me, and then by the end of the week we had vocals for the entire album. Then we were like ‘Ok, let’s just make a vocal and instrumental version and release them both’. So it was more circumstantial than anything else? Yeah, had Loïc’s voice been too damaged it would have stayed as an instrumental album. The lyrics themselves are inspired by the Andrei Tarkovsky film Stalker right? Yeah. So did you guys get inspired by seeing it, or is it something you kind of planned out because it worked well with the concept of the record? Well I’m a huge fan of Tarkovsky and I’ve watched that movie probably more than 20 times. Even on Fogdiver, we used some audio quotes that were taken from the film, and I’ve always wanted to kind of weave it into one of our albums in a more important, significant way. It’s been sitting in the back of my head for a while. With this album, it just seemed right. Because like I said, at first I didn’t know what to do with this concept lyric-wise. I was thinking about how to approach it, and then I had an epiphany of sorts. I though, it’s a journey through zones, and that’s what this movie is doing too; it’s a journey through zone, or a zone, at the heart of which one’s wishes are supposed to come true. There’s these three guys who are traveling through this deserted, industrial zone, approaching that room at the center of the zone, but the closer they come, the less they really know what they should wish for, and in the end SPOILER ALERT they get really scared and also find out that the subconscious wishes come true; all the ones that they had deep inside of them, some of which they didn’t even know they had deep inside of them, yet nobody ever comes to the point where they want to make that wish. And that’s kind of what the album is orbiting around. It’s all about the origins of our desires and wishes and how much control we have over shaping and changing them, which alliterates to the song ‘Bathyalpelagic II – The Wish In Dreams’. That’s kind of like reappearing at different stages and from different perspectives throughout the album. It’s a very introspective journey into your own psyche, into the very abysses of that psyche, and also a very personal album, completely different from the Centrics [Heliocentric / Anthropocentric], where we’re dealing with religion and organized religion, the legend of Christianity. They were a lot more philosophical, more precise. This album is very abstract and personal, in a lot of ways.
at those stats in the previous section. Need I really say more? Immediate Early Success. In his first year at Houston, the Cougars have gone on the road to Louisville and won by 3 over the ACC member Cardinals, arguably the best team Houston will play this year. Outside of that game, the Cougars have an average margin of victory of 30.86 points per game, and the CLOSEST of those wins was a 2 touchdown victory over Tulsa on the road. Recruiting. Yes, this matters. And yes, this is something that Herman does well. Let me put it to you like this: in the 2016 (current) recruiting cycle, Herman and his staff have Ed Oliver, a 5-star DT who is a top 15 player in this class, committed to play his college football AT HOUSTON. Those kinds of players don't go to mid-major programs unless they're coming out of JUCO after having had an issue at their first school. Yeah, that's a major talent going there. On top of that, players routinely flocked to play in Herman's offense while he coached with Urban Meyer. His offense paired with South Florida skill position talent? Oh man. OH MAN. That's like a dream. X's and O's for the new millenium. I've already chronicled Herman's proficiency as an Offensive Coach. But, on top of that, he knows what he wants to do on Defense, and has employed coaches to create a varied and dynamic system on that side of the ball that supports the explosiveness of the offense. Don't believe me? Herman's Houston team is tied for the national lead in takeaways with 22 through 8 games (average of 2.75 turnovers created per game). They're also first nationally in turnover margin, +15 on the year. AND, with 50 tackles for loss on the year (an average of 6.25 TFLs per game), it's not just luck. It's an aggressive defense that is schemed well and performs well. So, the offense is innovative, and the defense is an aggressive scheme that is more disruptive (in terms of turnovers created) than any other in America. That'll work. Negatives Lack of experience as a Head Coach. This is the major knock on Herman: he's only in his first year as a head coach. Now, it's possible that he is just that good and on the path towards a great coaching career. But, there's also the chance that he's hot right now, but won't have the staying power over years. With only a partial season as Head Coach under his belt, there isn't a track record of performance to rely on to project Herman's future performance. So, even though he's done well as an assistant coach and is doing well as a head coach, how sure can we be that Herman will continue his success in Miami, were he to get the job? Houston isn't Miami. In a similar vein to the previous point, there's a clear difference in the levels of Houston's and Miami's programs. Whether you're looking at the conference, the history, brand, importance to College Football, or nearly any other metric, Houston and Miami are on different levels of the College Football world. How can we know FOR SURE that Herman is ready to step up to the big leagues? How do we know that his system and his success will translate when it's put against the likes of Virginia Tech, Florida State, and Georgia Tech as opposed to the likes of Tulsa, Tulane, and SMU? Lack of South Florida ties. This goes into recruiting, and this matters. Herman, who hails from Cincinnati, and played collegiately in California, and has coached in Texas (3x) and Ohio has minimal ties to South Florida. To many, that matters, and it matters a lot. Are we REALLY doing the mid-major coach to major program promotion thing again? We all know what the past 5-ish years under Al Golden have been like. But, going back to the start of things, Al Golden was a hot, young, up-and-coming coach from a mid-major type program who took the jump up to Miami and, well, it didn't go so hot. With other candidates who 1. have more head coaching experience, and 2. have higher level experience, and 3. have a "name", are we really going to gamble on another mid-major coach in the hopes this time it works out? Summary Tom Herman is quickly making a name for himself as one of the hottest young coaches in America. He's energetic, he's innovative, and, to this point of his coaching career, his teams win. He's well-renowned for his offenses (and rightly so), and his defense in his first year as a head coach is far better than people are giving it credit for being. Herman is an "outsider", yes, but he's a good coach who's doing a good job and could be destined for great things in his career. His offense is great, his defense is attacking and VERY underrated, and pairing those things with the talent Miami has on the roster and who could (should) come here in the near future through recruiting, Herman could vault into the top tier of collegiate coaches. Reaching down to the mid-major level for another coach is a risk, but it's one that Miami may need to take in order to fully return to being among the College Football Elite. And, if there's a mid-major coach that can come in and help turn the Canes back into a top team, it's Houston Cougars Head Coach Tom Herman. Stay tuned for more articles on potential candidates for the position in 2016, right here on SOTU. Feel free to leave plenty of comments below on who you think should be the next Hurricanes Head Coach.First of all, don’t forget that as the head of the FBI, James Comey had the power to request the appointment of a Special Counsel anytime he felt it was warranted. In fact, despite countless leaks to the press that there was evidence of collusion between members of the Trump campaign and Russia, he had informed the relevant Congressional leaders that the FBI had no such evidence after months of investigation, a concession which, unsurprisingly enough, was never, leaked. The four Democrat leaders of the Gang of 8, which oversees the operation and knew this themselves, kept promulgating the lie that there was some such evidence. If your head is swimming with the accounts of “Russian Collusion” with the Trump campaign, a cock and bull story confected by Hillary Clinton to explain her loss and to undermine the President, allow me to simplify it now that James Comey has testified and revealed with a load of bunk it is. After he was fired, in an act of venomous revenge -- not atypical of the Swamp – Comey had a friend, a Columbia Law School professor, leak his version of a conversation with the president. In this version, Trump was trying to hide the collusion by cutting off an investigation. Why did he not simply release the memo to the press in a less cowardly fashion? Because he clearly hoped it would not be traced to him, and the motive thus made clear. Moreover, he confessed that he wanted to force the appointment of a special counsel. This follows to a striking degree the path in the Plame case -- where the attorney general, John Ashcroft, recused himself, and Comey was made acting attorney general, whereupon he appointed his friend Patrick Fitzgerald. I trust that many readers already are familiar with the manner in which Fitzpatrick’s investigation into a leak by Cheney-hater Richard Armitage, which tied up the administration and resulted in a confected process crime against a Cheney aide, Lewis Libby. In case you want to refresh your recollection of those events, here is the article I wrote about it eleven years ago. This time, another leak about an inconsequential meeting with the Russian Ambassador caused Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself. As a correspondent notes about that recusal: James Comey justified in his statements that on February 14th he did not inform his recently confirmed boss Attorney General Jeff Sessions, of the content of the oval office meeting with President Trump – or his suddenly overwhelming feelings of impropriety, because he anticipated Jeff Sessions would be forced to recuse himself from anything to do with the Russian investigation.. There was nothing known on February 14th which would establish a need for Sessions recusal. There’s no reasonable basis for such an assumption on February 14th, unless it was Comey’s intention to leak FISA-granted surveillance of Russian Ambassador Kislyak, having an innocuous meeting with Senator Jeff Sessions, to the Washington Post. A disingenuous, albeit politically framed, leak did factually surface on March 1st. After Sessions’ recusal, the acting Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Comey’s “good friend” Robert Mueller as special counsel: “Any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump and matters that arise or may arise directly from the investigation and other matters within the scope of 28 C.F.R. sec. 600.4 c [process crimes like destruction of evidence and perjury which occur during the investigation]” In sum, knowing that the underlying case was garbage, Comey forced the hand of the attorney general and then the acting attorney general to recuse themselves and let his good friend go after the administration -- tying it up with criminal investigations and hoping to find some process crimes (perjury, obstruction, destruction of evidence) to prosecute. In other words, hoping for another witch-hunt. In fact, with a better understanding of the man heading the FBI, the President should have fired him immediately. As the Wall Street Journal warned in January: If experience is a guide, Mr. Comey is the sort of man to be embraced with extreme political caution. Democrats cheered last summer when he invented a legal distinction between extreme carelessness and gross negligence to give Hillary Clinton a legal pass for mishandling classified information. Now they blame him for throwing the election to Mr. Trump for informing Congress, 11 days before the election, that he was reopening the investigation. Republicans have also been burned by Mr. Comey, not just over his Clinton gymnastics but also his efforts to undermine the Bush Administration’s antiterror efforts during a prior stint as Deputy Attorney General. Now he will be responsible for current investigations into suspected links between the Russian government and some of Mr. Trump’s close associates. We believe as much as anyone that FBI directors should be willing to go after criminality irrespective of politics. The trouble with Mr. Comey is that he is nothing if not political, especially when it comes to opportunities to burnish his personal reputation by going after the objects of liberal wrath. Ask Frank Quattrone, the investment banker wrongly targeted by Mr. Comey in the post-Enron prosecution frenzy; or Scooter Libby, victim of the Javert-like exertions of Mr. Comey’s close friend Patrick Fitzgerald during the Plamegate hysteria. At this point, Robert Mueller has several choices. With his appointment now revealed as a ruse designed by a vengeful partisan, he can resign, or he can wrap it up quickly -- after all, he now has all of Comey’s files on the already months-long investigation, which has produced nothing. Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton argues that the Comey leak to the New York Times through his cut out invalidates the Special Counsel appointment, The appointment of Special Counsel was made under suspect circumstances. Comey's illicit actions turned it into a public corruption issue. — Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) June 9, 2017 Newt Gingrich argues much the same: Comey Invalidates Special Counsel The most startling revelation from fired FBI Director James Comey’s testimony this week was his barefaced admission that he intentionally leaked details of his private conversations with the President to the press in an effort to prompt the appointment a special counsel. When asked Thursday by Senator Susan Collins of Maine whether he shared the memos he wrote about his conversations with President Trump with anyone outside the Department of Justice, Comey answered: “I asked a friend of mine to share the content of the memo with a reporter – didn’t do it myself for a variety of reasons – but I asked him to, because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel.” This statement is tremendously important because it completely delegitimizes Robert Mueller’s so-called independent investigation and reveals it as poisoned fruit. Interestingly enough, Comey’s testimony this week took place after he consulted with Mueller. “Collusion” in any event is not a crime. The only evidence of "collusion with Russia" is that of Ted Kennedy, who in 1983 did try unsuccessfully to enlist the Russians to help him defeat Ronald Reagan’s re-election bid. Should Mueller not quit or Rosenstein not end his appointment, anyone questioned by the special counsel or his staff ought to demand what crime is under investigation. No one should speak to any agent investigating this non-crime without counsel present and demanding that the interrogation be videotaped. The FBI refuses to allow such documentation, and as we know from the case of agent John Eckenrode in the Libby case, their notes are often in error or conveniently lost and the agent involved resigned so he cannot, as a practical matter, be cross examined about them because of the limited discovery options to defendants. In other words, do not fall into gentleman G.W. Bush’s trap of acting like this Mueller team is honorable or seeking to find the truth about a real crime. Chances are they are not. At the same time that the Comey show was playing, we learned that the improbably named Reality Winner, a young linguist working for an NSA contractor, leaked classified information to which, as the holder of a top secret classification, she had access. This follows leaks by Manning and Snowden. Her online communications would suggest to any reasonable person that she was sympathetic to the enemy. A diary found in her home indicated she planned to burn down the White House and run off to join the Taliban, among other things. We are giving the government more and more access to all our communications and these classified intercepts are being handled by partisans like Susan Rice to unmask and widely distribute, and to young, clearly disturbed, and poorly vetted people. Maybe it’s time to re-evaluate whether we really need to gather up all this stuff and put it in such hands. Perhaps instead of chasing chimeras, Congress ought to consider whether the massive spying by the Obama Administration, in violation of established law, is a better use of its resources. Or the Obama Administration’s systemic disbanding of those units investigating Iran’s terrorism networks because it feared that might interfere with the Iran “deal.” Maybe Congress ought to consider whether dismantling intelligence that has a better chance of scotching terrorism is more significant than listening in on the private communications of the Democrats’ opponents by the many people in the national security apparatus whose “patriotism and professionalism” are, in the words of Glenn Reynolds, “overestimated.”Charlie Austin has scored one goal in two Championship appearances for QPR this season Queens Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin will remain at Loftus Road until the club's £15m valuation is met, says director of football Les Ferdinand. Austin, 26, scored 18 goals as the west London club were relegated from the Premier League last season. "If someone meets the valuation, it is down to Charlie to whether he wants to leave the club," Ferdinand said. "When you look at what Christian Benteke went for, I don't think we're pricing him out the market." Belgium international Benteke joined Liverpool for £32.5m from Aston Villa this summer and Ferdinand argues QPR's asking price for Austin is "just a true valuation". Media playback is not supported on this device QPR value Austin at £15m - Ferdinand Ex-England striker Ferdinand says the Championship side have only received "two firm bids" for former Swindon and Burnley forward Austin this summer. "I wouldn't say they've been turned down - we spoke to the clubs but they have not met our valuation," Ferdinand told BBC London 94.9. The R's rejected a £12m bid from Leicester City last month, while West Ham are now interested in the player, according to the Evening Standard. Austin is out of contract at QPR at the end of the season but Ferdinand remains hopeful of keeping him at the club. "It is not a foregone conclusion that he will go," he added. "The rumours won't stop until the transfer window closes."ANTHONY RICCIARDI, a scientist at McGill University, was looking for evidence that an invasive Asian clam had colonised a warm spot in the St Lawrence river when a member of his team made a more headline-worthy discovery. Peering through a microscope at sand scooped up from the riverbed, the student saw hundreds of tiny plastic spheres that stood out for their perfect roundness and unnatural colours. “Ugelstad spheres”, named for the Norwegian scientist who invented them in 1976, are used in cancer research, HIV treatments and the manufacture of flat-panel televisions. Only in the past decade has the cosmetics industry discovered how useful they are for scrubbing teeth and faces. New Yorkers now rinse 19 tonnes of microbeads down drains each year. Too tiny to be caught by municipal water filters, they easily flow into the world’s oceans, lakes and rivers. In water they can break down, releasing toxins, or become coated with other poisons, such as PCBs. Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. Scientists had assumed that they floated in fresh water and were flushed downriver to the sea. Yet Mr Ricciardi has shown that some sink to the bottom of lakes and rivers, where they are eaten by bottom-feeding fish, which then develop diseases. Some of these fish, such as yellow perch, end up on dinner plates. Less is known about what happens to people who eat them. Dentists report finding the tiny orbs in patients’ gums. This finding adds to alarm caused by new evidence of plastic pollution in the Great Lakes, which contain a fifth of the world’s fresh surface water. Sherri Mason, a chemist at the State University of New York in Fredonia, found 1m plastic particles per square kilometre in Lake Ontario. The Great Lakes have as much plastic debris as ocean gyres (currents), a team from the University of Waterloo found. Industry and governments are beginning to tackle it. On July 30th Canada’s labour minister declared by the shores of Lake Ontario that microbeads will be considered a toxic substance. The government now plans to prohibit the manufacture, import and sale of “personal-care” products that contain them. Eight American states have already enacted bans, starting with Illinois in 2014. The Illinois ban does not apply to biodegradable microbeads, though their safety is unproven (it is unclear whether or not Canada’s will). California and New York are contemplating tougher restrictions. Four European countries, led by the Netherlands, are pressing the EU to prohibit their use in cosmetics. Public pressure has forced some manufacturers to take action on their own. Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive have both stopped using microbeads; Proctor & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson say they will follow in 2017. Loblaws, Canada’s largest retailer, will remove them from their in-house brand a year later. Unfortunately microbeads are not the only man-made materials wreaking havoc on underwater ecosystems. Microfibres from synthetic textiles—which come off in the wash and are also too small to be caught by water-treatment plants—are appearing in the digestive tracts of fish, too, says Mr Ricciardi. So brushing your teeth is bad for the environment, but doing your laundry could prove worse. Correction: This article was changed slightly on August 5th, 2015, to reflect the fact that Colgate-Palmolive had already removed microbeads from its products.: ksort() expects parameter 1 to be array, object given inon line Before some more practicing, it is time to finish the last post about IP addressing. One important concept is missing: network masks. After CIDR adoption, the network mask became essential for splitting the IP address in network ID and host ID. This way, the default masks for classes A, B and C could be increased (typical case for sub-networking) or even decreased (common in routers for saving routing tables entries). In fact, the network mask is built putting bits in 1 from left to right in the part corresponding to the network ID and leaving the remaining bits in 0 (host ID part). For instance, consider the class A network address 10.0.0.0. We will use the network mask 255.255.255.0. This mask has 1 in the first 24 bits (three consecutive bytes with 255) creating the network ID “10.0.0” and leaving one additional byte for host ID. The CIDR notation for this mask is “/24”, an abbreviated expression to say the amount of bits set. Different machines in this network will have distinct host IDs, just changing the bit values in the host ID. Two host IDs are reserved: the first one (all bits in host ID reset) and the last one (all bits in host ID set). As you have already guessed this first address is the network address but the last one is new in our discussion. It is called broadcast address and it is reserved for sending messages for all machines in this subnet. In summary: Network: 10.0.0.0 Mask: 255.255.255.0 or /24 (CIDR notation) IP addresses range: 10.0.0.1 to 10.0.0.254 (to be used in your machines) Broadcast: 10.0.0.255 Let’s examine a more complex example. Suppose you received the following network/mask from your ISP (Internet Service Provider): Network: 200.201.145.128 Mask: 255.255.255.192 or /26 (CIDR notation) Quite strange no? In fact, no. I will show you. Put your attention in the mask. The first two significant bits in the last byte of the mask are set (192 is 11000000 in binary – we will use suffixes ‘d’ and ‘b’ to denote bases). This means that the first two significant bits in 128 ( 10000000b) belongs to the network ID and only the last six bits can be used to host ID. So, when all bits in host ID are reset (10000000 b or 128d) we have the network address and when they are set we obtain the broadcast address (10111111 b or 191d). In summary: Network: 200.201.145.128 Mask: 255.255.255.192 or /26 (CIDR notation) Broadcast: 200.201.145.191 IP addresses range: 200.201.145.129 to 200.201.145.190 (to be used in your machines) How about use this knowledge for creating a adhoc connection between two smartphones? Really simple. Just select one reserved network, define your mask, choose two different host IDs for IPs and set your security parameters/protocols. The connection setup will require a default gateway. If you do not want to access any network/computers outside your ahdoc network, use your own IP as default gateway. In fact, default gateway is related to routing, defining the path to reach other networks. But this is subject for another post … Publicado pelo Wordmobi Related posts: Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.A couple of years ago, Google made Maps a lot more fun by letting you play Pac-Man on real streets for April Fools Day. So how does the company one-up itself this year? Naturally, with Ms. Pac-Man. While both titles are of course similar, Ms. Pac-Man is generally considered the superior title thanks to updated visuals, added level variety and a few gameplay tweaks. To try it out, visit the Maps website and click on the Ms. Pac-Man button on the bottom left of the screen. On mobile, you’ll see a pink button prompting you to play the game. The feature seems to be rolling out slowly around the world, so just be patient if you don’t see it quite yet. Read next: Watching a Word Document transform into an Alexa skill is trippy as hellLambda had to first fight for the right to exist after New York State unjustly denied its petition to form as a non-profit organization. As an organization dedicated to protecting the rights of gay persons, Lambda was told that it was "unnecessary" — even in 1973 — and its activities were neither "benevolent nor charitable" in a world where some lawyers might decline to represent gays "as a matter of taste," but not due to some systemic disenfranchisement. New York State's highest court overturned that ruling, but only after Lambda founder Bill Thom stood his ground. HIV: In 1983, Lambda filed the country's first HIV/AIDS-discrimination challenge when several residents of Manhattan's West 12th Street got together to try to evict a physician who was treating HIV-positive patients. Lambda won, keeping the doctor and his essential medical services in place despite the baseless and visceral fears of others. Several years later, the organization sued an insurance company for refusing to pay for life-saving treatment for an HIV-positive man. Lambda was really the first group to do something about HIV-related discrimination and although the stigma of HIV still lingers to this day, Lambda began a concerted effort that has made it possible for HIV-positive persons to get necessary medical services, to keep their jobs, and realize the rights guaranteed them under the Constitution. Workplace: Lambda sued New York City in the early 1990s because it failed to provide equal benefits to the domestic partners of city employees and their dependent children. They reached a groundbreaking settlement in which Lambda and gay employees won recognition and benefits, but the impact of the decision was broader: cities and states have looked to this settlement as a guide, thus ensuring that one of Lambda's local victories became the benchmark for recognizing the partners of gay employees. Family: Lambda has led the fight for second-parent adoption, which allows the same-sex partners of gay moms and dads to become the official parent of their partners' kids. In 1994, Lambda's case, In the Matter of Jacob, got the ball rolling when it ensured that New York would be on the joint adoption list. Sixteen states plus the District of Columbia now permit second-parent adoption and Lambda's family attorneys are working to expand this list. Lambda has also secured parental rights for countless gay persons who had been performing parental duties for years. Schools: Lambda is responsible for several notable protections for LGBT students. In 1996, Lambda won Nabozny v. Podlesney, a famous case that held, for the first time, that a school district could be held liable for willfully refusing to stop antigay bullying. Jaime Nabozny was not onlythe victim of his bullies; he was victimized by his teachers and administrators who said he should expect to be assaulted and subjected to mock rapes because he is gay. More recently, Lambda protected the right of Maverick Couch to wear a t-shirt stating, "Jesus Was Not a Homophobe," in school. Another of Lambda's cases made sure that Gay-Straight Alliances would be allowed to meet on public school campuses. Marriage: The two marriage cases that were just argued at the Supreme Court — Windsor v. United States and Perry v. Brown – were not Lambda cases. Lambda brought a DOMA case in San Francisco (Golinski v. United States), but the accidents of timing brought Windsor to SCOTUS first. However, without Lambda, Windsor and Perry would have never been argued. In 1996, Lambda was counsel in the first marriage case, Baehr v. Miike, where a Hawai'i trial court ruled that the State had no valid reason to deny marriage licenses to gay couples. That ruling may have ultimately been overturned, but Lambda started the march to marriage that occupies so much of our movement today. Most importantly, Lambda won the landmark case of Lawrence v. Texas, which declared that antigay sodomy laws were unconstitutional. This case took away the cloud hovering over all gay persons, who were considered presumptive criminals in a regime that criminalized the very act that defined the sexuality of gay persons. And this is directly related to marriage. Lawrence changed the relationship between gay persons and the State from one of antagonism to one of Constitutionally recognized protection, which undermines any rationale for prohibiting gay couples from marrying. It is no wonder that Lawrence is cited more than any other case in the Supreme Court briefs in Windsor and Perry. Even this short, incomplete summary of Lambda's work suggests one simple truth: Lambda's history is our history. The organization has been fighting the fight for full equality of gay persons since long before gay causes attracted the kind of celebrity A-listers it does today. It was fighting in the trenches when trench warfare was all we had. And this year, as it celebrates 40 years of fighting on our behalf, we say thanks. Lambda also operates a Help Desk for any question you might have about your rights as a gay American. *** Ari Ezra Waldman is the Associate Director of the Institute for Information Law and Policy and a professor at New York Law School and is concurrently getting his PhD at Columbia University in New York City. He is a 2002 graduate of Harvard College and a 2005 graduate of Harvard Law School. Ari writes weekly posts on law and various LGBT issues.VIRGINIA BEACH — Virginia Beach is poised to build a $220 million arena on six acres of land across the street from the convention center. Mayor Will Sessoms announced that city council struck a deal with United States Management the night before his State of the City address Wednesday at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. “Picture March Madness two years from now,” Sessoms said. “Wouldn’t it be amazing to have that happening right across the street at our new Virginia Beach arena?” Sessoms said this enterprise wouldn’t accrue a debt of more than $150 million and will earn $70 million in equity. JPMorgan Chase is the lead lender for the arena, the city will lease land to the developer for the next 60 years at $1 per year and spend $67 million in infrastructure improvements in the area to support the arena, according to a Facebook post by councilwoman Jessica Abbott’s. Abbott also writes that the city will match taxes it collects from the arena and dedicate one cent of the eight cent citywide hotel tax generated at the venue to the arena at $3.2 million a year. The annual tax incentive totals could reach up to $14.6 million and the city plans to provide up to 2,700 parking spaces for the arena. Sports and entertainment promotion company Anschutz Entertainment Group will manage the arena. “With the arena, we jump-start our expanding entertainment district, which will translate into more jobs, additional amenities for residents and tourists alike,” Sessoms said. “… the revitalization of 19th Street corridor and increases to our tax base that help pay for service delivery in neighborhoods from Pungo to Shore Drive and from the Oceanfront to Centerville.” Councilman John Uhrin, who represents the Oceanfront, said the arena deal is better than what the city had hoped for with USM’s equity contributions. “I think it makes a lot of sense for the largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia to host the largest arena in the Commonwealth,” Uhrin said in an interview. “To really have something of this magnitude I think adds the opportunity to add an awful lot of entertainment opportunities to the public that have been just skipping the entire region, not just the city.” Uhrin said he’d like to see The Rolling Stones perform or an NCAA basketball quarterfinals game at the arena someday. The arena could fit up to 18,000 people and is projected to take two years to finish construction. “We are required under our agreement with the city of Virginia Beach to close by this September,” Andrea Kilmer, president and CEO of USM said in a press release. “We certainly plan to expedite closing, with groundbreaking soon to follow. Construction should take 24 months, meaning our arena, the largest in Virginia, will be hosting events in 2019.” Follow Justin on Twitter @jbmmj or contact him at justin@southsidedaily.com.By Lee Min-hyung Amazon is gearing up for its expansion into the Korean online retail industry, with the company recruiting sellers for its Seoul office. The U.S.-based e-commerce and cloud computing firm has advertized 48 positions here this week. Some of them are available for its online selling business in Korea.Amazon is gearing up for its expansion into the Korean online retail industry, with the company recruiting sellers for its Seoul office. The latest move reflects the company's bid to expand its footing here as a retail services operator. Amazon is widely known as a retail giant, but it has so far focused on the tech infrastructure business for its major revenue source in Korea. In 2012, the company tapped into the Korean market by establishing the Seoul Region for its cloud computing subsidiary, Amazon Web Service (AWS). The company has since secured clients in various industries including Samsung, Amore Pacific and Nexon. The AWS offers cloud computing platforms such as database storage and related IT resources. Amazon has yet to unveil its specific expansion strategy for the Korean retail industry. But the company is expected to pose a threat to existing players here, once it secures enough selling manpower. This is because the e-commerce platform boasts a strong global foothold, allowing sellers to target global territories for their retail businesses. If Amazon taps deeper into the Korean market and opens Korean-language services, this will enable local online shoppers to buy overseas products much easier and conveniently due to Amazon's state-of-the-art retail and logistics systems. In particular, the company is growing rapidly in Japan, its 2016 sales there reaching 11.95 trillion won, up 17.5 percent from a year ago. This is the sixth-largest in the country's retail industry. Amazon's counterparts in Korea include G-Market and Auction, which are run by eBay Korea, and 11st of SK Planet. Those platforms, however, are no match for Amazon in terms of global supply chains. Amazon is also speeding up its expansion into offline sectors. Last week, the retail and tech giant acquired Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion (15.6 trillion won), in a move to strengthen its food retail presence with the physical stores of the grocery chain. "The online market is expanding in size at a rapid pace, but the growth rate for the offline retail industry remains tepid," a retail industry source said, asking not to be named. "This is because more customers are looking to e-commerce platforms and online shopping services due to convenience and relatively-cheaper prices. Amazon will pose a bigger challenge in particular to offline retailers such as department stores or hypermarket chains." But it is too early to predict, as the retail giant has not taken any concrete steps here for its retail expansion, he said.A Knoxville man faces up to 80 years behind bars for raping a child who became pregnant at age 10 and 11. Trendell Ray Brady, 34, was convicted of two counts of Rape of Child this week in a Knox County courtroom, according to District Attorney General Charme Allen's office. Prosecutors said the sexual abuse started in 2003, when Brady started dating a member of the victim's family and would occasionally babysit the girl. At age 10, the girl became pregnant, and DNA evidence confirmed Brady was the father. A few months later, when the girl was 11, she became pregnant again. Once again, DNA confirmed that Brady was the father. Brady admitted to investigators that he raped that child during several interviews, but at trial, unsuccessfully tried to blame the crimes on his twin brother “There are not enough years in prison Brady can serve to repair the damage that has been done,” said DA Charme Allen. “However, I trust that the sentence in this case will ensure that Brady is never again able to harm a child.” At a sentencing hearing set for July 20, prosecutors will ask the judge to sentence Brady to the maximum sentence--- eighty years in prison without the possibility of parole. The jury also assessed fines totaling $100,000.Jack Wallen finishes up his "barrier to entry" series for the Linux operating system by busting a few remaining myths surrounding the platform. I used to say that choice of operating systems was like the choice of religion. You grew up with one and knew only enough about the others to understand that they were, in fact, a religion. If you attempted to switch from being a Baptist to being a Catholic, you had some work ahead of you. The same thing stands with operating systems: If you've used Windows for most of your life, switching to either Mac or Linux would require a bit of a learning curve. That learning curve, across the board, has grown exponentially more shallow over the last decade. Consider what Linux was in the late '90s or early 2000s. New users migrating from Windows to Linux had a serious task ahead of them. Even the process of upgrading from release to release could be a nightmare. You wanted to upgrade the kernel? Good luck learning how to compile! But the times have changed, and Linux today isn't the Linux of yesterday. Just how easy is Linux now? Check out this quick video I created for the unboxing of a System76 Kudu laptop (forgive the fisheye effect on the closeup of the screen). The System76 Kudu is a powerful machine that could fill many needs. Out of the box, the System 76 experience is as good as any. Period. The simplicity of going from box to work couldn't be any easier. Open it up, turn it on, configure a few (user-friendly) options, and start working. I get it. There will always people that doubt the true simplicity and power of Linux (just like there are those that deny the usability of Windows and Mac). To those that continue to deny the viability of Linux, let me address the following points. SEE: The only remaining barrier to entry for Linux 1. Linux doesn't have the apps I need This is not the fault of Linux. In fact, the fault here lies in the application developers refusing to create cross-platform software. Even though the majority of users spend over 90% of their time in a web browser, there are those who rely on task-specific software. If that software isn't available for Linux, the blame shouldn't be placed on the platform itself, but on the shoulders of the developers. You want to use your software with the security, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of Linux... contact the developers and let them know they need to port the app to Linux or to a web-based platform. 2. The Linux upgrade process is too challenging The fact that people still feel this way astonishes me. I've upgraded so many machines over the years, and the process now is incredibly simple. And consider this... if you're using the 4.x kernel, very soon you won't even have to reboot
's still the case now." "Our store managers are empowered, but not incentivized, to make staffing decisions for their stores. And we work to make sure they have the right tools and deployments to help them succeed. We continue to solicit feedback directly from our partners though our own channels about what they are experiencing in our stores, and supporting 1:1 conversations with managers to make sure any concerns are addressed," a Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement. Facebook/Publix The new wave of understaffing complaints come at a time when Starbucks is attempting to double down on customer service with the new North Star program. North Star is supposed to help employees better focus on customers, and encourages them to interact with customers and form "connections." However, in the Coworker.org survey, 75% of workers said their stores were not appropriately staffed to carry out North Star, compared to 8% who said that their locations were. While Starbucks has said that North Star is intended to find ways for the corporate side of the business to better support baristas, many workers told Business Insider they saw the program as a way to blame employees for not working hard enough, despite their lack of time and resources. "It's Starbucks saying, 'Hey, we're going to keep understaffing you and running you ragged, but on top of that, we want you to be better at customer service. Oh, and you won't get paid more for it either,'" one employee said. This article has been updated based on information provided after the original publication. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: The best way to cook scrambled eggs — according to Anthony Bourdain See Also: SEE ALSO: Starbucks is quietly changing the business as furious baristas slam the 'cult that pays $9 per hour'With Breanne Deppisch and Joanie Greve. THE BIG IDEA: The backlash in the suburbs against President Trump is one of the most significant political stories of 2017. If Democrats win the House next year, it will be the main reason. In Alabama, Sen.-elect Doug Jones (D) flipped or came close on Tuesday in suburban counties that Trump had won around Birmingham and Montgomery. His victory offers the latest data points for a trendline that stretches back to April, when a special election in Kansas to replace Mike Pompeo — who gave up his House seat to become CIA director — was unexpectedly close because of Democratic strength and high turnout in the Wichita suburbs, specifically Sedgwick County. In Virginia last month, Chesterfield County — which includes the suburbs around Richmond — backed a Democratic gubernatorial candidate for the first time since 1961. Several GOP state legislators unexpectedly went down in suburban districts that were not thought to be in play. Gov.-elect Ralph Northam (D) won the district held by Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) in the D.C. suburbs by 13 points. Four years before, Terry McAuliffe got 60 percent in Fairfax County. Northam pulled 68 percent. The same night, Democrats flipped two county executive races in the New York suburbs of Westchester and Nassau. They also picked up GOP-held state legislative in the suburbs of Seattle, Tulsa and Atlanta. These shifts alarm Republicans because many of their most vulnerable House incumbents represent suburban districts around places like Minneapolis and Philadelphia. Many college-educated white women who voted for Trump are swinging away, and traditional Democrats are highly motivated while Republicans are fractured. “Throughout 2017, there has been a storm brewing in these suburbs, but on Tuesday night it got upgraded to a Category 5,” said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson, who cut his teeth in Virginia politics and worked on Hillary Clinton’s campaign last year. “There have been more than 70 special elections for state and federal legislative seats in 2017 so far. … Democrats have outperformed the partisan lean in 74 percent of these races,” Harry Enten tabulates on FiveThirtyEight. Supporters bow their heads in prayer as they await the arrival of Roy Moore for his election night party. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Look to Lee County in Alabama, which is named for Robert E. Lee. “No Democratic presidential candidate has earned more than 45 percent of the vote there since the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Trump carried the county by 24 points. And yet on Tuesday, Lee County voted for Jones by 17 points — a whopping 41 point swing toward Democrats,” Matthew Chapman writes on Shareblue. “There are some key facts that Democrats should take away from this. First, Lee County borders the Alabama ‘Black Belt’ …. Second, the county is one of six that are responsible for almost all of Alabama’s population growth since 2010. That implies that the once-rural county is suburbanizing.” “Jones’s victory reinforces the conclusion, based on the results of numerous special and off-year elections and other leading indicators, that 2018 is shaping up to be a Democratic wave election,” writes Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz. “One of those leading indicators is the generic ballot — a question on numerous polls asking voters if they would prefer a Democrat or a Republican for Congress. Based on an average of recent national polls, a generic Democrat now holds a 10-point lead over a generic Republican. That is the largest Democratic advantage on the generic ballot question since 2008 and, if it continues into next fall, it would predict substantial Democratic gains in the midterm elections … “When Alabama voters were asked which party they would prefer to control the Senate, 50 percent chose Republicans while 45 percent chose Democrats,” he adds. “That is a stunning result — perhaps even more stunning than Jones’s victory. Moreover, only 43 percent had a favorable opinion of the Republican Party while 47 percent had a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party.” In Alabama! Donald Trump holds a Time magazine featuring an article about him outside the John Wayne Museum in Winterset, Iowa, last year. (Jae C. Hong/AP) -- Unquestionably a big factor in this is Trump, who has driven many people to stop identifying as Republicans. The president’s approval rating among voters in Alabama was 48 percent, according to the exits, with 48 percent disapproving. He got 62 percent there in 2016. A Des Moines Register poll that posted overnight puts Trump’s approval rating at 35 percent in Iowa, a state where he got 52 percent of the vote last year. In the Register’s July poll, his approval was 43 percent. Six in 10 respondents say the country is on the wrong track, the same number as disapprove of Trump. “Trump is unpopular across a wide range of demographic groups in the state,” Jason Noble notes. “Sixty-nine percent of women, 68 percent of Iowans making less than $50,000 a year, 67 percent of city-dwellers and 62 percent of independents disapprove of his performance.” Without Iowa, Trump would struggle to get reelected in 2020. The scariest number for the GOP in the Iowa poll, though, might be the generic ballot: Iowans favor electing Democrats to Congress over Republicans by 40 percent to 34 percent. “The finding is notable because Republicans hold three of Iowa’s four congressional seats, including two seen as among the most competitive in the country in 2018,” Jason notes. “The results are starkest in Iowa’s 1st congressional district, which encompasses 20 northeast Iowa counties and is currently held by two-term Republican U.S. Rep. Rod Blum. Despite the GOP incumbent, 47 percent of poll respondents in the district say they would vote for a Democrat, while just 29 percent say they’ll vote Republican.” -- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters yesterday that the suburban revolt will be even more potent after the “anti-suburban tax bill” passes. He said homeowners will balk when they cannot fully deduct state and local taxes. Many analysts think the bill could imperil House incumbents in states like California and New York, which have high local taxes. “The suburbs are swinging back to us,” Schumer said. President Trump exits the Oval Office to board Marine One. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) ADDITIONAL ALABAMA FALLOUT: -- Trump's inability to drag Roy Moore across the finish line has accelerated an ongoing discussion about restructuring the White House political operation. Ashley Parker and Josh Dawsey report: “The White House is especially aware that the president faces a more daunting political task, in part because the outside groups designed to support him have been noticeably ineffective. The goal is to create a political brain trust that is ‘more sustained, more organized, more nuanced,’ a senior administration official said. One option being considered is bringing on an additional senior adviser who could serve as the White House’s top political strategist. [Political director Bill] Stepien is unlikely to be fired, but Rick Dearborn, a deputy chief of staff whose portfolio also touches on the political operation, is expected to be reassigned to the Commerce Department... Recently, Dearborn has met with top Commerce officials about his likely new job.” -- The president is lashing out against news coverage that depicts him as a loser. He whined to an administration official: “I won Alabama, and I would have won Alabama again.” Trump also tweeted that Moore's loss vindicated him and his endorsement of Luther Strange in the GOP primary. “Trump, it turns out, is rarely, if ever, wrong — at least as he tells it,” John Wagner quips in a smart analysis. “Since his emergence as a presidential candidate, he has repeatedly refused to accept blame for setbacks or admit he’s made a mistake. Instead, the president is quick to try to shift responsibility, deny he ever did something in the first place or otherwise dissemble.” Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who is retiring next year and has emerged as an outspoken critic of President Trump, speaks with reporters on Wednesday. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters) -- Insiders at the Capitol “breathed a bipartisan sigh of relief” after Jones’s victory, Ben Terris and Dan Zak report: “There were chills, prayers, elation, relief and that dusty feeling of yesteryear: hope, warmed over again. Hope, yes, for Democrats, thrown from the White House and outnumbered in Congress, but hope also for the city’s establishment Republicans, who were hardly thrilled that someone like Roy Moore — an accused child predator with an Old Testament mouth — might be bound for their prim company. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) hopped around like he’d just kicked a winning field goal as he disembarked the Senate tram Wednesday morning with Sen. Richard C. Shelby, who’d made a rare appearance on the Sunday talk shows to tell his fellow Alabama Republicans they need not vote for their party’s nominee. ‘Way to go, Shel!’ Corker bellowed to Shelby. ‘Whoo!’... 'I know we’re supposed to cheer for our side of the aisle, if you will,' Corker told reporters. 'But I’m really, really happy with what happened for all of us in our nation, for people serving in the Senate, to not have to deal with what we were likely going to have to deal with should the outcome have been the other way.'” -- Republicans arguing over the lessons of Alabama on Wednesday were forced to pick a side: Are they with Mitch McConnell or Steve Bannon? Sean Sullivan, Elise Viebeck, David Weigel and Michael Scherer report: “Bannon, speaking on Breitbart News radio, credited Democrats for their ‘ground game.’ ‘If you get outworked, you’re going to lose, and I’ve got to tell you, their ability to get out votes — that’s what it comes down to,’ he said. “McConnell should have stayed out of this race,” Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.) told MSNBC. “If he would have, we would have a Republican senator coming out instead of a Democratic one.” Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), speaking for the party’s establishment wing, wrote in a tweet that Republicans must “DUMP” Bannon. “If we are to Make America Great Again for all Americans, Bannon must go!” King said. The New York lawmaker added on CNN, “He looks like some disheveled drunk who wandered on to the political stage.... [T]his is not the type of person we need in politics.” Karl Rove said Bannon showed up in Alabama looking like “a scruffy out-of-work homeless guy... ranting and raving about the so-called establishment in Washington.” “Not a winning message,” added the architect of George W. Bush's 2004 victory. “Not a winning message,” added the architect of George W. Bush's 2004 victory. Asked what message Jones’s win sends, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) replied: “Alabamians didn't want somebody who dated 14-year-old girls.” -- The outcome pointed to the diminished influence of Bannon’s website. “The Alabama results suggest that a reckoning is due for both Bannon and Breitbart, whose influence and audience grew exponentially during Trump’s presidential campaign,” Paul Farhi writes. “Since then, as support for Trump has declined, so has Breitbart’s traffic, settling back to the 15 million people a month it drew before a spike around the election last year.” -- DNC Chairman Tom Perez said Alabama has helped him settle on a road map for next year’s midterms, when he hopes to make gains in battlegrounds with large nonwhite populations, including Nevada, Arizona and even Texas. David Weigel and Eugene Scott report: “Perez highlighted the DNC’s quiet strategy in Alabama, a $1 million investment in millennial and black voter turnout that was not advertised until the election was won. That was just one of the efforts that paid off for Democrats in Alabama, where new third-party groups including Woke Vote and BlackPAC engaged in weeks of voter persuasion and targeted messages.” -- “All across Alabama, Democrats celebrated a victory that they say was greater than just seeing their candidate elected,” Jenna Johnson reports. “To them it was a triumph over conservatives who cast them as sinners simply for their political affiliation; over a Republican candidate who had been accused of pursuing sexual relationships with teenage girls when he was in his 30s; over a deeply unpopular president; and over the notion that this could never happen here.... 'This is surreal,' said [Alan] Marlow, 34, who [manages] a call center. ‘I am very hopeful. This makes me hopeful for the future of this country. After last year, after just wondering whether I knew the place where I lived, I believe that people are seeing what’s going on, and they’re truly saying: No more.’” -- Congressional Democrats called on their Republican colleagues to delay a vote on their tax cut package until Jones is seated. Republicans said they're still going to get the bill through by Christmas. (Mike DeBonis, Ed O'Keefe and Robert Costa) -- In a wide-ranging, 42-minute news conference yesterday, Sen.-elect Jones stayed vague about his strategy for when he arrives in Washington. Sean Sullivan and David Weigel report. “He will need to retain the support of the state’s many liberal-leaning and African Americans who appear increasingly repulsed by the GOP agenda, and the national activists who assisted him. Yet Jones could become a pivotal swing vote who would stand to gain politically by sometimes siding with Republicans.” -- On the “Today” show this morning, Jones called on Moore to concede: Senator-elect Doug Jones message for Roy Moore: “It’s time to move on.” - exclusively on @TODAYshow pic.twitter.com/6bCNmv57X6 — NBC News (@NBCNews) December 14, 2017 Welcome to the Daily 202, PowerPost's morning briefing for decision-makers. Sign up to receive the newsletter. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) makes his way to a meeting on the GOP tax plan. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) -- John McCain was admitted to Walter Reed due to side effects from his cancer treatment. Paul Kane reports: “McCain, who missed a third straight day of Senate votes Wednesday, has been undergoing rounds of chemotherapy and radiation[.] … Two friends close to McCain … said there were no plans for the senator to resign. In a statement issued from his office, McCain hopes to return ‘to work as soon as possible.’ … In recent weeks the senator, 81, has been increasingly debilitated from the side effects of what friends have said are increasingly difficult rounds of treatment. He suffered an Achilles’ tendon tear in early November that put him in a walking boot, and in recent weeks he has used a wheelchair to get to and from his office and the Senate floor for votes.” Brett Talley poses for a portrait in 2014 at Holy Rood Cemetery in Washington. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) -- The White House will withdraw the nominations of Brett Talley and Jeff Mateer to federal judgeships, bowing to pressure from Senate Judiciary Committee Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). From Karoun Demirjian: “Talley — who writes horror books and has participated in ghost-hunting activities — has practiced law for only three years and has never tried a case. … Reports have identified him as the author of an online comment in 2011 defending ‘the first KKK.’ … Talley also did not disclose to the Judiciary committee that he is married to Ann Donaldson, the chief of staff for White House counsel Don McGahn.” (Talley continues to work in a high-level job at DOJ.) In 2015, Mateer reportedly said he believed transgender children were “Satan’s plan” and defended a judge’s right to support certain kinds of discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation. The fact that Talley's nomination quickly advanced through the Judiciary Committee on an 11 to 9 party-line vote, despite significant baggage, demonstrates the perils of the Trump push to jam through judges without fully vetting them. Remember: These are lifetime appointments that bring with them immense power. But Grassley stopped short of condemning the White House’s hasty vetting process. “I don’t know how you can vet, be absolutely 100 percent sure, of everybody — particularly in the social networking world that we have,” he told Karoun last night. “I don’t know how you get everything off the social network. I don’t know how you get it.” Kentucky State Rep. Dan Johnson addresses the public from his church regarding allegations that he sexually abused a teenager after a New Year's party in 2013. (Timothy D. Easley/AP) -- Kentucky lawmaker Dan Johnson died in an apparent suicide, days after he was accused of molesting a 17-year-old member of his church. Marwa Eltagouri reports: “Bullitt County Coroner Dave Billings said the Republican state representative — and self-proclaimed ‘Pope’ of his Louisville church — most likely killed himself. His body was found near a bridge on Greenwell Ford Road in Mount Washington, in a spot called the River Bottoms. He had a single gunshot wound to his head. Officials discovered Johnson’s body after they were made aware of a concerning Facebook statement and tracked Johnson’s phone to his location, Billings said. … Wednesday afternoon, Johnson, 57, again denied the allegations against him in the now-deleted Facebook post, adding that ‘I cannot handle it any longer... BUT HEAVEN IS MY HOME.’” GET SMART FAST: The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate from 1.25 to 1.5 percent — a widely expected move that comes as the U.S. economy continues to improve. This is the fifth rate increase since the 2008 financial crisis, when the Fed cut rates to nearly zero. (Heather Long) Disney reached a deal to buy most of Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox. After announcing the $52.4-billion deal, Disney CEO Robert Iger said he would postpone his retirement until 2021 to oversee the integration. (The New York Times) Two Reuters journalists were arrested in Myanmar for attempting to document the plight of the Rohingya Muslims, who have been driven by the hundreds of thousands into neighboring Bangladesh in a brutal military campaign called a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. The journalists were charged with illegally acquiring information “with the intention to share it with foreign media.” They could face up to 14 years in prison. (Reuters) Christians in the Middle East widely oppose Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. “Our oppressors have decided to deprive us from the joy of Christmas,” one regional Christian leader said during a Christmas tree lighting. “Mr. Trump told us clearly Jerusalem is not yours.” (Loveday Morris) Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) revealed he has prostate cancer. Brooks, who lost the GOP Senate primary to Roy Moore, said of the diagnosis, “Had I won, I would not have had time for my physical and PSA test. I would not have had a prostate biopsy. I would not now know about my high-risk prostate cancer that requires immediate surgery. In retrospect, and paradoxically, losing the Senate race may have saved my life. Yes, God does work in mysterious ways.” (The Hill) California officials reported solid progress against the wildfires ravaging their state but warned of a continued threat. The state still faces the risk of “extreme fire behavior” through tomorrow. (Mark Berman) The judge in the first trial of Inauguration Day protesters dismissed one of the most serious charges of inciting a riot. Judge Lynn Leibovitz determined the prosecution had not presented enough evidence to prove the six defendants urged others to riot and destroy property. (Keith L. Alexander) The new U.S. embassy in London, which cost $1 billion, will soon open. It is the most expensive embassy ever constructed, and its crystalline cube design aims to project openness. (William Booth) Roger Goodell intends to retire as NFL commissioner at the end of his newly finalized contract extension in 2024. (Mark Maske) Scientists found global warming tripled the likelihood that Hurricane Harvey would be accompanied by record-setting rainfall — resulting in the devastating floods that destroyed thousands of homes and buildings in the nation's fourth-largest city. (Houston Chronicle) Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross reportedly lost his security detail in the Hamptons last week. The guards asked those at the Golden Pear cafe if anyone had seen Ross and handed out cards reading “Commerce Department security.” Ross was apparently just a few minutes late meeting them. (Page Six) THERE’S A BEAR IN THE WOODS: -- An exclusive story in The Washington Post’s series “Hacking America” just went online: “Doubting the intelligence, Trump pursues Putin and leaves a Russia threat unchecked.” Greg Miller, Greg Jaffe and Philip Rucker report that top aides, including Jared Kushner and Reince Priebus, tried to persuade the president in the days before he was inaugurated to admit that Russians had interfered in his 2016 election victory. But Trump resisted, railing “that the intelligence couldn’t be trusted and scoffed at the suggestion that his candidacy had been propelled by forces other than his own strategy, message and charisma … Told that members of his incoming Cabinet had already publicly backed the intelligence report on Russia, Trump shot back, ‘So what?’ Admitting that the Kremlin had hacked Democratic Party emails, he said, was a ‘trap.’” Greg, Greg and Phil talked to over 50 current and former administration officials, writing that Trump’s refusal to accept the conclusion of the intelligence community led to an unparalleled “situation in which the personal insecurities of the president … have impaired the government’s response to a national security threat … Rather than search for ways to deter Kremlin attacks or safeguard U.S. elections, Trump has waged his own campaign to discredit the case that Russia poses any threat and he has resisted or attempted to roll back efforts to hold Moscow to account.” A few key nuggets from the story: “Trump has never convened a Cabinet-level meeting on Russian interference or what to do about it, administration officials said.” “The president obviously feels... that the idea that he’s been put into office by Vladimir Putin is pretty insulting,” a senior administration official said. Moscow is thrilled: “U.S. officials said that a stream of intelligence from sources inside the Russian government indicates that Putin and his lieutenants regard the 2016 ‘active measures’ campaign … as a resounding, if incomplete, success.” By some estimates, the Russian influence operation cost less than half a million dollars to execute. The Presidential Daily Brief, on highly sensitive global issues, is often structured to soft pedal Russia news so as not to upset the president. “If you talk about Russia, meddling, interference — that takes the PDB off the rails,” a former senior U.S. intelligence official said. Intelligence officials were prepared to be “thrown out” of a pre-inauguration meeting with Trump to discuss Russian interference. Instead, the tete-a-tete was “oddly serene.” Then-FBI Director made a last-minute decision to brief Trump alone on the infamous dossier, which some fear poisoned his relationship with the incoming president. “Why are you such an apologist for Russia?” national security adviser H.R. McMaster shot at former White House adviser Stephen K. Bannon in a clash over NATO. “I love living rent-free in his head,” Bannon gushed about the confrontation. -- Meanwhile, Putin said in his annual news conference about allegations of meddling: “It's all invented by those in opposition to Trump to make his work seem illegitimate.” (BBC) -- Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein defended Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation during an appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, telling lawmakers that, although some members of the special counsel team held political views, those views did not necessarily taint their work. Matt Zapotosky and Devlin Barrett report: “’We recognize we have employees with political opinions. It’s our responsibility to make sure those opinions do not influence their actions,’ Rosenstein said. ‘I believe that Director Mueller understands that and he is running his office appropriately.’ Rosenstein also said he and Mueller talked about what his office was allowed to investigate and what it was not, though he declined to answer directly whether he had granted Mueller permission to expand his mandate. ‘It’s a clarification in most cases,’ Rosenstein said. Asked later if [Trump] … had ever talked with him about removing Mueller, Rosenstein responded, ‘I am not going to be discussing my communications with the president, but I can tell you that nobody has communicated to me a desire to remove Robert Mueller.’” Rosenstein’s appearance comes one day after it was revealed that two top FBI officials disparaged Trump in several text messages. THE TRUMP AGENDA: -- GOP leadership neared a compromise between the House and Senate tax bills, seeking to get the overhaul over the finish line before leaving for the year. Damian Paletta and Erica Werner report: “Republican leaders have reached an agreement in principle that would lower the corporate tax rate to 21 percent beginning in 2018[.] … The agreement would also lower the top tax rate for families and individuals from 39.6 percent to at least 37 percent, a change that would deliver a major tax cut for upper-income households. … Many of the tax cuts would go into effect in January, and Trump said Americans would start seeing an impact on their paychecks by February.” -- A controversial measure included in the House plan calling for graduate student tuition waivers to qualify as taxable income reportedly won’t be in the final bill. (Bloomberg) -- Some Republican lawmakers and lobbyists have begun speculating that Paul Ryan will retire if the tax plan is enacted. HuffPost’s Matt Fuller reports: “The speculation over Ryan’s next move has particularly intensified as Republicans negotiate spending deals with Democrats. Ryan has repeatedly pushed off the possibility that a legislative solution for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration program will be attached to a government spending agreement, but conservatives are worried Republicans could finish their tax bill, have the speaker announce his retirement and then watch Ryan do the same kind of ‘barn cleaning’ that [former Speaker John] Boehner did at the end of his speakership. … Ryan’s leaving could pave the way for Republicans to swallow a January spending deal with mostly Democratic votes, perhaps raise the debt ceiling again ― another thing Boehner did as he headed for the exit ― and potentially find a DACA fix.” -- Democratic Senate staffers issued a report claiming the administration plans to pay for a border wall by instructing DHS to cut costs on surveillance technology and freeze federal officers’ pay. Nick Miroff reports: “The report, which the staffers said was based on information provided to them by ‘a whistleblower’ in late November, said the [OMB] told DHS to boost its projected spending on border wall construction for the 2019 fiscal year to $1.6 billion, an amount that would be ‘$700 million more than the Department’s original budget request.’ The $1.6 billion would be used to build additional physical barriers in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, the border’s busiest sector for illegal immigration. To offset some of the costs, OMB instructed DHS to decrease its funding request for border security technology and equipment by nearly $175 million, the report said.” -- ACA enrollment is almost certain to fall behind last year’s numbers given the compressed sign up period. Amy Goldstein and Hamza Shaban report: “The overall sign-ups of nearly 4.7 million Americans through last Saturday was about 650,000 higher than through the parallel week a year ago. … A surge is expected in these last days before Friday’s deadline in most states. The government will then automatically enroll perhaps 1 million to 2 million people — based on last year’s experience — who have current ACA coverage but did not sign up again. Yet even the law’s most ardent proponents are not expecting the ultimate tally to match the 9.2 million who got coverage last year in states using HealthCare.gov during an enrollment season that went twice as long.” WEST WING INTRIGUE: -- Omarosa Manigault was forced to resign from the White House following a confrontation with Chief of Staff John Kelly, which ended in Manigault being escorted from the premises. Vanessa Williams and David Nakamura report: “Kelly pushed her out as director of communications for the Office of the Public Liaison late Tuesday after growing frustrated with her abrasive and attention-seeking style, which included a personal wedding photo shoot in the West Wing in the spring, according to one official. … She did not ‘go quietly,’ said the official[.] … Although her resignation is effective Jan. 20, the Secret Service said it had deactivated her security badge granting access to the White House grounds. The agency said it was not involved in escorting her off the property.” -- Manigault reportedly attempted to appeal to Ivanka Trump in her efforts to save her job and even went so far as to approach the White House residence to a seek a reprieve. (CBS) From the White House reporter for American Urban Radio Networks: Sources say General Kelly did the firing and Omarosa is alleged to have acted very vulgar and cursed a lot and said she helped elect President Trump. The word is a General Kelly had it and got rid of her. — AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) December 13, 2017 -- Vanessa and David add that Manigault’s departure underscores “the stark lack of diversity in Trump’s administration and the GOP’s diminishing appeal to minority communities.” -- Helena Andrews-Dyer compiled a timeline of Manigault’s best and worse moments during her involvement with the Trump campaign and administration. Many of them reflect her beginnings with Trump: as a contestant on his reality show, “The Apprentice.” Tina Smith speaks during a news conference Wednesday after she was named as Al Franken's replacement. (Brian Peterson/Star Tribune/AP) MEET MINNESOTA’S NEW SENATOR: -- Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) announced his intention to appoint Lt. Gov. Tina Smith to replace outgoing Sen. Al Franken. The Star Tribune’s Erin Golden and Jessie Van Berkel report: “Smith’s prowess at navigating Minnesota's overlapping political, business and labor interests at the highest level prompted [former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak] to dub her ‘the velvet hammer’ for her mix of personal warmth and toughness. … Defying expectations that she’d serve only as a caretaker for the next year, Smith said she’d run next November in the special election to fill Franken’s last two years in office — and use the time until then to convince Minnesotans why she’s best for the job.” -- “Next year's race to fill the final two years of Franken's term is certain to be one of the nation's most closely watched and expensive,” AP’s Kyle Potter adds. “Dayton was under pressure from fellow Democrats in Washington to ensure his pick would use the appointment as a springboard for that election. Meanwhile, Republicans immediately floated former two-term Gov. Tim Pawlenty as a possible candidate, but many others were said to be weighing a race.” Rep. Blake Farenthold leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/AP) MEN BEHAVING BADLY: -- A former senior aide to Rep. Blake Farenthold approached the House Ethics Committee to share new details about the Texas Republican’s allegedly vulgar and abusive behavior — which included crude comments about his bride-to-be, made within earshot of the entire office. CNN’s MJ Lee reports: “Michael Rekola, who was Farenthold's communications director in 2015, described... new details of the congressman's abusive behavior. It ranged from making sexually graphic jokes to berating aides — bullying that Rekola says led him to seek medical treatment and psychological counseling, and at one point, caused him to vomit daily. [The crude remarks before his wedding marked just one] of many instances which Farenthold made sexually charged comments to or in the presence of aides, Rekola said. During the nine months that he worked for the congressman, Rekola said, he was also subject to a stream of angry behavior not sexual in nature — screaming fits of rage, slamming fists on desks and castigating aides, including regularly calling them ‘f**ktards.’” Rekola says his health began deteriorating, and even landed him in the hospital during a work trip. “He looked sick,” one of his friends recalled. “His skin was sallow. He lost weight. He had trouble eating.” -- A second woman has accused Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D-Nev.) of making unwanted sexual advances toward her. The Nevada Independent’s Megan Messerly reports: “The woman … says that Kihuen touched her thighs or buttocks on three separate occasions without her consent. She also showed the Independent hundreds of suggestive text messages she received from Kihuen — including invitations to come sit on his lap in the middle of a committee hearing and repeated requests to spend the night at her place — over the course of the 2015 legislative session. Once, he texted her to ask, ‘What color are your panties?’ When she wouldn’t tell him, he said it ‘Makes me sad’ and that ‘My day can’t go on without knowing.’” -- A Democratic congresswoman reportedly said some women members and staffers invited sexual harassment through their clothing choices. Politico’s Heather Caygle reports: “Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) made the comments during a private Democratic Caucus meeting Wednesday to discuss sexual harassment issues, according to two Democratic sources in the room. ‘I saw a member yesterday with her cleavage so deep it was down to the floor,’ Kaptur said, according to the sources present. ‘And what I’ve seen … it's really an invitation.’ The comments left many others in the room stunned, the sources said. Kaptur said women on Capitol Hill should have to abide by a stricter dress code, like those adopted by the military or corporations.” -- Paul Ryan said House lawmakers are working on a bill to prohibit the use of taxpayer money in settling sexual harassment lawsuits. (Reuters) -- A fresh USA Today-Suffolk University poll finds that 3 in 4 voters — in both parties and from both genders — said that sexual misconduct is a “major” issue that needs immediate and real solutions. And by a wide margin, voters said they were less likely to vote for a candidate if he faced a credible allegation of sexual misconduct, even if they aligned with that candidate politically. And 6 in 10 voters said they were inclined to believe the victims rather than public figures who have been accused. Actress Selma Hayek says that her refusals of Harvey Weinstein’s advances led to a nightmare experience making the 2002 Frida Kahlo biopic “Frida.”(Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) -- In a powerful New York Times op-ed, Salma Hayek writes about her painful experience working with the “monster” Harvey Weinstein. “In my naïveté, I thought my dream had come true,” she wrote. “He had taken a chance on me — a nobody. He had said yes. Little did I know it would become my turn to say no. … No to opening the door to him at all hours of the night, hotel after hotel, location after location, where he would show up unexpectedly … No to me taking a shower with him. No to letting him watch me take a shower. No, no, no, no, no … And with every refusal came Harvey’s Machiavellian rage. … The range of his persuasion tactics went from sweet-talking me to that one time when, in an attack of fury, he said the terrifying words, ‘I will kill you, don’t think I can’t.’ … Harvey Weinstein was a passionate cinephile, a risk taker, a patron of talent in film, a loving father and a monster. For years, he was my monster.” -- The New York Times published its investigation of entertainment mogul Russell Simmons, who has been accused of rape by three women. The Times’s Joe Coscarelli and Melena Ryzik report: “In 1995, Drew Dixon was working her dream job as an executive at Def Jam Recordings, helping to oversee a chart-topping album and a ubiquitous single by Method Man and Mary J. Blige. But as her star rose, Ms. Dixon, then 24, was spiraling into depression, she said, because of prolonged and aggressive sexual harassment by her direct supervisor, Russell Simmons, the rap mogul and co-founder of the label. On work calls, he would talk graphically about how she aroused him. At a staff meeting, he asked her to sit on his lap. He regularly exposed his erect penis to her. Late that year, Mr. Simmons raped her in his downtown Manhattan apartment, Ms. Dixon said. She quit Def Jam soon after. … “Black women, especially, felt powerless against Mr. Simmons and his cohort in the small world of urban music, with several saying that misconduct against them could go unchecked because their place in the industry was so tenuous. They feared being ostracized, or worse. Three of the women now accusing Mr. Simmons were pursuing careers in the music industry that they said were disrupted or derailed in part by their experiences with him.” -- PBS suspended its late-night talk show host Tavis Smiley over “misconduct.” Samantha Schmidt
a two-car wreck that also injured driver Greg Sacks. Although Sacks' car overturned, Speed was injured more severely, and missed several races. This crash was featured in a 1990 video titled "Champions of the Checkered Flag". While Lake recovered from his injuries, he had several drivers drive in his place including Joe Ruttman at Talladega, Michigan and Bristol; Eddie Bierschwale at Watkins Glen; and Rodney Combs at Darlington. Lake returned to action in the Miller High Life 400 at Richmond to finish 14th. At the final race of the '89 season at Atlanta, Lake was able to conclude a personally disappointing year with a 10th-place run. In 1990, Speed started only six races with Prestone sponsorship, finishing two of them. The best finish of Lake's abbrievated 1990 season came at Talladega's Die Hard 500 with an eleventh-place effort. Speed also fielded cars for short track ace Tommy Ellis and Phil Parsons in two races. Ellis started the Delaware 500 at Dover in 31st and finished 32nd after an engine failure. In the National 500 at Charlotte, Parsons drove Speed's car with Baja Boats sponsorship to an 18th-place run. 1991 was an improvement in terms of races started. Speed replaced Dick Trickle in Cale Yarborough's car but struggled with mechanical failures throughout his stint with the team. In twenty starts, Speed's best finish was an eleventh at Bristol in August. In 1992, Speed got back to his own team starting just nine races with Purex as his sponsor. The team suffered several mechanical failures and Speed only managed to have a best finish of eighteenth in the final two races of the season at Phoenix and Atlanta. After driving his own car during a handful of races in the 1993 season's first half, Speed was called to drive for Robert Yates Racing, filling in following Davey Allison's death. Speed qualified fourth at Watkins Glen International. He followed that up with a second place start at Michigan and a seventh-place finish. The next race at Bristol, Speed was running a strong race before contact late with Rick Mast ruined his chances at a top ten finish. After Bristol, Speed was replaced by Ernie Irvan. It was two races later at Dover where Speed found another ride, this time replacing Geoff Bodine who had departed from Bud Moore's Ford to drive his own team which he purchased following Alan Kulwicki's death. Speed's best finish for Moore at the end of the '93 season was an eleventh at Charlotte. Speed remained with Moore for the 1994 season starting off with finishes of sixth at Atlanta, fifth at Darlington and third at Bristol, moving up to fifth place in the points. Two races later, Speed finished seventh at Talladega. It was during this time that Speed was inducted into the karting hall of fame. Speed would have to wait until the July Daytona race to get another top ten finish, a tenth. Speed and the team ran good through the summer stretch, often starting near the rear of the field but moving to the front. Unfortunately, Speed did not manage a top ten finish until Dover where he finished ninth. In the final four races, Speed had three great runs. A fifth at Charlotte, a tenth at Rockingham and a fourth at Atlanta where he led twenty laps. It wasn't enough for Speed to finish in the top ten in points. He finished eleventh behind Bill Elliott. Speed moved over to Melling Racing team for the 1995 season and resurrected the organization. The normally red and white Melling car now was embazoned with Spam sponsorship and blue and yellow colors. Speed had two top ten runs, at Charlotte in the Coca Cola 600 and at Darlington in the Southern 500 to finish twenty-third in the points rundown. However, the 1995 season provided Speed with what is perhaps his most famous moment. After the Miller Genuine Draft 400, Michael Waltrip blocked Speed's car in the pits. Waltrip, angry with Speed for blocking him on the track, pulled down Speed's window net and began throwing punches at Speed, who was wearing his helmet. The incident was broadcast in front of a live television audience on the CBS network and resulted in a $10,000 fine for Waltrip. During the 1996 season, Speed earned his first career NASCAR pole, albeit in a non-points event, the Winston Open. At the Miller 400 at Michigan, the normally blue and yellow Spam Ford was graced in red, white and gold in honor of 50 years of Melling's parts company being in operation. Speed and the Melling Racing team notched an eighth at Pocono in the Miller 500. Speed stunned everyone in qualifying for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis with a third-place effort. During the race, Speed made a daring three-wide pass to take the lead. The finishing order saw Speed finish 13th after leading two laps. At the second race in Michigan, the GM Goodwrench Dealer 400, Speed led seven laps and looked poised to possibly capture his second NASCAR Winston Cup victory before getting caught up in a wreck started by Sterling Marlin. Though Speed qualified poorly for the Southern 500, he quickly moved his way through the field. Just as he neared running in the top ten, a right front tire cut and Lake had to pit under the green flag, losing two laps. However, the strength of the car would prove itself as Speed worked his way back to finish 10th, the final top ten finish of his career. After the University of Nebraska backed out of their sponsorship, Speed and Melling ran a limited 1997 season. Speed qualified for all 25 races he attempted. Lake and the team raced to a solid 12th-place finish in the Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond, then followed that up with a sixth-place qualifying effort at Atlanta. During the midpoint of the season, the No. 9 car was filmed for the TV movie Steel Chariots. In the Miller 400 at Michigan, Speed earned his and the team's best finish of the season, an 11th. A few races later, Speed finished 12th in the Brickyard 400. At Richmond in the Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400, Speed seemed to have one of the stronger cars, leading three laps through a series of green flag pit stops. However, during the stop, the crew bolted the left side tires on the right side and the right side tires on the left, forcing Speed to make multiple pit stops and dropping him out of a chance of having a good finish. A few races later, Lake had a 14th-place run at Martinsville in the Hanes 500. The Melling team was able to get sponsorship for the last four races of the season from Advantage Camo, their best finish being 17th at Rockingham's AC Delco 400. Speed finished 35th in the points standings. 1998 was Speed's final Winston Cup season. Having secured sponsorship from the Cartoon Network, Speed's best finish of the season was in the Daytona 500 where he tangled with John Andretti with two laps to go bringing out the yellow flag that effectively won the race for Dale Earnhardt. The 1998 season proved to be a challenge for Lake and the Melling Racing team. It appeared as if the team was struggling with the new Ford Taurus bodies, and that translated to some poor results. At Sears Point Raceway, Speed appeared to have a chance to turn his season around. He was strong during the first practice session with the second fastest speed behind Jeff Gordon. In the second practice session, Speed ran over debris thrown on the track by a car that had gotten off course, cut a tire and slammed into one of the tire barriers breaking his sternum. Speed missed the event and was replaced by Butch Gilliland, but he returned to the next race at New Hampshire. However Speed was caught up in a wreck not of his own making and aggravated his injury. After the race, Speed felt it best for the team to find another driver. Speed stepped aside and was replaced by Jerry Nadeau. With Speed's age being against him and a push for younger drivers, he effectively retired from NASCAR racing. Though Speed only made 16 starts during the 1998 season, he still finished 43rd in the points standings. After retirement [ edit ] In 2006, the International Kart Federation established the Lake Speed Achievement of Excellence karting award in honor of the 1978 World Karting Champion. The award was presented for the first time at the IKF 2-Cycle Sprint Grand Nationals August 3–6 at Fontana, California. The inaugural recipient was Matt Johnson of Las Vegas, Nevada. Nick Johnston of Northridge, California was awarded the honor in 2007. The award went to Taylor Miinch in 2008 and Mike Botelho Jr in 2009. And youngest winner of the award went to Ryan Schartau of Chino, California in 2013. The recipient of the award could be a driver, team, kart shop or any combination thereof, and the winner is determined primarily on sportsmanship, driving achievement and professionalism during the race event. On occasion, Speed still drives karts, and has four wins in Historic Stock Car Racing Association events on Daytona's 3.56-mile road course in 2002 and 2003 driving one of his old 83 Purex-sponsored Ford vehicles. Speed currently races in the World Karting Association National Road Racing Series schedule, in the Spec 125 TaG 1 and 2 classes. On July 30, 2010 Speed was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Speed has since 2016 been an avid follower of the RHPK kart series. Motorsports career results [ edit ] NASCAR [ edit ] (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) Winston Cup Series [ edit ] Daytona 500 [ edit ] Busch Series [ edit ]Tuesday on CNN’s “New Day,” Gloria Allred, a lawyer representing Alabama U.S. Senate hopeful Roy Moore accuser Beverly Young Nelson, declined to offer up a high school yearbook for a third-party analysis she presented as evidence to strengthen her client’s claim that she was sexually harassed by Moore as a minor. The yearbook in question purportedly has Moore’s signature, which has been called into question by those with the Moore campaign. Allred told “New Day” co-host Camerota she would only allow a handwriting analysis if Moore agreed to testify under oath. Partial transcript as follows: CAMEROTA: If no Senate committee takes this on, can’t you just go to a third-party handwriting analyst to solve this? ALLRED: We could. But the key person is Roy Moore. And let me just say, one other misleading statement that Roy Moore said — because in a letter to Sean Hannity, he said, “Well, our client, Beverly Nelson,’ he said, “appeared before me.” “Before me” was the quote in the letter, which I’m sure you have. CAMEROTA: During the divorce proceeding — ALLRED: During the divorce proceeding. Since he said that, her Alabama divorce attorney from the time has said publicly and to me that she never appeared before Roy Moore because the case — they reconciled, the parties reconciled without her going before him. CAMEROTA: So, there are inconsistencies. I hear you. ALLRED: You can call them inconsistencies if you wish to be kind. I would rather not call them inconsistencies. They were misleading statements. CAMEROTA: But can you put some of this to rest by going to a neutral third-party and looking at the handwriting in the yearbook, wouldn’t that help? ALLRED: Again, if he’s willing to testify under oath, yes. CAMEROTA: Without that. In the absence of that, will you turn it over? ALLRED: When you say in the absence of that, it’s not just a footnote. This is extremely important. And if he is elected, clearly the Senate Select Committee on Ethics will hold a hearing. CAMEROTA: Fine. But before that. ALLRED: At that time there will be testimony not just by my client. I expect others as well. CAMEROTA: This would be good information for voters to have before that. ALLRED: It would be good. CAMEROTA: Authentic signature in the yearbook. Why not turn it over? ALLRED: It would be very good information for them to have, to know whether Roy Moore is willing to raise his hand and testify under oath, to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help him, God, did he, in fact, assault Beverly? Did he, in fact, assault Leigh Corfman who says when she was 14 years old she was assaulted? Will the voters believe women who allege that they were assaulted, when they were children, or under age of majority or will they accept the denial of one powerful man? CAMEROTA: The election is in two weeks. So you still have a chance this these two weeks, will he turn it over to somebody other than — ALLRED: And so does he. (CROSSTALK) ALLRED: I want him to do what my client, Beverly, says that she is willing to do. Testify under oath. We’ve heard nothing. The silence is deafening as to whether he is willing to take the oath and testify truthfully.Starbucks may no longer be a safe space to have a conversation with a friend, not unless you’re prepared to be called out by PC minders who might be eavesdropping nearby. Ariel Cohen, a journalist with the Washington Examiner, was talking with a friend when another patron said, “Rethink it!” and handed her a handwritten note before scurrying out. The note was a critique of the conversation Cohen had been having about recent campus protests inspired by Black Lives Matter. Cohen posted a photo of the note she was handed: Social justice warriors or secret police? Was handed this note at Starbucks after chat w/ friend abt campus protests pic.twitter.com/DS1ojvw24t — Ariel Cohen (@ArielCohen37) November 23, 2015 Ironically, the note which is clearly sympathetic to student protesters encourages Cohen to “put politics aside.” Sorry to have eaves-dropped on your conversation, but I overheard discussing recent movements on campus across the country. I understand the desire to write it all off as the result of oversensitive, “coddled” college kids reacting to imaginary discrimination and microaggressions, I do. But I encourage you to take a minute to step back and put politics aside. Whether or not you agree with students tactics, it is essential to view this movement as part of a much longer history of racism, discrimination and erasure–one that still persists to this day despite all the progress our country has made. The vestiges of institutional racism still affect the everyday lives of black and brown people in this nation. I dare you to take some time read up on the history of racism in our country and keep an open mind. Listen carefully to those around you and support your fellow human beings who, at the end of the day, are simply trying to be recognized and treated as equals. Progress has been made but we have a long way to go, don’t ever forget that. This impulse to insert oneself into any conversation, invited or not, is something the left has been encouraging on campus and off in the past few years. Campus call-out culture treats disagreement as akin to violence and something students must seek protection from in “safe spaces.” Anyone who diverges from progressive orthodoxies is in danger of being denounced or, in the case of faculty, losing their job. In May, a Northwestern professor was placed under a Title IX investigation after she wrote an article questioning the threat of rape culture on campus. In a follow up article, she wrote that academics she knows “now live in fear of some classroom incident spiraling into professional disaster.” Call-out culture has also been tough on free speech. Last month, the Wesleyan Student Assembly cut funding for the publication of one of the oldest student papers in the country after the paper ran an op-ed mildly critical of Black Lives Matter. Also last month, a Williams College group disinvited a conservative feminist speaker after a backlash led to the organizers being harassed online and on campus. More recently, student government leaders at the University of Kansas were threatened with impeachment because they, allegedly, failed to stand up and show support when Black Lives Matter protesters took over a public forum and presented a list of demands. President Obama has criticized call-out culture earlier this year as a form of coddling; however, he and his allies are longtime supporters of political confrontation in settings usually devoted to private life. In 2013, the president’s former campaign arm, Organizing for Action, put out talking points for Thanksgiving aimed at propping up support for the president’s health plan. The Democratic National Committee did something similar with a website called yourrepublicanuncle.com which offered holiday talking points on a range of issues from pay equity to immigration. During his first campaign, Obama called on his supporters to “talk to your friends and talk to your neighbors.” He added, “I want you to argue with them and get in their face.” “And if they tell you that, ‘Well, we’re not sure where he stands on guns.’ I want you to say, ‘He believes in the Second Amendment.’ If they tell you, ‘Well, he’s going to raise your taxes,’ you say, ‘No, he’s not, he’s going lower them.’ You are my ambassadors. You guys are the ones who can make the case.”We usually use Facebook to kill our time and connect with our friends. But slowly-slowly Facebook is becoming a big addiction. Most people are getting addicted to it and they are wasting their precious time. So one of the best way to kill this addiction is to block Facebook on your network or personal computer. As Facebook is been blocked so you can’t access it and hopefully this will help you to get rid of this addiction. Although you can easily use some softwares to block Facebook on your PC, But you can also do it manually without using any software. So just follow the below How to Block Facebook Website on Your PC Manually Go to start and search for notepad. Right click notepad and select run as administrator. Now go to file and select open. It will open the browse window. In the address bar paste the following address and hit enter – C:WindowsSystem32Driversetc Now in the file types select All files, Then you can immediately see a bunch of files. Open the hosts file and add the following code in it. # This will block facebook 127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com 127.0.0.1 login.facebook.com 127.0.0.1 m.facebook.com After adding the above code the hosts file looks something like this : Hit ctrl+s to save the hosts file and now you have successfully blocked Facebook on your network. In case if you want to unblock it then you just need to remove the code that you have added to the hosts file. If you’re still confused then just follow the below steps to unblock Facebook on your computer. How to Unblock Facebook on Your PC Again launch notepad with administrative rights. Hit ctrl+O to open the browse window. Just paste the below address in the address bar and hit enter – C:WindowsSystem32Driversetc Select All Files in the bottom right of the window in file type section. Now open the hosts file and remove the code which we have added previously. Hit save(Ctrl + S) and now Facebook will be no longer blocked on your computer. If you face any difficulties in blocking facebook on your network then do mention it in comments. Also checkout a quick guide on how to open blocked websites.Cable cars clang-clanging their way over the hills is as much a symbol of San Francisco as enraged bulls thundering through ancient streets embody Pamplona. And, as an Associated Press article that last week conquered the Internet reminded us all, you take your chances with both. "San Francisco Cable Car Accidents Cost Millions" — in which records obtained by AP revealed $8 million in payments over the past three years to settle some four dozen claims — blended all the ingredients necessary to produce Web gold: Nifty juxtapositions of scenic cable car imagery and the term "severed feet"; damning statistics (involving "severed feet"); and, of course, the surefire Red State schadenfreude of costly and terrible things happening in San Francisco. The argument has been advanced that wheeling overstuffed boxcars of tourists through traffic, up and down the city's iconic peaks like roller-coasters — only with wooden brakes and no restraints — can produce mixed results. This is not exactly a revelation for the good folks on the front lines of our transit system. Decades ago, longtime Muni foreman Bob Johnson enjoyed telling visitors to the city that a cable car ticket offered better odds of a big payout than the Irish Sweepstakes. Multiple cable car operators contacted by SF Weekly independently claimed that every driver knows the emergency brake won't work properly on key stretches — such as California between Stockton and Grant — because it's been thrown so many times over the years the tracks have warped and widened. Not surprisingly, the cable cars have, for eons, been the most accident- and injury-prone form of public transit in America, when measured on a per-mile basis. So, one can argue whether or not it's crazy to run an antiquated amusement park ride for city visitors across 77 different intersections amid the SUV-driving, text-messaging, earbud-wearing general public. But it is crazy to stick Muni with the bill. Cable cars are often blithely referred to as the sole transit system on the National Register of Historic Places. Grand — but, conversely, this means it's the only Historic Place in which funding for upkeep, personnel, and, perhaps, the odd severed foot competes with the dollars keeping core transit operations running. Or not running: SF Weekly has, in the past, documented Muni's across-the-board service cuts, its de facto cuts via missed runs, and shambolic maintenance practices involving high-voltage bus lines swaddled in trash bags or desperate mechanics "cannibalizing" mildly damaged vehicles for parts until all that remains are desiccated husks. Maintaining cable cars for city tourists while struggling to provide core transit service is a bit like polishing the heirloom china for the guests while sending the kids to school with no shoes. But no amount of cold-hearted empirical analysis will sever city residents' emotional attachment to the cable cars. (It would also take a citywide election to scrap the cars.) The unmistakable whiff of roasting wooden brakes and the endless rattle of the subterranean cables evoke visceral pride and nostalgia for longtime San Franciscans; it's probably how Florentines feel when ambling past Brunelleschi's dome. But Florence isn't dipping into transit funds to pay for its most famous landmark — or doling out hefty settlements to visitors who suddenly find themselves with a need to be made whole. Unlike workaday buses and rail vehicles, cable cars are this city's avatar. They hold a unique and distinctive appeal to the visitors whose dollars, kroner, Euros, yen, and yuan keep San Francisco solvent — and serve as an unbeatable "brand" to market our city to ever more out-of-towners. The millions paid to riders whose cable car dreams jerk to an abrupt halt pale in comparison to the sheer volume of visitors lining up to pay six bucks a pop — each way! — before spending much more throughout town. Businesses, real-estate interests, and other city players are rolling in money derived from the rolling landmarks. But not Muni. As always, it's the transit agency that's left holding the bag when others enjoy a free ride. Per the most recent figures reported to the National Transit Database, in 2011 the cars did manage to generate $24.9 million in revenue. Alas, you've still got to pay for vehicle operations costs ($24.4 million), vehicle maintenance ($5.9 million), non-vehicle maintenance ($12.8 million), and general administration ($12.6 million). All told, the cable cars required $55.6 million in expenses, meaning Muni took a hit of nearly $31 million operating them in '11. (That's par for the course; cable cars bled $31.5 million in 2010, $31.1 million in 2009, and $27.1 million in 2008.) When it comes to Muni math, these are pretty decent numbers — cable cars' "fare recovery" of 44.8 percent of operating expenses from passengers dwarfed the system's overall tally of just 30 percent in 2011. But you can justify running buses and light-rail vehicles at a loss because they're vital transportation. A daily ridership of more than 710,000 takes them to and from work or the shops — rather than clogging the city's arteries with cars or simply not leaving home. You can't make the same justifications for a boutique rail service where, for the vast majority of its 19,000-odd daily passengers, a ride serves as an end in and of itself. The cable cars are Muni's most visible vehicles — but they're also a visible reminder that the transit agency is routinely forced to be The Giving Tree for the entire city. Cable cars are just one more non-transit expenditure borne by the city's transit agency. This year, Muni will send more than $64 million to other departments for supposed Muni-related expenses; the transit agency is the city's slush fund and a source of easy money for departments unable to otherwise balance their budgets. Attempts to give Muni the independence to crawl out from under the mayor's thumb have profoundly backfired — cash surrendered to other departments has skyrocketed and even voter-approved funds earmarked for transit-related projects are instead shunted to gardeners, janitors, and plumbers, the Examiner recently revealed. The Pagoda Palace extraction SF Weekly reported on last week will be funded via "operational savings" — Muni-speak for money yanked from transit-related functions. As a symbol of San Francisco, cable cars serve all too well. Like this city, they provide whimsy and beauty in such concentrated doses that one could nearly overlook the impracticality, high cost, inept administration, and pandering to moneyed newcomers — at the expense of everyone else.Foster Foster a Cat in Need Temporarily Fostering is a wonderfully rewarding experience for you and lifesaving for the cats in your care. During ‘kitten season’ (around October to March) we need foster carers to look after kittens too young or unwell to be rehomed when they first arrive. Some kittens may still be feeding from their mother. Foster carers for adult cats are also needed, simply because we lack room or because they need a bit of mental stimulation after being in a shelter environment for a while, are unwell or a bit timid. We provide all the food,veterinary care, bowls and bedding. You provide the attention and different household situations like children, dogs, other cats, the vacuum cleaner, the car and so on. Having your own pets is an advantage. If you’re interested please complete the foster care application form. Please fax, post or preferably, scan your completed form and email it to us at fostercare@cathaven.com.au. and, if you’re successful, we’ll contact you when we need your help. See our Fostering Brochure if for more information about fostering cats. For more information about foster care/general cat care please see our Foster Carers HandbookThe question arose – the way questions can in science – when the team was faced with a freshly dismembered octopus arm that eagerly clung to everything it touched, with the notable exception of itself. Octopuses are among the most extraordinary creatures in the ocean. They can blend into the background, morph into the shape of other beasts, and even regrow limbs lopped off by predators and scientists. But for all their impressive feats, the octopus's walnut-sized brain cannot keep track of what its eight arms are doing. The problem is too hard. Since each arm is studded with suckers that act on contact, the mystery is this: how do octopuses not get tangled up in knots? Researchers in Israel set out to answer the question in a series of experiments that grew steadily more gruesome and in time made full use of the common octopus's ability to grow back missing appendages. Binyamin Hochner and his colleagues at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem had studied octopus arms for years. The limbs are intriguing for roboticists, because they are autonomous: none of the arms knows what the others are doing. Instead of being controlled from a central brain, decisions over much of their movement and behaviour are made within the arms themselves. Of the octopus's 500 million nerve cells, more than half are in their arms. But octopus arms have more than a mind of their own. They can survive for around an hour after being amputated. Lone limbs have been seen to grab food and even pass morsels to where the arm thinks its owner's mouth must be. It was a student of Hochner's who noticed, while working on other aspects of the octopus arm, that its suckers attached to everything except octopus skin. Something about the skin turned the suckers off. "We discovered this by accident. We're amazed nobody noticed it before," Hochner told the Guardian. And so began the trials. On more than 30 occasions, Hochner noticed that amputated octopus arms never latched on to themselves or the arms of other octopuses. They would attach to petri dishes, but if half the petri dish was covered in gel soaked in octopus skin extract, the suckers avoided that half. The only time one amputated arm grabbed hold of another was when the latter had been peeled. Tests on octopuses that had intact limbs were more equivocal. Presented with dismembered arms, some octopuses grabbed them as if they were lumps of food, and brought them to their mouths. They were less likely to do so if the amputated arm was one of their own. Unsurprisingly, some octopuses seemed a little stumped. One octopus repeatedly rubbed its arms over an amputated appendage, touching it, but never activating its suckers. Others grabbed at amputated arms, but only where the flesh had been exposed where the limb was severed. Still more brought severed limbs to their mouths and held them with their beaks while the arms quickly let go. "The octopus cannot hold the arm properly with its suckers, so the only way it can hold it is with its beak," said Hochner. The scientists named the behaviour "spaghetti holding". The experiments, described in the latest issue of the journal Current Biology, suggest that octopuses have a chemical in their skin that stops their suckers from sticking. But the mechanism is akin to a default setting, which the octopuses' brain can apparently override. "It's a brilliant solution to what could be a really complex problem," Hochner said. The scientists now want to learn which chemical, or combination of chemicals, is responsible for blocking the octopus's suckers, and how the animals can tell their own flesh from that of others.A remastered version of Full Throttle, the LucasArts adventure game staring a biker and heavy metal music, is in development for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, developer Tim Schafer announced during the PlayStation Experience 2015 keynote. Full Throttle Remastered will have updated graphics, sound, developer commentary and multiple control options Schafer said. As with Double Fine's other remakes, Grim Fandango Remastered and the upcoming Day of the Tentacle remastered, Full Throttle Remastered will also include the "complete, unaltered original" game. Originally released in 1995, the LucasArts team behind Full Throttle, including Schafer, also worked on graphic adventure games like those in the Monkey Island series. Press play below to see the classic introductory cinematic from the original. Update: A Double Fine representative told Polygon that Full Throttle Remastered is scheduled for a 2016 release. It's also headed to PC.But the concern about lower oil prices crimping new investment is shared by experts at the International Energy Agency, a leading forecaster, which has repeatedly warned that a “supply crunch” within the next five years could push prices to new records. Among the community of analysts who track the oil markets closely, the view that prices could keep falling in the near term is not widely held. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, they point out, is propping up the market by cutting production. OPEC has announced three production cuts since September. Indeed, prices have been rising in the last three weeks as traders calculate that the cartel will announce another cut at a meeting this weekend in Vienna. Oil closed in New York trading on Monday at $47.07 a barrel, up $1.55 and well above the recent low of $33 a barrel in December. Photo But as the global economic outlook worsens, the view that prices have farther to fall seems to be gaining adherents. The debate is not just a proxy for varying predictions about the economy. It also reflects divergent opinions about the future of the oil business, which has been rocked by an unprecedented boom-and-bust cycle in recent months. Predicting oil prices is a tricky business. As prices rose to $147 a barrel last year, some analysts suggested that oil would reach $200 a barrel. Instead, prices plummeted after their July peak, dropping by more than $100 since the summer. The recent rise has not altered the view of the camp that believes the fall in oil prices is not over. One of the biggest uncertainties is whether today’s market will mirror the early 1980s, when prices collapsed and stayed low for much of the next two decades, or whether it will prove more like 1998, when prices fell to $10 a barrel after the Asian financial crisis but rebounded within a few years as growth picked up. Advertisement Continue reading the main story With the global economy worsening and demand slowing, some economists, including Kenneth Rogoff of Harvard and Nouriel Roubini of New York University, say oil prices could keep declining in the short term. “The twin engines of growth were the U.S. and China; the U.S. has fallen off and China has stalled, to put it mildly,” Mr. Roubini said. “In my scenario, oil will fall lower. I would not be surprised if oil even went to $20, if the recession is more severe.” Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. While many analysts expect oil demand to rebound sharply once the economy recovers, not everyone agrees that prices are necessarily going to soar at that point. Edward L. Morse, the chief economist at the New York broker LCM Commodities, says that each energy shock in the last 60 years resulted in lower growth for oil demand in succeeding years. This time, he said, should be no different. “The case is overpowering,” Mr. Morse said. Before the energy crisis of 1973, he said, global oil demand was growing at 8 percent a year. But by the late 1970s, as many countries found ways to use less oil, that rate of growth had slowed to 4 percent a year. Similarly, after the oil shock caused by the Iranian revolution, demand growth slowed to 2 percent a year. And in the decade after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, consumption increased 1.5 percent to 1.8 percent a year. Photo Mr. Morse estimates that in the next recovery, global oil demand will grow perhaps 1 percent a year, because of lower demand growth in the United States, China and the Middle East. In the longer term, another factor may keep prices down. As OPEC trims its output in the face of falling demand, it automatically raises the amount of spare production capacity. After years with a thin cushion — a factor in pushing prices up — the market now has at least five million barrels a day of untapped output potential. That level could rise to as high as eight million barrels a day by the end of the year, according to estimates by cartel officials, a level unseen in more than a decade. The last time that happened, prices stayed low for years. “By any economic measure, we still have much more downside for oil prices,” said Adam J. Robinson, director of commodities at Armored Wolf, a California hedge fund. Advertisement Continue reading the main story For the moment, the market’s focus is on consumption rather than supplies. In China, for example, oil consumption, which had been growing at more than 10 percent a year, fell by 4 percent in December, according to the International Energy Agency. This year, the agency expects “paltry” growth of 0.7 percent in Chinese oil demand. In the United States last year, demand plummeted 6 percent, the steepest decline in nearly three decades. With Americans traveling less because of the bad economy, the demand for jet fuel fell 11 percent in January, compared with a year earlier. A period of lower oil prices could also slow investments in alternative energy, a sector that is already suffering from the credit crisis and the economic slowdown. Without government subsidies, many technologies cannot compete with oil at today’s prices. Some oil executives, however, have sought to remain optimistic, saying that costs for oil companies are beginning to fall. “I remember a time when I thought $40 was a fantastic price,” said Tony Hayward, chief executive of BP. “Not much has changed, but we allowed our cost base to get ahead of us. The industry worked very well at $40 a barrel four years ago.”The political crisis in America is severe. The old ideas that buttressed the ruling class and promised democracy, growth and prosperity—neoliberalism, austerity, globalization, endless war, a dependence on fossil fuel and unregulated capitalism—have been exposed as fictions used by the corporate elite to impoverish and enslave the country and enrich and empower themselves. Sixty-two billionaires have as much wealth as half the world’s population, 3.5 billion people. This fact alone is revolutionary tinder. We are entering a dangerous moment when few people, no matter what their political orientation, trust the power elite or the ruling neoliberal ideology. The rise of right-wing populism, with dark undertones of fascism
, uploading them so that others can see, surveil, judge. “The seeing machine was once a sort of dark room into which individuals spied,” observes Foucault. ”"It has become transparent building in which the exercise of power may be supervised by society as a whole.” From the prison to the police to the citizenry, it is the “perfection” of discipline where the lines between the prison and the streets, ostensibly public and free, become blurred. The Panopticon became “a faceless gaze that transformed the whole social body into a field of perception: thousands of eyes posted everywhere,” where “the inmates should be caught up in a power situation of which they are themselves the bearers.” We become the prisoners and the wardens at the same time, locking ourselves in “a cruel, ingenious cage.” While Foucault provides a compelling analysis of the relationship between surveillance, discipline, and the deployment of power, what he’s articulating is something that is experienced daily by people of color in the United States, namely the experience of constantly being watched while moving through public space, of being always marked by skin color, manner of dress, or physical comportment, what W.E.B. Dubois calls a “double-consciousness.” It is the experience of not only being a “suspicious” body, but of being disciplined, controlled, and already indicted in and through those surveilling eyes. It is the experience of being incarcerated, unfree. “The Panopticon… must be understood as a generalizable model of functioning; a way of defining power relations in terms of the everyday life of men.” Yes, we all live in a Panopticon. But it is not only the Panopticon of Bentham or Orwell, a central tower from which the gaze operates. Rather, it is the Panopticon of Kafka, one that is everywhere precisely because there is no centralization, where we, the surveilled, are also the surveillers, we the watched are also the watchers. “Consequently, it does not matter who exercises power. Any individual, taken almost at random, can operate the machine: in the absence of the director, his family, his friends, his visitors, even his servants.” Such surveillance has become normalized and distributed, into our own pockets, onto our own bodies. It is not a great leap to imagine the police outfitted with, alongside their pepper spray and pistols, glasses that record everything, or perhaps even cameras embedded into their own eyes. Is this the image of justice and freedom? Will this protect the citizenry and help to reduce racism, classism, and abuses of power? A body camera modeled by a police officer. Credit: ACLU Perhaps surveillance will help both police officers and citizens feel more secure because they feel they will be accountable to some disinterested third party or to the “court” of public judgment. There is some recent evidence that use of force declines when body cameras are present. But, as Foucault emphasizes, surveillance is yet another refinement of power and control, a technology, however well-intentioned, that continues to atomize our bodies in time and space as a way of examining, fragmenting, and controlling those bodies. There is no justice “behind” the way we realize it through our technologies and systems. These cameras, then, do not become the tool of justice, but a catalyst for surveillance, discipline, and punishment. The camera replaces the gun—the violence and control over a body is no less totalizing. “Broken windows” leads to broken windows. The “riot” is, at some level, an expression of exclusion from property and meaningful participation and recognition in the life of society. Many see it as a breaking in, but it is in fact a breaking out of the “dungeon” of surveillance and control perpetuated by modern biopower. This is something that bodies that are not under siege do not and perhaps cannot understand. From the safety of their own “Panopticon,” behind the glass of the television, in the comfort of their living room chair, they watch these “animals” and only see “thugs,” “hoodlums,” “criminals,” a “prison riot,” not to mention other choice labels by which they “see” these bodies. This is precisely the point: poor communities where most of the bodies are brown experience “public” and “free” space as surveilled space, controlled space, a space where their bodies are not their own but perpetually disciplined, fragmented, and examined by the various modes of power. Are more eyes the answer? Visibility is a trap. Follow Eric on Twitter @eAnthamatten If you liked this article, please consider becoming a Patron and contributing to the work we do here at The Mantle.The University of Texas is searching for a new head baseball coach, and now the program's interview process has hit close to home for LSU fans. How real is Texas' push for Paul Mainieri? On Thursday morning, Austin-American Statesmen sports columnist Kirk Bohls said Texas "approached LSU's Paul Mainieri about its vacant baseball coaching job." He then added that UCLA's John Savage is still a candidate. Moments later, D1Baseball.com's Kendall Rogers confirmed the report, adding that the Longhorns' push for Mainieri is "very legitimate", and that Texas has interviewed Mainieri in the "past couple of days." Like Bohls, Rogers added that Savage appears to still be in the mix, adding that he's the "leader in the clubhouse." Rogers also said "I’ll be the first to say this: I would be shocked, utterly shocked, if Mainieri leaves LSU." Stay tuned for more on this developing story.received anonymously (translation): "Sabotage of meat market in Uruca, Costa Rica. We took advantage of the darkness of the night to counter-attack the animal exploiters. We will not standby while other animals continue to be slaughtered by this oppressive, speciesist, capitalist system. Locks were glued and the walls graffitied at a meat market and bakery that profits from the exploitation of the earth and its inhabitants. Animal Liberation Front." Spanish: "Sabotaje a Carniceria en la Uruca, Costa Rica. (Se cierran candados y raya) Aprovechamos la oscuridad de la noche para contra atacar a lxs explotadorxs de animales, no vamos a seguir de brazos cruzadxs mientras lxs demas animales sigan siendo masacradxs por este sistema opresor, especista y capitalista. Se sellaron los candados y rayo las paredes de una carniceria y panaderia que lucra con la explotacion de la tierra y sus habitantes. Frente de Liberacion Animal."We ended another year of women's Bible study last Tuesday: eleven weeks in the epistles of John and eleven weeks in James. Fifty-four different churches were represented in our enrollment this year. A couple thousand more women podcast from around the country. At the conclusion I was deluged with cards and e-mails from participants expressing their gratitude, reflecting on what they had learned, and, almost uniformly, uttering a confession I have heard so often that it no longer surprises. I still waver between joy and discouragement as I read that confession on card after beautiful thank you card. I still vacillate between celebration and grief each time it turns up in my inbox. I still hesitate between thankfulness and frustration every time it is spoken to me over coffee. Their confession is this: I've been in church for years, but no one has taught me to study my Bible until now. I remember confessing the same thing myself almost 20 years ago. It is gratifying to know that our efforts at Flower Mound Women's Bible Study to help women know the Bible are changing the way they understand their God and their faith. But it is terrifying to me that so many women log years in the church and remain unlearned in the Scriptures. This is not their fault, and it is not acceptable. Church leaders, I fear we have made a costly and erroneous assumption about those we lead. I fear that in our enthusiasm to teach about finances, gender roles, healthy relationships, purity, culture wars, and even theology we have neglected to build foundational understanding of the Scriptures among our people. We have assumed that the time they spend in personal interaction with their Bible is accumulating for them a basic firsthand knowledge of what it says, what it means, and how it should change them. Or perhaps we have assumed that kind of knowledge isn't really that important. So we continue to tell people this is what you should believe about marriage and this is what you need to know about doctrine and this is what your idolatry looks like. But because we never train them in the Scriptures, they have no framework to attach these exhortations to beyond their church membership or their pastor's personality or their group leader's opinion. More importantly, they have no plumb line to measure these exhortations against. It never occurs to them to disagree with what they are being taught because they cannot distinguish between our interpretation of Scripture and Scripture itself, having little to no firsthand knowledge of what it says. And they've been in church for years. We Must Teach the Bible When we offer topical help—even if the topic is doctrine—without first offering Bible literacy, we attempt to furnish a house we have neglected to construct. As a friend and seminarian said to me this week, “There is a reason that seminaries offer hermeneutics before systematic theology.” He is right. But it would seem many who have enjoyed the rare privilege of seminary have forgotten to pass on this basic principle to the churches they now lead. We must teach the Bible. Please hear me. We must teach the Bible, and we must do so in such a way that those sitting under our teaching learn to feed themselves rather than rely solely on us to feed them. We cannot assume that our people know the first thing about where to start or how to proceed. It is not sufficient to send them a link to a reading plan or a study method. It is our job to give them good tools and to model how to use them. There is a reason many love Jesus Calling more than they love the Gospel of John. If we equip them with the greater thing, they will lose their desire for the lesser thing. I wish you could see how the women in our studies come alive like well-watered plants after a drought. I wish you could hear their excitement over finally, finally being given some tools to build Bible literacy. I can't believe how much I've grown since I started studying.... I had only done topical studies.... I didn't know you could study like this.... I was so tired of navel-gazing.... I've never been asked to love God with my mind.... My husband teases me about how excited I am to tell him what we're learning.... I've never studied a book of the Bible from start to finish. They are so humble in admitting what they don't know. We must be humble in admitting what we have left undone. As I read their notes joy always trumps discouragement. Celebration overturns grief. Thankfulness overrides frustration. And because the need is great, I commit myself to wade through another stack of commentaries, to write another curriculum on another book of the Bible, to give another year to building the house of Bible literacy in which the furnishings of doctrine and other worthy topics can take their rightful places. We owe our people more than assertions of what is biblical and what is not. We owe them the Bible, and the tools necessary to soberly and reverently “take up and read.” The task requires resolve, but the reward is great. Will you join me? * * * * * Join Jen Wilkin and learn from dozens more women's Bible study leaders at The Gospel Coalition Women's Conference, June 27 to 29 in Orlando. Workshops allow you to learn introductory theology from Don Carson, basic Bible competency with Paige Brown, one-to-one Bible study from Jenny Salt, and much more.(Photo: Dschwen, via Wikimedia Commons) This piece is adapted from my commentary in episode 62 of The Pub, Current’s weekly podcast. Many of my best students, after they graduate, are hoping to work in cities like New York, Washington or Los Angeles. Before they do, I want them to consider the case of my friend Lauren Silverman. Silverman is 27 years old. Not long after she graduated college, she scored what a lot of people would regard as a dream job, or at least the first level of a dream job. She was a production assistant on NPR’s Weekend All Things Considered. She worked at NPR headquarters in Washington, producing for then-WATC host Guy Raz. NPR people don’t like to say this out loud too much, but WATC is kind of the forgotten sibling of NPR’s family of drive-time newsmagazines — it’s always the lowest rated. But there Silverman was, living in Washington — the nation’s political power center — working as a full-time staffer on a drive-time NPR show heard by millions of people across the country. She was 21 years old, for god’s sake! I know people twice that age who are grinding it out at local public radio stations, trying to get where Silverman was at the national level, and they’ll probably never make it. So Silverman did that producing gig for a while, and then after three years, something funny happened: She quit and moved to Texas. DCA → DFW “[I] decided to trade in the beautiful cherry blossoms for prickly pears here in Texas because I wanted to be a full-time reporter,” Silverman said. Back in Washington, she had been working in her off-hours reporting stories for Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Latino USA — on top of her full-time producing gig. “It got to be a little bit exhausting, so I looked around for member stations with good editors where I thought I might be a good fit,” she said. We must remember that most people who work in broadcast news share the same goal, which is going national. Most people, if they’re really honest with themselves, don’t want to work at local stations. They want to get to the network — at least when they’re young, like Silverman was (and is). She landed a national gig straight out of the box, and after three years she voluntarily decided to go local — to go get a job at a local public radio station somewhere because she wanted to be a reporter. She wanted to be on-air. She didn’t want to book guests and write scripts for somebody else to read on the air. Silverman ended up taking a health reporter job at KERA in Dallas. It’s a good station, but Dallas is the last place she would have ever pictured herself, she said. “I grew up in the Bay Area — had never owned a car, shot a gun, eaten chicken-fried steak, seen an armadillo, visited a megachurch, used a drive-through bank or uttered the word ‘y’all,’” she said. But within a year of moving to Dallas, Silverman had done all of those things. She also became one of the most bad-ass public radio reporters in the country. She must adapt nearly every local story she does for KERA into a national pitch, because I feel like every other time I listen to All Things Considered or Marketplace or some other national show I hear a Lauren Silverman story. She’s come a long way since the days when she was booking guests for Guy Raz, and she had to leave Washington in order to get there. Could Silverman have been just as successful at any other local station? She doesn’t think so. “Choosing to work at a member station in Texas meant that, number one, I had less competition,” she said. “So I could actually choose stories in a state full of untold tales and voices and accents that are rarely heard on the coasts.” In other words, Silverman went where she was needed. She went to a place where people’s stories weren’t being told and she told them. BOS → MAC The story of my career is a little similar to Silverman’s, though it took me quite a few more years, because, unlike her, I have been — at times — an aimless disaster of a human. She’s way more together. I had a really good career going in Boston, but I gave it up almost four years ago now to come to a crazypants little city called Macon, Georgia, and it was the best decision I ever made. A lot of factors went to this decision. My wife and I wanted to buy a home, and we went looking in our old neighborhood — Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts — where we saw dumpy thousand–square-foot condos selling for $600,000. We actually made a lot of money in Boston; we maybe could have afforded the mortgage payments on a place like that, but what about the down payment? Ever since the housing crash in 2008, banks make you put 20 percent down, and there’s no getting out of it. Where the hell were we going to get $120,000 cash to put 20 percent down on a condo? This is the house we bought in Macon for about what that down payment would have been. Quality of life is much better for me down here, but the reason it was a good move for my career boils down to this: I was needed here. There were stories here that no one else was telling and I could tell them. When I left Boston, I bet you some guy swooped right into my place and did my old job. There was probably a whole line of white guys with glasses who looked exactly like me just waiting to take over. Boston didn’t need another one of me. I’ve been much happier, more successful, and more useful in Macon. I’m also a better person and a better journalist for living here — for being around way fewer people who are exactly like me, the way it was in Boston, and for having my Northeastern worldview challenged on a daily basis. And yet, if my lovely university-based job in Macon ever comes to an end, I will probably have to go back to Boston, or go to New York, Washington or Los Angeles if I want to work in media at a high level. I’ll have to sell my beautiful house and move my family to some terrible apartment where we’ll pay three or four times in rent what our mortgage costs here. Why does it have to be this way? Coast ← Journalism → Coast “The game of concentration: The Internet is pushing the American news business to New York and the coasts,” read the headline of a recent article by Joshua Benton, director of the Nieman Journalism Lab. Benton analyzed postings at JournalismJobs.com and counted how many of the jobs were based in New York or Washington. While only about 10 percent of the newspaper and television jobs were based there, nearly 40 percent of the digital media and start-up jobs were based in those two cities or their suburbs. From this, Benton concludes that the Internet has had the exact opposite effect on the physical location of the news business than many people — including me — would have expected. “There are some people who thought that digital distribution would mean you could be anywhere and, you know, there’s a lot of truth to that,” Benton told me. “I mean, you’re in Georgia, you’re not in a media center, and you’re able to produce your show and deliver it out to people.” Indeed, in addition to the podcast I host, I’ve filed stories with a dozen national news outlets since moving to Macon, and I had no trouble working with any of those organizations remotely. Ask yourself if you’ve ever texted or messaged someone who was in the next room, rather than walk five steps to talk to them in person. I’ll bet the answer is yes. If communication over the Internet is so easy that you would use it to talk to your spouse or roommate, then it’s certainly easy enough to facilitate seamless collaboration between colleagues across time zones. And yet, most of the new digital-first news organizations — Gawker and BuzzFeed, or the podcasting start-ups where I might want to work, like Gimlet and Panoply — have headquarters in New York where most of their employees live, work and spend a ridiculous percentage of their salaries on rent. If we’re only going to have journalism jobs in expensive cities, then that means only rich kids get to become journalists. All of these people work in New York despite the fact that, for the first time in human history, they could theoretically do their jobs from anywhere. Again, why? Benton thinks the game of concentration is the result of media companies being “freed from the need to cover local news, which the Internet sort of does,” he said. Localism was the obvious content strategy when media companies had to be physically dispersed in order to print and deliver newspapers or to broadcast from radio and television towers. “In digital, it makes sense to go for scale,” Benton said. “So if you’re going for scale, it makes sense — in these folks’ minds — to be in New York near the advertisers that they’re trying to work with.” “Basically, the digital news industry is looking a lot more like the magazine industry, which was always very concentrated in New York,” he said. In other words, the system that brought Lauren Silverman to Dallas and me to Macon was actually an aberration from the natural order. Media companies don’t want to be anywhere other than the big media capitals. The only reason there are media organizations in, say, middle Georgia is that the technology of radio, television and newspaper distribution was — and, to an extent, still is — geographically finite. To reach people here, you had to be here, physically. Not true anymore with the Internet. If my journalism undergraduates really want to make $30,000 a year writing for BuzzFeed while trying to afford rent in Brooklyn — even though there’s absolutely no good reason why they should have to live there to do that job — they should rejoice! That’s probably where they’re headed. But if they want a different quality of life for themselves, the way things are going is not good. And more importantly, the way things are going is not good for the quality of the journalism. If we’re only going to have journalism jobs in expensive cities, then that means only rich kids get to become journalists. The uniformity of their life experience will result in journalism that reflects a narrow, exclusive view of the world. Also, if all the journalism jobs are in a short list of cities, then cities like Macon will only be covered remotely by people in geographically and culturally distant media capitals (if they are covered at all). Journalists shouldn’t be clustered, and many of us don’t want to be clustered. “My friends in California and D.C., they ask me with this sort of pity and ‘I feel so sorry for you’ voice, ‘When are you going to be able to make it back to the Bay?’” Silverman said. “They can’t believe I choose to live in the South, in Texas.” “I tell them, with the slightest bit of braggadocio, I’m in a city that values public radio, interviewing folks who challenge my West Coast liberal education, and I’m finding my own voice,” she said. And thank god that we still have public radio to physically position a reporter like Silverman where she is. But I am starting to fear for the geographic diversity of public radio. Podcasting → NYC Podcasting is still a very small slice of the American spoken audio diet, and yet it is where I feel the bulk of the creative energy has moved, and it’s where much of the future lies. The podcasting industry, as it has grown up in recent years, is every bit as geographically concentrated as the rest of the digital news industry. If you go by iTunes chart position, the major public media players in podcasting are NPR in Washington and WNYC in New York. Let me tell you a story that I think demonstrates both the extent of the geographic concentration and the potential dangers of that concentration. First, the characters: Nicholas Quah is 26 years old and one of the most important people in podcasting right now. He writes a weekly newsletter called Hot Pod that is must-read industry intel for anyone working in podcasting. He lives, of course, in New York. Anne Wootton, also quite young, is the CEO of a start-up called Pop Up Archive — a tool to make audio searchable. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area. These are both amazing, brilliant people. Last fall, the folks at Pop Up Archive started talking about how there needed to be some kind of forum where leaders in the podcasting industry could talk about things of mutual interest — nerdy things like standardizing podcast advertising rates and dynamic ad-insertion technology. So Wootton recruited Quah to host a little meeting out in San Francisco. They called it “The Podcast Business and Technology Summit,” and they invited a bunch of prominent people from both the for-profit and public media podcasting worlds. Those invitees paid admission to attend (mostly to cover the meeting’s expenses, Wootton told me). They all got together and talked, observing the Chatham House Rule, which means the proceedings were not secret per se, but everyone promised to not directly quote what somebody else said at the meeting. Then, in April, Wootton and Quah convened another one of those summits, this time in New York City. More people, about 50, paid to attend — including representatives from NPR and WNYC — and unless you were one of the people invited, you probably haven’t heard about any of this. I only know because someone sent me a tip. Of course, media people get together to discuss and plot the future of their industry all the time. But they generally do it at conferences, which are publicly advertised — everybody knows they’re happening, anybody can buy a ticket and sessions are on-the-record. This is important because media is a public resource; it powerfully shapes our democracy. Public media leaders, I would argue, have a particular obligation to have their big, strategic conversations with each other out in the open. I asked Wootton why they didn’t go the standard conference route. “We wanted to create a safe space that, you know, wouldn’t have a lot of fanfare associated with it,” she said; a place where people could get in “meaningful proximity” instead of being arranged shoulder-to-shoulder on a panel, gazing out at an audience. That sounds reasonable to me. Similarly, I suppose colleagues throw dinner parties at their houses to talk about work all the time, and those don’t get publicized. But I do think these podcasting summits sound a bit more formal and a lot more important than a house party. To be clear, I don’t think Wootton and Quah are trying to form a cabal that will decide the future of the podcasting industry behind closed doors in smoke-filled rooms. But then again, I bet that people who do form cabals in smoke-filled rooms to decide the future of industries rarely believe that is what they are doing. They think they’re just getting together with their friends to talk. Maybe they don’t realize how powerful and important they are. This is where the privilege of being in the club, and being in the right place — the right city — can give outsized influence to a few people in determining the formation of important things that affect all of us. Wootton told me they didn’t make a big deal out of these first two meetings because they were experiments. She said she thinks that if these summits continue and grow, they’re probably going to need to be a little more transparent and more inclusive. I think she’s right, and I think she and Quah are doing the industry a great service by convening these summits. But the very fact that it’s so easy to get most of the industry leaders in podcasting together under one roof in New York serves as an indication that we have a bigger problem: The journalism will suffer if we all keep getting sucked up into this tiny list of expensive cities, and so will our bank accounts. I tell my journalism students that they’re probably going to have to move to one of these media capitals at some point to really get their careers going. But I implore them, once they’ve penetrated the industry, to use their power and influence to address this problem. They could tell their editor at BuzzFeed, “Hey, we do most of our talking over Slack anyway — how about I just move to Bozeman, Montana, and work from there?” There are a lot of really nice places to live in this country. Don’t think too hard about it; just pick one. Lord knows I didn’t think too hard about Macon, and it has worked out well enough for me that I was paid to write 3,000 rambling words that you just read, and now I get to go home to my front porch. Can’t beat that. Adam Ragusea hosts Current’s weekly podcast The Pub and is a journalist in residence and visiting assistant professor at Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism. Related stories from Current:Well known Italian cosplayer Giorgia Vecchini dipped deep into the classics for this one, gracefully stepping out as the mesmerizing Alycone. CLAMP’s Magic Knight Rayearth proved to be a popular hit with anime-watching girls the world around, and so today’s Cosplay Sundae takes us back to Alycone, the ice sorceress who tutored under Clef and was brought up to attend to the Pillar. Her one-sided love for the high priest Zagato however, led to her becoming his servant and unfortunately for her, failing Zagato means paying the ultimate price. (Luckily for her though, at least in the anime adaptation of the original manga, she got to live quite a bit longer!) (Oh and just by the way, as was the tradition in naming Magic Knight Rayearth characters, Alycone gets her name from the Subaru Alcyone SVX. Now you know.) Related Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Magic_Knight_Rayearth_characters#AlcyoneThis article is over 1 year old Julie Bishop says Australia is ready to ‘advise, assist and train’ armed forces in ‘pretty brutal fight with Isis’ Australia has offered to help train the Philippine military in its fight against Islamist extremists, according to the foreign minister, Julie Bishop. Bishop said on Tuesday she had offered the Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, the same assistance that Australia was providing Iraq in its battle against Islamic State, which is looking to expand into the southern Philippines. Explainer: how and why Islamic State-linked rebels took over part of a Philippine city Read more Australia has already sent two surveillance planes to help the Philippines in the Mindanao region, where Isis-linked rebels launched attacks in May. Bishop said she had outlined the offer to Duterte but he had not yet responded. “It is a very dangerous fight but Australia has already offered – and is supplying – support to the Philippines and we stand ready to assist should they require more,” she told reporters in Canberra. “Obviously, we would be ready to support the Philippines in the same way we are supporting Iraq in advising, assisting and training, as the armed forces [in] Philippines are in the process of engaging in a pretty brutal fight with Isis.” The United States, Malaysia and Indonesia had also made offers to help, Bishop said. In June, five decapitated civilians were found in the rebel-occupied Marawi City. More than 100 security personnel, rebels and civilians were killed in the first three weeks of the conflict."What the hell do you have to lose?" Donald Trump asked African Americans while speaking in Ohio - a key battleground state - in August. An absurd appeal to a voting bloc maligned by the Republican campaign, in a campaign where absurdity and alarm are cornerstones. While much of the alarm has centred on Trump's strident rhetoric and policy proposals targeting Muslims and Mexicans - the "Muslim ban" and the "Mexican wall" - Trumpism has hardly spared African-Americans, the group he simultaneously courted and disparaged before a predominantly white audience in Akron. "Our government has totally failed our African-American friends … Poverty. Rejection. Horrible education. No homes, no ownership. Crime at levels that nobody has seen … And I ask you this, I ask you this - crime, all the problems - to the African-Americans, who I employ so many," Trump rambled, mixing ill-articulated acknowledgment of government neglect and racial inequity with callous stereotyping, and the classic racism cop out, "I have black friends," or in the case of Trump, "I hire blacks." Trump delivered this speech while donning his signature "Make America Great Again" cap - a campaign message that stirs his support base into a xenophobic and racist frenzy, romanticising about a United States where black and brown people were cast as inferior or undesirables. This fear of a black and brown United States is the grand narrative of the Trump campaign, symbolised by individuals of colour - of every shade - being ejected from one of his raucous rallies, and a zealous support base pushed to the polls by the Trumpian trilogy of racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia. Too much to lose Trump's campaign has brought the underbelly of American racism to the fore. In February 2015, the Ku Klux Klan - the US' most notorious racist outfit - endorsed the eventual Republican nominee. For days, Trump remained casually silent about this endorsement, refusing to expressly disavow the group and its endorsement. More recently, on August 30, the KKK leader David Duke reaffirmed his endorsement of Trump, explicitly citing anti-immigration and abhorrence of "Black Panther cop killers" as primary bases for his support. For black Muslims, Trump's rhetoric has emboldened violence in their direction. And if elected, his policies will carry forward policing and profiling measures that intensify scrutiny and surveillance. Duke's "Black Panther cop killers" was not an offhand phrase, but a malicious characterisation of the Black Lives Matter Movement. Echoing Duke, Trump characterised the movement as a group "calling death to the police", and responsible for "dividing America". While Trump was slow to disavow the KKK, he wasted not time vilifying the Black Lives Matter Movement. The very group committed to unveiling the systematic racism and unchecked police violence inflicted on African-Americans, which Trump thinly veiled lip service to in Ohio. OPINION: How Donald Trump could make America great again This evidence of, at best, disinterest in African-American concerns is preceded by a record of housing discrimination towards black tenants, and a pattern of discriminatory hiring practices at Trump Inc. If Trump's corporate and campaign record is any barometer, African-Americans have a great deal to lose with a Trump presidency. This includes every segment of the African-American population, particularly Muslims. When Islamophobia and anti-black racism converge African-Americans comprise the largest segment of the Muslim American population. In a watershed piece examining the intersection of anti-black racism and Islamophobia, Donna Auston observes: "Yet, in spite of the fact that a full one-third of the US Muslim population is black, we rarely tend to think of issues of anti-black racism, poverty, mass incarceration, or police brutality as legitimate 'Muslim' issues. This is because we rarely consider black Muslims." There is a long history of black Muslims in the US, which predates the inception of the country. Today there is also a sizeable African immigrant Muslim community which faces Islamophobia, anti-black racism and xenophobia. Trump's most recent comments were geared towards the Somali American community in Minneapolis and Maine. While delivering a speech in Maine, Trump suggested that the 12,000 Somali Americans living there were responsible for the recent surge in crime rates. He did not spare the 70,000 Somali Americans residing in Minneapolis when he stated, in the very same speech, that the, "state has become a 'rich pool' of potential recruiting targets for Islamist terror groups". In the same breath when he targets the black Muslim community with racial and religious epithets connecting Islamophobia and anti-black racism, branding different segments of the broader Black population as both "thugs" and "terrorists". In line with this demonisation, Auston observes, "we are profiled both on the street and at the airport - as existential threats to white, Christian America. Yet we refuse to answer to any of our given epithets - either 'thug' or 'terrorist'". From rhetoric to reality For black Muslims, both African American and immigrant, Trump's rhetoric has emboldened violence in their direction. And if elected, his policies will carry forward policing and profiling measures that intensify scrutiny and surveillance. OPINION: US elections - This is not a time for jokes "Make America Great Again" actually spells fear of a black and brown US, where racist rhetoric will graduate into racist policy, and concurrently, the emboldening of the racist violence we see unfolding on the streets of the US' black communities. Khaled A Beydoun is an associate professor of law at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and affiliated faculty at the UC-Berkeley Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project. Asha Mohammed Nour is a Somali-American community organiser in Detroit, coordinating the Take on Hate Initiative. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.Two new STAR TREK BEYOND TV advertisements arrived overnight, featuring a few spots of new footage from the soon-to-arrive Trek adventure – and a cameo appearance by a surprising face. Spoilers below! The first one comes out of South Korea (featured above), entitled “Millions,” and includes a few snippets of new footage from the Swarm attack on Starbase Yorktown. The second spot, named “Unity,” adds a few new shots of the Swarm attack on the Enterprise, on Yorktown, and the Swarm encounter on the Franklin later in the film. The film has now been officially rated PG-13 for distribution in the United States, first confirmed in the “Unity” spot. This Yorktown resident, wearing a wedding ring and carrying this young girl, is a cameo appearance by BEYOND co-writer Doug Jung – making this the first public shot of Hikaru Sulu’s family.From a reader Donald Trump is trying to keep Colin Kaepernick from being signed by an NFL team Updated March 25, 2017 \| Revolution Newspaper \| revcom.us Colin Kaepernick This week Donald Trump, at a rally he held in Kentucky, spoke out on why NFL teams are not signing Colin Kaepernick, who last year refused to stand for the national anthem in protest against police murders and police brutality. (See “Statement from Carl Dix: Colin Kaepernick Put It on the Line Against the National Anthem! What Will You Do?”) Trump said that the reason Kaepernick is being shunned by teams is because “NFL owners don’t want to pick him up because they don’t want to get a nasty tweet from Donald Trump, do you believe that?” Then he said, “I’m gonna report it to the people of Kentucky, because they
they are playing the long game. His campaign has been organizing in overlooked caucus states and already begun the process of calling through voter lists. “What you are seeing right now in the polls is the media giving about a billion in free publicity to one particular candidate,” Paul said. “If the media decides they want to give me a billion in free publicity, I would welcome it at any time.” Harrison Hill for The Boston Globe US Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky and presidential candidate, talked to voters Saturday at the North Haverhill fair in Haverhill, N.H. James Pindell can be reached at James.Pindell@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jamespindellY’know that Doctor Who episode where Peter “The Doctor” Davison’s daughter Georgia Moffett plays David “The Doctor” Tennant’s daughter? And y’know how it all subsequently went a little weird (depending on how real the Who-niverse seems to you personally) because David and Georgia then started dating in real life, with the blessing of Peter, and went on to announce their engagement? Well things have got even weirder now, but in the most delightful way possible. A source says, that last night (March 31), Georgia gave birth to the couple’s first child — a daughter called Olivia. A friend of the pair told Metro: “Georgia and David could not be happier, Olivia is beautiful and their families are over the moon.” The couple only begrudgingly confirmed that Georgia was pregnant in January, having decided to try and keep their family life as private as possible. The Mail’s source continued: “They did very well in keeping everything very nearly private and keeping things under wraps. Georgia was a lot more pregnant than people thought when the news first broke.” The temptation to crack a gag about Time Lords doing everything unexpectedly quickly is almost overwhelming, but maybe it’s better just to congratulate everyone concerned — Dad, Mum, Grandad and Olivia herself — and let them get on with it.1891 ‘L. Carroll’ 24 Oct. (1953) II. xiv. 486 Today [sc. 24 Sept.] I conceived the idea of having a series of squares, cut out in card, and devising an alphabet, of which each letter could be made of lines along the edges of the squares, and dots at the corners... I shall call it ‘The Typhlograph’. (24/10/91. Instead of ‘typhlograph’ I have adopted ‘ Nyctograph ’ at the suggestion of Warner). 1898 S. D. Collingwood vii. 295 In 1891 he conceived the device..and he named it the ‘Typhlograph’, but, at the suggestion of one of his brother-students, this was subsequently changed into ‘ Nyctograph ’. 1930 W. de la Mare 236 He invented..poetical acrostics and the nyctograph. 1959 R. Thomson x. 198 Lewis Carroll derived so much from this source [sc. hypnagogic imagery] that he invented a peculiar instrument, the ‘ nyctograph ’, to enable him to jot down ideas without fully waking up.- now if full HQ version"Hey, look. Is that Smith? - That's him, all right. The old sea dog. - Captain John Smith. I've heard some amazing stories about him..."Yep, some would say he's Disney's most handsome hero ever, the one and only - Captain John Smith!I was 12 when I first saw Pocahontas, though I never had a 'thing' for Smith (I was more into davidkawena.deviantart.com/art… ) I fell in love with his personality! True adventurer, always trying to do the right thing, funny at times, and "He has a good soul!".I always wondered what would happened if Smith was to stay in Virginia, with Pocahontas, embracing the Native American life... History could have been very different!So, when I knew it is time for him to be part of my Disney Heroes Collection I decided to give these thoughts a green light! This is how I ended up with this version of Smith with some Native inspired stuff... I also kept his compass on cause it was the one last thing that made Pocahontas see he is the right man for her, and I really loved that concept in the movie...Hope you'll like this new addition to my collection! More Disney Heroes to come soon from the world of Pocahontas!!! (Hint Hint)---------------------------Photoshop CS2"David Kawena" 2007Unity 8 will not ship as the default desktop in Ubuntu 16.10, the Ubuntu desktop team has said. Yakkety Yak will ship the tried and trusty — or tired and dusty, depending on your point of view — Unity 7 desktop as the default desktop environment. Unity 8 and Mir, both in active development, will be available as an ‘alternative session’. This, Ubuntu’s Will Cooke says, will let those who want to ‘kick the tyres’ on the next-gen desktop to do so easily, right from the login screen. The plans were announced in the opening plenary of the Ubuntu Online Summit (UOS) which is being held this week through a series of Google Hangouts. What to Expect in Ubuntu 16.10 Both Unity 8 and the Mir display server are to receive a significant amount of focus during the Ubuntu 16.10 development cycle. Feature parity with Unity 7 is a stated aim, with improvements to multi-monitor handling, managing multiple windows in ‘desktop’ mode, and enabling copy and paste support i, XMir apps also targeted. Other plans for the next development cycle include: Porting Ubuntu UI Toolkit from QML to C++ Polishing the ‘converged’ desktop experience Begin integration of Vulkan/Khronos driver support in Mir Improved Snap experience in Ubuntu Software Bringing Global Menu support to XApps on Unity 8 Developing…Bloody Disgusting has confirmed that writer/director Patrick Lussier and co-writer Todd Farmer, the team behind My Bloody Valentine 3D and the upcoming Drive Angry 3D, will collaborate on a remake of Hellraiser for Dimension. Plot details remain sketchy, but Collider names Amber Heard as a rumored star. That would seem to make a bit of sense since she’s starring alongside Nicolas Cage in Drive Angry. Lussier and Farmer apparently hope to do for Hellraiser what Christopher Nolan did for Batman with Batman Begins, so at least we can’t say they don’t have high aspirations. Bryan Singer has received the green light for his remake of Jack the Giant Killer. Mike Fleming at Deadline reports Aaron Johnson sits atop Singer’s list of potential heroes, but New Line is taking a look at a bunch of other actors as well. Production is set to begin this spring. Colin Farrell is currently the frontrunner to star in the remake of Total Recall, but Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender are also in the running. Before we know it, every one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic movies will be remade with a far wimpier actor in the lead role. I think the site should start a pool for which one will be next. I might have gone all-in on The Running Man starring Gerard Butler, but that already kind of happened. Heat Vision is reporting that M. Night Shyamalan’s next directing job will be One Thousand A.E., which is being developed at Will Smith’s Overbrook production company. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but what is known is that the script was written by Gary Whitta (The Book of Eli) as a starring vehicle for Jaden Smith. There is also a starring role for an adult male, but Big Willie won’t be taking it. Laeta Kalogridis, who wrote Shutter Island and was involved in the writing of Avatar (for which she received an executive producer credit), has been tapped for rewrite duties on Fox’s Fantastic Voyage. James Cameron is producing the project, which is a remake of the 1966 sci-fi classic that revolves around a team of scientists who are shrunk to atomic size and sent in a miniature submarine inside the body of a scientist to save his life.I stumbled across some interesting behavior the other day as I was demonstrating something that I understand pretty well. [Side note…this is a great way to find out things that you don’t know…confidently explain how something works, and demo it.] I was asked to give an overview of how modules work in PowerShell. I’ve been writing and using modules since PowerShell 2.0 came out (2009?) so I didn’t think there was anything (at least anything basic) that I wasn’t comfortable with. Not to say that there aren’t module concepts I’m not super-clear on, but the basics should have been all worked out. After explaining the concepts of modules (encapsulating functions, variables, aliases) and showing how PowerShell knows where to look for modules, I turned to an example module I had written. I won’t replicate that module here, because the contents don’t really matter. I’ve boiled the “weirdness” into a simple example and it looks like this: function Get-Thing{ } new-alias -Name MyDir -Value Get-ChildItem new-alias -Name Func -Value Get-Thing new-alias -Name File -Value Get-Item new-alias -Name Get-TheThing -Value Get-Thing Export-ModuleMember -Function * -Alias * If you save that as SampleModule.psm1 file (and put it in a same-named folder in the PSModulePath), you will be able to play along with me. I showed the group that Import-Module was able to import the module using the name only, not requiring the user to know what path the module was installed into. Then, I thought “I’ll show them how to use Get-Command to find the items that were imported from the module!” Get-Command -module SampleModule Imagine my surprise when I saw the following output: Only one of the three aliases showed up. Further qualifying the Get-Command by specifying the CommandType (which should logically show fewer results) showed all three. As a side note, I was also able to see the other aliases by using the -All switch, even though the help for -All says it is used for showing commands that are hidden due to naming collisions. This isn’t a huge thing, but I did go ahead and add it to the PowerShell User Voice here. I’ve reproduced it in 5.0 and 5.1. I wouldn’t be surprised if it has been this way for a while. What do you think? Surprised by this result? Let me know in the comments. –Mike"Islamophobia" in parts of the world is fuelling terrorism, the head of the United Nations said on a visit to Saudi Arabia on Sunday, as anti-immigrant sentiment rises in some countries. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made the comment to reporters after talks with Saudi King Salman, Crown Prince and Interior Minister Mohammed bin Nayef, and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "One of the things that fuel terrorism is the expression in some parts of the world of Islamophobic feelings and Islamophobic policies and Islamophobic hate speeches," Guterres said at a joint news conference with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir. "This is sometimes the best support that Daesh can have to make its own propaganda," Guterres said, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State (IS) group of Sunni militants in Syria and Iraq. The militant group has also claimed deadly attacks in Saudi Arabia and in Europe. Anti-immigration politicians including France's Marine Le Pen, have seen their popularity rise after an influx to Europe of migrants, many of them Muslims fleeing wars in Syria and elsewhere. Guterres: Trump's ban violates basic UN principles, should be ended UN TRUMP United Nations, Feb 1 (efe_epa).- United Nations Secretary-… — Continental News (@CNewsShow) February 1, 2017 US President Donald Trump issued an order in late January that denied entry to all refugees for 120 days. It also blocked travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days. Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely. But the order has faced obstacles and on Thursday an appellate court decided unanimously to maintain a block on Trump's order. Syria's conflict has created five million refugees and killed more than 310,000 people since it began with anti-government protests in March 2011. Guterres said: "We will never be successful in fighting terrorism in Syria if an inclusive political solution is not found for the Syrian people." A new round of UN-sponsored peace talks is scheduled for 20 February in Geneva. Guterres arrived in Saudi Arabia from Turkey and is to be in Dubai on Monday for the World Government Summit during his regional tour. Guteres backs Yemen envoy Guterres also said the UN envoy to Yemen had his full support, days after Yemen's Houthi group asked him not to renew the diplomat's term because of what it said was bias against the Iranian-aligned movement. "Our envoy has my full support and I believe that he is doing impartial work, that he is doing it in a very professional way and independently of what other people may think, he has my full support," Guterres said. He appealed to the combatants in Yemen's almost two-year-old war not to exploit the delivery of humanitarian aid, adding that any such action was to be condemned. A top official of the Houthi-led government that controls Yemen's capital called on the world body on Friday to not renew the term of Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, saying he had shown "lack of neutrality" and sympathy for a Saudi-led coalition that is fighting to reinstate Yemen's internationally-recognised government. Cheikh Ahmed, who has served as UN Yemen envoy since April 2015, has brokered several ceasefires in a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people. The truces have tended to flounder within days. Yemen is a humanitarian catastrophe in part because the US backs Saudi Arabia in its bombings and blockade of Yemen. Unconscionable. https://t.co/ndFot6XqZg — Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) February 12, 2017 At the news conference, Jubeir said he expected support for rebels in Syria to continue despite the fall of Aleppo to the Syrian government in December, but noted that any decision would be made as part of the US-led international coalition. "We believe that the moderate opposition has an important role to play. We believe that they need to be able to defend themselves, as well as to fight against Daesh and al-Qaeda," he said. Jubeir also described the Saudi-US relationship as "excellent," continuing to signal warm ties with the new administration of Trump after visiting Washington and New York earlier this month. "We see eye to eye when it comes to the situation in Lebanon, in Syria, in Iraq, in Yemen, in Libya. We see eye to eye when it comes to the danger of Iranian interference in the affairs of other countries," he said. Jubeir's comments came two days after CIA chief Mike Pompeo made the first visit to Saudi Arabia by a Trump administration cabinet member. Pompeo came to Riyadh to award Crown Prince and Interior Minister Mohammed bin Nayef the George Tenet medal, an award for counter-terrorism work named after a former CIA chief, Saudi media reported. Jubeir declined to discuss the agenda of Pompeo's visit, but said "it shouldn't come as a surprise," given extensive security ties between the two countries.The spell star uses protecting Tom looks like the energy ball from those background prop images from a few weeks ago. It might be from Lake House Fever. Could it be the episode where Tom and Star have a heart to heart? That shirt Tom is wearing looks like something someone would wear to try to convince others he's fine when he is in fact not fine. Oh I like the shirt interpretation, didn’t think about it! Even though in a perfect world, to me, the episode would need to hit that sweet balance between “breaking up is not easy neither to Star nor Tom and they walk away with some sadness in their hearts” and “they’re both ready for this and they realize that their renewed relationship was never really meant to be a romantic one and that it happened just because she was hurt and looking for a quick solution and he was still clinging to his wrong approach to self validation”There were reports of fighting in the Gallowgate area of the city prior to kick-off at Celtic Park. Bar boss: Boss of Hoops Bar Neil O'Donnell injured after Ajax attack. Babs McMahon Four men were taken to hospital and a number of bars damaged after fans clashed ahead of the Celtic v Ajax match. Trouble flared on the Gallowgate in Glasgow on Thursday night after a number of fans of the Dutch side tried to storm bars being attended by Celtic supporters. Three pubs, The Emerald Isle, the Hoops Bar and Bar 67, were all damaged during the trouble at around 7pm before the Europa League match which Ajax won 2-1. Fans claimed police were slow to respond to trouble, with a local bar owner also claiming officers seemed unprepared for the Ajax hooligan attacks. Police confirmed four men were seriously assaulted and were treated in hospital. Three other men who were also attacked did not need medical treatment. The injured men were aged 52, 37, 27 and 25. Violence broke out when large groups of hooded Ajax fans tried to get into bars on the Gallowgate, near Celtic Park. Police confirmed earlier on Friday morning that four men had been arrested in connection with minor public order offences before during and after the match. One Ajax fan, who appeared in court on Friday, was given a 12-month banning order for assaulting a police officer before the tie. The boss of a Celtic bar which was targeted by Ajax fans posted message from hospital after he was attacked by Dutch supporter. Friends also posted images of his injuries. He was taken to hospital and needs surgery to his face after suffering serious injuries. Injured: Hoops bar boss Neil O'Donnell in hospital. Kevin McIlhinney Hoops bar boss Neil O'Donnell wrote: "I'm alive and kicking, still waiting to go to surgery. They're going to try and fix the nerves in my face. Hopefully they do lol, as I currently can't smile properly. "Raging I can't remember what happened or any of it to be fair. From what I hear I got a few digs in before they got me then stamped on my head. "The Gallowgate is normally swarming with cops on match day, wonder what the fk happened last night." Owner of the Hielan Jessie, William Gold, said: "There was trouble at the Hoops Bar and Emerald Isle. They were pretty badly damaged. The guy who runs the Hoops bar was hurt as well. "We heard it all from down the street. I had supervisors on the door, which I rarely do, but I did for last night. We managed to get the shutters down in time. "The Ajax fans were outside banging on the shutter for about ten minutes. It was worrying. Hundreds of them were running about at one point. "I'm disappointed that it didn't occur to someone to have more police in this area in the lead up to kick off. They didn't seem to have the manpower. I'm disappointed the police didn't have enough of a presence. You rely on them. "Everyone except Police Scotland seemed to know this was going to happen." After criticism of the response to the bar attacks, Police Scotland chief superintendent Andy Bates said: "There was a significant police presence in Glasgow city centre last night and officers attended immediately following the report of a disturbance on the Gallowgate, into which inquiries are ongoing." Celtic fan Derek Mooney was in the Emerald Isle when trouble started. He said as many as 12 Ajax fans attacked the bar. "The door battered open, and there was a lot of screaming and shouting. About 10 to 12 guys wearing identical black jackets start running in holding metal poles. "They were attacking anyone. There was total confusion, with glass and blood everywhere. "Celtic fans and the bouncers started trying to push them back and they managed to get the shutters down. He continued: "There were people covered head to toe in blood. It was pandemonium, so many boys with their head open." Detective inspector Colin Hailstones said: "We are still at the early stages of this enquiry and would appeal to anyone who was in the area, who has mobile phone footage or any information that will help us with our enquiries to come forward to police. "It would appear that this disturbance took place when a large group of men, described as being dressed in black with hoods and scarves covering their faces, tried to gain access to some of the pubs in the Gallowgate and started to challenge patrons within. "This then developed and people spilled on to the street where the assaults took place. "We have been checking CCTV in the area and have already spoken to people who were there at the time as part of the investigation for which there is a dedicated team off officers involved. "People may think they have got away with it, but just because you may not have been arrested at the time doesn't mean you wont be identified and caught. "Any information can be passed to officers at London Road Police office via 101." An Ajax fan has been handed a football banning order after an attack on a police officer before the match. Jordy Van Mieghem, 23, pled guilty on Friday at Glasgow Sheriff Court to pushing a police officer on London Road before the game. He also admitted being in possession of cocaine. Sheriff Ian Miller fined the mortgage advisor, from Amsterdam, 500 and handed him a 12-month banning order, banning him from any regulated UK game. IDownload: 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.A (very) little bit of luxury: Britain's most expensive beach hut snapped up for a whopping £170,000 in just TWO days The 18ft long wooden hut has no running hot water or washing facilities and requires 30 minute walk to get there However, it does have stunning views of the harbour and The Solent and can sleep up to six people Buyers could have bought a three-bed detached villa near Glasgow or Grade II listed cottage in Norfolk with the same money The most expensive beach hut in Britain has sold for a staggering £170,000 in just two days of going on the market. The wooden structure on an isolated spit has no running hot water or washing facilities and requires a 30 minute walk, a ride on a land-train or a short ferry trip to get there. Yet estate agents were overcome with interest in the 18ft by 10ft timber retreat and a bidding frenzy meant the hut was able to command the record price. Sold: This is Britain's most expensive beach hut which has sold for £170,000 in just two days in bidding frenzy The immaculately-decorated hut on Mudeford Spit near Christchurch, Dorset, boasts stunning dual views of the harbour on one side and The Solent on the other. The surge in beach hut sales is at odds with the national housing market that is struggling in the financial climate. The Mudeford sandbank is recognised has having the most expensive huts in the country, although the previous highest price paid for one was £126,000 three months ago. Comfortable: The galley kitchen in the wooden hut even has a stove, fridge and a sink with running water Bedtime: The hut sleeps six but a bylaw dictates people can only stay overnight between March and October Relaxing: The hut also has solar panels on the roof to provide electricity for lighting The £170,000 sum could buy an 'exceptional detached villa' with three bedrooms near Glasgow. It could also buy a Grade II listed cottage in the historic market town of Wymondham in Norfolk or a luxury three bedroom detached house in Hull. Hut 97 at Mudeford has solar panels on the roof to provide electricity for lighting and a 12V pump system that supplies water from a tap. It has a fitted kitchen with gas oven and fridge which can be powered by a battery or gas. Views: Sunbathers can see The Solent and the Habour (which would be more stunning without rain clouds) Big business: There are 350 beach huts at Mudeford (pictured) which normally sell for about £140,000 each There is a separate bedroom on the ground floor two single beds in the cramped confines of the roof eaves plus a sofa bed in the living space. Although six people can sleep there, a local bylaw only allows overnight stays from March through to October. On top of the asking price, the new owners will have to pay a ground rent to the local council of £2,500 a year. It has been bought by a wealthy family with grown-up children from Christchurch. Storage: There's space in the ground floor of the hut to store beach equipment such as sun loungers and boats Luxury: A wealthy family from Christchurch have bought the beach hut - one of 350 in the local area Andrew Denison, from Denisons Estate Agents in Christchurch, said: 'The hut is positioned side-on with views of the harbour and the sea and the Isle of Wight, making it quite rare. 'The dual aspect views and the fact it is such a good size meant that as soon as we put it on the website people found it appealing. 'There was a frenzy of people interested and appointments were booked very quickly. 'The most expensive hut we have sold before went for £126,000 last month and we usually put them on the market for about £140,000. 'But, this hut is plush and a fantastic size so I think that is why it went so fast and for so much, I don’t know of any that have sold for this sort of figure. 'It must be one of the most expensive beach huts in Britain, I haven’t seen any go for more money than this.'If all the rumors are true, and there are enough to believe they are, the Eagles are interested in upgrading their tight end position.Two separate reports have linked the Eagles to two different veteran TEs today. I'm going to mention one, then we have things to discuss with the other... First is ex-Giant and Viking Visanthe Shiancoe, who will reportedly visit with the Eagles tomorrow. Shiancoe spent last season with the Minnesota Vikings, making 36 receptions for 409 yards and three touchdowns. He ranked 22nd among NFL tight ends in targets (70), 26th in receptions, 25th in yards and 23rd in touchdowns. Shiancoe, a former third-round NFL Draft pick, has 243 receptions for 2,677 yards and 27 touchdowns for his nine-year NFL career which he split with the Giants (2003-2006) and Vikings (2007-2011). Schiancoe is a big body at 6-4, 250 and has proven to be a pretty decent red zone threat in his career. In his 2009, which Brett Favre at the helm in Minny, he caught 11 TD passes. He hasn't been quite as productive in recent seasons, but has had poor QBs. If the Eagles are worried about their depth behind Celek, Schiancoe could be a useful addition. That brings us to the next rumor and another ex-Giant. Tim McManus is reporting that the Eagles are showing interest in none other than Jeremy Shockey. Now, he's another big body at 6-5 and is actually about a year younger than Schiancoe at 31. He too, hasn't been super productive in recent seasons either, but not awful. He's only caught 37 and 41 passes in the last two years respectively with a total of 7 TDs. He'll be looking for his 3rd team in 3 seasons. He's also a bit injury prone. But putting all that aside. We hate this guy right? I certainly do. And I know occasionally you get guys you don't like on your team and learn to like them (Michael Vick anyone?!) but Shockey? How many times have we enjoyed throwing moments like this in the face of our Giants fan friends? This is the guy that the New York Times once proclaimed as "public enemy #1" in Philadelphia. He would trash talk and taunt the team and fans at every chance. It's personal! But could you get over your hatred of Shockey? If he acts like his total d-bag self, but does it wearing green can you accept it?Are you still writing your async JavaScript code using callbacks or async library? It's the time to start to Promises! What is a Promise? As the word says, Promise is something that can be available now, or in future, or never. When someone promises you something, that can be fulfilled of rejected. In JavaScript, Promise represents the eventual result of an asynchronous function. It has 3 different states: pending - The initial state of a promise. - The initial state of a promise. fulfilled - Operation is successful. - Operation is successful. rejected - Operation failed. Why is Promise better than classic callbacks? Promises are the new way of handling asynchronous functions. There are couple reasons why are Promises better than callbacks: With the extra callback parameter, we can be confused with what's input and what's the return value Callbacks don't handle errors thrown by functions that are used inside them (JSON.parse for example) Callback hell (executing functions in sequences) When we use callback function, they can depend on function that calls her Promises give us the ability to write independent functions, that are understandable and that can handle all errors with ease. Support The newer version of browsers and NodeJS natively support Promises. If you want to make sure that Promises will work on older browsers or NodeJS versions, you can use Babel or some modules that imitate Promises: and much more. But since NodeJS and browsers got native support for Promises, you can use them without these modules. Below, you can see browser support of promises: As you can see, support is very good. The only problem is Internet Explorer, but that can be handled by using Babel or some other transpiler for ES6 to ES5 code. Regarding the NodeJS support, Promises don't work only on 0.10.* versions. But starting from 0.12.18 you can use native NodeJS Promises. If you want to find more about Promises support, you can check http://node.green/#Promise Usage Using Promises is very simple! The Promise comes in one class that handles everything. Check the example below: new Promise( function(resolve, reject) {... } ); That's all! Just one class that accepts function with two parameters, resolve and reject. Both of them are the functions that are called when a function finishes its execution. They accept one parameter. resolve should accept the value and reject should accept the reason why function didn't execute correctly. Check out the example below: function readFile(filename) { return new Promise(function (resolve, reject) { asyncReadFile(filename, function (error, result) { if (error) { reject(error); } else { resolve(result); } }); }); } In the above example, we have readFile function that should read data from a file, specified in the argument filename. This function returns a Promise. Then inside the Promise, we call the async function called asyncReadFile. As you know, reading from files is an async process and we need to call some async function for it. After asyncReadFile is executed, it calls a callback that resolves (on success) or rejects (on error), depending on the result of the function. Below, you can see the code that uses our readFile function: readFile('some_file.txt').then(function(result) { console.log(result); }).catch(function(error) { console.error(error) }); After calling readFile, it returns a Promise that has then method. then accepts one function and passes data inside it, as one argument. That argument is the data that's passed to resolve method. In the example above, the result should be the text that's read from the file. Promise also has catch method that is called after reject and it also accepts one function. Data that's passed inside the function is passed from reject function and that's usually the reason for the error. catch will also handle all errors that are thrown in the function, like try...catch does. then method should always return promises. That gives us an ability to chain our functions and run code sequentially. See the example: readFile('some_file.txt').then(function(result) { return getFirstParagraph(result); }).then(function(result) { return getFirstSentence(result); }).then(function(result) { console.log(result); }).catch(function(error) { console.error(error) }); As you can see, any data that's returned inside the function in then will be transformed to Promise and we will be able to chain it. In the above example, we are first reading some text from the file, then getting the first paragraph, then getting the first sentence and at the end, we are logging the result in the console. Most important is that all errors that occur in the execution of those functions, will be handled with catch. Shorter way to use promises There is a shorter way to return promise. Promise has also resolve and reject methods inside, so you can just call those functions, like this: Promise.resolve(3).then(function(result) { console.log(result); // 3 }); Or Promise.reject(new Error('error')).catch(function(result) { console.log(result); // error }); As you can see, this might be the shorter way to use Promise, especially when you just want to reject or resolve an async function. Promise.all and Promise.race Let's talk about two methods that come with promises, all and race. These two methods give us an ability to send the list of Promises and then receive results. The all method accepts an array of functions that return Promises and gives us an array of the results in then method. It's resolved when all Promises are resolved. Check the code below: var p1 = Promise.resolve('text'); var p2 = 1234; var p3 = new Promise((resolve, reject) => { setTimeout(resolve, 100, 'foo'); }); Promise.all([p1, p2, p3]).then(values => { console.log(values); // ["text", 1234, 100] }); Promises also give us an ability to execute functions and then resolve after the first one finishes. For that purpose, we are going to use race method from Promise class. It accepts an array of Promises. Check below how it works: var p1 = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) { setTimeout(resolve, 2000, 'one'); }); var p2 = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) { setTimeout(resolve, 1000, 'two'); }); Promise.race([p1, p2]).then(function(value) { console.log(value); // "two" }); Promises in the ES6 way! After ES6 came, we got arrow functions. Arrow functions are awesome for making code shorter and readable. I am going to show you how to use arrow functions to make our first example much shorter. This is how it looks like now: function readFile(filename) { return new Promise(function (resolve, reject) { asyncReadFile(filename, function (error, result) { if (error) { reject(error); } else { resolve(result); } }); }); } readFile('some_file.txt').then(function(result) { console.log(result); }).catch(function(error) { console.error(error) }); This is how it looks when we add arrow functions: var readFile = filename => new Promise((resolve, reject) => { asyncReadFile(filename, (error, result) => { if (error) { reject(error); } else { resolve(result); } }); }); readFile('some_file.txt').then(result => console.log(result)).catch(error => console.error(error)); We have saved couple lines and, in my opinion, made code nicer. It's your choice whether you are going to use arrow functions or not 🙂 Promisify Many Promise libraries have methods that transform callback-based functions to function that return Promises. Those methods are usually called promisify. An example for bluebird can be found here: http://bluebirdjs.com/docs/api/promise.promisify.html If you're not a big fan of Promise libraries, there is one awesome library that can convert your callback-based function to function that returns native Promises. It's called es6-promisify. Here is an example: const promisify = require("es6-promisify"); const fs = require("fs"); // Convert the stat function const stat = promisify(fs.stat); // Now usable as a promise! stat("example.txt").then(function (stats) { console.log("Got stats", stats); }).catch(function (err) { console.error("Yikes!", err); }); So cool! You can convert any function from NodeJS API to promise-based function! Conclusion Promises are awesome and if you aren't, you should start using them right now! If you have an opinion about Promises, please leave a comment, I would love to hear what you think!Other than the manner of “teasing” that occurs at gentlemen’s clubs, there is no such thing as pleasant teasing. At least, that’s what many Detroit fans thought until recently, when news of an apparent dynamite chemistry between Henrik Zetterberg and Damien Brunner emerged. Pavel Datsyuk thought he would add to this form of indirect taunting of Wings fans with this goal: “Datsyukian” magic of this sort is the kind of old news that never gets old. But, the prospect of “Z” having a new winger helping him regain his fine scoring touch after a subpar 2011-2012 season should excite Wings fans craving some good news. Zetterberg has scored a staggering FIVE goals in his first two outings with EV Zug of the Swiss League. To sweeten the deal, the mysterious Damien Brunner, who Detroit signed as a free agent during the summer, has been in on four of the Zetterberg tallies. Now, extracting accuracies from German speaking Swiss League websites is slightly more challenging than what most of us are used to, so if I have overlooked something, feel free to rub my nose in it. But, the crux of the situation is that Zetterberg and Brunner are planting the seeds of a fruitful tandem that may translate well into English, when and if the 2012-2013 NHL season begins. While many were surprised that Zetterberg opted to play at all this season, especially
whole picture. It was a giant insurance company, AIG; it was an investment bank, Lehman Brothers. It was mortgage companies like Countrywide." The attack on Sanders over the deregulation of swaps and derivatives is one Clinton has used before, in an earlier debate, and CBS News looked into her charge at that time. Asked again about the transcripts, Clinton then made the argument that she is being held to a different standard than other candidates in the race -- and that she'll release the transcripts of her speeches when other candidates are just as transparent, hitting Sanders for not having released his tax returns. "There are certain expectations when you run for president. This is a new one, and I've said that if everybody agrees to do it -- because there are speeches for money on the other side, I know that," she said. "But I will tell you this, there is a long-standing expectation that everybody running release their tax returns, and you can go to my website and see eight years of tax returns and I've released 30 years of tax returns and I think every candidate, including Sen. Sanders and Donald Trump, should do the same. Sanders then rebutted her, saying he would be more than happy to release his (nonexistent) transcripts from Wall Street speeches. "You heard her, everybody else does it, she'll do it, I will do it," he said, to applause. "I am going to release all of the transcripts of the speeches that I gave on Wall Street behind closed doors -- not for $225,000, not for $2,000, not for two cents. There were no speeches." As for his tax returns, Sanders has so far only released the summary of his 2014 tax returns, and Clinton has, as she claims, released eight years of tax returns this cycle, with more years released when she was running for senate. Sanders said he will release his 2015 taxes this week. Asked about the reason for the delay on his other years of tax returns -- especially if they are as simple has he insists they are -- Sanders said his wife, Jane Sanders, usually does the couple's taxes and she has been "busy" with the campaign. It's an answer he has given before. "The answer is, you know, what we have always done in my family is Jane does them, and she's been out on the campaign trail," he said. "We will get them out. We'll get them out very shortly."Two Democratic congressmen introduced an article of impeachment on Wednesday against President Trump, accusing him of obstruction of justice over his firing of former FBI Director James Comey. The resolution says Trump “prevented, obstructed and impeded” the investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn by “threatening and then terminating” Comey. “We now begin the effort to force the House Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on obstruction of justice and Russian interference in our election,” said California Rep. Brad Sherman, who sponsored the resolution. Texas Rep. Al Green is a co-sponsor. The resolution had been expected, despite warnings from others in the Democratic Party that talk about "impeachment" is not helpful. The Republican-led House is highly unlikely to move on the measure either. White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders dismissed the effort during Wednesday’s press briefing. “I think that is utterly and completely ridiculous and a political game at its worst,” she said. The resolution itself calls for Trump to be impeached for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” It says Trump’s conduct “warrants impeachment and trial and removal from office.” “In all of this, Donald John Trump has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as president and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States,” it states. Announcing his filing, Sherman cited Donald Trump Jr.’s recently released emails pertaining to his meeting last summer with a Russian lawyer thought to have damaging information on Hillary Clinton. “Recent disclosures by Donald Trump Jr. indicate that Trump’s campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia,” Sherman said. “It now seems likely that the president had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of national security adviser Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe.” It takes a majority of House members to pass an article of impeachment. Even if the GOP-led House were to pass impeachment articles, the Senate would then vote to acquit or convict. But Sherman, in his statement, already was looking ahead to the prospect of Vice President Pence assuming the nation's highest office. “I served with Mike Pence in Congress for twelve years and I disagree with him on just about everything,” Sherman said. “I never dreamed I would author a measure that would put him in the White House.” Some on the left have criticized those in their own party for focusing on such efforts. KUCINICH RIPS DEMS FOR PROPOSAL TO EXAMINE TRUMP’S MENTAL FITNESS Last week, former Ohio Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich dinged Democrats pushing a bill to examine Trump’s mental and physical fitness for office. “I think it’s destroying the party as an effective opposition,” Kucinich said.Lawyer demands the removal of a LGBT history book, saying the book cover appears as if it was 'deliberately designed for children' Russia is to remove a history book about famous LGBT people from shop shelves out of ‘propaganda’ fears. The Saratov region has demanded the removal of ‘They Changed The World… GAYS,’ celebrating well known public figures such as Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres, as well as Russia’s own Tchaikovsky. According to local media, lawyer Alexander Lelikov claimed he discovered the book in a store where children could easily see it. ‘The book is as if deliberately released as confectionary designed for children, it has a bright cover and nice glossy paper.’ Lelikov added: ‘The common theme in the book is that it asks, “Why are the writers, musicians and composers in the book so talented and well known?” ‘Why? It’s because they are gay.’ While the lawyer said he had no problem with the artists themselves, he said it would be better if the book was removed from all shop shelves entirely. State Duma deputy Olga Batalina has supported raids in the Saratov region, promising to fine book stores heavily if they catch them supporting gay literature. Earlier this year, there were calls for Elton John to ‘censor’ his normal flamboyant outfits at Russian concerts out of fears they could be ‘gay propaganda’. Politicians suggested instead of sparkly glasses and feather boas, perhaps ‘most respectable’ traditional Cossack clothes would be better for the gigs. It also follows Russian bookstores decided to put a sticker saying ’18+’ on a children’s book with a gay character.The head of microbiology at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax is warning pregnant women and women who hope to become pregnant to avoid travelling to countries affected by the mosquito-borne Zika virus. "This is an emerging virus," Dr. Todd Hatchette said. "It's been around for a while, but we've never seen it to this degree." The Zika virus is believed to have a possible connection to microcephaly, a rare neurological birth defect characterized by an abnormally small head that can lead to developmental issues or even death. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a public health emergency. Only 20 per cent of people infected show symptoms, which include headache, fever, red eyes, and a rash. The virus has been found in 22 countries, and Hatchette says health care providers expect the number of affected countries to continue increasing. "Because the mosquito that's required to transmit this infection is found everywhere in North, Central, and South America except for Chile and Canada," he said. While he says it won't spread in Canada, it could still impact women who are pregnant or become pregnant while travelling. Since the virus has an incubation period, he recommends women not conceive until two weeks after they leave the affected country. Free flight changes for pregnant women Meanwhile, travel agents in Halifax are fielding calls from the concerned travellers who want to change their plans due to the outbreak. "Many of the suppliers that we're working with now, both airlines and tour operators, are offering free changes or free cancellations, for pregnant women in particular with medical notes," said Flight Centre travel agent Ryan Gomes. Gomes noted there is no federal travel advisory for the countries impacted by the Zika virus. Instead, Canadian and U.S. authorities advise pregnant women to consider delaying travel to the region, and consult their physician.We have seen what happens when the left assails a competent and inspiring woman for being insufficiently progressive. It's not an outcome anyone in the Democratic Party should wish to replicate. Please let’s not do this again. Do not preemptively attack a rising bonafide star in the Democratic Party who happens to be an imperfect human being who shares a gender with Hillary Rodham Clinton. No politician is perfect. Sometimes they make mistakes and take positions that aren’t progressive enough, only to evolve over time. (Hey Barack!) The junior senator from California, Kamala Harris — who has already made her mark on the Senate in a few short months — is now in the spotlight facing unprecedented scrutiny. Alongside that is a movement that’s already begun on the progressive left to discredit Harris, brand her as a tool of mass incarceration for her time as a prosecutor, and to caricature her as a supporter of prison slave labor. If this sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is. Yes, Harris was a prosecutor. So was Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, but there are no hit pieces calling him a sellout. Curious. What truly matters are Harris’s positions on issues of policy. And on that front, Harris has already taken a strong stance in critical criminal justice reform issues, including bail reform. She introduced legislation to reform the bail system with the most unlikely of allies, Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul. Where it counts — on votes and substance — Harris is making her positions clear, and we should pay attention. It’s anyone’s guess if, as many people surmise, Harris has her eyes set on 2020. But as a movement, it’s critical to push back against wildly unfair characterizations of the left’s brightest stars before they even get started. We all know what happened the last time. We got Trump.Hundreds of East African migrants are believed dead after their boat capsized in the eastern Mediterranean. Witnesses and survivors told VOA Monday that the vessel overturned while carrying as many as 500 people. An unknown number swam to boats nearby and were later picked up and taken to Greece. The incident happened April 8 but was first reported by the BBC late Sunday. Ethiopian national Mussa Mohamed Adam said he is one of the few migrants who survived the tragedy. He told VOA's Horn of Africa Service that the boat capsized after he and about 200 other migrants came on board from a smaller boat that departed Egypt a day and a half earlier. Adam estimated that 500 people were on board at the time, and only 30 were able to swim back to the smaller boat. Liban Qadar Jama of Somaliland was on another boat that was approaching the rendezvous point. "I could see the bigger boat sinking," he told VOA's Somali Service. "We ran with the small boat we were in, as some migrants from the sunk boat desperately swam toward us. We could only save four of them." Jama and other witnesses say the survivors spent about nine days drifting at sea before they were picked up by either the Greek or Italian coast guard and taken to Greece. Unconfirmed reports on social media Monday suggested most of those who drowned were Somalis, trying to escape their war and drought-ravaged homeland. If the death toll is confirmed, it would be the worst migrant tragedy since some 700 people drowned off the coast of Libya in April of last year.Stargate: In Search of False Gods by Andrew Smee More often than not, your typical Stargate SG-1 episode would begin with the plucky team of scientist soldiers visiting a planet whose culture's faith would be based on some ancient, classical or traditional myth, religion or legend, would continue with conversations about exactly why they are wrong, follow through with some gunfights, and would end with the complete deconstruction of said faith, the team waving goodbye to the newfound happy secularists. It became as predictable as Star Trek's 'holodeck gone wrong' episodes or the next stargate address exiting in the Vancouver forests in which they filmed the show. Come to think of it, predictable probably isn't the right word, as these recurring storylines are all in support of the show's main theme. Which is, clearly and explicitly so, a rejection of any and all religious principles and a general criticism of faith as a whole. It's not the kind of story focus one would expect to find in a largely cheerful SF adventure serial on late 90s syndicated television, but there it is. Apart from paranoid defense-focused government officials and a bunch of creepy robot spiders, pretty much every single villain the Stargate programme went up against was some alien in fancy clothes claiming they're either God, the Devil or speakers for both. Do you have something to say about this article? Send a letter to the editors. Send your email with 'letter to the editors' in the subject line to submissions@holdastmagazine.com and we may feature your letter in the next issue! Andrew discusses the SG-1's prime directive of spreading atheism throughout the universe. donate Did you enjoy this article? Please donate so we can pay our talented contributors. Starting from the '94 Emmerich blockbuster whose entire plot was based around helping the downtrodden throw off the shackles of belief laid upon them by aliens masquerading as gods, episode after episode of the television adaptation had a structure befitting of a drinking game. Take a sip every time Teal'c says "false gods." Drink a shot every time some gibbering local thinks the team's weapons are magic. Finish your drink whenever Daniel says "You don't understand." A trope of heroic fiction is that the characters have to be established as heroes and then keep on being heroes. Often this results in the big bads being bigger and badder as time, books and seasons go on. Ever more insurmountable problems, surmounted. Around the time they blow up a sun at the end of Season 4, we're left wondering what could realistically pose an actual challenge to SG-1. The answer, 'not a whole lot, actually', is honestly one of the pleasures of watching Stargate, but the trope of increasing heroism really comes into its own towards the end of the run. Ori priest Ending with aplomb after its eighth season, the surprise renewal for two more seasons had writers scrambling. With pretty much every single plotline and enemy threat having been resolved and dealt with, the extra 9th and 10th seasons offer a different kind of Stargate from what came before. The team were no strangers to offworld religions and alien impersonators by this point, so when faced with the straightforward evil faith of Origin, it initially didn't seem like much out of the ordinary. But it's with this final storyline Stargate finally gets to do what it always seemed to be struggling to pull off: take down religion itself. There had been precedent. As noted, many Stargate episodes involved proving again and again to devout believers that their faith was misplaced, that the divine miracles and punishments their gods and folklore demonstrated were nothing more than advanced technology sufficiently indistinguishable from magic. Time and time again the team is put into peril not through force, but by backwardly portrayed beliefs in outdated systems, the audience continually placed in pleased relief that the villagers just needed a sound talking to for their society to be set on the correct path - the Stargate path. Indeed, when some established allies previously freed from the bondage of faith in false gods attempt to cast around for a new, worthy cause to follow and finds that Origin looks pretty peachy, SG-1 promptly turns up and explains again, more carefully this time, that the so-called prophets are yet again nothing more than purveyors of lies, looking for power. So, Origin. For those who didn't feel the need to stick around for ten full seasons of gate-hopping (not to mention another seven of spin-offs), Origin is essentially a religion invented by a bunch of aliens called the Ori in order to harvest power from their followers. Alright, so not so different from every other Stargate storyline, then? But the Ori have one small difference in their plans. Whereby previous bad guys like the Goa'uld used religion to harvest power in terms of limitless slave labour, the Ori's whole deal is harvesting faith itself. Ori supergate Which is why they initially seem so baffling to SG-1. The Ori priests aren't carting away truckloads of firstborns or snatching all the crops and gold like most of their previous enemies. All they seem to be doing (at first) is turning up in villages and setting up churches. Sure they look a little creepy, but what's a little pale skin and scarification in a galaxy with little grey men and godlike super beings? Oh. Godlike super beings. Oh dear. Yes, that's what the Ori are revealed to be: gods, or as close as you can get. Stargate had played around with godlike characters before with the Ancients, a race of benevolent aliens who originally built the Stargates before 'ascending' into bad CGI effects. The Ori, then, are a natural extension of the fiction: Ancients gone bad who quite literally live in Hell (or a dimension thereof). Naturally, all of that is cheerful Stargate fluff up until Ori priests start burning people alive in the name of their fiery god's faith. And it is faith: the priests in monkly white robes definitely believe wholeheartedly in their religion and their gods, magically duped one and all. Things get a little more messy for our plucky heroes here, especially when they start being brainwashed and turned into priests themselves. Events wouldn't be wrapped up neatly until some straight-to-DVD movies resolved the storyline after the show was cancelled - properly, this time - after Season 10. It turns out the way you kill a god is to kill their followers. Or, well, kill their faith. There are some of the requisite space battles and gunfights, but in the end all that's needed to wipe out Origin once and for all is what we the audience knew all along: just have the SG-1 sit down and explain just why their religion is wrong. You people-burning silly billies. Sure, it's done through a MacGuffiny box full of white light and Morgan le Flay out of Arthurian Legend fighting Inara off Firefly, but the intent and result is the same. As one of the Origin followers leaves, dutifully promising to remove all the people-burning stuff from the books, it's to the tune of Stargate Command settling back, relaxed and satisfied that all is well once again. It's perhaps an overly easy ending to two seasons of rather genuine threat. The last two seasons weren't that well received by longtime fans, partly due to such easy deus ex machina plotting, and while it's true that the abrupt invention of a supposedly eons-old galactic enemy was a little eyebrow raising, the truth is there was nowhere left for SG-1 to go other than taking on the bedrock of religion itself. Here, Stargate's explicit interpretation is of a construct based entirely on deception, lies and false hope in a paradise that will never come, serving only those high up in control of the system. The Ori themselves were in all honesty lackluster antagonists, suffering from the common problem of writing godlike beings as relatable characters, while the endlessly bickering Goa-uld factions of previous series provided this with bountiful charismatic humour. In the end though, they're just different flavours of the same age-old fraud. fiction featured author non fiction bookshelf playlist cross media donate submit contributors archive mailing list shop fiction featured author non fiction bookshelf playlist cross media donate submit contributors archive mailing list shop return to current issue© Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, Adams Theater, Detroit Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre met online in 2002, drawn by their love of contemporary ruins. Meffre was only aged 15 when he met Marchand, and they began visiting ruins in the suburbs of Paris to capture the lost grandeur of old movie theaters and document architecture in decline. In the beginning they took images separately, but after investing in a large format 4x5, they began their collaboration. They spoke to me recently from Paris about their photographic project, "Detroit in Ruins," published by Steidl in 2010. Their visions of Detroit are the record of a fallen empire. What makes the duo's work different from Robert Polidori's photographs of post-deluge New Orleans and Chernobyl is that their focus is not a record of the aftermath of a natural disaster but of slow decay, caused by neglect. The photographs reveal the exotic in the ordinary and observe what is overlooked: dilapidated habitations, the hidden backs of dwellings, obsolete machinery, utilities in disrepair, the absurdity of once hi-tech systems, the extravagance of architecture devoid of function. The simple poignancy of a disused dentist's chair seems to reflect on the collective failure of a civilization to rise. But Detroit is only one of many world cities, and these images are universal in their depiction of the fragility of human empire-building. © Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, Detroit in Ruins, Ticket Lobby Michigan Central Station © Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, Detroit in Ruins, Telephone Switch Board, Fort Shelby Hotel, Detroit Working as a team, the photographers have formed a creative bond, sharing a vision so strongly, they tend to finish each others' sentences in conversation. I asked, why America? It is a place where old things are replaced quickly, and still a country evolving its sense of antiquity. "We'd been taking pictures around Paris when we saw images of Detroit," said Meffre. "It seemed much more a world-city falling apart. In France there were smaller places - but Detroit looked like a ghost town compared with elsewhere." It was their interest in modern decay that drew them to America. Says Meffre, "It depends on what you are looking for, Americans probably have the best architectural heritage from the 20s. That is the place where big buildings were made. Early American buildings of the 20th century are symbolic in a way you would not find anywhere else." In Asia and in developing countries the speed of urban renewal is much faster than in countries with slower economic climates. "Sometimes buildings are around for only 20 years before they are demolished to make something bigger," continues Meffre, "In Detroit it is the opposite: nothing was rebuilt and very few buildings were made in the 50s - buildings remained derelict, and those that were demolished were replaced by parking lots. It is a very unusual concept of a city." Apart from the decline of the automobile industry, Detroit's story is one of self-destruction that began with its policies of racial segregation. The wealthy whites migrated to the suburbs fleeing the influx of African-Americans seeking economic opportunities, creating a white noose around the increasingly poor black inner-city, choking off funding for its infrastructure and the cultural incentives it needed to survive. The boom and bust cycles have left architectural residues - collapsing rings around Detroit's urban sprawl. Still, we rarely let things lie as our civilization constantly looks back on its own traces, reexamining its own recorded past, too busy dissecting and foraging its own history to let things turn into relics. It is rewarding then to see that a few decades of neglect and forgetfulness can reveal such resonant windows into our past. I asked why they thought the owners of these deserted properties had chosen to forget them. "It depends," said Meffre, "most of the building owners in downtown are billionaires who own entire blocks. The price went too low, and there were no valuable projects. They were waiting to turn them into condos and new lofts - the owners have been waiting for 30 years..." They cannot remain vacant forever. I imagined that they would eventually be demolished? "It might happen in downtown Detroit within a few years," says Marchand. "Most of the buildings we've been to will be converted into luxury condominiums. They try to make rich people from the suburbs move back downtown. But in other areas where they have no money for electricity and rent, they have to close the buildings. So they are sitting empty and decaying, waiting to be demolished or to fall apart." © Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, Detroit in Ruins, Dentist Cabinet Broderick Tower On the other hand who can complain when vast tracts of downtown Detroit are being reclaimed by nature. Like the ancient temples of Cambodia the earth always wins against the will of men. The city's asphalt is cracking open and reverting back to prairie; foxes and deer are making malls and parking lots their new hunting grounds. The green invasion may enable a new vision for urban agriculture. The pair do extensive research before each trip, and I had wondered how they had come across the dilapidated buildings and gained permission to enter them. "We researched from books," says Marchand, "and also online Google maps, Bing maps; aerial views where you can find potentially closed buildings. Concerning access, we usually wait for the door to be opened by some scavenger... admits Marchand, wistfully adding that "in Detroit it was just a matter of time [before these buildings disappeared]... Even when Detroit tries to secure them, it will not stay that way for very long." They had a similar experience photographing old movie theaters and performance spaces: "It was not possible to modernize or renovate the big theaters. Most of them are sitting there to be developed into a concert hall or a new project but [sometimes] they are too big... In New York, Chicago Los Angeles, it is the same. A lot of them are being demolished." © Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, Detroit in Ruins, Public Schools Book Depository, Detroit In some ways they are modern archeologists, unearthing the forgotten splendors of the past, the abandoned and the discarded leftovers of civilization. Were they interested in going back deeper into the past, to photograph castles and mansions of old Europe? "Sometimes we go back earlier to the 19th century," said Meffre. And in Europe they had explored remodeled castles that went back originally to the 16th century: "It is monumental, delusional architecture. [But] we are more interested in the current epoch," said Romain Meffre. Though the Detroit premises are largely devoid of people, they remain stained by the lives of those that had inhabited them, which makes them more captivating than the hosed-down artifacts of museum archives. The photographers try to add notes on their histories, their architecture, and function. "We try to find pictures of the place while it was alive just to imagine how it was," said Meffre, "there are also lots of books concerning how those places were before; and we get a lot of emails from people who tell us they used to live in these places. Quite moving." © Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, Detroit in Ruins, Remains of blood samples, Highland Park Poilice Station, Detroit At the Highland Park Police Station they came across blood samples and evidence from the investigation of a Detroit serial-killer who had murdered several women. So you photograph these remnants, then leave them, and walk away? "We try - we don't know what happens - it is on Ebay probably right now... we can find some of the old polaroids being sold on Ebay," they say, amused by the sudden onset of interest. Once unearthed, photographed and published, the places are irrevocably changed, and attention can either bring the public's awareness to the need for preservation, or it can hasten demise. "A lot of the buildings are not very cheap and we hope that some people will buy and restore them," says Meffre. "Sometimes attempts are made, and at times it doesn't work. As Detroit is coming back and there is international attention, people will realize maybe there is a lot of heritage buildings and some people want to preserve them - but there just is no money." Some of the sites seemed abandoned in a hurry, as though disaster struck mid-day, Pompeiian-style, leaving dusty closets still filled with clothes, kitchens fully stocked, the grand concert halls had suddenly emptied, laboratories appear to be deserted in the midst of experiments. One almost hopes, that like enchanted palaces, they remain buried for another thousand years, preserved as time-capsules for future treasure-hunters to break their spell. © Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, Detroit in Ruins, Laboratory-Cass Technical High School, Detroit © Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, Detroit in Ruins, Lobby Broderick Tower, Detroit © Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, Detroit in Ruins, Old Lobby Michigan Theater, Detroit Here is poem that resonates on the rise and fall of past ambitions, Shelley's Ozymandias:On 6 November Amartya Sen visited LSE to discuss his new collection of cultural essays Country of First Boys with Nicholas Stern. Before taking the stage in the packed Old Theatre, he spoke to Sonali Campion and Taryana Odayar about the Indian government’s approach to development, Kerala as a model for universal education and healthcare in India, and his faith in democracy. SC: You have said that looking at the end point of a debate is not an ideal way of understanding the wider discussion. This seems relevant in relation to economic policy today, where developing countries aspire to high and continuous growth. What’s your view on the current Indian government’s manner of pursuing growth? AS: Let me make a clarification first. The point about the end point not being the only issue asks what were the counter arguments that were considered? What were the different points of view that may or may have not have been aired, even if the end point is correct? That only becomes relevant when you agree with the end point. In the case of the policy as it stands now, that is not the case. I think the end point is wrong. The argumentation process is wrong as well, but there are two distinct issues here. India is the only country in the world which is trying to become a global economic power with an uneducated and unhealthy labour force. It’s never been done before, and never will be done in the future either. There is a reason why Europe went for universal education, and so did America. Japan, after the Meiji restoration in 1868, wanted to get full literate in 40 years and they did. So did South Korea after the war, and Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and China. The whole idea that you could somehow separate out the process of economic growth from the quality of the labour force is a mistake against which Adam Smith warned in 1776. It’s an ancient danger, and he might have been right to think that the British government at the time did not pay sufficient interest in basic education for all. Unfortunately that applies today to government of India as well. It doesn’t acknowledge the relevance of the quality of human labour. That is the foundation of their mistake, their conclusions therefore are wrong. For example, they are trying to go suddenly for everything to be done by cash, which is meant to be an experiment. In one of his first interviews after winning the Nobel Prize this year Angus Deaton said this is purely an experiment, but it’s an experiment with the lives of the poor. And I’m afraid I agree with him, and his scepticism towards it. There was a reason why someone as intensely keen on the market economy as Adam Smith thought the government has to make the country fully literate, this is something the government can do. America is meant to be very anti-government but every American has a right to primary school education paid for by the government, you’re picked up from your home by government buses, delivered to your state school and educated there. India is trying to be different from America, Europe, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Singapore, China – all of them. This is not good way of thinking of economics. So foundationally, the government’s understanding of development underlying their approach is mistaken. Having said that, the previous government was terribly mistaken too. But one hoped there might be a change, and there has been, but not for the better. All the sins of the past government have been added up. SC: Do you see the current challenges to secularism in India as a threat to the country’s economic progress? AS: Recently Raghuram Rajan, governor of the Reserve Bank (of India) said that economic goals require a tolerant economic climate and I think he is basically right. I’ve done no independent research on that, my dislike of the lack of tolerance is because it is terrible for human beings and the society, but I respect Rajan enough to think he is also right. TO: In your essay ‘A Wish A Day for A Week’ you ask the goddess to grant you seven wishes and the goddess tells you her plea is inferior to the power of the Indian people. Has your faith and optimism in the power of the people and faith in democracy ever wavered? AS: No – the goddess’ thoughts were not entirely independent of my thoughts! It hasn’t. But you have to recognise that if the Chinese decide that things are going wrong they can make changes quickly. In 1979 they privatised the agriculture with enormous success. China in the 1980s grew faster in agriculture than any country has ever grown. And they privatised quite a lot of other industries with great success. But they also eliminated universal health insurance for all, by simply abolishing the thing, and the Chinese health progress faltered. In fact between 1979 and 2004 India steadily reduced the gap between itself and China in terms of life expectancy. There was a 14-year gap to begin with, it fell to six or seven years. Not that India was doing anything right, but the Chinese were doing more things wrong. But then the Chinese recognised the issue around 2002. By 2004 they had changed it. By 2009 they could bring in a scheme of universal healthcare and by 2012 they are well in the 90s in terms of percentage coverage of health insurance. China is able to do that if ten people at the top are persuaded. In India, ten people is not sufficient. You have to carry the population. Against the blast of propaganda that happened in the general elections last year – fed on one side by the activism of the Hindutva Parivar, and the other side by the gigantic money of the business community – it is slow to correct ongoing deficiencies. It is very fast when there is a crisis. So if there is a famine threatening, India could stop it straight away. If there is the threat that a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal would kill a million people, they can move two million people away from the coast because all the Indian apparatus comes into force. But if you want to change the system, spend more money in state schools, state hospitals, provide health coverage for all, that requires convincing the people. The rhetoric has been so badly distorted in India that most vocal Indians – which tend to be upper classes – don’t even recognise how bad the healthcare is for the bulk of the Indian population. So I have never wavered my faith in democracy as the most stable way of doing things, on the other hand – are there big changes in which the non-democratic system of China can bring about much more quickly? Yes. SC: India has a lot of lessons to give the rest of the world and vice versa, but you write about how India can learn from itself – could you tell us more about that? AS: Look at Kerala’s policy for universal education and universal healthcare. The Communist Party first come into office in 1957, they declared their policy in 1960. 1963 I’m in Delhi teaching in Delhi School of Economics and people ask me “Do you think it’s feasible?” I said “absolutely feasible”. Primarily for one economic reason, namely that you need far less money than you would need in, say, Britain to provide that level of healthcare and education. This argument is not very sophisticated but on the other hand it could make a dramatic difference between life and death. Many of my colleagues at Delhi School of Economics said that I’m just leading people up the garden path, as an economist I should criticise, because Kerala was the third poorest state in India then. How could they afford it? And my claim was the economic argument. Also there being externalities and the “public good feature” as economists call it. I was certain that on top of that, for reasons which we began with, that the policies would also stimulate economic growth and development. In the latest round of national sample survey, if you put the urban and rural together, Kerala has now the highest per capita income in the whole of India. I would have thought some people who thought I was leading people up the garden path would say that they were mistaken. Have I got such statements? I’m afraid I have not! Am I happy that my expectations have been fulfilled? Yes, very happy indeed. Not for myself, that’s a trivial thing. But the fact that a people-friendly education and health policy could make a difference, not only to their lives – which happened immediately, life expectancy shot up in Kerala straight away – but also ultimately on economic growth. To catch up with Amartya Sen’s South Asia Centre Conversation with Nick Stern, view the Storify and download the video/podcast. A longer version of this interview also appeared in The Beaver, LSE’s student newspaper. Cover image credit: LSE Note: This article gives the views of the author, and not the position of the South Asia @ LSE blog, nor of the London School of Economics. Please read our comments policy before posting. About the Authors Amartya Sen is Thomas W. Lamont University Professor, and Professor of Economics and Philosophy, at Harvard University. He is the recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economics and an honorary fellow of LSE. Sonali Campion is Editor of the South Asia @ LSE blog. She recently completed an MSc in Comparative Politics at LSE and also works at Democratic Audit UK. She tweets @sonalijcampion.[video: 13724850] This story appears in the Aug. 15, 2016 issue of Sports Illustrated. Read the rest of the college football preview and subscribe to the magazine here. Josh Rosen arrives early to room 170 in Dodd Hall and
is at a loss to explain how the new system is going to work effectively. “I think it will be easier in practice than in theory,” he told me with a sigh. He hopes—and it’s a big hope—that all the talk about independence and partisanship will somehow give way to everyone’s better angels. “The biggest tools I have are transparency and goodwill,” he said. “We have to appeal to the wide and deep feeling of wanting to make this institution one that is respected by Canadians.” Harder knows it’s going to be a long process to change things. Trudeau will eventually name enough independent senators to gain a majority in the upper chamber, but then, who is to say the new senators will accept the conventional role of making cautious changes? The truth is, every senator knows they have an insurance policy against public anger. Abolishing the Senate is a constitutional riddle no one can solve, so senators are free to test the limits of their independence. Watch what happens on this assisted-death bill. Harder very much wants to meet the deadline of June 6 to pass the government bill, but many senators think the bill is too restrictive, while others believe it’s too permissive. “You could have the weird situation where most senators oppose this bill, but for exactly the opposite reasons,” Carignan told me. Politically, Liberals may believe that puts them right smack in the middle, which is where they like to be, but it may have the unanticipated consequence of killing their own bill. In 1989, the Senate dumped the abortion bill, so we now live in a country where the absence of law on abortion is the de facto law. Will it be the same for assisted death? If the newly remodelled Senate proves a prudent balance for the executive branch and usefully defends the Charter, maybe the Senate re-establishes its relevance. But if it becomes a grandstanding body that is merely obstructive to the will of Parliament, we may well look back to the Duffy trial as a quaint time, when all we worried about were a few bucks spent on Swiss Chalet meals—not matters of life and death.Art by Koren Shadmi The rectangle almost completely filled Central Hall, the largest and historically least depressing room in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Several billions in bitcoin and bullion had been spent, and conservation experts from Facebook Centers across the country had been flown in to help restore the structure to its 20th century splendor; the last living scholar of 1960s Las Vegas carpeting had even been brought out of retirement. No expense was spared, no detail ignored, no LED unpolished—all seventy thousand of them twinkled, spelling out, "CES CENTURY! 1967—2067!" The second exclamation point looked stupid, but they'd pulled it off: before the rectangle had been lowered in with an array of freight drones, Central Hall looked just as it did in the museum photos. Except now it wasn't a room; it was an ocean. The rectangle was slender as a finger, deep black, and smooth as glass. Maybe it was glass? There weren't any signs up, and the booth attendants were all staring at their feet. From its entrance, the LVCC's North Hall looked like it contained a vast black sea that floated several feet above the historically accurate patterned floor. Beyonce Bermm looked out over it and his skin was hot. "This is sexy as hell," he half-whispered, half-moaned, letting out a mouthful of cocaine vapor. He took another puff and strained to see the end of the great black plane. "Epic, no?" A man stood behind Beyonce with an outstretched hand, his face painted with the blue and orange stripes of a Consumer Electronics Association executive. He didn't offer a name. Just a hand. "Is this your first show?" "No. Well, yes—I proxied in last year." Beyonce shook the CEA man's skeletal hand, triggering several plastic bands tied to his arm. He silenced them with a wink. "My name's Beyonce Bermm, and I'm here—" "Beyonce! A pleasure. I see from your badge that you graduated from Bezos University just like me. I always recognize a Bezos man. Go hounds! Say, did you know that when the Consumer Electronics Show was in its infancy, Beyonce was a woman's name? But you see, history has a way of changing. It's like a river. Have you ever seen a river? I drove up here from Facebook last night, and I remembered my grandfather telling me about all the rivers you used to be able to see along the way. You see, our industry is like a river; it flows, it's cold, and it's filled with fish. Rectangular fish, absolute geometric perfection. Do you follow me, Mr. Bermm?" He didn't, but he nodded along and kept looking at the rectangle through the corner of his eye. Beyonce was hungry; he should've stopped at the Facebook on the way to the convention center for a snack like his hat suggested. Beyonce took another pull of cocaine vapor from the small silver knob and his stomach stopped nagging. Shouting Hats, as a billboard in the Hall of History pointed out, were first introduced at CES—along with blu-ray, 3D television, and the first prototype narcotic vaporization sticks. But that was decades ago, before the rectangles. Almost every one of the convention center's 3.2 million square feet was filled with booths dedicated to the sale, maintenance, restoration, financing, protection, consolidation, fragmentation, beautification, or promotion of smooth, black, glossy rectangles. THE SHAPE THAT PUT EARTH BACK TO WORK! The CEA executive left Beyonce and trotted into the crowd now shuffling in from the North Hall, where rectangles from the big players like Samsung and Nestlé maintained cavernous, shrieking booths, small cities filled with PR drones, hors d'oeuvres, bloodsport, and complimentary narcotic vapes. Beyonce followed the crowd northward. Below a pulsating blue light, Samsung's Senior Vice President for Occidental Facebook Recalibration was showing off the company's 2067 lineup: "The HHHHHHHHHHH-1-HH delivers unparalleled performance, industry-leading durability, and the glossiness that Samsung customers depend on." The crowd shrieked, some fanning themselves with their own portable rectangles, rubbing infinitely smooth, thumb-polished sides. "For the first time in the history of the HHHHHHHHHHH series, we've created a rectangle solution that's heavy, sustainable, brittle, and connected—all in a dimensional envelope like none you've ever seen. Allow me to demonstrate, and I think you'll agree it's a Goddamn game-changer." The crowd went silent. The Samsung presenter removed an obsidian-dark rectangle from a velvety pouch. He flicked it with one finger, and an orange light in the middle blipped on and off. The audience went fucking crazy. As if to say But there's more, the presenter held up his flicking finger, silencing the crowd again. "Tell me, can your rectangles do this?" He flung the metallic board against the ground, where it shattered and dissolved into a fine powder. A man wearing a bright Wall Street Journal sash began to sob and applaud. Drones dropped confetti. Beyonce took his own rectangle out of his trouser pocket and saw his muddled reflection in its deep black face. It seemed worthless, putrid. He'd sold his bike for this. For this? For one without an orange glowing dot in the middle, and one that wouldn't turn into that lovely powder upon impact? The battery life was still good, though—but wasn't everyone's? Manufacturers had eliminated screens years ago. Beyonce thought of his accessories: the limited edition dock, the polishing cloths, the ochre stand. He was ashamed. Buyer's remorse had been chemically cured and criminalized in the 50s, but there were psychiatrists on hand in the South Hall. It was an option. Beyonce turned his back on the Samsung booth, where another fight to the death between two political prisoners was about to begin; the victor was to receive a Limited Special Edition HHHHHHHHHC-81, eight inches across and tinted dark grey. It was early afternoon and the halls had started to fill up. Guests squeezed between rectangles in glass cases, rectangles propped up against one another, fully non-functional rectangles hanging from the ceiling like mobiles. In a demonstration pit, two teenage PR reps dressed like nuns cracked eggs on an LG BagBagBagBagBag rectangle, its rounded edges and silver trim dripping with yolk. "This little motherfucker has no screen, no speakers, no buttons, and the most powerful Bluetooth antenna in the world," one of them shouted while winking over and over and over. "The bezel is treated with human stem cells, and the 2067 model will come in a delicious light-black color variant." Beyonce felt ill. Not even a velvety satchel of the sort he'd seen at Samsung would make him feel better about his rectangle or conceal its mediocrity. All around him was the future: rectangles bigger than his, smaller than his, rectangles with edges sharp enough to kill, rounded so gracefully you could calculate pi. The thinnest and thickest rectangles in the world were on display at CES; his was neither. It was rumored that the smallest rectangular unit produced—something of a coup for SonyKraft—was on display, but it hadn't yet been spotted. Beyonce's heart pounded. He needed fresh air, but the quarantine period wasn't yet over for the day, and the queue for a mask stretched past Sbarro. He reached in his pocket to make sure it was there; the rectangle was humming along, vibrating at the random intervals he'd been promised when he bought it. He rubbed it idly. It was disgusting. He'd never hated a shape more. The future was in this hall, in Las Vegas, in this throng, and he was just barely scraping by with a chunk of obsolescence in his pocket. Beyonce was humiliated, sick with shame. A bell sounded, followed by an androgynous sing-song announcement—Beyonce's connected hat whispered along: "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND REMOTE PROXIES, THE UNVEILING WILL TAKE PLACE AT CENTRAL HALL IN JUST FIVE MINUTES!" Central Hall: the biggest of all time. A team of heavily armed Facebook personnel cleared a path for visiting dignitaries, digital executives, proxy hosts, models, athletes, and drone stars. Jaden Door, war hero and CEO of Samsung, floated by, veiled from head to toe; he didn't even stop to wave. Beyonce let the crowd push him to the red rope that surrounded the Central Hall rectangle's perimeter. For the first time, he noticed you couldn't even see the other end. It was a black oil spill in the largest room he'd ever stood inside, a vacuum of reflected neon, the largest non-fingerprint marred surface in the history of human civilization. He sucked the last wisps from the cocaine pen, and squeezed to the front of the crowd. The presentation would begin at any moment. There was no time to mourn the contents of his pocket, no room for dread. History was crashing over everyone around the dark expanse. His hand unclenched; he let go of his brick. Beyonce craned his neck and saw his dead face in the mammoth rectangle, and he'd never loved anything more than he loved the future. This dispatch is a part of Terraform, our new online home for future fiction.(CNN) Eman Ahmed, from Egypt, is believed to be the world's heaviest woman. According to her family, she weighs 1,102 pounds (500 kg). "Eman didn't live life as everyone does," Shaimaa Ahmed, Eman's younger sister and carer, tells CNN. "She didn't enjoy her childhood or youth. She's been battling with her illness for 36 years." According to her family, Eman has barely left her bedroom in over two decades. Unable to move or communicate, she spends her days trapped inside her family home, staring at the ceiling. A stroke two years ago impaired her speech and mobility, so the last couple of years have been particularly difficult, Eman's sister says. However, thanks to a social media campaign initiated by Shaimaa, the family's situation is now looking a little more hopeful. Publicity surrounding Eman's plight caught the attention of eminent Mumbai-based surgeon, Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala, who set up a fundraising initiative in order to fly Eman to India. India's quest to #SaveEman begins with preparations in full swing @CODSIndia01 https://t.co/gcX0spwzhh — Dr Muffi Lakdawala (@DrMuffi) December 9, 2016 He plans to set in motion a series of operational procedures that will reduce her weight to below 220 pounds (100kg.) "She is battling with her life every single day," Dr. Lakdawala told CNN. He says that as things stand, how long she lives is anybody's guess. "Right now she is like a living bombshell, which could blow up on her any moment." According to Guinness World Records, the world's heaviest living woman is Pauline Potter from the United States, who weighs 643 pounds (291.6 kg.) 'She always had hope' Eman's family says she's suffered from thyroid problems since she was a child. When she was born, she reportedly weighed 11 pounds (5 kg), and by the age of 11, she'd started to put on weight. As a young girl Eman had to start using her knees to move around. By fifth grade she'd stopped going to school because her thyroid problems were making her lethargic. Her legs were also unable to carry her weight; she had to use her knees to move around because she couldn't stand. "She would use her knees to reach the car in the parking lot and we would drive her across Alexandria and the coast without leaving the car," says her sister Shaimaa. "She wasn't able to walk properly and there was no wheelchair to fit her size." Despite her tragic circumstances, according to her sister, Eman always remained patient and funny. "She has always had hope that she would lose weight and get better," Shaimaa says. But a couple of years ago, things changed. Eman's weight went up to about 660 pounds (300 kg) so she put herself on a strict diet. Until recently, Sahimaa says her sister had always remained positive. "Suddenly her cholesterol levels went up and she lost consciousness," says Shaimaa. It took time to find a hospital that would run an MRI on someone of her size, and when they eventually did, she was diagnosed as having had a stroke. According to Shaimaa, things went downhill from there. The stroke reduced Eman's already limited ability to move and speak, and her family had to start taking care of all her needs. They used hand gestures when they couldn't understand each other and her body started retaining water; her weight bloated to more than 1,000 pounds. The doctors the family consulted seemed unable to get to the root of the problem. Shaimaa says Eman's positivity and cheerfulness fell away. Obstacles The opportunity for Eman to be operated on in India is a ray of hope in an otherwise bleak scenario for the 36-year-old and her family. Now starts my tough journey to give this girl a second chance at life. Thank you Sushma Swaraj Ji. https://t.co/d601BkBinX — Dr Muffi Lakdawala (@DrMuffi) December 6, 2016 They were met with roadblocks almost immediately. Eman's visa application was initially denied because she was unable to go to the Indian embassy in person. Dr. Lakdawala wrote a letter explaining that Eman had barely left her room in decades and pleaded with them to reconsider. When he was told it was still impossible, he tweeted India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. "I was left with no other option," he says. He was pleasantly surprised by her response; within two hours she had written back agreeing to help expedite the visa on humanitarian grounds. Ma'am, Eman Ahmed (Egypt) 500kgs requested me 2 save her pls help me get her a medical visa as refused thru normal process @SushmaSwaraj pic.twitter.com/93Fwz6m8iL — Dr Muffi Lakdawala (@DrMuffi) December 5, 2016 Organizing transport was another priority, but that presented its own complications, because access to planes is difficult for someone of Eman's size. "Air ambulances normally have a bigger door because they allow stretchers," says Dr. Lakdawala, but as Eman doesn't fit on a normal stretcher, he's had to talk to individual airlines about their capacity to accommodate her. Additionally, Eman is unable to sit in a seat, so the team have to find a flight where she can lie horizontally. They're also taking into account that, coming from a Muslim country, she might be uncomfortable being cared for by men, so they've put together an all-female team. "I will be the only male when it eventually comes to operating on her," says Dr Lakdawala. As Eman is a "high risk" patient, Dr. Lakdawala says they will be taking "all precautions." And if the operation does go ahead and is a success, Eman will have to stay in Mumbai for a number of months afterward so she can be monitored. To get her to a stage where she can bend and weighs under 220 pounds (100kg), Dr. Lakdawala says it will take two operations and at least three and half years. Shaimaa collected the visas Wednesday and says she's optimistic about the future. "I know the doctor will exert his best effort."Women’s March co-organizer Linda Sarsour said in her speech to a Jewish Voice for Peace conference in Chicago on Sunday that she’s “providing a service... that I’m allowing the Jewish community to have the real hard conversation that it always needed to be having” about whether it should support Israel. Thanks! Let me return the favor and encourage Sarsour to have a hard conversation about how she is preaching hatred while claiming to be fighting for equality, and putting women down while saying she’s trying to lift them up. The Brooklyn-born Sarsour, daughter of Palestinian immigrants, shared the dais Sunday with another darling of the feminist “resistance,” Rasmea Odeh — convicted in Israel of killing two Hebrew University students in a 1969 terrorist attack and of planning an attack on the British Consulate. After her release, Odeh was able to immigrate to the United States by hiding her crime. She’s now being deported to Jordan. Odeh has become a leftist hero. Sunday night, she and Sarsour embraced, and Sarsour gushed to the audience about feeling “honored and privileged to be here in this space, and honored to be on this stage with Rasmea.” It’s a curious embrace of terrorism and anti-Semitism from a recipient of a $500,000 taxpayer grant from Mayor de Blasio, as Sarsour’s group, the Arab American Association of New York, was last year. Sarsour, in fact, has been an important ally of de Blasio’s since his election — a role she’s sure to reprise in the mayor’s bid for a second term. Sarsour said last month feminism is “about the rights of all women.” Yet in the same interview, when asked whether there’s “room for people who support the state of Israel” in the women’s movement, she said: “There can’t be in feminism.” Apparently, Sarsour doesn’t believe all women deserve equal rights — Israeli and Israel-supporting women are an exception. And, by her logic, since she isn’t for the rights of all women, she isn’t a feminist. In a flattering interview with Ha’aretz, Sarsour advocated a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in which the Jewish state would no longer exist. And Sarsour once tweeted that “nothing is creepier than Zionism.” Meaning that her struggles, whether they’re for Palestinians or women, are just, but the Jewish liberation movement has no right to exist. In her speech to Jewish Voice for Peace, an organization of extremist Jewish activists dedicated to delegitimizing Israel, Sarsour said, “There’s always been anti-Semitism,” and people must fight it. She doesn’t seem to grasp that advocating wiping Israel off the map, as she does, is fighting for the continued oppression of Jews, denying their self-determination and taking away their safe haven — nor did she seem to grasp the chutzpah required to make a statement like that after embracing and praising Odeh. Sarsour doesn’t only deny the rights of Jewish and pro-Israel women — for example, she said Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a prominent critic of radical Islam and victim of female genital mutilation should have her vagina taken away. Sarsour claimed that Zionists are asking her “to somehow leave out a portion of my identity so you can be welcomed to a space to work on justice... We, as Palestinian-Americans... will not change who we are to make anyone comfortable.” Here’s the thing: No one asked Sarsour to stop being a Palestinian-American or wanting there to be a Palestinian state. What pro-Israel feminists — like myself and Emily Shire, who wrote a New York Times column that sparked the question of feminism and Zionism — are saying is, we may not agree on the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but we agree that we want equal rights for women, so let’s join forces on that. But Sarsour is an adherent of intersectionality, an idea that women cannot separate the different elements of a woman’s identity, such that the oppression of marginalized groups is compounded with women’s oppression. The women’s movement, according to people who believe this idea, can’t just be about equality for women. Therefore, Sarsour has argued, Palestinian women suffer more than Palestinian men and the women’s movement must be anti-Israel. What she forgets is that, by that logic, Israeli women suffer more than Israeli men, for example, when Hamas shoots rockets from Gaza at Israeli civilians or Palestinian terrorists try to run them over. Yet she doesn’t think all bigotry must be fought. “Of course there’s anti-Semitism,” she said Sunday, adding that she doesn’t ask for Jews’ political opinions before she opposes discrimination against them. But then, she said anti-Semitism “can’t exactly compare... to anti-black racism or Islamophobia.” Sorry, Jews, your safety doesn’t really matter. Then again, that’s not surprising from someone who thinks Israel shouldn’t exist and praises a murderer of Israelis. Any movement that seeks to uplift women shouldn’t be led by someone so unapologetically discriminatory, or it cannot claim to stand for the rights of all women. Women deserve better than Linda Sarsour’s doublespeak. Lahav Harkov is The Jerusalem Post’s senior Knesset correspondent.Introduction Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., gestures with his fist during a news conference at the state capitol in Hartford, Conn., in December, 2012. Jessica Hill/AP When members of Congress caved to demands from the insurance industry and ditched their plan to establish a “public option” health plan, the lawmakers also ditched one of their favorite talking points, that a government-run plan was necessary to “keep insurers honest.” Getting rid of a government-run insurance option was the industry’s top objective during the health care reform debate. Private insurers set out to persuade President Obama and Congressional leaders that they were trustworthy. Lawmakers were led to believe, for one thing, that insurers could be trusted to offer policies that would continue to give Americans’ access to the doctors they had developed relationships with and wanted to keep. And they were persuaded that insurers wouldn’t think of engaging in bait-and-switch tactics that would leave folks with less coverage than they thought they were buying. When he was running for president, Obama regularly talked about the need for a public option. That was one reason why many health care reform advocates supported him instead of Hillary Clinton. He kept insisting on a public option for months after he was elected. He said on July 18, 2009, “Any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange—a one-stop-shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, costs and track records of a variety of plans, including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest…” Soon after that, though, he began to waffle. It became clear to me as well as public option supporters in Congress that industry lobbyists had gotten to him. In an effort to keep the public option idea alive, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited me to testify during a Sept. 16, 2009, meeting of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee Forum on Health Insurance Reform. Knowing the industry as I did, I told the committee that if Congress failed to create a public option to compete with private insurers, “the bill it sends to the President might as well be called “The Insurance Industry Profit Protection and Enhancement Act.” Pelosi insisted that Congress had no intention of doing that. While Pelosi was able to get a bill through the House with a public option provision, she couldn’t control what was happening in the Senate. Although a majority of Senate Democrats supported the public option, the industry knew it only needed one senator who caucused with the Dems to change his mind and kill it. A senator from Connecticut, the insurance capital of the world, became the industry’s go-to guy. Insurers had spent years investing in Sen. Joe Lieberman, a former Democrat-turned-Independent. During the reform debate, the watchdog group Public Campaign Action Fund, (now called EveryVoice), called Lieberman an “insurance puppet,” noting that insurers had contributed nearly half a million dollars to his campaigns over the years. The Democrats needed Lieberman’s vote to get reform passed, and insurers knew it. Shortly before the Senate was set to vote on the bill, Lieberman said he would vote for the bill only if the public option was stripped out. Lieberman accused public option supporters of having an ulterior motive. “A public option plan is unnecessary,” he told Fox News. “It has been put forward, I’m convinced, by people who really want the government to take over all of health insurance.” In retrospect, the half a million dollars in campaign contributions might have been the best money the industry ever spent. That’s because the Affordable Care Act, for all the good it has done to expand access to health care, has, as I predicted, protected and enhanced the profits of health insurance companies. As I pointed out last month, health insurers have seen their stock prices double, and in many cases triple, since Obama signed the ACA into law five years ago. And how trustworthy have those companies been? Not very, in many cases. Millions of Americans who have signed up for coverage on the Obamacare exchanges are finding out that they will not get any coverage if they continue going to the doctors they’ve been going to for years. Nowhere is this more of a problem than in New York State. A friend who recently lost both his job and employer-sponsored coverage told me earlier this month that not only were the physician networks of all the New York exchange plans skimpy, not a single exchange plan offered any coverage for out-of-network care. If he and his wife continued to go to their primary care doctors and specialists, and if they continued to take their kids to their pediatricians, they would have to pay for everything out of their own pockets. On the other side of the country, California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones last month issued an emergency regulation after getting a flood of calls from folks who said health insurers had duped them. “Californians and California businesses deserve better than what they have gotten from most health insurers and HMOs,” Jones said at the time. “Health insurers’ medical provider directories have been inaccurate, misleading consumers into signing up with a health insurer for access to a doctor, specialist, or hospital only to learn that these medical providers are not actually a part of the health insurer’s network.” The problems people are facing are not limited to New York and California, as Elizabeth Rosenthal reported last week in a New York Times article headlined, “Insured, but Not Covered.” Would a public option have kept insurers more honest? Thanks to Big Money from Big Insurance—and Joe Lieberman—we’ll never know. Wendell Potter is the author of Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans and Obamacare: What’s in It for Me? What Everyone Needs to Know About the Affordable Care Act.Stuart Little is a 1999 American family comedy film loosely based on the novel of the same name by E. B. White. Directed by Rob Minkoff in his live action debut, the screenplay was written by M. Night Shyamalan and Greg Brooker, and stars Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, and Jonathan Lipnicki, alongside the voices of Michael J. Fox and Nathan Lane. The plot bears little resemblance to that of the book, as only some of the characters and one or two minor plot elements are the same. The film's sequel more closely resembles the original novel. The film was released on December 17, 1999 by Columbia Pictures.[5] It received an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects nomination, losing to The Matrix.[6] The first film in the Stuart Little series, it was followed by a sequel, Stuart Little 2 in 2002, the short-lived television series Stuart Little in 2003, and another sequel in 2005, the direct-to-video Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild. It was Estelle Getty's final film before her retirement in 2001 and her death in 2008. Plot [ edit ] Eleanor and Frederick Little and their young son George are intending to adopt. While George is at school, his parents go to an orphanage where they meet an anthropomorphic teenage mouse named Stuart. Despite misgivings from Mrs. Keeper, they adopt Stuart and take him home. However, Stuart is greeted coldly by George, who refuses to acknowledge the mouse as his brother, and the family cat Snowbell, who is disgusted at having a mouse for a "master". Despite Eleanor and Frederick's intentions, Stuart quickly feels like an outsider in the large Little family, especially when their relatives bring Stuart large presents and George snaps at his family, claiming that Stuart is not his brother. When Stuart admits his feelings of loneliness to his parents, they ask Mrs. Keeper to do some background research on Stuart's biological family. After accidentally stumbling across George's playroom in the basement, Stuart finally bonds with George when they play together and plan to finish George's remote controlled racing sailboat, the Wasp, for an upcoming boat race in Central Park. At the same time, however, one of Snowbell's alley cat friends, Monty, visits unexpectedly and discovers Stuart. Determined not to have his reputation destroyed, Snowbell meets with Monty's leader, Smokey. Smokey plans to have Stuart removed from the household. Stuart and George finish the Wasp in time for the race, but on the day of the race, the controller is smashed when a gentleman accidentally steps on it. To make it up to George, Stuart pilots the Wasp himself, but ends up in a tussle with a larger boat piloted by George's rival, Anton, a local bully who has cheated by wiping out everyone else's boats. Stuart snaps the wires of Anton's boat in half causing it to malfunction, and wins the race, finally winning George's respect. During the family celebration, the Littles are visited by a mouse couple, Reginald and Camille Stout, who claim to be Stuart's parents who gave him up to the orphanage years ago due to poverty. Reluctantly, Stuart leaves with the Stouts, George presenting him a toy car as a farewell gift. A few days later, however, Mrs. Keeper arrives to tell the Littles that she has figured out what happened to Stuart's real parents; they died years ago in a supermarket accident after being crushed by a collapsing pyramid of canned cream of mushroom soup (which is a very heavy soup), prompting the Littles to call the police believing he was kidnapped. Meanwhile, Snowbell meets with Smokey and the alley cats, who reveal that they had forced the Stouts to pose as Stuart's parents, in order to remove Stuart from the household. Fearing retribution should the Littles discover Snowbell's deception, Smokey orders the Stouts to hand Stuart over to them. But the Stouts, having grown to love Stuart like their own, tell him the truth and instruct him to escape. Furious, Smokey orders a manhunt for Stuart, with the other cats (minus Snowbell and Monty) cornering him in Central Park and causing a chase. Despite losing his car and almost falling down a storm drain, Stuart manages to evade Smokey's gang and return home, despite the Littles having put up posters of him all over the city. The only one present is Snowbell, who lies that the Littles have been enjoying themselves greatly since Stuart's departure, and uses his removed face from the family photograph as proof (which was actually used for the posters). Heartbroken, Stuart leaves the house again. When the Littles return home with no success of finding Stuart, Snowbell begins to realize his selfishness and starts to feel incredibly guilty for everything he's done. Later, Smokey, Monty and the other alley cats pinpoint Stuart's location back to Central Park and bring Snowbell along for the hunt. Snowbell finds Stuart in an empty bird's nest and saves him from the cats, confessing that the Littles truly do love him. Smokey, Monty and the other cats eventually catch up and corner Stuart on a branch. Before the cats can catch him, Snowbell breaks the branch they are standing on, sending them (Monty included) falling into the river below. Smokey then tries to ambush Snowbell from behind, but Stuart smacks him in the face with another branch, knocking him out of the tree and into the river as well. Smokey then leaves angrily, but is chased off by stray dogs as Stuart and Snowbell return home and reunite with the Little family. Cast [ edit ] Live action cast [ edit ] Voice cast [ edit ] Lost painting unknowingly used on set [ edit ] One of the paintings used as a prop for the Littles' home was the 1920s painting Sleeping Lady with Black Vase by Hungarian avant garde painter Róbert Berény, which had long been considered a lost painting. A set designer for the film had purchased the painting at an antiques store in Pasadena, California for $500 for use in the film, unaware of its provenance. In 2009, art historian Gergely Barki, while watching Stuart Little on television with his daughter, noticed the painting, and after contacting the studios was able to track down its whereabouts.[7] In 2014, its owner sold the painting at an auction for €229,500.[8] Reception [ edit ] Box office [ edit ] Stuart Little was released theatrically on December 17, 1999. On its opening weekend, Stuart Little grossed $15 million, placing it at #1. It dropped to #2 over its second weekend, but went back to #1 on its third weekend with $16 million. According to Box Office Mojo, its final gross in the United States and Canada was $140 million and it grossed $160.1 million at the international box office, for an estimated total of $300 million worldwide.[5] Critical reception [ edit ] Stuart Little received generally positive reviews from movie critics. According to Rotten Tomatoes, 67% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 96 responses with an average rating of 6.3/10. The site's consensus reads: "Stuart Little is charming with kids and adults for its humor and visual effects."[9] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 61 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[10] Jesus Freak Hideout said that "from start to finish, Stuart Little is a near flawless family film"[11] while Stephen Holden of The New York Times had said "the only element that doesn't completely harmonize with the rest of the film is the visually unremarkable digital figure of Stuart."[12] Home media [ edit ] Stuart Little was released to VHS and DVD on April 18, 2000. It was later re-released on a Deluxe Edition on May 21, 2002, and on Blu-ray on June 28, 2011. Soundtrack [ edit ] The soundtrack album Stuart Little (Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture) was released by Motown and Universal Records on November 30, 1999, on audio CD and audio cassette. Tracks in bold do not appear in the film.Alison Arngrim insists more work needs to be done to protect child actors from potential predators. “We need to go further, we need to make it really, really easy for kids to have a place to report stuff because sadly there is a high incidence of sexual abuse in the industry,” the former child star told Fox News. Arngrim, who found fame as bratty Nellie Oleson on the western drama “Little House on the Prairie,” was sexually abused starting at the age of six by a family member. 'NASTY NELLIE' TALKS 'LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE' DAYS However, the now 55-year-old wouldn’t open up until her 40s, when she first made the shocking confession to Larry King in 2004. Then in 2010, Arngrim published her memoir titled “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch,” where she got candid about her experience in the hopes it will encourage other victims to speak up. Arngrim is currently the president of the National Association to Protect Children Governing board. Arngrim said that while things have gotten better in Hollywood over the years, parents of aspiring actors still need to be aware of the dangers that exist in the industry. “You have people who are looking for places where children might be unattended,” she explained. “And they’ll go, ‘Gee, I can become a manager or a casting director or just do something that involves kids and show business.’ Their parents may not be thinking clearly. Instead, they’ll go, ‘Wow, this person is going to make my child a star!’ This gives a lot of predators access to kids and they know it
I can understand these babies-in-the-garbage-can stories now. I wouldn't do it, but I understand it." I figured I'd just get booed, but that it'd be worth it, because I needed the release. I found that parents were coming up to me and saying, "Oh, we love this stuff." Advertisement O: So it's going to be pretty dark? LCK: It's just very honest. I'm not striving to do a crazy show about how everybody's a lesbian and an alcoholic. It's really just a regular family story about a young couple trying to raise a kid the best they can. The actual fact of that and the world of parenthood that I've discovered since having a kid is that parents live on a precipice of horrible failure of raising the wrong person. Let alone the fatigue. It's a really fucked-up experience for a lot of people, and the way they talk about it themselves is not the way it's talked about on TV. No TV families show how hard it is, and what dark places it takes you as a person, to great reward and for good reason. So I started pitching it to networks as a show, thinking that people were going to think, "You can't do that when you talk about kids." But I had these high-level executives nodding and going, "I know what you're talking about. My kids are fucking crazy." I found that every pitch meeting turned into story trading. And then Bruce Helford, who is a hit machine for sitcoms, said "I'd love to do a show for you," and we found that we were thinking along the same lines. And this other guy, Bruce Rasmussen, the three of us wrote it together, and found that we had common experiences and common senses of humor. The great thing is that these guys put shows on TV all the time, and it's not me against a new network or studio. I'm heavily protected by these guys, who have a great track record, and it's just sailing through. We wrote it, we gave it to CBS, they greenlit it, and now we're going to shoot it in April. We're casting it, looking for a wife for me. The first line I have on the show is, "Honey, this baby sucks." From my experience, I've had to protect a line like that. I've explained to studios, "Don't be afraid of it, it's okay." Nobody talks about stuff like that in families. John Prine has a line in a song where he says, "Grandpa's in the backyard staring at a rake, wondering if his marriage was a terrible mistake." I loved that line, because it's so grim. It's a suburban domestic moment, but it's fucking grim. But it's great. It's funny. It makes me laugh.The pub Charlie lived in (photo by Nicholas Pomeroy) "There were hypodermic needles in the fireplace and on the carpets, rats in the basement, the walls were pushed through and copper piping had been ripped out so it leaked whenever it rained." Charlie Fegan, a 24-year-old graduate from Goldsmiths, is describing life on the fringes of London's housing crisis. For the last two years he has been living as a property guardian; paying for the privilege of sleeping in the capital's empty buildings as a security guard by another name. As rents in the city soar, more and more people are turning to property guardianship as an answer to their individual crises. In the last four years the number of agencies in the UK has increased by between 40 and 50 percent, with big multi-national firms like Camelot and Ad Hoc and smaller "social" businesses like Dot Dot Dot all in operation. On the face of it, it seems like a good idea. Guardian agencies approach landlords with empty buildings and offer to fill them with people. Because it's temporary, lasting until a long-term use is found for the building, the guardians pay cheap rent. And because the agency gets money from the guardians, they can offer a cheap service to the landlord. It's sold as a win-win scenario. Cheap rent for the tenants, more or less free security for the landlords, and money for the agencies for doing very little. But there's a catch. The guardians are not in fact tenants, they are "licensees" and they sign contracts to occupy buildings without any of the legal rights a regular short hold tenant is entitled to. The result is a group of companies that ban visitors, enter properties without warning, levy fines for minor violations, arbitrarily confiscate deposits and dish out evictions at ridiculously short notice. "Being a guardian means living in a constant state of anxiety," Charlie tells me from a large three-storey office he's living in, a stone's throw from Tower Bridge. "You have no rights at all. You're essentially paying to be a squatter." A plaque marking the time Her Majesty opened the building hangs on the wall at the entrance to Charlie's current home. It's hard to imagine she was ever here. Across three floors, lights flicker on and off over vast unfurnished rooms. A makeshift kitchen with two ovens and a single washing machine has been set up in the basement for 23 people to use. But compared to what Charlie is used to, this is luxury. Before moving to Tower Bridge he was living in an old pub in Dalston that had been run down by squatters before the landlord hired a company called Live-in Guardians, the brainchild of former lawyer Arthur Duke, to look after the building. It's not uncommon to hear guardians complain about the condition of the places they are put in, but this place was beyond the pale. "I was desperate and glad to have a roof over my head but I can't describe how bad it was," Charlie says. "We had no gas and none of the overhead lights worked. In my bedroom there was a hole through the window. The property owners were redeveloping the building into multi-storeyed flats and were doing ground testing while we lived there. Builders were there from nine to five with huge jackhammers. It was like living in a mine. All day long the house would shake." (Photo courtesy of Charlie) Live-in Guardians insist every property is looked over and made habitable before guardians move in. But, according to Charlie, the building was "extremely unsafe". "One day I arrived at the pub after a call from my house mate Rowan to find the power had gone off," Charlie says. "When I went down into the basement there was thick smoke and all the electrics were on fire. There were no smoke alarms in the building and the fire brigade said that if we were upstairs sleeping they'd be pulling out dead bodies. These guys are evil and the schemes they offer are a ticking time bomb. It's not long until somebody is hurt or gets killed." Charlie's story doesn't end there. In the contracts most guardians sign, they are told they will have two weeks to pack up their lives and leave when the landlord takes back possession of the building. But in his case even this narrow time-frame seems to have meant nothing. A few months after the Tower Bridge property was opened, Live-in Guardians asked everyone inside to leave with just 48 hours notice. "Last Friday we were told we had two days to get out," Charlie says, visibly exhausted. "The emotional and psychological impact of feeling so precarious is unbearable. It's draining, constantly looking out the window, waiting to be evicted." (Photo author's own) When I contacted Arthur Duke, Live-in Guardians CEO, I was offered a very different version of events to the one Charlie described. I was told an electrician had rewired the pub and certified it as safe before the guardians moved in. I was told a small electrical fire had been caused by a storm and a resultant flood. And I was told a wireless radio linked smoke alarm had alerted the guardians to the problem. "The safety of our Guardians is paramount and we take the matter very seriously," Duke said. "We have a Property Inspector who has 30 years' experience in the London Fire Brigade who undertakes surprise inspections at all our properties." But these are claims Charlie and all his housemates' dispute. They say there was no fire alarm or storm, just a squalid building offered to "desperate" guardians. Inside a guarded property (Photo author's own) Whatever way you look at it, Charlie's experience is a stark contrast to the way property guardianship is usually presented in the media as some kind of bourgeois lifestyle decision; an adventure for those with an appetite for urban shabbiness. In the companies' promotional material, rather than shots of decaying pubs and dilapidated office blocks occupied by poor people, you get a slide-show of kooky locations, exposed brick and fixed-gear bikes, as if living in a guardian scheme is like going to an artisan coffee shop. But Charlie's story is by no means peculiar, and the quality of the accommodation is far from the only problem. Holly Cozens, a 31-year-old from Brighton was living with Camelot - the largest guardian agency in the market - in an old convent to save up money to rent on the private market. "From my experience and from the other people that lived there, the fundamental problem was that they never give their deposits back to anyone," she told me over the phone. "The other problem was that they can chuck you out for anything. Somebody I knew had an ashtray in the house. They hadn't smoked inside but they kept the ashtray in their room. When Camelot saw it they asked him to leave. There was no chance to talk to them or discuss anything, you just had to go. Nor would they fix any of the things that would break. When one of the showers stopped working, we had 20 people all using the same one. Everybody would be emailing them but it would take them ages to get back." Mike Goldsmith, Camelot's Chief Operating Officer, denies the company confiscates deposits arbitrarily. "Unless there is a legitimate reason to make a deduction Camelot will always re-pay guardian deposits," he told me. "We are also in the process of putting together an SLA [Service-Level Agreement] which will give targeted times to react to issues such as broken showers." A "ghost-mansion" in London (Photo by Simon Childs) While Camelot may be improving as company, nobody seems to be sure whether core aspects of property guardianship are even legal. Guardian agencies remain convinced that by distinguishing between tenancy and licence they are doing nothing wrong in circumscribing basic housing rights. But a deeper look at the law suggests the distinction doesn't get them as far as they think. Take the issue of eviction. A guardian may not be a tenant, but they still qualify as a "residential occupier", which means the 1977 Protection from Eviction Act (PEA) still applies. Almost all the guardians I spoke to had been thrown out with two weeks warning or less (although some agencies, like Camelot, have changed to offer longer notices). Giles Peaker, a specialist housing lawyer at Anthony Gold Solicitors, told me, "That means that in order to get somebody out there has to be, firstly 28 days notice. And secondly, if the person does not go, the only way they can be got out is by a court order." So, those two-week notice periods are on shakey legal ground, and if guardians were to contest it, their agencies would have to take them to court to get them out of a property. The guardian agencies are unsurprisingly keen to keep this quiet. If landlords had to wait a whole month to get their property back, would they bother with a guardian scheme in the first place? The poor conditions and dubious legalities are bad enough, but what's worse is that guardian companies like to present themselves as offering creative solutions to the housing crisis - bringing empty buildings back into use as homes at a rate people can actually afford. And people tend to agree with them. Last year Camelot was even allowed to sponsor an Empty Homes conference put on by Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity. But guardian services sell themselves as anti-squatting services. Squatting is a common response to homelessness, but without convincing landlords and councils that squatting is bad, the service guardian agencies offer is redundant. That's why on their websites squatters are portrayed as a threat while guardians are stylised as "key workers" and "creatives" happy to pay their way. The reality, of course, is that they are talking about the same group: people that cannot afford decent housing because wages are too low and rent is too high. Ironically, businesses are outsourcing anti-squatting services to people who might otherwise have been squatters. "I'm completely ideologically opposed to guardianship but I had no other option that I could afford," says Charlie. "I had just graduated and was trying to find a job. It was dark, though - the people who had lived there before, where are they now?" Robin Hood Gardens (Photo author's own) And it's not always derelict pubs or empty office blocks that guardians are asked to occupy. Often they end up in council houses that have been cleared, pending demolition to be turned into luxury apartments for the well off and by-to-let landlords. Guardians become a physical part of the same process that means that they can't afford a proper home in the first place: gentrification. This is the position that a 42-year-old council worker who we'll call "James" finds himself in. He's living as a guardian with agency Dot Dot Dot at Robin Hood Gardens, a brutalist council estate that's soon to be pulled down. James told me, "I'm very aware of who we are and what this represents. But gentrification will happen whether we live here or not. I think we've integrated into the community as much as possible; there's been no animosity towards us." Nevertheless, while there are plenty of reasons to criticise guardian schemes, a lot of people continue to find them attractive, or at least necessary. "I think this is one of many solutions to the housing crisis," a friend of mine living as a guardian told me from a run-down office above a car garage in Camden. "It's not a long-term solution. But it allows people who are trapped in a life of paying rent, who will struggle to ever earn enough money to afford a house [to afford a place to live]. And with that comes risk. If I come back from a holiday and find my stuff on the porch then that's the risk I'm taking." This seems to be an example of the nose-diving aspirations of today's graduate, one without a future beyond unpaid internships and sleeping in old fire stations and closed infirmaries, locked in a long struggle for financial independence. No genuine solution to the housing crisis would look like this. But as long as London is a city where for many finding a home is impossible, guardian schemes will continue to serve a purpose. @PKleinfeld More responses to the housing crisis: A Depressing Tour of London's Ghost Mansions Sneaking Into Brighton's New Homeless Shipping Container Ghetto Everyone in the UK Still Hates SquattersIn the summer of 1971 Frank Zappa was playing to a packed audience inside Switzerland’s Montreux Casino when a fan threw a flare and set the room ablaze. Zappa, wielding his Gibson guitar like an axe, broke the casino’s windows, and two thousand screaming teenagers poured out. Watching from their hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva, members of the band Deep Purple saw the flames. They captured the moment with the song ‘Smoke on the Water’, etching it forever into the annals of the Montreux Jazz Festival. In 2013 it also became part of the first audiovisual archive in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. Now ‘Smoke on the Water’ is making history again. This September, it was one of the first items from the Memory Of the World archive to be stored in the form of DNA and then played back with 100% accuracy. The project was a joint effort between the University of Washington, Microsoft and Twist Bioscience, a San Francisco-based DNA manufacturing company. The demonstration was billed as a ‘proof of principle’ – which is shorthand for successful but too expensive to be practical. At least for now. Many pundits predict it’s just a matter of time till DNA pips magnetic tape as the ultimate way to store data. It’s compact, efficient and resilient. After all, it has been tweaked over billions of years into the perfect repository for genetic information. It will never become obsolete, because as long as there is life on Earth, we will be interested in decoding DNA. “Nature has optimised the format,” says Twist Bioscience’s chief technology officer Bill Peck. Players like Microsoft, IBM and Intel are showing signs of interest. In April, they joined other industry, academic and government experts at an invitation-only workshop (cosponsored by the U.S. Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA)) to discuss the practical potential for DNA to solve humanity’s looming data storage crisis. It’s a big problem that’s getting bigger by the minute. According to a 2016 IBM Marketing Cloud report, 90% of the data that exists today was created in just the past two years. Every day, we generate another 2.5 quintillion (2.5 × 1018) bytes of information. It pours in from high definition video and photos, Big Data from particle physics, genomic sequencing, space probes, satellites, and remote sensing; from think tanks, covert surveillance operations, and Internet tracking algorithms. Every day, we generate another 2.5 quintillion bytes of information. Right now all those bits and bytes flow into gigantic server farms, onto spinning hard drives or reels of state-of-the-art magnetic tape. These physical substrates occupy a lot of space. Compare this to DNA. The entire human genome, a code of three billion DNA base pairs, or in data speak, 3,000 megabytes, fits into a package that is invisible to the naked eye – the cell’s nucleus. A gram of DNA — the size of a drop of water on your fingertip — can store at least the equivalent of 233 computer hard drives weighing more than 150 kilograms. To store the all the genetic information in a human body — 150 zettabytes — on tape or hard drives, you’d need a facility covering thousands, if not millions of square feet. And then there’s durability. Of the current storage contenders, magnetic tape has the best lifespan, at about 10-20 years. Hard drives, CDs, DVDs and flash drives are less reliable, often failing within five to ten years. DNA has proven that it can survive thousands of years unscathed. In 2013, for example, the genome of an early horse relative was reconstructed from DNA from a 700,000-year-old bone fragment found in the Alaskan permafrost. So if it’s kept reasonably cool and dry — say, stashed on a shelf in the Svalbard global seed vault near the North Pole — a DNA data archive could last for tens of thousands of years with no need for maintenance. So the DNA copy of ‘Smoke on the Water’ will last a long time, but how did the scientists turn a song into a molecule in the first place?” First, the digital music file was translated from a series of 1s and 0s into the letters of the DNA alphabet, the bases A,C, T and G -- for example 00 for A, 01 for C, 10 for T and 11 for G. Then the sequences of letters were assembled into short DNA phrases with indexing information added to keep it all in the right order. Using these coding sequences, the DNA was manufactured letter by letter with chemical reactions, and then stored in a test tube. Recommended Scientists encode video in DNA of live bacteria Technology To retrieve the information, the DNA was run through a sequencing machine to read the exact order of the DNA bases. It was then decoded to produce the original binary data. Finally, the musical file was played back error-free to an audience of Montreux Jazz fans last September 29th in Lausanne, Switzerland. ‘Smoke on the Water’ is not the first piece of digital information stored as DNA. In 2012 and 2013, separate teams from Harvard, led by George Church, and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), led by Ewan Birney and Nick Goldman, independently stored digital data in DNA. The Harvard sample contained the draft of a 50,000-word book on synthetic biology. The European sample contained a colour image, Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets, an excerpt from Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech and the classic 1953 paper on DNA structure by Watson and Crick. Since those two seminal studies, the cost has come down significantly, particularly for DNA sequencing. Synthesis still has some catching up to do. Right now it costs 10 cents per letter to synthesise DNA (three if you’re buying in bulk). Twist Bioscience CEO Emily LeProust estimates that will have to fall to 0.001 cents per letter before DNA can realistically compete with magnetic tape for long-term storage. A big infusion of cash and a lucrative market outlook might provide the needed impetus. The second barrier is technical: DNA synthesis and sequencing techniques can each introduce certain types of errors, and the code that translates the 1s and 0s into DNA letters needs to be crafted so as to eliminate these. Computer scientists have caught on and joined the fray. The annual IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (a major coders’ convention) now has a session specifically dedicated to coding for DNA storage. In April 2016, a team of researchers at Microsoft and the University of Washington stored a record 200 megabytes of data — a music video of the band OK Go, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in more than 100 languages, the top 100 books of Project Gutenberg and the Crop Trust’s seed database — on DNA synthesised at Twist Bioscience. Their encoding approach employed common error correction schemes used in computing. They also devised a way to identify and sequence specific pieces of information without the having to sequence the entire record. “We’re using something we know from computers – how to correct memory errors – and applying that back to nature,” said University of Washington professor Luis Ceze. In March 2017, Yaniv Erlich from Columbia University and Dina Zielinski from the New York Genome Centre coded six data files data using a new algorithm that was able to encode significantly more data per nucleotide than previous methods, and still returned the original files with 100% accuracy. Their “DNA Fountain” technique customised an algorithm for streaming video on smartphones and resulted in a record 215 petabytes (215 million gigabytes) per gram of DNA. At that density, all the data ever recorded by humans would fit in a container about the size of two pickup trucks. nearly half of all films made before 1951 have been lost because they were stored on celluloid. Because writing and reading DNA is still relatively slow, early applications will be archival. But there are plenty of candidates for that, including scientific Big Data, legal and regulatory records, and archives like the UNESCO Memory of the World. Microsoft Research says it is planning to build a proto-commercial DNA storage system within three years. Technicolor, the global media and entertainment tech company, is funding research in Church’s group at Harvard with archiving in mind; nearly half of all films made before 1951 have been lost because they were stored on celluloid. It’s not far-fetched to imagine all-in-one DNA data systems, in which the binary data are fed in at one end, synthesised into DNA and stored, then extracted, sequenced and sent out the other end as binary data once again. “We are working on architectures that integrate the synthesiser, the actual "library" and the reader/sequencer, with the goal of developing a complete system,” says Ceze. Other researchers are finding ways to keep the DNA stable as long as possible. Robert Grass, a scientist in ETH Zurich’s functional materials laboratory, is working on a method to encapsulate DNA in minuscule silica beads. “Similar to fossilised bones, we wanted to protect the information-bearing DNA with a synthetic ‘fossil’ shell,” he says. To test the durability of the beads, they heated them to about 70 degrees Celsius for one week, the equivalent of keeping it for 2,000 years at about 10 degrees. Which brings us back to the music. Keeping important archives like the UNESCO Memory of the World in a format that could be stashed away for a couple thousand years or more, even if it is relatively expensive in the short term, sounds like a good idea. “The UNESCO archive provides the perfect use-case for testing our approach,” Ceze says. When Deep Purple wrote “we’ll never forget / smoke on the water, fire in the sky”, they may have been more right than they knew.During a highly anticipated speech at the Rose Garden, climate denier President Donald Trump announced that the United States of America will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement secured under Barack Obama’s leadership. President Trump stated that the accord was “bad” and poorly negotiated by the Obama administration, and that he “is keeping his campaign promise to put American workers first.” Part of Trump’s speech read, ”The Paris Accord is a BAD deal for Americans, and the President’s action today is keeping his campaign promise to put American workers first. The accord was negotiated poorly by the Obama administration and signed out of desperation. It frontloads costs on the American people to the detriment of our economy.” Before the announcement was officially made, Donald Trump was cited by The Daily Best telling congressional staffers on a conference call that he is withdrawing from the Paris accord. Energy policy adviser for the White House, Michael Catanzaro, confirmed that “the United States is getting out of the Paris agreement.” Catanzaro added that Trump “will be open to and will immediately be looking for a better deal.” Reportedly, the Trump administration will follow steps for withdrawal laid out in the agreement. In total, says Catanzaro, removing the U.S. from the deal will take four years. “But we’re going to make very clear to the world that we’re not going to be abiding by what the previous administration agreed to,” he said. Despite the fact that countries such as Costa Rica run on 100% renewable energy and Denmark once generated 400% of the power it needs from wind turbines, the Trump administration remains resistant to transitioning the U.S. to run on renewable energy resources. This is because President Trump, a businessman, believes that energy sourced from fossil fuels is the solution to making America great again – and he thinks climate change is a “hoax” invented by the Chinese. Related: China says they’ll stay in the Paris Agreement – with or without Trump At the time of its signing, 195 countries, including the United States, pledged to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change in order to prevent global catastrophes which may result from rising temperatures. President Barack Obama committed America to a goal of lowering emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. The broad aim was to increase these cuts over time. With the United States exiting the Paris Agreement, carbon emissions are likely to increase, potentially propelling global disasters resulting from rising sea levels, severe weather conditions, and increased temperatures. On a positive note, China and the European Union are prepared to publicly recommit to the agreement with or without the United States. Also, Trump cannot technically withdraw from the agreement until November of 2019. Finally, many U.S.-based companies, including Apple, have ambitious goals to run on 100% clean energy in the near future. With support from educated consumers, the U.S. may reach its previously contracted emissions goal with or without the President’s support. Via CNN Images via Pixabay, Wikimedia Creative CommonsNew South Korean President Moon Jae-in will visit the White House next month for a summit with President Donald Trump amid worries over North Korea's progress in building a nuclear and missile arsenal. The agreement for the leaders to meet in late June followed a meeting in Seoul between Chung Eui-yong, Moon's foreign policy adviser, and Matt Pottinger, US National Security Council director for East Asia, said Moon's spokesman Yoon Young-chan. Tuesday's announcement came days after North Korea successfully tested a powerful new missile that analysts believe could reach Alaska when perfected. Yoon said Chung and Pottinger in their meeting reaffirmed that Seoul and Washington shares a common goal in the "complete discarding" of North Korean nuclear weapons and will pursue "all methods, including sanctions and dialogue" to reach the goal. The allies agreed that dialogue with North Korea could happen under the "right conditions," he said. A date and other specifics of the summit are still to be decided, Yoon said. "We will prepare the summit meeting so it could serve as an opportunity for both leaders to develop their personal bond and friendship." Liberal South Korean President Moon Jae-in favours a softer approach to North Korea than his conservative predecessors and has offered to visit Pyongyang if the circumstances are right. But Washington is Seoul's closest ally and military protector, and the North's rising nuclear and missile tests make close co-ordination crucial.Charlotte, N.C.’s own Funky Geezer has something to say to N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory, “Since your nose is in my business, you know, could you give me a little wipe? Down there?” - - - advertisement - - - Related: Charlotte business selling McCrory urinal covers Funky Geezer, who many will recognize from his appearance on “America’s Got Talent,” recently uploaded his song “Governor Pat McCrory is the Groin Police” in response to North Carolina passing the anti-LGBT and anti-worker HB2, which allows for the discrimination of LGBT individuals in places of business, as well as prohibiting transgender individuals from using the bathroom that coincides with their gender identity. McCrory signed the bill into law shortly after its passage in both the Senate and the House. - - - advertisement - - - Funk Geezer sings: Pat McCrory don’t get no glory for telling me where to poop Stop trying to be the groin police, stay out of our bathroom All we want are homes and roads, schools and sometimes food So Pat McCrory don’t get no glory for telling us where to poop Learn more about the man behind the song: The Funky Geezer from Charlotte ViewPoint on Vimeo. 153 SHARES Facebook Twitter - - - advertisement - - - Posted by Jeff Taylor / Social Media Editor Jeff Taylor is a journalist and artist. In addition to QNotes, his work has appeared in publications such The Charlotte Observer, Creative Loafing Charlotte, Inside Lacrosse, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. He graduated from the State University of New York at Brockport and has lived in Charlotte since 2006.@jefftaylorhuman.My uncle ordered popovers from the restaurant’s bill of fare. And, when they were served, he regarded them with a penetrating stare Then he spoke great Words of Wisdom as he sat there on that chair: “To eat these things,” said my uncle, “you must exercise great care. You may swallow down what’s solid BUT you must spit out the air!” And as you partake of the world’s bill of fare, that’s darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air. And be careful what you swallow. ———————————— Dr. Seuss Keeps Me Guessing Here is the background to Dr. Seuss’s unpredictable speaking engagement, as told by the Lake Forest President Emeritus Eugene Hotchkiss III in 2004. As Theodor Geisel (a.k.a Dr. Seuss) stepped forward to join me at the podium on a bright spring day in 1977, I began nervously to read the citation accompanying the degree the College would be awarding him on this occasion. Although he was listed in the program as the Commencement speaker, I was uncertain if he would accept his degree with anything more than a thank you. And thereby hangs a tale. The search for a Commencement speaker that year had been unusually frustrating and unsuccessful; one after another of those recommended by the seniors declined. I recall to this day the visit from a reporter of the Stentor, who was preparing copy for the final issue of the year. He pled unsuccessfully with me to give him the name of the individual who would address the graduating class. Alas, at that late hour not even I knew who he or she might be. Suddenly I recalled that a trustee of the College, Kenneth Montgomery, had once told me that should I ever need a speaker he would be willing to approach his good friend Ted Geisel and invite him to the campus. “Green eggs and ham,” thought I. “Why not?” A phone contact was made by Trustee Montgomery, who told me that Mr. Geisel would be pleased to be honored at the Commencement ceremony. I quickly informed the Stentor, and the word was out: Dr. Seuss would be the Commencement speaker. The seniors were elated, but I was told that some faculty expressed the opinion that my choice just proved that the Seuss books were likely the last ones I had ever read! Still, I relaxed until, responding to a formal invitation I had written describing the nature of Commencement and his talk, Mr. Geisel called to say that there must have been a mistake. He thought he was being asked to receive a degree, not to talk. “I talk with people, not to people,” he declared, and if, he continued, I was proposing that he give an address, there had been a grave mistake. No, he reported just days before Commencement, he would not agree to speak. As I pondered my choices I grasped onto his statement to me, and I urged him to arrive early Friday afternoon so that he might talk with the graduates at the senior reception. And then, talking with him in person, I would attempt to persuade him to talk to the graduates, albeit if only briefly. He agreed to come to the campus as early has he could on Friday, although because he lived in California and would be flying against the clock, the odds of a timely arrival were slim indeed. The events on the day preceding Commencement were several, and each was surreptitiously extended so that the reception would be delayed, anticipating Mr. Geisel’s late arrival. Happily, shortly after the now-delayed reception began, he joined my wife, Sue, and me in the receiving line and did indeed talk with the graduates and many others, even autographing some well-loved Dr. Seuss books. Still, I wondered, would he be willing to say anything from the podium the next day? Both before and after dinner that Friday evening, I talked with him informally, hoping the influence of good wine might soften his resolve as it strengthened mine. I urged him to respond following the awarding of his degree, but he did not waiver. Perhaps the best that could be made of a desperate situation, thought I, was to announce at the Commencement that, as he requested, he had indeed talked with the graduates on Friday and to thank him for his cordiality. The evening came to an end - well, almost, for I did not sleep well that night, and I could hear the seniors partying and, undoubtedly, discussing the talk their much-liked Dr. Seuss would give. On Commencement morning, as the honored guests robed in their academic regalia, I again asked Mr. Geisel if he would be willing to say but a few words, acknowledging his degree. Still his silence was penetrating. Finally the time came to read his citation. As I reached its end and as Faculty Marshals Rosemary Cowler and Franz Schulze stepped forth to place the hood over his head, I spoke these penultimate words, for which I must credit my wife, Sue: “We proclaim you not the ‘Cat in the Hat’ but the ‘Seuss in the Noose’.” And then I awarded him the College’s degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa. At that moment, fearing his response, I shook his hand in a whisper and asked him if he would be willing to say a few words. He reached under his academic gown, announcing loudly for all to hear that it was “a bathrobe,” pulled out a piece of paper from his shirt pocket and turned to the microphone. And the rest, as they say, is history.We just bought one of these to add to a new 39" TV we recently bought for our bedroom. It was on sale for $48 at Walmart. Our purpose was to have a little more sound than is provided by the TV speakers. This did the trick. I mean, come on! $48?!? What do you think you're going to get for $48? I would have given in 5 stars but I tend to agree with some of the other reviewers that calling "reverb" "virtual surround sound" is somewhat of a stretch. Having said that though, if you're watching an HD movie or a DVD/Blue-ray movie, it's still better having the Surround on than it is off. If you're watching the news, then I would turn it off. All in all, I'm very satisfied with this because it's all I expected it to be. I see no reason to pan this with a 1 or 2 star review (or even 3 star), considering its cost.UPDATE: Upon further inspection of my box of random awesomeness, I have found: one red crayon, two bent paper clips, a tiny piece of scrap fabric, one doll shoe and a dead bug. I'm dying. Seriously. Couldn't love it more. Oh Secret Santa! You are a clever one! To quote part of my reddit gifts description: "I'm really easy to shop for. I love all kinds of little do-dads and gadgets....I'm into so many things. Art, makeup, home decorating, crafts and some nerdy stuff too." Imagine my excitement when the doorbell rang at 9am this morning. My son, still home because of a late arrival day at school, races downstairs and says, "Oh, it's just a delivery." faint JUST A DELIVERY!!!! It could be my Secret Santa gift. "Go get it", I say. "NO WAY! I'm in my underwear!!!". I reply, "Well, so am I!!!" So, I put on some pants and run to the door. Sure enough, I see C/O Mompom and do the happy Secret Santa dance around the room. Let's see what we've got!!!!Update: SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is now in orbit en route to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage successfully reached the drone ship, but landed too hard for recovery according to Elon Musk. SpaceX will make a second attempt at history when it tries to land a rocket on a floating ocean barge. SpaceX will attempt to become the first in history to achieve
it with horror via energetic, onrushing prose; but to meld the former with the latter is just too much. Maybe by the time he gets to 1977 he will have calmed down some.ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A man has been taken into custody after driving his snowmobile into two dog teams competing in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race early Saturday morning, killing one dog and injuring at least three others.Mushers Aliy Zirkle and four-time champion Jeff King said they were attacked outside the village of Nulato, a community of 236 on the Yukon River, a little more than halfway into the 1,000-mile race to Nome.The crashes killed one of King's dogs -- Nash -- and injured at least two others 12 miles outside of Nulato. One of Zirkle's dogs also was injured.Alaska State Troopers say 26-year-old Arnold Demoski of Nulato is being held on two counts of assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and six counts of criminal mischief.An apologetic Demoski told the Alaska Dispatch News that he had not intentionally driven into the dog teams, but he had blacked out while returning from drinking in another village."I don't care if people know if I was drinking and driving," Demoski told the paper. "I'm really glad [Zirkle] and [King] are OK, and I really feel sorry for Nash."Race officials said Zirkle, currently running in third place, was approaching Nulato when a person on a snowmobile repeatedly attempted to harm her by turning around multiple times and making passes at her before driving off.She said she thought the man on the snowmobile was trying to kill her.King was behind Zirkle -- 12 miles from Nulato -- and said the snowmobile nearly missed him before smashing into several of his dogs from behind at high speed."I don't know how he could have not known I was there," King told the Alaska Dispatch News. "I think I was more of a target."King, who said he would continue the race, told the paper that he found a piece of the snowmachine and turned it in to authorities in Nulato."As soon as I woke up this morning, I heard about what happened," Demoski told the paper. "I went to check my sno-go. The front panel was missing. I knew it was me right off [the] bat. I called the [village public safety officer] right off, told him it was me. I told him I'd do whatever they want me to do. I'll tell the troopers whatever they want to know. I feel really bad for what I did."Nash, a 3-year-old male, was killed almost instantly, King said. Crosby, another 3-year-old male, suffered a leg injury, and Banjo, a 2-year-old male, was knocked unconscious but is expected to survive.King said he loaded the dogs onto a trailer attached to his sled after giving first-aid to the two that survived."It literally took as long as a snowmachine takes to go 80 mph the length of a dog team," King told the Alaska Dispatch News. "It's a millisecond...."He didn't turn around. He didn't slow down."Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, which is strongly opposed to any experimentation on chimpanzees, said, “We’re tremendously encouraged.” He said the report’s “overarching conclusion was that chimps are largely unnecessary” for research, and that the report and N.I.H. action could influence two other continuing efforts to stop research on chimps. One is the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act of 2011, now before both houses of Congress. Another is a petition before the federal Fish and Wildlife Service to declare captive chimpanzees endangered, as wild chimpanzees are. The exemption has allowed research to continue and permits the use of chimpanzees in entertainment and as pets. “ ‘Endangered’ stops all those uses,” Mr. Pacelle said, and the report’s skeptical assessment of the value of chimps in research would provide support for the Fish and Wildlife Service to categorize all chimps as endangered. At the same time, people involved in chimp research said they, too, were happy. Dr. Thomas Rowell, director of the New Iberia Research Center in New Iberia, La., which houses 471 chimpanzees, more than any other center in the country, also said he was “quite pleased” with the report. “It just confirms what we’ve been saying all along in regard to the chimpanzee model for advancing public health research,” he said, referring to the necessity of the chimpanzee for some research on public health. Photo Dr. Collins said the N.I.H. would set up a working group to decide how to carry out the recommendations. Until the group finishes its deliberations, no new grants would be awarded and all N.I.H. chimpanzees that are not already enrolled in experiments would not be involved in any further research projects. Dr. Collins did not offer a timeline or say how many chimpanzees were currently involved in research. Use of chimpanzees has already been waning, partly because it is expensive. The report covers only chimps owned or supported by the government, 612 of a total of 937 chimps available for research in the United States. Only a few are in experiments at any one time. The committee identified two areas where it said the use of chimpanzees could be necessary. One is research on a preventive vaccine for hepatitis C. The committee could not agree on whether this research fit the criteria and so left that decision open. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. In the second area, research on immunology involving monoclonal antibodies, the committee concluded that experimenting on chimps was not necessary because of new technology, but because the new technology was not widespread, projects now under way should be allowed to reach completion. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The report offered two sets of criteria, one for biomedical experiments, which it said could be considered necessary when there was no other way to do the research — with other animals, lab techniques or human subjects — and if not doing the research would “significantly slow or prevent important advancements to prevent, control and/or treat life-threatening or debilitating conditions.” For behavioral and genomic experiments, the report recommended that the research should be done on chimps only if the animals are cooperative, and in a way that minimizes pain and distress. It also said that the studies should “provide otherwise unattainable insight into comparative genomics, normal and abnormal behavior, mental health, emotion or cognition.” The report also recommended that chimpanzees be housed in conditions that are behaviorally, socially and physically appropriate. All United States primate research centers are already accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, and Dr. Kahn said that this accreditation meets the committee’s recommendation. That was one area where the Humane Society disagreed with the report. “That language,” said Mr. Pacelle, referring to the requirements for adequate cages and enclosures, “was disappointing to us,” because it could mean that chimps that were not in experiments would stay at research centers. “I’m arguing for the movement of all of them to the sanctuaries,” he said, where large open enclosures are much more common. The N.I.H. commissioned the report after an outcry over its plan in 2010 to move a colony of chimpanzees it owned out of semiretirement in Alamogordo, N.M., and back into medical research at a primate center in Texas.BARCLAYS CENTER – Dozens of college coaches told Derrick White was too small, and not a single four-year school offered him a scholarship. His basketball career probably would have been over if not for one D-II coach who saw enough talent to give the scrawny six footer a roster spot. Five inches taller and five years later, White has found a home in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs. The moment Derrick White found out he was going to be a Spurpic.twitter.com/VOo8uYzrTq — Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) June 23, 2017 White’s late growth spurt gave him the physical tools he needed to climb all the way to a D-I program, and climb he did. The 22-year old combo guard showcased his well-rounded skill set in his only year at the D-I level, averaging 18.3 points, 4.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.4 blocks per game for the Colorado Buffaloes. Three in D1 college basketball to average 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists & 1 block last 20 years Dwyane Wade Markelle Fultz DERRICK WHITE — San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) June 23, 2017 Those numbers put him in elite company, but it’s the way he put up those numbers that makes him an intriguing prospect and great organizational fit for San Antonio. White is a cerebral player with a fantastic feel for the game. He runs the pick and roll at a high level, dissects defenses both on and off the ball, and instinctively jumps into passing lanes to grab steals. The Spurs always put an emphasis on making the right basketball play, and clearly they were impressed by White’s understanding of the game. Part of that high basketball IQ is excellent shot selection, which helped White shoot 57% from the floor and 40% from beyond the arc in his senior season. He shoots the three well off the catch and off the dribble, and he punishes aggressive closeouts with even more aggressive drives and dunks. Buford on White: "You don't find 80 (FT%), 50 (FG%), 40 (3PT%) guys in college very often." — Paul Garcia (@PaulGarciaNBA) June 23, 2017 Once his greatest weaknesses, his size, is now one of his biggest assets. He scans the floor better from his elevated vantage point, and slings passes over smaller defenders with his long arms. His height and wingspan allow him to play both guard positions effectively, and that versatility is incredibly valuable. Spurs Assistant GM Brian Wright on White: "You don't have to pigeon hole him into position." Said White can play PG some nights, SG others — Paul Garcia (@PaulGarciaNBA) June 23, 2017 White has a rare combination of smarts, size and skill that makes him special. He seems to know exactly what he needs to do in every situation, and has the ability to execute. Still, it was a bit of a surprise that the Spurs selected White at 29. He was projected as a mid-second round pick, and there were other guards available. The next two picks were Josh Hart from Villanova and Frank Jackson out of Duke; two great shooting guards from fantastic programs. Only time will tell if the Spurs made the right decision to pick White over those other two, but San Antonio’s front office seems excited about their new combo guard. "He's not only stepped up, but excelled as he's moved up the food chain." – RC Buford on Derrick White's journey — San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) June 23, 2017 R.C. Buford on Derrick White: "He's a very mature guard. He's just a good basketball player." #Spurs — Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) June 23, 2017 Buford on White: "We think he can defend at a higher level." RC said b/c White was main scorer for COL, couldn't put too much energy on D — Paul Garcia (@PaulGarciaNBA) June 23, 2017 These comments offer some insight as to why the Spurs decided to take White over the others. They value his versatility and efficiency. They expect him to play better defense because he won’t have to carry too much of the offensive load. His improbable and meteoric rise in such a short time means that his ceiling could be much higher than he’s been given credit for. The pick also addressed a need of sorts for the Spurs. Tony Parker isn’t going to return to the court until midway through next season, and Patty Mills might leave in free agency. Dejounte Murray is the future at the point guard position, but he’s just 20 and will need a backup. Danny Green is on the trading block, and Manu Ginobili will either retire or return at 40 years old. This is the most uncertainty San Antonio has had in their backcourt in quite some time, and White provides versatile depth along with his significant upside. The Spurs also needed to add some rebounding and rim protection, and they did just that by drafting Jaron Blossomgame with the second-to-last pick in the draft. The 6’7″ Clemson graduate is undersized as a power forward, but more than makes up for it with his 6’10” wingspan and explosive athleticism. His game truly did blossom (I’m sorry) in his junior year, as he shot 44% from three point range en route to being named the ACC’s Most Improved Player. That percentage dropped to just 25.5% in his senior year, and I asked the new Spur what he needs to do to correct that moving forward. “Maybe slight mechanics changes, but constant reps and working on my technique. I’m a better shooter than my numbers showed this year. I think I’m somewhere in between, maybe 35%, but I shot the ball well at the combine, shot the ball well at workouts, and actually at my Spurs workout I shot the ball really well too. I don’t think that’s that big of an area of concern, but it’s something I’m gonna continue to work on along with my ball handling.” The same length and athleticism that makes him a dangerous roll man also allows him to rebound and defend multiple positions well. He’s a high motor player who crashes the boards aggressively and makes a lot of effort plays on defense. There are some inconsistencies to be worked on, but Blossomgame seems excited to be joining the defense-centric culture that the Spurs have built. “I think it’s a great fit for me, obviously being a defensive oriented player, very versatile defensively. Being able to guard multiple positions just like Kawhi Leonard, he guards ones, twos, threes, fours, some fives, and I think I can bring some of the same things defensively. It’s definitely a blessing to be able to play for the Spurs.”(Scott Olson/Getty) EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is Jonah Goldberg’s weekly “news”letter, the G-File. Subscribe here to get the G-File delivered to your inbox on Fridays. Dear Reader (including those of you who feel entitled to a jocular parenthetical statement every frick’n week), #ad#Let me just say I’m in a foul mood. I know, I know, Trump supporters will declare, “Your tears are delicious!” Advertisement Advertisement But that’s not right. Advertisement First, I’m not weeping — that, I suspect, may come later — and my dyspepsia is only partly driven by Trump mania. Save for the joy my daughter and my dogs took from the massive snowstorm, this last week has been an unyielding ass ache. (By the way, when I am czar, I will make “assache” an acceptable one-word compound noun.) One of the most annoying things about Acela-corridor journalism is the assumption that our weather stories — and any other events that inconvenience New Yorkers and Washingtonians — are somehow newsier than events elsewhere. If New York or D.C. had Chicago’s murder rate, we’d be hearing a lot more about the resurgence of crime in America. If roaming bands of wolverines were attacking nuns in Muncie, it’d hit the NBC Nightly News well after the story about an exciting breakthrough in catheter technology. So I for one refuse to be part of that. However, the weather has contributed mightily to my Crom-like contempt for my fellow man. On Wednesday, while driving to get a $15 haircut, I more or less wrecked my car. I’m okay. The other driver is fine, and her car is fine. And no, the dingo wasn’t in the car. Advertisement Still, most expensive haircut I ever had. Then there’s the literal back pain just north of the figurative assache that comes from shoveling snow days on end. Advertisement Then there’s the fact that D.C. handles snow about as well as Bernie Sanders handles questions about the Wu Tang Clan (“Mr. Sanders, how would you describe the totality of Ghostface Killah’s oeuvre?”). Speaking of Sanders, some wag on Twitter noted that the best thing about the run on the grocery stores in blizzard-besieged D.C. is that it gave the Beltway crowd a sense of what it will be like under a Sanders administration. I don’t want to live under a socialist president, but a silver lining would be seeing all those MSNBC hosts waiting in line for toilet paper. D.C.’s Collective-Action Problem Advertisement Part of the problem is that there’s a tragedy of the commons endemic to D.C. during its snow freak-outs. I’m not worried that we will starve to death in our home, our corpses eventually consumed by the cats (and the cats by the dogs). My wife is Alaskan. She can make six kinds of soup from snow. But that is precisely the way many other Washingtonians think. And so they run to the supermarkets like the kids in Red Dawn and grab enough provisions to last them until spring. That leaves sane people with a dilemma: Do you run to the store, too, not out of fear of the snow, but out of concern that the deranged masses will clear the shelves? Irritable Trump Syndrome And then, of course, there’s Trump. But before I get to him, I wonder if you caught what I did above. I said I didn’t want to indulge in Acela-corridor navel-gazing, and then I proceeded to spelunk into the very kind of Beltway omphaloskepsis I condemned. I was, loosely speaking, flirting with apophasis there. Apophasis is a rhetorical device where you bring up something while denying or condemning it. (It shouldn’t be confused with aposiopesis, which is when you...) Advertisement EDITORIAL: Against Trump For instance, you might say, “I do not think the fact that Hillary Clinton put our national security at risk just so she could hide her illegal communications from congressional oversight, journalists, and FOIA requests should be held against her.” Or you might say, “I have no doubt that Bill Clinton is telling the truth. Though I cannot for the life of me figure out why he was pantsless at 3:00 in the morning, trying to push that goat over the fence.” Apophasis came up on Twitter the other day because Donald Trump tweeted: “I refuse to call Megyn Kelly a bimbo, because that would not be politically correct. Instead I will only call her a lightweight reporter!” #related#I was mildly surprised by the number of people who thought Trump’s tweet was clever. But I was truly stunned by the number of idiots who thought he wasn’t calling Megyn Kelly a bimbo. His whole shtick is that he’s a warrior against political correctness. He wasn’t invoking political correctness as a legitimate thing, he was sarcastically hiding behind it. People not enthralled with Trump recognize this as smarmy cowardice. Advertisement Indeed, they would see it plainly if I were to tweet, “I’m not going to call Donald Trump an adulterous cad. That would be politically incorrect. So I’ll just say he’s a moral lightweight!” Advertisement The difference of course is that there’s no evidence that Kelly is a bimbo. There’s ample evidence that Trump cheated on his wife and slept with many married women. What’s the evidence? His own, boastful (!) testimony for starters. My favorite part is that Trump’s “bimbo” tweet came immediately after one in which he condemned Fox’s response to his debate boycott as a “disgrace.” He added, “Who would ever say something so nasty and dumb?” Back to back tweets. pic.twitter.com/WKeWLcqGCP — Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) January 27, 2016 The almost Caligulan narcissism on display here is now familiar to everyone. The truly creepy part is how many conservatives overlook it or celebrate it. The slightest insult to the Donald arouses outrage and dismay from his digital court sycophants, but when he behaves like a boorish and childish lout, all praise and honor is due! Advertisement PC vs. Manners But, as I hope to say one day with more lasting results, enough about Donald. This does raise a point I always try to make when talking to campus conservatives. Rudeness and crudeness are un-PC, but that alone isn’t a defense of rudeness and crudeness. (I made precisely this point back in August about you-know-who.) RELATED: Donald Trump: Thin-Skinned Tyrant Note: Good manners, funnily enough, are sometimes un-PC, too. For instance, I hold doors open for women and try to remember to stand up whenever a woman enters the room. I’m not going to go look for examples, but I have every confidence that there are plenty of feminists out there who think this is some kind of outrage. But what too many people forget is that on a Venn diagram, PC and good manners do overlap to a limited extent. Yes, huge swaths of political correctness amount to cultural-Marxist codswallop and other forms of leftist bullying. But some of it — just some — does have to do with figuring out how to show people respect. And that is exactly what good manners are all about: showing respect. And as someone who sincerely believes William F. Buckley was the most well-mannered man I’ve ever met, I’d hate to see conservatives defenestrate good manners in their indulgence of populist hysteria. RELATED: Trump’s Cult of Personality Is Corrupting Conservatism Look, I’m no absolutist in this regard. Not two minutes ago, I made a joke about a former president of the United States buggering a goat. There are any number of gray areas and subjective fine lines to be drawn. I hold writers — particularly of “news”letters like this one — to a different standard than presidential candidates. Comedians follow a different set of rules than pastors. I have different expectations for Boy Scout leaders than for pimps. That so many people think such boorishness can be justified just because it’s an alleged knock against PC is just another sign of the metastasizing corruption of conservatism. #share# On Eugenics and White Privilege The New Republic recently reviewed Thomas Leonard’s long-awaited Illiberal Reformers: Race, Eugenics and American Economics in the Progressive Era. The reviewer, Malcolm Harris, wrote: I was prompted to revisit the Scopes trial — which, like many Americans, I hadn’t thought about since an 11th grade history final — by a new book from Princeton scholar Thomas C. Leonard. Illiberal Reformers: Race, Eugenics & American Economics in the Progressive Era is hard to classify politically. Conservatives can find a lot to like in Leonard’s research, and at times it feels like a serious, credentialed version of Jonah Goldberg’s screed Liberal Fascism. Among his revelations: The minimum wage was created to destroy jobs; progressives (including the founders of this magazine) really did hate small businesses and they were all way too enthusiastic about Germany’s social structure. But Leonard’s personal politics are hard to read, and at the very least he’s invested in progressivism, writing that it’s “too important to be left to hagiography and obloquy.” As I noted in the Corner, I thought this potshot was kind of funny given that I relied on previous work by Leonard himself for much of my discussion of progressive economics and eugenics. But there are a couple of other points to make. I thought this response to my post from Kevin Drum, whom I generally like, was intriguing and amusing. In a post titled “Enough With the Eugenics Already,” Drum writes: Everybody needs a hobby, but this is sure an odd thing to keep obsessing about. Yes, many early progressives believed in eugenics. Modern liberals aren’t especially proud of this, but we don’t deny it either. There are ugly parts of everyone’s history. So why go on and on about it? If it’s a professional historical field of study for you, sure. Go ahead. But in a political magazine? It might make sense if you’re investigating the roots of current beliefs, but eugenics died an unmourned death nearly a century ago. And no matter what you think of modern liberal views toward abortion or right-to-die laws, nobody can credibly argue that they’re rooted in anything but the opposite of eugenics. Early 20th century progressives supported eugenics out of a belief that it would improve society. Contemporary liberals support abortion rights and right-to-die laws out of a belief in individual rights that flowered in the 60s. So what’s the deal? Is this supposed to be something that will cause the general public to turn against liberals? Or what? It really doesn’t make much sense. Advertisement There is so much one could say in response to this. So I’ll do it rapid-fire. 1. First, Drum is complaining about my talking about eugenics. He’s not complaining about Leonard or even Harris. That’s odd, given that I only brought it up in this context because of Harris’s dumb swipe at me. I also like the claim that I am “obsessing,” as if it’s somehow irrational or weird to care about this stuff. It’s funny how conservatives are so often accused of “obsessing” about things that are inconvenient to liberals. (See: Benghazi, Hillary’s server, Bill Clinton’s pants, etc.) 2. Drum says liberals don’t deny the eugenic roots of progressivism. This strikes me as, at best, a serious exaggeration. To the extent there’s any truth to it at all, it is a very recent development. When my book came out, the very facts that Drum suggests are widely accepted were treated as crackpot by many liberals, and ignored by the rest. Indeed, Leonard’s might be the first popular book to address the issue dead-on and in such detail. I don’t think waving it away as old news is fair. 3. I’ll leave it to Wes Smith and others to wade deeply into the highly contestable claim that modern liberals have no tolerance for eugenics. If Drum had said they reject the sort of racist eugenics that largely defined Progressive Era economic thought, I’d say he’d have firmer legs to stand on. But I don’t hear a lot of meaningful complaints from liberals about designer babies, sex-selective abortion, or the ongoing efforts to eradicate Down’s syndrome in utero. 4. The idea that progressivism’s deep roots in eugenics and race theory have no relevance today strikes me as just plain odd. For example, liberals still revere the Davis-Bacon Act, even though it was an explicitly racist law. 5. Drum’s claim rings particularly odd considering that today’s progressives routinely invoke the very same original progressives as their inspiration. When Barack Obama clinched the Democratic nomination in 2008, he held a rally at the University of Wisconsin, where he proclaimed, “Where better to affirm our ideals than here in Wisconsin, where a century ago the Progressive movement was born?” Is it really so ridiculous to point out that those very same original Wisconsin progressives wanted to keep people like Barack Obama out of the country, never mind the Oval Office? 6. As an intellectual matter alone, all this is worth discussing. For instance, the phrase “social Darwinism” continues to be thrown at the Right. But what people mean by social Darwinism was never a right-wing or conservative value. And the Hitlerite connotation of social Darwinism (which is the exact opposite of the libertarian connotation) far better describes a great many of the founding fathers of progressivism. For a more detailed discussion of this point, see my piece from that other magazine. 7. Another thing worth considering for liberals: What if those racist eugenicists at the University of Wisconsin were right? No, not about the racial-inferiority junk and all that. But what if they were right about the effects of, say, the minimum wage? They wanted a high minimum wage to make it difficult for minorities — black and Chinese workers — to get into the labor market. Shouldn’t liberals, who celebrate these progressives when it comes to their policy legacy on countless other fronts, contemplate the possibility that they were on to something? If intellectual history matters for the Right, it has to matter for the Left, too. 8. This is a major personal peeve, but it’s also a serious point: Why are self-described progressives unburdened by their historical baggage but conservatives are shackled by theirs? If a Republican called himself a “modern Confederate,” liberals would rain hatred and scorn down upon him for associating with long-dead racists (and understandably so). But Hillary Clinton can freely call herself a “modern progressive” and she is immune from any charge that she is associating with long-dead racists. If intellectual history matters for the Right, it has to matter for the Left, too. 9. Relatedly, large swaths of the Left are in a frenzy to catalogue the historical roots of “white privilege.” If that project is only defensible when it inconveniences conservatives, then it is not a serious intellectual project at all. I think the “white privilege” stuff is wildly overdone and is often little more than a b.s. shakedown racket. But to the extent it’s serious, how can you ignore the deep roots the liberal welfare state has in explicit notions of white supremacy? One last point. When Liberal Fascism came out and I was being attacked on all sides, I remember my editor saying something like: Advertisement “Look, everyone’s going to scream about this for a long time. Then, someday, maybe in ten years, a more ‘reasonable’ person will come along and concede about 80 percent of your argument and claim that ‘everyone knows’ that stuff.” We’re not there yet, obviously. And maybe we never will be. But the recent mainstream liberal acceptance that Woodrow Wilson was a bad, bad guy can be traced directly back to Liberal Fascism. I’m not claiming all of the credit, of course. The Claremont gang and the folks at Reason, among others, were beating up on Wilson long before me. But the anti-Wilson argument went mainstream on the right because of Liberal Fascism (largely because Glenn Beck picked up on it). Similarly, the notion that progressives were eugenicists was crazy talk ten years ago. Now, everyone knows it, nothing to see here, move along. I can’t wait to see what becomes old news next. Get Free Exclusive NR Content Various & Sundry I suppose I should have said something about last night’s debate. But, frankly, I just wasn’t in the mood. My short take is that I think Cruz blew it, which I think is unfortunate if he’s the only one who can slow Trump’s march to victory in Iowa. I’m not sure that’s the case, though. Bush had a very good night, but I don’t think that matters very much. And Rubio helped himself enough that he may be on his way to at least a much better than expected finish. I will say I am delighted that the ratings for the debate crushed Trump’s event and disproved the Trumpian predictions. Already his defenders are moving the goalposts, saying it was the second-worst rated debate. Okay. It was also the sixth debate. I’ve always thought Trump helped the ratings, but his claims that it was all him were always ridiculous. The first undercard debate — in which he did not appear — got three times the ratings of debates in the 2012 cycle. Republicans were energized even before Trump got in. What Trump does deserve a lot of credit for is the fact Republicans are energized and divided like never before, as I wrote earlier this week. Dingo Update: As I said above, the dogs are loving the snow — too much. When I take them to the park, it’s almost impossible to get them back in the car, and when I do manage it I have to use guile. “Oh look, a squirrel with a limp! Come look!” only works so often. One of the downsides of the storm is that it has exposed Pippa’s IQ as somewhat lower than I realized. She is perfectly content to “fetch” snowballs indefinitely. The fact that they disappear or disintegrate is no deterrence of any kind. More and more she is reminding me of Fredo from The Godfather. Sweet and gentle, sure. But there’s no Don Corleone in there. Sometimes she looks at me and I expect her to say, “I can handle things! I’m smart! Not dumb like everybody says!” We did have one nasty moment. The raccoons got into our garbage and scattered the remnants around the back porch. Pippa saw the remains of Chinese spare rib. But so did Zoë. The old expression “fighting like two dogs over a bone” isn’t exactly apposite, because Pippa can’t or won’t fight back. It’s the first time the Dingo showed any real aggression to the spaniel in months. She gave the poor girl a nasty bump on her snout. But fear not, all is well between them now. Upcoming Events: I leave shortly for the FEE event in Florida. I’ll be back in Florida in March to speak at the James Madison Institute. Details here. And a few days after that, I’ll be at the Pacific Research Institute’s Baroness Thatcher Dinner (details here). Debby’s Friday links The Arkansas monks who make flaming-habanero hot sauce Hunter S. Thompson’s first cover letter A map of how much snow it typically takes to cancel school in the U.S. The most assigned books in elite college syllabi (note: not the same list as “most read”) Science: Facebook friends are almost entirely fake Advertisement Hollywood’s turn against digital effects? The countries where people are the most emotionally complex The history of board games New York Values: NY resident builds igloo, puts it up on Air BnB The bear from The Revenant speaks out Dog accidentally runs half-marathon, finishes seventh place Science: Dinosaurs with the most horns had most reproductive success Nuclear selfie When we fought snow with fire A highway for hedgehogs Can you still send a telegram? (STOP) Floating bonsai trees Board game completed after 2500 years Sloth trapped on road Robot solves Rubik’s Cube in one second Are fairy tales older than we think? Is screentime making today’s kids moody, crazy, and lazy? How Nickleback became a cultural joke How long could conspiracy theories really stay secret? How Victor Hugo helped create the Joker Why are some people chronically late?While many Mormons look forward to General Conference for the messages from church leaders, MormonLeaks is creating a new tradition of increased leaks around the semi-annual meeting that even former members can get excited about. MormonLeaks founder Ryan McKnight recently promised leaks every day until General Conference, and Tuesday was the first drop. Today’s release included four PowerPoint presentations, and the sheer number of charts and figures would make any statistician’s mouth water. The first related to reception of early Gospel Topics essays among members in the United States, the subject of this post. The other three PowerPoint docs related to other various studies. One was a 2013 study revealing ward council characteristics in five different areas of the world (the label deceptively says it’s related to the missionary age change, but it’s not). Another was a 2013 study of mid-single Mormons and weighing experiences and outcomes in conventional wards versus single units. The last was a 2004 study of middle-aged Mormon men comparing their BYU or other college experiences with later career, family, and religiosity outcomes. I’ve previously written about events leading up to the Gospel Topics essays, but I’ll try to summarize. The institutional church has been challenged by increasing access to difficult church history topics via the internet. In the early 2000s, the church history department began to take baby steps towards increased transparency, reversing a decades-old trend, but the church continued to rely on outside organizations like FARMS and FairMormon to directly address the concerns of members rather than create any official apologetic responses. In 2010, many members in Sweden were troubled by historical topics, and a visit by two church historians did little to ease their minds. In March 2012, apologetic resources from various sources were gathered and sent to church leaders there, the “Swedish Rescue,” in order to stem rising disaffection. Here in the states, the Bottgate episode of February 2012 also made clear the need for official apologetic responses not just for members, but also to accurately present current positions of church leaders on potentially embarrassing topics for outside media. At some point, the church commissioned scholars to begin working on a series of essays on common troublesome historical and doctrinal topics.[1] Rumors of the existence of these essays began swirling in early 2013. The first two essays were released on November 20th of that year. According to the PowerPoint presentation MormonLeaks released, a study was conducted in April 2014 to gauge how bishops and other members were responding to the essays. At that point, seven essays had been released: Local news media covered the release of many of these essays (see here and here, for example). The church announced the expansion of the Gospel Topics section of their website on the same day the first two essays were released, though they only mentioned “Are Mormons Christian?” in the announcement. “First Vision Accounts” got left out. I can’t find a church announcement for any other essays until November 2014 after the media uproar on the October release of the Nauvoo and post-Manifesto polygamy essays. So, basically, those people
party and we as a country cannot allow our foreign relations to be washed away in a tide of poor ministerial appointments and supposed new-age progressivism; our role in the world, whether we like it or not, is diminishing under the Coalition. With a First Minister who posts lenny faces in Parliament and a foreign minister who refers to things as “cancer” and finds amusement in tearing down respected international politicians, why should people take us seriously? This is a serious issue; as a long-standing, well-known micronation, we have the potential to achieve a great deal of good in micronational society if we pull our collective national fingers out, which is why, fellow party members, it is only the National Liberals who have the capacity to deliver the policy reform needed to achieve that good. To that end, I commend the following two points as new party foreign policy. First: that we review our membership of the Grand Unified Micronational. If we feel that continued membership is key to the successful governance of our country and is better for both the national and international populace, we must step up our efforts to make the GUM and the various projects of the GUM a success; the Diplomabear, for instance, would be an excellent place to start. Taking an active rather than a passive role in GUM affairs, with an active delegation under an outward-thinking NLP government will be a key plank in ensuring that we restore Mercia’s place as a key player in international politics. Second: we appoint a capable foreign minister. This should be something that goes without saying, but the recent appointment made by the Coalition means it deserves reasserting: the foreign office is not a plaything. Instead of just putting someone there for the sake of giving all of your MPs parliamentary portfolios, we should ensure that the person we entrust our international affairs to is of a compassionate mindset, and is someone we can trust to liaise with the community in a way that on the one hand is expected of a country of this calibre, but at the same time impresses upon other nations, particularly those that were created recently, that we consider them valuable members of the community. With that being said, they also should not feel obliged to shy away from condemning poor behaviour wherever we see it, and we certainly should not be in the business of tacitly endorsing actions such as those undertaken by the Democratia of New Starland recently, for example, but what is absolutely key is that we have an open, communicative foreign office staffed by someone who actually knows how to run a foreign office. These two basic planks of foreign policy should be common-sense, but the Coalition has proven once and for all that Mercian politics has gone off the deep end; we must be the party to stable the ship now that the government of Whyatt has driven us to the brink of international irrelevance. What else should be common-sense to the NLP is that current government foreign policy will be electoral anathema for the coalition parties going into the next general election. A party that would appoint Baron Greiner to one of the great offices of state has no place running a nation of this calibre. In short, my point is this: only one party has consistently proven that they have the intellectual capacity, manpower, spirit and good sense to execute the foreign policy of this country. That party is the National Liberal Party, and foreign policy can – if we take our case to the country correctly – win us the next election and put us, and the nation, back on the right track towards a forward and outward-thinking ideal. Thank you, and may God bless us all. Again, many cheers of ‘Hear hear!’ were heard and there was much applause. The activity and passion shown by the National Liberal Party at the Congress so far, with a slew of new and active members to bring the Parliamentary Party back to life again, caused Baron Henry Twain to declare publicly following Earl Eden’s speech: Let me just state how pleased I am at the NLP since I’ve joined, and would never for a million years take back the decision to turncoat. All of the speeches hence far have been astounding, and I look forward to presenting my own speech to tomorrow. With the National Liberal Party coming back into its own, all eyes are now on the Coalition government, where following the by-elections tensions have emerged, with former Social Democrat party leader and Deputy First Minister, now Independent MP Count Adam Belcher voluntarily resigning to the backbenches, and with tensions emerging between the new Deputy First Minister, Green Socialist Leader Baron Newton von Uberquie and First Minister & People’s Democratic Party Leader Baron Alejandro Whyatt as Green Socialist policy is consistently ignored in favour of failed attempt after failed attempt at achieving the manifesto promises of the People’s Democrats. AdvertisementsRolling Stone took another hit Tuesday when University of Virginia Associate Dean Nicole Eramo filed a defamation lawsuit against the magazine. Eramo is seeking more than $7.5 million in damages for Sabrina Erdely's story, "A Rape on Campus," which the lawsuit alleges cast Eramo as an uncaring administrator who tried to discourage the article's main character, "Jackie," from reporting her alleged assault. Contrary to what the story said, Eramo claims she tried to help the student identified as "Jackie" as much as possible, the Washington Post reported. She said she put the student in touch with police and gave her information about sexual assault support groups. "Rolling Stone and Erdely's highly defamatory and false statements about Dean Eramo were not the result of an innocent mistake; they were the result of a wanton journalist who was more concerned with writing an article that fulfilled her preconceived narrative about the victimization of women on American college campuses, and a malicious publisher who was more concerned about selling magazines to boost the economic bottom line for its faltering magazine, than they were about discovering the truth or actual facts," the lawsuit reads. After the story's publication in November, Eramo received emails with comments such as, "You are a rape apologist who must LOVE her precious money so much that you would turn your back on these young girls.... You are a disgusting, worthless piece of trash." She said she began having trouble sleeping and eating. The backlash from the article ultimately affected her treatment for breast cancer, according to the lawsuit. Rolling Stone later retracted the story, and police were ultimately unable to corroborate "Jackie's" story, but Eramo said the damage was done. The complaint alleges "A Rape on Campus" permanently hurt her credibility, the Washington Post reported. She's not alone. The fraternity mentioned in Erdely's article, Phi Psi, has also announced its intent to sue. The school itself released a statement Tuesday in support of Eramo. “The University of Virginia previously stated that the Rolling Stone article is an example of irresponsible journalism, which has damaged the reputation of many innocent individuals and the University of Virginia,” it reads. “The university fully supports and appreciates the professional competency and contributions of Dean Eramo and all of her colleagues who work tirelessly in the support of our students and their safety and well-being.” Read the complaint in full here or below. Era Mo Rollingstone ComplaintAfter big embarrassment for the Nitish Kumar government a day before the first phase of Bihar polls in form of a sting video showing senior minister Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha purportedly accepting bribe, another video clip has surfaced that shows two RJD leaders allegedly accepting bribes. YouTube channel named JaiHind Bihar released both videos. In the latest video, an individual claimed to be disguised as a ‘Bombay businessman’ went to the RJD leader seeking favours to get contracts if the alliance forms the government. The leaders shown in the video are Mudrika Singh Yadav, former health minister in the RJD regime; RJD candidate Subhedar Das from the Makhdumpur Assembly constituency who is contesting against former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi; and Nitesh who is brother and personal assistant to Krishna Nandan Verma, an RJD candidate from Ghosi. The video clipping shows Das allegedly accepting an ‘advance’ of Rs 2 lakh, while Nitesh allegedly takes Rs 1 lakh and says, “Bahut abhaav mein chal rahe hain…Garib candidate hai (He, Verma, is facing financial problems… he is a poor candidate). JaiHind Bihar is yet an unknown organisation. The authenticity of the clips is yet to be verified. Watch the video here:Conservationists have challenged the so-called ‘drug dealer’s defence’, which coal companies often use to counter claims the Australian industry should be held responsible for the climate change it inherently creates. A community group known as Coast and Country challenged the approval of the Alpha Coal Mine in the Queensland Court of Appeal yesterday, arguing that the state government did not give proper weight to its climate change impacts. The argument relates to two pieces of state legislation, and is essentially over whether the carbon emissions created when coal from Queensland is burnt overseas should be counted as having a direct and detrimental impact on the domestic environment. The mine is part of a controversial push to expand coal production into the untapped Galilee Basin, which scientists have described as a ‘carbon bomb’ that can’t be exploited if the world is to keep global warming to less than two degrees. The case is the latest in a series of legal challenges, with Coast and Country now appealing a Supreme Court ruling. “The focus is very much on the ‘substitute argument,’” said environmental lawyer Jo-Anne Brag, the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Defenders Office Queensland. “Lower courts accepted that the climate change impacts of this Alpha mine were zero, and so the harm would be zero,” she said. “But they came to that conclusion – incorrectly, we say – by assuming that if this mine didn’t go ahead then another mine somewhere else would, and so the damage would be the same.” Coast and Country spokesperson Derec Davies said that “if applied to criminal law, the notion of ‘substitution’ would see an offender exonerated on the basis of the argument that ‘if I didn’t do it, someone else would'”. Bragg argues the courts had been asked “the wrong question,” and “the impact of another mine is irrelevant”. “It’s just as if someone tried to argue that water pollution from a proposed sewage treatment facility should not be given weight during assessment because another facility with equal water pollution impacts might be built somewhere else instead,” she said. “The fact remains the proposed facility would still have serious impacts, and that those impacts need to be considered and assessed. As far as it’s relevant under the law, it’s important to look at the true and correct impacts of these proposed mines.” In short, the argument goes: No matter where the coal is burnt, the damage it does to Queensland’s environment remains, and that should be considered in full by the approval authorities which are responsible for protecting it from harm. This logic is an anathema to the Australian coal industry, which has previously relied on the current interpretation of Queensland legislation to avoid having the carbon emissions created by its product held against it in the approvals process. Adani, the country’s most controversial miner, has previously made a similar argument in court to defend its massive Carmichael Coal Mine. The case against Alpha should finally put the issue to bed – in Queensland, at least – because it’s being heard in the state’s highest court. The Alpha project is owned by GVK Hancock, a company in which mining mogul Gina Rinehart has a significant stake. If it proceeds, the Alpha mine would extract more than 30 million tonnes of coal each year for at least three decades. It is one of at least nine mines proposed for the Galilee Basin, which has been the frontline for anti-coal activists who see the area as a ‘carbon bomb’ that must be diffused. If it’s not, and the mines go ahead, they could wind up creating more emissions each year than whole countries like Canada, South Africa or the United Kingdom. A judgement is expected in the coming months. If it comes down against GVK Hancock, the company would be forced to seek new environmental approvals, and the carbon emissions Queensland coal mines implicitly create would be more closely scrutinised in the future. GVK Hancock has been contacted for comment.Donald Trump has a new idea of how state dignitaries should be received at the White House: in conference rooms with fast food. Speaking at a rally in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday, Trump said, “We give them State Dinners like you’ve never seen,” referring to leaders from China and other nations. “We shouldn’t have dinners at all. We should be eating a hamburger on a conference table, and we should make better deals with China and others. And forget the State Dinners, that cost by the way, a fortune.” The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now The presumptive Republican nominee also lamented the tents that are set up on the White House lawn for big events. “It’s a tent, which is actually unsafe, you know, canvas,” he said, before saying that tents “look like hell.” This is not the first time Trump has proposed changes to State Dinner traditions. He said he once offered to build a new ballroom at the White House, an anecdote he repeated today. “I will build you in the least conspicuous place, you know, it is the White House right?” he said. “We will build a great, great grand ballroom.” In January, David Axelrod, a former senior advisor to President Obama, confirmed to TIME that Trump had contacted the Obama Administration about the ballroom. “He did offer to build one,” Axelrod said in an email. “I don’t recall him saying he would pay for it. I passed his offer along to the social secretary.” Write to Tessa Berenson at tessa.berenson@time.com.After two albums of exploration, Peter Gabriel finally developed a uniqueness awway from Genesis and settled on a direction-- haunting, paranoid, frightening. As though some internal torment needed to be exorcised. Usually regarded as Gabriel's best, Peter Gabriel 3 is superb. Longtime guitarist David Rhodes joins Tony Levin, Larry Fast and Jerry Marotta as the primary backing band on this record, augmented at times by none less than Robert Fripp, Kate Bush, and Phil Collins (back when he was still a drummer). The music starts off dark and haunting, "Intruder", a first person narrative about breaking into someone's home. The album maintains this feeling, both from an internal standpoint ("No Self-Control", "I Don't Remember") and external ("Games Without Frontiers", "Not One of Us"). The material rocks like little else, and its nature suits Gabriel well. The dark chant of "No Self Control", the energetic confusion and horror of "I Don't Remember", the venom in the delivery of "Games Without Frontiers"... the material inspires Gabriel. Instrumentally, its filled with odd bursts of guitars and percussion, sometimes wrapping around itself. Still, as great as these songs are, none of them can begin to compare to what I consider to be Gabriel's greatest song, "Family Snapshot". Starting soft and delicate, and building, saxaphone screaming along with Gabriel's voice, the externalized horror of an assassin, climaxing with the moment of assassination, then dribblign into a feeling of loneliness and hopelessness. It paints a sympathetic picture of a man who is so desparate for attention, he'll kill for it. As powerful as it is, few moments are as stunning as Gabriel's whimpering "Come back mom and dad" over a delicate fretless bass. The end of the record takes the aggression out of the introspection, the delicate beauty of "Lead a Normal Life" and the powerful tribute, "Biko", similar in feel to "Here Comes the Flood" off of the the car album, builds until gaining anthemic power. "Biko" also paints the way to the future for Gabriel, with its tribal-esque percussion and chants. This is really superb, one of the best of its genre. Highly recommended.Dear Reader, As you can imagine, more people are reading The Jerusalem Post than ever before. Nevertheless, traditional business models are no longer sustainable and high-quality publications, like ours, are being forced to look for new ways to keep going. Unlike many other news organizations, we have not put up a paywall. We want to keep our journalism open and accessible and be able to keep providing you with news and analysis from the frontlines of Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World. Amid the many celebratory events that have been staged in the past week to mark the completion of the seven-and-a-half-year Daf Yomi (page a day) Talmud study program, one in particular stands as especially distinctive in the generally male-dominated world of Talmud study. It is the siyum, concluding party, held by the Matan Women’s Institute for Torah Studies on Thursday morning for – according to the seminary – the first-ever Daf Yomi class taught exclusively by women for women. Matan established its Advanced Talmud Program in 1999 to provide a framework for in-depth study by women of the Talmud. It is the graduates of that three-year course who have taught the Daf Yomi program over the past seven years.“We’ve been promoting Talmud study for women since Matan opened 24 years ago,” said Matan founder Malke Bina. “When we realized we had grown a cadre of teachers through the Talmud program, the idea dawned that a Daf Yomi class could be initiated and taught by women,” she continued, adding that she herself was skeptical that the course would last the full seven and a half years.Fifteen women completed the entire course covering all 2,711 pages of the Babylonian Talmud, or Gemara, while several others joined the study session at later stages during the cycle.Several dozen women turned up to the siyum Thursday morning following the daily lesson in which the last page of the Talmud was studied and the special prayer for its completion was recited.“To come every day at 8 a.m., for seven and a half years, is an amazing effort, and it is very rewarding that we were the catalysts for this deep Torah learning experience,” said Bina.Women have traditionally not been exposed to Talmud study and the rabbis of the Talmudic era even spoke out against such a notion.Bina says, however, that when the idea of the Talmud program was first hit upon, she approached Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, one of the most respected authorities on Jewish law of his time, to get his position on the matter. He approved of the course, stating that it would strengthen the commitment of women to serving God.“Women want to be able to learn the Torah at its very deepest level and have as full a breadth of knowledge about Judaism as possible,” she said.“To do that one needs to see the process of halacha, the dialectics and the debates recorded in the Talmud, study, understand and acquire knowledge of the Talmud for themselves as individuals and experience all this for themselves as individuals first hand.”The value of the Daf Yomi program, Bina continued, is that it imparts an experience of “the wholeness of the oral law as a part of one’s repertoire of knowledge.”Matan’s Daf Yomi program consists of one lesson a day at 8 a.m., five days a week for seven years and five months, in which one double-sided folio page of gemara is covered during the hourlong session.The lesson is not held on Friday, Shabbat or Jewish holidays, and women participating study the page of the day individually on such days to keep pace with the cycle.Debra Applebaum is one of the women who completed the entire Talmud with Matan, and explained that the rigid framework of Daf Yomi was and remains an attractive motivating factor in adopting the program.The fact that thousands of people around the world are also learning the exact same page of Talmud and the unifying aspect of that idea was also something that drew her to this particularly demanding study cycle.“It helps broaden your knowledge of Torah, during which you also learn how much you don’t know,” said Applebaum. “It is a superficial way of learning, everyone knows that,” she continued, “but it gives you a general overview of the Talmud, and I got to understand and appreciate new laws and principles which I didn’t previously know.“Hopefully in the second time around I’ll be able to understand it ever better,” she says, fully intending to go through the whole process once again. Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>>What happened to “repeal and replace?” What happened to ripping Obamacare out of the law “root and branch”? Is this surrender? “I cut a compromise,” Sessions said. “It is a compromise bill that I believe is fair.” The 61-year-old Texan, now serving his seventh term in the House, is no back-bencher. As chairman of the Rules Committee, he’s a member of the leadership team under Speaker Paul Ryan. And neither he nor Cassidy, who won a Senate seat in 2014 after three terms in the House, are mushy moderates tacking to the center to save their jobs. Sessions ran the House GOP’s campaign arm in 2010, the year Republicans won back the majority on a message of repealing and replacing the just-enacted health care law. When Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost his primary in an upset two years ago, Sessions briefly waged a failed bid to succeed him by positioning himself as the more conservative candidate. (Kevin McCarthy, the heavy favorite, won easily.) In his race for the Senate that same year, Cassidy harped on Senator Mary Landrieu’s support for the health-care law. So no, Sessions and Cassidy have not had a change of heart on Obamacare. And to a large extent, their bill is merely the latest example of the GOP’s try-anything approach to countering the law, which I wrote about last week. But at least for Sessions, the proposal is a recognition that for both political and policy reasons, scrapping the law and starting from scratch is a virtual impossibility. As Republicans have learned many times over, they need not only Congress but the White House to repeal Obamacare (and they probably need more than a slim majority in the Senate at that). Even if they had the votes to do so, fully repealing the law would still be a Herculean task because, as Sessions explained, Democrats “literally wiped out all law” relating to health care when then enacted the ACA in 2010. “I view that those two options are both very difficult to do,” Sessions said. The Sessions/Cassidy bill does not leave Obamacare untouched by any means. It eliminates both the individual and employer mandates, although businesses that choose to remain in the current system would be subject to the existing penalties and requirements under the law. Individuals who choose to opt out would not have to buy insurance, but they would not be eligible for the tax credit if they choose to remain uninsured. Many previous Republican proposals have taken a hatchet to Obamacare without repealing it entirely, and the party has succeeded in working with Democrats to make modest changes in the last couple of years. But this latest bill is notable for its vision of adding an entirely new system on top of the Affordable Care Act’s underlying infrastructure. It’s not merely tinkering with Obamacare, but nor is it entirely scrapping it.A new scheme to help patients with dementia has put out an urgent call for knitters! The project, which was launched at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), aims to supply creations called sensory bands which are knitted bands with trimmings on both the outside and inside of ribbons, beads, buttons and zips, to patients in the later stages of dementia. Sensory bands are used to promote stimulation and a sense of wellbeing and have proven useful for patients living with severe dementia. Integrated Dementia Services Project Manager, Liz Yaxley, explained: “The sensory band was designed to help people find comfort in tactile stimulation which they may be missing, especially when they are away from home. The bands can be reassuring and help people to feel more relaxed and safe. “The soft material bands contain strands of textured ribbons, beads and various fabrics attached both inside and outside which are lovely to touch. They can be costly if ordered from the internet so we are hoping that volunteers will come forward to put their knitting skills to good use.” “Approximately a quarter of our patients at any one time will have a form of dementia or confusion and the number is growing so we want to make our hospitals, services and environments as friendly for people with dementia as possible.” “To coincide with our #iCare campaign we also ask any of our knitters to take a photo of themselves making the sensory bands and send it to us on twitter using the hashtag and twitter handle @nnuh to help show the variety of ways we can help patients with dementia.” To become a sensory band knitter please email [email protected]. To download or view a sensory band pattern please click on image below:The nut: On Jan. 15, in the state capital of Montpelier, nine candidates for statewide office gathered in a tiny room at the Capitol Plaza Hotel, to announce they wanted a divorce from the United States of America. “For the first time in over 150 years, secession and political independence from the U.S. will be front and center in a statewide New England political campaign,” said Thomas Naylor, 73, one of the leaders of the campaign. A former Duke University economics professor, Naylor heads up the Second Vermont Republic, which he describes as “left-libertarian, anti-big government, anti-empire, antiwar, with small is beautiful as our guiding philosophy.” The group not only advocates the peaceful secession of Vermont but has minted its own silver “token” — valued at $25 — and, as part of a publishing venture with another secessionist group, runs a monthly newspaper called Vermont Commons, with a circulation of 10,000. According to a 2007 poll, they have support from at least 13% of state voters.Ukrainian Defense Ministry: Demining of Donbas will take 10-15 years Tuesday, March 1, 2016 9:10:00 AM The head of a specialized group in the Ecology and Safety department of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Colonel Sergei Zubarevsky,told Hromadske radio that the complete demining of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions affected by the current conflict will take between 10 and 15 years. “I think that the clearance of the Donbas region will cost more than one billion hryvnia. Establishing complete safety for citizens of this region can only be achieved in 10 or 15 years,” Zubarevsky said. On the 5th of February, the UN completed its technical Mine Action Needs Assessment Mission. The group arrived in the country at the invitation of the Ukrainian government. The mission team confirmed that booby traps and unexploded artillery have a significant impact on the situation in the conflict area, and also pose a serious threat to civilians. On the 6th of January, Ukraine’s representative in the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group, MP Irina Herashchenko, said that the start of the demining process is scheduled for the spring of 2016. Share Comments Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.To finish off the year of 2017, it's time for a relay interview. This is a corner where pro gamers ask each other some questions; questions that they were too shy to ask or questions that may have seemed too trivial. Starting from Smeb, seven players participated in the relay interview. We asked the players about how they think of each other, and what in the world they are doing in the bathroom for thirty minutes and so on. We tried to write the full text the players gave us without filtering. Let’s have a look now. (The attached pictures were provided selfies/candids from each team.) From kt Rolster Song “Smeb” Kyung-ho To SKT T1 Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok Q. What do you think of me? A. Nothing. Q. How tall are you? A. Around 176cm, I think. Q. Is there a player who you don’t want to meet in solo queue? A. Anybody’s all right as long as they don’t troll. From SKT T1 Faker To Longzhu Gaming Kim “PraY” Jong-in Q. Who’s the most fearful in solo queue? A. Faker in the mid lane. Q. What physical trait are you most confident in? A. My height. Q. What did you feel after returning from the All-Star Event? A. It was good to compete on the national team again. From Longzhu Gaming PraY To kt Rolster Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu Q. Which three teams do you think will go to Worlds in 2018? A. I haven’t thought about any teams except my team. Q. What do you think your rank in appearance is on your team? A. I think everybody’s tied at second except Won-seok (PawN). Q. Do you like your nickname alpaca? A. At first, I didn’t know, but after hearing it so much, I began to see it in the mirror… From kt Rolster Deft To Samsung Galaxy Lee “CuVee” Sung-jin Q. When were you happier, when you won Worlds or when you ate a very tasty dish when you were starving? A. Winning Worlds was a happier moment. Q. What do you do during your vacation? A. I was just rolling around at home. Q. How many dishes of noodles with black soybean sauce can you have? A. Up to three dishes. From Samsung Galaxy CuVee To Longzhu Gaming Han “Peanut” Wang-ho Q. You’ve been to several teams, which team was the best for you? A. I had a good time and learned a lot from each team I went, so I can’t choose one. They were all good. Q. Kim “Khan” Dong-ha says that if the top laner loses, it’s the jungler’s fault. What do you think? A. I think he doesn’t think that way anymore. (Laughs) Q. What do you do during your vacation? A. I don’t have anybody to meet, so I rest at the team house watching twitch streams. From Longzhu Gaming Peanut To SKT T1 Park “Untara” Ui-jin Q. You go to the bathroom, and stay there for thirty minutes, what do you do there? A. I do my business while reading web comics. Q. What will you do on Christmas? A. Have a good meal with my family. Q. Do SKT T1 members still eat Gganbu chicken every day? A. Yes, we always think of Peanut when we do. So cute of Peanut to ask that : )Chelsea remain confident of signing Everton defender John Stones despite strained relations between the two clubs over their pursuit of the England international, sources have told ESPN FC. Chelsea saw an opening bid of £20 million for Stones rejected by Everton last week, but the Premier League champions are set to come back with an improved offer of £26m for the 21-year-old. Everton have insisted the former Barnsley man is not for sale, with manager Roberto Martinez criticising Chelsea for having made their interest public after both Jose Mourinho and Gary Cahill discussed the player in the media. However, Chelsea are optimistic of that they can make a breakthrough in negotiations with Everton feeling the player is interested in a move to Stamford Bridge. Manchester United have been credited with an interest in Stones in recent days, but Chelsea are optimistic that they are leading the race to land the defender. Stones has impressed at Everton since joining from Barnsley in 2013 and has made 54 appearances during his first two seasons at the club, while also breaking into the senior England squad.Yes, Congress must confront the nation's debt problem, a position that this editorial board has urged for years. But there is a time and place to have that discussion. The middle of a national hurricane emergency isn't it. Keeping the government running and raising the debt limit to protect the nation's credit-worthiness should have been a non-controversial vote. What sense is there in temporarily shutting down FEMA's recovery efforts while Congress, which has had years to address the national debt and the length of federal funding, chatters away over what to cut and how? This is why Congress is dysfunctional. Too many lawmakers (of both parties) put scoring political points above doing what's right. In this case, all the "no" votes — 90 in the House and 17 in the Senate — came from Republicans. They had the luxury of lecturing about fiscal responsibility since the bill's passage was never in doubt and damage wasn't in their home district. We'll wager that if Hensarling, Barton, Johnson, and Thornberry represented Houston, all of them would have insisted that Congress not hold up emergency relief in a foolish, ill-timed budget showdown."Tell them the whole world is watching," Rose said, "and they’ll never get away with it again.” Unfortunately, they did get away with it. On August 28, 23,000 police officers and National Guard members squared off against 10,000 protesters, many of whom were beaten with batons and sprayed with tear gas. Despite the television broadcast of what was later labeled a "police riot"—a broadcast that drew an estimated 83 million viewers in the U.S.—no action was taken against the Chicago police. Mayor Richard Daley remained in office and received 135,000 letters of support for his defense of the Vietnam War and the U.S. soldiers fighting there. Chicago in 1968, like Ferguson in 2014, featured outrage over racial injustice, the harassment of journalists, and brutal behavior by police (it also burnished the legacy of another Nixon, who rode unease over the chaos at the Democratic convention to the White House). But there are many differences between the two moments in American history—not least that the world is really watching now—and responding in ways it didn't 46 years ago. Palestinians are tweeting advice to Ferguson protesters about how to deal with tear gas. Tibetan monks have traveled to Missouri and assumed the "hands up, don't shoot" pose in solidarity with the demonstrators. Amnesty International, which dispatched a delegation to Ferguson, has called for independent investigations into the killing of Michael Brown and condemned Nixon's curfew tactic as akin to "dictators... quelling dissent and silencing protesters." Ferguson has become more of an international rallying cry than Chicago for several reasons. Police forces, in some cases relying on American equipment, weapons, and crowd-control techniques, have recently become more militarized in many countries while protests as a political tactic have become more widespread, lending a certain transnational homogeneity to scenes of riot police clashing with demonstrators. U.S. companies, for instance, have exported tear-gas technology to countries like Bahrain, Egypt, and Turkey. When tear-gas canisters in Ferguson appear identical to those used by Israeli security forces, it's no surprise that Palestinians would want to express solidarity with Missourians. The evolution of media since 1968 has also contributed to Ferguson's global resonance. Journalists filmed the clashes in Chicago and broadcast the dramatic clips on television for tens of millions to see—what one reporter recalled as "17 minutes of tear gas-shrouded chaos." But the TV networks controlled the vantage point and visual experience, and it's hard to get a sense from the footage of what individuals witnessed during the violence. Around the world, technologies like Livestream, Twitter, and Vine have helped journalists report on developments in Ferguson with far more immediacy, and enabled people to bypass journalists altogether in seeking out real-time information on the unrest. As the columnist Robyn Urback wrote in Canada's National Post: Ferguson proves there is no monopoly on information.... The danger of this flood of information is that the truth is often buried under, or distorted by, thousands of pictures, eyewitness accounts and videos on the ground. For many armchair observers, that will mean a rush to judgment. But Ferguson is a good reminder that when the whole world watches now, it is looking through a seemingly infinite number of lenses. The authorities in Ferguson don’t seem to understand that. But if there’s something positive to come out of this disaster, it’s that, eventually, they will have to. The decades since the 1968 protests have also witnessed the rise of new and increasingly sophisticated forms of state-run media in authoritarian countries, which have seized on Ferguson to discredit the United States and call out its hypocritical championing of human rights in their countries (critiques and analyses of the clashes in Missouri have also appeared in independent European outlets in countries such as Denmark, France, and Germany; the violence, after all, is a newsworthy event). News agencies in places like China and Egypt have wagged a finger at U.S. authorities for their treatment of protesters, while some leaders—most notably Iran's supreme leader—have taken directly to Twitter to criticize America. In Russia, which is currently mired in a standoff with the West over Ukraine, news organizations like RT are aggressively hyping the conflict.While Scripps National Spelling Bee this week tries to convince us that America can spell, Google has the state-by-state breakdown to prove otherwise. The search engine revealed Tuesday which word comes up the most when people type in, "How to spell..." and the results are something else. America's most misspelled words - it's #spellingbee week and we mapped top "how to spell" searches by state#dataviz pic.twitter.com/oHkRHj8Eku — GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) May 30, 2017 The results are telling — Wisconsin looks up how to spell their own state name the most, while New Hampshire is worried about diarrhea and getting that right. @GoogleTrends "Wisconsin" being the most misspelled word in Wisconsin is perfect. — Jamison Stoltz (@EditorStoltz) May 30, 2017 Google itself has some of its own spelling problems to sort out. Its original map spelled Washington D.C.'s most searched word as "nintey," which is definitely not how you spell out the number 90. It was corrected later, along with some incorrect letter counting, with a new map and legend marked as the "one to use." We've made a few corrections to the legend. This is the one to use pic.twitter.com/0Z8fUlzmHc — GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) May 30, 2017 Helpfully, or embarrassingly, Google broke down the searches by letter-length. Most
Marvel Comics During Marvel’s first big 2014 event series Original Sin, superheroes will learn secrets of their past that the publisher promises will have profound effects on their present and futures, and in a June debuting off-shoot four-issue limited series Original Sin: Iron Man vs. Hulk (or Original Sin #3.1 to #3.4), readers will learn if Tony Stark is responsible for creating the Hulk. Co-written appropriately by the Hulk’s Mark Waid and Iron Man’s Kieron Gillen (with art by Mark Bagley, Luke Ross and covers by J.G. Jones according to Marvel's June 2014 soliciations ), "Original Sin reveals a deeply buried secret shared by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner that dates back to the fateful gamma-bomb explosion that created the Hulk," Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso revealed to USA Today. "After this, all bets are off between Iron Man and the Hulk. There is no going back. There's only manning up and facing the consequences." According to the national newspaper, “the possible connection between Stark and the day that changed Bruce Banner's life is one that comes to light, and both men team up for an investigation to explore the truth as they dig into what Stark was up to at the time as well as both men's pasts and presents.” Waid says the ultimate answer is "quite surprising," but adds, “it's not what not you would expect but neither is it a cheat." According to Gillen, the series dips into the prehistory, friendship and rivalry of the two guys, and will be a “proverbial emotional roller coaster.” “These are not unemotional men." Seizing on a zeitgeist reference, Waid compares their “really screwed-up emotional journey” to HBO’s True Detective, “with two partners unearthing a lot of creepy, dark secrets they're unprepared for when it comes to the consequences,” writes USA Today. A potential third investigator adds to the tension, which is always a complication when Bruce Banner is involved. Art from Original Sin: Iron Man vs Hulk Credit: Marvel Comics "It's safe to say that a lot of this story is Tony trying to dive deep into this investigation and yet be careful about what he shares with Bruce," Waid said. "You never know with Bruce what's going to set him off." Gillen goes on to illustrate how he feels the series highlights the differences between Marvel and DC heroes. At DC, the writer feels like "the world is the problem in many ways. They're trying to make sure paradise returns. Batman was fine until his parents were killed.” Whereas with Marvel characters, he argues the characters themselves and their failings are a big part of the problem, failings they have to overcome during the course of the story. Art from Original Sin: Iron Man vs Hulk Credit: Marvel Comics Finally, Waid told USA Today recent developments in Iron Man – i.e. Tony learning he was adopted and has a brother – informs the story, and the duo wanted to be sure they didn’t make Tony a victim. "Even given the question on the table, there is sill something very heroic about the decisions he makes in this story," Waid said. "It's easy to write a cynical story where you find out that there's an original sin and somebody's done something wrong. It's easy to reveal something dark about a character, but the hard part — and to me the most rewarding part — is to try to figure out a way in which that helps define them as a hero rather than just tarnishes them."2) Delita Hooks a violent liar and manipulative -- does that make her a sociopath? She lied to the NYPD during an open investigation which is a criminal act, so is her false cross complaint, so is repeatedly savagely assaulting me. She violated my patient rights and by the way I wrote Dr Vine a note and she never got it so my guess Delita Hooks took it -- it was written to Dr Vine so that is another violation of my patient rights. The note to Dr Vine was about paper cups being better for the environment than Styrofoam. I think she and everyone that lied are the type of people that blame Rape Victims https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh9TedhfthE all the women in the nurse pjs also lied and Dr Fagelman protected all of them and did not fire Delita Hooks as if he received assurances from the NYPD they would threaten me and coerce me and force me to drop charges against my will. This was under mayor Bloomberg where being a critic of the mayor, team Bloomberg and the Oligarchs of NY means the NYPD are willing to break laws and they are confident they will be protected especially if they break laws involving a critic. I am waiting for a New Commission in to Police, Internal Affairs and DA Corruption plus the NYPD app tracker -- report crimes the NYPD won't let you including their own. Do you think the NYPD involved in my case are crazy violent liars? I do. 4) Michael Rawson obsessed with me for 6 years now and last night through this am has been threatening me with harassment via YouTube unless I remove YouTubes which are not mine. He thinks I have these 2 YouTube channels that are mine which aren't but Rawson doesn't seem to be in touch with reality. Like Barbara Ricci he lies about me but in his case it is his Facebook page dedicated to ranting about me -- one example of Michael Rawson lying is he states I did what I did my protest because of political ambitions but in fact I did it for 79 year old Eric Youngquist, a Korean War Veteran who was severely handicapped and has since passed away in a Hospice of Cancer! He is a fraud and a liar -- that is what he calls me but that is him describing himself since he would call the NYPD and demand they ticket the Veterans -- he claims are fire hazards etc but my issues was stop harassing the Veterans while you are running an illegal parking valet service in the loading and unloading zone and because the Mercer Hotel is rich and I am guessing employees retired NYPD as well the precinct was willing to do "selective policing" looking the other way -- even walking past a fake NYPD parking placard I found to harass poor Eric. Rawson -- a nut case? is not a Veteran but he says his brother is. I would like to ask his brother under oath about his stance -- if it is the same as the NYPD Veterans of the First Precinct who refused to pick on fellow Veterans and ticket them. Below you can find a link to 2012 just before the corrupt lying criminal NYPD fixed it for Dr Andrew Fagelman so he did not have to fire his violent lying receptionist/office manager Delita Hooks -- they corrupt Detectives rushed to seal their crimes with her's and surprise Det Tommy Moran of community affairs and his parter the creepy PO Eugene Schatz who is the first NYPD officer I ever reported to Internal Affairs is the face book friends of the NYPD detectives Det John Vergona and Det Andy Dwyer -- I just discovered that piece of evidence a year ago and reported it to Internal Affairs -- they were all party to coercion but the US Attorney has limited his scope of NYPD corruption just to the Hasidic Community. The Mercer Hotel is up the street from Dr Andrew Fagelman -- it was what Preet Bharara the US Attorney calls Call a cop or I call 1800NYPD IA Fix it. 5) Joe Tacopina crazy violent liar? Let's ask Bernie Kerik his opinion but I can tell you yes I think so and I think Joe and a partner in crime committed witness tampering Sunday dinner time after I was assaulted Monday Oct. 1, 2012 -- it was a misogynist hate crime and he threatened to bury me and destroy me if I take any action and he called me a confrontative cunt. I forwarded to Det John Vergona who repeatedly refused to meet me -- never discussed the threats but in fact joined in. If Joe Tacopina did infact do that and write Delita Hooks letter to her NYPD fixer openly threatening me and warning me to not come back again or else -- same tone similar threat minus calling me cunt than he should be disbarred. Det John Vergona was going to false arrest me Tuesday Oct 16, 2012 but than decided he could only false arrest the Jew me on the Sabbath -- I agreed twice to false arrest. He lied and lied in police reports and protected a pile up of crimes including his own as well as whomever the YouTube cunt calling lawyer that threatened me my guess Joe Tacopina and the 2nd account Tara, or George Vomit, or Chad Venus Fly Trap Seigel and when I alerted to the 2 cowardly lawyer accounts of their wrong doing they promptly deleted their accounts. It is criminal to threaten a victim of a violent crime. Det John Vergona acted on the threats turning the tables on me. George Vomit used to follow me on twitter and I blocked him. Joe Tacopina tried to follow me on twitter and I blocked him. Here is Joe Tacopina's secretary telling me the NYPD Rape Cops are going to get off and this is before the Jury came to a decision. I alerted all the newspapers because it is shocking. She admitted she knew who I was and watched my YouTubes. My guess she has used sock puppet accounts to communicate with me as well as others associated with Joe? Joe Tacopina staff Tara Portesy Brian King Talks Acquittal! 1800RapeAway Misogynist Lawyers! You can decide for yourself but I know my feelings on the matter. Dr Andrew Fagelman and his staff that were involved in lying about what happened as well as the perp -- violent liar Delita Hooks, the NYPD etc everyone involved in the violence and lies = criminal. They treated me like a Jew in the early stages of Nazi Germany. Today is Oct 22, 2016 I asked the liar Michael Rawson -- because he has lied about me to stop contacting me. The other gang from Soho and Joe Tacopina and gang he he ended broke the law should be behind bars but I am pursuing Justice and I also came up with the concept of the NYPD app tracker. I tweeted my concept to Loretta Lynch, DOJ and the FBI and I happy to tell you they adopted one small aspect and that is they are going to roll out a National Data Base on Police and excessive violence complaints. 3) The NYPD and Internal Affairs all involved in lying-in police reports, protecting Delita Hooks pile up of crimes from Dr Andrew Fagelman's to the First Precinct to Internal Affairs to 1 Police Plaza.White House officials have confirmed that two of President Donald Trump's controversial judicial nominees, Brett Talley and Jeff Mateer, will not go any further in the confirmation process. BuzzFeed News reported Tuesday night that Talley, who was already voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was waiting for a final vote in the Senate, had offered to withdraw his nomination last week. Mateer's nomination was submitted by the White House to the Senate in September, but hadn't gone beyond that. The White House on Wednesday confirmed to BuzzFeed News a report from NPR that quoted an administration official as saying that Talley's nomination would not go forward. A White House official also confirmed a separate report from the Washington Post that quoted Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley as saying that Mateer's nomination was over as well. Talley and Mateer are now Trump's first unsuccessful judicial nominees. The defeats come at the end of a year in which the White House and Republicans have pointed to the swift confirmation of conservative judges to lifetime seats on the federal bench as a major accomplishment. The White House did not immediately comment on how or when Talley and Mateer's nominations would end — the administration could withdraw them, or allow them to expire at the end of the congressional session. Talley, nominated to the US District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, faced opposition from Democrats and civil rights groups before the judiciary committee voted in favor of his nomination in early November, but he faced new scrutiny after the vote amid revelations about information that wasn't included in his Senate questionnaire. BuzzFeed News first reported on thousands of posts that Talley appeared to have written for a University of Alabama sports fan website, including on gun control, immigration, and other political subjects. In one post on TideFans.com, poster "BamainBoston," who identified himself as Talley in 2014, wrote in response to the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, "My solution would be to stop being a society of pansies and man up." Slate highlighted another post by BamainBoston that appeared to defend the early iteration of the Ku Klux Klan. Talley also received a rare "not qualified" rating from the American Bar Association. Mateer was nominated to the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. CNN reported that, in 2015, Mateer gave speeches in which he said that transgender children were evidence of "Satan's plan." At a recent confirmation hearing for other nominees, Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy had asked questions that suggested he had concerns about Mateer in light of those statements, and Mateer's nomination was opposed by LGBT and other civil rights groups. There were already hints that Mateer's nomination could be in trouble. He was one of 16 judicial nominees announced by the White House on Sept. 7; Talley was also part of that group. Of the 16 nominees, all but two — Mateer and Ryan Bounds, nominated to the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit — have at least had a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and some have already been voted out of committee or confirmed. Mateer's Senate questionnaire, which nominees prepare in coordination with the White House and the Justice Department, was never submitted. Representatives of Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz did not immediately return requests for comment. Information about Talley and Mateer's nominations not moving forward came the day after news broke that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley had reportedly urged the White House to reconsider Talley and Mateer's nomination. A spokesperson for Grassley confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the senator had expressed "concerns" to White House staff about statements made by the two nominees. Grassley wasn't the first Republican to take a critical eye to Trump's judicial nominees — Kennedy was the first Republican to break ranks, at least publicly — but given Grassley's perch as head of the Judiciary Committee, his pushback was particularly significant. Asked about reports of Grassley's communications to the White House on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters she would have to look into it. CNN first reported Tuesday that Grassley had communicated his concerns to the White House and had said that he advised the White House to "reconsider" Jeff Mateer's nomination and "not to proceed" with Talley. A spokesman for Grassley later clarified to BuzzFeed News that Grassley hadn't intended to draw a distinction between the two nominees in describing what he told the White House and that his comments applied to both Mateer and Talley. Talley was already voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee — with Grassley's support — and was waiting for a vote by the full Senate. Because Mateer hadn't had a hearing yet in the committee, Grassley could have still exercised control over whether and when that nomination moves forward. Grassley spokesman Taylor Foy said in an email to BuzzFeed News that Grassley conveyed his concerns to the White House about Talley and Mateer "at the staff level." He did not provide details about when those communications took place, who was involved, or what exactly Grassley said. "Chairman Grassley has been concerned about statements made by nominees Mateer and Talley, and he’s conveyed those concerns to the White House. Revelations of Talley’s statements surfaced only after he was reported out of the Judiciary Committee. Mateer’s nomination paperwork has not yet been received by the Committee, and no further action is scheduled," Foy wrote. Talley's critics also pointed to his minimal courtroom experience and the fact that he did not include in a section of his questionnaire that asked about potential conflicts of interest that his wife, Ann Donaldson, is chief of staff to White House Counsel Don McGahn. Democrats and civil rights and liberal advocacy groups have objected to many of Trump's nominees, but have had no success so far in stopping any of them from being confirmed. Judicial confirmations have been a bright spot for the Trump administration and Senate Republicans this year, with McConnell vowing to move nominees through the Senate as quickly as possible and Grassley taking steps to head off Democratic opposition at the committee level. Asked about Grassley's communications to the White House and the status of a full Senate vote on Talley, a spokesman for McConnell said in a email, "I do not have any scheduling announcements or guidance on any nominees right now." The Senate is preparing to vote this week on three federal appeals court nominees.JAISALMER: The father of a baby girl, who died in suspicious circumstances, was arrested and sent to judicial custody for 15 days. Police claim that Deen Singh alias Dileep Singh, the father of the girl, deliberately denied her treatment, which led to her death. According to the local medical authorities, members of some communities, infamous for killing baby girls, have now found a new way to make the deaths look 'natural'. The baby girls are either not fed enough or denied treatment. The authorities came across three such cases in Tejmalta and Mandi villages of the district during the last 10 days. On Friday, Dileep Singh was arrested after his daughter, who was born on June 13, died in the absence of proper treatment. According to SP Mamta Vishnoi, SDM Fatehgarh has submitted a report to Sangad police station in this regard, following which a case was registered and action was taken. A special team recovered the body of the baby for post-mortem. Vishnoi said investigation into the case revealed that Singh did not make any efforts to save the child. "During the investigation, contradictory information came to light pointing that Singh was completely careless towards his daughter. He was arrested on Friday and sent to judicial custody on Saturday,'' added Vishnoi. In last 10 days, three newborn girls died suspiciously in the area. According to reports, Keku Kanwar delivered a healthy baby at Tejmalta on June 8 but was brought to the Jhinjhinyali primary health centre in serious condition the next day. The baby did not survive. On the same day, the death of yet another baby girl was reported, following which the entire family is missing. District collector Shuchi Tyagi accepted the fact that some people are deliberately resorting to inhuman methods in order to save themselves from the law. Tyagi said it is a planned conspiracy and of the three recent cases, the newborns were buried in the backyard of the house. They also use chemical or salt so that body gets destroyed quickly. "The reasons could not be found in the post-mortem. Therefore, viscera has been sent to FSL for investigation and after the report comes, the reasons of death would be known. We are also talking to experts about what can be done to avoid such incidents,'' she said.Beat 1522 10:40 p.m. Tuesday For the second time in a month, the young woman in the dark jacket walked out of her South Austin house and learned her childhood friend had been shot. The first time, in late January, her friend was shot in the foot in the 5200 block of West Congress Parkway where they have lived all their lives. The bullet was still lodged inside when he was shot again around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday while driving to a store. He was hit in the side and thigh and was reported stable at Mount Sinai Hospital. "Two times in a month?" the woman said, shaking as she smoked a cigarette. "What’s the problem?" This time, her friend had been shot a few blocks away and managed to drive back to his house. Neighbors found him bleeding in the driver's seat. Two of his car's windows had been shot out. His crutches were propped in the back seat. Someone called 911 but they grew anxious while waiting for the ambulance. Someone opened the door, leaned over the wounded man and tried driving him to a hospital while crouched awkwardly over his lap. They didn’t get far. “He was in so much pain,” said his friend, who asked not to be named. “It sounded like it was extremely, uncontrollably serious.” Once the ambulance arrived, paramedics worked quickly, sweeping him out of the car and getting him to Mount Sinai Hospital, the woman said. An hour later, the doors of the car were wide open as police worked the scene. Evidence technicians leaned inside with cameras and flashlights, pausing to show a detective bullet holes. The woman said she and the victim were lifelong friends. They grew up next door to each other in matching greystones. She worries that someone is trying to kill him. “Clearly that’s the mission,” she said. “Is the next time gonna be a month from now?” Police finished processing the car and began shutting the doors. Glass from shattered windows showered onto the snowy road. The driver’s side door wouldn’t shut, and the officers had to slam it again and again until it cooperated. The officers' night shift was just getting started. “It’s not even 11!” a sergeant called out to an officer, half amused, half exasperated. The 5200 block of West Congress has had a run of bad luck this year. A 25-year-old woman got in a traffic accident there on Jan. 16. She started arguing with someone in the other car, who pulled out a gun and shot her in the mouth and arm. On Jan. 2, a 36-year-old man was found dead in a house fire down the block. After things stay quiet for a few days, the woman said, something else pops up. “Everything started the beginning of the year, like, bam bam bam,” she said. “You’d think it’s hot (outside). They’re out here in the snow really trying to shoot people?”Did you know that every year in Africa 35,000 elephants are killed for their tusks? Did you also know that you can help save them simply by folding origami elephants? 96 Elephants has partnered with Origami USA for an origami elephant challenge. Currently theGuinness world record for the largest display of paper elephants is 33,764. What 96 Elephants and Origami USA are trying to do is collect 35,000 paper elephants to beat that record and educate people about the 35,000 elephants killed each year. All you need to do to participate is to fold an elephant or elephants and mail them to the Wildlife Conservation Society at: Wildlife Conservation Society c/o Rachel Libretti 2300 Southern Boulevard Bronx, NY 10460 The only rules are that your model has to look like an elephant and it has to be mailed in before the deadline on September 16, 2016. They’d also like you to provide your name, address, email address and the number of elephants you’re sending in along with your submission so they can properly thank you. You can learn more about this project on 96 Elephants’ website here. They have diagrams on that page for 4 different elephant models that you can fold. If you’re looking for more here are some great video tutorials: Little Elephant, Designed by Li Jun Elephant, Designed by Fumiaki Kawahata Elephant, Designed by Nobuyoshi Enomoto Unknown Designer If you’re a more advanced origami folder here are some links to some crease patterns for some excellent elephants: DanielBSB’s Elephant NGUYỄN Hùng Cường’s African Elephant Kota Imai’s Elephant Ivan Danny’s Sumatran Elephant David Llanque’s Elephant Tetsuya Gotani’s Elephant Shuki Kato’s Asian and African Elephants You can help this cause by both folding and sending in paper elephants or by raising awareness. Here’s the official link if you want to post about it on social media: http://pages.96elephants.org/origami/ The official hashtag is #ElephantOrigamiChallenge as well. If you fold any elephants feel free to post a photo in the comments and just for fun here’s an elephant that I folded myself. This is supposed to be John Montroll’s Elephant from the book Animal Origami for the Enthusiast but I didn’t do a very good job folding it.Whether you collect civil war artifacts, Indian relics, pocket knives, or anything for that matter, you will soon look for a way to display that collection. It seems an almost universal display choice is the black cardboard Riker case with a glass cover and a cotton or Polyfoam liner. They are widely available, relatively inexpensive, and in most cases, provide adequate protection for your collectibles. A step up from the cardboard Riker case is a hardwood framed case with a hinged lid, but still with the cotton or foam liner. Of course these are much more expensive (even if you make them yourself), though they do provide a greater degree of protection in return for the cost. In my experience, neither of these choices work well for items of non-uniform thickness and weight. For example, a mix of small and large arrowheads displayed in the same frame. The heavier, thicker items compress the foam to a greater degree than the thinner, lighter items, and everything slips around – especially if the frame is hung vertically. I was looking for something that was a compromise between the sturdier wooden and the cheaper cardboard cases. I also wanted to resolve the issue of material moving around in the display because of the compressible foam. To resolve the “shifting” issue, I decided to utilize rigid Styrofoam instead of compressible foam. Instead of hardwood display cases, I’m utilizing wooden cigar boxes that you can get cheaply at flea markets, antique stores and sometimes for free at tobacco stores. I inlaid individual items into the rigid foam by tracing around the item with a pencil and then removing the material within the outline to provide a tight fit. Another hobby is wood carving, so I have a micro-motor similar to what your dentist might use. Equipped with a carbide bit, it makes quick work of removing the Styrofoam. Of course a Dremel would work equally well and just a good sharp knife will get the job done. The result is a custom fit for each item regardless of its thickness and weight in relation to the items around it. I find this particularly useful for my Indian relics. The cost is about the same as the Riker cases but the lateral support is far superior. For some of the knives I collect, I cut the Styrofoam sheets to whatever size cigar box I’m using, rout out the foam to fit the shapes of the knives I’m displaying, cover the foam with velvet and press the knives into the recesses. It makes a nice looking but inexpensive display. Another benefit of using wooden cigar boxes for metallic collectibles is that the boxes were constructed especially tight to hold the humidity constant for the cigars they once secured. You can throw in a silica gel packet with your knives or metal relics, close the lid, and you have a moisture controlled display box! Hopefully this will give you a few ideas and some inspiration to customize your own displays!He went on to emphasize his “very good relationship” with the chancellor. Indeed, Mr. Westerwelle, who is gay, came out in 2004 by bringing his partner to Mrs. Merkel’s birthday party, while she was still in the opposition and the year before she became chancellor. Mrs. Merkel said that she expected the negotiations to move quickly and that she wanted the new government in place no later than Nov. 9, the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, when heads of state from around the world are expected to visit for the commemoration. But just because the two parties want to govern together does not mean it will necessarily be easy to reconcile their proposals. Photo “Mr. Westerwelle will strike a hard bargain when it comes to tax reform,” said a prominent conservative legislator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the negotiations over forming the new government. The Free Democrats’ campaign platform called for more than $50 billion in tax cuts, more than twice what Mrs. Merkel’s Christian Democrats promised. Yet, even the more modest figure could be hard to achieve without deep and unpopular reductions in social spending; deficits have soared as a result of the economic crisis and the government stimulus plan meant to combat its effects. For many of the postwar years the Free Democrats were a swing vote in a Parliament dominated by the country’s two major parties, the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats. But the Free Democrats were out of power for the last 11 years, a stretch in the opposition that allowed the party to sharpen its stands for lower taxes and against bureaucratic red tape. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. It also gave Mr. Westerwelle, the youngest leader in the history of the party, time to grow up. Before the 2002 election he set his sights on winning 18 percent of the vote, and to drive home the point he wore a pair of shoes with “18” emblazoned in the party’s trademark yellow on the soles. He also rode in a bright yellow bus he called the Guidomobile. The party fell far short of his target, earning itself just 7.4 percent of the vote and Mr. Westerwelle a reputation as a joker. Mr. Westerwelle learned his lesson and cultivated a more serious image. His antics may have had a positive effect as well, broadening the party’s appeal beyond its traditional base among business owners by attracting younger professionals. In addition to emphasizing the party’s trademark positions in favor of liberalizing the economy, Mr. Westerwelle also studied foreign policy, hoping to follow in the footsteps of Hans-Dietrich Genscher, a former party leader and current adviser whose two decades as foreign minister included German reunification. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “In the past few years, he has clearly been preparing himself for this role,” said Jan Techau, director of the Europe program at the German Council on Foreign Relations, where Mr. Westerwelle gave a lengthy foreign-policy address in May. But Mr. Techau described the appearance as cautious, emphasizing continuity in German foreign policy and reminiscent of the passive role for Germany favored by Mr. Westerwelle’s mentor, Mr. Genscher. “Not living up to the country’s size and responsibility in the world is just not a sustainable foreign policy for Germany anymore,” Mr. Techau said. Although the Free Democrats have supported Germany’s participation in the NATO mission in Afghanistan, Mr. Westerwelle spoke out more strongly than Mrs. Merkel during the campaign about limiting the length of the deployment of the more than 4,000 German troops there. While talking about nuclear weapons at his news conference on Monday, Mr. Westerwelle referred to “rearmament” when he clearly meant to say “disarmament,” and shortly afterward apologized for his exhaustion after a long election night.Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a passionate speech yesterday (4 October) defending his government’s policies and track record. The Prime Minister and his government have been facing strong criticism after the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released data last month showing a slowdown in economic growth to 5.7 per cent in the first quarter of the 2017-18 fiscal year. In his speech, Prime Minister Modi took on his critics, former Bharatiya Janata Party supporters-turned-sourpusses and economic experts who keep shifting goalposts depending on which parameters show the government in poor light. He listed his government’s achievements in the last three years, pointed to the mess he inherited in 2014 and spoke about how he has managed to take the economy out of a state of policy paralysis, strengthened the fundamentals of the economy and delivered on developing infrastructure at rapid pace. Here are some key takeaways from his speech: Advertisement 1. For Modi, fight against black money and corruption is paramount. Prime Minister Modi said one dirty fish could spoil the whole pond. Similarly, there are bad apples in the country who undermine the nation’s reputation and system, he said. Modi listed a number of steps his government had taken to remove such people from the system and the institutions – starting from setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), preparing the ground for the Black Money Act to bring back money from abroad, inking tax treaties with various countries, passing the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and the Benami Property Act, the last of which had been stuck for the last 28 years, announcing demonetisation and introducing the goods and services tax (GST), which was also pending for years. Advertisement As a result of the government’s initiatives, the cash-to-GDP ratio has come down from 12 per cent before 8 November last year, to 9 per cent now, he pointed out. Today, people think 50 times before dealing in black money, he said. The Prime Minister’s message was clear – in this changing economy, a premium will be put on honesty. Interests of the honest will be protected, and the era of dishonesty, both in governance and business, will be over. Assuring the businesses that recently made the switch from the informal sector to the formal and are afraid that their past records will now come under scrutiny, he said they don’t have to worry as they will not be harassed. Previous governments may have done this, he said, “but to stop you from coming into mainstream because of such reasons - there can’t be a bigger sin.” Advertisement “I welcome you now, leave the old things behind and do not be worried. I am with you in the future,” he added. Modi said corruption and black money are the two factors that the poor are most harmed by. Listing the benefits of demonetisation, he said that the exercise had helped unearth three lakh firms which were of a suspect nature and so consequently, the registration of more than two lakh of them had been cancelled. He said that due to GST, 19 lakh new people had entered the tax system. Clearly, Prime Minister Modi sees both demonetisation and GST as important instruments in his fight against black money and his mission of formalisation of the economy. Advertisement 2. The Shalyas of the world need to be ignored as their only purpose is to spread negativity. Taking a shot at his critics like Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha, Prime Minister Modi (the quintessential master of symbolism that he is) compared them to Shalya – Karna’s charioteer in the Mahabharata who used to discourage everyone he saw on the battlefield and spread pessimism all around. Shalya is not just a person; it’s a mindset, he emphasised. Advertisement Modi said these kinds of people gained happiness by spreading hopelessness and got a good night’s sleep from doing it. For them, slowdown in one quarter has proved to be perfect fodder. He warned that it is important to identify such people who like data when it is favourable to them and when it is unfavourable, they point fingers saying the process, the institutions or the people in charge were wrong. When CSO released data showing growth at 7.4 per cent, these same people rejected it saying ground reality was different. It wasn’t in accordance with their Shalya mindset, Modi said, taking a jibe at his critics. “The institution wasn’t right, the methodology was wrong, they say, but as soon as the growth decelerated to 6.1 and 5.7 in last two quarters, they started loving data,” he added. 3. Don’t listen to politically motivated “experts” who change goalposts depending on which parameters are unfavourable to the government. Advertisement Prime Minister Modi reminded people of the economic environment in the last years of the previous government, when increase in the inflation rate, fiscal deficit, current account deficit and even interest rate made more headlines than the rise in growth rate. He noted that for some people, all these parameters which showed that the country was headed in the wrong direction, were good at the time, but now that the numbers had improved, the economists had closed their eyes and couldn’t even see the writing on the wall. Inflation had come down from over 10 per cent to 2.5 per cent, current account deficit from over 4 per cent to below 1 per cent and, at the same time, fiscal deficit had reduced and foreign investors were doing record investment, Modi pointed out. “Our foreign exchange reserve has grown from 30,000 crore to 40,000 crore. This improvement, confidence in economy don’t have any merit in their views. Hence, it is time for the country to think whether they are serving country’s cause or some political one,” he added. Advertisement 4. Modi acknowledged that there is a problem, but he sees signs of recovery already and hence thinks there is no need to panic. Recognising the slowdown in economic growth, Modi said the government is committed to and capable of reversing this trend. “Many informed people have expressed confidence that the economy’s fundamentals are strong. We have taken many important decisions related to reforms and this process is underway,” he said. Modi also promised that the country’s financial stability will be maintained and his government will do everything that’s needed to improve investment and increase the growth rate. Advertisement Painting an optimistic picture of the future, Modi said the growth rate will bounce back to normal in no time. The Reserve Bank of India, he said, had also projected that the growth rate will rise to 7.7 per cent in the coming quarters. Modi specifically mentioned micro, small and medium enterprises, export sector or those part of the non-formal economy – these have been most impacted by demonetisation and GST. He assured that if due to structural reforms some sectors were in need of help, the government was alert to their concerns. Similarly, on GST, he assured that feedback was being taken and said he had asked the GST Council to do a complete review so that wherever there was a problem, be it with traders, technology, filling forms, etc., it would be reviewed and all stakeholders would come together and make changes wherever needed. Advertisement “I want to assure the traders that we are not averse to change and never claim exclusive right to all knowledge but we are trying to go in the right direction. Whatever is the experience of three months, based on that, whatever improvement is needed, we are with you,” he said. However, Modi pointed out that there was no need for panic as there were
not plan to seek a third term and would be under pressure to quit sooner after a vote for Brexit. Business group the Confederation of British Industry said applying a points system to European citizens would mean giving up access to the single market, which it said would be "hugely damaging" to Britain's economy.A GANG of naked cyclists will descend on Edinburgh next month. More than 60 bicycle enthusiasts will strip down in the city’s Meadows area on June 13 as part of the World Naked Bike ride event. Attendees have been warned to cleverly cover up their naughty bits or face a spot of bother from police. Issuing nudity guidance, organisers said: “The official dress code is that genitalia should be covered to avoid scaring small children and horses, and after that, go wild. “In previous years, riders have worn shorts, bras, swimwear, body paint, wigs, sunglasses etc. “Body painting and adornment, customised bikes and other creative expression are strongly encouraged.” The planned route will see the cyclists set off from the Meadows at 2pm to the top of Holyrood Park before coming back up through the New Town back to the Meadows. 19 things to do in Edinburgh before you die Find out a number of facts you probably didn't know about Scotland's capital below: VIEW GALLERY Or if you're from the Dear Green Place, find out 16 things to do in Glasgow before you die. Find out how Edinburgh was named fourth most beautiful city in the world by Rough Guide. And if you're staying in Edinburgh, see 15 amazing places to eat proving the capital is a food lover’s paradise. Then discover 8 life lessons we've learned from the Humans of Edinburgh Facebook page.The president of the Minneapolis Police Federation said Monday that he has been ordered not to wear his uniform during media interviews while representing the union, one week after he angered the mayor and others for calling the Minnesota Lynx attendance “pathetic.” Lt. Bob Kroll, who heads the union representing rank-and-file officers, said he received a letter from Chief Janeé Harteau ordering him to stop wearing the uniform when speaking with media — unless he is speaking on behalf of the department. Kroll said he is preparing a written response “in hopes of getting this resolved.” Sgt. Catherine Michal, a department spokesperson, would say only that Harteau wrote the letter, saying it contained “private personnel data.” Four off-duty Minneapolis officers working the July 9 game at Target Center walked off after taking offense at players’ warm-up jerseys that showed support for Black Lives Matter and victims of recent high-profile shootings in Baton Rouge, Falcon Heights and Dallas. The dispute escalated after Kroll commended the officers for quitting and then said the team only needed four officers because of “pathetic” attendance. The comments drew criticism from Mayor Betsy Hodges, who called them “jackass remarks.” Harteau criticized the officers for walking off a job. The officers have resolved their differences and returned to the off-duty work.The new Koenigsegg One:1 has been revealed. It’s set to become the world’s most powerful production car, packing 1,322bhp, and it's been shown for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show. The Koenigsegg Agera design cues will be carried over to the One:1, which is based on that car, such as the small LED framed rear lights and oversized central exhaust. Most noticeable changes over other Koenigsegg models such as the Agera S and R is the addition of a huge rear wing supported by two fins emerging from the roof. • What is the fastest car in the world? The One:1 name also bears some significance, as it refers to the power to weight ratio of the car. The 5.0-litre turbocharged V8 from the Agera now produces 1,322bhp (1,340hp), matching the kerbweight of 1,340kg. That means the One:1 will become the world's most powerful production car, taking the crown from the 1,300bhp SCC Ultimate Aero. The torque that the engine produces is staggering too: 1,371Nm at 6,000rpm. The One:1 gets a 7 speed dual clutch automatic gearbox and an electronic differential. This means the car can go from 0-250mph in around 20 seconds - and the huge ceramic brakes take it back to 0 in just 10 seconds. It would appear Koenigsegg is gunning for the title of the world’s fastest production car, too – currently owned by the 1184bhp Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, which set a 267.8mph record. The tyres fitted to the One:1 are rated for up to 273mph - indicating that the car could be able to hit those speeds. Just six Koenigsegg One:1 cars will be built, and there's no word on price yet - but don't expect it to be cheap.mytest Books, eBooks, and more from Dr. ARUDOU, Debito (click on icon): UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito DEBITO.ORG PODCASTS on iTunes, subscribe free “LIKE” US on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/debitoorg https://www.facebook.com/embeddedrcsmJapan http://www.facebook.com/handbookimmigrants https://www.facebook.com/JapaneseOnlyTheBook https://www.facebook.com/BookInAppropriate If you like what you read and discuss on Debito.org, please consider helping us stop hackers and defray maintenance costs with a little donation via my webhoster: All donations go towards website costs only. Thanks for your support! Hi Blog. Check this out: Hokkaido creates car stickers for foreign rent-a-car drivers April 16, 2016 (Mainichi Japan), courtesy of JK http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160416/p2a/00m/0na/005000c A sticker for foreign people using rent-a-cars, created by the Hokkaido Prefectural Government. (Mainichi) The Hokkaido Prefectural Government has prepared 2,500 stickers for use by foreigners driving rent-a-cars, in order to identify them to other drivers and prepare against on-the-road trouble. The stickers, which read “A person from a foreign country is driving,” were distributed to rent-a-car companies in Hokkaido. In fiscal 2014, around 24,000 rent-a-cars were used by foreign tourists, around 14,000 more than in fiscal 2012. Accidents and driver arguments are expected, so the stickers were created to warn other drivers, similar to stickers for new drivers. The magnetic stickers are 14.5 centimeters square and carry Hokkaido’s tourism character “Kyun-chan,” a Japanese pika. A prefectural government official says, “When people see (a car with the sticker), we want them to act kindly.” ENDS Japanese version 外国人観光客レンタカー利用でステッカー北海道毎日新聞2016年4月7日 20時01分（最終更新 4月7日 22時35分） http://mainichi.jp/articles/20160408/k00/00m/040/051000c 外国人運転の車に配慮してもらおうと、北海道は、「外国の方が運転しています」とメッセージを記載したマグネット式ステッカー２５００枚を作製し、道内レンタカー会社に配布した。外国人観光客のレンタカー利用は２０１４年度で約２万４０００台に上り、１２年度より約１万４０００台増。事故やトラブルも予想され、初心運転者向けの「若葉マーク」のようにアピールすることにした。ステッカーは１４．５センチ四方で、北海道観光のＰＲキャラクター「キュンちゃん」（エゾナキウサギ）のイラスト入り。担当者は「うさぎを見たら、温かく見守ってほしい」。【一條優太】 ENDS ////////////////////////////////////// SUBMITTER JK COMMENTS: Hi Debito. “Friendly Driving”…um…right…more like 注意：外人の運転手だよ！ I wonder how MOFA would react if, oh I dunno, rent-a-car companies in Hawaii started issuing stickers for Japanese drivers stating “A person from Japan is driving”, in order to “identify them to other drivers and prepare against on-the-road trouble” because after all, “accidents and driver arguments are expected”. DEBITO COMMENTS: It would seem that the Japanese reflex of pointing out differences over similarities (a byproduct of the quest to keep Japan “unique” in the world narrative) has created perennial blind spots towards the effects of “stigmatization”. That is to say, if you keep pointing out how different a group of people is (in this case, “foreign drivers”, even if you say you are doing it “out of kindness”), it still differentiates and “others” people — with the inevitable subordinating presumption that foreign drivers are somehow more prone to accidents, need to be taken notice of, or treated with special care. Why else would the public be notified (if not warned) that a foreign driver is present? Shoe on the other foot: How would people like it if females behind the wheel had to bear a “women driver” sticker? What if the “foreign driver” (for example, somebody who has been driving in Japan not as a tourist for years, or on the British side of the road the same as Japan?) would rather opt out of all the special attention? And what of the Japanese tourists from the metropolises who are “paper drivers” and probably have much less road experience than average compared to any motorized society in the world? Let’s see how a “tourist driver” sticker (slapped on Japanese drivers too) would fare. This sticker is, to put it bluntly in Japanese, 有り難迷惑 (arigata meiwaku), or “kindness” to the point of being a nuisance. And it is not even the first “foreign driver” sticker Debito.org has heard of — last October we reported on similar stickers in Okinawa with the same purpose: For more on Japan’s poor history of stigmatization of “foreigners” in the name of “kindness”, see Embedded Racism pp. 21-8, 94, and 281-282. Dr. ARUDOU, Debito ================= Do you like what you read on Debito.org? Want to help keep the archive active and support Debito.org’s activities? We are celebrating Debito.org’s 20th Anniversary in 2016, so please consider donating a little something. More details here.First of all the drama. Two injury time goals, both of them penalties, both shot down the middle, and two sendings-offs – one of them for the manager in his own cathedral, but crucially it was Arsenal and Alexis who held their nerve to prevail 2-1 against Burnley. In all honesty, it should never have reached such a tense conclusion, but midway through the second-half Granit Xhaka was red-carded when Arsenal were in full control. Unfortunately, his tackle was not. For Xhaka, it’s another example of the impetuousness that characterises his game. Arsene Wenger reproached him after the game saying: “He has to control his game and not punish the team with lack of control in his tackling.” However, in truth, Wenger probably likes a bit of that in Xhaka – balancing risk with reward is a key part of Arsenal’s game. Certainly, the need to play on the front foot is important to the way Arsenal defend, as exemplified by the performance of Laurent Koscielny against Burnley who marshalled their striker, Andre Gray, primarily by anticipating where the ball would be going and beating him to it. Sadly for Xhaka, it was a rush to the head that saw him dismissed as he initially gave the ball away, then lunged in to correct his mistake. The tackle was dangerous although not entirely reckless – because he purposely held back and went to the side of the player – but it’s the manner in which he dived in that earned the sending-off. Arsenal will badly miss Xhaka for the four games he will serve his suspension. He has grown in stature in the role in front of the back four, and has accepted the peculiar demands that Wenger expects from his deepest midfielder, with and without the ball. These demands can sometimes leave him exposed – at times against Burnley, it was just him and the centre-backs that were left to defend the counters, though he did that very well. And with the ball, Arsenal have this peculiar build up style which can make it seem as if he’s disconnected from the rest of the team. Thankfully, the quality of his passing and receptions allows him to navigate adverse situations. In any case, Aaron Ramsey in front of him generally balanced his duties well against Burnley, using his runs to stretch the play, not just by moving up and down, but side to side, getting into pockets. There was still a visible disconnect in the midfield at times but that’s not to be avoided – it’s purposeful. There’s a good example of that at the start of the second-half in the move that eventually sees Ramsey scorpion kick the ball over, where Xhaka is imploring Mustafi to bring the ball with him forward up the pitch. Xhaka doesn’t come towards the ball. He steps forward too, and the player that’s marking him is unsure whether to follow, or close down Mustafi. Against teams that drop deep – or even press, it matters not – Wenger wants to try open up the middle of the pitch and then pass the ball through to one of the attackers in that empty space. He says he’s “comfortable with the fact that it sometimes leaves us open in the middle of the park. We want to play in the other half of the pitch and, therefore, we have to push our opponents back. But my philosophy is not to be in trouble, but to fool the opponent into trouble.” There’s obvious risk in that because if Arsenal lose it with Ramsey up the pitch, then there’s a lot of space for Xhaka cover. The best way to deal with that open space is to position yourself up the pitch and anticipate when the ball comes loose in order to keep the attack moving again. That’s why Francis Coquelin is admired in the role he plays because he carries out this function almost fastidiously. To be fair to Xhaka, he’s generally carried out his ball-winning duties well since joining and perhaps more than his attendant rashness, he’s suffered from Arsenal’s system. What’s not under question, however, is his passing and the calmness he brings; you can always count on him to pick the correct pass, quickly and smoothly. It’s probably not done enough to alleviate some of Arsenal’s build up issues. That’s likely to be impossible under Wenger (because even Cazorla can’t do it) as he’s dead set on persisting with this unorthodox approach. A balanced midfield duo can iron out some of these kinks, and that’s why there’s such a clamour for Xhaka/Ramsey to play together. It looks the most complementary partnership, especially now the latter is playing with confidence again. It’s a shame then, that it’s been broken up as quickly as it was put together, and now Arsenal move onto their new partnership, between Ramsey and Coquelin, which seems wholly unsuited on paper. If it is to work, I envisage a bit of fine tuning between the two players roles, maybe even revert to how Coquelin played in his breakthrough season. Back to Burnley, and for most of the match, before the sending-off, Arsenal had controlled the game in their typical stuttering style, but it took until a change in positioning from Mesut Ozil for the opening goal to come. The breakthrough, a header from Shkodran Mustafi, was actually a change in tactic in itself from Arsenal because they had gone short from corner-kicks before then but were forced to go longer this time as Burnley committed an extra man to the edge of the box. The problem was that that man was actually taken off the far post, and when Mustafi rose to meet the cross, invariably that’s where the ball headed. In any case, Arsenal began to turn the screw as soon the second-half kicked off, with Ozil driving the team on interestingly from the right flank. He actually decided to start the half on that side, which at the time might have seemed like a tactical switch but probably more of a result of whim and the freedom that he’s granted. If there were any halftime instructions from Wenger it would probably have been along the lines of playing with more urgency and taking the game to the opposition. So from that side, Ozil quickly realised there was more space to attack from, and by using Iwobi’s narrow positioning, was able to overload the flank. It was an important move because it allowed Arsenal to change the point of the attack, especially with the team without the thrust of Hector Bellerin. He also knew that he was up against Steven Defour, normally a central midfielder, and by doing 3v2, stretch him and Burnley’s 4-4-2 system. In the first-half, Ozil had played mainly on the shoulder, or just ahead of the midfield, but rarely was he able to get between-the-lines to combine because Burnley were packed so tight. Attacks were therefore mainly funnelled down the left-wing, through Alexis, and chipped balls to Olivier Giroud. Ozil got onto the end of a couple of chances himself but the Gunners were unable to create enough clear-cut chances. Corner-kicks seemed to be the avenue that would bring them their most joy, and eventually it did when Mustafi headed in his compatriot’s cross. With Ozil moving to the right, however, suddenly Alexis on the other side had opportunities to drive with the ball and went close with a couple of shots. The move seemed to put Arsenal’s two key men higher and closer to the goal. Indeed, I’ve reposted the whole of the half before the goal below, just to highlight how Ozil began affecting the game from the right. First 18 minutes of the 2nd half before goal. https://t.co/hjKNIwG5HJ + https://t.co/xXdC5Q1RI5 Ozil just stays on the right flank. — Arsenal Column (@ArsenalColumn) January 23, 2017 Of course, he usually drifts to that side anyway on his own in most matches but it was interesting that he did it almost straight away after the break, ignoring the link-up with Alexis that’s usually so devastating. Instead from the right side, he could deliver his trademark in-swingers to the far post, as he did most recently against West Bromwich and then for Mustafi’s goal from the corner-kick. Indeed, I would argue that’s why Ozil’s assists output has changed this season because he’s not really been able to drift to the flanks as he generally prefers, but is forced to play more on the edges of attack. Ozil explains his role to Kicker magazine: “I have not become more egoistic, but my running paths are a bit different. I don’t collect balls from that deep, but instead wait a bit further up the field. “I might have five minutes without any ball contact, but more chances in front of the goal. The most important thing for me: I need to have freedom on the pitch. That’s what I need. And the coach grants me that freedom, that’s why I am on a roll.” Against Burnley though, Ozil was allowed to move wider because Iwobi started from a deeper position and then tended to come in, opening the space for the interchange. It may be a fault of his that he took a while to realise it, but then again, that’s part of the genius of Ozil, being able to interpret where the space is so that he can change the game.A video of a woman screaming about a veteran’s service dog being inside a Delaware restaurant has caught the attention of the internet. It happened at Kathy’s Crab House in Delaware City. The unidentified woman was filmed screaming about how disgusting she thought it was that an animal was inside the eatery. Kathy’s Crab House addressed the incident and announced that it will be sponsoring a veterans and service animals fundraiser in a statement released via their Facebook page Wednesday. That statement reads: “We would like to express at this time how sorry we are over the embarrassing turn of events that occurred earlier this week in our restaurant, here in Delaware City. It is unfortunate that some of the public are not familiar with federal regulations regarding service animals, which, in fact, do permit service animals into establishments such as grocery stores, public buildings and restaurants, giving aid and comfort to their masters in their time of need. That being said, we would like to take what may have been perceived as a negative incident and turn this into a positive opportunity, by educating and enlightening the public about the role of service animals and how they help and serve many returning veterans who have suffered serious wounds and injuries, as well as those veterans suffering from PTSD. So, at this time, we would like to announce that we will be sponsoring a fundraising effort for veterans and service animals thru the Montana Wounded Warriors. We would like to enlist your help as a sponsor, volunteer, or as a donor and help us enlighten and educate the public as well as to help those veterans in need. Details need to be finalized at this time, but as they come together, we will make additional announcements to keep you apprised of our progress. Thank you” Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV \| CBS Baltimore on FacebookIt appears that streaming music service Spotify is finally set to launch in the U.S. The company has posted a landing page declaring that, "the award-winning music service that’s taken Europe by storm will soon be landing on US shores." The page also features a form that lets visitors sign up for an invite. No details about a specific launch date or pricing were immediately available. We've reached out to the company for comment and will update when we learn more. The U.S. launch of Spotify has appeared imminent for months, with the company closing a $100 million round of funding and reportedly securing licensing deals with UMG, EMI and Sony. The company, which has more than 10 million users in Europe, has also been rumored to be working on a streaming music service with Facebook. Might that be part of the "something awesome" that Facebook plans to announce at a press conference later on Wednesday? We'll soon find out, as that event kicks off at 1 p.m. ET (however, we already know a Skype partnership is part of today's Facebook news). Update: A Spotify representative tells us "We have updated our landing page in advance of launch. Still no specifics on the launch I'm afraid, just We’re working hard to launch the service in the US as soon as possible. All we can say right now is watch this space!"China's dream of leading the way in space technologies took a giant leap forward as its revolutionary 'near-space' airship successfully took to the skies for the first time over Inner Mongolia. The blimp, called 'Yuanmeng', is billed by the Chinese media as the world's first airship to be built equipped with sustainable energy panels and whose flight can be controlled remotely, according to a report by People's Daily Online. The ship, which will be able to carry out data relay, communication, high-def observation and spatial imaging functions, flew for 22 hours at a peak of 65,000ft during its first test flight in mid-October before returning to earth. Innovation: China's near-space blimp, called 'Yuanmeng' could serve a range of functions including data relay Ready for take off: The 60,000 cubic feet juggernaut had its first successful test flight in mid-October The project to design and launch the 60,000 cubic feet behemoth - the same volume as ten professional swimming pools - was jointly developed by Nanjiang Space and Beijing University of Astronautics and Aeronautics (BeiHang). The bright silver craft, which was lifted into the skies using helium, runs on the solar energy it generates through its panels during orbit and can carry up to around 660 lbs of weight on board. 'Near-space' is a region of the Earth's atmosphere between 65,000 ft and 328,000 ft, and is too high for traditional aircraft to penetrate safely. 'The biggest challenge for the near-space airship is the big temperature difference in the day and night,' said Yu Quan, an academic from the Chinese Academy of Engineering - an issue that the new craft is trying to solve. Uncharted territory: Tapping into the near-space region of the atmosphere interests China and the US greatly Years of work: Scientists and researchers from BeiHang University helped to make the dream a reality Liu Dongxu, associate manager of Nanjiang Space, said: 'Near space offers a bridge between aviation and space exploration.' 'We had little previous experience to draw upon in terms of the environment we are dealing with. It has very specific requirements for the material and the overall performance of the aircraft.' Finding precisely the right material to allow the craft to reach near-space has been a challenge for scientists over recent years, but it appears that the problem is nearing a solution. Interestingly, given China's recent history of purely designing space technologies for military uses, it has been announced that the new craft will be used for civilian purposes as well. China has made no secret of its desire to innovate in the field of space exploration, crystallised in the promise made by President Xi Jinping to pursue to'space dream of the Chinese nation' in 2013. Masterplan: Liu Dongxu of joint designers Nanjiang Space said called the ship 'a bridge to space exploration' Eco-friendly: The ship is entirely powered by its solar panels, here being affixed to it by the ship's constructors Expert scientists have previously estimated that China spends over $1 billion dollars (roughly $6 billion yuan) on its space programme every year. The first portion of China's long awaited space station, Tiangong 2, could be launched as early as next year, as well plans for three more blimp test flights to be sent into near space during 2016. The purported success of the appropriately-named 'Yuanmeng' - which translates as 'to fulfill a dream' in English - may come as a surprise to NASA, which launched a contest to design and build a similar craft at the end of 2014.... but we're lasting as long as we can. Our language is gone, though here and there a word survives. Some of our music and dance also. Sometimes we see bits of our ways in what the others do, a gesture here and there, a fragment of a design at the edge of a collar or on a belt buckle. Sometimes people eat salted fried grasshoppers and do their eggs in little ramekins with lots of cream. Even the word ramekin is from us. Are there many of us left to sit and watch the falling stars? I don't suppose so. Besides, here in the city we hardly even notice the moon. I wonder why we came to the city. I suppose the better to hide out in among the Others. Luckily, none of them would ever marry one of us. That big bump in the middle of our nose not only defines us but make us ugly to the Others. We're glad for our lumpy nose because we can recognize each other even from quite a distance. Still, we disappear. When have I ever seen a man of our kind I could fall in love with?... could be watched by and watched over as lovers do? Who would think me beautiful, except one of us? With our own kind we would find ourselves—all of us—turned into butterflies. If only there was a reason for our differences and our looks. Some special talent. Perhaps there is and I just haven't found it yet. I should go on a hunt not only for a suitable man, but for our talent, too. Not that I haven't tried a lot of things already. Jumping out of trees in order to see if I could fly. I picked a lower branch so if I couldn't, I wouldn't hurt myself too badly, and yet high enough that I'd scare myself into flying if that was my talent. I couldn't. I tried to move cups off the table just by thinking about it. I tried to start a fire by squinting hard at a box of matches. I tried to bend spoons from across the table. I couldn't. I thought maybe our talent would involve that bump in the middle of our noses, but I can't smell any better than the Others do. My parents worked hard to repopulate the world with our kind (I have two brothers and four sisters). Mother says I need to be careful who I mate with. She says I'm such a fine example of our people. "Go!" Mother keeps saying. "It's time you were off on your own." Sometimes she says, "How come you haven't found a nice young man from one of us?" She doesn't realize how few of us there are now. She says, "You're good looking for our kind. I don't think you're trying. When I was your age I already had you and three more of us." But I've stared out from under my lank limp bangs, looking and looking. I've hardly seen another one of us and certainly never one my age. What is she thinking? "All right, all right, I'll go." She'll be sorry when I'm gone. After all, I do most of the work around here. She was kind enough to make me a sandwich, and she gave me her second best brooch. She's so happy to see me finally go that she gives me a big hug and a sloppy kiss. Is this the way our kind treat their children? But don't all animals kick out the older young ones after a certain length of time? Yes, and that's always when the young ones get into trouble. I'll have to be careful. When I'm well away from our neighborhood, I put on the brooch. It's our type of brooch. A reddish stone with little blue flecks in it. Not beautiful and of little value. It's like us in that. But it'll help to prove I'm one of us. That's its only worth. Mother would be happy if I got on with the business of not going extinct as fast as I can, but why? If we have no special talent, what are we good for? Perhaps we should get out of the way to leave more room for the Others. But maybe I just haven't found our talent. What if we can levitate a little tiny bit? But I don't know how to test that out. I skip along the sidewalk, trying to pause at the top of each bounce. I don't. I'm not sure, though. There might be just the slightest hesitation. How do you measure a thing like that? And anyway, what good to the world would that be? You'd think I'd be discouraged, but I'm not. I still might discover our talent. What if there's a place where a whole lot of us ended up all together? An island all to ourselves? Or I could be the one to start a colony of us myself. I have enough money for an ad. Wanted: lumpy nosed people with bad hair who keep looking at their feet. MAYBE CAN LEVITATE A LITTLE. You know who you are. I could write: Meet at (such and such a place), PURPOSE: TO FIND A HOME. I should also write PURPOSE: REPOPULATE THE WORLD WITH OUR KIND. They'll know right away what I mean. I hope I don't just get my own brothers and sisters. I'd better go to a far off town to make sure that won't happen. I sit on a bench and eat Mother's sandwich. (Lots of kids get sent off with hardly this much. I should appreciate it.) Then I take the bus and after that another bus. I spend all night on the second bus. I want to get as far away as possible. Besides, I don't have a place to sleep. One bus driver looks like one of us but he doesn't look at me with any curiosity even though I wear that ugly brooch right in front. Some of us have changed our taste so that we only like the looks of the others. When that's the case, there isn't much of a chance for me. And I don't even like my looks myself. I get off at a town that's not big but pretty. I'm in a bad mood because of that bus driver. He could have smiled. I'll wait a bit before I put the ad in the paper. I want to get to know the town so I can choose a good place for our meeting. I get a job right away. It's my usual skill, washing dishes. And I keep testing myself for our talent, too. As I wash I try to breathe under the soapy water. I choke. I try holding my breath for a long time. Nope. Into the diner comes a whole family of us. There are five little children. They hardly fit into the biggest booth. That couple is doing their part in helping us not go extinct. I like how they're wearing clothes that are a little different from the others. The mother is wearing an awful brooch. Even worse than mine. It's so heavy it drags her blouse down and to the side. They're all wearing that dark red we always like so much. Even the baby is wrapped in a dark red blanket. I can hardly hold myself back from rushing out. And then I don't hold back. I yell, "I quit," and run out to the front. But I've no idea what to say. I just stand there. The man says, "What's wrong?" I say, "Nothing." Can't he see who I am? I don't know what to do so I pretend I was just leaving and walk out the door. I'm thinking: What am I doing? I didn't even get my pay. I still have money left, though. And then I'm thinking: All young ones make mistakes and this is my first. I wonder how many I'll have to make before I do something right. Instead of feeling bad about it, what I'll do is place my ad. First I'll scout out a good meeting place. I trot away. It feels good to be doing something for my kind. I have a notebook and I write down several possible addresses. One of them is so secluded I decide to spend the night in the bushes there. Thank goodness I had a good lunch at the diner. Next day I put my ad in the newspaper. I don't look for another job, I just wait around for the meeting two days from now. I do go to the library to check out possible islands and hidden valleys on maps and in encyclopedias. If I could think of more tests to try for our talent I would, but I can't. (I already tried going without sleep. That's not it.) So nothing to do but wait for the big day. Finally the day comes and it's wonderful. Better than I expected. I picked a little park with swings and slides and picnic tables. The first people here are that very family from the diner. Right after them come four middle aged women. Then three more. Then two more families. So far not a single suitable man for any of us. What does that mean for our future? The people mill around and talk to each other and wait for something to happen. All of a sudden I realize I'm the one who has to do it. I should have prepared what I was going to say. Another mistake of young people. My heart starts beating so hard I think I'm going to faint but I stand up on a picnic table and begin even though I don't know what to say. "As you all know... I think you all know... You do know...." Somebody yells, "Louder." I take a big breath and try again. "You wouldn't be here if you didn't all know we're dwindling away. If we had a place to be where we were with each other, we might last a lot longer and keep our own ways going. My idea is we should find a hidden valley or an island." I'm so nervous I hardly know what I'm saying, but everybody thanks me for doing what they all had wished to do for a long time. Then they argue about whether island or hidden valley. It looks like I'm in charge whether I want to be or not. I decide to vote on the side of hidden valley, for no reason except that I don't know how to swim. That breaks the tie. Maybe we're like dodos... hardly any reasons for being, and won't be missed. I wonder if dodos had any special talents we never found out about. It'll be too bad if we disappear before we find out what's special about us. So I get myself appointed to search out a valley. They take up a collection to help me with the trip. Meanwhile we'll put in another ad for men. BIG NOSED MEN WITH LITTLE EYES AND SECRET TALENTS. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. I'd really prefer to wait here with the others and get to meet the men... if there are any... but they want me to rush off so we can find a place as soon as possible. I suppose all these women want me out of the way. I wonder if, in terms of our kind of people, I might be better looking than I think and that's why those women want me out of the way in case they get some men from the next ad. On the other hand, we've all been spoiled by the delicate, wispy looks of the Others. I don't see how they can think me good looking. But nothing happens as we think it will. Well, it does sort of. I do find a valley. This is after a long hard hike, wandering from mountain to mountain, eating dried stews and breakfast bars—until I come to a really ugly valley. I get a funny feeling seeing it, like: This has got to be it, much as I don't want it to be. It looks so much like us. As I climb down into
here can go from an amazingly fun time to very sobering in the blink of an eye. And then we go back to work. On the day we had a memorial for Rodney we were still in shock. When Rodney leaves the pole we will all be working like crazy for station open. Only a few of us will get the chance to go to his funeral. It was now the time for the station to say goodbye. At the end of winter Rodney's body will be returned to Australia to buried in his home town. In the mean time he had to be placed somewhere. Pole is so small and crowded that there just wasn't anywhere convenient other than in a service area of the station. This was not as respectful as many people wanted it to be, and thus wanted to do something else. Someone came up with the idea of burying Rodney at the pole. For us this seemed very fitting and much more dignified. The carpenters soon found a supply of oak, and set to work making Rodney a magnificent casket. Over the past month many of Rodney's friends worked on this, manufacturing every piece including the outside fittings. Sonja made a beautiful plaque out of maple, with Rodney's favorite constellation, Scorpio, inlaid in brass, with engraved pieces of brass above and below Scorpio. The casket was finished last week and it was time to bury Rodney. No public announcement was made. Everyone was told personally. At 1:30 on Sunday afternoon everyone met in the galley. Almost the whole station was there. We went down the tunnel that goes to the entrance of the dome. Some of Rodney's closest friends carried the casket out to the entrance and placed it on a Nansen sled. A Nansen sled is a beautiful long wooden sled that was used back in the days of Antarctic exploration. I think it was a fitting way for Rodney to be taken out to the pole. The whole station then took Rodney out to the Geographic Pole. The air was still and crisply cold. The moon was down and it was inky black except for the beams of the high power torches cutting across the sky. Once Rodney was in place Jake said some very nice words, and read something Rodney's mother had sent. Dave P. then said some words about his friend that were incredibly moving. It was the most touching thing I've ever heard. Rodney is buried 15 feet from the South Pole at about 110 degrees east, in the Australian Antarctic Territory. This is roughly south of Perth, and also south of the Australian station Casey. Having wintered at Casey, I was pleased about this. I had quite a few drinks for Rodney that night. To be continued.......Upset that his Democratic opponent Elizabeth Colbert Busch has agreed to only one debate, former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) on Wednesday held a mock debate in Charleston, S.C. with a poster of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Stefanie Bainum, a reporter for ABC News 4 in Charleston, tweeted several photos of the event as well as a follow-up explaining Sanford’s motivations: Sanford says Colbert Busch turned down invite to debate so he’s asking questions to her big benefactor Pelosi.#chs twitter.com/stefaniebainum… — Stefanie Bainum (@stefaniebainum) April 24, 2013 Sanford says he wants to debate Keystone Pipeline, Healthcare, and NLRB etc. with Colbert Busch. #chs #scnews twitter.com/stefaniebainum… — Stefanie Bainum (@stefaniebainum) April 24, 2013 “@holycitysinner: So..why is this happening?” Sanford trying to make a point that Colbert Busch wont debate, so he’ll debate her big donor” — Stefanie Bainum (@stefaniebainum) April 24, 2013 Sanford and Colbert Busch, the two major party nominees in the special House election in South Carolina’s First Congressional District, are scheduled to debate on April 29 in Charleston. The special election is scheduled to be held May 7. After the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released a brutal ad last week that mocked Sanford’s 2009 mistress scandal, the former governor took out a full page ad in Sunday’s edition of the Charleston Post & Courier in which he likened himself to a soldier in the Battle of the Alamo and accused Colbert Busch and Pelosi of attempting to “buy this race.”Everytime I see something made with CryEngine 3, my jaw just drops. The same can be said about this Enodo Demo Reel, which showcases – in essence – what a game like SimCity could look like on the steroid that is CryEngine 3. What first came to my mind was how this could be applied in real-world scenarios, such as college campuses or job training. One of my friends studies Industrial Design, so that is what came to me specifically. This engine is the future. Furthermore, the video shows off CryEngine 3's ability pick out certain 3D objects in the environment, render them, and change or move them from the start area. It is a technical feat to be sure, and something that I can almost without hesitation say, "Nobody expected ten years ago that we would have this kind of technology today." Once again, the industry proves that it is gaining forward momentum faster than ever in regards to technical capability. Check out the video above and let us know what you think about it in the comments section below! Via DSOGamingEarlier this week, Kanye West unveiled his Yeezy Season 4 fashion line at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park on New York's Roosevelt Island. The show, which was scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Eastern (it even marked on the official shirts), was significantly delayed, and did not begin until well after 4 p.m. During that time, the models stood in the heat, waiting for it to begin. Some grabbed water, and others sat. One model even fainted, and removed herself from the show to sit on the side in the shade. During the actual show, a few models struggled while walking in the West-designed heels, including one who ended up being assisted by a member of the audience, Bergdorf Goodman Fashion Director Bruce Pask, who said she told him, “I think I’m going to pass out.” Due to the delays and heat, as well as the clothing, Yeezy Season 4 has been critically panned. Last night, West addressed the criticism of his recent collection during a performance at Harper's Bazaar's annual ICONS New York Fashion Week event, according to an Associated Press report. After performing a medley of songs that included “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1,” “Famous,” “All of the Lights,” “Black Skinhead,” and “Runaway,” he gave a speech that seemed to address his feelings about the recent criticisms of his latest fashion line and event. “At the beginning of this performance I tried my best to not drop,” he said. “No I tried to listen to all the reports and shit and I tried my best to stop trying. But I just couldn’t it do it, I couldn’t stop. No matter what they write, I just couldn’t stop.” He continued, “I appreciate y’all going on this journey for me. I appreciate all the years that y’all put up with me learning in front of you. And listen[ing] to the music at the same time.” He then thanked Carine Roitfeld, who hosted the event along with Karl Lagerfield: “I appreciate the moment when Carine [Roitfeld] put her friend on the cover. No, not this moment, I’m talking about when she put Tom Ford on the cover. And all you motherfuckers were like, ‘Ah, oh, la la la, Carine.’ She’s a motherfucking icon. There’s only one Carine.” Roitfeld wrote Kim and Kanye’s cover story for the fashion focused September issue of Harper's Bazaar. Kanye then paused, and according to the AP report, he “dropped his microphone and walked offstage” as a “crowd of a few hundred cheered him on.” Before the show, Kanye shared a series of tweets that seemed to express similar sentiments to the ones he shared on stage: Read “Kanye West vs. Fashion: The Harshest Yeezy Burns,” our compiled list of critics’ takes on Yeezy seasons past and present. Below you can find footage of Kanye’s performance via Stereogum.Americans may take for granted that if they’re ever accused of a crime, they can choose their own attorney to represent them. The Supreme Court has ruled that Americans have a right to counsel in serious criminal cases, and nobody seriously argues that the government should make that important decision for us. Yet that is exactly what happens across the country when defendants are too poor to hire their own attorneys. While other countries such as the United Kingdom have long allowed indigent defendants to choose their own lawyers, American jurisdictions historically restrict that choice to either a court-appointed lawyer or an assigned public defender. In 2010, the Cato Institute published a study, Reforming Indigent Defense, which proposed a client choice model where poor persons accused of crimes would be able to choose their own attorney to represent them in court. If the accused opted for the public defender, he could make that choice, but if he wanted to explore other options, he could do that also. The Texas Indigent Defense Commission became aware of the Cato report and decided to give it a try with a pilot program in Comal County, near San Antonio. The program went into operation in 2015. Today, the Justice Management Institute released an evaluation based on two years of data from the Comal Client Choice program. The report, called The Power of Choice: The Implications of a System Where Indigent Defendants Choose Their Own Counsel, suggests that the program is working as well or better than the old system across a variety of metrics. The JMI study looks at four factors to assess the viability of the Comal program: Does the model impact the quality of representation? Does the model produce a higher level of satisfaction and procedural justice? Does the model impact case outcomes? What is the impact of the model on overall cost and efficiency? The study compares the results of Client Choice participants with the representations of defendants who chose to use the pre-existing court-appointment system. While some aspects of representation were the same for both groups (for instance, client assessments of how hard their lawyers worked were not statistically distinguishable), participants in the Client Choice program were able to meet with their lawyers more quickly, had a stronger sense of fairness, and were more likely to either plead to lesser charges or exercise their right to trial than their peers. The report also finds that the Client Choice program did not increase costs in the system. Perhaps as important as any objective metric, a majority of defendants who were offered the ability to choose their own attorney opted to do so, suggesting that giving indigent defendants some agency in their choice of representation has a value in itself. Freedom of choice matters to people. In too many jurisdictions, indigent criminal defense is in a state of crisis. Texas is in the vanguard with its Client Choice program. Hopefully these promising results will encourage more jurisdictions to consider injecting choice and market principles into their indigent defense systems.The last few years have seen a substantial rise in geographic and environmental data, with projects such as Geo-Wiki using satellite data to further our understanding of deforestation. The Geo-Wiki team has been setup by the International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA) to try and provide a more accurate view on the world’s forests. The output from their project has recently been published as a series of maps in the Remote Sensing of the Environment journal, but are also freely available on the Geo-Wiki website. Unifying data The efforts of Geo-Wiki underline both the potential and the challenges facing climate and environmental data, and highlight why the Institute for Environmental Analytics (IEA) is so important. Extreme weather events are becoming more commonplace, and it's estimated that the cost of adapting to them will rise to around $70-100 billion by 2030. The impacts of extreme weather events has been felt only too keenly in the UK in recent weeks as flooding has generated significant financial and human costs. The IEA was created in January 2016 courtesy of a grant from the HEFCE Catalyst Fund to try and tackle the gap that exists between academic excellence and commercial exploitation. This gap is perpetuated by the lack of skills to help translate research into innovation. The IEA aims to develop both the skills and the technologies to ensure that the latest environmental research is translated into commercial solutions that benefit the economy. You can learn more about the institute via the link above or via the video below.Madrid, Dec 4 (IANS) Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal Tuesday confirmed that he was unlikely to be fit for the 2013 Australian Open. The 26-year-old has not played since June when he partially tore a tendon in his left knee in a second round match at Wimbledon and has been working towards gaining fitness. The Mallorcan born player was realistic about his fitness prospects and said he didn't expect to be in condition to compete in the first major event of the season, which is held in January, Xinhua reports. "My recovery is going well. This past month I have taken an important step. I feel happy and the doctors are happy too," he said. "Miracles do not exist and I am unlikely to return and compete for the Australian Open." Speaking on Spanish radio station, Onda Cero, Nadal said his main ambition was to be able to compete in the French Open and to hone his form in Monte Carlo in April for his favourite event, which he will try to win for a record breaking eighth time in May. "I want to be 100 percent in Monte Carlo and then prepare well for Roland Garros," said Nadal. "I will only come back when I am fit and I won't come back worrying about my knee. We are in the last stage of the recovery and I want to recover as soon as possible but I will not rush back and then have to stop again in six months or a year's time," he said Nadal was also asked about the possibility of tighter anti-doping controls in his sport and said he would be in favour of such a move. "I want to be 100 percent sure that the person I am playing is just as 'clean' as I am," he said, adding that he didn't enjoy the testing process. "Before the test, you have to lift up your shirt, drop your pants and turn around 360 degrees. I don't really like that," he admitted. Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button.It's also worth noting that trying to address the situation privately might not have worked very well, given the barriers to direct reporting that clearly still exist at events like this. Historically in the tech community, private is synonymous with "swept under the rug and ignored." Here's how Richards explains her decision to speak out: She was attending as an employee of a company that was a sponsor of the event, PyCon. She noticed that one of the men participating in the situation also had a sponsor badge. Additionally, this side conversation was happening during a presentation about the "next generation" of Python developers, including a slideshow of participants in the Young Coders workshop. Richards says on her blog that she decided to act after seeing a photo of a young girl from the workshop. So essentially, employee of one sponsor company is making the event hostile and toxic for an employee of another sponsor company, and the latter decides she's not going to let this stand for the next generation. A woman who produces online feminist educational content ran a Kickstarter campaign to examine tropes about women in video games. In response, avid gamers sent her rape and death threats, vandalized her Wikipedia page, and created a game that allowed the player to "beat up" the woman's image. Again, this was only last year. A prominent man in the tech community was hired by a large computer manufacturer to be its master of ceremonies at a customer summit, where he said things like, "Men have invented everything worthwhile. All we can thank women for is the rolling pin." That was also last year. With all of that noted: I am not personally cool with Richards' choice to photograph the men behaving unprofessionally and broadcast their images without their consent. While yes, this was a public event, she was clearly not a professional photographer working for said event, and it seems a reasonable assumption to me that these men did not expect to have those cell-phone photos published on Twitter to such a large audience, especially with their conversation quoted. I do not blame Richards for doing what she did, but it is not a thing I would like done to me, and therefore it's not a thing I want done to someone else, no matter what they're saying. If you're making an ass out of yourself, you deserve to be notified of that — that's actually a courtesy, because it gives you an opportunity to stop making an ass of yourself. But if it were me (either as the caller-out or the called-out), photos would feel overly intrusive. Notice how I disagreed with some of Richards' actions for, like, so many sentences, and I managed to not threaten to rape her to death? Yeah. My brain can hold two thoughts in my head at the same time — Men saying that stuff isn't OK and A woman tweeting a picture of those men isn't OK — and the one doesn't negate the other or somehow justify flipping EVERY table on the internet in the name of making sure this one woman sits down and shuts up. I don't need to dox her, I don't need to DDoS her blog, and I don't need to denigrate her race or gender in order to disagree with her. I can just say, "Hey, from where I sit, that doesn't seem particularly cool," and maybe she hears that and maybe she doesn't, but either way, nobody gets stalked or threatened or afraid to leave their house. Point of reference: One time I was afraid to leave my house because of the internet. My unforgivable sin was refusing to just be cool about rape jokes in a gamer comic and its associated fan convention's merchandise. Sometimes the hill you find yourself dying on is weird and unexpected; I feel a lot of empathy for Richards in this. But as final lines in the sand go, "I would like to attend a professional conference without multiple instances of men being juvenile, unprofessional, and just plain gross" doesn't seem like an outrageous demand to me. (And again, please read her blog post and try to get a sense of what she'd been dealing with throughout the event leading up to this.) Unfortunately the situation has also served to identify at least two HR departments that don't understand how social media works: In response to the public callout, one of the men involved was let go from his employer. This seems excessive, especially when it reads (for the most part) like he understood the problem and was genuinely sorry. Meanwhile, in the midst of receiving death threats; being called "cunt," "bitch," "attention whore," "asshole," and "tranny"; being told to kill herself; her employer being DDoSed by 4chan; and Anonymous (supposedly) calling for her firing, Richards had her employment at SendGrid "terminated" yesterday. It always sucks to get fired; I can only imagine it sucks exponentially more when you're being harassed and threatened for days on end. PyCon has also chosen to signal via dogwhistle whose side it's on, for those who can hear; they've updated their Code of Conduct with this: "Note: Public shaming can be counter-productive to building a strong community. PyCon does not condone nor participate in such actions out of respect." Yes, this is the same public shaming that got their attention and action in the first place. Again, I don't think using someone's image without their consent is OK. But I also think that being told your behavior is sexist, inappropriate, and unwelcome is not a fun process, no matter how one does it — and if a public shaming is what it takes, then that's what it takes. There's a way to leave room for public callout when necessary while protecting the photo rights of attendees, and this isn't it. This was a huge opportunity to explore what additional actions conferences need to take in order to build safe, inclusive spaces; instead they've clearly retreated and refocused on making sure the menfolk feel safe making their "jokes." As a woman who's worked for years at both large tech companies (mobile, web) and small tech startups (mobile, video games), who currently works by day at a multinational internet company and works by night as a video game developer, this is just another thing that happens. I expect this every year, multiple times a year. Whom it happens to and what the consequences are for the individuals don't change much year over year — and the conversation around it doesn't seem to evolve much either. I've gotten so sick of it happening in the games industry, I started my own conference for game developers in part so I could attend at least one event a year where I didn't have to expect this kind of thing. And make no mistake: I always expect it. As someone who is unapologetically public about her history as a rape survivor, I get pulled aside at literally every large event I attend. I am always someone's only available confidant, the only person someone can tell about their stalker, harasser, assailant, rapist — most often, someone else working in their industry. That is how lonely it is sometimes for women in tech; finding someone who will say, "I believe you" means waiting months or years and sending veiled messages like, "I really hope we can connect at [event]" and hoping the other person can read between the lines. It means trying to represent your company or your product on an expo floor while your stalker hangs out in your peripheral vision a few paces away. It means watching your rapist give talks about subjects relevant to your skill set. It means coworkers sexually assaulting you once you're single again, luminaries in your field dismissing and shaming your gender when they think they're among like-minded folks, friends and associates challenging you when you ask to interview any potential new hires, to be provided company-branded clothing that actually fits you, to change desktop backgrounds to something other than half-dressed anime girls during work events. It means having your life threatened and your job stripped away because for five seconds you weren't exponentially more professional than the men whose photo you were taking. A woman in the tech community identified people violating the stated Code of Conduct of the group. She was summarily run out of the community. When a woman walks into a tech conference, few women who have been there are surprised at what happens next. P.S.: Do you want even more examples of sexism in the tech sector? Try the Geek Feminism Timeline of Incidents, which starts in 1973.After using Aadhaar on a national scale in the public distribution system at rations shops, the central government now plans to use the biometrics-based Unique Identity system at health facilities from next year. But the scheme has thrown up questions about whether it will create more barriers to access healthcare to those who need it most. In a significant remodeling of the public health system, Aadhaar numbers will be used as unique patient identifiers in a new electronic health records system, said officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. National identification numbers will be created and assigned to all health facilities, beginning with public facilities. “When a patient goes to a health facility, they will be asked to provide their Aadhaar number and either verify themselves by placing their fingerprints on a device kept there, or do a one-time password authentication sent on mobile,” said Sunil Sharma, joint secretary in the health ministry. “Aadhaar authentication will allow the patients access to their own health records, which will be portable and accessible online.” Sharma added that a procedure will be laid down for doctors and insurance providers to authorise use of health records in cases like accidents where a patient is unable to provide authorisation. The ministry is already collecting Aadhaar numbers of patients and “seeding” or linking the unique identity numbers to patient records in a few states. It plans to begin implementing the new system by June 2017. Sharma said that if a person does not have an Aadhaar number, then alternate IDs such as ration card, voter identity card will be allowed in the interim. “No one will be denied medical treatment,” he said. Pilots in states Ministry officials say that health records stored in information exchanges will reduce cost and duplication as well as inconvenience to patients when they consult more than one doctor. The electronic record will include previous medical history, procedures undergone, diagnosis, drugs prescribed, and which hospitals visited accessible on a cloud-based e-application. The health ministry had notified Electronic Health Records standards for India in 2013, which were reviewed by an expert group in 2015. In May this year, the ministry put the revised standards up for public comment and consultation. According to this policy paper, the electronic health records will aim to provide a “summary of various clinical events in the life of a person”. In this system, the paper elaborates, Aadhaar will be the “preferred identifier” when available, but in the absence of an Aadhaar number, two other identities, “local Identifier (as per scheme used by health care service providers)", and any central or state government issued photo identity card numbers may be used. Under the National Rural Health Mission of 2005, Health Management Information Systems(HMIS) have already been created in states. The new standards, the document notes, aim to facilitate “interoperability”, which means the ability of various systems to share, exchange, and interpret shared data. The Aadhaar-based programme is being funded under National Health Mission. Following a circular issued by the health ministry, some states are in the process of setting up systems to collect Aadhaar data for patients undergoing treatment in National Health Mission schemes. These include immunisation, maternal health schemes, communicable and non-communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, diabetes, vector-borne diseases, mental health and others. “We have identified facilities such as Patna Medical College, and a few district hospitals to start the programme,” said Dr Shashi Bhusan Kumar, director of the National Health Mission in Bihar. “We had a one-day training on October 7 for our district data entry operators. We plan to organise a workshop with National Informatics Centre for our staff.” Kumar said that Aadhaar is currently not mandatory for registering under this system. "But we are emphasising that patients get it," he said. "We are organising camps for patients to register for Aadhaar.” In Madhya Pradesh, the collection of Aadhaar data of those seeking medical care will be started on a pilot basis in two districts, according to Kiran Gopal, the state's National Health Mission director. “We plan to use Aadhaar as an identifier for the Anmol programme, focused on ante-natal care of pregnant women," he said. "In this, 16,000 auxiliiary nurse and midwives will have an e-tablet which will track the services for pregnant women.” Dr Saransh Mitter, Chhattisgarh director of National Health Mission, said the state had not yet received any communication on the Electronic Health Record scheme from the centre. “In villages, internet connectivity, and lack of infrastructure will be an issue,” he said. Besides state departments, Aadhaar data is also being collected for treatment in some national health programmes. “We are encouraging people living with HIV who come to antiretroviral treatment centres to enroll in Aadhaar,” said Dr R S Gupta, who is deputy director general of the National Aids Control Organisation. “The ART centres will also help link patients who do not have Aadhaar to centers where they can register in Aadhaar.” Barrier to access? While the government policy document endorses the use of Aadhaar in the new Electronic Health Records system as an “empowering” tool for those seeking treatment, public health experts expressed concerns over the transition to the new system. “Right now, the government is not able to set up a basic online transparent cross-facility referral system for free beds in private hospitals for economically weaker section patients who come to Delhi," said Dr Vandana Prasad, a pediatrician and national convener of Public Health Resources Network. "How are they going to create this state-of-the-art facility, from a village in Jharkhand to Delhi? Where are the funds going to come from?” Prasad pointed out that despite a Health Management Information System being created in all states 10 years ago under the National Rural Health Mission, no proper system of referral existed within states. Basic data such as on births and deaths of infants and number and location of pregnant women was not maintained at district and village level because of shortage of staff and infrastructure. "The main problem patients from economically poor sections face is not duplication, but lack of access to good quality health facilities," said Prasad. "They are sent from pillar to post without proper treatment, there are staff shortages and basic laboratory technicians are not hired. Most staff is contractualised, not paid on time, not trained. How will one Aadhaar number change all that?" State officials who spoke to Scroll.in said that health departments planned to implement the new system with their existing staff working on collecting and entering data on Aadhaar numbers. This, though, may burden already short-staffed facilities. As per health ministry data from 2014-'15 on health facilities in rural areas, which include public health centres, community health centres and sub-centres, there was a shortfall of 1.84 lakh staff of 4.92 sanctioned posts. That is a 37% shortage of health staff who are not doctors. These staff include auxiliary nurses and midwives, health workers, radiographers, laboratory technicians, pharmacists and nurses. Across India, 5,053 sub-centres or 3% of all facilities function without a auxiliary nurse and midwife or a health worker. Health activists say infrastructure and staff should be provided for the transition to the new electronic records system to be smooth. Prasad added that there was no problems with creating unique identifiers for patients per se, but it could lead to exclusion if it the identifier is made mandatory, creating a barrier to access. "In ration system too, the government started by saying Aadhaar is not mandatory but they have made it mandatory, despite Supreme Court orders that it cannot be made mandatory. They started by saying it is voluntary, then insist on it as mandatory saying their backend systems require it." Other experts pointed out that currently, health systems do not require proof of identity from those seeking treatment and have documented instances where the need for identification had prevented the poor from getting medical aid. Chhaya Pachauli, senior programme coordinator with Prayas Centre for Health Equity in Rajasthan cited a fact-finding report prepared by the organisation on the case of Phulmati Devi, a migrant brick kiln worker, who gave birth to twins on April 7 in Bardoli Char village in Bharatpur. "On April 7, she visited the Khedali community health center in Alwar but was denied a tetanus injection because she was not able to produce a'mamta card', which is given when a pregnant woman registers at a local health facility," said Pachauli. "On her way out from the center, Phulmati gave premature birth to twins on the road, and was denied care a second time just hours later at the Mahila Jila Chikitsalaya in Bharatpur despite an emergency-like situation because her husband Avdesh's Aadhaar card showed a Uttar Pradesh address." Prayas has also documented several instances of exclusion from health services in Rajasthan's state health insurance scheme which requires enrolling in the "Bhamashah" scheme, a state-level database of beneficiaries built using Aadhaar database. "The only condition of treatment should be if a patient is unwell and needs care," said Pachauli. "Targeting on the basis of proofs of identity makes it harder for people seeking treatment." Aadhaar authentication failures Public health activists also expressed concerns over evidence of exclusion of beneficiaries who faced Aadhaar authentication errors in other schemes such as the public distribution system. In Andhra Pradesh, the first state to start using Aadhaar in ration system, government officials said Aadhaar authentication did not work for 4%-5% of all beneficiaries. But in Rajasthan, the second state to start use of Aadhaar authentication at all ration shops, principal secretary of food and civil supplies department has said that 63% of beneficiaries were able to collect their grains after Aadhaar authentication as per data from August. "If 37% are being turned away when their fingerprints do not work on device, or there are data entry errors, or electricity and connectivity problems, the biometrics-based system is very error prone and leading to large scale exclusion and hassles for beneficiaries,” pointed out Dipa Sinha, a member of the National Alliance for Maternal Health and Human Rights. “In ration system, you can tell someone, 'come another day, your fingerprint authentication did not work today, or the electricity has failed,' but can you afford to do that at health facilities?” Hanja Devi in Daulatpura in Masuda in Rajasthan's Ajmer is an elderly ration beneficiary for whom fingerprint authentication shows errors. Photo: Anumeha Yadav Sinha pointed out that the evidence from Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Delhi also showed that the most vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and migrant workers who do manual labour, were also having the greatest difficulty in accessing benefits after biometric authentication. “If biometrics cannot be collected for children below five in Aadhaar, and if elderly and migrant workers face frequent problems in fingerprint authentication, then biometrics is not the most appropriate technology for public health," she said. "The government should be looking at alternate technology too, such as smart cards, which already exist under Rashtriya Swastha Bima Yojana.”The PlayStation Network struggled to cope with the launch of Grand Theft Auto 5 last week, with some reporting download and installation issues. The infamous error code 80029563 popped up following several separate corrupted 18GB downloads in our own attempts. And, according to Digital Foundry, the PSN version, which is played in its entirety from the hard drive as opposed to utilising both disc and HDD, is the weakest in performance terms, with "ugly pop-in" in some portions of the game compared to the disc release. It's enough to make you worry for the next-generation, set to dive deeper in the murky waters of digital than ever before. What then, will Sony do to prepare its infrastructure for the coming onslaught? When Eurogamer caught up with PlayStation UK boss Fergal Gara at EGX 2013 this week, he admitted Sony could do better in this regard, but vowed that with PlayStation 4 gamers won't experience the same kind of isses seen with GTA 5 on PS3. "First of all, it is definitely going to grow as a means of consumption," he said. "And there are big innovations in the PS4 to make it more attractive and more easy gamer wise to want to download. "The Play as you Download functionality, for example, means you don't need the whole file before you go. This is a little bit counterbalanced by the fact the files themselves are getting bloody big. Killzone: Shadow Fall is an uber file - I think it's cracking on for 50GB. It looks it, too, when you see it. "[Downloading games] is still a relatively tedious process. We've done a lot of work on pre-delivering files. It's not perfect. It's not seamless." Gara suggested Sony may more rigorously test digital versions of PlayStation games before they're released to weed out problems. "The network will perform better on multiple levels, because it becomes not just a sales or gaming delivery but, increasingly, a social network." Sony PlayStation UK boss Fergal Gara "The file version of the game versus the disc version of the game maybe needs to go through additional QA and additional testing," he said. "Some of the problems have occurred on older machines, which of course when you go into the next-generation you at least get to reset and start again and everything's the same age and new. That helps. "But it's a major area of focus. It's a major area of investment. The network will perform better on multiple levels, because it becomes not just a sales or gaming delivery but, increasingly, a social network. "So it's got to be a compelling experience on multiple levels. It's going to be for no lack of investment, for no lack of effort and no lack of intention that things might fall a bit short. But we're definitely moving in the right direction, and I'm confident we step on and understand its importance."Sen. Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellWhite House pleads with Senate GOP on emergency declaration Senate Dems seek to turn tables on GOP in climate change fight Pence meets with Senate GOP for 'robust' discussion on Trump declaration MORE won’t become majority leader until next month, but he’s already acting the part. The Kentucky Republican, who will visit President Obama Wednesday at the White House, has taken the lead on a variety of thorny issues, spelled out his agenda for the next Congress and is working to protect the Senate GOP majority in 2016. McConnell on Tuesday laid out his vision for immigration, taxes and healthcare reform. ADVERTISEMENT He wants to change ObamaCare by repealing the medical device tax and setting a 40-hour threshold for requiring employers to provide health coverage. Corporate tax reform will happen in the next Congress, McConnell said, if lawmakers agree to lower tax rates for small businesses as well as major corporations. Lawmakers have noticed that McConnell is using his newfound power. “He certainly is because the people have spoken,” said Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainGOP lobbyists worry Trump lags in K Street fundraising Mark Kelly kicks off Senate bid: ‘A mission to lift up hardworking Arizonans’ Gabbard hits back at Meghan McCain after fight over Assad MORE (Ariz.), a senior member of the GOP caucus. Senate Republicans say that McConnell has new strength following his party’s strong performance in the November midterm elections, which McConnell described Tuesday as a “butt-kicking” for Democrats. “He’s going to have a big job come January and we want to be prepared when the time comes and set the stage a little bit,” said Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Thune John Randolph ThuneWhite House pleads with Senate GOP on emergency declaration Overnight Energy: McConnell plans Green New Deal vote before August recess \| EPA official grilled over enforcement numbers \| Green group challenges Trump over Utah pipelines McConnell plans vote on Green New Deal before August recess MORE (S.D.). “I think that the leader is trying to tee things up a little bit and give an idea of how he’d lead the Senate.” President Obama and
What Were You Hoping For? by Van Hunt Slave Ambient by The War on Drugs The Whole Love by Wilco Wild Flag by Wild Flag Star Tribune [Minnesota] Jon Bream View article 21 by Adele Blessed by Lucinda Williams undun by The Roots So Beautiful or So What by Paul Simon Bad As Me by Tom Waits KMAG YOYO by Hayes Carll Chief by Eric Church Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes Black Cloud by Davina and the Vagabonds El Camino by The Black Keys Star Tribune [Minnesota] Chris Riemenschneider View article Bon Iver by Bon Iver Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a Fucking Liar by Spank Rock The Whole Love by Wilco undun by The Roots Divine Providence by Deer Tick El Camino by The Black Keys D by White Denim The Hunter by Mastodon Only In Dreams by Dum Dum Girls Collapse Into Now by R.E.M. Sydney Morning Herald View article The King Is Dead by The Decemberists Watch the Throne by Jay-Z and Kanye West Within and Without by Washed Out Red, Hot & Rio 2 by Various artists Codes and Keys by Death Cab for Cutie Born This Way by Lady Gaga Burst Apart by The Antlers The Rip Tide by Beirut 21 by Adele The People's Key by Bright Eyes The Telegraph Lucy Jones View article James Blake by James Blake D by White Denim Let England Shake by PJ Harvey The King of Limbs by Radiohead Coracle by Walls whokill by tUnE-yArDs Biophilia by Bjork House of Balloons by The Weeknd Glass Swords by Rustie Skying by The Horrors Time Claire Suddath View article 21 by Adele Ceremonials by Florence + The Machine Watch the Throne by Jay-Z and Kanye West Let England Shake by PJ Harvey Nostalgia, Ultra. by Frank Ocean whokill by tUnE-yArDs Own Side Now by Caitlin Rose Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 by Beastie Boys Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars El Camino by The Black Keys Vancouver Sun Francois Marchand View article Kaputt by Destroyer Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes High School by We Are The City House of Balloons + Thursday by The Weeknd 21 by Adele Oh Fortune by Dan Mangan Strange Mercy by St. Vincent Let England Shake by PJ Harvey No Time for Dreaming by Charles Bradley Skying by The Horrors Wall Street Journal Jim Fusilli View article My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1) by Mary J. Blige Moonfire by Boy & Bear Anna Calvi by Anna Calvi Build a Rocket Boys! by Elbow The Big Roar by The Joy Formidable Hurry Up, We're Dreaming by M83 The King of LImbs by Radiohead Chamber Music by Vincent Segal and Ballaké Sissoko So Beautiful or So What by Paul Simon The Secret by Vieux Farka Touré Blessed by Lucinda Williams Washington Post David Malitz View article Apocalypse by Bill Callahan Kaputt by Destroyer Days by Real Estate Black Up by Shabazz Palaces Last Summer by Eleanor Friedberger Yuck by Yuck David Comes to Life by Fucked Up The Magic Place by Julianna Barwick Henge Beat by Total Control (tie) Free All the Monsters by The Bats (tie) Here Before by The Feelies (tie) Left By Soft by David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights Washington Post Chris RichardsView article House of Balloons by The Weeknd Watch the Throne by Jay-Z and Kanye West Hell on Heels by Pistol Annies On A Mission by Katy B Take Care by Drake The National Mall by Bluebrain Bon Iver by Bon Iver Days by Real Estate James Blake by James Blake Manshines by Fauna Washington Post Allison Stewart View article× UNC: We failed students ‘for years’ CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The University of North Carolina failed some of its students “for years” by allowing them to take classes that did not match its own academic standards, Chancellor Carol Folt has admitted. The concession — the strongest since UNC-Chapel Hill was caught up in a fake-class scandal two years ago — comes just weeks after a CNN investigation found continuing problems at UNC and other public universities where some student-athletes could read only at an elementary school level. Two years ago, it was exposed that UNC students, many of them athletes, were given grades for classes they did not attend and for which they did nothing beyond turning in a single paper. One professor has been indicted on fraud charges for being paid for a class he didn’t teach. The university has always maintained it was an isolated case, but Folt is now acknowledging a broader problem. “We also accept the fact that there was a failure in academic oversight for years that permitted this to continue,” Folt told UNC trustees last week. “This, too, was wrong. And it has undermined our integrity and our reputation.” CNN has asked UNC Chapel Hill for the number of students who were specially admitted because they did not meet the usual academic standards and who majored in or took the classes now acknowledged as fake. CNN investigated the issue of poor academics among student football and basketball players after a researcher at UNC revealed that some could not read well enough to follow news coverage about themselves or even read “Wisconsin.” The researcher, Mary Willingham, said student-athletes were among those who took the fake classes, though she said the classes were just a symptom of the problem of enrolling athletes in the money-making sports of football and basketball who could not succeed academically by themselves. While questioning Willingham’s credibility and CNN’s reporting, UNC has launched its own investigation into the claims that too many of its student-athletes read poorly. And the university’s executive vice chancellor and provost, James Dean, told Bloomberg Businessweek that he had commissioned an internal study into African and African-American studies at the university. That’s where the fake classes originated. UNC had previously done an internal investigation, and told CNN last fall that it implemented changes based on what its internal report found. Some 120 changes were made and UNC told CNN they felt that was sufficient to ensure it knew what happened and to make sure it would not happen again. CNN is seeking clarification on this second review and how it would be different. Dean told Bloomberg Businessweek, whose parent company’s chairman is a UNC trustee, that he would investigate whether student-athletes were “clustering” in departments or classes that were supposed to have easy grades and to see whether there were any other forces or personalities behind the scandal. UNC told CNN last year it has a program that alerts it if too many athletes are enrolled in a single class, but it’s not yet clear whether this is different. Neither Dean nor Folt were in their positions when the fake classes were run. The NCAA, which oversees college sport, did investigate, but found none of its rules were broken. The NCAA told CNN on Monday it won’t comment on whether the university will take a second look.Happstack is an open-source community dedicated to building the next generation of Haskell web technology. Our work includes libraries for templating, form validation, persistence, HTTP, and more. We also provide high-level frameworks built on these libraries such as Happstack Foundation and clckwrks. We are focused on building well engineered and framework independent components which take full advantage of the expressive power, safety, and speed of Haskell. The Happstack ecosystem is under active development. We continue to explore and implement new and better techniques for creating the best possible Haskell web framework. If you are looking for a lightweight, simple solution we recommend starting with happstack-lite. happstack-lite provides everything you need to implement a web application with out relying on template haskell, external preprocessors, or complex types. It is possible to seamlessly transition into from happstack-lite into the full happstack ecosystem -- so you are not limiting yourself by starting with happstack-lite. If you want to mix-and-match components to build your own ultimate framework, you can use happstack-server plus many of the support libraries we provide. You can learn more on the Documentation page. Many of these components are explored in detail in our online book The Happstack Crash Course. If you aren't looking to roll your own solution, and would prefer a nicely packaged up solution which provides HTML-syntax templates, type-safe URLs, type-safe form generation and validation, javascript integration, and more, then be sure to check out happstack-foundation. If you are looking for a high-level blogging/CMS platform then you should check out clckwrks. Happstack is open source software licensed under the BSD3 license. Significant funding and development are contributed by SeeReeason Partners, LLC.Attempting to get completely free SSL on Heroku using Cloudflares new free Universal SSL Read this article: http://mikecoutermarsh.com/adding-ssl-to-heroku-with-cloudflare/ Which seems to suggest its possible now that Cloudflare offers SSL for free. The steps I took: Set up my DNS with Cloudflare (free account) Forwarded my domain to my herokuapp (CNAME example-app.com -> example-app.herokuapp.com) Set the Cloudflare SSL option to 'Full SSL' Added my domain to my heroku app Forcing https with this express middleware: app.use(function(req, res, next) { if (req.headers['x-forwarded-proto']!= 'https') { res.redirect('https://' + req.headers.host + req.path); } else { return next(); } }); The heroku domain http://example-app.herokuapp.com works correctly and redirects to https://example-app.herokuapp.com, green lock and all. Both http://example-app.com and https://example-app.com do not work. The browser tab icon just keeps spinning and never resolves. Any ideas on how to get this working? Is this even possible? *UPDATE This is looking like it IS actually possible. From CloudFlare support: Hi Bill, Fundamentally, as long as the "origin" supports an SSL connection you can use Full SSL with CloudFlare. Simon CloudFlare released this blog post today: https://blog.cloudflare.com/universal-ssl-be-just-a-bit-more-patient/ My site has started resolving, but getting a "Your connection is not private" message like in the "Errors you may see" part of the blog post. Also in my CloudFlare settings there is a "SSL issuing" alert, so I imagine once it is issued this may just work. I'll keep y'all posted.Sorry Libs… The NRA Was There to Help Blacks Defend Themselves From KKK Democrats, Not the Other Way Around On September 28, 1868, a mob of Democrats massacred nearly 300 African-American Republicans in Opelousas, Louisiana. The savagery began when racist Democrats attacked a newspaper editor, a white Republican and schoolteacher for ex-slaves. Several African-Americans rushed to the assistance of their friend, and in response, Democrats went on a “Negro hunt,” killing every African-American (all of whom were Republicans) in the area they could find. (Via Grand Old Partisan) Which brings us to today… Asshat Jason Whitlock, the Kansas City columnist whose article on Jovan Belcher‘s murder-suicide inspired an anti-gun rant by NBC’s Bob Costas, now says that the pro-Second Amendment National Rifle Association is “the new KKK,” Newsbusters’ Tim Graham reported Monday. Obviously, Whitlock is as ignorant as he is offensive. The NRA actually helped blacks defend themselves from violent KKK Democrats in the south, not the other way around. Ann Coulter wrote about the history of blacks and the NRA back in April. This will give you an idea of how gun control laws worked. Following the firebombing of his house in 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King, who was, among other things, a Christian minister, applied for a gun permit, but the Alabama authorities found him unsuitable. A decade later, he won a Nobel Peace Prize. How’s that “may issue” gun permit policy working for you? The NRA opposed these discretionary gun permit laws and proceeded to grant NRA charters to blacks who sought to defend themselves from Klan violence — including the great civil rights hero Robert F. Williams. A World War II Marine veteran, Williams returned home to Monroe, N.C., to find the Klan riding high — beating, lynching and murdering blacks at will. No one would join the NAACP for fear of Klan reprisals. Williams became president of the local chapter and increased membership from six to more than 200. But it was not until he got a charter from the NRA in 1957 and founded the Black Armed Guard that the Klan got their comeuppance in Monroe. Williams’ repeated thwarting of violent Klan attacks is described in his stirring book, “Negroes With Guns.” In one crucial battle, the Klan sieged the home of a black physician and his wife, but Williams and his Black Armed Guard stood sentry and repelled the larger, cowardly force. And that was the end of it. As the Klan found out, it’s not so much fun when the rabbit’s got the gun. The NRA’s proud history of fighting the Klan has been airbrushed out of the record by those who were complicit with the KKK, Jim Crow and racial terror, to wit: the Democrats. Sadly, asshat Whitlock will get away with his outrageous lies. The early KKK Democrats would be proud.The human rights group predicts a serious fightback from the forces of repression as it releases its annual report The world faces a watershed moment in human rights with tyrants and despots coming under increasing pressure from the internet, social networking sites and the activities of WikiLeaks, Amnesty International says in its annual roundup. The rights group singles out WikiLeaks and the newspapers that pored over its previously confidential government files, among them the Guardian, as a catalyst in a series of uprisings against repressive regimes, notably the overthrow of Tunisia's long-serving president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. "The year 2010 may well be remembered as a watershed year when activists and journalists used new technology to speak truth to power and, in so doing, pushed for greater respect for human rights," Amnesty's secretary general, Salil Shetty, says in an introduction to the document. "It is also the year when repressive governments faced the real possibility that their days were numbered." But, Shetty adds, the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, and elsewhere, remains unpredictable: "There is a serious fightback from the forces of repression. The international community must seize the opportunity for change and ensure that 2011 is not a false dawn for human rights." The 432-page report reviews 156 countries and territories, of which at least 89 were found to restrict free speech, 98 carried out torture or other ill-treatment and 48 had documented prisoners of conscience. The report covers only to the end of 2010, and thus only the very beginnings of the so-called Arab spring – Ben Ali was not deposed until mid-January. However, subsequent uprisings in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, many spread via mobile phones and social networking, reinforce Amnesty's message about the importance of technology and communication. A key element had been the work of WikiLeaks in first publishing information about the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and then a massive trove of US diplomatic papers, disclosures carried out with newspapers worldwide. "It took old-fashioned newspaper reporters and political analysts to trawl through the raw data, analyse it, and identify evidence of crimes and violations contained in those documents," Shetty said. "Leveraging this information, political activists used other new communications tools now easily available on mobile phones and on social networking sites to bring people to the streets to demand accountability." One example highlighted by Shetty was Tunisia, where WikiLeaks revelations about Ben Ali's corrupt regime combined with rapidly-spreading news of the self-immolation of a disillusioned young man, Mohamed Bouazizi, to spark major protests. The report also highlights the importance of new technology elsewhere, for example China, where "My father is Li Gang" – the cry of a senior policeman's son after he killed a young woman while drunk driving – became a euphemism on China's tightly controlled internet space for rife nepotism. Similarly, "empty chair" took the place of Liu Xiaobo's name on Chinese web forums after such a chair took the place of the jailed rights activist at the Nobel peace prize ceremony. Shetty said: "Not since the end of the Cold War have so many repressive governments faced such a challenge to their stranglehold on power. The demand for political and economic rights spreading across the Middle East and North Africa is dramatic proof that all rights are equally important and a universal demand. "In the 50 years since Amnesty International was born to protect the rights of people detained for their peaceful opinions, there has been a human rights revolution. The call for justice, freedom and dignity has evolved into a global demand that grows stronger every day. The genie is out of the bottle and the forces of repression cannot put it back."Music Programming with PMD Written by Noyemi K. and published on 07 April 2017 A handy cookbook and reference for programming sound with the PMD Music Macro Language! Introduction to PMD The OPN Series Sound Chips Hello, dear reader! If you're looking through this guidebook, you have some interest in programming the YM2203 and YM2608 sound chips using PMD for NEC PCs. Perhaps you're a fan of Ys, Snatcher, Popful Mail, or even Touhou and would like to discover and make the best use of a world of charming FM sound. To create music for this sound chip series for NEC FM boards, first you need to know the basics about these chips. The YM2203 The YM2203 is the first OPN series FM chip from Yamaha. It is monoaural with 3 4-operator FM channels, and includes an onboard YM2149F as its Sound Source Generator, conferring an additional 3 square wave PSG (Programmable Sound Generator). This gives the programmer 6 total sound channels to work with, with the FM channels being markedly more complex to program instruments for. The YM2608 The YM2608 or OPNA, is an expansion of the YM2203 chip—all the FM channels are stereo pannable thanks to an internal stereo DAC. Otherwise, programming FM tones is exactly the same. There exists a few other features that makes the OPNA a bit special though: The number of FM channels available is increased by 3, for a total of 6 stereo FM channels. An ADPCM channel is included, allowing the playback of small ADPCM samples An additional sound source is supplied in the form of an ADPCM ROM that has stored drum samples, referred to as the Rhythm Sound Source for more rhythm options the programmer can use to free up FM channels for more rhythm options the programmer can use to free up FM channels The 86 SoundBoard for PC-9801 includes a different PCM sound source, allowing for a somewhat more limited PCM channel in place of the ADPCM sound source on SpeakBoard/YM2608 Now that you've gotten to know the chips a little bit, dear reader, you have some context for actually making music with them. This guidebook will be broken up into multiple chapters for covering the various components of programming SSG envelopes, FM tone data, and special features (including PMD preprocessor macros, LFOs, and more). The Basic PMD Program A PMD MML program consists of several key parts, which are in no particular order besides the preprocessor and metadata coming first. They consist of: The preprocessor macros and metadata FM tone data Macro definitions Song sequence data (where macros are expanded by the compiler and SSG envelopes can be specified in-line) A PMD program doesn't necessarily need all components of each piece specified, and macro definitions can be omitted entirely, though they confer various quality-of-life advantages that the savvy music programmer can't afford to ignore for long. More on that later. The metadata of the song program includes the composer, arranger, the output filetype (.M and.M2 are the focus of this guidebook, though PMD can certainly output programs for a variety of sound boards), optional memos and notes, detune and LFO parameters, tempo, and song title. LFOs can be specified on their own in-line, as can tempo. PMD players will generally take and display metadata and some can display the notes as well. FM tone data are special instrument definition sections, where all of the FM sound generation parameters are specified and organized into instruments, accessed by FM channels using the @ command. We'll discover those in more detail later. Macros are handy specially defined segments, which wrap up a piece of song sequence data to potentially be transplanted someplace else without having to copypaste the code, thus saving space and saving the programmer a massive headache if the song needs to be "debugged" in various parts where the same song sequence plays. It's also useful for defining percussion parts, since emulating percussion through the soundchip's various possible commands generally takes more than a single note. Song sequence data are the actual song sequence, delineated by channel declarations (ABCDEF 123) and containing notes, rests, macro commands, envelope switches, octave jumps, loops, and more. Most of the time spent writing a PMD program is generally spend creating beautiful song data. Below is an example of some song data you might have in your program: A [cde>f4.]2 B @1v12 abfdg<f8 ;The SSG part is below! GH v13E1,-3,6,1 [def]3 I [!k!c!s8]3!kr!s!s Don't worry about what each of those commands above means—yet. And certainly, if you tried to paste this into a PMD MML file, what would compile would sound fairly awful because it just represents a gibberish assemblage of actual PMD commands as you'd see them in a program. The most common ones, of course. In the following section, we'll discuss the basic commands you'll be using most often with PMD, first with defining metadata and then with basic song sequence commands. Basic PMD Programming Defining Metadata and Preprocessor Instructions In the introductory chapter, we discussed the different parts that make up a basic PMD program. The first of which, is the defining of metadata and preprocessor instructions for the PMD compiler. There are a lot of these different instructions and metadata components, but being that this is a cookbook for getting music playing on an OPN series chip through PMD, we'll only cover the basics for now. Let's see an example! ;======================== ; My PMD Metadata template ;======================== #Title The Programmer - Investigation #Composer Noyemi Karlaite #Arranger Noyemi Karlaite #Memo OPN Version #Detune Extend #Filename.M2 In the above sequence, the metadata for the song HDB.M2 is defined. A semicolon denotes a comment line, which can be useful for separating song parts or PMD code components. I'll explain each of the other components in a list: #Title is for defining the title of a song as it would appear in any PMD playback engine, such as FMPMD for windows is for defining the title of a song as it would appear in any PMD playback engine, such as FMPMD for windows #Composer and #Arranger detail who composed the song and who is responsible for that arrangement, respectively and detail who composed the song and who is responsible for that arrangement, respectively #Memo is a note field that can be accessed by more advanced PMD players, most likely used for liner notes on music disks is a note field that can be accessed by more advanced PMD players, most likely used for liner notes on music disks #Detune specifies that there is an extended range of detune from the default, which is by semitone and not cents specifies that there is an extended range of detune from the default, which is by semitone and not cents #Filename specifies the output format that the compiler will render from your code..M,.M2,.OVI, and others are available, though I recommend.M2 I'd recommend following a standard metadata definition section template across all your songs, so it's easy to correct mistakes without having to also correct layout. There exists a few additional instructions that you may find useful that I will cover in later chapters on advanced programming. Song Sequence Data, Macros, and Channel Control The meat of any PMD sound instruction program is the song sequence data—even beyond defining FM instruments, the bulk of your time will be spent wrangling OPN or OPNA's channels and making them sing. Let's begin with a small example: ;=============== ; Song Sequence ;=============== ABCGHI t52 A @0 v14 o4 l16 A L A o3 [d8ar >dr8. cr8<g r8c8 d8ar >d8c8gd8f8<c8r]2 BC @1v10 l16 C r16 D-3 BC L BC o6 [r1]8 GHI l16 H r GHI L GH o5 [r1]8 GH f1.r2 d+1d2.<g4 o4 GH [d8ar >dr8. cr8<g r8c8 d8ar >d8c8gd8f8<c8r]2 ;=============== ; SSG Rhythm Sequence ;=============== I [!kr!o8!sr!c!c!c!s!o8!sr!kr]2 [!k!c!o!c!s!c!c!c!c!s!o8!s!c!kr]2 In the above example, you have bits and pieces of a full song. This is not as pleasing to the ear as it could be, but it serves as a useful example for explaining the different commands in play. Defining Channels: ABCDEF are FM channels, and GHI are the SSG channels. In the previous example, it is meant to be OPN only, so FM4-FM6 are unused. All commands that follow one or more channel declarations will be performed in sequence and by all channels declared, so for instance, the line here will actually be played by SSG1 and SSG2: GH [d8ar >dr8. cr8<g r8c8 d8ar >d8c8gd8f8<c8r]2 If the code above was copied into a file, you'll note that SSG2 plays a short moment after SSG1, making an echo of sorts. It's a very common technique to have multiple channels playing the same part, but with some detune or delay for a little depth. Essentially, beginning a line with A, B, etc. or any combination will tell the compiler "Hey! Channel(s) X should all play this part after they've done whatever they were just doing." Notes and Rests: Note commands are quite simple, and any modifiers that notes can use will also apply to rests. Notes are lowercase "abcdefg" and rests are "r". Putting a number (such as 16, 8, 4, 2, 1) after a note or rest specifies its length, corresponding to a ratio of a whole note (1). So, r4 is a quarter rest, a8 an eighth note playing a, and so on. A dotted note (that is, a note extended by half its defined length for some nice intermediate lengths) is represented by a period (.) following length (ex: r1. will be a whole rest and a half) Octaves, Sharp, and Flat: Octaves are declared as a lowercase "o" followed by a number. o3 a8 is an eighth note playing on the third octave. Sharp and flat are represented by a + or - following the tone specified, and before its length. So, a+16 is a 16th note playing A sharp. You can move between octaves without specifying an octave in the song sequence data using greater than/less than signs (). > moves up an octave from the previous note, and < moves down an octave. You can picture a sequence such as "abc>a bc < resting on top of a hill in the song, if that helps! Miscellany: In the example of song sequence data earlier in this chapter, you might have noticed some weird commands that appear to have nothing to do with the score, followed by numbers. There isn't a whole lot to these, so I'll just list them: t is the Tempo definition command. It uses an integer and appears to be half the compiled song's actual BPM. is the Tempo definition command. It uses an integer and appears to be half the compiled song's actual BPM. v is the Volume definition command, which ranges from 0-15 for 16 discrete levels, unless volume is extended in the preprocessor or a different volume command is used. is the Volume definition command, which ranges from 0-15 for 16 discrete levels, unless volume is extended in the preprocessor or a different volume command is used. l is the default Length of a note, when a note declaration isn't followed by a length. So "l16 r" would be a 16th rest. is the default Length of a note, when a note declaration isn't followed by a length. So "l16 r" would be a 16th rest. @ is the timbre selection for FM channels. When FM timbres are defined in the song, they are assigned an ID by the programmer and @ simply points to the ID of the timbre you'd like to use. So, say you have a bass instrument as @1... well, declaring @1 in an FM channel part will switch to that timbre! is the timbre selection for FM channels. When FM timbres are defined in the song, they are assigned an ID by the programmer and @ simply points to the ID of the timbre you'd like to use. So, say you have a bass instrument as @1... well, declaring @1 in an FM channel part will switch to that timbre! L is the Loop macro. Everything after L in a channel sequence will loop infinitely. If you'd like to set up echo channels, it's best to have the rest declared in the song sequence in a little "setup" declaration before the loop, as I have above. Otherwise, the rest will keep applying and the echo will eventually be thrown completely off timing! is the Loop macro. Everything after L in a channel sequence will loop infinitely. If you'd like to set up echo channels, it's best to have the rest declared in the song sequence in a little "setup" declaration before the loop, as I have above. Otherwise, the rest will keep applying and the echo will eventually be thrown completely off timing! [ and ], followed by an integer, encloses a looped section. So, [ abcdef ] 4 will loop the sequence "abcdef" 4 times. , followed by an integer, encloses a looped section. So, 4 will loop the sequence "abcdef" 4 times. : escapes from the looped section as noted above. If you have a sequence that loops 4 times, you will escape wherever this macro is placed on the 4th iteration. Now you're probably wondering. "Well I've got all that, but do I have to type it in every time I want a section to repeat?" Well, you can do that. But you can also enclose sequences of commonly used commands, or song sections, into macros. There's no hard-and-fast rule about keeping them tidy, but generally I follow the convention of using lowercase letters for single-note or command switch macros for automation, and uppercase letters for song sections. To define a macro, just use an exclamation point on its own line (! ) followed immediately by an upper or lowercase letter. Then, hit space or tab and write in the song sequence you'd like to enclose in the macro, like so:!B abcd bcd>e< ;Lead part B!k @10o3v15{c<c} ;Kick drum Tips and Tricks: You will often be using rhythm lines, because drums are important. Instead of defining an instrument switch in the song sequence, simply use a macro to enclose these instrument switches and notes, but leave the length for later. In PMD, you can put a length after a macro if it ends on a note; this will affect the length of the note if it's a one-note macro being expanded. This is, again, useful for drums. You can enclose macros within macros, because the compiler expands them in the driver instruction file when it does its work. This is useful for having a rhythm line base which is ended on bar 4 or bar 8 with a nice fill that you define. Using the SSG Channels Envelopes and Quantization step Controlling the SSG is pretty simple. If no envelope is defined, the note commands will simply trigger the SSG and generate a square wave for the duration of the note time. G o5 a8 ;This causes SSG1 to generate an 8th note at A5... a "blocky" timbre! If we want to go into more detailed control of the SSG channels (G, H, and I) we will do so with the help of SSG Envelopes. This is not to be confused with the SSG-EG feature which works with FM channels, mind. Envelopes take the form of a small array of parameters, either 4 or 5, which controls the volume of the channel during a note event. You can store an envelope for the channel(s) to play by defining it in the song sequence. I like to do it on its own line, before parts are switched or, in most cases, before the channel begins to play. ;======================== ;Example of some Envelopes GH v15 E1,-1,2,1 ;short, fast attack envelope for G and H I v13 E3,2,7,3 ;for I here, we have an envelope with a longer curve and slower attack It's fairly simple! After calling the envelope "constructor" with E, you supply a sequence of values (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release). This will control the volume of the channel, and lower numbers means a faster time. But how do we control the envelopes over a larger frame of reference without constructing new ones? Easy, by changing the envelope quantization step. Change envelope quantization in-line during the song sequence with the "q" command, followed by a note length to quantize to. q16 for 16th note quantization of the SSG envelope, q8 for eighth note, and so on! Extra Controls For you control freaks out there, you can control your SSG channels in even more ways with two additional commands. D and P are commands you might have seen in some of my MML source files, though you may not have seen P actually used for the SSG (as for FM, the lowercase p is the pan command!) P selects a tone generation mode for your SSG. Normally, mode 1 is used ( P1 ). This is the regular square wave generator mode. Mode 2 will generate pseudorandom noise, and mode 3 will generate periodic noise, which is noise with a subtle tonality due to its periodicity. These are useful to know, as they can allow you to create SSG drumkits for use when you don't have any free FM channels to work with, or you simply like the style of SSG rhythm. ;=============== ; SSG Rhythm Macros ;===============!k P3 q8 v15E31,-1,0,1 o3{c<c}!s P3 q16 v15E31,2,2,1 o4{c<c}!c P2 v14E31,4,4,0 q16 o4c!o P3 v13E0,8,4,8 q4 o8g+ D is a simple but important command, as it does detune. This is actually the reason some SSG parts in my works have the kind of "bright" quality they do—two SSG channels playing the same note detuned, or echoed with slight detune, really adds some extra dimension to the sound. If you have a channel free to do it, try it out! GH v13E12,2,4,1 GHI l16 H r D2 GHI L GH o5 GH f1.r2 d+1d2.<g4 o4 [d8ar >dr8. cr8<g r8c8 d8ar >d8c8gd8f8<c8r]2 GH o5 [d8<d8 g8a>c r4 r<g>c<a >dr<d8 g8ar >g8rf rdc8]2 In the next part I'll talk about creating FM tones to use your FM channels on!MOSCOW, Russia — When Viktoria Chumirina was hit by a car in southern Russia five years ago, she went into immediate shock. Lying on the asphalt of a pedestrian crossing, her left side bruised and pained, she wondered what had happened. The car, it seemed, had come out of nowhere. Her companion would later tell her that the driver had turned a corner and stepped on the gas. Perhaps he didn’t notice the red light, busy as he was speaking to someone in the backseat. “I will never forget what happened to me,” Chumirina, a language teacher at Moscow State University, said recently. “Not that long ago, I was nearly knocked down [again] — they saw us and still accelerated. The last thing I remember is grabbing my friend and running.” Russia boasts some of the world’s most dangerous roads. Chumirina, in her mid-30s, was one of the lucky ones, surviving with minor injuries, though her left leg hurts to this day. Many are less fortunate. Reports of deadly accidents fill news reports daily. According to official statistics, 30,000 people died on Russia’s roads last year. That’s 82 people a day. And those are official statistics, little trusted in Russia. The government has, finally, recognized the problem. “We have worked to decrease the number of victims,” said Viktor Kiryanov, the head of Russia’s traffic police, noting the official 2004 mortality rate on the country’s roads stood at 35,000. “We are also decreasing the number of dead. Already, today, we have decreased it by 13 percent for the first nine months of [2009].” “This is a wonderful number that shows government measures are working and have saved thousands of lives,” Kiryanov said. Calling a death rate that still numbers in the tens of thousands a “wonderful number” is a pretty cr
Wednesday to fine social networks such as Facebook up to 50 million euros ($53 million) if they do not remove hateful postings quickly and to make them reveal the identity of those behind the posts. “There should be just as little tolerance for criminal rabble rousing on social networks as on the street,” Justice Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement, adding that he would seek to push for similar rules at a European level. Germany already has some of the world’s toughest hate speech laws covering defamation, public incitement to commit crimes and threats of violence, backed up by prison sentences for Holocaust denial or inciting hatred against minorities. The issue has taken on more urgency due to concern about the spread of fake news and racist content on social media, with many in Germany’s political establishment worried it could influence public opinion in this year’s election campaign. The draft law would give social networks 24 hours to delete or block obviously criminal content and seven days to deal with less clear-cut cases, with an obligation to report back to the person who filed the complaint about how they handled the case. Failure to comply with the law expected to be passed before elections in September could see a company fined up to 50 million euros, and the company’s chief representative in Germany fined up to 5 million euros.LONDON—According to sources close to the English folk-rock quartet Mumford and Sons, the band’s members were surprised to discover during their annual Christmas gift exchange Wednesday that they had all gotten each other new mandolins. “I love my mandolin so much that I decided this was the year to introduce Ted [Dwane], Ben [Lovett], and Winston [Marshall] to this wonderful instrument,” said lead singer and guitarist Marcus Mumford, whose bandmates confirmed they each independently decided to buy each other mandolins with the exact same thought in mind. “To be honest, I thought at least some of the 12 mandolin-shaped packages would turn out to be banjos, dobros, or buzuqs when we unwrapped them. But I can’t say I’m disappointed when I think about the amazing sound we could create with this many mandolins.” Mumford added that the coincidence was at least an improvement over last year’s exchange, when each of the four musicians went home with three copies of the band’s debut EP, Love Your Ground. Advertisement“Some things are within our power, while others are not. Within our power are opinion, motivation, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever is of our own doing; not within our power are our body, our property, reputation, office, and, in a word, whatever is not of our own doing.” So, famously, begins Epictetus’ Enchiridion, his handbook of Stoic practice. This is, of course, the same sentiment expressed by the 20th century Christian Serenity Prayer, used for instance by a number of 12-step organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.” (Which, as I point out in my book, How to Be a Stoic, appears more than once in Kurt Vonnegut’s disturbing Slaughterhouse Five.) The sentiment is found in a number of other traditions as well. Solomon ibn Gabirol, an eleventh-century Jewish philosopher, for example, expressed it this way: “And they said: at the head of all understanding — is realizing what is and what cannot be, and the consoling of what is not in our power to change.” Shantideva, an eighth-century Buddhist scholar, similarly wrote: “If there’s a remedy when trouble strikes / What reason is there for dejection? / And if there is no help for it / What use is there in being glum?” Yet, modern Stoics and non-Stoic alike are often confused by the concept of the dichotomy of control. Our critics tend to interpret it as an invitation to quietism, to just endure whatever happens while sporting the mythical stiff upper lip. They are completely wrong, that is definitely not what Epictetus and Zeno (who originated the concept) meant, as I’ll explain (once more) in a minute. But even some of our own seem to have trouble with it. Here is Bill Irvine’s famous (and highly controversial) attempt to “update” the dichotomy to a trichotomy, in his A Guide to the Good Life: “The problem with [Epictetus’] statement of the dichotomy is that the phrase ‘some things aren’t up to us’ is ambiguous: it can be understood to mean either ‘There are things over which we have no control at all’ or to mean ‘There are things over which we don’t have complete control.’ … Stated in this way, the dichotomy is a false dichotomy, since it ignores the existence of things over which we have some but not complete control. … This suggests that we should understand the phrase ‘some things aren’t up to us’ in [a different] way: we should take it to mean that there are things over which we don’t have complete control. … This in turn suggests the possibility of restating Epictetus’ dichotomy of control as a trichotomy.” (pp. 87-88) To illustrate, Bill imagines the example of a tennis player who has managed to shift his attention from the obvious external goal of winning the match to the internal one of playing at his best and accepting the outcome with equanimity: “[the tennis player] will be careful to set internal rather than external goals. Thus, his goal in playing tennis will not be to win a match (something external, over which he has only partial control) but to play to the best of his ability in the match (something internal, over which he has complete control). By choosing this goal, he will spare himself frustration or disappointment should he lose the match: Since it was not his goal to win the match, he will not have failed to attain his goal, as long as he played his best. His tranquility will not be disrupted.” (p. 94) This is actually very similar to what Cicero has Cato say in book III of De Finibus, using this time the example of an archer: “if a man were to make it his purpose to take a true aim with a spear or arrow at some mark, his ultimate end, corresponding to the ultimate good as we pronounce it, would be to do all he could to aim straight: the man in this illustration would have to do everything to aim straight, yet, although he did everything to attain his purpose, his ‘ultimate End,’ so to speak, would be what corresponded to what we call the Chief Good in the conduct of life, whereas the actual hitting of the mark would be in our phrase ‘to be chosen’ but not ‘to be desired.’” (III.22) Notice that Cicero’s archer behaves exactly like Irvine’s tennis player: they both internalize their goals. Cicero is also very revealing when he says that the Chief Good for the archer is to be a virtuous archer, i.e., to practice archery with arete, or excellence (the same word used by the Greeks to indicate moral virtue). The actual outcome, then, is referred to with the delightful phrase of being “chosen but not desired.” I have to admit that when I first read Irvine I thought his move from a dichotomy to a trichotomy of control was a good example of updating ancient to modern Stoicism. But then Don Robertson straightened me out on the Facebook Stoicism page: he pointed out that everything we attempt to do can be broken down into two components: the part that is entirely up to us (“opinion, motivation, desire, aversion”) and one that is not up to us, although it can be influenced by us (“our body, our property, reputation, office”). He added that, should one go down Irvine’s road, one would eviscerate the Stoic concept and be left with a fairly banal observation about how the world works. Don’s take makes more sense, come to think of it, also because it is hard to believe that the Stoics, who were renowned for their contributions to logic, would trip over a simple false dichotomy, as Irvine suggests. Put another way, it’s a bit difficult to conceive that Epictetus did not realize that “our body, our property, reputation, office” cannot be influenced by our choices and actions. So I came up with what I think is a novel, and hopefully useful, way to conceive of the dichotomy of control, which also makes it crystal clear why it is not, in fact, a trichotomy: vector analysis! I know, I know, your eyes are rolling while your memory stretches back to those boring lessons about basic math and physics you had to endure in high school. But bear with me for a minute, it will be worth it, I promise. This first diagram shows the basic idea: The horizontal vector visually represents what is under your control. The vertical vector is everything else, i.e., the stuff you don’t control at all. In the case of the archer, the first vector summarizes the archer’s determination, practice, focus, care of the bow and arrow, and choice of the moment at which to let the arrow go. The second vector, by contrast, captures the things the archer has absolutely no control over, including the fact that his target may move (enemy soldiers don’t usually just stand there!), sudden gusts of wind, and so forth. The combination of these two factors yields the differently colored vector in the diagram, representing the actual outcome. As you can see, the outcome is the combinatorial of the archer’s efforts (what is up to him) and the externals (what is not up to him). However, notice also the solid block limiting the range of the horizontal vector, which represents an absolute limit to what is under the control of the archer. Without that, we could imagine that all one needs to do is to keep increasing the length of the horizontal vector (i.e., one’s own efforts) to eventually dwarf the contribution of the external factors, thus always achieving one’s objectives. That, of course, would be Secret-type wishful thinking, incompatible with the way the world works, and the Stoic topos of physics is there to tell us that that’s impossible. Notice also that there is no equivalent block on the vertical vector, meaning that external forces, for all effective purposes, can (and often will) dwarf your efforts no matter what. One way to conceptualize this is to say that the universal web of cause-effect is gigantic, and our actions are only a tiny fraction of it. Turn now to the second diagram: It presents a scenario where your efforts happen to be well aligned with external forces, and as a result, you do achieve your “chosen” (but, remember, not to be desired!) goal. (Note that the three vectors are actually coincident, they are drawn slightly apart for clarity’s sake.) Finally, the third diagram: This is an extreme case where your efforts are entirely futile, because they are dwarfed by the size of the externals. Here, as a Stoic, you accept the outcome with equanimity, reminding yourself that, in the words of Epictetus, you always set yourself up to do two things: “When you’re about to embark on any action, remind yourself what kind of action it is. If you’re going out to take a bath, set before your mind the things that happen at the baths, that people splash you, that people knock up against you, that people steal from you. And you’ll thus undertake the action in a surer manner if you say to yourself at the outset, ‘I want to take a bath and ensure at the same time that my choice remains in harmony with nature.’” (Enchiridion 4) To remain in harmony with nature means to choose, but not to desire, certain outcomes. It means that you cultivate an attitude of equanimity toward what happens to you. That is the way of the Stoic, the path to ataraxia. AdvertisementsPenalty rate cuts: Workers react to Fair Work Commission's decision Updated The Fair Work Commission has announced penalty rates on public holidays and Sundays will be cut in the hospitality, retail and fast-food industries. These changes will hurt many of the country's lowest-paid workers. We asked retail, hospitality workers and students who are likely to be affected by the changes for their thoughts. Cutting Sunday penalty rates is really unfair. I work part-time in a bar and earning more on Sundays gives me more free time to study so I can get a good job after university. Now I will have to work more for less money, and it's not like I have a choice. There's no other alternative but to continue working Sundays. Imagine if you slashed the pay of office workers, there would be an absolute outrage, but it's like it's OK to do it to people who serve these office workers. Cut me some slack. No-one can afford a house in Australia and the Government is just making it worse by choosing to cut extras. These decisions always hurt the people that work the hardest. I pay so much tax as a foreign worker that I feel cutting Sunday rates wouldn't really make too much of a difference. Other countries around the world don't have these rates and we have it pretty good here in Australia — the quality of life is high. Of course people aren't going to be happy, but they will get used to it and it's only a matter of a few dollars they are losing. I am a bit of a jack of all trades and I only work at this clothing store a few days a week, so the decision to cut Sunday rates isn't going to have a huge impact on my life... but for single mothers or those who rely on penalties, it's really a disgrace and they will be the ones who pay. Eventually, the politicians in this country need to think about the real people who are affected by the big decisions. The decision to reduce Sunday penalty rates isn't that bad, although I would obviously prefer to be paid more rather than less. Hopefully it means bars and restaurants will remain open longer on Sundays because it won't cost employers as much to pay staff. It's so annoying when cafes shut early on Sundays, and I think it will be good for business by reducing rates only slightly. I don't know how cutting these Sunday rates will affect me because we are considered retail, so I think it would. Either way, I have worked in hospitality before and the whole reason you put up with difficult customers is because you get paid incentives to work on weekends. I think it will mean more people will struggle to put themselves through uni and then they will have to rely on their parents more, which is really crap. I work at this cafe part-time to make some extra money while I study mental health, so cutting these Sunday rates sucks. How are employers supposed to retain staff without these incentives? I don't think the politicians have really thought this decision through. We have such good working conditions in Australia, it seems a shame to start getting rid of them. I will still have to work Sundays regardless, so it will mean I have to work harder for less, which is unfair. Topics: work, industrial-relations, sydney-2000 First postedAlexis Tsipras, Greece’s prime minister, meets Vladimir Putin in Moscow today with his country’s euro membership in the balance. Greece’s negotiations with its creditors have stalled, obliging the government to raid state kitties and delay settlements with suppliers to make repayments; a €458m ($497m) transfer to the IMF is due tomorrow. Some Europeans fear Mr Tsipras could offer to veto the EU’s sanctions on Russia, which will expire in July without a unanimous vote, in exchange for a huge bail-out from Mr Putin. That seems improbable: for all his foibles Mr Tsipras is unlikely to revise Greece’s strategic orientation towards Europe, and a weakened Russia is hardly in a position to save Greece anyway. The talks may instead focus on joint projects in technology and energy, and perhaps Greece’s agricultural exports. Mr Tsipras will then return to Athens with his geopolitical options open—but his financial difficulties as acute as ever.Overwatch Alienware Monthly Melee returns for March - Dates announced The Overwatch Alienware Monthly Melee is back for March and this iteration might feature some of the long-gone-to-Korea teams. The Alienware Monthly Melee is back for another iteration in March. This month will likely bring even more great teams to the tournament, considering OGN's APEX Season 2 is concluding soon. This means that teams like Cloud9, Misfits, Fnatic and possibly even EnVyUs are going to be able to compete for the crown of this month. March's tournament will take place on the 18th and 19th of March, in less than 2 weeks. We do not yet know what teams will be invited but you can expect that announcement to come out this week or early next week. It won’t be long before we know what caliber of tournament we are going to have but the AMM's have no disappointed yet. Last month's tournament featured teams like Rogue, coL, FaZe, and underdogs LG Evil (formerly Hammers Esports). Hammers Esports in particular impressed with making it to the finals and giving Rogue a solid run for their money. It will be interesting to see if teams such as Cloud9 or Fnatic compete in this tournament and how the other teams will matchup against these returning powerhouses. Follow us on Twitter @GosuOverwatch for more competitive Overwatch news and coverage from around the world. QUICKPOLL Do you think that Misfits will be invited to this month's Monthly Melee? Of course Thank you for voting! No, they are Euorpe Thank you for voting!Copyright by WAVY - All rights reserved London Colvin (photo courtesy: Instagram) Copyright by WAVY - All rights reserved London Colvin (photo courtesy: Instagram) NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) -- Four officers are no longer employed by the Norfolk Police Department (NPD) after an internal review of a Norfolk State University student's January arrest. Police Chief Michael Goldsmith released a statement Friday evening after finishing his review of London Colvin's arrest, during which she was attacked by a police K-9. The K-9 officer is one of the four who are now unemployed. A fifth officer has been suspended for several days. "Their actions do not represent the values of my department," Goldsmith said in the release. "We have a great police department filled with men and women who work hard in this community everyday. We must hold ourselves to high standards and embrace opportunities to strengthen our relationship with the people we serve." 10 On Your Side asked NPD spokeswoman Melinda Wray if the four officers were fired by the department. Wray said the NPD was not going to comment on that question. Copyright by WAVY - All rights reserved London Colvin (photo courtesy Colvin's father). Copyright by WAVY - All rights reserved London Colvin (photo courtesy Colvin's father). Colvin was leaving an off-campus party on Bayne Avenue January 25 when she allegedly refused to answer questions from police about an earlier fight. Witnesses said somehow Colvin ended up on the ground and with a police K-9 attacking her. Not long after the attack, Norfolk Police Chief Michael Goldsmith admitted his officers used "unreasonable" force in her arrest. The two misdemeanor charges that were filed against 21-year-old Colvin that night were officially dropped February 6. Goldsmith also noted two changes he has made to the department's K-9 policy, as a result of his review: "restricting the use of a K-9 in assaults which involve an officer or a citizen, and dispatching a supervising officer to the scene anytime a K-9 is used to apprehend a suspect," he wrote in the release. Colvin's attorney, Jon Babineau, said his client is happy with, and supports Goldsmith's policy changes. "Hopefully the new policies will help to prevent the same kind of conduct to someone else in the future," Babineau said over the phone on Friday night. Babineau also said Colvin has never weighed in on what should happen to the officers involved in the January 25 incident. Colvin, who is in the U.S. Army Reserve, was out of classes at NSU for more than two weeks due to her injuries. She underwent surgery and doctors had to use 43 stitches to seal her wounds. Stay with WAVY.com for updates on this developing story.Such groundbreaking victories became models for cities across the nation. But Durazo has continually insisted they were insufficient. The living wage ordinances and policies that made it easier for workers to unionize in selected industries were important, but failed to raise the incomes of most of L.A.'s poverty-wage workers. Only now, with the County Fed spearheading a campaign to set a local minimum wage at a level that would enable full-time workers to escape poverty, has labor amassed the power to make a difference in hundreds of thousands of local households. Similarly, Durazo argued, local police policies and state-level Dream Acts were major achievements, but were nonetheless poor substitutes for a federal policy enabling longtime undocumented immigrants to become citizens. Now, she is stepping down from the Fed to become a full-time leader of the fight for immigration reform.Mexico Catches One Of Several Fugitive Former Governors After A Half-Year Hunt Enlarge this image toggle caption AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images When Javier Duarte stepped down from office last October, the former governor of Mexico's Veracruz state vowed to fight the mounting corruption allegations that unraveled his tenure. "The circumstances created by false accusations... force me to dedicate myself full-time to clear my name and that of my family," Duarte said on Oct. 13, according to The Yucatan Times, just one day after he ended his term six weeks early. Then, Duarte disappeared. It would be another half-year before the he surfaced — this time in handcuffs, escorted from his hotel at a lakeside resort in Guatemala on Saturday night. Authorities say he had been squirreled away in a hotel room with his wife, attempting to pass as a tourist. Now he is in a prison cell in Guatemala City, awaiting his widely expected extradition back to Mexico, where Reuters reports he'll face allegations that he diverted public funds for his personal enrichment. That includes a luxury ranch — packed with paintings by masters such as Joan Miro and Leonora Carrington, the BBC reports — that authorities say was paid for by siphoned dollars. During his roughly six years in office, Duarte's Gulf Coast state also earned the inglorious distinction of becoming "one of the world's most lethal regions for the press," according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The CPJ estimated last year that at least 12 journalists were murdered during Duarte's tenure; other organizations have placed that number even higher. A 2012 dispatch from CPJ correspondent Mike O'Connor explains the atmosphere that took shape under Duarte: "Veracruz is a beautiful, long, thin state on the Gulf coast of Mexico where many journalists are terrified not only of the rampant organized crime groups that kill and control, but also of the state government. Fear that state officials will order them murdered for what they investigate or write has forced about a dozen journalists to flee the state, claiming that fear also puts a clamp on coverage for those who remain." And that's not to mention the mass grave discovered outside Veracruz city last month that contained 252 bodies, many of which are believed to have been buried years ago. Strikingly, Duarte's allegation-plagued tenure was by no means uncommon. The politician isn't the only former Mexican governor to draw prosecutors' attention — nor was he the only former leader in his own party, the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, to go on the lam for an extended period. Scandal-plagued former governors Enlarge this image toggle caption Marco Ugarte, Eduardo Verdugo, Susan Montoya Bryan, Harry Cabluck, Israel Leal, Guillermo Arias/ AP; Monica M. Davey, P. Mera, Alfredo Estrella, Raul Ibanez/AFP/Getty Images Marco Ugarte, Eduardo Verdugo, Susan Montoya Bryan, Harry Cabluck, Israel Leal, Guillermo Arias/ AP; Monica M. Davey, P. Mera, Alfredo Estrella, Raul Ibanez/AFP/Getty Images Former Tamaulipas Gov. Tomás Yarrington was caught in Florence, Italy, just last week after five years on the run. U.S. prosecutors have alleged he "accepted millions of dollars in drug cartel bribes and invested it in Texas real estate," according to The Associated Press. And The Wall Street Journal, citing orders issued by state police, says that Yarrington had been assigned eight law enforcement officers as bodyguards as late as last year. Meanwhile former Chihuahua Gov. Cesar Duarte — no relation — has still eluded authorities after he stepped down last year. Once a rising star in the PRI like Javier Duarte (who was suspended from the party around the time of his disappearance) and Yarrington, Cesar Duarte is being pursued over embezzlement charges. All of this makes for a rather persistent problem for the party's leader, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, who has been battling historically terrible approval ratings. So it's not too much of a surprise that, as the AP reports, the PRI cheered the capture of the former Veracruz governor, who the party said should "be punished in an exemplary fashion, as well as anyone who is confirmed to have taken part in his criminal ring." Still, it will do little to erase the rather unexemplary records of many governors across Mexico — and not just those in the PRI. The Duartes have plenty of company. The Los Angeles Times breaks it down: In a country of 31 states and one federal district, nearly a dozen governors recently out of office are on the lam, under investigation or already in prison.May \| Sketchbook, Travel \| Lucas Painting in North Korea During my trip to North Korea in March, I brought along a sketchbook and tried to draw what I saw. Aboard the Air Koryo flight from Beijing to Pyongyang: Contrary to what many other travellers report about flying on rickety soviet-era jets, our plane was a newer generation Russian plane. The in-flight sound system managed to blast bombastic propaganda music at the passengers the entire flight, while still rendering the pilot’s announcements so quiet as to be unintelligible. Left: The Ryugyong Hotel, all new and shiny in its glass facade, but still a bare concrete skeleton on the inside. Right: The enormous Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang. Citizens on the streets of Pyongyang: An electric locomotive in the railway museum in Pyongyang: A scenic view of old Kaesong City in the morning. The large castle-like building on the left is the ‘Kaesong Schoolchildren’s Palace’: Left: An apartment complex in the countryside with a concrete billboard out front that says “Long Live the people of a reunified Korea!” Right: An outcropping near Sariwon (사리원), on the Kaesong/Pyongyang Highway. On the bus between Pyongyang and Kaesong, we passed into a large depression ringed by cliffs: A farmer’s tractor: A sentry building on the shores of the Taeryong River: A road over a canal, north of Pyongyang. A community nestled in the foothills of North Pyongan Province: I visited the DPRK in mid-March; the land was still shaking off the long, dry cold of winter, but green was already beginning to peek through here and there: An agrarian commune encircles a rocky cone. Enormous glacial boulders pepper the mountain slope, and some of the larger ones above the village were carved with slogans: A farmer on the road to his commune. Red clays dominate the soil south of Pyongyang, with undulating rusty farmland punctuated by low grey mountains: Crossing the Chongchon River. 2014 has been a dry year so far in North Korea, and the spring runoff hasn’t started yet, so the water was quite low, and labourers trod well-worn paths across the sandy bed. The overpass in the distance is the Pyongyang/Sinuiju highway, and the crumbling concrete pillars are reminders of the American bombs that levelled the old pre-war railway. The farmland south of Pyongyang is crimson red with clay and salted with stony deposits of glacial till: On the train into Sinuiju: an apartment building in limbo. It appeared as if construction had been halted midway through the sixth floor, and the building had simply been painted and occupied below that point: Returning to Beijing for a couple of days before returning to Vancouver, I took some time to work on my unfinished drawings from North Korea, as well as sketching the neighbourhood around my hotel in the Dongcheng District. I also made it to Tiananmen Square to do some people-watching: The main gate at the Forbidden City: People on the street in Beijing: But my favourite part of Beijing by far was the 798 Art District, an enormous neighbourhood of factories and warehouses converted into art spaces:We all know about vampires and werewolves, or at least we think we do. The legends and myths that inspired these monsters are sometimes surprisingly different, but no less chilling. In this series of posts, Monster Monday, we’ll investigate the monsters that have informed our modern notions, as well as some lesser known monsters. Today, we talk about the Blow Vampire. The Blow Vampire supposedly terrorized the town of Kadam in Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic, around the year 1706. According to the story, a shepherd from the nearby village of Blow died, but he reappeared several days after he was buried. He wandered the streets at night, calling out the names of the people he passed by, who would all die within a week. The townspeople dug up his body and fixed it to his coffin with a giant stake, but he reappeared and strangle several people to death, mocking them by thanking them for the large stick he could used to beat back the dogs. The townspeople again dug him up and gave his body to an executioner. The executioner pierced the body with several stakes made of hawthorn, and fresh, red blood poured from the wounds. Then the executioner set the body on fire. As the body of the vampire burned, his hands and feet writhed, and he screamed in agony until the flames consumed him.Hatsune Miku is no stranger to the video game world, but the virtual pop star will soon be entering a new frontier: virtual reality. Sega has announced that a new Miku game is coming to PlayStation VR when the device launches in October. Called Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live, the game attempts to re-create the experience of a Miku concert set in a packed virtual stadium. (There’s no word on whether Anamanaguchi will be the opening act.) “As the lights dim and Miku gets ready to take the stage, the player's controller transforms into a glow stick,” Sega explains. After that, you’ll be treated to a one-on-one performance from the vocaloid on stage. Unfortunately, we don’t know much else about the game, as Sega hasn’t revealed the price, nor any screenshots or video. But it won’t be too long before we find out: VR Future Live is launching on PSVR on October 14th.Dragon Ball Z is a cultural sensation that has spawned 291 episodes of television, 14 movies, and 148 video games. Created in Japan, Dragon Ball Z is an animated series that first aired on Fuji TV from 1989 to 1996, before being dubbed in various languages in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and India. Dragon Ball Z continues the story that the original Dragon Ball animated series started—a narrative that brings us the tale of a protagonist named Goku as he transitions from childhood to adulthood. The Z series introduces Goku’s son Gohan, as well as the transformation of his enemy Vegeta from rival to ally. Sean Schemmel and Chris Sabat are the men that serve as the recognizable voices behind Goku and Vegeta in the U.S. rendition of the Dragon Ball franchise. Here, in their first Ask Me Anything session, the two discuss how years of building these characters have affected their lives, their relationships with one another, and find out what their reactions were to the discovery that they would be renewed for a new series, Dragon Ball Super. – Full Transcript Below – Question #1 Question #2 Question #3 Question #4 Question #5 Question #6 Question #7 Question #8 Question #9 Question #10Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil, is the oil that has so many benefits, and uses one will end up tossing many cleaning, and skincare products out the window. The company Apothecary Extracts, is a fairly new company founded in 2013, and breaking ground, and truly becoming a household name, and favorite among not just myself, however but many. 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Another great thing about Apothecary Extracts Tea Tree Oil, is that because their oil is pure the one bottle will last a long while depending on use lasts up to one year for most. So what can you actually use Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree oil for? Well, one can use Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil, in many ways probably more ways than one can actually tell. Here are just a few possible ways one might incorporate Tea Tree oil into their life. Facial cleanser Body wash Detergent Kitchen Spray Bathroom Disinfectant Shower sprays I have used this product as a topical product for hormonal acne. I dabbed a little bit with a cotton swab onto the area right before bed, and I was able to see a dramatic difference the next day. I have also used this product as a toner,and with the extremely hot temperature has definitely helped as a skin refresher. 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school, with three teachers serving 20 students in a single room. How is the Post Related to Personal Freedom? My personal development program directly attacks the fears I learned during my stint in government school. Fear of criticism Fear of failure Fear of success or fear of responsibility Fear of rejection My personal development program also attacks this belief which is clearly taught within our government schools. My happiness and success are dependent on another person’s evaluation of me and my performance This is an extremely damaging belief that I work hard to eradicate. As long as I continue to look outside myself for validation, I will be dependent and addicted. A little controversy A post over at ww-success.com (link no longer valid) cites the statistic that only 18 out of 100 American high school freshmen will earn a college degree within six years of graduating from high school. He goes on to cite statistics that show the relationship between education and income. I don’t dispute either of these statistics. He then makes the argument that the economic future of our nation depends on increasing the percentage of students that graduate from college. Based on our current system, he’s right. But why do we need to keep this system? Our current government schooling system causes this problem. It’s designed so 20% rise to the top and the rest fall out to the factory floor. We have an antiquated system designed to supply labor to an industrial economy that doesn’t exist anymore. As a society, shouldn’t we question how we discriminate between job applicants? Are high school and college graduates more productive or is that assumption prejudicial? Couldn’t prejudice be the root cause of the average income disparity between various educational levels? Similar to disparities between sexes and races? If 82% of children will never graduate from college, why don’t we open more doors to them and see if they can make it? Wouldn’t that be in everyone’s best interest? What could it hurt? What are we afraid of? Why punish and discriminate against people that don’t make it in formal schools? What purpose does it serve? “one of the best programmers I ever hired had only a High School degree; he’s produced a lot of great software, has his own news group, and through stock options is no doubt much richer than I’ll ever be.” – Peter Norvig in Teach Yourself Programming in Ten Years Test taking is the most valuable skill you can posses in school My brother-in-law is a doctor and a successful student. He says that test taking is the most important skill necessary to succeed in college. I know he’s right. But what does that say about college? Who’s going to pay anyone to take a test? What does a test measure? It measures your ability to memorize stuff. Who is paid to memorize stuff? Actors? Pilots? I don’t know. I’ve never been paid to memorize stuff. The most valuable skill you can possess in life The most valuable skill you can possess is the ability to acquire useful knowledge and apply it to solve real problems. Once you own this skill, you have all the education you’ll ever need. More History and Background An Irish commenter on Reddit asked if American government schools are as insane as they are portrayed in movies and TV. No, the stuff you see on TV and most movies is mild. The only two movies I’ve seen that come close to modern American youth culture are Kids (Warning – This Movie is Extremely Disturbing) and Over the Edge. But the last twenty minutes of Over the Edge isn’t accurate – but everything before they burn down the school is an exact time capsule of American youth culture in the late seventies and early eighties. How I became so passionate about this subject Since my first son was born in 2002, I’ve gone through a 4-year period of growth, healing, and introspection. His birth changed me forever. His birth got me asking questions about how my life became what it became. One of the things I needed to know was where all these crazy insecurities and fears came from. I looked to my parents and I think some of it came from them, but not most of it. I wasn’t born with these crazy fears. I joined 12 step programs. I dug into self-help books. I immersed myself in the work of Jung. But I never found the root cause of the baggage until I found this book – The Underground History of American Education. After reading the book, I saw reality through a new lens. My life made sense again. I don’t agree with everything in the book, but about 70% of it directly applied to my educational experience. I was also terrified after reading this book. People are going to think I’m nuts if I talk about it. What am I going to do about my kid’s education? Am I going to home school them? What am I going to do? I was flummoxed. My wife and I had discussions over several nights and we decided that we would do anything legal to keep them out of government school. But I still question the decision because I want my sons to be ‘normal.’ If I send them to some alternative school, will they hate me? If I homeschool them, how will they learn to pick up girls? Will my neighbors think I’m a freak? Constant questions enter my mind. Recommended Reading… Book List: Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling A Different Kind of Teacher: Solving the Crisis of American Schooling Beyond the Classroom Guerrilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education Homeschooling Our Children Unschooling Ourselves The Unschooling Handbook : How to Use the Whole World As Your Child’s Classroom The Unprocessed Child: Living Without School Not Much Just Chillin’: The Hidden Lives of Middle Schoolers Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls Links: Students Dropping Out of High School Reaches Epidemic Levels 1.1 Million Homeschooled Students in the United States in 2003 The Public School Nightmare Underreporting Crime In Public Schools: A Shell Game? I’ll share the results of our journey on this blog as it progresses. So subscribe to my RSS feed for easy updates. If you don’t have RSS, get my feed via email. Trust the people, give them choices, and the school nightmare will vanish in a generation. – John Taylor Gatto Read the 10 part series on the 10 things I wish I had never believed: #1 Why People Believe Money is the Root of All Evil #2 Why Getting a Good Job isn’t the Best Way to Earn Money #3 The Secret Great Leaders Know About Emotions #4 Success is 99% Failure #5 10 Tips to Secure a Management Position without a College Degree #6 Always Question Your Doctor – Three Stories Why #7 How the Public School System Crushes Souls #9 Give Me 3 Minutes and I’ll Make you a Better Decision MakerAll photos via 'Cut-Off' One year after the election that swept Justin Trudeau to power, the new Liberal government has failed to make a dent in the prime minister's promise to end boil water advisories on First Nation reserves across the country within five years. In July 2015, there were a total of 133 drinking water advisories on 93 reserves. As of the end of August this year, the situation was largely unchanged, with 132 advisories on 89 reserves. The agency responsible for the issue, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, claims progress has been made, and provided VICE News with a list of 15 water advisories on 11 reserves it says have been resolved since the Liberals took power. Of the 11 reserves on the agency's list, six are still considered by Health Canada to have undrinkable water. Of the eight reserves who responded to request for comment, four said the water remains undrinkable. When VICE News asked why there was a discrepancy, Indigenous Affairs blamed Health Canada's website for not being up to date, and said it is working to solve new, short-term water issues on some of the 11 reserves. It declined to make Carolyn Bennett, the minister responsible, available after repeated requests for an interview.The agency said the improvements it did achieve were mostly due to new or upgraded water systems it funded. But the fact that the needle has barely moved on the list underscores the staggering problem confronting both the government and reserves. Just because one boil water advisory has been resolved doesn't mean the water is clean across an entire reserve—often reserves are battling multiple advisories, which can cover just a single building or an entire community. These water advisories blink on and off, often for years, ultimately eroding trust in the safety of water coming out of the taps. There is also confusion over which advisories are active, thanks to competing lists from Health Canada and Indigenous Affairs. These difficulties cast doubt on the prime minister's ability to deliver on his promise, to which he has dedicated big dollars. In March, the Liberals announced $1.8-billion over five years for water infrastructure on reserves, and another $141.7-million to monitor the quality of water. Of that, $618-million is earmarked to flow in the first two years. Earlier this month, the Liberals spent $4 million of that budget to expand a successful water treatment plant training program to 14 reserves. The Liberal budget for First Nations water, however, falls short of the $5-billion over 10 years a government report in 2011 suggested would be required to end the water access crisis for good. "If I made promises it's because I intend to keep them," Trudeau told Sarain Carson-Fox, host of the new VICELAND show RISE earlier this year, while visiting Shoal Lake 40, an isolated reserve that straddles the Manitoba-Ontario border and has been on a boil water advisory for twenty years. Potlotek, a small First Nation in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, made headlines across Canada last month after residents reported filthy black water flowing from its taps. But Indigenous Affairs included the First Nation on its list of success stories—claiming it ended a long-term water advisory there in May, only to recommend a new one in September. Band manager Lindsay Marshall said the band had advised its members not to drink the water. "They haven't solved anything yet," he said. "My chief came in this morning and he said that his water, when he turned it on, was black." Indigenous Affairs claims that elevated levels of iron and manganese resulted in the September advisory, but said "there are no identified health impacts associated with the presence of those two minerals in the [Potlotek] drinking water." Health Canada has said the water on the reserve is "esthetically unsuitable" for drinking, but wouldn't cause any harm if consumed. The government did not immediately provide specifics on what the "elevated" levels of iron and manganese were. According to Health Canada, manganese, which is dark in colour, has long been regarded as "one of the least toxic elements." More recently, though, it has been discovered to be harmful, but its toxic effects have been documented more frequently as a result of chronic inhalation, not in drinking water, Health Canada says. Together, iron and manganese can cause dark, discoloured water. Potlotek has a water treatment plant, but they don't use the water from it, Marshall said. "It's only good for firefighting and toilets. Dogs won't even drink it." Indigenous Affairs said design work on a new water treatment plant that can filter out the iron and manganese is starting "as quickly as possible." But according to Marshall, the new plant will be next to the old one, and will draw water from the same lake. No one trusts the water from that lake, he added, because the reserve's sewage lagoon sits only 55 feet away, and spills over into the lake during storms. Marshall said the band is drilling wells to find a new source of water, and Indigenous Affairs is providing bottled water as an interim solution. It's a similar story on a small reserve on the other side of the country. Indigenous Affairs claims a 16-year boil water advisory in Nazko, a reserve in northern British Columbia, came to an end on November 20, 2015. Lena Hjorth tests the reserve's water and rebuffs the government's claim that it's safe. "I don't trust it either myself," she said. "I don't drink it. Because there's still arsenic in there." She said the filter at their treatment plant, which was built a few years ago, stopped working about a month ago. The band ordered a new filter, but it hasn't arrived yet. "We went through years of manganese and arsenic," added band member Terrence Paul. "We've gone through some very terrible water, and could literally see the darkness in it, debris floating around in it, bugs. So people are still trying to get back into utilizing the water. "It's going to take a while to build that trust back up again," he said, adding that the government is providing bottled water to the reserve. Indigenous Affairs also says it has solved water advisories on four reserves in Ontario, such as one in place on Constance Lake First Nation since April 2014. But when pressed for details, Indigenous Affairs admitted the water advisory has flickered on and off over the last year. After lifting one advisory on August 1, the agency says another advisory was ordered and then lifted on September 16. Health Canada still lists the advisory because its list is not up to date. It's a similar story with another reserve, Pikangikum. Indigenous Affairs said it revoked an advisory in February that was first set in January 2006. However, another boil water advisory on the reserve also set in 2006 is still in place. Pic Mobert, another Ontario reserve, is also still on Health Canada's list of boil water advisories, though Indigenous Affairs said it has revoked an advisory there. That's because a new water treatment plant is only hooked up to one side of the reserve so far, explained Orville Ncwatch, the reserve's water operator. The new $12 million plant is "state of the art," he said, and has been under construction for a year and a half. He wasn't sure whether the Liberals contributed funding to it. Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek, also known as Rocky Bay First Nation, is also listed as still having a water advisory in place as of August 31, but Indigenous Affairs said it was resolved. Harley Hardey, the water treatment plant operator for the reserve, said their boil water advisory has indeed ended after one year, and that it was just a matter of replacing broken equipment. Cumberland House, a Saskatchewan First Nation, still has four water advisories listed as of August 31, although Indigenous Affairs said it ended two water advisories there. Indigenous Affairs said it is working to address the ongoing water issues. Indigenous Affairs included Nekaneet, another Saskatchewan reserve, on its list of successes, saying it ended one long-term advisory there. But when pressed to explain why Nekaneet still appeared on Health Canada's list of boil water advisories, the department admitted it was funding a new system for the reserve to resolve another advisory that is still in effect. A woman at that First Nation who answered the phone but didn't give her name said the water on Nekaneet has "always been drinkable" but that it was a "paperwork issue" that has now been solved. When VICE News asked additional questions, she said the Nation had no comment and hung up. Other than Potlotek, Indigenous Affairs said it has fixed the water on two other reserves in Atlantic Canada: Abegweit and Pabineau no longer appear on Health Canada's list. Band councillor Terry Richardson said the advisory on the New Brunswick reserve of Pabineau is still in place, but is expected to end soon. Abegweit Chief Brian Francis happily confirmed that the water on his Prince Edward Island reserve is now clean and drinkable after upgrades to their system that began under the Conservatives. In BC, Indigenous Affairs ended one other water advisory on the reserve of Esk'etemc. Deidri Jack in the reserve's operations and maintenance office confirmed the water there is now drinkable after a "very lovely" water treatment plant was completed this year, and people are happy. Construction on the plant began before the Liberals were elected, she said. "We're still going to continue to monitor to ensure the safety of the community, but it's just been absolutely awesome that we've been able to completely remove the boil water advisory," she said. Follow Hilary Beaumont on Twitter.The Event is a NBC drama picked up for series according to the Hollywood Reporter. It might be something science fiction with it, the description says “a global conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind” … that sounds SF. Does Jason Ritter’s casting here mean what I think? Will Life Unexpected be canceled soon? It is on the bubble. “The Event” is an emotional high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter, “The Class”), an Everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, Leila (Sarah Roemer, “Disturbia”), and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history. Sean’s quest will send ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including: newly elected U.S. President Martinez (Blair Underwood, “Dirty Sexy Money”); Sophia (Emmy Award nominee Laura Innes, “ER”), who is the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; and Sean’s shadowy father-in-law (Scott Patterson, “Gilmore Girls”). Their futures are on a collision course in a global conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind. Ian Anthony Dale (“Daybreak”) and Emmy winner Željko Ivanek (“Damages”) also star in the ensemble drama. “The Event” is a production of Universal Media Studios and Steve Stark Productions. Stark (“Medium,” “Facing Kate”) serves as executive producer, Nick Wauters (“The 4400,” “Eureka”) is creator/co-executive producer and Jeffrey Reiner (“Friday Night Lights,” “Trauma”) is the director/executive producer. NBC’s newly picked up drama series The Event is looking to become the new 24 and now it is close to tapping one of the key writer-producers behind the departing real-time Fox drama, Evan Katz, as showrunner. (deadline.com) Learned from castings: A thriller about a regular Joe caught up in a large conspiracy. It is about Sean a regular man fighting his way through the mysterious circumstances of a conspiracy to assassinate the U.S. president. Ivanek is set as Blake Sterling, the “fervid and brash” director of the CIA. Dale as Dan Taylor, a government operative assisting Sean in thwarting the assassination attempt who might have ulterior motives. Sarah Roemer (Fired Up!) will play Sean’s girlfriend, Leila Gasiorowski, an MIT-educated biochemist who disappears as part of the conspiracy to force her father, Mark Gasiorowski played by Scott Patterson (described as affable, Marlboro Man good looks”), an airline pilot, to crash an airliner into the presidential retreat. Laura Innes is believed to be playing the leader of the inmates at the Mount Inostranka Facility, a secret prison in Alaska. Said role, Neil McCann, was originally written as male. Blair Underwood (“Dirty Sexy Money”) has been tapped as the president on the drama pilot, a thriller with a unique storytelling device that features multiple points of view concerning a decent, regular fellow who battles against mysterious circumstances that envelope a larger conspiracy. His role, Elias Martinez, a family man who wants to fight the good fight, was originally written for a Hispanic man. (efc) Wes Ramsey (“CSI: Miami”) and Taylor Cole (“Heroes”) have both landed roles in The Event. While not indicated, they’re believed to be playing Greg and Vicky, a couple who Sean and Leila befriend while on vacation that may have ulterior motives. Nick Wauters is behind the hour, which is set up at Universal Media Studios.tl;dr: Action-Domain-Responder is a natural fit for the HTTP user-interface portions of Clean Architecture (or Hexagonal), especially with Domain Driven Design. Just be sure to remember to separate the HTTP response presentation from the action code. Jeroen de Dauw has a fantastic post on Implementing the Clean Architecture in PHP, with Domain Driven Design elements. You should read the whole thing, and examine the implementation codebase, for a number of useful insights. Though I might quibble over some elements of the implementation, I think it is a good offering, and serves as a solid reference point. In his article, Jeroen notes they are using Silex for their HTTP user-interface system, and describes the logic of each route action: Inside this [Silex action] we construct our framework agnostic request model and invoke the Use case with it. Then we hand over the response model to a presenter to create the appropriate HTML or other such format. That is a very near paraphrase of Action-Domain-Responder: The Action marshals input from the HTTP request The Action invokes a Domain element with that input and gets back a result The Action passes that result to a Responder to build the HTTP response In Jeroen’s implementation, each Action is a closure defined in the routes.php file. The Action marshals input from the HTTP request using a “request model” (an input object tailored to the domain) and passes it to a “use case.” Each “use case” is an entry point into the Domain, and returns a “response model” (the domain result). The only place where Jeroen’s implementation deviates from ADR is that the Action code builds the presentation itself, instead of handing off to a Responder. (This may be a result of adhering to the idioms and expectations specific to Silex.) Because the rest of the implementation is so well done, refactoring to a separated presentation in the form of a Responder is a straightforward exercise. Let’s see what that might look like. First, as an example, review the code in the check-iban action. The following reorganization of that action code makes the ADR pattern more obvious: <?php $app->get( 'check-iban', function( Request $request ) use ( $app, $ffFactory ) { // marshal input $input = new Iban( $request->query->get( 'iban', '' ) ); // invoke domain and get back result $result = $ffFactory->newCheckIbanUseCase()->checkIban($input); // presentation return $app->json( $ffFactory->newIbanPresenter()->present( $result ) ); } );?> Very clear and straightforward. However, the presentation work is embedded in the action with the $app->json(...) call. (My guess is that’s probably a result of working with existing Silex idioms.) Another good example is the list-comments.html action. Reorganizing the logic to make the ADR pattern more obvious gives us the following: <?php $app->get( 'list-comments.html', function( Request $request ) use ( $app, $ffFactory ) { // marshal input $input = new CommentListingRequest( 10, (int)$request->query->get( 'page', '1' ) ); // invoke domain and get back result $result = $ffFactory ->newListCommentsUseCase() ->listComments( $input ); // presentation return new Response( $ffFactory->newCommentListHtmlPresenter()->present( $result, (int)$request->query->get( 'page', '1' ) ) ); } );?> Again, the presentation work is embedded in the action code. In general, it is better to completely separate the presentation work from the action code. Remember that in an HTTP context, the presentation is not just the body of the HTTP response. Instead, the presentation is the entire HTTP response, including headers and status. (For more on this, see The Template Is Not The View.) With the above examples, because they are already so well structured, it would be easy to extract the presentation to a Responder class. For example, the list-comments action could have the presentation work completely removed like so: <?php // hypothetical class with the extracted logic class ListCommentsHtmlResponder { public function buildResponse($request, $result, $ffFactory) { return new Response( $ffFactory->newCommentListHtmlPresenter()->present( $result, (int)$request->query->get( 'page', '1' ) ) ); } } // the refactored action code $app->get( 'list-comments.html', function( Request $request ) use ( $app, $ffFactory ) { // marshal input $input = new CommentListingRequest( 10, (int)$request->query->get( 'page', '1' ) ); // invoke domain and get back result $result = $ffFactory->newListCommentsUseCase()->listComments($input); // hand result to responder return $ffFactory->newListCommentsHtmlResponder()->buildResponse( $request, $result, $ffFactory ); } );?> Now the presentation work of building an HTTP response is cleanly separated from the rest of the action code. When separating concerns along these lines, you begin to see the similarities in the presentation work, and can start to reduce repetition across the codebase. For example, any Action that delivers a JSON response might use the same base JSON Responder. Eventually, you may realize that the logic of each action is effectively identical. That is, you always collect input, pass that input through the domain to get back a result, and pass that result to a response builder. When that realization occurs, you can build a single action handler that coordinates between injected input marshals, domain entry points, and response builders. That’s exactly what the Arbiter ActionHandler does, and Radar uses that in turn to specify the input + domain + responder callables for each route. At that point, you are out of the business of writing action methods entirely. Then the user-interface code can focus on marshaling inputs going to the domain, and on presenting the results coming out of the domain – which is exactly how things should be. Jeroen’s writeup also reveals that at least some of the elements in his implementation are returning something like Domain Payload objects. Cf. the ValidationResult class, used in the validate-payment-data action among other places. I’m a big fan of the Domain Payload pattern in ADR, and using a Domain Payload for all returns received by the action code. Doing so simplifies the response-building logic even further; for example, by collecting common “success” and “failure” presentation work across different JSON responders. Then there’s this bit about containers: We decided to go with our own top level factory, rather than using the dependency injection mechanism provided by Silex: Pimple. Our factory internally actually uses Pimple, though this is not visible from the outside. With this approach we gain a nicer access to service construction, since we can have a getLogger() method with LoggerInterface return type hint, rather than accessing $app[‘logger’] or some such, which forces us to bind to a string and leaves us without type hint. This resonates with some other ideas I’ve been toying with, namely that the user-interface container might better be separated from the domain container. They can be wired up separately from each other, making it easier to package the Domain portions independently from the user-interface portions, and enforcing a “physical” boundary between the two. Overall, congratulations to Jeroen on putting together such a good writeup.BEIRUT (Reuters) - A temporary ceasefire between warring parties in Syria collapsed on Saturday as negotiations failed to reach a more permanent agreement to end fighting in a town near the Lebanese border and two villages in the northwest, sources on both sides said. People look at damaged buildings at Al-Zabadani August 8, 2012. REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout The ceasefire between the Syrian army and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah on one hand, and an alliance of Syrian insurgent groups on the other had been in effect since Wednesday in the town of Zabadani and the villages of Kefraya and al-Foua. Organized with help from Iran and Turkey, which back opposing sides in the conflict, the ceasefire was designed to give a chance for negotiations aimed at a more lasting cessation of hostilities in both areas. But Ahrar al-Sham, the rebel group leading the negotiations on behalf of the insurgents, said the talks had failed and insurgents had begun to step up military activity again. Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV, citing its own sources, said the truce had ended without a final agreement on a ceasefire, and rebel positions near Zabadani were being shelled. Zabadani has been the focus of a weeks-long offensive by Hezbollah and the army against insurgent groups holed up inside. The area is of crucial importance to President Bashar al-Assad because of its proximity to Damascus and the Lebanese border. Insurgent groups had in turn launched a parallel attack on the two Shi’ite villages in the northwestern province of Idlib, an area bordering Turkey that is mostly controlled by insurgents after a series of advances against the Syrian army this year. Sources on both sides had said the negotiations were aimed at securing a withdrawal of rebel fighters from Zabadani and a withdrawal of citizens from the two villages. Ahrar al-Sham said it blamed the failure of the talks on the Iranian delegation with which it was negotiating, saying it was trying to effectively exchange one area for another. “The reason for the failure of the negotiations was the focus of the other side on demographic changes and its lack of concern for the humanitarian conditions of the civilians,” Ahrar al-Sham spokesman Ahmed Qara Ali said in a written statement sent to Reuters. A rebel demand for the release of 40,000 prisoners “on a national level” was also rejected. Al-Manar’s news report gave no explanation for the failure of the talks. Al-Manar reported clashes between the army and Hezbollah and armed groups to the east of Zabadani. Rebel fighters in Zabadani reached by Reuters also reported shelling by the Syrian army. In the northwest, insurgent shelling of the two villages early on Saturday killed a child and wounded 12 more people, state TV reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group that reports on the war, said the negotiations had stopped and the sides had returned to their leaders.'RHOA' Star Porsha Williams I Lost My Sugar Daddy Now I'm Losing My Rolls 'Real Housewife' Porsha Williams -- I Lost My Sugar Daddy... Now I'm Losing My Rolls EXCLUSIVE derailed her own gravy train... and now she has to ditch her $300,000 Rolls-Royce if she wants to keep living in the lap of luxury.Sources close to Porsha tell TMZ... the "" star has been getting ridiculously expensive gifts -- like the Rolls -- from a mystery sugar daddy. But we're told the dude (who's married) got fed up with her posting pics of the swag, and cut her off.Our sources say Porsha's selling the RR because she needs a quick cash injection. It's not that she's broke -- she's still pulling in 6-figures from "RHOA" -- but since the BF cash flow has dried up... she's suddenly gotta pay for more stuff... like meals.Porsha's take on losing the Rolls? She told us, "I'm trading up with the new year coming up." Unclear if she's referring to cars, men... or both.Google Plane View: How search giant's eye in the sky captures air traffic from above Google Maps has helped many a traveller find their way to the right destination over the last decade. But sometimes the search engine, which uses a mixture of satellite images and high-resolution photos from planes to power the majority of the service, captures a little more than intended. For instance, this Virgin flight was captured coming in to Adelaide Airport in Australia and now appears as a permanent landmark on Google Maps and Google Earth. While the plane looks like it is hovering just above the rooftops, it is likely to be hundreds of feet above the ground, with the viewer's perspective lost by the top-down view removing all reference points to help you figure out the scale of the image. What's that overhead? A plane heads over central Adelaide, heading towards the city's airport to the West Captured mid-flight: The Virgin Airways plane flies over suburban tennis courts and swimming pools as it comes in to land It is one of many fun images found on Google Maps, and a legion of enthusiasts regularly hunt for other glitches and anomalies on the mapping service. London gets its own flyby, with a plane suspended over Russell Square in the centre of the city, forever trying to reach the British Museum but, as far as Google Maps in concerned, never quite making it. Meanwhile, in Frankfurt, a string of planes fly out of the city airport - or is it just the same plane captured many times over the course of a few seconds? Russell Square in Central London also finds itself under the shadow of a plane, which is about to head over the British Museum as it journeys South Planes take off from Frankfurt Airport in Germany: This is more than likely to be the same plane captured seconds apart by Google's eye in the sky Other plane crazy antics in Maps include the aircrafts with a propensity for hiding in trees. Planes in Brooklyn and South American were spotted among the bushes and leaves, perhaps trying to avoid radar detection. These anomalies are likely down to stitching errors when the automated Google processes line images up with each other. The search engine uses multiple satellite images to plot the world, and sometimes, the images do not line up perfectly or objects move while the pictures are being captured. In plane sight: What this rather large aeroplane was doing among the trees in Brooklyn is anyone's guess This appears to be a real aeroplane hidden in someone's garden in Paraguay, South America Google has been improving its service over the last few years, adding features such as Street View, panoramic images of landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, and internal mapping of areas such as shopping centres. It faces competition from Apple, which is launching a rival mapping service which will serve the company's iPhone and iPad products. Apple has been using a fleet of planes and helicopters to create the rival, and will use maps from satnav maker TomTom to use in the project. Other images captured by Maps include Jesus in a field in Hungary, a blood red lake outside Iraq's Sadr city and a car which somehow manages to park up the side of a building. And finally, a cruise missile appears to fly over the Utah desert. Or is it just another Google anomaly? This massive image of Jesus was spotted while searching Google Maps in Hungary Red alert: A blood red lake outside Iraq's Sadr city Clouded judgement: A strange formation appears in the sky over a town in Italy They probably failed their driving test: Odd car parking in Westenbergstraat, NetherlandsWhen someone delivered a litter of kittens in very bad health to Fabulous Felines Rescue NWA — a nonprofit cat rescue organization in Bentonville, Ark. there seemed little hope that they would all survive. He was named Stuart Little kitten. The smallest kitten of the litter was in such bad condition, with severe eye infections, malnourishment and a flea infestation, that volunteers thought he was already dead, according to the Fabulous Felines Rescue NWA’s Facebook page. All pictures are Courtesy of Amanda Rhea/Fabulous Felines NWA Can you spot him? Stuart Little is the little white ball curled up by his brother’s head, about a third the size of his siblings. On the first day, the people of Fabulous Felines NWA cleaned and medicated the little kitten’s eyes. His weight stayed a bit low for a newborn. His brothers and sisters each weighed about 9 ounces while he was under 3 ouncesFormer Vice President Al Gore is now telling his climate disciples that God commands us to go forth and fight global warming. Engaging in some advanced publicity for his new global warming film spectacular, “An Inconvenient Sequel,” Gore told Interview Magazine that God didn’t create global warming and wants us to fix it. In his comments, Gore equated the fight against global warming to a religious-based, moral crusade similar to the civil rights fight, women’s suffrage, and the abolitionist movement during the Civil War era. Gore insisted that it is a moral imperative to fight against climate change. “Regarding the climate movement,” Gore said warming to his point, “there are people who say, ‘God is in complete control of everything that happens, and if the Earth is getting warmer, then maybe God intends that.'” Gore then rejected that conceit. “Well, no,” the million-dollar mansion-owing former veep insisted. “God intends for us to take responsibility for how we treat God’s creation, and if we choose to use the thin shell of atmosphere surrounding our planet as an open sewer for 110-million tons of global-warming pollution every day, the consequences are attributable to us.” He concluded saying, “And if you are a believer, as I am, I think God intends for us to open our eyes and take responsibility for the moral consequences of our actions.” Gore’s new film is a sequel to his famed “An Inconvenient Truth,” a shockumentary filled with mistaken assertions and failed predictions. Despite the many inaccuracies of his previous film, in an interview last year Gore still insisted that he “underestimated” how bad global warming is. “I wish the film had over-estimated the seriousness of the crisis, but unfortunately it actually underestimated how serious it is,” the one-time Tennessee Senator said. Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What is Gurukula System? System of education blending the ancient wisdom of this land with modern knowledge. Who can apply and how? Any student of the age of 15-16, who has completed his SSLC or equivalent exam is eligible to apply or the students, who have undergone five years of education in Prabhodini Gurukulam, Hariharpura. When does the academic year begin? Academic year begins in first week of June every year. How many years of education? Five years in Veda Vijnana Gurukulam and 2 years in Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthanam. What are the Major areas of study? The main subjects areas are the Yajur Veda (Krishnayagurvediya Tattereya Shakha), Prasthanatraya (Brahmasutra, Upanishads, Bhagavadgita), Yoga darshana, Indian Philosophical systems, Sanskrit grammar, Purva Meemamsa shastram, Samskrit Literature
affiliates are particularly active include clamoring for expansion of school vouchers, charter schools, and other forms of education privatization; hamstringing labor unions and urging wage suppression; privatizing pensions; pre-empting paid sick leave; fighting health care reform; and repealing renewable energy standards and denying climate change. Of these 34, at least 19 SPN-connected think tanks are known to have participated in ALEC task forces, where state legislators give an equal vote to corporate lobbyists and other special interests at closed door meetings about templates to change state laws. SPN think tanks have participated in each of ALEC's task forces, including the now-disbanded Public Safety and Elections Task Force, which adopted Florida's NRA-written "Stand Your Ground" law and the "Voter ID Act" as "model" bills. Additionally, SPN affiliates sponsored at least 41 ALEC "model" bills between the summer of 2010 and the spring of 2012, according to a CMD review of ALEC documents that CMD and/or Common Cause have obtained. For example, Michigan's Mackinac Center sponsored a set of bills strongly resembling sections of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's controversial collective bargaining bill, Act 10, at ALEC's 2011 Spring Task Force Summit. (A tabulation of SPN ties to ALEC and a list of recent bills known to have been sponsored or spearheaded by SPN think tanks, see the SourceWatch article here.) SPN's role in ALEC is multi-faceted. It is a member and a funder, and its member think tanks sit on many ALEC task forces and plan ALEC workshops and trainings. SPN members also regularly write bills and bring them to ALEC to be pushed as legislation in the states with great success. Click here for a list of recent known "model" bills introduced by SPN think tanks. But it is back in the states where the real synergy happens. When ALEC bills are introduced in state legislatures, the SPN think tanks are often standing by to write the studies, spin the most favorable data, provide the expert talking points, put out the media releases, do the press interviews that give an aura of academia to the efforts -- or they may already have these in the can or in the works before the bill is even introduced in the legislature by an ALEC lawmaker. Among their various objectives to change state law, SPN think tanks have written, presaged, pushed, and promoted ALEC's effort to: 1) ATTACK UNIONS ALEC's "Right to Work Act" seeks to limit union rights. SPN member state think tanks have published articles and reports supporting "right to work" legislation in at least Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, Delaware, Oregon, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, Maine, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania. SPN think tanks have also joined ALEC in pushing a broad agenda to undermine other worker protections including tearing down collective bargaining, prohibiting paid union activity in the form of "release time," and ending the ability to deduct union dues from paychecks for private and public employees (so-called "paycheck protection"). (See, for example, Michigan's Mackinac Center and Arizona's Goldwater Institute.) 2) PRIVATIZE EDUCATION SPN think tanks have joined ALEC in pushing a broad education agenda to privatize public schools, including pushing for-profit online schools, for-profit charter schools, using taxpayer dollars for vouchers to for-profit schools, and even so-called "parent triggers" to allow a small group of parents to close a public school for current and future students, and turn the school into a charter school or require a voucher system. (Although it appears to be part of the convergence of the SPN-ALEC agenda across the board, recent examples of SPN activity in support of one or more of these changes include Texas, Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming.) 3) PRIVATIZE PUBLIC PENSION SYSTEMS SPN think tanks have joined ALEC in pushing to privatize public employee pension systems, reducing retirement security and changing agreements that many workers negotiated for years ago, by making them 401(k)-style defined contribution type accounts rather than defined benefit plans. Such 401(k)s operate as fee-taking enterprises by the corporations administering them, which can result in reduced retirement income for workers. (See, for example, Connecticut, Wyoming, Washington, and Illinois.) 4) ROLLBACK ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES ALEC's "State Withdrawal from Regional Climate Initiatives" would allow states to pull out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative or the Western Climate Initiative, cap-and-trade programs to cut greenhouse gases and carbon-dioxide emissions, and uses language that denies climate change. SPN state think tanks have published articles and reports supporting states' withdrawals from these regional initiatives in Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Delaware, Oregon, New Jersey, Montana, Virginia, Connecticut, and possibly other states. 5) DISENFRANCHISE PEOPLE OF COLOR, THE ELDERLY, AND STUDENTS THROUGH MAKING IT HARDER FOR AMERICANS TO VOTE ALEC's "Voter ID Act" makes it more difficult for American citizens to vote. It would change identification rules so that citizens who have been registered to vote for decades must show certain kinds of ID in order to vote. As some courts have found, such legislation can have the effect of disenfranchising college students and many low-income, minority, and elderly Americans who do not have driver's licenses but have typically used other forms of ID, groups often considered to include large numbers of Democratic Party voters. Such legislation could adversely affect more than five million people and such bills are being promoted by Republican legislators based on spurious claims of systemic voter fraud, which is virtually non-existent. SPN state think tanks have published articles and reports supporting voter ID bills in at least Arkansas, Washington state, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. SPN Member Think Tank Funding Sources Include Koch Money and Mystery Funds SPN and its member state think tanks do not disclose their donors to the public, but CMD and Common Cause have reviewed donation information from IRS filings of major foundation funders in order to compile a partial list of funders. Among them are some of the most ideological extreme families in the nation. SPN itself has received funding from the Claude R. Lambe Foundation (which is controlled by Charles Koch and his right-hand man, Richard Fink), the Olin Foundation, the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, the Bradley Foundation, the Castle Rock Foundation (from the Coors family fortune), the Adolph Coors Foundation, the McCamish Foundation, the JM Foundation, the Smith Richardson Foundation, and the Roe Foundation (Thomas Roe's family foundation), among others. Funding for SPN has increased rapidly. In 2007, the nearly $40 million in combined revenue of the then-52 SPN member think tanks in 45 states was less than the Heritage Foundation's budget that year of $50 million. SPN president Tracie Sharp announced a plan to expand revenues for SPN's state members by $50 million by 2012. For the calendar/tax year 2011 (the most recent for which information is available for SPN and all its member groups), the total revenue had risen to $83.2 million and the number of state think tanks in SPN to 59, according to a review of the groups' IRS filings. When the Illinois-based Heartland institute is added in, which is not a state think tank but a hybrid state and national one, the total revenue for these related organizations that year was $87.8 million. The total spent in 2012 was likely significantly higher. HOW THE KOCH FORTUNE FUNDS SPN THINK TANKS: A CASE STUDY For decades, the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch have financed scores of right-wing groups and causes via their charitable foundations. (Their personal fortune is estimated to be $68 billion.) Grants from foundations are public information, which means the public can know just how much money Koch foundations give to organizations like ALEC ($748,858 between 1998 and 2011; in addition the Kochs approved a nearly $500,000 loan to ALEC in the late 1990s, when ALEC was in financial straits). However, it has long been believed that the Kochs also bankroll their ideological agenda through personal contributions in addition to via checks from their various corporate interests, like Koch Industries, none of which is required to be publicly disclosed -- unless a check is made out directly to a candidate or a PAC. Documents discovered by researchers now show how Koch Industries, one of the biggest privately held corporations in the U.S. and the world, use some of its corporate revenue to fund its owners' ideological agenda in the states, and also how the Kochs may use their personal checking accounts to fund their agenda. The detailed list of funders of two SPN members -- the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) in 2010 and the Massachusetts based Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research (PIPPR) in 2007 -- was included in public materials relating to their annual IRS form 990 filings. The TPPF list of funders for 2010 included a grant from one of the Koch foundations, the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation, for $69,788. But it also included a much larger $159,834 grant from Koch Industries. This grant was the seventh largest TPPF received that year, on a published list of 129 funders giving more than $5,000. This contribution, which dwarfs the publicly disclosed Koch family foundation grant, would have remained secret forever but-for the filing. Similarly, PIPPR did not receive a publicly disclosed grant from the Koch foundations in 2007, which would mean there were no visible dots to connect back to Koch money for that year. But PIPPR did in fact receive a very large, previously unknown, personal check for $125,000 from David Koch, the largest of any contribution it received that year. It is possible that these two instances were anomalies, but it seems unlikely given the Kochs' commitment to advancing their ideological agenda through spending money. It is not known if either TPPF or PIPPR received similar unreported money from the Kochs in previous years or since then, and we also do not have any evidence of other SPN think tanks, or of SPN itself, receiving similar personal or corporate cash from the Kochs. The total amount spent by Koch Industries to advance the Koch brothers' personal ideological objectives through donations to tax-exempt groups organized under sections 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) of the IRS Code are not known, even though such groups are playing an increasingly influential role in both lobbying and elections. DIPPING INTO THE "DARK MONEY ATM OF THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT" -- FUNDING FROM DONORS TRUST SPN also received $10 million between 2006 and 2011 from two closely-related funds -- Donors Trust (DT) and Donors Capital Fund (DCF) -- spin-offs of the Philanthropy Roundtable, run by SPN board member Whitney L. Ball. These entities are also connected to Koch money, and the Philanthropy Roundtable even gave Charles Koch an honorary award last year in the midst of public criticism of the role he and his brother have played in funding the controversial ALEC and attempting to influence elections through an array of groups. DT and DCF are what are called "donor-advised funds," which means that the funds create separate accounts for individual donors, and the donors then recommend disbursements from the accounts to different non-profits. Very little was known about them, and they had received scant media coverage until late 2012 and early 2013, when the Guardian and others published extensive reports on what Mother Jones called "the dark-money ATM of the conservative movement." Funds like DT and DCF are not uncommon in the non-profit sector, but they do cloak the identity of the original donors because the funds are typically distributed in the name of DT or DCF rather than the original donors. What's more, the two funds exist for "donors dedicated to the ideals of limited government, personal responsibility, and free enterprise[,]... always with the goal of advancing the philosophy they share with their donors." This echoes the mantra of ALEC and various other enterprises funded by the Koch Brothers, Thomas Roe, and other right-wing CEOs that have cultivated this right-wing infrastructure. Much of the anonymous billionaires' money funnels through DT and DCF to fund a "vast network of climate denial think tanks," according to The Guardian. "The money flowed to Washington think tanks embedded in Republican party politics, obscure policy forums in Alaska and Tennessee, contrarian scientists at Harvard and lesser institutions, even to buy up DVDs of a film attacking Al Gore." In 2011, "the nearly $2 million in grants from Donors Trust made up about 40 percent of SPN's revenue for the year," according to CPI. To be clear, that was funding for Sharp's SPN itself, and does not include more direct funding for its member think tanks. In addition, during the same time period, DT and DCF also gave big sums to SPN member state think tanks -- $1.8 million to Arizona's Goldwater Institute, $1.2 million to Washington State's Evergreen Freedom Foundation, and $1 million to New York State's Manhattan Institute (the SPN member Empire Center for New York State Policy is a project of the Manhattan Institute), for example. This cloaked money has gone to at least 51 of SPN's member think tanks in the past five years, according to CPI. Fueled by robust funding from right-wing funders like the Koch brothers, the Bradley Foundation, and by large anonymous grants from DonorsTrust, Donors Capital, and others, SPN has grown rapidly in recent years. There were 12 original think tanks when SPN was founded. As of 2013, there are 64 SPN member think tanks in all 50 states. According Lee Fang's recent article in the The Nation, "Financial support for SPN-affiliated think tanks has increased by tens of millions of dollars over the last four years, disclosures show. In areas with the most concentrated investments, particularly the Midwestern states..., budgets for state-level political groups have doubled, outpacing their counterparts on the left." Some of the money SPN receives from DT and DCF is granted specifically for creating new state groups. For example in 2011, DCF provided a $35,000 grant for "start up activities in Florida," a $10,000 grant for "start up activities in Arkansas," and a further $165,000 [to whom?] for "2011 start-ups." MYSTERY FUNDS: A CASE STUDY ON TRACIE SHARP'S POWER The TPPF documents reveal an even more intriguing financial connection to Sharp than the direct funding by Koch Industries discussed above. SPN itself gave TPPF $49,306.90 in 2010, according to its IRS filing, but that's not the only way in which Sharp helped fuel TPPF's agenda. Three of the top ten largest grants received by TPPF in 2010 -- of a total reported 129 grants that year -- were from mysterious sources: the "State Think Tank Fund", the "Government Transparency Fund" and the "Paul Revere Fund." A fourth mysterious grant was received from something called the "146 Group". The first two of these -- $300,000 from the "State Think Tank Fund" and $195,000 from the "Government Transparency Fund" -- list SPN President Tracie Sharp as their primary contact, along with the mailing address for SPN. But these grants are not from SPN directly, at least not according to SPN's own IRS filings for that year. SPN does make grants to member think tanks, as noted elsewhere in this resource, but these grants are typically smaller than these two grants -- for example, SPN gave TPPF $19,500 directly in 2010. The total of all grants from SPN in 2010 amounted to $766,175/$664,250 (there is a discrepancy in SPN's 2010 IRS Form 990). The combined total of these two mysterious grants -- $495,000 -- to a single SPN member, apparently under the control or direction of the SPN president, raises some important questions about the role Tracie Sharp plays in directing funds to SPN members. CMD reached out to SPN for comment, but the organization did not respond by press time. The only other public reference to the "State Think Tank Fund" is as a partial funder of a 2006 report released by another SPN member, the Yankee Institute, titled "The Coming Crisis in Suburban Schooling." There is no record of these funds as tax-exempt entities on the IRS website, and no records in numerous other searches we conducted. IS SPN'S PRESIDENT WORKING WITH DONORS CAPITAL FUND TO HELP FUND THE NETWORK? A close review of all publicly reported grants from the "dark money ATM," Donors Capital Fund, shows that it sent combined grants to TPPF in 2010 totaling $667,508. These grants, however, were not -- nor were any from Donors Capital -- listed in the information TPPF provided to the IRS. This raises the question of whether the Donors Capital grants include the mysterious funds under the control of SPN's President Tracie Sharp. It is inconceivable that grants of this size would be inadvertently omitted by TPPF. As described above, DCF is a "donor-advised fund," allowing wealthy individuals who want to give $1 million or more to 501(c)(3) organizations (such as SPN think tanks) to have that money invested and distributed for them, even after they die if they choose. DCF gives these high-roller investors a range of options about their account. They can choose to dictate exactly how, when, and to whom their money will be distributed, or they can nominate a DCF board-approved "account advisor" to make these decisions for them. They can also choose from a range of options about how they want the source of the grant to be described, from full disclosure to total anonymity. And if they choose, a grant can be listed as being from an account name instead of from a person. None of these account names are usually made public, and there is no way to trace them back to DCF, let alone the individual high-roller. There are similarities between the amounts listed by DCF in their IRS filings and the $300,000 from the "State Think Tank Fund" and $195,000 from the "Government Transparency Fund" in TPPF's 2010 list of donors. This might indicate that DCF is the source of the funding. In this case Tracie Sharp (as the contact person) would likely be the fund-designated "account advisor." We asked Tracie Sharp, SPN, Donors Capital Fund, and TPPF each to comment, but all refused even to confirm or deny the funding data that has been uncovered. Tracie Sharp is the contact person for what appear to be at least two very significant sources of money. These two combined grants were easily the largest source of funding for TPPF in 2010. And, because the other SPN groups did not disclose their IRS form 990 Schedule Bs detailing their donors, the public may never know the full extent of her influence and financial control in any other disbursements of such funds at her disposal. There is no indication in SPN's own IRS filings, in which re-grants to other organizations are required to be disclosed, that SPN itself gave grants of this size to TPPF. (SPN's 2010 IRS filing lists only a grant of $19,500 to TPPF that year). As Fang noted in his recent Nation article, SPN's influence is on the rise and Sharp is widely being credited with the right-wing's victories in the states. How much money she will spend or direct this year to advance the Koch brothers' agenda and the agenda of the corporate-fueled ALEC may remain a mystery, but the influence of the state operations she has cultivated will no longer be as secretive as it once was, given the spotlight now being focused on SPN. CMD's Reporters' Guide on SourceWatch includes the following resources: CMD's Lisa Graves and Nick Surgey contributed to this report.If you would like to see more articles like this please support our coverage of the space program by becoming a Spaceflight Now Member. If everyone who enjoys our website helps fund it, we can expand and improve our coverage further. SpaceX’s launch team ran through a traditional preflight test Monday, putting a Falcon 9 rocket through a mock countdown, loading it with a supply of liquid propellant and briefly firing its engines on a launch pad in California ahead of this weekend’s liftoff with a U.S.-European oceanography satellite. The first stage booster’s nine Merlin 1D engines ignited at 8:35 p.m. EST Monday (0135 GMT Tuesday) while hold-down devices kept the rocket firmly on the ground at Vandenberg Air Force Base on California’s Central Coast. The engines fired for approximately seven seconds, according to NASA, which is managing the launch of the Jason 3 ocean research satellite. “The initial review of the data appears to show a satisfactory test, but will be followed by a more thorough data review on Tuesday,” NASA said in a statement. SpaceX ground crews planned to return the Falcon 9 rocket to its hangar near the launch pad for final flight preparations. The Jason 3 spacecraft is already enclosed inside the Falcon 9 rocket’s payload fairing and will be attached to the launcher’s second stage as soon as Tuesday, according to NASA. A launch readiness review is scheduled for Friday to give the final formal go-ahead to start the Falcon 9 countdown leading toward liftoff at 1:42:18 p.m. EST Sunday (10:42:18 a.m. PST; 1842:18 GMT). The Falcon 9’s second stage will deliver the 1,124-pound (510-kilogram) Jason 3 satellite into an orbit about 840 miles (1,354 kilometers) above Earth, and the rocket’s first stage will aim for a vertical rocket-assisted touchdown on a landing barge positioned in the Pacific Ocean south of Vandenberg. Jason 3’s launch was scheduled for August, but the failure of a Falcon 9 rocket in June 2015 grounded the mission until January. The flight will be the final launch of the Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket configuration, which SpaceX is replacing with an upgraded model capable of hauling 30 percent more mass into orbit. The first launch of the new version of the Falcon 9, which features chilled, densified propellants, higher-thrust engines and larger fuel tanks, successfully put 11 small satellites into low Earth orbit after a launch from Cape Canaveral on Dec. 21. The Jason 3 mission is a joint project between NOAA, the European weather satellite agency Eumetsat, and the French space agency CNES. It replaces the Jason 2 satellite launched in June 2008. Jason 3 carries a radar altimeter to measure the height of ocean waves and global sea level changes, supplying data to aid forecasters predicting the development of tropical cyclones and research scientists studying climate change. The mission costs about $365 million at current economic conditions, divided between NOAA, Eumetsat, the European Commission and CNES. Email the author. Follow Stephen Clark on Twitter: @StephenClark1.After decades of stability from the 1920s to the early 1970s, the rate of imprisonment in the United States more than quadrupled during the last four decades. The U.S. penal population of 2.2 million adults is by far the largest in the world. Just under one-quarter of the world's prisoners are held in American prisons. The U.S. rate of incarceration, with nearly 1 out of every 100 adults in prison or jail, is 5 to 10 times higher than the rates in Western Europe and other democracies. The U.S. prison population is largely drawn from the most disadvantaged part of the nation's population: mostly men under age 40, disproportionately minority, and poorly educated. Prisoners often carry additional deficits of drug and alcohol addictions, mental and physical illnesses, and lack of work preparation or experience. The growth of incarceration in the United States during four decades has prompted numerous critiques and a growing body of scientific knowledge about what prompted the rise and what its consequences have been for the people imprisoned, their families and communities, and for U.S. society. The Growth of Incarceration in the United States examines research and analysis of the dramatic rise of incarceration rates and its affects. This study makes the case that the United States has gone far past the point where the numbers of people in prison can be justified by social benefits and has reached a level where these high rates of incarceration themselves constitute a source of injustice and social harm. The Growth of Incarceration in the United States recommends changes in sentencing policy, prison policy, and social policy to reduce the nation's reliance on incarceration. The report also identifies important research questions that must be answered to provide a firmer basis for policy. The study assesses the evidence and its implications for public policy to inform an extensive and thoughtful public debate about and reconsideration of policies.So those calling for his head come as no surprise. I mean, that’s what you’re supposed to do when frustration runneth over. That’s what the media is supposed to do, opening that book of Natural Reactions, even if a year ago Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was being lauded for handing Garrett, who had coached out his contract, a shiny new five-year deal. Why, he was voted GM of the year. Strange, isn’t it? How everyone, Jones and Garrett, and to some extent offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, lauded for his guidance in 2014 that led to the Cowboys averaging 29.2 points a game, along with defensive quarterback Rod Marinelli, credited with “Marinelli Magic” for turning the worst NFL defense in 2013 to an average group in 2014, all grew stupid in less than a year. You’se guys need to stifle. Good thing cooler heads prevail down the breezeway, then around the hallway out here at The Ranch. They have taken a pragmatic view of this atrocious season, not an emotional one, which would lead to getting rid of this guy and getting rid of that guy, throwing the whole thing out the window after building and building and building the previous four seasons. “You see the best of people. The best of people come out when there is adversity, and certainly he was faced with it; there is nothing fun about being a part of a 4-12 football team,” Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said of Garrett’s 2015 season. “He did keep the team motivated. I felt like week in, week out we were right there, having a chance to win each and every game. Even toward the end, when it was pretty obvious we weren’t going to have a successful season, I thought we battled. Even a game like Green Bay that looks like it got away there at the end.” Yep, something most who subscribe to this season being abject failure forget. Take Green Bay, at Green Bay, in the cold and rain. You know, the Packers, the 10-6 team in the playoffs this weekend. With 8:15 left in the game, the Packers, leading only 14-7, were facing a third-and-9 at the Dallas 48. The Cowboys defense shut down the Packers receivers at the snap. The front got pressure on Aaron Rodgers.[embeddedad0] They just didn’t contain him, Rodgers, avoiding Tyrone Crawford’s diving tackle attempt, runs out for 11 yards and a crushing first down just when it appeared the Cowboys would get a stop and the ball back. Well, they didn’t, that play the impetus to the Packers’ eventual clinching touchdown with just 4:44 left to play. Look, not bad for a team on its third starting quarterback, the 28-7 final when the Packers then scored a garbage-time TD making it look a lot worse than it really was. “You never saw any give-up in the football team,” Jones said. “I give Jason credit, our coaching staff credit. I credit our players for continuing to work, and this will pay off for them. Any time you go through tough times, adversity, it hardens you. “I think we’ll be a better overall team for it in the future.” Oh yes, the future, one without an overhaul. One without a completely new coaching staff. One without a new offensive and defensive system, the side effects of bringing in a new head coach – stability overruling overreaction. These head coaches are coaches, not miracle workers, and having to play with four quarterbacks in one season and mostly without your Pro Bowl receiver is a recipe for disaster. As it was the last time – and only other time – the Cowboys played with four starting quarterbacks in one season, that being the 5-11 year of 2001. Go ask poor Dave Campo about that. Go ask Chan Gailey what life was like in 1999 when losing Michael Irvin for the season, and his career, the team finishing 8-8 after getting off to a 3-0 start with him. Certainly these are not times for the Cowboys to bury their heads in the sand. They must improve, must get better, must get healthy, must score big-time with that fourth pick in the draft. But these, too, are times for common sense, not panic. “I thought Coach Garrett was incredible,” Romo said. “I think when he looks back he’ll see. … He’s not going to look that way right now because he’s going to try to evaluate and find answers, and he’s going to exhaust himself to make sure that this doesn’t happen again. But he was really incredible in getting our football team to play consistently at a very, very high level as far as effort, energy, just week to week. He really has the pulse of the team, and it was a great thing to watch. “As you lose that many games in a row, it can be very difficult to continue to get great effort by a lot of proud professionals. I think that Coach Garrett just did an incredible job of allowing us to have a chance as the weeks went on through his ability to just motivate, connect and really drive the team in that direction.” Jerry and Stephen Jones did, too, maybe taking a page out of the Cowboys glorious past, realizing how the franchise finally got this whole thing off the ground. So here’s to betting somewhere Coach Landry is smiling.Wildrose leader Brian Jean has apologized for what he calls an "inappropriate attempt" at humour, when he told a public meeting it was against the law to "beat" Alberta Premier Rachel Notley. The official Opposition leader's comment came during a Fort McMurray town-hall meeting of Wildrose supporters Tuesday night. Jean, who represents a Fort McMurray riding, was responding to an audience member's questions about the need to push ahead with construction of a seniors housing project in Fort McMurray, which was ravaged by a wildfire in the spring. According to a recording taped by the Fort McMurray Today newspaper, Jean responded: "I've been beating this drum for 10,11 years. I will continue to beat it, I promise. But it's against the law to beat Rachel Notley." Minutes later, Jean returned to the microphone and seemed to offer an apology for his comments. "I have to compliment that woman (Rachel Notley) and I shouldn't have said what I said," Jean told the audience. "I think Rachel Notley deserves a hand of applause. And that was tough to say." Immediately after the town hall meeting, Jean clarified his comments to CBC News. "That's why I apologized immediately to the room and asked them to recognize that Rachel Notley has done a great job for us in regards to the aging-in-place facility," Jean said. "And also in regards to the fire and we had some good conversations and she was very responsive to that." Later in a written statement from the Wildrose Party, Jean reached out to Notley and apologized "directly" to her. Notley has been subjected to a series of highly publicized violent threats and images in the past year. In one instance, an image of her face was pasted on a large piece of cardboard and used as target during a golf tournament. It was condemned by critics and described by some as an example of the violence that female politicians are subjected to. Last December, after the government passed controversial farm-worker safety legislation, Jean spoke out about the need to stop online commenters from talking about assassinating Notley. "These kinds of comments cross all bounds of respect and decency and have absolutely no place in our political discourse," he said at the time. "This is not how Albertans behave." Reaction on social media to Jean's comments in Fort McMurray was swift and pointed: He was "cut off by laughter & applause". Yes.....applause. "Unite the Right"? No thanks. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ableg?src=hash">#ableg</a> <a href="https://t.co/YU0bh34Us3">https://t.co/YU0bh34Us3</a> —@SANDRAYYCNW Violence against women & violence against public officials are not joking matters. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pcaa?src=hash">#pcaa</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ableg?src=hash">#ableg</a> —@RicMcIver10 years ago Bobby Jindal told Republicans Tuesday night to not look back. WASHINGTON (CNN) - Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal called on Republicans Tuesday to put the 2008 election behind them and embrace its role as the loyal opposition to President Obama and the Democratic Party. "Let’s agree on this tonight, the time for talking about the past is now over," Jindal told 1,200 people attending a House GOP fundraiser here in Washington. "It has been healthy for Republicans to look in the mirror. It has been healthy for us to realize and admit the mistakes of the past. We have done that quite a bit. I personally have done that quite a bit since the election last fall. It’s now been close to five months since the last election. He added, "It’s time to declare our time of introspection and navel gazing officially over. It’s time to get on with the business of charting America’s future. So as of now, be it hereby resolved, that we will focus on America’s future, and on standing up for fiscal sanity… before it is too late. Jindal, a former House member and potential presidential candidate in 2012, credited his former colleagues for standing united in opposing Obama's policies. "Thanks primarily to the Republicans in the House of Representatives, the Republican Party has once again decided to be the conservative party in this country," Jindal said.Male horse ran female race at Austintown racino Copyright by WKBN - All rights reserved Video AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) - An investigation is underway tonight at the Mahoning Valley Race Course because of a race that happened Wednesday night. The Ohio State Racing Commission confirmed a male horse was running in place of a female horse. Ruby Queen, a 3-year-old female horse and 99-to-1 long shot, was not expected to win the ninth race at the course Wednesday afternoon. But, she did. Or so it seemed. However, Bill Crawford with the State Racing Commission said that after the race, the horse went to the test barn and markings found out the horse wasn't Ruby Queen. Instead, it was a male horse by the name of Leathers Slappin. "If it happened, it's something that should not happen," Penn National Gaming Spokesman Bob Tenenbaum said. "The horse that's entered is the horse that's supposed to be running." Tenenbaum said there are two investigations going on at the same time: One through Penn National, which owns the race course and accompanying casino, and the other through the Ohio State Racing Commission. Right now, both are still working on getting proper information. "We want to make sure we have the facts before we move beyond that," Tenenbaum said. Tenenbaum said this is the first time there have been allegations like this at the Mahoning Valley Race Course. It's very possible a fine will be given out because of the mishap. The fine could be more than $1,000, and a suspension is also a possibility.A topographic map showing the surface of Mercury. Blues and purples are lower elevations, greens and browns are higher elevations. Mercury can't get a break. Not only is it the smallest officially recognized planet in our Solar System, but it's also shrinking. In a study published in Nature Geoscience, new analysis of photos taken by NASA's MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft show distinct landforms that indicate the planet is still contracting as it slowly cools down from its molten early years at the start of the Solar System. Researchers found thin step-like cliffs in photos taken by MESSENGER, much smaller than the narrow ones that had been discovered back in the 1970s. These smaller features, called fault scarps, managed to survive intact after the planet was slammed with meteorites, meaning that they probably formed recently.The Senate voted to move forward with a bill approving the Keystone XL pipeline Monday night, but the chamber did not garner enough Democratic votes to block a White House veto. A bipartisan bill introduced by Sens. John Hoeven of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia to approve Keystone XL got 63 votes, enough to overcome a filibuster and move forward. The legislation attracted nine Democrats, but failed to get enough liberal lawmakers to block a presidential veto should the bill pass. “We have everything to gain by building this pipeline, especially since it would help create thousands of jobs right here at home and limit our dependence on foreign oil,” said Manchin, a Democrat. “Every state – including West Virginia – would benefit economically from this activity. It is my sincere hope that we can once and for all move forward with this important project.” Republicans have made approving the Keystone XL pipeline the first order of business for their new congressional majority. The House passed a bill approving the Keystone XL pipeline last week with support from 28 Democratic lawmakers. Michigan Republican Rep. Justin Amash was the only lawmaker to vote “present” last week. Amash said he supports the pipeline, but does not believe Congress should pass a bill to approve a single pipeline. Canadian pipeline company TransCanada first applied for a presidential permit to build Keystone XL in 2008. Six years later, the fate of the pipeline is still uncertain as the White House drags its feet on a decision. Keystone has been awaiting
would develop normally and could even have babies of their own. Prof Ward commented: "These mice are normally infertile, but we show it is possible to get live offspring when the Y chromosome is limited to just two genes by using assisted reproduction." The mice could only produce rudimentary sperm. But they could have offspring with the help of an advanced form of IVF, called round spermatid injection, which involves injecting genetic information from the early sperm into an egg. The resulting pups were healthy and lived a normal lifespan. Reproduction still possible The two necessary genes were Sry, which kick-starts the process of producing a male as an embryo develops, and Eif2s3y, which is involved in the first steps of sperm production. However, Prof Ward argues it "may be possible to eliminate the Y chromosome" if the role of these genes could be reproduced in a different way, but added a world without men would be "crazy" and "science fiction". "But on a practical level it shows that after large deletions of the Y chromosome it is still possible to reproduce, which potentially gives hope to men with these large deletions," she added. The genes which were discarded are likely to be involved in the production of healthy sperm. Dr Chris Tyler-Smith, from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "This is a great step forward in understanding basic biology. "But it is important to bear in mind that other mouse Y genes are needed for natural reproduction in mice and as the authors carefully emphasise, the conclusions cannot be applied directly to humans because humans don't have a direct equivalent of one of the key genes." Dr Allan Pacey, a senior lecturer in andrology at the University of Sheffield, said: "This is a very interesting paper, trying to both unravel the genes responsible for sperm production and also shed light on the function of the Y-chromosome. "The experiments are elegant and seem to show that in the mouse sperm production can be achieved when only two genes from the Y-chromosomes are present. "Whilst this is of limited use in understanding human fertility, this kind of work is important if we are to unravel to complexities of how genes control fertility." This story has been amended following a complaint to the BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit that was partly upheld.Residents of Wadi Fukin confront Israeli soldiers during a protest last week. Ahmad Al-Bazz ActiveStills Palestinian residents of Wadi Fukin in the occupied West Bank are appealing for international action to prevent Israel from stealing part of their village in one of the largest single Israeli land grabs in decades. On 30 August, Israeli occupation authorities announced that they will confiscate an estimated 4,000 dunams (988 acres) of Palestinian land belonging to five villages situated south of Bethlehem. Along with Jabaa, Nahalin and Surif, much of Wadi Fukin’s land will be stolen and given to three nearby Jewish-only settlements. The following day locals from the five villages “watched as the Israeli army placed placards across our lands, declaring them ‘State Land,’” writes Ahmad Sokkar, head of the Wadi Fukin village council, in an open letter dated 8 September. “The Israeli cabinet stated that the decision was in response to the kidnapping and killing of three settler youths, thereby openly revealing its intent to use collective punishment against the thousands of inhabitants of these four Palestinian communities for a crime they did not commit,” the letter explains. “Until this decision [to confiscate the land] is completely reversed,” Sokkar is calling on the European Union to ban all trade with Israeli settlements, cut off all European ties to Israeli projects in the occupied West Bank, and freeze the EU-Israel association agreement and Israel’s participation in the EU’s scientific research activities. “Coated in legal terms, the Israeli statement attempts to camouflage the blatant illegality of Israel’s decision under international law,” Sokkar writes. “The European Union, however, holds a very clear position in regard to Israel’s settlement policy. It is with this in mind that we appeal to you and ask for your assistance.” Residents have also responded by holding weekly demonstrations each Friday, which Israeli occupation soldiers have attacked. Razed From the time it occupied the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) in 1967, Israel recognized 125 settlements that today harbor a population of an estimated 550,000 Jewish-Israelis, according to the human rights group B’Tselem. More than one hundred smaller colonies known as “outposts” also dot the map of the territory. Though outposts are considered illegal even under Israeli law, they are often provided with state resources, including funding, and are protected by the Israeli military. While Palestinians in the West Bank live under a brutal stripe of military rule, Israeli settlers are often treated with impunity when they steal land or attack Palestinian civilians, including children. Like most Palestinians suffering continuous land loss in communities across the West Bank, the story of Wadi Fukin doesn’t begin with Israel’s latest land grab. After suffering repeated attacks from Zionist militias, most notably the Haganah, during the early and mid-1940s, Wadi Fukin lost some 9,000 dunams (around 2,225 acres) during the 1948 Nakba, the ethnic cleansing of Palestine that led to Israel’s establishment. Wadi Fukin was razed completely in 1956. In 1970, just three years after Israel occupied the West Bank, the Israeli settlement of Alon Shevut was established partially on the Palestinian village’s lands. Dumping sewage The indigenous residents of Wadi Fukin — many of whom were displaced in 1956 to nearby Palestinian communities, particularly the Dheisheh refugee camp — were permitted by Israeli occupation authorities to return to part of the village in 1972. Two more settlements were subsequently built in the area: Betar Illit in 1984 and Bet Ayin in 1989. Until today, Wadi Fukin’s inhabitants have faced continuous military harassment, settler violence and land confiscation. In 2005, Israeli occupation authorities seized 218 acres of Wadi Fukin’s land. Israel’s suffocating restrictions have created continuously worsening conditions for the indigenous Palestinian population in Wadi Fukin. “Some of the confiscated lands are cultivated, while others are not, due to the fact that we have been impeded from using these lands in any way,” Sokkar explains. “We are not allowed to build roads to be able to reach these fields by tractor, nor are we allowed to build houses, playgrounds, industrial, touristic or sports facilities.” “The fact that Wadi Fukin’s only playground is being threatened with demolition offers a striking example of Israel’s policies that essentially constitute a suffocating grip on our village,” Sokkar writes. As well as robbing local Palestinian farmers of their ability to produce an income off their agricultural output, for several years settlers have forcibly taken over the village’s freshwater springs. “Although the villages have not been attacked by settlers they are regularly harassed by armed settlers temporarily taking over playground and irrigation pools,” according to a factsheet provided to The Electronic Intifada by the Wadi Fukin Campaign, a group trying to raise awareness about the village. “Sewage also regularly flows down from the settlement of Betar Illit.” No justice In his open letter, Sokkar explains that history has proven Palestinians cannot rely on Israel’s courts to deliver justice. “Faced with the all too vivid realization that they stand little chance in fighting Israel’s decision in Israeli courts, the people of Wadi Fukin appeal to the international community to support their efforts to retain ownership over their lands and livelihoods,” he writes. “The villagers are aware that they have very little chance to win in a confrontation in court since the Israeli laws and rules have proven, time and time again, that they were designed to legalize the expropriation of land for the sole benefit of a settler population which is illegal under international law,” the letter adds. Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights groups have roundly condemned Israel and called for the cancelation of the plans. Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director of Human Rights Watch, said the June kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank, who were later found dead, did not permit Israel to “grab a vast tract of other people’s land in an occupied territory.” War crime Alluding to another Israeli plan to forcibly relocate more than 12,500 Palestinian Bedouins near Jerusalem, Human Rights Watch notes that “transferring [Israeli] civilian settlers into an occupied territory would amount to a war crime.” “It is worth noting that large scale, unlawful appropriation or destruction of property, is also a war crime,” Bill Van Esveld, a Human Rights Watch researcher, told The Electronic Intifada by email. In a press release published on 3 September, Human Rights Watch also calls on the United States “to reduce its $3.1 billion in annual aid to Israel by an amount equivalent to the costs of Israel’s spending in support of settlements, until Israel reverses its blatantly illegal plans to build new settlements and destroy Palestinian communities.” The human rights group Amnesty International also said the plan to confiscate land in Wadi Fukin must be “rescinded immediately.” “Israel’s strategy of illegally confiscating land for settlements in the West Bank must stop once and for all. Not only is it illegal under international law but it is leading to a wide range of violations of Palestinians’ human rights on a mass scale,” Philip Luther, the organization’s director for the Middle East and North Africa, says in a press release issued on 1 September. Sokkar concludes by emphasizing that the European Union should “take concrete and effective legal measures to meet its legal obligations and use all measures it has at its disposal, including sanctions, to change Israel’s policy of regularly violating international law.” The European Union announced guidelines for avoiding aid to Israeli settlements in 2013, though the rules have yet to be meaningfully implemented and do not address the root causes of Israeli colonialism. Given the European Union’s long history of complicity in Israeli violations of international law and war crimes against Palestinians, it seems unlikely it will heed Wadi Fukin’s calls for justice. Full letter by Ahmad Sokkar 8 September 2014 Dear Madam, Sir, I am writing to you out of concern for the future well-being of the people of Wadi Fukin and and its surrounding villages. On 30 August, the Israeli government announced the expropriation of 988 acres of Palestinian land. The following day, the inhabitants of Wadi Fukin and four of its neighbouring villages — Hussan, Jabaa, Nahalin, Surif — watched as the Israeli army placed placards across our lands, declaring them “State Land.” The Israeli cabinet stated that the decision was in response to the kidnapping and killing of three settler youths, thereby openly revealing its intent to use collective punishment against the thousands of inhabitants of these four Palestinian communities for a crime they did not commit. This constitutes a flagrant violation of international law. The vulnerability of these communities is highlighted by their delicate location — all four are situated near the internationally recognized 1948 armistice line, otherwise known as the Green Line, between the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel. As a result, they have suffered tremendously from the war in 1948 and its aftermath, which displaced many and even destroyed our village, Wadi Fukin, in its entirety in the early 1950s, effectively wiping it off the map for three decades. Its residents were consequently forced to relocate to Dheisheh refugee camp, yet continued to tend to their lands in the village. In the 1980s, we became one of the very few examples of Palestinians allowed to leave the refugee camp [who] rebuilt our village, albeit excluding a total of 9,000 dunams of land (2,220 acres) that were usurped by Israel in 1948. The remarkable story of Wadi Fukin remains visible as the ruins of old houses can still be seen between the newly built houses and continue to mark the hillsides. Today, the people of Wadi Fukin once again risk being dispossessed. Coated in legal terms, the Israeli statement attempts to camouflage the blatant illegality of Israel’s decision under international law. The European Union, however, holds a very clear position with regard to its opposition to Israel’s settlement policy. It is with this in mind that we appeal to you and ask for your assistance. Israeli politicians and officials do not miss an opportunity to unilaterally declare that the area which they refer to as Gush Etzion, yet which in reality constitutes part of the Bethlehem governorate, will inevitably become part of Israel proper in any future peace deal. These statements must not under any circumstances convince EU policy-makers and their national counterparts that the fate of our communities is a lost cause. Acquiescing to such Israeli statements allows Israel to continue to act with impunity. If anything, our communities ought to be set as an example to show that the European Union will not allow Israel to unilaterally dictate the terms of a peace agreement, but that international law will be the standard to which Israel’s actions will be held. The European Union ought to take up the fate of these four communities as a cause to demonstrate it is serious about confronting Israel’s continued settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territory. Faced with the all too vivid realization they stand little chance in fighting Israel’s decision in Israeli courts, the people of Wadi Fukin appeal to the international community to support their efforts to retain ownership over their own lands and livelihoods. The villagers are aware that they have very little chance to win in a confrontation in court since the Israeli laws and rules have proven, time and time again, that they were designed to legalize the expropriation of land for the sole benefit of a settler population which is illegal under international law. Some of the confiscated lands are cultivated, while others are not, due to the fact that we have been impeded from using these lands in any way. We are not allowed to build roads to be able to reach these fields by tractor, nor are we allowed to build houses, playgrounds, industrial, touristic, or sports facilities. The fact that Wadi Fukin’s only playground is being threatened with demolition offers a striking example of Israel’s policies that essentially constitute a suffocating grip on our village. We therefore appeal to you and the international community to act upon your declarations, beyond mere words of condemnation. While welcoming such statements of support, we urge you to introduce practical measures that will demonstrate the European Union’s seriousness in opposing Israel’s decision and its recent actions in the Bethlehem governorate. We, the people of Wadi Fukin, ask for your assistance to help us not to freeze or delay these plans, but to completely reverse and annul them, and hence prevent our families from once more facing the threat of dispossession. The EU should take concrete and effective measures to meet its legal obligations and use all the measures it has at its disposal, including sanctions, to change Israel’s policy of regularly violating international law. We urge the EU to: — ban all trade with illegal Israeli settlements, — ensure that European companies stop participating in any Israeli project in the OPT, — freeze the main framework of EU-Israeli economic relations, the EU-Israel Association Agreement and Horizon 2020 Research Program, until this decision is completely reversed. Faithfully yours, Ahmad Sokkar Head of the village council of Wadi Fukin, Bethlehem4. He Knows Talent When He Sees It If there were GMs of the non storyline Raw & Smackdown nature, but actual legitimate ones who manage rosters, talent and ability, Bret Hart would be a five-star (five-heart?) candidate. First, he requested to work with then rising star Steve Austin, which ended up being one of the most memorable feuds in professional wrestling history and culminating with unarguably the greatest double-turn of all time, mind you. He also knew The Rock’s worth way before he was laying the smackdown on candy asses (and super way before he was rebooting Jumaji and potentially running for president). Straight from the pre-People’s Champ’s mouth in January of 1997 (SLAM Sports): "He was the only one when I first came in the WWF a year ago that actually took me aside and helped me tremendously." The Hitman himself echoed these statements in 2011 (ProWrestling.net): "When I was WWE Champion back in 1997, I often gave Dwayne (Johnson) all the advice I could. I remember watching him wrestle for the very first time and telling the wrestlers next to me that Dwayne was going to be the biggest superstars in the wrestling world and to mark my words.".Last night I returned from our Gigaom Roadmap event, traveling from San Francisco to my home office in Pennsylvania. And as soon as I got back, I started thinking about how the Nexus 6 handled the trip. The short answer is: Mostly well. But I’m not buying one. Instead, I’m opting for a new 2014 edition of the Moto X. Traveling with the Nexus 6 was fun and enlightening Advertisement My trip this week — leaving for California on Monday and returning on Thursday — was a really good scenario to put the Nexus 6 through its paces. I had already reviewed the Nexus 6 last week and came away mostly impressed. The screen is gorgeous, I can get through a full day on a single charge and the phone has the stock or pure [company]Google[/company] Android experience that I prefer. Even better, a new software update arrived for the Nexus 6 and I’m no longer seeing the Camera app crash — during my review period, this issue annoyed me on a near daily basis. But with the latest Android build from Google, the Camera hasn’t crashed a single time. I know I can deal with the size of the Nexus 6, because I have been. I’ve long been a two-handed phone user and previously owned the 5.5-inch Galaxy Note 2, long before the word “phablet” became acceptable (to some). Do I need a phone that big or does it really add that much more value are different questions though. I’ll gladly give up a little on the hardware for advanced software features It turns out, that software is trumping hardware in my personal decision-making process. Even though the Nexus 6 has a larger, higher resolution screen, dual front-facing speakers and a faster processor inside, it lacks the custom Motorola software that the Moto X has. I took the same approach last year for the same reason, buying a Moto X when other flagship devices offered better hardware. And I have no regrets with that decision. It really hit me when I was driving to and from the airport this week. I had several calls and texts to deal with on the road and they were harder to manage on the Nexus 6 because that phone doesn’t have the Motorola Assist software. You can download that app in the Play Store on recent Motorola phones, save for the Nexus 6 — also made by Motorola — which is a disappointment. So instead of my phone intelligently realizing that I was driving — without me even telling it — and then interacting with me through hands-free voice commands, I was trying to drive and communicate with a two-handed phone. That’s a recipe for disaster, not to mention illegal in some areas, so I quickly gave up. Overall performance differences are generally negligible Speaking of giving up, I don’t think I’m losing much by choosing the new Moto X over a Nexus 6. I’ve used review units of both and even did some side-by-side performance comparisons; as powerful as the Nexus 6 is, it’s only marginally faster all around for the tasks and apps I’ve used on both phones. The 1080p display of the Moto X looks nearly as good to my eyes as the 1440p Nexus 6 screen although I admit I’ll miss that second front-facing speaker when watching video. I can get through a full day with both phones on a charge and they each need to hit an outlet nightly, so there’s no benefit to the Nexus there. That phone comes with a Turbo Charger but I’ll purchase one for the Moto X, which also supports the fast-charging technology. A camera conundrum I have noticed that the Nexus 6 appears to take better images than the Moto X, particularly in low-light. I find that odd since both devices use a 13-megapixel image sensor. I’m not sure if its the same sensor or not, and the Nexus 6 does have a slightly wider f/2.0 aperture and optical image stabilization. There’s no OIS on the Moto X and it has an f/2.25 aperture so that could be the difference. Regardless, pictures from the Moto X aren’t what I’d call bad. They could just be a little better. And there’s one more difference between the two handsets in this area that I’m going to spend some time digging into a little deeper. I did some brief A/B testing between the two phones using the Google Camera app on a Moto X instead of the native Motorola Camera app. With the HDR setting on, the Moto X images looked nearly as good as those on the Nexus 6. I also prefer the motion sensors on the Moto X for displaying notifications on lock screen when the phone is asleep. The Nexus 6 has a similar function called Ambient Display but I like the pure Motorola implementation better: It works more consistently for me. You can’t go wrong either way here Both phones are a good choice for anyone who wants a solid Android handset. And both will get Android updates quickly; Motorola actually started to push Android 5.0 out to Moto phones before Google did the same for Nexus devices this year! My point is: You or I can’t go wrong with either one, but Motorola’s secret software sauce has won me over on a phone that’s $100 less expensive for a 32 GB model and just as capable for what I want in a handset these days. If it’s a little more manageable in one-hand or fits better in a pants pocket, that’s a bonus to me. Image credit: Kevin C. Tofel/Gigaom This post was corrected at 2:59pm as it originally stated the “OK Google” voice command doesn’t work when the Nexus 6 screen is off. It does if you enable the setting in Google Now.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Steven Woolfe: I'm resigning as a UKIP MEP A UKIP MEP who spent three nights in hospital after a row with a party colleague is quitting the party, saying it is in a "death spiral". Steven Woolfe, who had been running to be the next leader, told the BBC there was "something rotten" in the party. He also accused fellow MEP Mike Hookem of inflicting a "blow" to his face in the row at a party meeting. Mr Hookem has acknowledged a "scuffle" but said he "categorically did not" throw a punch at his colleague. Mr Woolfe was rushed to hospital after collapsing following the incident, which UKIP described as an "altercation", and came during a meeting to discuss reports the North West England MEP had had discussions about joining the Conservatives. 'Man to man' In the BBC interview, Mr Woolfe said he had told Mr Hookem "let's go outside and discuss this man-to-man" after they clashed during UKIP's meeting in the European Parliament, saying he had been suggesting they discuss their differences verbally. Asked what happened next, Mr Woolfe said: "He rushed at me. A blow to my face forced me back through the door." Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Woolfe: I was unconscious for some time He added: "I couldn't see whether it was a fist, whether it was an open hand... the point was it was a blow that impacted me." Mr Woolfe said he was pushed back into the room and hit the back of his head against a wall and denied aggression towards Mr Hookem, saying: "It was too quick." He said that while he was voting in the European Parliament later, he started getting a severe headache and sought medical help. He said the doctors were "incredibly concerned" about him and that he was unconscious "for quite some time". Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption UKIP MEP Mike Hookem has denied punching Mr Woolfe Had it not been for the medics, he said "things would have been a lot more severe for me". According to Mr Hookem, Mr Woolfe suggested they "take it outside of the room". Speaking to the BBC after the incident, Mr Hookem said: "When I walked in he approached me to attack me. He came at me, I defended myself. There were no punches thrown, there was no face slapping, there were no digs, there was nothing." Mr Woolfe was seen as a frontrunner to become UKIP leader after the surprise resignation of Diane James. However, he said he was withdrawing as a candidate and resigning from the party immediately, "with a huge amount of sadness". He said divisions within the party had created "huge negative camps", adding: "There is a spiral that is going on that's bringing it down." There had been some "horrific" things said about him after the row, Mr Woolfe said, describing the episode as a "horror story". He added: "I think they've got a spiral, someone suggested that it's a death spiral, of their own making." Only a "small handful" of UKIP politicians and officials had contacted him to ask how he was since the incident, he added. 'Sadness and disappointment' In a statement on his website, Mr Woolfe said that, contrary to reports, he had made a police complaint about the incident involving Mr Hookem. He added that in his view, UKIP was "ungovernable without Nigel Farage leading it and the referendum cause to unite it". Nominations to replace Ms James close on 31 October, with the new leader announced on 28 November. One of the contenders, Raheem Kassam, said those responsible for "negatively campaigning" against Mr Woolfe should "hang their heads in shame" and urged him to return to UKIP. UKIP chairman Paul Oakden said he felt "sadness and disappointment" at Mr Woolfe's resignation. He said he disagreed with Mr Woolfe's characterisation of the party, and predicted the forthcoming leadership race would showcase the "strength and depth of talent" in the party.The royal descendants of Victoria (Queen of the United Kingdom) and of Christian IX (King of Denmark) currently occupy the thrones of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. At the outbreak of the First World War their grandchildren occupied the thrones of Denmark, Greece, Norway, Germany, Romania, Russia, Spain and the United Kingdom. For this, Queen Victoria was nicknamed "the grandmother of Europe" while King Christian IX was nicknamed "Father-in-law of Europe". Of the remaining kingdoms of Europe today, only Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands descends neither from Queen Victoria nor King Christian IX.[1] Grandchildren [ edit ] Queen Victoria arranged the marriage of her eldest son and heir-apparent, the future Edward VII, to Alexandra of Denmark, the eldest daughter of King Christian IX, which took place on 10 March 1863. Among their six children were George V (who was also Emperor of India throughout his reign) and his sister Maud of Wales (who would later marry their cousin King Haakon VII of Norway, another grandchild of Christian IX, on 22 July 1896). However, these two marriages were not the only unions amongst and between descendants of Victoria and Christian IX. The second son of Christian IX, Prince William, became King of Greece as George I shortly after his sister Alexandra's marriage due to this new connection with the British Royal Family. On 27 October 1889 his son, later Constantine I of Greece, married Sophia of Prussia, a granddaughter of Victoria, forging another union between descendants of the British queen and the Danish king. In 1865, Christian IX's second daughter, Princess Dagmar, became engaged to Tsarevich Nicholas of Russia, son and heir of Tsar Alexander II. Following the untimely death of her fiancé, Dagmar married Nicholas's younger brother, the Tsarevich Alexander in 1866, taking the Russian name Maria Feodorovna. Between 1881 and 1894, she was empress-consort of Russia. Her son, Nicholas II of Russia, married Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, yet another granddaughter of Queen Victoria, on 26 November 1894, and she became empress-consort as Alexandra Feodorovna. Other grandchildren became monarchs in their own right or consorts. Christian X of Denmark was the elder brother of Haakon VII of Norway and thus another grandson of Christian IX of Denmark. William II, German Emperor and King of Prussia was the elder brother of Sophia of Prussia and thus another reigning grandson of Victoria. Lastly, Victoria had two more granddaughters who became queens: Marie of Edinburgh, who married Ferdinand I of Romania, and Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg who married Alfonso XIII of Spain. Christian IX was therefore the grandfather of an emperor and two kings who all married granddaughters of Victoria, one of whom (Maud of Wales) was also a granddaughter of Christian IX. In total, five of his grandsons were reigning sovereigns. Victoria, meanwhile, was the grandmother of an emperor, a king-emperor, four queens consort and an empress consort. First World War [ edit ] During the First World War (1914–1918), many monarchs of countries from both sides were closely related due to their mutual descent from either Queen Victoria, King Christian IX or both. The most commonly cited example is the fact that Nicholas, his wife, Alexandra, and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany were all first cousins of King George V of the United Kingdom.[2][3][4] Other countries who fought against Germany in addition to Russia and the United Kingdom were Romania, whose queen-consort, Marie, wife of King Ferdinand I, was a cousin of the Kaiser, and Greece, whose queen-consort, Sophia, wife of King Constantine I, was the Kaiser's own sister. Additionally, King George V was a first cousin, through King Christian IX, of both Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and King Constantine I of Greece. Shortly before the end of the war, Nicholas, his wife and children were executed by the Bolsheviks. Other first cousins of George V, whose countries were neutral during the war, were King Christian X of Denmark, Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain (queen-consort of King Alfonso XIII) and King Haakon VII of Norway (who was also George's brother-in-law via his marriage to George's sister, Maud). Family tree of sovereign and consort grandchildren [ edit ] The family tree below also attempts to show the relationship between close and extended family members referenced on this page. Present-day reigning descendants [ edit ] The unions between descendants of Queen Victoria and of King Christian IX did not end with the First World War, despite the overthrows of both the German and Russian monarchies (along with House of Habsburg in Austria-Hungary). On the contrary, nearly all European reigning kings and queens today are most closely related through their descent from Victoria, Christian or both. Currently, there are seven kingdoms remaining in Europe:[5] 1. Belgium: King Philippe & Queen Mathilde 2. Denmark: Queen Margrethe II 3. Norway: King Harald V & Queen Sonja 4. Spain: King Felipe VI & Queen Letizia 5. Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf & Queen Silvia 6. United Kingdom: Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 7. Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander & Queen Máxima King Harald V of Norway, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and King Felipe VI of Spain are all descended from both Queen Victoria and King Christian IX. The first two monarchs are great-grandchildren of the aforementioned union between Alexandra of Denmark (daughter of King Christian IX) and Edward VII (son of Queen Victoria). Harald V of Norway is actually descended from Christian IX three ways, twice through his father and once through his mother. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and his wife Elizabeth II are second cousins once removed through Christian IX and also third cousins as they are both great-great-grandchildren of Victoria. Margrethe II of Denmark is descended once each from Victoria and Christian IX. She is also a first cousin to Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden through Victoria's granddaughter Princess Margaret of Connaught. Felipe VI is descended from Victoria three ways and Christian IX twice. His father, King Juan Carlos I, is descended from Victoria and not Christian IX, while Juan Carlos' consort, Queen Sofía, is twice a descendant of Victoria and twice a great-great-granddaughter of Christian IX. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is descended from Victoria, twice, as his parents were second cousins because they were both great-grandchildren of Victoria. in addition, Carl XVI Gustaf also descends on his maternal side from Victoria's half-sister Feodora. Although Carl XVI Gustaf is not a descendant of Christian IX; however, it should be noted that he descends on his maternal side from the parents of Christian IX through Christian IX's elder brother, Friedrich. Conversely, Philippe, King of the Belgians is descended from King Christian IX but not Queen Victoria, although, he is a descendant of Victoria's maternal uncle (as well as her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha's paternal uncle), Leopold I, King of the Belgians. Philippe's father, King Albert II, who abdicated in the summer of 2013, is a first cousin to Harald V of Norway through their grandfather Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland, married to Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, a granddaughter of Christian IX. In summation, the monarchs of Norway, Denmark, Spain and the United Kingdom as well as the consort of the United Kingdom are descended from both Victoria and Christian IX. The King of Sweden is descended from Victoria and not Christian IX (although from one of his brothers). The King of the Belgians and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg are descended from Christian IX and not Victoria, though they are descendants of both Victoria's and her spouse's uncle Leopold I of Belgium. The King of the Netherlands is the only monarch descended from neither Victoria nor Christian IX. (He is, however, a sixth cousin thrice removed of Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Harald V, Margrethe II and Carl XVI Gustaf through descent from Frederick, Prince of Wales; a sixth cousin four times removed of Felipe VI, also via descent from Frederick; and also a fourth cousin twice removed of Albert II through descent from William I of the Netherlands. Furthermore, William I of the Netherlands was also second cousin once removed to both Queen Victoria and King Christian IX, since he was the great-grandson of George II of Great Britain. Hence, all current reigning kings and queens in Europe, including the Netherlands, are related through the line of George II of Great Britain.) Monarchs descended from Queen Victoria [ edit ] Monarchs descended from King Christian IX [ edit ] Notes Common ancestry between Victoria and Christian IX [ edit ] Because so many monarchs descend from both Queen Victoria and King Christian IX of Denmark, the relationship between these two monarchs is of some interest. These monarchs were third cousins through their mutual descent from King George II of Great Britain. This relationship occurs twice because the maternal grandparents of King Christian IX of Denmark, Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) (1744–1836) and Princess Louise of Denmark (1750–1831), were both children of daughters of King George II of Great Britain (1660–1727), and thus first cousins. Louise of Hesse-Kassel, wife of King Christian IX of Denmark, was a granddaughter of Prince Frederick of Hesse (1747–1837), the brother of the aforementioned Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel. Thus King Christian IX of Denmark and his wife Louise of Hesse-Kassel were second cousins to each other and third cousins to Queen Victoria. The longest living descendants of Victoria and Christian IX [ edit ] Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom [ edit ] King Christian IX of Denmark [ edit ] Notes [ edit ] References [ edit ]Constant Lestienne has never won an ATP title A French tennis player has been suspended for seven months and fined $10,000 (£7,698) after being found guilty of betting on 220 matches. World number 164 Constant Lestienne committed the offences between February 2012 and June 2015. The Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) said none of the matches involved Lestienne, who is yet to win an ATP title. Half of the 24-year-old's ban is suspended "on condition of no further offences", the TIU said. His fine will also be halved if he "gives assistance" - which can include with anti-corruption education for other players - to the TIU. The TIU was set up in September 2008 to combat betting-related corruption in tennis. It is a joint venture between the International Tennis Federation (ITF), WTA, ATP and the Grand Slam Board, which oversees the sport's four majors. Lepchenko cleared of blame over positive test The ITF, meanwhile, has announced world number 79 Varvara Lepchenko "bore no fault or negligence" after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium. The heart drug was put on the prohibited list by the World Anti-Doping Agency in January, but studies showed it takes longer to be cleared from the system than first thought. The ITF accepted Lepchenko's argument that she had stopped taking the drug prior to it being banned. Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova is the most high-profile athlete to have been banned for testing positive for meldonium. In June, the Russian was suspended for two years, though she has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with a verdict is expected in early October.This week Target became the latest target of the politically correct warriors. Target's crime of political correctness was to sell a T-shirt. A pink T-shirt for girls. The T-shirt read, "Batgirl to-do list: Dryclean cape, wash batmobile, fight crime, save the world". And with that, the warriors launched their attack on social media. The accusations the warriors levelled at Target ranged from the T-shirt being "outrageous", "really inappropriate", sending a "really damaging message" and the final coup de grace, "out of step with 21st century family values... it is utterly offensive and must be removed". Target is a business and it isn't in the business of fighting political correctness. It's in the business of selling affordable clothing to the mass market. So it withdrew the T-shirt from sale and issued the following statement: "After reviewing and reading our customers' concerns on the Batgirl tee, we have decided to remove the shirt from our stores.
Potter” blockbusters. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident…were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” also stars Katherine Waterston as Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein; Tony Award winner Dan Fogler as Jacob; Alison Sudol as Tina’s sister, Queenie; Ezra Miller as Credence; two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton as Mary Lou; Oscar winner Jon Voight as Henry Shaw, Sr.; Ron Perlman as Gnarlak; Carmen Ejogo as Seraphina; Jenn Murray as Chastity; young newcomer Faith Wood-Blagrove as Modesty; and Colin Farrell as Percival Graves. The film marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, whose beloved Harry Potter books were adapted into the top-grossing film franchise of all time. Her script was inspired by the Hogwarts textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, written by her character Newt Scamander. At her New York press conference, we catch up with the novelist turned screenwriter J.K. Rowling along with the cast and crew to get the dish on JK Rowling’s latest film. This one kicks off the brand new, set of five, film franchise. Oh, we got the scoop on what beasts to expect on the big screen. Rowling admits she never planned to revisit the Potter-verse. “I have been aware since the end of Harry Potter that there was still a huge hunger, and I think it would be easy to say I’ll just keep producing it, but I never was that person. I planned seven books and I knew exactly what I wanted to write and that story was finished.” However, she loves the character of Newt Scamander, saying “I was intrigued by Newt and the truth is when I was asked, ‘Will you write more?’ In the back of my mind was Newt.” Never having planned to write her first screenplay for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, it was really the character of Newt which drove her creatively. She reveals, “I sat down to write some notes [on Newt], and then I wrote the story [and screenplay].” She stresses to her fans that, “This [story] is what I really, really wanted to write. This [story] hasn’t been created in response to I need.” She explains there is no Harry Potter. “He hasn’t been born yet,” she declares. As for her character of Newt, played by Eddie Redmayne, Rowling describes him as “very British,” as he ventures into New York City with his beasts in a suitcase for the first time. She adds, “He needed to go to America to be taught that people can be likeable.” Rowling jokes, “Newt isn’t a guy who really has a lot of friends….He’s much more comfortable with things that are spiky and furry.” As for the beasts, Rowling admits changes had to be made. “The beasts were interesting because there were a couple that were always in the movie, and then we swapped [out] because we just thought it would make a more interesting [story]. There were some escapades that we wanted to put in [the movie] so we swap some of the beasts.” She clarifies, “it just felt better….I think everyone is going to want a Niffler after this [movie].” As far as the design of the creatures, she confesses, “I was involved in that [too].” As for the next four films in the franchise, Rowling said very little; however, she did mention Dumbledore. She reveals, “Obviously it is a five-part story, so there are lots to unpack in that relationship, [but] I will say that you will see Dumbledore as a younger man and quite a troubled man because he wasn’t always the saint.” She adds, “You know this is just the beginning,” as she explains “we will see him [Dumbledore] and what I think is the formative period in his life as far as his sexuality is concerned. Watch this space very closely.” Rowling’s other baby, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, is currently on stage in London. So will we see Fantastic Beasts coming to Broadway anytime soon? To that Rowling says, “There is no plans to put Fantastic Beasts on stage.” Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opens nationwide on Friday November 18th, 2016. Final Trailer Ezra Miller Explains the ‘Harry Potter’ Connection in ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Clip – Welcome To New York Clip – Setting Dangerous Creatures Loose Clip – Newt vs the Niffler Clip – Giggle Clip – Bowtruckle Clip – Case Full Of Monsters Clip – Just A Smidge Clip – Strudel FeaturetteThe job that seemingly nobody wants has somehow found its perfect fit. Ashton Carter, the former Deputy Secretary of Defense, appears to be the president's choice to replace Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon. While an announcement hasn't formally been made, a senior administration official said that Carter is expected to be named tomorrow. So who is Ashton Carter? In addition to holding the top two positions at the Pentagon, Carter is known for being "an uber-wonk," a label bestowed upon him by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey last year. And for good reason. In addition to having served as the defense department's weapon buyer and a lead budgeteer, as Defense News points out, Carter "received his doctorate in theoretical physics from Oxford in 1979, where he was a Rhodes Scholar." Despite his understated presence, many are pointing to his call to bomb North Korea as evidence of his mettle. Writing in Time in 2006 when he was out of government and teaching at Harvard, Carter and former defense secretary William Perry called on then-President George W. Bush to launch a "surgical strike" on a North Korean missile. For the U.S., the risk of inaction will prove far greater. The Pyongyang regime will view its stockpile of missiles and nuclear material as tipping the regional balance in its favor and providing a shield behind which it can pursue its interests with impunity. Worse, North Korea has a long history of selling its advanced weapons to countries in the Middle East, and it operates a black market in other forms of contraband. It seems worth mentioning that he may have had a point. One year after the piece, Israel bombed a nuclear reactor being built in Syria with North Korea's help. Given what's currently happening, it's difficult to fathom what the region would look like now if Syria had successfully built a plutonium reactor. But for a more characteristic piece from Carter's body of work, consider his measured "Running the Pentagon Right," a partisan treatise for Foreign Affairs that matches criticisms of the Bush administrations approach to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with sentences like "the Pentagon also needs to get better at identifying threats as early as possible. This does not mean war-gaming for five to ten years down the line—something the department currently does in its Quadrennial Defense Reviews."It’s ok to hide under the mushrooms and think. You don’t have to be the center of attention or the class clown that makes everyone laugh. Let everyone else fend for themselves today and you take care of you. Get some rest, relax and do some frivolous thinking through the weekend. You’ll feel better by Monday. Additional Insight: Hidden under the shrooms is a lot of fertile ground. You can do some good thinking under there. So it’s ok if you want some space and feel the need to be alone. But let others know you’re not mad at them, or their liable to think the worst and imagine all sorts of things. Today you can hide away and get some things done that have been piling up. Through the weekend, pull the covers up, stay warm and get some extra sleep. You’ve earned it and more importantly you may need it to stay off a cold. It’s ok to think of yourself right now. But don’t suffer in silence or others may not understand your need for rest. Don’t be afraid to cancel plans, even if they’re with someone special. They won’t hold it against you if you’re honest and forthright. And your friends will be there on Monday and some might even want to check in on you. So don’t keep those plans to go out and hike, or bike or whatever might use up a lot of physical energy. Doing so could lay you out for longer than just the weekend. You’re always there for everyone else. Now it’s time to be there for yourself. You’re always understanding of others when they change plans at the last minute. So be understanding now that you need to change plans. You might even get in some good thinking time to create magikal inspiration and solve a long standing issue. But you’ll never know if you don’t heed the warning your body is trying to deliver. Rest and relax is the message from the Fae. Contemplate the day, watch Mother Nature out your window and think of nothing important for a time. Wands bring magik to all occasions. So let the magik happen and you’ll find the inspiration you need to create and manifest whatever it is that you’re contemplating. Well, as long as it’s a good thing. Personal Readings From Springwolf If you enjoy our Daily Tarot Meditation Insights, check out the additional Services from Spring’s Haven. We offer both in-house and email/phone/Skype consultations. As a Ministerial organization, all our consultations are private and strictly confidential. We use the Mystic Faery Tarot by Linda Ravenscroft, the Gilded Tarot by Ciro Marchetti and the Steampunk Tarot by Aly Fell for our daily drawings. You can learn more about these beautiful decks on Amazon.com. Read more about the Tarot and our Tarot Meditation insights. Springwolf Reflections 2016 Motto: I let go of worry and trust the Divine will care for me and my family. I am filled with prosperity for financial and healthy abundance. © 2016 Springwolf, D.D., Ph.D. Springwolf Reflections / Springs Haven, LLC. All Rights Reserved. AdvertisementsLOS ANGELES -- Leonard Williams crouched slowly, placing his left hand on the artificial turf and glaring straight ahead. Across from him stood "ESPN Sport Science" host John Brenkus, dwarfed by the 6-foot-5, 300-pound defensive end. As Brenkus settled into his own three-point stance just inches away from Williams, an assortment of production crew members armed with cameras and microphones hustled to position themselves for the shot of these two men colliding. They knew what was coming -- Brenkus had tried to see how far defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh could throw him when Suh was entering the 2010 NFL draft -- but this current stunt somehow looked even more troubling. After a quick countdown, Brenkus lurched forward and thrust his hands into Williams' chest. Williams did the same, only with frightening force -- extending his long arms, exploding out of his stance, surging the momentum through his thick torso and into Brenkus' comparatively spindly frame. By the time Brenkus landed some 6 feet away on thick, oversized padding, a mixture of gasps and laughter filled the studio as he lay motionless for a few seconds. "That," Brenkus said while still sprawled across the mat, "had to be some kind of new record." It was good TV to see the host launched through the air by a man considered by many to be the best prospect in this year's NFL draft. It was even more appropriate that Williams paused for a second after the feat before raising his arms to flex his biceps. But what really made this moment so intriguing was that it was merely a small sampling of what Williams can do with a devastating combination of power, strength and explosiveness that has scouts all over the league salivating. In other words, this USC All-American can make plenty of opponents look as silly as Brenkus did during that shoot. As much as people talk about the two high-profile quarterbacks in this year's draft -- Florida State's Jameis Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota -- the reality is that Williams is the player most often viewed as the surest thing for a team trying to improve its fortunes. PASS-RUSHERS BY THE NUMBERS ESPN Stats & Info breaks down key statistics of draft prospects Leonard Williams, Dante Fowler Jr. and Randy Gregory. Story » "From the previous years, sometimes it's like taking a chance when you take a quarterback -- you never know what you're going to get," Williams said. "I'm going to bring that disruption and physicalness. And I'm going to get to the quarterback." The consensus so far is that Williams isn't likely to slip beyond the top five picks when the draft begins April 30. He can dominate as a pass-rusher or a run-stopper, and his versatility makes him even more valuable to whomever drafts him. The ideal spot for Williams is as a defensive end in a 3-4 front, but he's strong enough to move inside as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme. Since USC went through so much transition during his three years there -- he played for three different defensive coordinators in that span -- he's comfortable lining up just about anywhere. As USC defensive line coach Chris Wilson said, "Leonard didn't have a position here because we always moved him around to find the best matchup." "When you think of a 3-4 defense, typically, you think of a big, two-gap player," said Tennessee Titans general manager Ruston Webster, who may have the opportunity to grab Williams with the second overall pick. "[It's] rare to find players that can do that -- play one gap, penetrate and get up the field and rush the passer.... When you have a guy like Leonard who can do both, that's something special." USC's Leonard Williams is arguably the draft's top talent and the potential No. 2 overall pick. Winslow Townson/Getty Images Williams' appeal also has plenty to do with his mental makeup. He's so loyal that he once told Trojans assistant coach Keynodo Hudson that he lamented leaving school because he would miss his teammates, he never beat UCLA and the program didn't regain its dominant stature during his tenure. He's also so humble that a little girl once kept him beaming for days simply by asking for his autograph when he was a junior at Daytona Beach Mainland High in Florida. At 20 years old, Williams also has a mix of intelligence and maturity after traveling a hard road to the level at which he now finds himself. Even when Williams first heard his name mentioned among the best in the nation, he didn't allow his ego to swell. He was sitting in USC's McKay Center waiting for a team meeting during his sophomore year when somebody heard a "SportsCenter" report calling him the second-best NFL prospect in the country. "It didn't really affect me," Williams said. "I've never been the kind of guy who gets into being hyped up." Added Hudson, who was Williams' defensive coordinator in high school: "If you have a conversation with Leonard, you'd never know he's been through all the things he's dealt with in his life." Almost from the moment Williams was able to walk and talk, Aviva Russek sensed something unique about the third of the five children she shared with her husband, Clenon Williams. Whenever possible, she told Leonard he was special, that big things awaited him in the future. "He always had a humble soul," Russek said. "He was always open-minded and optimistic about life, and he never caused a problem in school. Sometimes, it's crazy to see how aggressive he is on the field because he's not that way in real life." Williams first learned the game by hanging out with Clenon, who loved to spend his Sunday afternoons watching NFL action on his living room sofa. But when it came time for Williams to sign up for a local Pop Warner league as a seventh-grader, he received some jarring news: At 210 pounds, he exceeded the 180-pound weight limit. Williams cried instantly after hearing the rule. Even with reassurances from the adults around him -- a coach told him to keep the same passion that led to those tears -- Williams still felt like he'd done something wrong. Williams was a menace to opposing QBs, compiling 21 sacks over three seasons. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images "I was so excited to play because I'd been told by my parents that I could do it in the seventh grade," Williams said. "But when I found out I was too big, I started to get really insecure about being big. My dad eventually told me that someday my size would pay off." That setback would turn out to be one of the least challenging of Williams' childhood. Far more troubling was the deterioration of his father, who programmed computers as a machinist but also struggled with drug addiction. Clenon often disappeared from the family for long stretches. Those absences left Russek, a nurse, with the task of raising her children on a limited income and few resources. In order to cope, she moved her family around the country to find better opportunities. Williams was born in Bakersfield, California, but lived in Sacramento, California; Michigan and Arizona before he ever finished grade school. One of the low points for Russek came shortly before she left Bakersfield, when she moved her kids into a homeless shelter for a couple of weeks. She was forced to make that drastic decision because she had been housing her family in a hotel until the local school district said she needed to find a place it would accept as a legitimate address. Russek said Williams probably gained some valuable wisdom during that time -- "He learned to not give up and to be strong," she said -- but the biggest test for her son came when Clenon was arrested and later sentenced to the Marion Work Camp in Lowell, Florida, for robbery with a dangerous weapon (he is due to be released on Oct. 2, 2019). Williams was a 14-year-old freshman at the time, a kid who finally had a chance to play football after entering high school. "My dad had his problems," Williams said. "He disappeared every once in a while, and then, one day, he just disappeared and never came back. It was really sad because we were really close.... I never asked him what he did. I just knew he would be in there for a long time." "If you have a conversation with Leonard, you'd never know he's been through all the things he's dealt with in his life." USC assistant coach Keynodo Hudson "I think Leonard compensated for his dad's issues by focusing on football," Russek said. "He just put all his energy into that. He would tell me that he missed his father, but I would just say that sometimes people have to be removed from your life so you can do what you have to do." Williams never let his father's troubles derail his dreams, because the rest of his family was too committed to seeing him reach his goals. His oldest brother, Nate, forbade Leonard from engaging in dangerous activities that they all once enjoyed -- such as riding dirt bikes or performing stunts on skateboards -- simply because it wasn't worth the risk. Williams' mother made sure she didn't let anything get by her. When she learned Leonard had been playing rugby with a nearby college club team -- he took up the sport when he couldn't play football in the seventh grade -- she decided to finally attend one of his games during his junior year. The minute she saw her son crashing into older players, her jaw dropped and her temper erupted. "I went off when I saw him out there doing that," she said. "He was a teenager, and he was playing against grown men in their 30s. I told them I didn't sign any permission slips for him to do that." Williams' high school coaches echoed the same sentiment. Blessed with quickness and naturally soft hands, he often inspired a fight between offensive coaches, who viewed him as a tight end, and defensive coaches, who wanted him on the line. Lacking the money to attend many college camps in the summer, Williams was heavily recruited by only Florida and Alabama prior to his senior year. The only reason USC heard about him was because Hudson raised the money to take Williams and two other teammates to a Trojans summer camp before Williams' senior year. Williams thrived at USC despite playing for three defensive coordinators in three seasons. Winslow Townson/Getty Images Even Williams' family didn't know he was going to USC until national signing day. When Aviva walked onto the stage for Leonard's big announcement, she expected to see three hats in front of her son -- USC, Florida and Alabama, the school Leonard had worshiped for years. Instead, she only saw the Crimson Tide and Trojans represented. "[Former USC defensive coordinator] Monte Kiffin came to Florida to recruit me," Williams said. "And he convinced me that it would be fun to come to the West Coast." Williams became a star from the moment he joined the USC program. He started as a defensive tackle in his first season, piling up 64 tackles, eight sacks and an interception to earn Pac-12 freshman of the year honors. He was even better as a defensive end during his sophomore and junior seasons, tallying 154 total tackles and 13 sacks to twice garner All-America recognition. When the Trojans selected their team MVP after last season, Williams was the obvious choice for the award. It wasn't just the numbers that set him apart from his teammates. It was the attitude he brought to the field every day. "Leonard has all the talent, but what makes him different is the investment he makes in the game," Wilson said. "He's great in the locker room. He's a great teammate and he loves to compete." As much as Williams grappled with his decision to leave school early, he knows it's ultimately the best decision for him. He wants to ease the financial burden Aviva has coped with for years. He also has a 2-year-old daughter, Leana, back in Florida. There's also been subtle pressure from Nate and uncle Rock Russek, whom Leonard lived with in 11th and 12th grade. Both have long waited for a family member to get the kind of opportunity that eluded them. (Nate lost his shot at playing small-college basketball when he sustained a severe knee injury in a dirt-bike accident, while Rock's responsibilities as a young father ended his chances of landing a football scholarship.) All of them will be watching the big kid with the quick smile and wild hair as he walks to the podium to greet commissioner Roger Goodell on April 30. Williams has been so focused on that moment that he wouldn't entertain media requests until he finished training for February's scouting combine. As he sat in a folding chair in between takes at the "Sport Science" studio, while frequently adjusting to an uncomfortable body suit lined with sensors, he seemed pleased with that strategy. Back then, his priority was ensuring that his stock didn't drop. Now, it's about enjoying the moment as he lets everybody see what he can become at the next level. "It really doesn't matter where I end up being picked," Williams said. "I'd like to go in the top five, but at the end of the day, I'll be grateful regardless of where I end up."Professional cycling is a sport in which there is rarely any mercy: long, torturous stages are a point of pride for most races, and the athletes themselves are expected to take a never-say-die attitude. So it was surprising when the riders called to the pre-race press conference of the 2014 USA Pro Challenge expressed seemingly unanimous support for the relatively short, punchy race, where the average stage length, including the 16.1km time trial, is only 120km. Is the professional peloton looking for something different for the future? Something that steers away from the very long stages that characterised the first Tour de France, and still persist to this day, where 200km and longer days are commonplace? Related Articles Basso skirts transfer talk at USA Pro Challenge Van Garderen starts USA Pro Challenge defense on home turf The organisers of the USA Pro Challenge - from race CEO Shawn Hunter to race director Jim Birrell (Medalist Sports) - have taken into close consideration the position of the race on the calendar, the high altitudes at which the race is held, and the condition of the teams after the Tour de France, where a large part of the peloton was affected by crashes in the first week, and created an action-packed week that throws just about everything at the riders, but with a touch of mercy. "You have to take it all into consideration. you have to respect where we are in the calendar, you have to respect the altitude, the terrain," Birrell said. "With the difficulty of stages, and the depth of the field, I think every day you're going to see stronger racing action because of the [shorter] distance. [It is] going to create a much more compelling stage by stage performance." Race organisers listening to riders is something that usually only happens as a concession, after bad weather has come in to make a particular stage too dangerous, but the riders expressed strong support for the USA Pro Challenge taking their needs into consideration. "It's really smart what [Birrell] said," interjected Jens Voigt (Trek). "If you have a super hard, and long stage, really, the in the first hour nothing happens because everyone is terrified of the distance and the time out there. Shorter, harder stages make it more interesting racing. I'm really happy about the decision to not have ridiculously long stages. We don't need them. They're harder and more boring. Commentators don't know what to say because we're just busy eating and drinking in the first two hours. I think all of us are happy with this decision because it makes for better racing." Voigt's teammate Fränk Schleck agreed, saying: "That's what we want to hear - that the organizers are thinking with the riders. He said it, [you have to take] into consideration the calendar, the altitude, the level of fitness after Tour crashes. That's what we want to see. That the organizers think and they go with the riders in the same direction." Tinkoff-Saxo's Michael Rogers also supported the decision, coming off a busy season so far where he won two stages of the Giro d'Italia and a stage in the Tour de France. He sees the shorter days as something to consider for the future. "Cycling has some quite unique challenges," Rogers said. "In my feeling, just as anyone from Commonwealth can tell you, we don't want cycling to become test cricket. We want more dynamic races. Obviously long stages are in our history, we have to abide by that. But on short stages, the barrier of being scared of distance falls away, and pure racing comes out. Thank you for making stages that aren't just test cricket," he said to the organisers. "We can only go so hard for so long, it makes for more dynamic racing." Tour of Utah winner Tom Danielson (Garmin-Sharp) felt the race will still be one of the hardest editions of the USA Pro Challenge, and every day will test the overall contenders: they will need every skill in their book to succeed. "It's the hardest the course the organisation has made, not only from the climbs but from the finishes - some are downhill, on circuits positioning will be important. There are short climbs, big climbs, and the time trial. You will have to be a complete cyclist." The Tour de France also affected the quality of the field. Only five of the nine allowed WorldTour team spots were filled, something that Hunter also attributes to the Tour de France crashes. "We met with the teams at the Tour, and stayed in constant contact," Hunter said. "A few top teams couldn't bring eight healthy riders to compete at this elevation. A few who were here last year will return again in 2015."A Little Story About the `yes` Unix Command What's the simplest Unix command you know? There's echo, which prints a string to stdout and true, which always terminates with an exit code of 0. Among the rows of simple Unix commands, there's also yes. If you run it without arguments, you get an infinite stream of y's, separated by a newline: y y y y (...you get the idea) What seems to be pointless in the beginning turns out to be pretty helpful : yes \| sh boring_installation.sh Ever installed a program, which required you to type "y" and hit enter to keep going? yes to the rescue! It will carefully fulfill this duty, so you can keep watching Pootie Tang. Writing yes Here's a basic version in... uhm... BASIC. 10 PRINT "y" 20 GOTO 10 And here's the same thing in Python: while True : print ( "y" ) Simple, eh? Not so quick! Turns out, that program is quite slow. python yes.py \| pv -r > /dev/null [4.17MiB/s] Compare that with the built-in version on my Mac: yes \| pv -r > /dev/null [34.2MiB/s] So I tried to write a quicker version in Rust. Here's my first attempt: use std :: env ; fn main () { let expletive = env :: args(). nth ( 1 ). unwrap_or ( "y". into ()) ; loop { println! ( " {} ", expletive) ; } } Some explanations: The string we want to print in a loop is the first command line parameter and is named expletive. I learned this word from the yes manpage. manpage. I use unwrap_or to get the expletive from the parameters. In case the parameter is not set, we use "y" as a default. to get the expletive from the parameters. In case the parameter is not set, we use "y" as a default. The default parameter gets converted from a string slice ( &str ) into an owned string on the heap ( String ) using into(). Let's test it. cargo run --release \| pv -r > /dev/null Compiling yes v0.1.0 Finished release [optimized] target(s) in 1.0 secs Running `target/release/yes` [2.35MiB/s] Whoops, that doesn't look any better. It's even slower than the Python version! That caught my attention, so I looked around for the source code of a C implementation. Here's the very first version of the program, released with Version 7 Unix and famously authored by Ken Thompson on Jan 10, 1979 : main (argc, argv) char ** argv ; { for ( ;; ) printf ( " %s ", argc > 1? argv[ 1 ] : "y" ) ; } No magic here. Compare that to the 128-line-version from the GNU coreutils, which is mirrored on Github. After 25 years, it is still under active development! The last code change happened around a year ago. That's quite fast: # brew install coreutils gyes \| pv -r > /dev/null [854MiB/s] The important part is at the end: /* Repeatedly output the buffer until there is a write error; then fail. / while ( full_write (STDOUT_FILENO, buf, bufused) == bufused) continue ; Aha! So they simply use a buffer to make write operations faster. The buffer size is defined by a constant named BUFSIZ, which gets chosen on each system so as to make I/O efficient (see here). On my system, that was defined as 1024 bytes. I actually had better performance with 8192 bytes. I've extended my Rust program: use std :: env ; use std :: io :: { self, BufWriter, Write} ; const BUFSIZE : usize = 8192 ; fn main () { let expletive = env :: args(). nth ( 1 ). unwrap_or ( "y". into ()) ; let mut writer = BufWriter :: with_capacity( BUFSIZE, io :: stdout()) ; loop { writeln! (writer, " {} ", expletive). unwrap () ; } } The important part is, that the buffer size is a multiple of four, to ensure memory alignment. Running that gave me 51.3MiB/s. Faster than the version, which comes with my system, but still way slower than the results from this Reddit post that I found, where the author talks about 10.2GiB/s. Once again, the Rust community did not disappoint. As soon as this post hit the Rust subreddit, user nwydo pointed out a previous discussion on the same topic. Here's their optimized code, that breaks the 3GB/s mark on my machine: use std :: env ; use std :: io :: { self, Write} ; use std :: process ; use std :: borrow :: Cow ; use std :: ffi :: OsString ; pub const BUFFER_CAPACITY : usize = 64 1024 ; pub fn to_bytes ( os_str : OsString) -> Vec< u8 > { use std :: os :: unix :: ffi :: OsStringExt ; os_str. into_vec () } fn fill_up_buffer < 'a >( buffer : & 'a mut [ u8 ], output : & 'a [ u8 ]) -> & 'a [ u8 ] { if output. len () > buffer. len () / 2 { return output ; } let mut buffer_size = output. len () ; buffer[.. buffer_size]. clone_from_slice (output) ; while buffer_size < buffer. len () / 2 { let (left, right) = buffer. split_at_mut (buffer_size) ; right[.. buffer_size]. clone_from_slice (left) ; buffer_size *= 2 ; } & buffer[.. buffer_size] } fn write ( output : & [ u8 ]) { let stdout = io :: stdout() ; let mut locked = stdout. lock () ; let mut buffer = [ 0 u8 ; BUFFER_CAPACITY ] ; let filled = fill_up_buffer ( & mut buffer, output) ; while locked. write_all (filled). is_ok () {} } fn main () { write ( & env :: args_os(). nth ( 1 ). map (to_bytes). map_or ( Cow :: Borrowed( & b "y " [.. ], ), \| mut arg \| { arg. push ( b ' ' ) ; Cow :: Owned(arg) }, )) ; process :: exit( 1 ) ; } Now that's a whole different ballgame! We prepare a filled string buffer, which will be reused for each loop. Stdout is protected by a lock. So, instead of constantly acquiring and releasing it, we keep it all the time. We use a the platform-native std::ffi::OsString and std::borrow::Cow to avoid unnecessary allocations. The only thing that I could contribute was removing an unnecessary mut. 😅 Lessons learned The trivial program yes turns out not to be so trivial after all. It uses output buffering and memory alignment to improve performance. Re-implementing Unix tools is fun and makes me appreciate the nifty tricks, which make our computers fast."I like that he is willing to stand up and fight for the American people and as I did as mayor," said Pennsylvania Rep. Lou Barletta (pictured in 2011). \| AP Photo Rep. Lou Barletta endorses Trump, hopes others will too Pennsylvania Rep. Lou Barletta endorsed Donald Trump on Tuesday, and said he hopes "establishment" Republicans will give up efforts to spoil his efforts to clinch the GOP nomination. In an interview with POLITICO, Barletta, who is known for his own hardline immigration stances, said some of his GOP colleagues had pressured him to not publicly support the real estate mogul. But he said they are wrong to not embrace the impact Trump is having on their party. "I wish that the establishment, instead of trying to stop Trump, you know, would look at why he’s so popular and coalesce around him so that it’s one team in November. Donald Trump is bringing a record amount of Democrats and independents…we should embrace that," Barletta said. "I like that he is willing to stand up and fight for the American people and as I did as mayor.” During his decade tenure as mayor of Hazelton, Barletta oversaw a massive crackdown on undocumented immigration, aggressively punishing businesses who hired such immigrants and prohibiting government employees from translating documents without official authorization. "Donald Trump was criticized the same way I was criticized when I was mayor because he addressed an important issue," Barletta said. "I don’t believe the issue would have been addressed if it wasn’t for Donald Trump bringing it up." The Washington Post first reported Barletta's endorsement. Barletta is one of a handful of lawmakers who have endorsed Trump, but many are still withholding their support of the Republican front-runner. Trump on Monday huddled with lawmakers at a law firm close to the Capitol building, but he did not attract any congressional leaders. On Tuesday, Barletta said he hopes more of his colleagues will endorse Trump. "I would hope that we would coalesce around the front-runner so that we are a untied team and not be divided and allow Hillary Clinton to walk into the White House," Barletta said."It is not possible to auto-extract the information," a Department of Family and Community Services spokesman said. Jacqui Reed, chief executive of the Create Foundation that represents children in care, called the lack of transparency "absolutely outrageous". "They should have this information at their fingertips," Ms Reed said. "The data is very important to us. It's a way to keep governments accountable." The department assumes the legal responsibilities of a parent for nearly 6000 children. The Labor opposition had formally asked: "How many reports of sexual or physical abuse against children currently in the care of the Department of Family and Community Services has the Department received in the year 2014/15?" It asked the same question about non-government care providers, which look after about 7500 children. The legal unit of FACS rejected the requests, citing "certain limitations" of the department's IT systems. In response to questions from Fairfax Media, a department spokesman then said: "While we do capture [the information requested], our ability to represent it over a year is limited." The spokesman also said the department could not "readily determine" if an alleged abuse incident took place while the child was in state care or before. It is running
Arpaio is now spending taxpayer money doing what a small group of Tea Party birthers have asked him to do. The sheriff sent a deputy, along with his volunteer “posse,” to Hawaii to look into what he believes is a conspiracy to dupe the American people into believing that their president is an American. The sheriff knows better. Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press “We feel that document is a forgery,” he said of Obama’s long-form birth certificate, in an interview with the Republic. “We’re trying to figure out who did it. That’s good police work.” Good police work and Sheriff Joe Arpaio do not go hand in hand. For years, his office has been flooded with complaints about terrible response time by deputies and his mediocre record at solving major crimes. He is also under investigation by the Justice Department for targeting Latinos and those who speak out against his extracurricular crusades. Arpaio was Bennett’s inspiration. Bennett wants to be governor in the worst way, and for that he can look at the top of the electoral pyramid in Arizona to Jan Brewer. She once blanked out in dead-air silence when asked during a televised debate what she would do for the people of Arizona. They rewarded her with the governor’s office. Brewer was last seen on an airport tarmac wagging her finger at the commander in chief. Matt York/Associated Press A few days ago, Brewer vetoed a bill aimed at promoting community service by high school students. This proposal would have allowed kids who do more than 200 hours of good deeds to receive an official commendation on their transcripts — a way to boost their chances of getting into college, supporters said. Brewer does not think government should be rewarding students this way, but she does think government should be able to stop people and ask them to prove their citizenship. She’s gone to France now, on a taxpayer-funded mission to convince Europeans that Arizona is a good place to relocate. Brewer thinks that going to Paris on the public’s dime is something that government should do, especially when it’s 110 degrees in Phoenix. There’s no mystery what a nation run by the Tea Party and talk-radio zealots who’ve taken over the G.O.P. would look like. It would be Arizona. This state used to have a very popular governor, Jan Napolitano, who held back the wackos. But once she left to become secretary of homeland security, the statehouse was left without a stronghold of sanity. The voters occasionally say they’ve had enough. Russell Pearce, the man behind the show-your-papers immigration law, was ousted in a recall last November. That election was an anomaly. The people who now control the state are proof of the old saying that in a democracy, voters get what they deserve.A bill to tax and regulate marijuana in Vermont is heading to a vote before the full Senate this week after clearing the latest in a string of committee victories on Tuesday. Vermont became the first state in the country to legalize marijuana via legislative action—as opposed to by voters through a ballot measure—last year. The law currently allows the possession of up to an ounce and the cultivation of two mature plants by adults. The state lacks a system to tax and regulate marijuana markets, however. The specifics of how that system should be structured and operate has been the subject of discussion around two bills in the House and the Senate. House bill 196 has been backed by more than a third of the chamber’s members and has been referred to the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs. Senate bill 54 is a similar piece of legislation that would establish a Cannabis Control Board as the state’s regulatory body for a legal marijuana market and set up five types of licenses for various businesses. If approved by lawmakers and signed into law, the Board would form on July 1 of this year, with licenses for retailers set to be issued on or before April 1, 2021. The VT Senate is expected to vote (again!) on a retail marijuana bill Thursday. Here’s how it would play out, if passed. Sales could begin in 2021. #vtpoli pic.twitter.com/KeY7ffhT0q — April McCullum (@april_mccullum) February 26, 2019 After previous approval this month in the Judiciary and Finance committees, the Senate Committee on Appropriations voted 7-0 to advance the bill on Tuesday. It now heads to the entire Senate floor, where a could come as early as Thursday. A fiscal note issued by the Vermont Legislative Joint Fiscal Office disclosed cost estimates for the board as well as anticipated revenues from the Senate Judiciary Committee’s recommended 16 percent excise tax. Officials project a range of $3.8 million to $7.4 million in revenue in the first fiscal year and $8.6 million to $16.6 million by 2024. For the recommended five-member Cannabis Control Board, the costs are estimated to be $860,000 in the 2020 fiscal year, $1,010,000 in 2021, and $940,000 in 2022. Gov. Phil Scott (R), who signed the state’s existing noncommercial cannabis legalization law, has said he would only consider approving legislation to tax and regulate marijuana sales if lawmakers fund education and prevention measures. He’s also expressed concerns about the lack of technology to detect impaired driving from cannabis. The Senate has passed bills legalizing retail marijuana sales on three occasions while the House has so far been unable to do so. Dave Silberman, an attorney and pro bono drug policy drug reform advocate from Middlebury, said he’s feeling confident the bill will pass this time as well. “With half the body already sponsoring the legislation, and the bill having been significantly improved in committee on important aspects like promoting equity in the cannabis industry, it’s pretty safe to predict that S.54 will easily pass the Senate with strong tri-partisan support,” he said. “Based on previous voting records, and what new Senators have said about cannabis regulation on the campaign trail, I expect anywhere from 24 to 26 Ayes, with only 4 to 6 Nays.” Photo courtesy of Carlos Gracia.(Reuters) - Big global banks, including Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co and HSBC are bracing for potential tumult on financial markets after Tuesday’s U.S. election. The corporate logo of financial firm Morgan Stanley is pictured on the company's world headquarters in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. January 20, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo As the outcome of the most bitterly fought U.S. presidential elections starts to roll out by Wednesday in Asia, the regional markets will the first to trade on the results. As a result, Asia-focused banks HSBC and Japan’s Nomura Holdings Ltd are among institutions boosting staff levels, while others are raising the margin requirements for trading to cope with a possible spike in volume or volatility. Bank preparations ahead of the election reflect their experience following Britain’s shock vote to leave the European Union in June, when the S&P 500 fell 3.6 percent the day after the poll. In the United States, Morgan Stanley told staff to consider using stop-loss orders, an automated trading mechanism that sells an investor’s position as soon as a stock hits a preset level, if the result causes trading volumes and volatility to spike. The bank also told advisers in its wealth management unit to prepare for election-related conversations with clients and pointed them to relevant pieces of research, according to a Nov. 7 memo reviewed by Reuters. U.S. brokerage TD Ameritrade is adjusting staff rotas to make as many people as possible available to talk to investors who may be unnerved by any election-related volatility. “When the markets move, it can be difficult to put emotion at bay and stick to your plan,” said Kim Hillyer, spokeswoman for TD Ameritrade. TWO PERCENT SWING Traders expect U.S. stock prices to swing by about 2 percent in either direction on Wednesday, the day after the election, based on the price of S&P 500 index options. Options on the PowerShares QQQ Trust Russell 2000 ETF, are pricing similarly large swings before the week is out. Some banks are projecting a more extreme drop in the event of a victory for Republican Donald Trump, with Citigroup Inc estimating that a Trump victory could trigger a 3 percent to 5 percent sell-off for the S&P 500. U.S. stocks rose on Monday as Democrat Hillary Clinton’s prospects brightened after the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it would not press criminal charges related to her use of a private email server while secretary of state. Investors have tended to see Clinton as a more status quo candidate, while Trump’s stances on foreign policy, trade and immigration have unnerved the market. The “market pretty much told you who was going to win today,” said one capital markets official at a major bank who was not planning any extraordinary staffing measures. Another official at a rival bank said Monday’s 2.2 percent rally in U.S. stocks had lowered Wall Street’s collective angst over the election to DEFCON 4 from DEFCON 2, referring to the U.S. Defense Department’s levels of alert. ASIA IMPACT Brokerage Nomura said in a report on Monday the election was the largest “known unknown” markets have had to contend with since the global financial crisis. It said a Trump victory would likely lead to a more than 6 percent drop in Asian equities. The election could result in both higher trading volumes and higher volatility as it’s a bigger event for investors in this region than Brexit, said Stephane Loiseau, head of Societe Generale’s Asia Pacific cash equities and global execution services. It plans to increase front office, back office, and technology staff, “ensuring we have a clear escalation system for handling decision-making”, and possibly raising risk limits.” Chris Weston, chief markets strategist at IG Markets in Melbourne, said his firm had raised margins on U.S. indices and some dollar trades to 1 percent from 0.5 percent, but doesn’t expect to see “a massive collapse or spike”. HSBC will bolster staff on trading floors in major hubs including London and Hong Kong to deal with client requests, said a person with direct knowledge of the plan. “Around any high profile, potentially market-moving event, it is not unusual for some trading desks to increase staffing levels,” said a spokesman for Europe’s biggest bank. Slideshow (2 Images) No U.S. stock exchange plans extraordinary measures to cope with potential market volatility, exchange officials told Reuters on Monday. More than half of the stock and bond fund managers polled by Northern Trust in the third quarter said they expected the election to cause a large increase in market volatility. The extra staffing is similar to what the bank did during Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, he said.Since its announcement three weeks ago, #MobileGo has been receiving a tremendous amount of support. MobileGo recently announced its early investor discount schedule and extra discounts for investing with #GameCredits After two years of development with gaming industry leaders, Datcroft LTD., Gamecredits is near completion of development of the first crypto mobile gaming store. This mobile gaming store has a proprietary payment gateway that allows gamers to use Gamecredits to buy in game content. Gamecredits can be acquired with credit cards and other local payment methods within this gateway. Over 300 games from 150 developers are already signed on and the Gamecredits Mobile Store is scheduled to release in early Q2 of 2017. The MobileGo crowdsale and MobileGo token issuance will help fund marketing and branding of the Gamecredits' Mobile Store and the development of smart contract technology within the platform using the Ethereum blockchain. MobileGo tokens will be used to gamify the mobile platform, and to incentivize gamers for loyalty and participation through rewards. MobileGo tokens will also allow for smart contract technology. MobileGo tokens will allow for the development of a decentralized virtual mobile gamer marketplace, the ability for gamer vs. gamer decentralized match play, and decentralized tournaments run on smart contracts. Details on the discounts here: https://onlinegames.credit/newsletter/issues/26Ross Douthat debated the longtime anti-tax activist at a Washington, D.C., think tank Grover Norquist is famous in Washington, D.C., for getting Republican candidates to pledge that they won't raise taxes, no matter what, if elected. His approach has drawn increased scrutiny lately due to America's ballooning deficit, the debate over raising the debt ceiling, and the fact that years of focusing on tax cuts has never succeeded in forcing legislators to cut spending -- instead the tax cuts have just forced more borrowing, effectively raising taxes on future generations. In the video above, Ross Douthat, the New York Times columnist and Atlantic alum, explains to Norquist why his anti-tax pledge does harm to the GOP's ability to govern and sometimes its political fortunes. It is noteworthy that the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, decided to sponsor this debate. Afterward, Douthat gave Norquist credit for having the courage of his convictions: Amid our current deficit woes he's been a consistent advocate for defense cuts and an Afghan pullout. In other words, he's actually willing to follow his vision of government closer to its logical conclusion than many people on both the right and left -- and I've been in our nation's capitol long enough to know that's no small thing. I don't agree with many of the choices Norquist would make. But at least he's willing to make them.DOHA (Reuters) - Opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were struggling to form a new leadership in Qatar on Saturday despite objections from the Islamist-flavored Syrian National Council (SNC), which fears it will be sidelined. Leading Syrian dissident Riad Seif (C) speaks to the media at the meeting of the General Assembly of the Syrian National Council in Doha November 8, 2012. REUTERS/Mohammed Dabbous The United States and Qatar have pressed the foreign-based SNC to join an assembly proposed by noted Syrian dissident Riad Seif that would include armed rebel groups fighting in Syria. The SNC, criticized for being ineffective, disunited and out of touch with insurgents and activists inside Syria, says its outside backers should do more to arm the rebels and protect civilians, instead of focusing on its own shortcomings. The council’s newly elected head, George Sabra, said Seif’s plan was “the vision of the international community” and criticized as shameful international inaction on Syria. “The international community has not been able to provide enough weapons for Syrians to protect themselves, while the regime is free to kill all and has resources for weaponry,” the leftist Christian told reporters in Doha. Anti-Assad protests erupted nearly 20 months ago, meeting a violent response which led to a conflict that has cost more than 38,000 lives and threatens to spill into neighboring countries. The insurgency, in which Islamist militants have come increasingly to the fore, lacks weaponry to counter the Syrian military’s air power, tanks and artillery. Yet Assad’s forces have failed to crush the rebels, who hold swathes of territory. The SNC hopes it can squeeze guarantees from international backers for more military aid or a no-fly zone to protect “liberated areas” in return for agreeing to join the new body. But Washington rejects overt military involvement in Syria - although some in the opposition hope U.S. President Barack Obama might shift ground after he was reelected this week. Related Coverage Syria opposition leader still hopes for military aid The SNC argues that even if it bows to U.S. pressure for a body that could present itself as a Syrian government-in-waiting, the new organization could not be left undefended. DEMAND FOR MILITARY AID “If we have a transitional government or something like that, we will need protection since it will work on the ground inside Syria,” said former SNC chief Abdulbaset Sieda. A senior SNC figure said former ambassador to Syria Robert Ford had told the group bluntly earlier this week to forget dreams of direct U.S. military aid or intervention. But the SNC official, who asked not to be named, said this did not exclude military help from other unidentified nations. U.S. diplomats have been hovering on the sidelines in Doha, where the SNC held several days of internal talks to revamp its own structure before the wider forum opened on Saturday. The new body, if it sees the light of day, would expect international recognition and more funding and weapons. It would represent Syria at the United Nations and form a government-in-waiting ready to replace Assad, along the lines of Libya’s Transitional National Council that took over last year. SNC figures said a basic agreement could be reached this weekend, but that it would take weeks to thrash out details. Leading Syrian opposition figure Haitham al-Maleh (R) arrives at the meeting of the General Assembly of the Syrian National Council, in Doha November 8, 2012. REUTERS/Mohammed Dabbous The SNC, founded in August last year, is seen as dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists. It is wary of seeing its influence diluted in the proposed 60-member assembly, where it might have about two-fifths of the seats. SNC activists suspect the United States is seeking to take control of the opposition. Some clerics and youth activists have signaled opposition to taking part in any new body. “The people inside Syria don’t see in the initiative a national vision. They see it as a way to undermine the revolution,” one young activist said in Doha.Know what’s the worst? Men who hate women. We’re talking your MRAs (men’s rights activists), your PUAs (pickup artists), your RPs (red pillers. Don’t google it). Let’s just call them all BHBs, or butt-hurt babies. The good thing is that all BHBs have a tell: For some goddamn reason, they all refer to women — human women, not fruit flies in a science experiment — as “females.” Some even say “the female species.” It’s useful, because you know if you see an internet comment that starts with “The thing about females is…,” you don’t have to read any further. But still, it’s the worst. Know what’s the best, though? Kittens. So we collected a few examples of this charming nomenclature, replaced “females” with “felines,” and sent that shit out to an illustrator. Enjoy these pictures of cats ruining men’s lives. “Is this really equality? Is this what you’re fighting for? I lost a good friend because it’s so common for felines to try to score free drinks while contributing nothing.” — Reddit user Equality4All “Western felines (typically anglosphere and western/northern Europe) are self-entitled and come from a psychological position of thinking they’re better than you are.” — Reddit user IllimitableMan “Felines Are Well Adjusted & Trustworthy With Your Life?” — A Voice For Men Forums “Felines Make The Internet An Unsafe Space For All Of Us” — A Voice For Men Forums “Insulting felines online can keep you from getting a job” — A Voice For Men Forums Illustrations by Pat BarrettIn the summer of 2007, two prominent Somali Islamists left their war-torn country for the tranquillity of Qatar's capital, Doha. The men were put up in the five-star Millennium Hotel before addressing a seminar on the evils of Western intervention in their homeland. In a Gulf state with no qualms about hosting radicals from across the Muslim world, there was nothing unusual about this event, save for the fact that one organiser had already crossed America's radar screen for his alleged extremist sympathies. Abdul Rahman al-Nuaimi would later be designated by the US Treasury as a "global terrorist" and accused of sitting at the centre of a web of funding for al-Qaeda affiliates in countries ranging from Yemen to Syria, and from Iraq to Somalia. Although he protests his innocence, Mr Nuaimi was singled out last December for US sanctions, including a travel ban and asset freeze. Despite this public designation, Mr Nuaimi is believed to remain at liberty in Doha. Until he was named by the US Treasury, he was president of Al-Karama, a charity based in Geneva that describes itself as an "independent human rights organisation" dedicated to helping victims of abuses in the "Arab world". Mr Nuaimi, 60, has previously worked as a professor of history at Qatar University and even as president of the Qatar Football Association. As such, he appeared to have a dual existence, serving in the worlds of academia and human rights advocacy while, according to the US treasury, raising money for terrorism. Mr Nuaimi's official US Treasury designation alleges that he "ordered the transfer" of nearly $600,000 (£366,000) to "al-Qaeda" via an individual named as "al-Qaeda's representative in Syria". He had supposedly planned to pass on another $50,000 (£30,000), but this seems to have been thwarted. Earlier, he had allegedly served as a significant fundraiser for al-Qaeda's affiliate in Iraq, possibly overseeing the transfer of as much as "$2 million (£1.2 million) per month", according to the US Treasury. He is also alleged to have liaised between wealthy "Qatari nationals" and "al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders". Mr Nuaimi is accused of helping the Iraqi insurgency in the period just after the US-led invasion in 2003. One of the tasks he allegedly performed was taking messages from the insurgents to "media outlets", presumably including Al Jazeera, the satellite news channel based in Doha. The Treasury believes that Mr Nuaimi's alleged work as a Doha-based terrorist financier went beyond al-Qaeda's affiliates in Iraq and Syria. He is also accused of passing $250,000 (£150,000) to al-Shabaab, the terrorist movement's East Africa wing. This transfer allegedly took place in 2012. In the same year, Mr Nuaimi is also accused of passing an undisclosed sum of money to a charity linked to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the network's affiliate in Yemen. Mr Nuaimi's alleged extremist sympathies had been evident for some years before his supposed activities as a terrorist fundraiser. A leaked cable from the US Embassy in Doha in 2007 describes him as an "Islamist hardliner" and states that he was briefly jailed in 2000, for criticising the wife of Qatar's then ruler for her role in public life. From then on, Mr Nuaimi was "closely watched", states the cable. Despite this, the event he organised in Doha with the Somali Islamists in 2007 was allowed to go ahead with the "tacit blessing" of the government. Meanwhile, his alleged part in funding terrorism took place after his supposed views became known.US President Barack Obama makes his way to board Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House on July 8, 2014 at the White House in Washington, DC. Obama is traveling to Denver, Colorado. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) President Barack Obama will not dump a bucket of ice water over his head for the increasingly viral video Ice Bucket Challenge. Instead, Obama has opted to donate $100 to the charity fighting Lou Gehrig’s disease. (credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) WASHINGTON (CBS DC) — President Barack Obama will not dump a bucket of ice water over his head for the increasingly viral video Ice Bucket Challenge. Instead, Obama has opted to donate $100 to the charity fighting Lou Gehrig’s disease. Ethel Kennedy, 86, the oldest living member of the famous family, challenged Obama over the weekend to accept the challenge to pour a bucket of iced water over his head in a video that aims to raise awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Instead, Obama opted to make a donation directly to an ALS charity this week following his visit to Martha’s Vineyard. “The President appreciates Mrs. Kennedy thinking of him for the challenge – though his contribution to this effort will be monetary,” the White House told the Boston Globe. “The President will be making a donation to an ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) charity this week.” Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, said “Welcome to Cape Cod, Mr. President. I nominate you,” before dumping iced water on her own head in a video filmed at the Kennedy family home and posted to Facebook. More than 20 members of the Kennedy family are seen dumping water on their heads for the ALS awareness social media campaign. Using Twitter’s #IceBucketChallenge, the campaign has gathered a massive social media presence and has seen participation from scores of celebrities and athletes.Looking for news you can trust? Subscribe to our free newsletters. The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), an organizational construct intended to unify the entire African continent (except Egypt) under a single U.S. commander, is due to become fully operational September 30. As described by the Pentagon, it will be a new sort of animal, a combatant command “plus,” that will have the ability to mount military operations, but which will rely primarily on “soft power.” AFRICOM “will support, not shape, U.S. foreign policy on the continent,” Theresa Whelan, the Pentagon’s deputy assistant secretary of defense for African affairs, told a House subcommittee on Wednesday. But despite official assurances, concern is mounting that AFRICOM could stray from its “supporting” role to become the new center of power for U.S. activities in Africa. The issue is central to the ongoing debate over the new command’s proper place. At this week’s hearing of the House Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, the first of two scheduled hearings on AFRICOM, General Michael Snodgrass and Ambassador Mary Yates, both members of the command’s nascent leadership, assured lawmakers that AFRICOM is “a listening, growing, and developing organization dedicated to partnering with African governments, African security organizations, and the international community to achieve U.S. security goals by helping the people of Africa achieve the goals they have set for themselves.” And to its credit, AFRICOM has gone out of its way to calm fears that it represents a new imperial push into the Dark Continent. (It even hosts a blog to keep the public informed of its progress.) AFRICOM’s primary purpose, say proponents, will be to coordinate with the State Department and USAID in the pursuit of “stability operations”—one of the Pentagon’s latest enthusiasms, encoded in Directive 3000.05, which places humanitarian and relief operations on a level plane with combat missions. (You can read my earlier piece on the subject here.) But even AFRICOM’s good intentions cannot disguise the geopolitical realities that compelled its creation. It’s not about doing good works in impoverished countries for their own sake; It’s about national interest. Countering China’s growing military and economic influence in Africa and assuring access to some of the world’s last remaining oil reserves top the list. (The United States now imports just as much oil from Africa as it does from the Middle East.) Terrorism also figures into the equation—primarily the elimination of ungoverned spaces terrorists might call home. Not that these are unreasonable goals. On one level, the U.S. military’s ability to adapt is impressive. But problems could arise if AFRICOM begins to lead policy rather than follow it. A report released yesterday by Refugees International shows that, in the years since 9/11, the Pentagon’s slice of the nation’s foreign aid budget has ballooned at the expense of more traditional providers, like USAID. From the report: Although several high-level task forces and commissions have emphasized the urgne need to modernize our aid infrastructure and increase sustainable development activities, such assistance is increasingly being overseen by military institutions whose policies are driven by the Global War on Terror, not by the war against poverty. Between 1998 and 2005, the percentage of Official Development Assistance the Pentagon has controlled exploded from 3.5% to nearly 22%, while the percentage controlled by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) shrunk from 65% to 40%. As for foreign military financing, the Pentagon’s bread and butter, “more than half of the FY09 budget request… is for just two countries—Djibouti and Ethiopia—considered key partners in the continental War on Terror.” AFRICOM has countered criticism of its “militarization” of foreign aid with reminders that its command structure will include representatives of other federal agencies, such as State and USAID, to ensure that policy is still guided by civilian authorities. This, for example, explains Ambassador Yates’ appointment as “deputy to the commander for civil-military activities.” But though the Pentagon had planned for 25 percent of AFRICOM’s headquarters staff to come from federal civilian agencies, it recently revised the requirement down to just 4 percent, citing difficulty on the part of partner agencies to spare staff for inter-agency assignments. As the GAO’s John Pendleton told the House subcommittee: Although DOD has often stated that AFRICOM is intended to support, not lead, U.S. diplomatic and development efforts in Africa, State Department officials expressed concern that AFRICOM would become the lead for all U.S. government activities in Africa, even though the U.S. embassy leads decision-making on U.S. government non-combat activities in that country. Other State and USAID officials noted that the creation of AFRICOM could blur traditional boundaries among diplomacy, development, and defense, thereby militarizing U.S. foreign policy… Nongovernmental organizations are concerned that this would put their aid workers at greater risk if their activities are confused or associated with U.S. military activities. Such concerns are overblown, says Whelan. “The intent is not for DOD generally, or for [AFRICOM] at the operational-level, to assume the lead in areas where State and/or USAID have clear lines of authority.” Instead, AFRICOM will simply “allow the DOD to better coordinate its own efforts, in support of State Department leadership, to better build security capacity in Africa.”Iranian supporters participate in a rally at the White House against Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and his alleged killing of 52 Iranian dissidents at Camp Ashraf in Iraq, on November 1, 2013 IN Washington, D.C. President Obama is scheduled to meet with Maliki today in the Oval Office. UPI/Kevin Dietsch \| License Photo EDINBURGH, Scotland, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The violent arrest in Iraq of leading Sunni Member of Parliament Ahmed al-Alwani marks yet another step in that country's rapid descent into sectarian anarchy and civil war. Alwani is chairman of the Iraqi Parliament's important Economics Committee. More significantly, he is a leading critic of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and an arch opponent of the spread of Iranian influence in Iraq. He led recent demonstrations in Ramadi against the sectarian oppression of the Shiite-led government and wrote to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton bewailing Iraq's appalling human rights record, citing the massacre of defenseless Iranian dissidents in a refugee camp near Baghdad as evidence of Maliki's malign rule. The almost inevitable reaction from the increasingly despotic prime minister was a trumped-up charge of terrorism against Alwani and a large contingent of heavily armed troops, with 50 armored vehicles and a military helicopter were sent to arrest him at his home in a village in Anbar Province, at dawn Saturday. The ensuing carnage saw Alwani's brother and eight other family members and bodyguards shot dead and the MP himself dragged off to a prison in Baghdad. RELATED Four killed as Iraqi forces move to arrest member of parliament Alwani's immunity from prosecution as an Iraqi MP was conveniently ignored by Maliki, who says charges of terrorism override any such constitutional niceties. This is becoming routine for the Iraqi prime minister. Almost exactly a year ago, Iraq's Sunni Finance Minister Rafie al-Issawi had his home and offices raided by security forces. A total of 150 of his bodyguards and staff members were arrested on charges of terrorism, setting off widespread protests and demonstrations in the six predominantly Sunni provinces throughout the country. This event followed the attempted arrest of Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, the day after U.S. troops pulled out of Iraq on Dec. 19, 2011. Hashemi, the most senior Sunni in the Iraqi government, was also a fierce critic of Maliki and an opponent of Iranian meddling in Iraq. His 13 bodyguards were arrested, tortured and sentenced to death. Hashemi himself has been sentenced to death in absentia no fewer than five times and lives in exile in Turkey. The crackdown on leading Sunni politicians by the overtly Shiite prime minister seems to follow a clear pattern. Each time Maliki visits Tehran he receives instructions from his puppet master Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This always involves ordering the arrest of another Sunni political leader when he returns to Baghdad. Maliki also almost invariably initiates a military assault on the 3,000 People's Mujahedin of Iran refugees held in a prison-like camp near Baghdad. The PMOI is feared and loathed by the Iranian regime as its main political opponent and the mullahs repeatedly demand action from the Iraqi prime minister to annihilate the refugees. So far the resulting bloody assaults by Iraqi forces have led to more than 130 deaths of these defenseless men and women, in repeated armed massacres and rocket attacks. Seven hostages, including six women, were abducted by Iraqi SWAT teams on Sept. 1 and are being held in secret locations in Baghdad. One of the hostages was killed in Iraqi custody, Iranian media reported last week. The United States, European Union and United Nations, which signed over protection of these people to Iraq, refuse to intervene. The most recent attack on the PMOI took place Friday, only days after Maliki returned from Tehran. Three refugees were killed and 71 wounded as a barrage of dozens of Katyusha rockets and ground-to-ground missiles rained down on Camp Liberty, near Baghdad airport. The Iraqi government has meanwhile prevented the 3,000 PMOI refugees from taking delivery of their hard hats and armored vests, which were left behind in their previous home, Camp Ashraf. More than 17,500 protective concrete T-walls were deliberately dismantled by Iraqi forces, to ensure the 3,000 refugees are sitting ducks for future bloody assaults. Ominously and clearly also acting on instructions from Tehran, Maliki has allowed the free flow of Iranian and Hezbollah military personnel and equipment through Iraq to bolster the dictatorship of Bashir Assad in neighboring Syria. The payback for Maliki's slavish submission to the mullahs' demands will be Iranian support for his re-election to a third term as Iraq's prime minister. Elections are due on April 30, although the increasing insurgency, sectarian conflict, abuse of human rights, corruption, torture, secret prisons and mass executions point to Maliki's defeat, unless, as is more than likely, he and his Iranian allies orchestrate massive electoral fraud. The West, meanwhile, which stupidly supported Maliki, stands impotently on the sidelines as Iraq spirals toward civil war. It is time the United States, European Union and United Nations rediscovers its collective backbone. They have lamely spawned a new dictatorship in Iraq and are wringing their hands in frustration as that country becomes a failed state, with Iran poised to be the sole beneficiary. -- (Struan Stevenson is a Conservative member of the European Parliament from Scotland and president of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Iraq.) -- (United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)Women are turning against Donald Trump Donald John TrumpREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails Trump urges North Korea to denuclearize ahead of summit Venezuela's Maduro says he fears 'bad' people around Trump MORE, according to a new poll — something Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly was quick to highlight Thursday on Twitter. Kelly spotlighted a Reuters/Ipsos survey released that morning showing that half of U.S. women have a “very unfavorable” view of the GOP presidential front-runner. Half of U.S. women have'very unfavorable' view of Trump: poll https://t.co/OVfQjKAs2l via @Reuters# — Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) March 17, 2016 ADVERTISEMENT Animosity toward the billionaire is also increasing among American women, pollsters discovered. Reuters on Thursday said that Trump’s “very unfavorable” rating among that demographic has increased 10 points since October. “If the presidential election were tomorrow, women would be a big problem for Trump,” said Republican strategist David Carney. "But he has time to fix it." Reuters reported that women constitute more than half of the nation’s population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, adding that they have boasted higher voter turnout numbers in every election since 1996. Trump does not encounter nearly the same skepticism from America’s male voting bloc. Pollsters found that 36 percent of U.S. men have a “very unfavorable” view of the real estate tycoon, a figure that has remained consistent since October. Reuters/Ipsos conducted its latest sampling of 3,500 respondents via interviews from March 1-15. Trump sparked shock last summer by declaring that Kelly had “blood coming out of her nose, out of her wherever” after the first GOP presidential debate, where Kelly had confronted him over his past remarks about women. Trump has feuded with the Fox News host since then, and has taken to calling her "crazy Megyn" on Twitter. The celebrity biillionaire has frequently struggled with accusations of misogyny, with one anti-Trump group releasing an ad last Monday using Trump’s own words against him. “If you believe America deserves better, vote against Donald Trump,” the spot from Our Principles PAC said, after having women recite Trump’s past insults including “bimbo” and “fat pig."Natural redheads account for less than 2% of the world's population Ginger Parrot Apple recently rolled out a more diverse set of emoji, so now, instead of only a default pale white complexion, emoji people will come in a range of six skin tones. One specific coloring however, is absent: the redhead. Redhead-focused website Ginger Parrot has launched a Change.org petition in response to this oversight, begging Apple to include a redheaded emoji in its next release. "Despite the recent racial and sexual 'diversification' of Apple's emoji to be released in the next iOS 8.3 update, there's still an important group of people missing from the emoji family of 300 new symbols," Ginger Parrot's petition reads. "If you say you're going to diversify, why not add a few red-haired emoji in the mix
something one can buy or consume. Of course, real modern-day lumberjacks still exist. And many lumbersexuals may indeed have a genuine interest in the outdoors and forestry. Still, lumbersexuality, like metrosexuality, is primarily market and culture driven, a symptom of an era when men switched their traditional roles as producers to newer roles of consumers. Susan Alexander, in analyzing and comparing gender themes in the novel “Shampoo Planet” to contemporary gender roles, writes how the traditional role of masculinity has been “mutating under the stresses of a new social structure in which consumption is more important than production. Masculinity itself is constructed as a product available for consumption if one merely chooses the appropriate brand names.” The idea of masculinity as a product is perhaps shown best in BespokePost, an online men’s store that delivers a box full of manly gear to your door once a month. The implementation of this indirectly hints at the idea that masculinity is an object one can buy for a monthly fee in the form of a delivered box of assorted goods. In this way, modern masculinity has become more defined by the current marketed fashion fad than by a solidified set of characteristics or some intrinsic sense of “true masculinity” (if such a notion even exists). And the occurence of the lumbersexual is only one such sub-masculinity — from Bronies to gamers to hipsters, there is a sea of other cultural associations that have come to mold masculinity into their own diverse forms. In the vacuum of traditional male roles within the context of post-industrial society, weaker categories, subcultures and associations have come to define masculinity. No better can this phenomenon be observed than in the analysis of the # GamerGate incident within the self-identified gaming community. While #GamerGate was a fairly complex situation, it ultimately boiled down to a portion of young males gamers attacking and threatening women in the videogame industry over the internet. At one point, when female game critics like Anita Sarkeesian tried to show the sexist content embedded in modern video games, they were met with death threats by GamerGaters who saw women like Sarkesian as trying to destroy their gaming community. These young men — the GamerGaters — don't just see the gamer community as a secondary subculture. For them, being part of the community is an important part of their masculinity, which they must defend by warding of women who corrupt the perceived masculinity of the gaming subculture. As feminist philosophy and women's studies have expanded over the last few years, western society has seen the masculine identity quietly splinter into various different sub-masculinities: gamer, brony, metrosexual and lumbersexual, to name a few. Little emphasis has been put on studying contemporary forms of masculinity and how masculinity has become fragmented by trends in the context of post-industrial consumerist society. Despite the confidently poised models splashed on men’s style magazines, the modern man is more lost than ever before in identifying his masculinity. The lumbersexual trend, rather than signifiying a return to true masculinity, is in fact yet another fashion fad set squarely within this bleak context. Hasan Khan is an Opinion columnist for the Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at h.khan@cavalierdaily.comThe Discovery and Development of Penicillin An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org FROM Ray Greek, MD, Americans for Medical Advancement (AFMA) May 2010 Penicillin was not the result of basic research using animals. Animal use actually misled Fleming suggesting penicillin would be ineffective systemically. The discovery and development of penicillin is often heralded by those who advocate using animals in research as an example of a breakthrough that was dependent upon animals. They triumphantly point to the mice that were used to test the drug in the early 1940s. On a web page from the Foundation for Biomedical Research, the awarding of the Nobel Prize in 1945 to Fleming, Florey and Chain for the discovery and development of penicillin is listed as being dependent upon research with mice [1]. What role did mice specifically, and animals in general, play in the discovery and development of penicillin? In this essay I will show that far from being necessary, animals models in general misled researchers and society would have had penicillin much earlier were it not for these misleading results. MacFarlane, a scientist that conducted research on penicillin credited serendipity for the discovery: " ... a series of chance events of almost unbelievable improbability." [2] The importance of serendipity can be illustrated by the fact that other scientists who initially tried to grow Flemings anti-bacterial chemical in their own labs failed. For a time, many suggested that Fleming had been mistaken about his results. [2] Another unfamiliar fact about penicillin is that Fleming actually rediscovered it. Steffee: Folklore of the mid-19th century encouraged the application of mold to a fresh wound as protection against subsequent infection. In 1871, Sir John Burden-Sanderson reported that liquid culture media exposed to air rapidly became turbid with bacteria, but if a Penicillium mold happened to grow on the surface of the broth less turbidity ensued [3]... Subsequently, William Roberts in 1874 [4] and John Tyndall in 1876 [5] described the tendency of Penicillium glaucum to inhibit bacterial growth in liquid media. [6] To begin with we might question the role of mice based on statements by Fleming himself: How fortunate we didnt have these animal tests in the 1940s, for penicillin would probably never been granted a license, and possibly the whole field of antibiotics might never have been realized. [7] And from Florey: Mice were used in the initial toxicity tests [by Florey and Chain] because of their small size, but what a lucky chance it was, for in this respect man is like the mouse and not the guinea-pig. If we had used guinea-pigs exclusively we should have said that penicillin was toxic, and we probably should not have proceeded to try and overcome the difficulties of producing the substance for trial in man. [8] (Emphasis added) His statement was reinforced by Koppanyi and Avery [9]. Fleming re-discovered penicillin and proceeded to test it in vitro and in vivo on rabbits and mice (he mentions the rabbits in his original paper). The in vitro results showed promise, as did topical application on rabbits. But when given systemically, the rabbits metabolized it too rapidly and led Fleming to believe it would be ineffective for humans when administered systemically that is by mouth or intravenously. Therefore he put the life saving antibiotic on the shelf and essentially forgot about it. He did occasionally use it on topical infections but never even tried it on humans with systemic infections. Some have criticized Fleming for not trying penicillin systemically on humans. His reluctance was based on the rabbit study. Weisse: [Fleming was discouraged about penicillins possible use because first... ] Third, after injection into an ear vein of a rabbit and with blood samples taken periodically thereafter for testing, it was found that penicillin was rapidly removed from the bloodstream. Samples taken at 30 minutes were found almost completely devoid of activity. Of what use might be an antibacterial agent that took several hours to act but was removed from the body within 30 minutes and inhibited by the blood with which it would obviously be mixing? [10] Steffee states: Fleming considered penicillin a potential chemotherapeutic agent, but his early in-vivo investigations were discouraging. In rabbits, serum levels of penicillin dropped rapidly after parenteral administration, too fast to allow the several hours of contact with bacteria required for an effect in vitro. [6] The rabbits excreted penicillin in their urine so rapidly Fleming did not think the drug would be effective. A believer in animal models being predictive, he assumed that humans would react like rabbits. This mistake cost lives! Unfortunately, the same mindset is still costly lives. Steffee, for example, defends Flemings laying penicillin aside based on the rabbit work stating: how many therapeutic modalities with the poor in vivo results of Flemings early penicillin trials would be offered continued funding today [6]? Note also, that Weisse defends Flemings decision not to use more animals: One might well wonder why, given the uncontrolled devastation of bacterial diseases, no further experiments on animals or humans were undertaken. The rapid disappearance from the blood has already been mentioned... Even the choice not to use animal experiments more extensively, a routine practice of investigators on the continent, could be defended by Fleming and his group. After all, there might be differences between humans and other animals in resistance or susceptibility to different infections [10]. Fleming continued to grow penicillin and even administered it to humans prior to the 1940s. Fleming routinely gave penicillin to humans with topical infections for years after 1929 [11-14]. Through a student of his, GG Paine, Fleming gave it to four humans suffering from ophthalmic neonatorum, an eye disease of infants, three of whom responded well [2, 3, 15] p.634]. Paine went on to treat more patients with penicillin [15-17]. Fleming also treated KB Rogers, an assistant in the lab [3]. Physicians at Columbia University also used penicillin to treat bacterial infections of the eye [3, 16, 18, 19]. Fletcher of Oxford was another physician that used penicillin to treat bacterial infections of the eye [3]. All these were topical uses, not systemic. Such human observation also encouraged Florey to continue the penicillin purification process. As Henderson wrote in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings: About that time, Florey who had been at Sheffield before his appointment at Oxford recalled Paines (previously mentioned) successful topical treatment of ophthalmic neonatorium with a crude broth of penicillin. All these factors gave Florey and Chain hope that systematically administered penicillin might have therapeutic potential in humans. [2] Florey and Chain conducted research with penicillin and produced a purified product using basic chemistry. The purified product was tested on mice resulting in cures of otherwise fatal infections. Fleming obtained the more pure form of penicillin, which he gave to his friend in 1942, from Florey. The purification process was classic in vitro research, based on knowledge of chemistry. If Florey gained the confidence to proceed, based on tests in mice, that does not mean that animals were incumbent for the development of the drug. If he had used guinea pigs, who knows what would have happened? The penicillin story is actually an example of one of the conundrums of using animals to model humans. The bottom line is: Which animal do we believe? Florey emphasized species differences when he stated: Mice were used in the initial toxicity tests because of their small size, but what a lucky chance it was, for in this respect man is like the mouse and not the guinea-pig. If we had used guinea-pigs exclusively we should have said that penicillin was toxic, and we probably should not have proceeded to try and overcome the difficulties of producing the substance for trial in man. [8] The fact that Florey and Chain used mice to test penicillin is not an example of animals being necessary for a discovery. In fact, Florey and Chain almost made another anima-based mistake. If they had the guinea pig, society would have had to wait even longer for penicillin. The basis for the claim that mice were necessary for penicillins development emphasizes the fact that the animal model community, even in light of current knowledge of evolutionary biology, genomics, and complex systems continues to insist that results from animals can be directly extrapolated to humans. It is thinking of this nature that delays personalized medicine and cures. Animal models are not predictive for humans vis-à-vis drug testing and disease research. (See Animal Models in Light of Evolution and FAQs About the Use of Animals in Science for more on this.) Prior to Florey and Chain testing penicillin on humans, Fleming eventually tried penicillin on a human because of necessity (the reason many such advances are initially applied to humans). Fleming gave it to a friend who was dying in the hospital. Weisse continues: In August 1942, a close personal friend of Fleming had contracted streptococcal meningitis. When conventional therapy failed and death seemed imminent, Fleming turned to Florey for help. The latter personally delivered his remaining supply of penicillin to Fleming and instructed him in the initial use of it. A dramatic cure was obtained, even the more so since penicillin was administered into the spinal canal for the first time to enhance its effectiveness. Publicity surrounding Flemings friend led to funding to develop the drug and Fleming went down in history as the person responsible for penicillin [10]. Florey and Chains use of mice so they could administer penicillin to humans was for naught as Fleming gave the drug to his friend out of necessity, not based on the tests in mice. Florey, co-winner of the Nobel Prize for penicillin, administered penicillin to a cat at the same time Fleming was giving it to his sick friend. Floreys cat died [20]. Under certain circumstances, penicillin kills guinea pigs and Syrian hamsters [21, 22]. In addition, penicillin is teratogenic in rats, causing limb malformations in offspring. This is one of the problems with using animals to predict human response. If you had been Fleming, Florey or one of the other scientists, which species would you have believed? The dead cat? The rabbit that metabolized penicillin so rapidly? The guinea pigs and hamsters it would have killed had it been tested on them? Or the mice on which it worked? Penicillin was not the result of basic research using animals. Animal use actually misled Fleming suggesting penicillin would be ineffective systemically. References Nobel Prizes Henderson JW: The yellow brick road to penicillin: a story of serendipity. Mayo Clin Proc 1997, 72:683-687. MacFarlane G: Alexander Fleming: The Man and the Myth. Cambridge: Harvard University Press; 1984. Roberts W: Studies on biogenesis. Phil Trans R Soc 1874, 164:457-477. Tyndall J: The optical deportment of the atmosphere in relation to the phenomena of putrefaction and infection. Phil Trans R Soc 1876, 166:27-74. Steffee CH: Alexander Fleming and penicillin. The chance of a lifetime? N C Med J 1992, 53:308-310. Parke DV: Clinical Pharmacokinetics in Drug Safety Evaluation. ATLA 1994, 22:207-209. Florey H: The advance of chemotherapy by animal experiment. Conquest 1953, 41:12. Koppanyi T, Avery MA: Species differences and the clinical trial of new drugs: a review. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1966, 7:250-270. Weisse AB: The long pause. The discovery and rediscovery of penicillin. Hosp Pract (Off Ed) 1991, 26:93-96, 101-104, 107 passim. Wainwright M: The mystery of the plate: Fleming's discovery and contribution to the early development of penicillin. J Med Biogr 1993, 1:59-65. Hare R: Hare R. Uncataloged archives. Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine. Letter, December 6, 1955 from Dolman to Hare, Letter December 29, 1955 from Rogers to Hare, Letter June 12, 1955 from Craddock to Hare. Swan H: Medicine in Sheffield. Q J Med 1992, 296:1041-1049. Diggins FW: The true history of the discovery of penicillin, with refutation of the misinformation in the literature. Br J Biomed Sci 1999, 56:83-93. Florey HW, Chain E, Heatley NG, Jennings MA, Sanders AG, Abraham EP, Florey ME: Antibiotics: A Survey of Penicillin, Streptomycin, and Other Antimicrobial Substances from Fungi, Actinomycetes, Bacteria and Plant. vol II. London: Oxford University Press; 1949. Hedley-Whyte J, Milamed DR: Lobar pneumonia treated by Musgrave Park physicians. Ulster Med J 2009, 78:119-128. MacFarlane G: Howard Florey: the making of a great scientist. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1979. Dawson MH, Hobby GL, Meyer K, Chafee EJ: Penicillin as a chemotherapeutic agent. Proceedings of the Thirty-Third Annual Meeting of the American Society for Clinical Investigation held in Atlantic City, NJ, May 5, 1941. J Clin Invest 1941, 20:433-465. Laurence WL: Giant germicide yielded by mold. In New York Times. pp. 23. New York; 1941:23. Allison VD: Personal recollections of Sir Almroth Wright and Sir Alexander Fleming. Ulster Med J 1974, 43:89-98. Harare DM, Rake C, McKee C, M., MacPhillamy HB: The toxicity of penicillin as prepared for clinical use. Am J M Sc 1943, 206:642-652. Schneierson SS, Perlman E: Toxicity of penicillin for the Syrian hamster. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1956, 91:229-230. Return to Animal Rights Articles Read more at Alternatives to Animal Testing, Experimentation and DissectionFREMONT, California — Elon Musk just tells us flat out. “This car has been harder to make than the Model S,” he says. “It cost more to engineer, and it’s more complicated to manufacture. We got carried away with making things that maybe weren’t necessary to make the car sell. If we knew what the engineering costs were, we might not have built the car this way at all.” Welcome to the car business, Mr. Musk. You started out with a clever idea and built a pretty nice car for CFOs to drive around Silicon Valley, but now you’re faced with the most demanding challenge of all, which is to build a practical car for the way real people live. Really, it’s almost easier to build one of your SpaceX rockets. Sit down in the car of the future There are dozens of examples of adventurous technology within the 2016 Tesla Model X. There’s the familiar all-wheel-drive platform propelled by dual battery-powered electric motors. A camera, radar, and 360-degree sonar sensors enable active safety measures that include both forward and side collision avoidance. Crazily elaborate sunshades deploy from the interior of the A-pillars, while the ventilation system so scrupulously scrubs the air clean of particulates that its most stringent operation calibration is lightheartedly described as “bio-weapon deterrent mode.” But for us the real magic lies in the space within the Model X. From behind the wheel, you’re aware first of the enormous piece of glass that rises in front of you and arches over your head, especially the way in which it’s been carefully tinted in a series of gradations to protect you from the sun. (“It looks like a tiramisu,” Musk laughs.) You also get a panoramic view ahead from one side of the road to the other, an impression fostered by the nearly vertical side glass. The step-in height is relatively low, although the door sills are wide. Of course, let’s not forget the unique “falcon” doors that are hung from a magnesium spine integrated into the underside of the roof. Meant to operate with ballet-style grace, these doors seem like a designer’s self-indulgence at first, but then you notice the way in which they foster easier access to the rear seat by minimizing the effective width of the door sills. Sensors allow the double-hinged doors to open in two different arcs depending on the proximity of exterior obstacles, and only a foot of clearance is required. The second-row seats (both two-across and three-across configurations are available) sit on individual pylons in order to offer under-seat storage. A one-touch button slides them far rearward to maximize legroom or makes them pitch forward and dive close to the front seat to provide useful access to the third-row seats. The twin rear seats fold down to provide a flat cargo floor. A sizable storage well beneath the rear floor adds further cargo capacity, as does the small storage space beneath the front hood. Not exactly a compact sport-utility Although the taut, sleek panels of this very stylish package disguise it, the 2016 Tesla Model X is a very large vehicle. It stretches 197.0 inches overall on its 120.5-inch wheelbase, while the roof towers high above the pavement at 63.9 inches. And a Model X in dual-motor, all-wheel-drive P90D trim weighs a mighty 5,441 lbs. And yet by some miracle, the Model X doesn’t feel ponderous to drive. The low center of gravity that comes from the weight of the batteries beneath the floor enables this package to change direction willingly, and the standard 20-inch Continental tires provide cornering grip without ride harshness (22-inch Pirelli PZero Scorpion tires are available to quicken handling response). Thanks to a combined 762 hp and 713 lb-ft of torque from its dual electric motors, the all-wheel-drive Tesla Model X P90D gets to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. (Or it’ll get there in 3.2-seconds with so-called “Ludricrous” mode; you remember “Space Balls,” don’t you?) The Model X will even tow 5,000 lbs. Tesla is equally enthusiastic about the likelihood of a 5-star safety rating by the Model X in all impact tests. Part of such safety comes from the lengthy crumple zones front and rear to absorb impact energy, while the aluminum pillars and steel frame rails add structural rigidity to preserve the integrity of the cabin. And oddly enough, the weight of the battery pack in the floor of the vehicle apparently helps the Model X land on its wheels in rollover incidents. Worth the trouble The 2016 Tesla Model X is on sale now in both 90D and P90D trim, priced at about $5,000 more than a comparably equipped Tesla Model S sedan. It will be some time before we see more affordable models. Meanwhile, we’ve only driven it around the block a couple times just like everyone else, so it’s far too soon to presume any sort of final judgment about what we have here. Nevertheless, we expect the 2016 Tesla Model X to be pretty good, especially since the company has been working on it since 2012, when the first styling concept was presented. Of course, maybe it’s a good thing that so many years have passed, since our feelings about Tesla have changed. We’ve grown used to each introduction of a new Tesla being a cultural event, just as this one was at the Tesla facility near the company’s assembly pant in Fremont, California. We expect Elon Musk to do his MTV strut on a stage in front of hundreds fans as the music pounds all around. And now we find it charming (not disturbing) when Musk says about the Model X, “It raises the bar for automotive engineering like nothing else in the world. It is the car of the future.” 2016 Tesla Model X P90D Specifications On Sale: Now Now Price: $140,000 (est) $140,000 (est) Motors: AC induction, 259 hp, 244 lb-ft front; 503 hp, 479 lb-ft rear AC induction, 259 hp, 244 lb-ft front; 503 hp, 479 lb-ft rear Transmission: 1-speed automatic 1-speed automatic Layout: 4-door, 6-passenger, dual-motor AWD SUV 4-door, 6-passenger, dual-motor AWD SUV EPA Mileage: 89 MPGe (est) 89 MPGe (est) Suspension F/R: Control arms, coil springs; multilink, coil springs Control arms, coil springs; multilink, coil springs Brakes F/R: vented discs vented discs Tires F/R: Pirelli P Zero Scorpion Pirelli P Zero Scorpion L x W x H: 197.0 x 82.0 x 63.9 in (est) 197.0 x 82.0 x 63.9 in (est) Wheelbase: 120.5 in (est) 120.5 in (est) Headroom: N/A N/A Shoulder Room: N/A N/A Cargo Room: N/A N/A Towing: N/A N/A Weight: 5,441 lb 5,441 lb 0-60 mph: 3.8 sec Â¼-Mile: N/A N/A Top Speed: 155 mph Tesla isn’t Elon Musk’s charming little hobby anymore. It’s become a serious car company, and it belongs now to the people who build the cars, buy the cars, or who just love the brand. It turns out that Tesla’s secret super-hero power isn’t electric power or exotic technology or even the Silicon Valley way of doing things. Instead the secret power is the feeling it gives you that something good will come of all this, and Tesla Model X makes us feel as if this company is well and truly on its way at last.It is the goal of The World Speed Project™ (WSP) to obtain every available VHS copy of the hit 1994 action/adventure film Speed, starring Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Hopper, Jeff Daniels, and Joe Morton. Currently, the collection is at over 500 copies (we haven't counted in awhile; it's boring). To this end, the WSP purchased its very own bus in 2012 with the express purpose of converting our bus into a small scale replica of the bus in the film Speed. This bus will be used for a national tour wherein the WSP will display the collection at gallery showings, county fairs, diy punk basement shows, collector's conventions, and the like; as well as hunt for VHS copies hidden all over the U.S. and World. Project 2525: The World Speed Project Bus Conversion, then, is the first phase in the overall project. Through Project 2525, we hope to raise the funds necessary to complete all the repairs and painting to convert our bus into a likeness of the bus from the film. Hence Project 2525, is a derivation of the bus number in the film. The WSP's bus is a 1988 Dodge Ramvan B350 van converted to a bus. The van was originally used as a patient shuttle for a small outpatient clinic in Spokane, Washington. The van has seating for 14 passengers, as well as a genuine bus door that must be operated using a handle by the driver. In other words, it's a real bus. Currently, the van needs a few minor repairs to prevent its overheating a la vapor lock. It is estimated that the $2,500 we're asking for will cover both the engine repair and the paint job. Any additional funds accrued will go solely toward upgrades on the van, as the $2,500 is bare minimum needed to repair the engine and paint the van alone. In addition to the engine repair and paint job, the van needs new tires, a new engine cover, holes in the floor sealed, various repairs to the body, and the windows tinted to protect the copies from sun damage during travel. Every donation goes toward things of this nature. We at the World Speed Project are asking you to help us complete the first phase of our project. Remember: the funding deadline for this project is June 10th 2014; which, is the 20th anniversary of the release of the film. If you would like to connect personally with the project, here are number of ways to become involved: 1. "Like" The World Speed Project Facebook page Here. 2. Join The World Speed Project Facebook Group Here. 3. Visit The World Speed Project Blogspot Here. 4. Send us your VHS copies of the film! Address copies as follows: Chairman Ryan Beitz The World Speed Project 20204 SR 195 Pullman, WA 99163 U.S.A. 5. Send us an email at: theworldspeedproject@gmail.comNo one can know for sure what the incoming Trump administration will do, but President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized and threatened the media in the United States. In lieu of attempting the impossible and predicting the future, we’ve gathered all of Trump’s stated positions on free speech and freedom of the press. If you are aware of any additional statements that we have not included, please email kate@eff.org with a link to your source material, and we will consider it for inclusion. While running for president, Trump made his general feelings about the press very clear. He has called the media “dishonest” and described reporters as “scum,” “sleaze,” and “horrible people.” At a rally last February, he famously said, "I'm going to open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money." In the past, Trump has filed frivolous lawsuits against media defendants that threaten to silence critics and draw scarce resources away from important reporting work. For example, in 1984, Trump sued the Chicago Tribune and its Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic, Paul Gapp for an article that made fun of Trump's proposal to build a 150-story skyscraper on landfill in New York. In 2006, Trump sued Time Warner Books and an author for publishing a book that reported Trump was worth substantially less than he claimed. He sued for $5 billion in damages. And during the election, Trump sued Univision and its head of programming for dropping coverage of the Miss Universe pageant (in response to Trump’s comments that Mexicans are rapists), and for posting a picture of Trump next to a picture of convicted murderer Dylan Roof on Instagram with the comment “Sin commentaries.” Although none of these statements met the libel standard and Trump failed to win any case, in each the media defendants had to hire—and pay—lawyers to defend themselves—all the way to the appellate court in at least one case. Trump said, about one case he lost, “I liked it because I cost him a lot of time and a lot of energy and a lot of money.” SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Help Keep Common Dreams Alive Our progressive news model only survives if those informed and inspired by this work support our efforts Trump has repeatedly denied the media access. During his campaign, he pulled out of two debates because he reportedly didn’t like the way he was treated by Fox News and its reporter, Megyn Kelly. He also pulled the credentials of several national media outlets, including the Washington Post, for ideological disagreements, and, in the Post’s case, for an arguably inaccurate headline. The Post’s Executive Editor Marty Baron called the move, “nothing less than a repudiation of a free and independent press.” Trump’s campaign also blacklisted reporters from Gawker, BuzzFeed, Foreign Policy, Politico, Fusion, Univision, Mother Jones, the New Hampshire Union Leader, the Des Moines Register, the Daily Beast and Huffington Post. That left reporters having “to try to walk into public events with the general crowd rather than being escorted into the press section.” However, when one Politico reporter tried to report from the general audience section at a Trump rally instead of the press pen, Trump’s staff kicked him out and then denied him credentials to a later campaign event. Since winning the election, the incoming administration has broken from the practices of past incoming presidents in ways that could impact how the press reports on and the public learns about its activities. For example, Trump broke from “decades of tradition” by not traveling with a press pool during his campaign and continued to do so even after the election. This meant that the public often learned about Trump’s conversations with leaders of foreign countries from the countries themselves, rather than the press. And Trump’s incoming Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus, implied in an interview last week that the new administration may do away with daily press briefings in the White House.Police have arrested two Somali-born men in connection with a bag discovered at the central train station of Bonn that was loaded with potential explosives, causing the temporary closure of the train station. The first suspect was reportedly arrested on Tuesday around 1:30 p.m. in a Bonn Internet cafe. The suspect was identified as Omar D. The regional daily Bonner General-Anzeiger then reported on a second arrest later in the day near a bridge over the Rhine river, though it was not immediately confirmed. The second suspect was another Somali, Abdirazak B. Both are reportedly well-known to authorities as Islamlist extremists. In September 2008 they were detained on a runway at the Cologne/Bonn airport after they boarded a plane to Amsterdam. Investigators at the time believed a love letter written by Omar D. to a young woman was intended as a final goodbye and that the two men were planning on joining the armed jihad. Both were released shortly after their arrest. Sources said the two suspects were identified by youths who said they saw them near the scene around the time when the bag was found. Authorities were reportedly looking over cell phone data to determine if the suspects were indeed in the area. Opened with a Robot Sources told SPIEGEL ONLINE that the bag at the train station contained butane gas and ammonium nitrate, as well as a metal pipe, an alarm clock and batteries. Investigators initially described the bag's contents as "potentially explosive material." Explosives experts were investigating whether the material found in the bag could have actually led to an explosion. The bag was reported to train station employees around midday on Monday, prompting authorities to shut the train station down. The bag was opened with a robot, uncovering metal containers filled with a kind of powder. The train station's closure led to major disruptions in train travel. Many regional trains were canceled and long-distance trains were rerouted. The station was reopened late Monday evening and train travel was back to normal by Tuesday morning. With reporting by Jörg Diehl in DüsseldorfSHARE By The bad news is no one in Wisconsin won the $636 million Mega Millions jackpot in Tuesday night's drawing. Ticket-holders in California and Georgia will be claiming that prize. The good news is several lesser winning tickets were sold in Wisconsin, including one $20,000 ticket. Wisconsin lottery officials haven't said for sure yet where that ticket was sold, but they've identified eight locations that sold either the $20,000 ticket or one of several $5,000 winners, including in Milwaukee at Pantry 41 on E. North Ave and Milwaukee Foods on W. Clybourn Ave. Wisconsin's other winning tickets were sold in Brodhead, Delafield, Oakdale, Oregon, West Bend and Whitewater. The location where the $20,000 ticket was sold is expected to be identified later Wednesday. The winning numbers were 8, 14, 17, 20 and 39, with a Mega Ball of 7. Tuesday night's jackpot was the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.Bitcoin is a digital currency that was introduced in 2009, by a mysterious man – who may or may not exist – known as "Satoshi Nakamoto". Since then, they’ve become the payment of choice for the kind of nefarious websites (such as Silk Road and The Armoury) where you can buy everything; from kilos of uncut Afghan heroin, to bulk shipments of C4 explosives, without having to worry about the police getting all up in your business. These encrypted online marketplaces use Bitcoins as their currency because there’s almost no way to trace the transactions. They aren’t regulated by any government authority, effectively making Bitcoin a decentralised currency, free from capitalist corruption – the only problem with this is that the value of them changes erratically. You could be a Bitcoin millionaire one night and a pauper the next. With this in mind, we went to the currency's official 2012 Conference in London this weekend to see if Bitcoin has a future beyond letting strange people buy illegal weapons and large quantities of drugs on the internet. The first talk I attended was titled “Printing Guns is Humanism”, held in a large conference room full of hackers, socialists, anarchist programmers and other journalists. The speaker was a man named Cody Wilson. He took to the stage and explained that his company, Defense Distributed, wants to enable anyone in the world with a computer, an internet connection and a 3D printer to print out real, working guns at the click of a mouse button. All you’d have to do is download a file from the internet and, within minutes, you’d be armed and dangerous. One of Cody's printed machine guns. Cody first tried to gain funding for his business model using Indie Gogo, where he raised $2,000 in 22 days. Once the organisation got word of the printable gun idea, however, the fundraiser was shut down and all of the money was refunded to the backers, so Wilson decided to raise money using Bitcoins instead. Within a month, he’d raised $17,000 worth of Bitcoins. He now plans to build his business and see if it will ever be possible to market deadly weapons to any small-brained 11-year-old who's figured out how his home printer works. I don't know if it was just me being cynical, but the integrity of his Bitcoin affiliation seemed a little suspect to me. At one point, Wilson – a libertarian – said, “Why should we even have gun control?” and then quoted Russia Today economist Max Keiser, who once said that “Bitcoin is the currency of resistance”. With this kind of talk, it seemed as if Cody Wilson was just playing on the goodwill of Bitcoin enthusiasts and social anarchists to justify and moralise his very dangerous business idea. Maybe not, but I doubt Wilson would take a million Bitcoins over a million dollars. Later, a man named Juri Matilla tried to simplify the legislative issues that Bitcoin might come up against in his legal seminar. The question “Is Bitcoin legal?” is apparently not that simple to answer, as it has expanded into a part of society where legislation doesn’t exist yet, which makes everything doubly confusing. Put simply, the invention of Bitcoin is what Matilla referred to as a “disruptive innovation”, which is basically a brand new progression in
until a better source of unadulterated fun guts me out. Hell? Yes. The story partners you up with Samuel Hayden, a high-ranking UAC (Union Aerospace Corporation) official who worked on secretive Argent energy research projects on Mars. He’s not a fan of hell either. Our primary villain, high-ranking UAC scientist Olivia Pierce, wants the opposite. Satan and co. promised her “great things.” Guess how that one turns out. The plot is dead simple and easy to ignore, loose scaffolding for the furious gunplay, which suits Doom. But for the curious, codexes scattered through the environments detail characters, locations, and enemies in intentionally overwrought high-fantasy strokes. We’re meant to inhabit the blind, dumb rage of Doom Guy. I couldn’t take any of it seriously, and that’s the point. They imply hell has a history, civilization, hierarchy, and so on—it makes battles just a touch more personal, but I’m not weeping for every eviscerated Hellknight. It’s hard to imagine them after hours, having a friendly chat over a mug of hot blood, snacking on artisanal entrails. We’re meant to inhabit the blind, dumb rage of Doom Guy, a man who punches helpful drones after they upgrade his weapons, a man who knocks over computers just because, a man whose sole purpose is to be a relentless, unfeeling human tank. Levels tend to have a singular goal outlined at the beginning by Samuel—turning off comm arrays and switching all sorts of important videogame switches—and end in a gigantic battle accompanied by a huge destructive event that the Doom Guy kicks off with inevitable overkill. It's routine FPS stuff, but filtered through Doom’s exaggerated tone, nearly everything you do is poised to be absurd and funny. One level has your friendly AI companion guiding you through his shutdown process. As I methodically dismantle his power and cooling systems, the AI continually explains away his impending ‘death’ as a utilitarian necessity in a soothing pre-programmed voice. I felt bad for laughing, but Doom Guy couldn’t care less. Hell only has one school of design, founded in the late 80s. For all its brutal violence and dispiriting Satanic imagery, Doom is charitably paced. Environments are a sprawl of corridors that span multiple levels of industrial mars facilities or the rocky islands of hell. I spent more time exploring the environments looking for yellow keycards or secrets than I did in combat, punctual bursts of action that demand intense focus. Enemies spawn by the dozen; some pursue with melee in mind and others hang back and fire projectiles, and the variety expands throughout a given fight. One enemy can teleport around the arena and spawn minions, which forces me to prioritize them over every other threat. Problem is, they’re quick and small. Some are quick and very tall. Some fly and shoot fireballs. Most have horns and gaping mouths with sharp canines—they’re an imposing bunch, but the majority are familiar faces rendered in an unsurprising and tame 3D aesthetic. Doom and Doom 2 weren’t exclusively action exploration romps, they were also survival horror games. Limited by the era’s hardware and development bottlenecks, Doom and Doom 2’s forced minimalism let my imagination do the heavy lifting. They were my first prolonged experience with occult imagery that felt simultaneously wrong and magnetic. This guy is rad, but more funny than intimidating. Which is why seeing a Pinky demon realized as a cute reptilian monster, or Hell as a cluster of floating stone spires adorned with cartoonish demon skulls, diminishes the sense that I’m playing something I shouldn’t. It’s all very rad, but it’s never quite bad (in a don’t-tell-my-dad sense). I wouldn’t be surprised to find an identical underworld in World of Warcraft, so after seeing how well id Software interpreted and elevated Doom’s run-and-gun play, I’m slightly disappointed they went with such a safe rendition of hell and its inhabitants. Parkgour Performance For a complete performance breakdown, check out our benchmarking post, where we tested Doom on 15 different graphics cards. Overall, it's looking good. Doom’s story and art direction take a backseat to gunplay, and it makes that abundantly clear right away. There is no reload button. All you need to worry about is pulling whatever trigger you can. The super shotgun explodes, dissolving anything in its immediate path and drowning out the sound mix with a clap. Doom would dent your eardrums against your will if it could. My weapon of choice, the rocket launcher, shoots slow singular rounds. The satisfaction of predicting where a target will be and firing a rocket a full second before it connects never gets old. Classic Doom weapons fill out the arsenal, albeit with updated designs and secondary functions. It's nice to see them again, though they’re not bursting with newness. Weapon abilities are extended through the addition of upgradable mods that add an alternate fire option to each gun. The shotgun gets a three shot burst, the gauss rifle gets a scoped charge shot—most are methods for doing more damage at the cost of consuming ammo quicker. If I need a Baron of Hell out of the picture sooner than later, I’ll take the compromise and empty my gauss rifle reserves in a heartbeat; it’s satisfying, and the ammo cost forces experimentation with every weapon. A few offer methods of AoE damage and crowd control. By right-clicking with a rocket launcher mod, you can explode the round anywhere on its trajectory. If I see a cluster of enemies or know a shot will miss, I’ll pop that round to make sure it’s not wasted. The plasma rifle has an alt fire that stuns enemies for a short period. If I’m cornered by a few Hell Knights, I stun and run. While the gun viewmodels aren’t much to look at, each a static smattering of greys and blacks, they feel great in your hands and force diversity enough to make every combat encounter feel different. #chainsaw #blessed It’s Doom’s emphasis on mobility and spontaneity that makes everything work. Aiming down the scope of the gauss rifle while strafing is one thing, but aiming down its scope why flying over the entire stage after hitting a jump pad with Haste (a speed powerup) active is another. Your base movement speed is faster than a sprint in most other FPSes, and that quickness motivates you to move constantly to kite, dodge, and lunge at demons, some of which are as agile as you. Almost all arenas have little terraces and mesas you can double-jump onto, along with hidden powerups and ammo and health pickups. If I died, I switched up my weapon choices, tried to explore more of the arena, and if things got dire enough, I equipped new runes. It’s Doom’s emphasis on mobility and spontaneity that makes everything work. Rune challenges are time trials hidden throughout the campaign that reward you with equippable perks that give a small boost to certain abilities. My favorite extends the reach at which I can execute Glory Kills, quick melee animations that guarantee health drops you can perform once an enemy has taken a significant amount of damage and enters a stagger state. Since executing a Glory Kill shoots you toward that enemy, I’m able to close a 20 yard gap almost instantly. Paired with a rune that makes enemies stagger sooner and another that gives me a temporary speed boost after performing a Glory Kill, I can zip across an arena and take out several enemies in about 10 seconds (if I don’t miss), and heal along the way. I’m still excited to try out new rune and weapon combinations just to find new ways of emptying a room with panache. The cherry on top is the chainsaw, which prevents combat from devolving into a desperate search for resources by functioning as a limited ammo regain tool. Spend some chainsaw fuel to treat yourself to a grisly show and a guaranteed shower of ammunition. Chainsaw use and Glory Kills are rewarding resource management mechanics that force me to keep an eye on ammo, health, and to not outright liquify every enemy on sight. Hello again, plasma rifle. Doom’s combat is a bumping demonic dance floor, where standing still kills the vibe (me) and the most popular demon is somewhere across the crowded room. Getting there without tripping up requires close study of the floor, creative use of my arsenal, and no small amount of jumping and strafing. The only thing missing is a live band improvising to my sweet moves, but the inspiring fuzz and pulse of industrial metal will do. SnapMap and multiplayer Within my first hour of exploring the user-made levels of SnapMap, Doom’s proprietary level creation tool, I tended to my farm and explored demonic mines in Harvest Doom, gave birth to a litter of imp-shaped racoons and consumed trash to stay alive, and raced through a series of challenging parkour time trials—there’s no shortage of good ideas showing up in SnapMap by the minute, and it’s easy to find or create them via simple tools. I just worry SnapMap’s hard limits won’t support an active community on the PC. Only 12 monsters can inhabit a map at once, environment design is limited to prefabricated modules, and the logic system, while simple to use, is unreliable and buggy. Enemies have trouble with pathing routines and I’ve had switches fail at random. There’s incentive for players to create experimental (but shallow) non-Doom experiences and traditional Doom-Doom experiences, but there’s no room for expression beyond SnapMap’s limited scope. It makes the lack of mod support, one of the primary reasons Doom is still such a recognizable name today, sting more than normal. I gave birth to a litter of imp-shaped racoons and consumed trash to stay alive. The soupy chaos of the campaign and strange surprise of SnapMap don’t translate to multiplayer. Firefights are often a matter of who saw who first, or happened to collect more armor after spawning. Scattered around are special weapons, health pickups, and demon rune power-ups, which turn one lucky player into a devastating demonic force, but the presence of a progression system upsets the balance. Weapons and hack modules, temporary boosters to XP or armor that kick off after respawning, are locked behind levels and pull opposite to the ethos of games with similar shooting mechanics. I'm shooting for the elusive Barney-the-talking-dinosaur aesthetic. Doom’s quick movement and twitchy arsenal are deliberately old school, but feel like a half measure when compared to the new Unreal Tournament, where everyone starts and stays on even footing. I enjoyed customizing my character with clashing metallic colors and a hodgepodge of garish armor pieces. During multiplayer, those decisions aren’t meaningful until the victory screen, where the top players get to do a dance or taunt in front of everyone. There’s fun to be had in the multiplayer, but it’s diluted by an excess of indistinct modes and the sterile progression system. Doom’s multiplayer fails to carve out an identity of its own, abandoning the pursuit of new ideas in favor of forcing in popular ones. Thankfully, It’s easy to ignore in favor of the excellent campaign, where the bulk of Doom’s love is reserved. With Doom’s campaign, id Software found a sweet spot nestled somewhere between nostalgia and modernity that celebrates the pulpy sheen of big-budget shooters and resurrects an intense, simplified focus on the shooting itself. Doom sticks a bit too close to home to reinvigorate the genre, but it’s a reminder that FPS games aren’t limited to stop and pop corridors and political melodrama. It’s a reminder that sometimes a controlled, crafted appeal to base desires—going fast, flying high, and swift, tongue-in-cheek demon justice—is more than enough.Blogs Copyright Reform Loading a Website Should Not Be a Copyright Violation November 30, 2017 A very problematic trend in copyright law has emerged during a series of cases these last few years. Courts have held that creating a copy of website code in a browser’s cache constitutes a copyright violation. The issue here is that copying site code into a browser is the only way you can browse the internet. This leaves us with an absurd outcome: The current legal scheme essentially makes browsing the web a copyright violation. The fact is that website owners almost never pursue copyright claims on the basis of browser caching. Perhaps this shows that this type of copying does not create a harm. It would be impossible for the internet to function if website owners regularly sued site visitors for merely having visited their content. But some companies have selectively leveraged the copyright law when it suits them. Loading a Website Requires Making a Copy of the Website In order to surf the web, you probably load up your browser (Firefox, Chrome, etc.) and type in the URL you want to visit. When you do this, your browser calls up the address you want to see and loads a copy of the website into its temporary memory. This is called “caching.” The caching process speeds up your browsing experience because the next time you go to the same page, your browser will already have pre-loaded the content, meaning your page loads faster. Some browsers have privacy settings that will automatically delete these temporary files when a user leaves the webpage. Others hold onto them until the files are replaced by other ones when the user visits new pages. Regardless, all browsers load a copy of a website in order to display it to the user in the first place. And most users are unaware this even occurs. It is simply an automatic process that allows users to access webpages. With that in mind, one would never think that the core mechanism of how websites are universally accessed would be copyright infringement. However, prior court decisions have suggested that the opposite is true. There have been many court decisions that come to the unreasonable conclusion that loading pages into the browser cache somehow constitutes copyright infringement. These conclusions are especially harmful when they affect new information gathering technologies, including web scraping. What Is Web Scraping? A web scraper is an automated script that visits a website and collects certain types of data while throwing out the rest. For example, imagine if you wanted to know the prices of all the cars being sold by a local dealership. One way of doing this would be to visit every single page and manually write down the prices. A faster way of doing this would be to run a web scraping program to find all the prices and automatically record them for you. Web scraping allows for more efficient collection and analysis of information. Recently, some websites have complained to courts about this practice, suggesting that web scrapers are a violation of the copyright for their web content -- even when the information being gathered is not copyrighted (or even eligible for copyright). In one recent case, a web scraper run by HiQ labs gathered information from individuals’ public LinkedIn profiles, analyzed the data, and generated user reports. LinkedIn demanded that HiQ stop accessing LinkedIn profiles to gather this information, claiming that doing so constituted a copyright violation. In a similar case, a program run by Power Ventures scraped Facebook users’ data after being given permission to do so by the users. In its initial complaint, Facebook alleged that Power Ventures infringed on its copyright by loading a copy of Facebook’s site code when the web scraper visited the pages. This is faulty reasoning -- every single web browser makes a copy of site code when accessing a website. Every person browsing the web makes copies of the site in their browser, even if they aren’t using a scraper. The Legal History of Web Caching The legal issues revolving around web caching actually began with case involving computer repair and software loading. In 1993, a case called MAI Systems Corp. v. Peak Computer Inc. established that temporarily loading a computer’s hard drive software into another computer’s memory to run the program constituted copyright infringement. This outcome was so problematic that Congress passed an act that revised the copyright laws in order to ensure that temporarily loading software for repair purposes did not result in a violation. The courts also attempted to address the MAI problem as it applies to television in a case called Cartoon Network v. CSC Holdings by concluding that temporarily making copies of content for streaming purposes does not violate copyright. However, neither of these remedies resolved the overarching issue caused by the MAI conclusion. Both the repair act and the Cartoon Network outcome only addressed copies of media that are temporary. Neither instance resolved the fundamental issue that Congress did not intend copyright to prohibit necessary mechanical functions that allow for content access, regardless of how long the copies last. Both the Congressional act and the Cartoon Network case still leave out important issues like browser caching, because cached websites exist for a longer period of time than loading memory for repair or cable video buffering. Unfortunately, courts applied the conclusion from MAI to web browsing in a case called Ticketmaster LLC v. RMG, where the court decided that cached copies of websites constituted copyright infringement. The outcome in MAI was problematic on multiple fronts, but in particular, it should simply have not been applied to web browsing. The very nature of a public website is to invite visitors at large. And in order for visitors to answer this invitation, visitors must load a copy of the website into their cache. Thus, creating and publishing a website is, by definition, an invitation to all visitors to load a copy of the site’s code into their computer’s memory. You cannot put up a public website without inviting users to copy it. Software on the other hand usually exists in discrete copies and access is only directed toward particular authorized users. These two subjects are inherently different in how they are accessed and what their intended purposes are. It was therefore incorrect to apply the MAI reasoning to web browsing. And the outcome in Ticketmaster affected many future technologies that involve browser caching, particularly web scraping. Cached Copies of a Site Should Not Be Copyright Infringement Common sense dictates that the nature of a particular medium be taken into account when considering whether something should be copyright infringement. The point of copyright is to protect the creative rights of people who create work, not to prevent people from visiting webpages. A person can walk by a store window and write down the prices he sees. This is the same thing as visiting an online store and writing down the prices. There is no real difference other than the fact that visiting the website inherently requires loading the site code into the browser. It is simply unreasonable to apply copyright to browser caching because it’s a basic function of how web browsing works. As such, technologies like web scraping should not be unlawful on the basis that it requires making a copy of code in the browser cache. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons user Fabio LanariA police officer killed a newspaper seller in "a gratuitous act of aggression" while his "blood was up", a court has been told. PC Simon Harwood, from Carshalton, is accused of hitting Ian Tomlinson with a baton and pushing him to the ground as he prepared to walk away from a line of officers in the City of London in April 2009. Within minutes the 47-year-old - who had been trying to walk home but found his usual route blocked due to G20 protests that day - collapsed and later died. PC Harwood maintains he used reasonable force and denies manslaughter. Mr Tomlinson was facing away from Harwood and would have been "taken completely by surprise" when he was hit, jurors were told, and had little opportunity to protect himself from a heavy fall. Opening the prosecution case at Southwark Crown Court, Mark Dennis QC said: "The assault upon Ian Tomlinson had been an unnecessary and unreasonable use of force by the defendant. "Ian Tomlinson was not posing any threat to the defendant or any other police officer. He was displaying no aggression towards anyone nor even making any provocative comments." PC Harwood's reaction was "wholly disproportionate" in the circumstances, the court heard. Mr Dennis continued: "There had been no need to use any force upon Tomlinson, let alone a forceful baton strike followed by a powerful push to the back that sent Ian Tomlinson flying to the ground. "The display of force has all the hallmarks of a gratuitous act of aggression by a lone officer whose blood was up having lost the self control to be expected of a police officer in such circumstances, and who was going to stand no truck from anyone who appeared to be a protester and to be getting in his way." Initially, pathologist Dr Freddy Patel found Mr Tomlinson had died from a heart attack, but questions were raised when an American tourist came forward with a film recording of him being hit. Further medical reports suggested in fact he died from an injury to his liver which caused internal bleeding and led to cardiac arrest.Tom Lloyd, who will chair new cannabis law reform umbrella group, says he regrets arresting drug users during his career as a police officer A former chief constable is to head a new umbrella organisation of cannabis law reform campaign groups that will seek to change views about the use of the drug. Tom Lloyd, formerly of Cambridgeshire police, will chair the National Cannabis Coalition (NCC), an alliance of groups calling for legal access to the drug for recreational use for adults and for medicinal use for anybody who needs it. Lloyd has said he now regrets investigating and arresting drug users during his career as a policeman in London and Cambridge. “When you think about arresting somebody who is in possession of drugs, are you really catching a criminal?” he asked. “When it came to law enforcement I think I caused more harm than good.” The new organisation, which incorporates groups including Norml UK, the UK Cannabis Social Clubs and the United Patients Alliance, aims to move from grassroots protests to political campaigning, targeting decision makers in UK drug policy. “A major problem in drug law reform, and the resistance to it, is that people look at people, whether they are heroin users or stoners, and they just think they are not serious people,” Lloyd told the Guardian. He said that traditional tactics, including the annual 4/20 day picnic in Hyde Park, were doing little to transform this perception, but many people involved in the campaign to reform cannabis laws had brought strong evidence into the debate. “There is a deeper message and that message gets clouded and subverted by the vested interests and it’s to some extend ridiculed,” he said. “I feel that we have got the opportunity to show that we are people who are very sincere and credible, with a lot of valid information.” I tried recipes from the Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook, then I needed a long nap Read more The NCC’s constituent groups will still campaign on their own terms, Lloyd said, with the aim of the coalition being to coordinate efforts across the country and to reach key policymakers, whose opinions can have a big impact on official decisions. Although the new group is still in its early days – without its own website or social media pages – it comes along at a time when the campaign to reform cannabis laws is gathering pace. Two police commissioners have recently said they will not target small-scale cannabis users and growers. Next month MPs will debate cannabis legalisation in Westminster after more than 200,000 people signed a parliamentary petition calling for reform. Lloyd said: “The world is changing: Uruguay has now legalised it; you have got legal production in states in America; in half the states you can get medicinal cannabis. America is a very powerful player.” Nevertheless, the government seems dead set against changing the law. The biggest challenge the group faces is transforming the narrative surrounding cannabis use. Lloyd, like many others lobbying for reform, believes this will come through the work of groups campaigning for the right to use cannabis as a medicine. But he added: “It’s difficult to draw a line between what might be medicinal use and what becomes what we call recreational use, because anybody who wants to consume cannabis to de-stress is doing something which is probably an improvement to their health. I don’t think there is a distinction between the two.” Jonathan Liebling, of the United Patients Alliance, which campaigns specifically on medical cannabis use, said the hope was that bringing together a range of reform groups would eliminate wasted opportunities and overlapping efforts. Most of the alliance’s work involves lobbying MPs by urging members to write letters and turn up to surgeries, and Liebling claims a number of successes. “It’s very easy for an MP, especially a Conservative MP, to respond to an email and give you the standard party line,” he said. “But it’s much harder for them to stand in front of an MS sufferer and tell them they can’t have their medicine.” Liebling and Lloyd will share a platform, along with Lady Meacher, a crossbench peer who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform, in London on Monday for a pre-debate public meeting on medicinal cannabis. Medicinal users of the drug will tell their stories about how it helps them to deal with their conditions. However, there is a big omission in the list of groups constituting and supporting the NCC. Clear, Britain’s largest membership-based cannabis reform group, is not a part of the coalition, with Liebling saying that their views and tactics are not compatible. Medicinal cannabis and the caregiving community giving it away for free Read more “They don’t like the epithet ‘stoners’, they will criticise people for looking a certain way,” Liebling said. “They have separated themselves in that regard and the rest of us said you are welcome to join the NCC but you have to stop shouting at us.” Peter Reynolds, the president of Clear’s executive committee, disputed the claim that the organisation had turned down a chance to join, saying that they had never been invited. However, he was clear that they would not sign up at this stage and added that, with more than 500,000 followers on social media, Clear was one of the UK’s biggest pressure groups on any issue. “We have some very difficult differences of opinion with the way that the campaign ought to be run,” Reynolds said, adding that although he had respect for the work of the United Patients Alliance, he felt that other groups who sought to take their cannabis use into the street were counterproductive. “We would unashamedly criticise anybody who behaves in that way because we feel that the new approach that we have brought to the campaign in the past five years has been proven to work. In many ways UPA is the closest to that approach, but the whole stoner, go and smoke in a policeman’s face tactic has failed.” He added: “There is not going to be a revolution. The government is not going to stand up and say we were wrong and you are right, but we are making slow progress. I’m confident that we will have some degree of medicinal access within this parliament.”Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernard (Bernie) SandersPush to end U.S. support for Saudi war hits Senate setback Sanders: 'I fully expect' fair treatment by DNC in 2020 after 'not quite even handed' 2016 primary Sanders: 'Damn right' I'll make the large corporations pay 'fair share of taxes' MORE (I-Vt.), on Tuesday, blasted the GOP tax overhaul bill, arguing that its expected passage is a "victory" for the Koch brothers, Republican campaign donors, large corporations and even some lawmakers. "Today marks a great day for the Koch brothers and other billionaire, Republican campaign contributors who will see huge tax breaks for themselves while driving up the deficit by almost $1.5 trillion," Sanders said in a video posted on Twitter. ADVERTISEMENT "Today is also a victory for the largest and most-profitable corporations in this country like Apple, Microsoft, Pfizer and General Electric, who, despite record-breaking profits, will now see hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks," he added. Sanders also indicated that some of his own colleagues had a personal financial interest in passing the bill, pointing to lawmakers who have real estate investments and will benefit under the new plan. "Today is also a victory for a number of members of the United States Congress who have significant investments in real estate who, with this vote, will substantially lower the taxes that they pay and will further enrich themselves," he said. The progressive lawmaker joined Democrats in blasting the bill. He said the bill helps the rich get richer while disproportionately hitting millions of middle-class households with higher taxes, citing the Tax Policy Center's analysis, Sanders's critical remarks came shortly after the House approved the final version of the Republican bill, passing the measure that will overhaul the nation's tax code by a vote of 227-203. The vote, in which 12 Republicans opposed the bill with no Democratic support, pushes Republicans closer to their first major legislative win. The Senate is expected to pass the measure later Tuesday, sending it to 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 for his signature.So let me start this off admitting something: There wasn’t even an “Internet” when I started using phone lines to communicate via computers with other people. I’ve witnessed an evolution of a medium that has transpired over 2/3rds of my life time: i’ve been an Internet “geek” since 1987 – yes, for 24 years. How I did this over all these years is another tale, but one thing has been consistent since I started this exploration, is that I have spent parts of 4 decades making money online. I never considered myself a visionary, and I sure haven’t gotten anywhere close to where Zuckerberg finds himself today. Thing is, I always knew there was profit to be made online. It wasn’t even a conscious acknowledgement to start out – more that I took advantage of opportunity. But each and every decade from the 80s through to the ’10s, i’ve made a buck or two on the web. So today, I want to detail my experiences, for better or for worse, with you the readers. This is a story i’ve never told before. One thing you need to remember is that when I started using the “Internet” back in 1987: there was little connectivity outside of the city you lived in, and if you figured out that university servers were connected and how to connect to them, you were living in a text based online reality – there were NO images. I was connecting to the Web with a 2400 baud modem. It was a different time and people really weren’t thinking about making money online. A brave new world was opening and people were less focused on making money online than they were to connect behind the safety and security behind a computer monitor. Making Money Online in the 80’s Ah, the 80’s. Long before Paypal currency exchange fees. The good ol’ days. I was in my early teens toward the end of the decade and i’d discovered a local Bulletin Board Service (BBS) called New Dimensions. When I joined this social network (it sure wasn’t called that at the time!) there were 12 phone lines by which users could connect and this number expanded to over 36 lines in over time. If the line was in use, you’d get a busy signal when you tried to connect! During this time my sister made fun of me often citing my “computer friends” and that I seemed to only meet girls via the computer. In my adult years I would eventually attribute my social ineptness in trying to pick up talk with women in person as I had only ever used the typed word. What my sister didn’t know is that I was making money online at the same time. The BBS cost money to use. The guy who ran it had to recover his costs and make a few bucks. For $1 you could buy 1 hour of online time on the site. The site also had a multi-user fantasy game called The Forbidden Lands. In this game you have a character (all text remember) which would wander dungeons to battle fantastic creatures. These creatures would drop treasures. Depending on the power of the creature the greater chance it would drop a “good” item, and some creatures would drop “awesome” items. I’ve always had a talent playing games. My character grew in power and eventually I was getting my share of the “awesome” items. An awesome item would be a rare weapon or piece of armour, but most valuable were potions that boosted your core stats (strength, intelligence, dexterity etc) permanently. I was able to “sell” these items for online hours – which saved me money that I didn’t spend on my entertainment. There were times I had hundreds of hours on my account and this was due to the sale of virtual items. The following are some of the going rates of the day: $1-$5 for potions; $1-$3 for armour; $1-$5 for weapons. Making Money Online during the 90’s The decade switched and I continued to play on the BBS, finding items and selling the ones I had no use for – continuing my making money online adventure. By this time I had found pretty much every item in the game a few times over. I actually had to fund extra user accounts in order to store all of the excess items I had found that were awaiting use or sale. As I had been playing for a number of years now, i’d managed to build a self sufficient character that was a treasure finding machine. This was one of the only characters that had been created that could handle the nasty, very dangerous, 6th level of the dungeon. It was a cleric, which is essentially a holy warrior – one that could cast spells to heal himself but also spells to harm critters he fought, but he could also wear armour and fight with weapons at the same time. One tough cookie that I named Quill. I don’t recall the stats Quill had, but they were envious and very strong. The game was pretty easy for me and I had discovered other multi-user dungeon games hosted on university servers where hundreds of people could play at the same time and my interest was moving toward those new gaming challenges. My Quill character was not being used very much which I thought was a bit of a waste given the time and (other peoples) money into it. I figured I had dedicated this account to making money online so on the message boards I suggested I may sell the account and the interest was great. One nice lady, Sue, REALLY wanted this character and offered me $175 for it. This was at least $75 more than anyone else offered so I took her up on her offer and sold her the account. But the rewards didn’t end there! At the site Christmas party Sue insisted on giving me another $80 citing how much she enjoyed the account and that she’d already made the $175 investment back from selling items herself. She felt I had undersold and she insisted I take the extra compensation. For a text based in game character! Once again I was making money online, this time to the tune of $255. I am fairly confident during my BBS days I ended up clearing $1000 making money online via a single game. While attending university in the mid-late 90’s I found a new way to diversify how I was making money online: selling my text books. At the end of every year the university book store would publish a pricing page and show how many of each text book they wanted to buy. The actual transaction would happen in person, but the online site would provide the “web savvy” with knowledge about when and where to sell which book. Basically, which lines to get in if you wanted to make a sale. By using this information I was making money online via research. Each year I got about 25% of my textbook investment back – about $750 over 3 years. Much needed end of semester beer money! Making Money Online in the 2000’s The 2000s brought back a new flavour of an old means of making money online: gaming. But this time, the game was Diablo II and it had actual graphics. At it’s peak Diablo II had millions of concurrent players online completing quests and exploring new lands, all the while killing critters (dragons, serpents, ghouls etc) and scooping up the vast treasures these critters would drop. Diablo II had many more areas, critters and treasures than did The Forbidden Lands but the premise was identical albeit much more technically advanced. For this game I did make a $25 investment to gain some of the “currency” (a ring called the Stone of Jordan (SOJ)) which got me 40 rings with which I could use to trade for items in the game that would assist my character in finding other valuable items. I ended up following a a cookie cutter character build that was optimized to find great treasures and with those SOJs I got a bunch of gear that helped me build the character up and make it extremely item finding friendly. I was able to find tons of good items that were valuable and sellable on E-Bay. Of course, it was selling a service, not property of the parent company that owned the game, but the items were sold nonetheless. Absolutely, 100%, making money online. I sold my highest yielding item for over $25! In total, playing a game contributed about $2500 to my college education, including, once again, an account sale as I bored of playing the game. Later in the 2000s after buying a home, I sold some items on the Canadian sale site Kijiji. The house I first bought, prior to meeting Mrs. SPF, had an above ground pool. I wanted it GONE and asked for $100 on Kijiji. I got $80 and the monstrosity was cleared out of my garage. I also bought a number of items on Kijiji, like an Atari 2600 for $25 that I did really well on. I also sold a 15 yr old washer/dryer pair to a rental landlord for $200 – and he and his guys came and move these very heavy objects from our 2nd floor to the 1st floor and into their truck. Also, around the 2000’s I’ve noticed different forex trading platforms that allowed common people to engage in financial markets trading started to pop-up all around the web, but didn’t feel tempted to take part myself. Making Money in the 2010s So recently we’ve discussed how to sell a house quickly. Part of selling means massive home staging. We again turned to Kijiji to get rid of stuff. We got rid of a ton of stuff at no charge. Now, you may ask why we did not try to get money. The reason? Ease of disposal. We wanted it gone quick and easy and cheap – as in FREE. People wanting free stuff will come to you, pay for their own fuel and use their own labour to get the stuff you want to get rid of (not to mention dump run fees!). I find that a way to making money online is to SAVE spending your own money! What did I manage to get rid of? a truck bed, piled high, of wood that was poor burning. The pile had toppled in our yard – getting rid of it for free was great. scrap metal. Old BBQ and other objects that I wanted gone, but didn’t want to do a dump run. an old chair, used only by our oldest cat And upon moving into the new house we used Kijiji to sell/dispose of: a very nice table that was in great shape but we inherited a super nice oak table – so we got rid of the waste of basement space for $100 11’x10′ of carpet
pair hope to end their three-year journey in Argentina.Russia’s space agency is adding a dose of luxury to its bid to return to the space tourism business. It wants to build five-star accommodations on the International Space Station. The plan, if successful, would help Russia compete with private companies such as SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and Blue Origin that have their own space tourism plans. Popular Mechanics had a chance to examine a detailed proposal for a luxury orbital addition to the ISS that would offer everything you might expect in an orbital suite, amenities like private cabins with large windows for space viewing, exercise equipment, and of course, Wi-Fi. Space tourists would stay in the plush accommodations on proposed one- to two-week trips that would also offer a chance to take space walks with a professional cosmonaut. Roscosmos State Corporation, the governmental body responsible for Russia’s space science program, has started reviewing the business plan proposed by space station contractor, RSC Energia. The trip cost starts at $40 million. The space walk and an option to stay for a month would cost another $20 million. Of course, building a luxury orbital suite is no simple or cheap matter. The idea is to use revenue from the space tourists to pay for construction of the 20-ton, 15.5-meter-long module that will house four sleeping quarters and two “hygiene and medical” stations. As Popular Mechanics notes, the external structure of this luxury hotel looks a lot like the Science and Power Module, NEM-1, which Russia is currently building for the ISS. The NEM-1, which has been delayed several times, is now expected to be completed in 2021. The original plans for ISS had a two NEM modules, but Russia only funded one. This second, luxury module—specially outfitted for space tourists—would allow Russia to fulfill that initial plan. Keep in mind, this is not a new idea. Talk of a luxury space hotel was floated at least as far back as 2010 when a Russian aerospace company said it planned to build such a station by 2016. That has yet to materialize.Freshly elected to the French National Assembly, Denis Masséglia has been playing World of Warcraft in the past at a really high level among one of the best PVE guilds back in the days named "Les Croisés". While he told us that his gamer career was no more, he still is passionate by the Gaming world and the development of Esports. Even if he now has lots to do in his new political functions, Denis Masséglia keeps showing his support to Esports events like the Overwatch World Cup. « French OW Team : We hope that you will be supporting us for the Overwatch World Cup sir Masséglia! - Denis Masséglia : I will try my best despite the time difference. I count on your to qualify and to represent France at Blizzcon! » For the first time, France has an elected member of the National Assembly who has been an avid gamer and is still interested in the development of the Esports environment. We hope that it will help electronic sport to become a little bit more known and recognized by those who are still very skeptical in our society.Vagrant is a tool for creating and managing virtual environments that help many developers not have to care about the “works on my machine…” problem. Vagrant creates reusable development systems that can be used again and again, helping you keep your system clean of too many installations. When you are focused on development and lack the skills of a sys admin, the best thing to do (if you are going to use Vagrant during development) is to try another way of setting up your Vagrant configuration. --ADVERTISEMENT-- When it comes to PHP development, there are some online services that simplify the setup and configuration of these Vagrant virtual machines. Here is a list of some of these services. 1. PuPHPet PuPHPet is probably the most “famous” of these services, and probably the most “specialized” one of them. It gives you the ability to host the VM on your local machine, on Digital Ocean, Rackspace or Amazon Web Services. You get to add forwarded ports with just a click of a button, and sharing source folders is as easy as that too. You can customize the firewall by setting rules and removing them as needed. As for web servers, you can choose between Apache and Nginx, choosing aliases and ports where to access the application. When it comes to programming languages, PuPHPet is not all about PHP. Besides PHP, you can choose to install Python, Ruby, NodeJS and HHVM. You can’t install both PHP and HHVM, since the service doesn’t allow this – use Homestead Improved for running both at the same time. When installing HHVM, you can also choose to install the nightly release, which gives you the possibility of testing Facebook’s Hack language. As for databases, PuPHPet has the biggest repository of those, with 6 different databases available. You can choose between MySQL/MariaDB (can’t have both of them), PostgreSQL, Redis, SQLite and MongoDB. You can chose to install Adminer for DB management, but don’t install it onto the production server. Before finishing, PuPHPet allows you to install tools like RabitMQ, Elasticsearch, etc. All that PuPHPet wants from you is that you use a Vagrant version not lower than 1.6. Also, you need VirtualBox in order to use the configurations on your local machine. You can find the source code of PuPHPet on this GitHub repo and a more in-depth guide here. 2. Protobox Protobox is another online Vagrant service. There are many reasons to use Protobox. It actually started as a fork of PuPHPet, but turned out to be a complete other project, due to some issues related to Puppet (not PuPHPet). Protobox has grown into a great service that helps create Vagrant configurations for web application development. When using Protobox, you can choose from a list of application types: Drupal Laravel (which also has its own Vagrant configuration – Homestead) Lemonstand PyroCMS Sylius Symfony WordPress (which also has VVV – Varying Vagrant Vagrants) You can add more than one of these applications to the configuration. As for the web servers, both Apache and Nginx are available. You can choose only three languages: PHP, HipHop (with HHVM) and Ruby. At the time of writing this, Protobox supports only MySQL and MariaDB, but other databases, such as PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis and Riak are coming soon. Tools such as Ngrok and NewRelic tools (PHP Agent and Node Agent) can be installed by ticking a checkbox. You can find the source code for Protobox in their GitHub repo. 3. Phansible Phansible is another tool for creating Vagrant configurations based on Ansible, also inspired from PuPHPet. Phansible is somewhat simpler than the above services. It allows both Apache and Nginx, with HHVM only when you choose Nginx. You can’t choose any other language than PHP, but you can chose between versions of PHP. Also, you can’t choose any other database other than MySQL. When you’re predetermined to use only Apache/Nginx, PHP and MySQL, Phansible doens’t differ that much from the other services above. Otherwise, you would have to install other tools manually. 4. Rove Rove is probably the simplest of them all. You can choose any of the typical configurations, Rails and LAMP, or you can create your configuration manually. Rove supports CouchDB, MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis and SQLite as databases. You can select as many as you want of them. It also supports the same languages as PuPHPet, all except HHVM. 5. Customized configurations There are also some other Vagrant configurations that are case-specific, i.e. for a single PHP framework. I would mention here Laravel’s Homestead, which makes Laravel development a piece of cake, both front and back end. It comes with PHP5.6, Nginx as the web server, both MySQL and PostgreSQL; and NodeJS, with Bower, Grunt and Gulp for the front-end development. There’s an improved version of Homestead here. Phalcon also has a Vagrant configuration, which saves you the time of installing it and configuring it in an existent server, although you can follow this quick tip to install Phalcon on a Homestead Improved instance. WordPress has its own Vagrant configuration, VVV – Varying Vagrant Vagrants. There is a full tutorial on SitePoint which shows you how to use VVV. Final words Vagrant may be difficult to use sometimes, but is worth pursuing as it can be exceptionally useful. If you are tired of configuring your machine for every project you have, then Vagrant is the right tool for you. If you face problems while configuring your machine, then using a prepackaged vagrant box is the best answer to your problems. Any alternatives to the services above we’ve missed? Let us know!European bank offers financing for Turkish renewable energy via İş Bank ISTANBUL The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has said it is providing $55 million in new funds to Turkish lender İş Bank to finance private companies investing in renewable energy and resource efficiency projects in Turkey, in a written statement on Oct. 25.It is part of the EBRD’s strategy to help Turkey meet a growing demand for electricity and diversify away from expensive imported fuel, while addressing the challenges of climate change, read the statement.The EBRD funds are extended through an investment in “A-” rated senior notes issued under İş Bank’s Diversified Payment Rights (DPR) securitization program, an established market instrument used by Turkish banks to raise long-term funding.The financing – supported by a 1.9 million-euro grant from the European Union – will benefit renewable energy and resource efficiency projects in Turkey including solar, hydropower, wind, geothermal, waste-to-energy and energy efficiency as well as water saving and waste minimization projects, according to the statement.The investment comes under the EBRD’s recently expanded Mid-size Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (MidSEFF) now totaling 1.5 billion euros. So far 50 projects have been financed through seven Turkish banks under the facility, helping to build over 900 MW of additional renewable energy capacity, said the bank.İş Bank is the largest private lender in Turkey and a long-standing partner of the EBRD. The new financing builds on İş Bank’s solid track record in on-lending the Bank’s funds aimed at renewable energy and resource efficiency projects, added the EBRD.Investing in sustainable energy and resource efficiency is a strategic priority for the EBRD in Turkey. Almost half of the Bank’s total portfolio in Turkey is in sustainable energy and since 2009 as the EBRD has invested over 3 billion euros in more than 75 such projects, read the statement.The EBRD is also working closely with the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and has helped develop the country’s first National Renewable Energy Action Plan to attract more investment in renewable energy projects, it added.Photography by Robyn Twomey. Styling by Alexandra Cronan. Recently, on one of the many, many flights 22-year-old singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers has taken since the February release of her debut EP, Now That the Light Is Fading, she watched the film La La Land. “Did you see that movie?” she asks from the comfort of her San Francisco hotel room, back on the road after a dizzying week at South by Southwest that solidified her Next Big Thing status. “Basically — spoiler alert — the girl becomes a star,” Rogers says. “At the end she runs into the boy who she was seeing before all this happened, and there’s like a recap of the life she would have had as a mediumly successful actor. Then it flashes back to her walking out of the bar and her face is on a billboard. And I just super related. It really makes me want to cry, thinking about it.” On the one hand, the last year of Rogers’s life has felt like a dream so rapturous as to seem almost like bad writing, a plotline Riverdale might reject as a bit too much. One day last spring, Rogers showed up for her production seminar at NYU’s Clive Davis School of Music, where she was then a senior. The young singer rushed to class a little bleary-eyed from staying up late the previous night to finish a track she’d just written and was presenting that day, a serene electrofolk jam called “Alaska” inspired by a month-long hiking trip she took the summer after her freshman year. Rogers was proud of the song, but it was also just another day at school. Another deadline to meet. And yet, by June, “Alaska” would be the number one global viral track on Spotify and Rogers would be fielding dozens of offers for record deals (she eventually signed to Capitol); by the fall she would be interviewing stylists and business managers, shooting for Vogue, and planning her first European and American tours. “Everyone was trying to sign her,” says Nate Albert, head of a&r at Capitol, who had previously signed the Weeknd in the wake of a similar bidding war. “It was actually really similar to the Weeknd situation, because she’s critically great — it’s great art — but she also has some commercial thing going on, so [she] had major labels and indie labels wanting to be involved. It was pretty intense.” White cord top, black overcoat, and bolo necklace, all by Rachel Comey. Photography by Robyn Twomey. Styling by Alexandra Cronan. But back to that spring day at NYU: That afternoon’s “masterclass,” as it’s called, featured an honored guest, Pharrell Williams. This in and of itself was not unusual. In her years at Clive, Rogers had played her stuff for Rob Thomas and Benny Blanco, to cite a couple of other bold-name classroom visitors. What was unusual was Williams’s response to Rogers’s song. “I have zero, zero, zero notes,” he said after hearing “Alaska.” “And I’ll tell you why: It’s because you’re doing your own thing. It’s singular.” He went on to compare her to the Wu-Tang Clan, as when they emerged, “no one could really judge it,” he said. “You either liked it or you didn’t, but you couldn’t compare it to anything else.” Also somewhat unusually, this encounter was filmed. Meaning that, a few weeks later, when the clip was posted online, anyone with an internet connection could see Rogers propped somewhat awkwardly on a studio stool in her jeans, nervously introducing her song, then trying to keep it together while one of the most decorated producers in the business displayed first casual approval then disbelief and then awe as he listened. We, the 2.5 million people (and counting) who’ve viewed the clip, got to witness, almost at the same time she did, the birth of Maggie Rogers’s career. “I just feel so stupid-lucky,” the singer says today. “What the Pharrell video did was deliver me an incredible situation and opportunity where there was no mask. People heard me speak before they heard my music for the first time, so now the only real responsibility that I have is to be myself.” Rogers and her most authentic self have a big year ahead of them. After a relentless winter tour schedule, including stops at the Late Shows of both James Corden and Jimmy Fallon, she’ll spend much of the spring indulging in “time off,” which is code, at this stage of a young artist’s career, for trying to be still long enough to finish a full album. “The hardest thing about all of this has been the lack of time for creativity,” Rogers says. “I’m learning to write on the road, but I’m not somebody who just writes all the time.” Then comes the summer festival circuit, with stops at Firefly and Outside Lands, plus a slew of dates in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Japan crammed in between. This is all before Rogers’s debut is even out, meaning that every single day over that span she will be asked when we can expect it. But before any of that, Rogers will make her way back from the West Coast to round out her first proper U.S. tour with two celebratory sold-out shows in her adoptive hometown, playing April 11 at the Bowery Ballroom and the following evening at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. She might even sleep in her own bed those nights, which would be a thrilling change. “I haven’t been in my apartment for more than six weeks!” she says of the place she rented right after graduation. “I got a six-week chunk in September, a four-week chunk in December, and now I have another chunk coming in April and May, and that’s it. Then I move out. It’s like, do I just go home? Maybe. Maybe I just don’t have a place for a second.” She likes the sound of that, actually. “That feels more like a normal college-grad dilemma. It’s super age-appropriate.” Photography by Robyn Twomey. Styling by Alexandra Cronan. On the other hand, there’s something about Rogers’s story that seems less serendipitous and more fated, less wide-eyed talented kid seizing the opportunity of a lifetime and more cosmically ordained. “My entire life I have felt this incredible sense of predestination,” says Rogers, who is from Maryland’s bucolic Eastern Shore and has been writing songs since she was in middle school. She didn’t grow up in a musical family — Rogers’s father owns a car dealership and her mother works in healthcare — but growing up she dabbled in harp, piano, and guitar. In high school she fell hard for the banjo; when she arrived at Clive, she played in a folk band. It wasn’t until Rogers studied abroad in Paris and made her way (as one does) to European clubs that she came to understand the appeal of electronic music. “She’s doing something really new — she’s taking almost transcendentalism, this idea of nature as spiritual reawakening, and merging it with pop culture,” says Albert. “The urban stuff that I had been working on, like Phantogram and the Weeknd, had this dystopian Blade Runner aspect to it, and Maggie was flipping that. It’s modern, but it’s a return to nature and light in the world. And I think that’s why so many people are having such an impassioned response to her. Because they’re hearing something that they desperately need.” In channeling her sunny woodland maiden side through this cold synthetic world, Rogers located what has quickly become her signature sound. “I’ve always wanted this. I’ve always pictured my life as some version of this,” she says of how it feels to have finally arrived at this point. “I really feel like I’ve been trying to do this for two hundred lifetimes, and this is just the one where it lines up. Because look at the circumstances — even the fact that I’m talking to you right now” — Rogers and I know each other — “or that I was at South-by with Eva and she fucking killed and we talked about the book. And those are just the coincidences with you.” I first met Maggie at French Roast on Sixth Avenue in the early fall of 2013, just after she’d moved back to the city to begin her sophomore year. I was looking for interns for a book now titled Meet Me in the Bathroom, an exhaustive oral history of music in New York from 2001–2011, which it was only just beginning to dawn on me would require an inhuman amount of work. Maggie and her classmate Eva Hendricks, now of the ecstatic grunge-pop outfit Charly Bliss (who I hear did indeed fucking kill at South by Southwest this year), were among those who answered the ad I posted on the Clive message board. “Dear Ms. Goodman,” began Maggie’s email, a perfect letter written by a perfectly composed young woman eager to put her good manners and cum laude brain to work in the grown-up world. Under “Work History,” her attached résumé simply said, “2010–2013, Camp Counselor, Director of Music, Wohelo, Raymond, ME.” Maggie Rogers Photography by Robyn Twomey. Styling by Alexandra Cronan. What I remember most about buying Maggie a cappuccino that day in the Village was the almost visible force of her enthusiasm, which gave her a kind of iridescence when she talked about her eagerness to work on the book but also when she spoke of her life growing up in Maryland, her siblings, the wonders of the East Village and the banjo. She glowed, this nineteen-year-old former music editor for her high school newspaper. And she was beyond psyched to get started transcribing what would become literally hundreds of hours of interviews with mostly drunk rock boys in loud bars. These were the people who would tell the stories necessary to bringing to literary life the wildness and possibility of the city I had lived in when I was her age. Maggie was exactly who I was writing this book for. And there she was, all fresh-scrubbed and stoked, sitting across from me at a charmingly bad French restaurant talking about Beck and hiking. I hired her immediately. Looking back on it, the three years we worked together on Meet Me coincided with a period of dislocation for Maggie, creatively. She’d all but given up songwriting. “Sophomore, junior, and beginning of senior year, I wasn’t making music at all,” she recalls. “She was taking time to figure out what she wanted for herself, to fuse together her folky, banjo-playing past with this new identity she was creating for herself in New York,” Eva remembers. In place of making music, Maggie was interning at Elle and at Spin and for Robert Christgau and pitching ideas for the 33 1/3 book series. “One was Jagged Little Pill — that was going to be a sort of song-by-song memoir of my relationship with my mother,” Maggie recalls. “Because I listened to that record with her a lot.” The other involved framing Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago “as like a catalog of literature and narrative of the guy in the woods,” she remembers. “I was going to write about Wordsworth and Thoreau and Bon Iver and that narrative through history.” But something was off. As graduation loomed, something in Maggie started to reject the path she was on. ” ‘Primal repudiation’ is a good way to put it,” she says when I use those words to describe how it looked from the outside. “I think I got scared to tell my own story for a while, so I wanted to tell other people’s.” Until one day, she wasn’t scared anymore. The creative channel she then tapped into is what led to “Alaska” and everything that’s followed. Denim top and jeans, Levi’s. Necklace, Maggie’s own. Photography by Robyn Twomey. Styling by Alexandra Cronan. And yet, all those hours spent listening to the Strokes talk about the perils of overnight success, or record execs detail the behind-the-scenes melodrama of corporate music culture, gave Maggie an advantage as she found herself cast as the New York–music heir apparent. She already knew what it was like to be plied with expensive dinners and pawed at by manic British fans, if only vicariously. “I imagine it must be a lot to process, and we briefly discussed the feeling of ‘holy shit, this happened so quickly, is this all going to suddenly disappear?’ ” says Eva. “But pop-star Maggie hasn’t swallowed up Maggie from Maryland. I can see Maggie in every video, photo shoot, performance that she’s done. She’s managed to handle her success with so much integrity.” “Weirdly,” Albert agrees, “she’s brand-new but also an expert at everything, because she’s been through the Clive Davis school, so she knows everything to be careful of and has many mentors and people who can help her through the process.” The other day, Maggie remembers, Albert told her she was having a healthy reaction to an unhealthy situation, which sounded about right to her. “Obviously there’s this incredible story, right?” Maggie says, laughing. “I did, for a little while, feel the pressure to play the role of the girl in awe living her dream. And honestly, those were real feelings for me for a long time. They still very much are.” But she also knows that kind of thinking — becoming a slave to the narrative you invented — is a snake-eating-its-own-head kind of trap. “It gets tricky when you start to interview like your brand,” she explains. “I get to align myself with my favorite artists, like Beck or Björk or even Kim Gordon, who consistently are defined by their creative practice, but not by a genre or a brand. Their brand is their creative mind. And then they express themselves in multiple mediums and multiple genres. So you buy into their voice and not their statement of the week. If you interview just as an artist and a person, then you have the agency to feel however you’re feeling, because there is no mask to hold up.”On November 4, 2011, Funimation Entertainment filed a lawsuit in the district court of Harris County, Texas against John Ledford, as well as companies A.D. Vision, AEsir Holdings, Sxion 23 (A.K.A. Section 23 Films), Valkyrie Media Partners, Seraphim Studios, Sentai Filmworks, Sentai Holdings, and Unio Mystica Holdings (A.K.A. Switchblade Pictures) for breach of contract and other claims. Ledford is the CEO and co-founder of A.D. Vision. In the lawsuit, Funimation claims that the defendants owe Funimation "an amount to be proven at trial but currently estimated" to be approximately US$8 million plus interest, costs, and attorneys' fees. Funimation's lawsuit alleges that it became a creditor of A.D. Vision (ADV) in regard to a debt ADV owed ARM Corporation, which was a third party licensing entity jointly owned by Sojitz Corporation and several other companies. The lawsuit notes that ADV had purchased anime licenses from ARM after May 2006, and in January 2008 ARM "declared ADV to be in default of the parties' agreements." ADV lost the rights to more than 30 anime properties, and in July 2008, Funimation and ARM announced that they had reached a distribution agreement for those properties. In the lawsuit, Funimation claims that ARM also gave Funimation the right to enforce ARM's agreement with ADV, specifically in regard to the debt that ADV owed ARM — making Funimation a creditor. The suit alleges that ADV never paid this debt, and instead sold its assets for below market price to several companies owned by former ADV executives and shut down. The suit goes on to claim that ADV's transfer of assets "was made with the intent to defer, hinder or defraud the creditors of ADV," including Funimation, and that the new companies "succeeded ADV's contractual liability" in regard to the outstanding debt. Funimation is also requesting that the court declare ADV's transfer of assets "as null, voided and without effect," restoring those assets to the parent company. Funimation is also requesting a jury trial. On December 23, Sentai Filmworks, Seraphim Studios, Sentai Holdings, Valkyrie Media Partners, Unio Mysteica Holdings, AEsir Holdings, and Section 23 Films filed a counterclaim disputing these charges. The companies claim, among other things, that they do not have a contract with Funimation and are not liable to the company. They claim that the companies did not exist when Funimation acquired the rights from ARM to enforce ADV's contract with ARM. In addition, the companies claim that Funimation's lawsuit was filed after the two-year statute of limitations, and that Funimation was not involved with the original contract and cannot claim any direct damages. The companies are asking that the court declare that Funimation's contract "is not a valid agreement binding on the Defendants," that the companies owe "no duties or performance of any obligations" to Funimation, and that Funimation pay for the companies' attorney's fees, costs, and expenses. The first pre-trial meeting is currently scheduled for October 5, 2012. Section 23 Films provided ANN with the following statement: Funimation's lawsuit is completely without merit or basis and we look forward to proving it when we have our day in court. When asked to comment, Funimation told ANN that its official statement is addressed in the lawsuit. Thanks to Mikhail Koulikov for his help in researching this article.In the wake of the moves by the ACO to mandate a maximum of four LMP2 chassis manufacturers from 2017 there was much background chatter about the potential for some of the otherwise displaced teams and manufacturers/ suppliers to find a future in the Privateer sub-class of LMP1. Indeed, as late as summer this year there appeared to be plenty of reason to expect that this was likely to occur with several public statements supporting the potential for such programmes. However the tide appears to have turned substantially and DSC has now had confirmation that the potential 2016 LMP1 programme for 2015 ELMS Champions Greaves Motorsport is now defunct. The prospect of a programme was floated by Team Owner Tim Greaves in Le Mans week and was believed to involve an Oreca/ Rebellion chassis and the involvement of the SARD company. Worse still Shanghai saw confirmation that Strakka Racing’s previously announced 2017 LMP1 programme has now been “parked” with no further development planned at present on an effort that was planned to utilise the Dome S103 monocoque for a 2017 FIA WEC effort with the potential costs and performance disparity to the factory cars cited by both teams as the reason behind their current decisions. Strakka Racing’s Dan Walmsley though added the following: “We have got some questions out there that need answering over costs, the current performance gap and, in our case, chassis eligibility, but there is still dialogue and we have meetings planned with a number of interested parties to hopefully find a way forward.” We should know the outcome of those talks by the end of this year. It begs the question. “Where does this leave LMP1 Privateer?” That’s a question we’ll be looking to answer in an in-depth piece later this week.Oakland Athletics pitcher Kendall Graveman made history on Wednesday night, and it had nothing to do with his work on the mound. Graveman is the first starting pitcher to bat cleanup in a game since a fellow named Babe Ruth on June 1, 1920 with the Yankees. Though it's not what you might think. Your browser does not support iframes. Oakland started the game with a rather normal American League lineup, including a designated hitter, but things quickly changed when third baseman Danny Valencia left the game in the fourth inning with a left hamstring strain. With Valencia out, second baseman Chris Coghlan moved to third base, and Jed Lowrie moved from designated hitter to second base. Per MLB rule 6.10(b), "Once a Designated Hitter assumes a defensive position this move shall terminate the Designated Hitter role for the remainder of the game." That meant the pitcher Graveman got inserted into the vacant spot in the lineup, which was Valencia's fourth spot. "Ladies and gentlemen, batting cleanup for the Oakland Athletics, the pitcher, Kendall Graveman." pic.twitter.com/WnM0LynGDe — Zack Hample (@zack_hample) April 21, 2016 Graveman batted in the top of the fifth inning and struck out against Nathan Eovaldi. He is the first A's starting pitcher dating back to at least 1913 to bat cleanup in a game. Kendall Graveman is the first starting pitcher to bat at the current Yankee Stadium. — Oakland Athletics (@Athletics) April 21, 2016 Graveman on the mound struck out a career-high eight while pitching into the seventh inning, allowing one run.Ulster wing Tommy Bowe has been ruled out of action for up to six weeks with a groin injury. The Ireland wing sustained the injury while on international duty and after a scan today it was diagnosed as a muscle tear that could take between four and six weeks to heal. It means the wing is definitely ruled out of this month’s Heineken Cup double-header against Treviso, the first of which is at Ravenhil on Saturday (6pm), and is doubtful for the other Pool Five games against Montpellier and Leicester next month. Prop Paddy McAllister is facing a similar spell on the sidelines after suffering a small tear to his hamstring.. However, captain Johann Muller has returned to training after injury and will be available this weekend. So, too, might Jared Payne (groin), who will be assessed later this week. Outhalf Paddy Wallace (knee) will also be back after his long lay-off, having sustained a cruciate ligament injury in February and it is hoped scrumhalf Ian Porter will be available. Backrow Mike McComish trained today after a blow to his hip in the win over Zebre, while Rob Herring will be reintroduced to full training this week after suffering a “stinger” against the Italian side.Introduction In this tutorial, you will learn how to use Sync Gateway and Couchbase Lite to sync the Hacker News latest stories to an iOS app. We'll focus specifically on the Background Fetch feature that was added in iOS 7: applications can now perform small operations in the background to fetch the latest data from the server. If your app has registered for Background Fetch, the operating system will periodically wake up your application to perform a refresh and the maximum time allocated in one Background Fetch is 30 seconds. That's a perfect use case for a one-shot pull replication. So let's get started! The source code for this tutorial is on GitHub. Working with Sync Gateway The first step is to set up Sync Gateway. Download the latest community edition here. Let's use a very simple configuration for this example. In a new file called config.json paste the following: The important point to note is that we are using the walrus database which saves documents in memory. With walrus, documents are not persisted when restarting Sync Gateway. Secondly, we have enabled the GUEST account and gave it access to all channels. You can add access control and user management logic but for this example we'll develop without restrictions which is often a good way to prototype. Now let's start it from the command line with this config file: Starting the iOS app I've setup the Xcode project with Cocoapods to manage dependencies, run pod install to be sure to have the CouchbaseLite framework linked to the project. Open HackerNewsSync+BackgroundFetch.xcworkspace in Xcode and run the app on the simulator. You should see an empty table view: Indeed, we must first add some Hacker News stories to Sync Gateway. Hacker News top stories Let's use the NodeJS script in worker.js to fetch top stories from the Hacker News API. We'll use Mashape for that. Grab a Mashape Key from here and paste it in the worker.js file in place of XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX. Install the dependencies by running npm install and start the worker: $ node worker.js It will fetch top stories from the Hacker News API and save 5 of them to Sync Gateway. There's no need to process the data, we just pipe the response straight to the admin port of Sync Gateway which will create a new document for each top story. Trigger a Background Fetch To trigger a background fetch we can use the Debug > Simulate Background Fetch option in Xcode: This will send your app to the background and call the application:performFetchWithCompletionHandler: method, notice that we kick off a pull replication and register a change event listener to close the background fetch operation when the status of the replication has finished (kCBLReplicationStopped). Open the app and you will see the table view already populated: Using background fetch in your application can greatly improve the user experience and speed perceived by users.While the keyboard’s responsiveness and predictability on an on-screen keyboard is extremely important on our smartphones, safe to say that they cannot be compared to actual physical keyboards for comfort. That’s probably why there are keyboard cases out there to cater for smartphone/tablet owners who need to type a lot and need the comfort, speed and accuracy of a physical keyboard. That being said, we it seems that a mother of three from South London has managed to land herself a publishing deal after writing up an entire book using only her Blackberry smartphone. Georgina Campbell claims that this was after a bet with her 14-year old daughter, and managed to write up an entire book, all 55,600 words on the Blackberry’s memopad application. The bet it seems came about after watching a movie, a movie which her daughter thought was amazing, but a movie that Campbell thought she could write a better script for. The end result is a book titled “The Kickdown Girls”, a book whose original draft spanned 200 pages and took four months to write up. We can only imagine how sore her thumbs must be, but kudos to Campbell and we wish her book all the best! Filed in. Read more about BlackBerry.An underground drilling contractor says it will have to lay off some of its workers at the N.W.T.'s Snap Lake diamond mine. Monika Portman, the director of marketing and corporate management for Boart Longyear, says the cutbacks are necessary because De Beers Canada is trimming its underground drilling program at the mine, located 220 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife. "When they cut those drilling programs, there's a downstream effect on all drilling contractors," said Portman. Water problem to blame: analyst Paul Zimnisky, an independent, New York-based diamond industry analyst, says Snap Lake is encountering problems common to all diamond mines right now, such as weakened diamond prices due to a credit crunch among cutters and polishers as well as a dip in luxury spending among Chinese customers. But he says Snap Lake's troubles have more to do with problems unique to that mine, such as the water management issue that has been the subject of an ongoing water licence amendment process. De Beers is encountering a higher-than-expected amount of underground water rich in total dissolved solids, and has spent at least $20 million managing it. "It has plagued the mine since it opened in 2008 and as a result, it has not been a profitable mine for De Beers," said Zimnisky. "I think this can only go on for so long before...the best decision is to shut the mine down and move
break of day, and indeed stay with me even now. The first was easily understood and relevant. Two nights before we were to travel to Pisa, I dreamt that my sister Susie and I were climbing the stairs inside the tower and, about halfway up, she ventured outside of the inner spiral to the columns that line the perimeter of each story. I dreamt that while perched on the slanted surface she slipped and fell the long and uninterrupted distance to the ground below. Sure that she was critically injured, I ran to the edge and peeked over, to find that somehow she had only broken her arm. Actually visiting the leaning tower of Pisa two days later, she and I were walking up the stairs that looked exactly as I had pictured them, and about halfway up she wanted to venture outside the spiral staircase, just as she did in my dream. Though Susie was two years my elder, and not in the habit of taking direction from me, I begged her not to go out to the edge, even as I didn't tell her why, worried that I would sound silly or would be ignored. I asked her to trust me and not go out at that point, and we went to the top and looked out from the top railing. We even climbed the ladder to the higher inner ledge and, while I was naturally scared and cautious, I didn't have any portents about this part, so it was just normal everyday terror. This episode (and Pisa) past, we journeyed on to Florence. Another city, another hotel, another bed, and another portentous dream, just as vivid but entirely different than the last. Unlike the Pisa falling dream, which had a narrative, a clear position in time and space, an action and a consequence, this dream was much more a simple moment floating outside of any time I could define. Maybe it was tomorrow, maybe decades later. The dream was this: I was someplace (I don't have any recollection where) and I was eating a few Nilla wafers. While I was in the middle of eating one, someone rushed up to me and told me that my sister had died. That's it. The dream lasted all of 10 seconds and had only two salient details: My Nilla wafers and my sister's passing. I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night in the room that the three of us were sharing, and I could see that she was fine, sleeping peacefully. I have a hard time breaking habits or curbing desires. It took me years to stop sucking my thumb as a young child, and I still have poor willpower when it comes to desserts, but to this day, and forevermore, I have not and will not eat a Nilla wafer. My sister doesn't know about this. I've never told her. She doesn't regularly read my blog, so I don't know whether she'll hear the story due to my sharing it here, but who knows. It's something I do for her because I love her. It's not really the kind of thing you talk about. It doesn't really come up in conversation. To my recollection the only people who knew before this post were my ex-girlfriends Karen and Emily, and my wife Rachel. They've all watched out for me, knowing not to bring any into our home, and helping me steer clear from desserts that happen to have Nilla wafers, crumbled or otherwise, in them. A Japanese restaurant in Jack London Square with an amazing Bananas Foster comes to mind. I always order it specifically without the Nilla wafers that are otherwise added in. I won't eat generic knock-offs. I can still picture the taste of them, and there's nothing quite like them, but I feel pretty much nothing as I walk by them in the supermarket. We had shared good times together, but me and Nilla wafers have taken different paths, and will not cross again, because I love my sister too much to chance it, no matter how ridiculous that may sound. Oh, and if you read this and ever try to slip me one as a joke, don't even think about it. aboutme Hi, I'm Kevin Fox. I've been blogging at Fury.com since 1998. I can be reached at kevin at fury dot com. I also have a resume. electricimp I'm co-founder in a fantastic startup fulfilling the promise of the Internet of Things. The Imp is a computer and wi-fi connection smaller and cheaper than a memory card. Find out more. We're also hiring. followme I post most frequently on Twitter as @kfury and on Google Plus. pastwork I've led design at Mozilla Labs, designed Gmail 1.0, Google Reader 2.0, FriendFeed, and a few special projects at Facebook. ©2012 Kevin FoxTropical rainforests also sequester significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in their growing woody biomass; chopping them down only accelerates the rate of global warming by allowing more CO2 to escape into the atmosphere where it contributes to the greenhouse effect. Despite a partial moratorium on rainforest destruction announced by the Indonesian government in May 2011, analysts believe that nearly half of the country’s remaining tropical rainforests will be cleared within two decades. Over-exploitation of natural resources—and deforestation in particular—is a huge obstacle to Indonesia’s growth. According to the Rajawali Institute for Asia at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, by eliminating its natural capital for negligible gains, Indonesia lost $150 billion in future revenues between 1990 and 2007, wiping out one-third of the country’s national savings in the process. There are “major economic risks for Southeast Asia’s agriculture and timber sectors if they don’t take prompt action to conserve their forests,” reports Glenn Hurowitz, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy. “Global consumers are increasingly demanding deforestation-free products,” he says, adding that Nestle, McDonald’s, Unilever and others have pledged to obtain their palm oil from sources certified “sustainable” by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. YUM! Brands is not the only offender. Greenpeace has also targeted Mattel toys for supporting suppliers that contribute to Indonesian deforestation. And two Michigan girl scouts were shocked to find out the cookies they were selling contained palm oil obtained from deforested land in Indonesia. They spread the word to fellow girl scouts across the country, thousands of whom have stopped selling cookies as a result. Concerned consumers should write the company a letter asking them to stop using products derived from deforested rainforest lands. Greenpeace makes it easy by hosting an online form letter that sympathizers can sign onto and the group will take care of delivering your message directly to YUM! executives. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E — The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe; Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.One morning in the summer of 2015, I sat in a featureless office in Berkeley as a young computer programmer walked me through how he intended to save the world. The world needed saving, he insisted, not from climate change — or from the rise of the far right, or the treacherous instability of global capitalism — but from the advent of artificial superintelligence, which would almost certainly wipe humanity from the face of the earth unless certain preventative measures were put in place by a very small number of dedicated specialists such as himself, who alone understood the scale of the danger and the course of action necessary to protect against it. This intense and deeply serious young programmer was Nate Soares, the executive director of MIRI (Machine Intelligence Research Institute), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the safe — which is to say, non-humanity-obliterating — development of artificial intelligence. As I listened to him speak, and as I struggled (and failed) to follow the algebraic abstractions he was scrawling on a whiteboard in illustration of his preferred doomsday scenario, I was suddenly hit by the full force of a paradox: The austere and inflexible rationalism of this man’s worldview had led him into a grand and methodically reasoned absurdity. In researching and reporting my book, To Be a Machine, I had spent much of the previous 18 months among the adherents of the transhumanist movement, a broad church comprising life-extension advocates, cryonicists, would-be cyborgs, Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs, neuroscientists looking to convert the human brain into code, and so forth — all of whom were entirely convinced that science and technology would allow us to transcend the human condition. With many of these transhumanists (the vast majority of whom, it bears mentioning, were men), I had experienced some version of this weird cognitive dissonance, this apprehension of a logic-unto-madness. I had come across it so frequently, in fact, that I wound up giving it a name: magical rationalism. The key thing about magical rationalism is that its approach to a given question always seems, and in most meaningful respects is, perfectly logical. To take our current example, the argument about AI posing an existential risk to our species seems, on one level, quite compelling. The basic gist is this: If and when we develop human-level artificial intelligence, it’s only a matter of time until this AI, by creating smarter and smarter iterations of itself, gives rise to a machine whose intelligence is as superior to our own as our intelligence currently is to that of other animal species. (Let’s leave the cephalopods out of this for the moment, because who knows what the hell is going on with those guys.) Computers being what they are, though, there’s a nontrivial risk of this superintelligent AI taking the commands it’s issued far too literally. You tell it, for instance, to eliminate cancer once and for all, and it takes the shortest and most logical route to that end by wiping out all life-forms in which abnormal cell division might potentially occur. (An example of the cure-worse-than-the-disease scenario so perfect that you would not survive long enough to appreciate its perfection.) As far as I can see, there’s nothing about this scenario that is anything but logically sound, and yet here we are, taken to a place that most of us will agree feels deeply and intuitively batshit. (The obvious counterargument to this, of course, is that just because something feels intuitively batshit doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen. It’s worth bearing in mind that the history of science is replete with examples of this principle.) Magical rationalism arises out of a quasi-religious worldview, in which reason takes the place of the godhead, and whereby all of our human problems are soluble by means of its application. The power of rationalism, manifested in the form of technology — the word made silicon — has the potential to deliver us from all evils, up to and including death itself. This spiritual dimension is most clearly visible in the techno-millenarianism of the Singularity: the point on the near horizon of our future at which human beings will finally and irrevocably merge with technology, to become uploaded minds, disembodied beings of pure and immutable thought. (Nate Soares, in common with many of those working to eliminate the existential threat posed by AI, viewed this as the best-case scenario for the future, as the kingdom of heaven that would be ours if we could only avoid the annihilation of our species by AI. I myself found it hard to conceive of as anything other than a vision of deepest hell.) In his book The Singularity is Near, Ray Kurzweil, a futurist and director of engineering at Google, lays out the specifics of this post-human afterlife. “The Singularity,” he writes, “will allow us to transcend these limitations of our biological bodies and brains. We will gain power over our fates. Our mortality will be in our hands. We will be able to live as long as we want (a subtly different statement from saying we will live forever). We will fully understand human thinking and will vastly extend and expand its reach. By the end of this century, the nonbiological portion of our intelligence will be trillions of times more powerful than unaided human intelligence.” This is magical rationalism in its purest form: It arises out of the same human terrors and desires as the major religions — the terror of death, the desire to transcend it — and proceeds toward the same kinds of visionary mythologizing. This particular Singularitarian strain of magical rationalism could be glimpsed in Elon Musk’s widely reported recent comments at a conference in Dubai. Humans, he insisted, would need to merge with machines in order to avoid becoming obsolete. “It’s mostly about the bandwidth,” he explained; computers were capable of processing information at a trillion bits per second, while we humans could input data into our devices at a mere ten bits per second, or thereabouts. From the point of view of narrow rationalism, Musk’s argument was sort of compelling — if computers are going to beat us at our own game, we’d better find ways to join them — but it only really made sense if you thought of a human being as a kind of computer to begin with. (We’re computers; we’re just rubbish at computing compared to actual computers these days.) While writing To Be a Machine, I kept finding myself thinking about Flann O’Brien’s surreal comic masterpiece The Third Policeman, in which everyone is unhealthily obsessed with bicycles, and men who spend too much time on their bicycles wind up themselves becoming bicycles via some kind of mysterious process of molecular transfer. Transhumanism — a world as overwhelmingly male as O’Brien’s rural Irish hellscape — often seemed to me to be guided by a similar kind of overidentification with computers, a strange confusion of the distinct categories of human and machine. Because if computation is the ultimate value, the ultimate end of intelligence, then it makes absolute sense to become better versions of the computers we already are. We must “optimize for intelligence,” as transhumanists are fond of saying — meaning by intelligence, in most cases, the exercise of pure reason. And this is the crux of magical rationalism: It is both an idealization of reason, of beautiful and rigorous abstraction, and a mode of thinking whereby reason is made to serve as the faithful handmaiden of absolute madness. Because reason is, among its other uses, a finely calibrated tool by which the human animal pursues its famously unreasonable ends.Gearbox Software, L.L.C. is an American video game development company based in Frisco, Texas. It was established in 1999 by developers from companies such as 3D Realms and Bethesda Softworks, with one of the founders, Randy Pitchford, as CEO. The company initially created expansions for the Valve Corporation game Half-Life, then ported that game and others to console platforms. In 2005 Gearbox launched its first independent set of games, Brothers in Arms, on console and mobile devices. It became their flagship franchise and spun off a comic book series, television documentary, books, and action figures. Their second original game series Borderlands was released in 2009, and by 2015 had sold over 26 million copies. The company also owns the intellectual property of Duke Nukem and Homeworld. History [ edit ] Gearbox Software was founded on February 16, 1999[1] by five members of the content team from the defunct developer Rebel Boat Rocker: Randy Pitchford, Brian Martel, Stephen Bahl, Landon Montgomery, and Rob Heironimus.[2] Before Rebel Boat Rocker, Pitchford and Martel previously worked together at 3D Realms, and Montgomery previously worked at Bethesda Softworks. They started with developing expansions to Valve Software's Half-Life. Porting Half-Life to console platforms (each with new game content) followed, building the company's experience in console game-making, in addition to enhancing and building upon the successful Counter-Strike branch of the Half-Life franchise. Prior to Half-Life 2, they had developed or helped develop every Half-Life expansion game or port, including Opposing Force, Blue Shift, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, Half-Life for the Sony PlayStation 2 (including Half-Life: Decay), and Half-Life for the Sega Dreamcast (including Blue Shift). Branching out to other publishers, they pursued additional port work, each game being released with additional content, but this time from console to PC. These projects included their first non-first-person shooter, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and Halo: Combat Evolved, forging new publisher relationships with Activision and Microsoft Game Studios respectively. Additional new development, in the form of a PC game in the James Bond franchise (James Bond 007: Nightfire) for Electronic Arts, also occurred during the company's initial 5-year period. In 2005, they launched an original property of their creation, Brothers in Arms, with the release of Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 on the Xbox, PC and PlayStation 2. Later that year a sequel, Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood, was launched. In 2008 Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway was released. 2007 brought announcements of new projects based on licensed film intellectual properties, including the crime drama Heat[3] and the science-fiction classic Aliens.[4] In the September 2007 issue of Game Informer, a new game franchise was revealed, the sci-fi shooter Borderlands,[5] after which Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford mentioned in an online interview that development on the Heat game had not yet begun, as the planned development partner for the project had gone under.[6] This was followed by an announcement by Sega that they would be helming a new version of rhythm game Samba de Amigo for the Wii, a departure from their signature first-person shooter titles.[7] In June 2013, 3D Realms sued Gearbox for unpaid royalties.[8] In September 2013, 3D Realms dropped the suit with founder Scott Miller explaining it as a misunderstanding on their part.[9] In July 2013, Gearbox announced plans to rerelease Homeworld and Homeworld 2 in high definition for modern PC platforms, in addition to making it available through digital distributors.[10] In February 2014, Gearbox filed a lawsuit against 3D Realms for attempting to make another Duke Nukem game without the consent of the company.[11] In July 2014, Randy Pitchford formally contested the Aliens: Colonial Marines class action lawsuit stating the game had cost them millions of their own money and the advertising was solely the fault of the publisher.[12] Acquiring Duke Nukem [ edit ] In 2008, Sega announced its license of the Aliens franchise and a development deal with Gearbox Software to create Aliens: Colonial Marines. Also in 2008, Gearbox Software's CEO Randy Pitchford announced that the company was working on yet another major unannounced title, hinting that it was "huge".[13] On September 3, 2010, Gearbox announced that they are behind Duke Nukem Forever.[14] Since 2009, Allen Blum, the co-designer of Duke Nukem 3D and his development team are housed at Gearbox Software under the name of Triptych Games. The team worked on the game in their own homes before Gearbox Software decided to collaborate. In June 2011, Duke Nukem Forever was released and received negative critical reception on release, with most of the criticism directed towards the unfinished, rushed state of the game.[15][16] Despite the criticism the game topped the charts on release and made a profit for its distributor, Take-Two Interactive.[17] Aliens: Colonial Marines controversy [ edit ] In February 2013, an anonymous source reported to Destructoid that Gearbox had been taking people and resources off Aliens: Colonial Marines to put them to work on Borderlands and Duke Nukem Forever, and yet was still collecting full payments from Sega as if they were working on Aliens: Colonial Marines. When Sega discovered this misconduct they canceled Colonial Marines, which led to the game's protracted development; "At some point in 2008, Sega temporarily pulled the plug on the game [...] They caught wind of Gearbox shifting resources despite still collecting milestone checks as if the team were full size and lying to Sega and 2K Games about the number of people working on each project. This led to the round of layoffs at Gearbox in late 2008."[18] The game drew additional controversy due to the accusations that much of the game's development was not by Gearbox Software, but was outsourced to other developers in order to compensate for mismanagement on behalf of Gearbox. While Sega initially denied that any such outsourcing occurred, sources claimed that developers Demiurge Studios and Nerve Software were responsible for the game's downloadable content, while TimeGate Studios was responsible for the majority of the game's campaign, and were unable to create the planned Beta version on schedule despite several delays. This caused the game to be rushed through redesigns, certification and shipping, despite being in a largely unfinished state.[19] A class action lawsuit filed in April 2013 by Roger Damion Perrine and John Locke alleged that Gearbox and Sega falsely advertised Aliens: Colonial Marines by showing demos at trade shows, such as PAX and E3, that did not accurately represent the final product. Sega and the plaintiffs reached a settlement in late 2014, wherein Sega agreed to pay $1.25 million to the class. A motion for preliminary approval of the class settlement was pending as of January 2015. Gearbox has not agreed to settle, and the plaintiffs continue to litigate claims against the company.[20] On April 5, 2013, Sega confirmed that the Wii U port of the game was cancelled due to poor reception of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.[21] Also in April, Gearbox acquired the Homeworld franchise from THQ during its bankruptcy auction.[22] In May 2013, it was reported that TimeGate Studios filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy.[23] Gearbox Studio Québec [ edit ] In December 2015, it was reported that Gearbox is opening a second development studio in Quebec City, Canada.[24] The studio will be run by Sebastien Caisse and former Activision art director Pierre-Andre Dery. The team will grow to at least 100 and that it will develop original AAA titles.[25] The core team is built around former Assassin's Creed, Skylanders and Call of Duty developers and Université Laval IT staff. Games [ edit ] Gearbox has developed a total of six games in the Half-Life series: the expansion packs Opposing Force and Blue Shift; ports of Half-Life for Dreamcast (which included Blue Shift) and Half-Life for PlayStation 2 (which included Half-Life: Decay); they also did a large amount of work on both the retail release of Counter-Strike and the main portion of Counter-Strike: Condition Zero. Brothers in Arms [ edit ] During their fourth year, Gearbox began working on their first independently owned game: Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30. Developed for both PC and Microsoft's Xbox console, and built with the Unreal Engine 2, it was released in March 2005. The sequel, Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood, followed seven months later. The series was published by Ubisoft, who supported both games with PlayStation 2 versions, and later worked with them to develop Brothers in Arms games for portable systems (mobile phones, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS) and the Wii home console. In 2005, Gearbox licensed the Unreal Engine 3 from Epic Games, to replace the Unreal Engine 2 technology used in previous games, and grew its internal development teams to handle the demands of next-generation technology and content.[26] Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway was the first new title to be announced, continuing the company's flagship franchise.[27] Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway was launched in September 2008. By 2008, the franchise also spun off a comic book series, a two-part television documentary, a line of action figures, and a novelization and non-fiction history book. Borderlands series [ edit ] After the completion of Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood, Gearbox began working on their second original game, Borderlands. First revealed in the September 2007 issue of Game Informer, Borderlands was described as "Mad Max meets Diablo", and its first-person shooter-meets-role-playing gameplay was revealed, along with screenshots of the early art style and the first three playable characters. The gaming press saw the game next at the European GamesCon in 2007, and again at GamesCon and E3 in 2008. In early 2009, it was revealed in PC Gamer magazine that they had changed the graphical style and added the fourth player character. Released in 2009, Borderlands is billed as a "role-playing shooter" (a first-person shooter with role-playing elements). Following the unexpected[28] success of the first Borderlands, which sold between three[29] to four-and-a-half million copies since release,[30] creative director Mike Neumann stated that there was a chance of a Borderlands 2 being created, adding that the decision "seems like a no-brainer."[31] On August 2, 2011, the game was confirmed and titled as Borderlands 2. The first look at the game was shown at Gamescom 2011, and an extensive preview was included in the September edition of Game Informer magazine, with Borderlands 2 being the cover story.[32] Like the first game, Borderlands 2 was developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games, running on a heavily modified version of Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3. The game was released on September 18, 2012 in North America and was released on September 21, 2012 internationally.[33][34] Duke Nukem series [ edit ] At the Penny Arcade Expo on September 3, 2010, it was announced that development of the long-awaited Duke Nukem Forever will be continued by Gearbox after the project was abandoned by 3D Realms after 12 years, with Gearbox purchasing the intellectual property of the franchise.[35] It was released by Take Two Interactive on June 10, 2011 internationally with a North American release on June 14. In a Wired.com interview with Randy Pitchford, it was revealed that Allen Blum's development team Triptych Games have been brought into the office of Gearbox, making them a separate internal developer.[36] In the fall of 2010, Interceptor Entertainment CEO Frederik Schreiber had started throwing around the idea of doing a Duke Nukem 3D remake. Schreiber created a test map to give an idea of what it may look like, which he took screenshots of and posted on the Gearbox forums. Shortly after posting the screenshots the images and the project made their way to various gaming sites causing a small buzz within the gaming community. He first contacted Gearbox Software, who told him to contact George Broussard and Scott Miller at 3D Realms. Schreiber proceeded to contact 3D Realms. The screenshots for the project were enough to convince Scott Miller to a certain degree about the project, but the game would need Take Two's permission for it to happen. Schreiber again contacted Gearbox, hoping they would have a better relationship with Take Two than 3D Realms. After following the proper channels within Gearbox, he was able to get in contact with PJ Putnam, the company's Vice President and General Counsel. Gearbox was interested in helping the project and Schreiber was eventually granted a "personal non-commercial license" to Duke Nukem. Having received permission to proceed, Schreiber announced the game on October 13, 2010, under the name Duke Nukem Next-Gen, revealing he had set up a small team to work with. It was also stated the game would be based on the Unreal Engine 3 and would not require any other game for it to run. On November 4, 2010, the game was renamed to Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded. The game has been put on an indefinite hold as of September 24, 2011, pending the resolution of differences between the Interceptor Entertainment team and Gearbox Software due to ambiguity on whether or not the finished product would actually be allowed to see release.[37] On July 15, 2015 Gearbox confirmed that a new Duke Nukem was in development and that concept images have been made.[38] On September 4, 2016 Gearbox announced Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour. The game includes new levels developed in conjunction with some of the original developers, re-recorded lines by original Duke voice actor Jon St. John, and new music from original composer Lee Jackson. It was released on October 11, 2016. Battleborn [ edit ] Released in May 2016, Battleborn is a cooperative first-person shooter video game with multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) elements. It takes place in a space fantasy setting where multiple races contest possession of the universe's last star.[39] Technology [ edit ] In 2006, they partnered with Dell and Intel to provide development computer systems and technology for their studio.[40] In June 2007, they purchased a Moven motion capture system that uses non-optical intertia technology, to augment their existing Vicon optical motion capture system becoming one of the few independent developers with two in-house motion capture capabilities.[41] In February 2008, it was announced that they had licensed NaturalMotion's Morpheme software.[42] List of video games [ edit ]Update, Feb 14: many users have been reporting orders not fully processing or being unable to add their top-up credits to their account. Users are recommended to try the smallest possible denomination first, and then make the full order if the smaller transaction works Today a service which many have been awaiting for months has finally rolled out its soft launch, and is inviting members of the public to come and test it as the site enters its final stages of launch. BitcoinWireless is a service that allows anyone to purchase top-up credits for their phone for bitcoins, and currently works with over 280 carriers in 112 countries. Anyone with a phone using any of the carriers can simply go to the site, enter their country, carrier, email address and phone number, pay the bitcoins to a receiving address generated by the site, and receive an email containing their carrier’s standard instructions for adding the credit to their plan within hours – quite often, within thirty minutes. Many Bitcoin entrepreneurs have attempted to create similar intermediary services for various industries in the past; you can already buy gift cards for BTC, Reddit gold for BTC and, recently, even order Domino’s pizza for bitcoins with the help of third-party resellers. Bitcoin Wireless, however, is different, and for one simple reason: the prices at which they are selling are, in many countries, either at cost or even below cost, beating out even the prices set by carriers themselves. In the US, for example, buying a top-up credit with any phone plan will cost exactly $20 worth of BTC, no transaction fees attached. “We buy it at a discount,” founder of BitcoinWireless’ parent company, BitInstant, explains, “and sell it at 1:1 for BTC”. In Canada, the situation is especially favorable. For example, consider the $20 Wind Mobile topup. If one buys the topup directly from a local Wind Mobile store, or by credit card, once local sales taxes are added one pays a total price of $22.60. With Bitcoin Wireless? Converting the 0.89 BTC payment into CAD, $18.88. All of the other phone plans in Canada work similarly. That’s right: if you have a mobile phone plan in Canada, you can buy a $20 topup credit for less than $20. Bitcoin Wireless is not the first retail business to make such an offer; that honor, at least if one restricts attention to retail businesses, and excludes companies selling products that they create themselves, goes to the Bitcoin Store, which sells electronics for Bitcoin cheaper than Amazon and NewEgg. However, it is the second, and in Canada the price difference is large enough that it may well entice at least a small number of people to go through the process of buying BTC through Cavirtex or canadianbitcoins.com just to take advantage of the savings. In the US, Bitcoin Wireless is just as expensive as its alternatives in terms of money, but for those who already have BTC lying around Bitcoin payments are far more convenient in terms of time; all it takes is to scan the QR code with a smartphone app and hit “send”. Unfortunately, a lot of countries are still missing from the list. Nearly every country in Europe, for example, is nowhere to be found, and notably elsewhere in the world Argentina, China, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand are also missing, among others. Many other countries are available, but only at a high markup; in Russia, for example, Bitcoin Wireless sells at an exchange rate of 100 RUB for $4.5 USD, a 35% markup over the actual cost. “We’re adding more countries,” Shrem writes, “but, right now, Europe is hard.” BitcoinWireless is adding more carriers every day, and so Europe will likely be added in the months to come. The web page itself is still under last-minute testing, although it is expected that everything will be finalized within a few days. Even while plans for Europe are still in the works, though, Bitcoin Wireless offers a great way for customers in the US especially to top up their phone plan, and in Canada Bitcoin Wireless can join the ranks of Bitcoin Store as a service that is actually cheaper in bitcoins.We frequently hear the question: “I’m trying to grow my business but don’t have a big budget for advertising. What can I do on a budget?” We talk to computer repair business owners every day, and were previously in the business ourselves, so we decided to compile a list of effective and inexpensive strategies for repair shops looking to grow. Develop partnerships with local competition. Take a look at the other repair shops in the area. Oftentimes there are services that are unique to each of your businesses. Contact them and agree to send each other business for the services that you’re not competing on. Increase the average sale price per customer. If you can up-sell products to your customers, you can still grow your business without doing any additional marketing. Many shops sell online backup, antiviruses, hard drives, monitoring, etc. If you’re one of our customers you can get a great discount with Gillware to get started selling online backup and data recovery. Start selling pre-paid service packs. Ensure customer loyalty by selling them discounted pre-paid service packages. Customers will be happier because they’ll know what they’re paying ahead of time, and you’ll get more cash to further grow your business. Use the free advertising channels. Make sure you’ve got listings on Yelp, YP.com, Craigslist, Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, etc. Trade computer services for referrals. Go to your favorite high-traffic local businesses, and trade them an hour or two of your services for the ability to place your business cards and flyers in a visible area. Participate in local events. Go to local events where business owners will be present. Your city’s chamber of commerce will put on events like this often. Meet people and tell them what you offer. Make sure you listen to them when they tell you about the problems they have on a regular basis, and be open to the idea of expanding your services to accommodate their needs. Do highly targeted Google Adwords campaigns. You can get started with adwords campaigns with free coupons from your web host. Start with simple local search terms like “computer repair san jose”, and use exact matches. Make sure you can track which customers came from your adwords campaigns. Use Facebook advertising. You can do local facebook advertising in your zip code or city. Make sure you change the age demographics, and any other criteria you think will bring you your target customers. More filters are better, you want the “right” customers. We recommend using Kuhcoon for your automating your facebook advertising efforts. Get a car magnet. Advertising your business while you drive. Car magnets can cost less than $20. Participate in computer repair shop communities. You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. There are plenty of communities where ideas are plentiful, and you can steal them. Check out the ACRBO, Technibble, ASCII, and CompTIA for lively repair communities. Got any other ideas? Send them to us and we’ll add them to the list! Edit: Credit to /u/Vortieum for suggesting “listening” in point 6.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Laura Phillips believes that if love was enough, her son would be alive today. Phillips' son, Kenneth "Kenny" Antonick, 26, was found dead on Sept. 1 at a friend's apartment in the Bronx from a suspected overdose. Phillips, who lives in North Carolina with her husband, Steven, and children Michelle Antonick, 23; Caitlin Phillips, 13, and Emily Phillips, 12, said she hadn't spoken to Kenny for almost three weeks before she received the devastating phone call. She last saw him in June, during a trip to Staten Island. "I knew he was using then [when I saw him], but when we last spoke on the phone he told us he was doing OK; he said not to worry. We were on the phone for almost three hours," Phillips said. "You're always afraid of the phone ringing or a knock at the door when you're the parent of an addict," Phillips explained, because "you fear the news that's on the other end of the phone or on the other side of the door. "I know it [addiction] starts with a choice, but it is still a disease. I know damn well my son didn't want to grow up to be an addict, only to die at 26. Nobody wants that," she said. Phillips had her son's body flown to North Carolina to be buried. She also made the decision to have Antonick's obituary says that he lost his battle with addiction. "I'm not embarrassed of my son," she said. "I wasn't going to write that he died in his sleep; I wanted to be brave. I want other people to know that this can happen to them and that we need to talk about it. We need to break the stigma, and hiding what happened isn't going to do that." Exclusive: 9 dead in last 10 days from suspected ODs, says D.A. Nine people have died from drug overdoses in the past 10 days on Staten Island, says District Attorney McMahon 'I COULDN
they could significantly optimize engagement and target people they knew statistically had a high probability of becoming a Trump supporter. They could also target Hillary Clinton supporters, and potentially persuade them not to vote. Those who did not engage, Bannon and company then knew to ignore and no longer pursue (saving time and money). Those who did engage were put into new echo chambers controlled by Steve Bannon and Cambridge Analytica. By continuing to advertise to them what the machine learning software determined they wanted to read, they were able to persuade people to vote for Donald Trump who may not have normally voted; or perhaps discourage people from voting for Hillary. If all of this is true, Steve Bannon essentially used Silicon Valley’s own means of social engineering, echo chambers, and monetization strategies against those company’s and Hillary Clinton to persuade Twitter and Facebook users to vote for Donald Trump instead. Only spending a fraction of what Hillary spent, and with much greater efficiency and accuracy. The robots are here. In addition, this article claims Trump also had his own army on social media similar to David Brock’s Correct The Record, which was spreading propaganda for Hillary Clinton. However, instead of having paid human trolls doing their dirty work like CTR, who didn’t actually believe what they were being paid to write about, Trump used intelligent robots and leveraged existing social media botnets. This way Trump, Bannon, and his team were able to control the exact messages and narratives they wanted to send, and amplify anything that fit their narrative. It is even possible they paid to use existing Russian or Ukrainian botnets they purchased or leased from stateless rogue hackers (which is consistent with the Russian hacking narrative but a completely new way of looking at the evidence). They didn’t even necessarily have to create the content, merely amplify anything that supported an idea or concept they liked that would either influence people to vote for Donald Trump, or persuade them not to vote for Hillary Clinton. It probably didn’t hurt that Bannon was able to leverage his position with Breitbart News as well. It would not surprise me if my own article from election night, which received over 9 million reads in the days after the election, benefited from being retweeted and promoted by this Trump botnet. I was promoting the story heavily on Twitter using hashtags and keywords the bots were potentially amplifying. I don’t believe my reads or views were faked because most of my traffic came from Facebook and Twitter, and I was also the top story on Medium for a few days. However, it is still possible the story was amplified by these bots causing real people to actually read my article, and even follow me. The intention of Trump’s botnet was actual human engagement as compared to Hillary’s CTR spam like techniques. The article gained so much traction so quickly that even one of Trump’s advisors read it. While I can’t prove any of this, the fact it is even a possibility is both equally exciting, and frightening. While it is possible my article really did spread organically and was not amplified by a Trump robot army, the possibility that I may have accidentally tapped into something few people knew existed is something out of a science fiction novel. The even scarier thing about all of this is the technology outlined in this article does in fact exist, and everything I’ve proposed is technologically possible and is exactly what Cambridge Analytica claims they can do. Did artificial intelligence just win Donald Trump the Presidency? Disclaimer: This article is about technology and propaganda Trump might have used to win the election. It is not an endorsement of Trump or Steve Bannon.Based off of the comic book. Unbeknownst to other people, there is a private agency code named MiB. This agency is some kind of extra terrestrial surveillance corporation. Then, one of the agency's finest men only going by the name "K" (Tommy Lee Jones), is recruiting for a new addition to the agency. He has chosen James Edwards (Will Smith) of the N.Y.P.D. Then, one day, a flying saucer crashes into Earth. This was an alien a part of the "Bug" race. He takes the body of a farmer (Vincent D'Onofrio) and heads to New York. He is searching for a super energy source called "The Galaxy". Now, Agents J and K must stop the bug before it can escape with the galaxy. Written by John WigginsPiercings run the risk of infection Deadly brain abscesses should be added to the list of risks of having a tongue piercing, say doctors. Archives of Neurology reports how a 22-year-old man who died in hospital following multiple brain abscesses weeks after getting his tongue pierced. The man's Israeli doctors warn infection can spread in the bloodstream from the piercing up to the brain. Piercing can more commonly lead to chipped teeth and oral infections, and sometimes heart problems, say experts. Despite the risks, tongue piercings remain popular. The clear message is that oral piercing is ill advised and should be avoided Professor Damien Walmsley Scientific adviser to the British Dental Association Celebrities like Spice Girl Mel B and Princess Anne's daughter Zara Phillips have had their tongues pierced. But experts say people should think twice and put their health before fashion. Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, said: "Dentists are all too aware of the health problems that can be caused by oral piercings. "There are many potential complications, ranging from pain and swelling to chipped or cracked teeth. Patients who have oral piercings can also suffer with recession of the gums and prolonged bleeding. "Piercing of oral sites also carries with it a risk of infection. The clear message is that oral piercing is ill advised and should be avoided." Problems associated with body piercing can be down to poor hygiene during the procedure or people failing to heed advice about follow-up care at home. Professional piercers maintain that hygienic, precision piercing rarely causes complications. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionDutch studio MVRDV is proposing a 400-metre skyscraper for Jakarta that looks like a pile of at least ten separate buildings. MVRDV, alongside American architects Jerde and engineers Arup, designed the 88-storey "vertical city" as a part of developer's bid for a site in the south-east of Indonesia's capital. The architects explain that the building would comprise just four staggered towers, which would rise up from a commercial podium at the base. Distributed amongst these structures would be a mix of apartments, hotels and offices, as well as shops, cinemas, a mosque and a vertiginous amphitheatre accessed by outdoor elevators. "Peruri 88 is vertical Jakarta. It represents a new, denser, social, green mini-city, a monument to the development of Jakarta as a modern icon literally raised from its own city fabric," said MVRDV co-founder Winy Maas. Gardens, swimming pools and terraces would cover the tiered rooftops, which the architects conceive as a jungle filled with local trees and plants. "Our inspiration for the commercial podium and public spaces was Java’s natural setting; lush jungle and stone surrounded by expansive ocean," said David Rogers, design director at Jerde. If the developer wins the bid, construction will start imminently. Also this year, MVRDV completed a library inside a glass pyramid and a building covered in QR codes. See all our stories about MVRDV » See all our stories about Indonesia » Rendering is by RSI-Studio. Here's some extra text from MVRDV: Peruri 88: MVRDV-Jerde-Arup reveal 360.000m2 green mix use project in Jakarta, Indonesia An international design team made up of MVRDV (overall design), The Jerde Partnership (commercial podium) and ARUP, together with developer Wijaya Karya – Benhil Property, have collaborated to create Peruri 88 – a new landmark icon for Jakarta. Peruri 88 will be a vertical city in one building combining Jakarta´s need for more green spaces with the need for densification. The tower is a 400 meter tall mix use project with retail, offices, housing, a luxury hotel, four levels of parking, a wedding house, a mosque, imax theatres and an outdoor amphitheatre. The team presented the plans to city and site owner Peruri as part of a developer’s bid competition for the prominent site at Jl. Palatehan 4 Jakarta. Peruri 88 combines Jakarta´s need for green space with Jakarta´s need for higher densities whilst respecting the typologies of the current urban fabric. The site, which is owned by Peruri, is located at Jl. Palatehan 4 Jakarta, a block formerly used as Mint which sits right next to a future metro station. The mix use project offers a great variety of office and housing typologies, from large office surfaces to living/working units, from lofts to townhouses, from terraced houses to patio living. Each of these stacked urban blocks comes with a semi-public roof park, an abundance of gardens, playgrounds, spas, gym’s, outdoor restaurants and swimming pools available to the inhabitants and office employees. The tall trees on these decks will provide extra shade whilst the height of the parks allows for a cooling breeze.The high rise, a luxury hotel from the 44th floor to the 86th floor, rises from a platform with park, swimming pool and the marriage house. On top of the hotel a panoramic restaurant and viewing platform complete the structure at the 88th floor. The commercial podium which is located from levels B2 to the 7th floor is designed by Jerde Partnership with MVRDV. Its most characteristic feature is the central plaza, sheltered by the stacked volumes of the mid-rise it offers multiple outdoor layers of restaurants and shadow and natural ventilation. A series of escalators connects the shopping and retail centre to the parks of the mid-rise. The Peruri 88 commercial podium reflects the city’s historic islands with reflective bodies of water and landscape traversing the public street levels, while integrating a sunken garden plaza. The buildings structure has five principle cores and is less complex than visually apparent. Four traditional constructed tall towers rise up between which bridging floors will be constructed. Arup will continue to develop and rationalise the structure to satisfy regulations and the budget. A number of international hotel, retail and apartment operators have shown interest in the building and if the team wins construction will start swiftly.What would you say if one day you are visiting usa.gov and you’d see this screen: What are those fishes doing on the official USA Government Website?? Well, this actually happened! Through our reconnaissance platform we are able to do targetted queries and find suspicious domains. When checking the USA.gov domain we discovered a significant security gap which enabled us to take over their subdomain. Of course, we then secured it from hostile hackers and through coordination by the National CSIRT in the US we helped to make USA.gov aware of this significant security gap. In this blog post we will explain and show to you what exactly happened and how you can protect your organization from those very “Subdomain Takeovers”. If you’re asking: what’s this?, here’s our blog post on the principles of a Subdomain Takeover. It covers, with great detail, how a takeover is done and of course how to take decrease vulnerability. So what happened to usa.gov? With our reconnaissance platform, we are able to search the internet for targetted queries. This enables us to spot suspicious Subdomains for any domain we are checking. In the USA.gov case, the suspicious subdomain was called api.usa.gov. After an inspection by our expert hunters, we found it pointed to api-usa-gov.domains.api.data.gov using a CNAME DNS record. This api-usa-gov.domains.api.data.gov has A records pointing to the GitHub infrastructure, but unfortunately the api.usa.gov subdomain is not registered in GitHub anymore. Consequently, the domain api.usa.gov can be registered by any attacker who in return will have full control over one of the USA.go subdomains. A vulnerable domain like this presents many options to an attacker. It is a perfect infrastructure for Phishing Malware spreading Cookie extraction “Man-in-the-browser” attacks USA.gov brand damage This makes it clear: a subdomain takeover represents and is considered a high risk. How to protect/repair the domain? In order to protect the domain, remove the CNAME record of this subdomain or point it elsewhere. As already mentioned above, our blog post on the principles of a Subdomain Takeover will explain all of this in more detail. Responsible disclosure After having secured the domain, we contacted the National CSIRT in the US, who coordinated the responsible disclosure to USA.gov. We believe this is a prime example collaboration between the private and public sector and governmental bodies. In the future, this collaboration will be crucial in order to ensure the best possible security in cyber space. This was also confirmed at the 5th European Annual Cyber Security Conference in Brussels this year, as this exact collaboration was one of the major talking points in the agenda. ReferencesJanuary 24, 2017 WE KNEW they'd be big. But they ended up being "YOOGE," as a certain incoming commander in chief might say. Across the U.S. and around the globe, masses of people disgusted with the bigot who officially moved into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue took to the streets to say "Not my president" and to oppose the right-wing attacks that the Trump administration has planned. People marched against Trump on all seven continents--a first for presidential inaugural protests. (Yes, even in Antarctica, where a group of tourists and environmental activists protested in defense of penguins and the planet.) While Trump's team began his presidency with bald-faced lies about the size of the crowds that (didn't) turn out for his swearing-in on January 20, the best estimates for the January 21 women's marches were between 3.3 million and 4.5 million people. That sent a resounding "no" to Trump: No, we will not stand by as women's rights are attacked; No, we will not stay silent as racist hate is unleashed; No, we will not be complacent as the rich get richer, and working people face further assaults. Hundreds of thousands stand up for women's rights in New York City Everywhere, the massive numbers of protesters--in several cities, there were counted the largest protest gatherings ever in their histories--provided a sense of excitement and hope to those who understand the only way to stop Trump is by building uncompromising resistance to his agenda. As one sign carried by a protester in Seattle summed up, Trump-style: "We know marches. We do the best marches. (They're terrific.) Everyone agrees." In New York City, site of the largest protest outside of Washington, some 500,000 people gathered at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in Midtown Manhattan for a march that traveled close to Trump's own doorstep--Trump Tower. According to one report, the march was so massive that it took well over three hours for the last of the crowd to set off on the march route along 42nd Street and up 5th Avenue. The route was packed as far as the eye could see, and crowds of protesters trying waited on side streets to make it onto 5th Avenue for the opportunity to raise their voices at Trump Tower. Protesters were awash in the ubiquitous pink "pussy" hats and handmade signs. Many declared the women holding them to be "nasty" (a favorite Trump slur), while men held signs that appropriated Hillary Clinton's campaign slogan "I'm with her" and added arrows pointing to the women next to them. Other signs and banners focused on issues of racism, immigrant rights, LGBT oppression and more. Among them were: "You can't comb over sexism," "Black lives matter" and "Build a bridge, not a wall." "A lot is at stake," marcher Jennifer Tavis told the New York Daily News. "There are so many issues to support, but I think we are for fighting [for] reproductive rights, health care and equality." Others echoed the need for solidarity. "It's obvious to us that he's bringing back--and has brought about--division,"retiree Mildred Taylor explained to Vox.com. "We know what division can lead to--divide and conquer. This is what he's all about." In Chicago, a crowd of several thousand rallied at Daley Plaza on January 20 and then marched to the city's Trump Hotel and Tower. Speakers focused on immigrant rights and other issues, and protesters chanted "Donald, escucha! Estamos en la lucha!" ("Donald, listen! We are fighting!). Earlier in the day, Students Together Against Trump (STAT), a new student coalition at DePaul University, organized a "Day of Defiance" that drew approximately 40 students for a speakout and march on campus preceding the Daley Plaza event. The protesters were cheered on by campus workers as they led chants and marched. Then came the incredible display on January 21. The Chicago Women's March packed Grant Park to overflowing with some 250,000 people--the largest protest in the city since the mass immigrant rights marches of 2006. Despite a last-minute change in venue to accommodate the crowd, the protest grew so quickly that the march was canceled for safety reasons. Despite this, tens of thousands of protesters decided to march to Federal Plaza anyway, taking hours to travel the short distance because of the size of the crowd. The handmade signs of protests carried distinctive and funny messages, like the one reading "Thou shalt not mess with women's reproductive rights. -- Fallopians, 4:28" and "Orange is not the new Black." As they marched, some protesters raised chants of "No hate, no fear! Muslims are welcome here." One group of 8-year-olds with bullhorns led a chant of "A, B, C, D, E, F, G--Donald Trump is a big bully." Presbyterian pastor Abbie Heimach-Snipes explained why she carried a sign reading "Nobody's free until everybody's free"--a quote from civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer: "It's important to me, as a woman, as a white woman, as a pastor, to think about being led by [Hamer's] words--that we are all connected, and that when someone is crying out, we need to be standing with them." Chicago residents Vanisa Patel and Asra Salim, who work in public health, said Trump's attacks on health care moved them to attend. Salim said it was "incredibly humbling to see so many people come together to support equality for everyone...As a Pakistani Muslim woman, seeing people supporting Muslim rights got me close to tears a few times. It just feels good knowing that you're not alone, because sometimes it feels that way." Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) member Amy Bergeson carried a sign referencing the children's book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? "I see a highly unqualified Secretary of Education nominee," the sign read, featuring a picture of Trump's pick Betsy DeVos. "Trump has nominated someone who has never taught a day in her life, who has no actual education background, is opposed to public education and is not a good choice for education in this country," Bergeson said. But the attacks on education aren't coming only from Republicans--they have been carried out by Chicago's own Democratic Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "In Chicago," said Bergeson, "we have this view like, 'Hey, we're a liberal city, we care about this kind of stuff,' and yet we have a mayor who literally wants to shut down the public schools and privatize them." She concluded: "I think if we continue to stand up, then Rahm, [Republican Illinois Gov. Bruce] Rauner and Trump will see that and back down." Downtown Los Angeles was packed with protesters on January 21, with a crowd unlike anything since the massive pro-immigrant marches of 2006. Estimates suggest that between 750,000 and 1 million people flooded the streets in the slow march to City Hall. Activists, musicians and celebrities addressed the crowd, including Jane Fonda, Laverne Cox, Lily Tomlin, Rage Against the Machine's Brad Wilk, and many more. But the real story were the hundreds of thousands of signs, chants and demands coming from the crowd, which included signs like "Sí, se puede," "Feminists fight back," and "Fly Kites not Drones." Many of the protesters were marching for the first time in their lives, like 27-year-old Steven, who carried the stark sign: "I was 26 when I was diagnosed with cancer. The [Affordable Care Act] saved my life." Cari said she came to the protest because she realized that "it's going to take a mass movement to bring down Trump." In Boston, as many as 200,000 people joined the Women's March in the one of largest demonstrations in the city's history on January 21. The day before, as many as 10,000 people protested at two different anti-inauguration actions. On Saturday, the vast majority of the crowd stayed to take part in the march, some waiting in packed crowds for more than two-and-a-half hours to do so. The march route had to be lengthened on the spot to accommodate the numbers. Sandy, a member of the Mass Teachers Association, said she was compelled to march when it became clear that Trump was an open sexual predator. "I couldn't believe he could say those things and become president," Sandy said. "Before that, I didn't ever think of marching. I have a daughter, and I'm here for her." Trump's open misogyny was not the only issue marchers came to protest. "I work at a community health center," explained Alexandra Daniel. "Most of my co-workers and our clients are refugees, mostly from Africa right now. I worry about what will happen to them. "I find Trump extremely offensive. Everyone is under attack, and it's important for people to be empathetic. It's important to stand in solidarity with refugees and Muslims and anyone else being endangered." Speakers at the march painted a generally inclusive picture about the importance of standing up for Muslims, LGBTQ people, women and union workers--although reciging the Pledge of Allegiance and singing "God Bless America" were clearly alienating to non-citizens. In Seattle, students who walked out of classes, immigrants' rights groups, socialists and scores of community members converged from various scattered starting locations on Westlake Plaza on January 20 for a rally of some 3,500. Earlier, at the University of Washington, students gathered at the campus's "Red Square" before holding teach-ins organized by RESIST, a coalition of student groups. The UW protest then moved on to Westlake Plaza. There, speakers made impassioned calls to build solidarity, and socialist City Council member Kshama Sawant implored the crowd to recognize the importance of mass movements: "We need to build mass nonviolent civil disobedience. Tens of thousands of people can shut down highways." Later that evening, more than 200 students and other protesters gathered at the UW campus to protest an appearance by right-winger Milo Yiannopoulos. Frighteningly, one anti-racist activist was shot by an older man claiming self-defense. The anti-racist activist is reportedly in critical condition with potentially "life-threatening" injuries. The following day, as many as 150,000 protesters came out to the Seattle's Womxn's March starting at Judkin's Park in the historically Black Central District, before marching to the iconic Space Needle. The march was over three miles long and peppered with chants of "We do not consent! He is not our president," "Refugees are people--no one is illegal," and "2-4-6-8, abortion rights in every state." In San Francisco, a rainy Saturday morning didn't deter marchers from packing Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains to get to the January 21 Bay Area Women's March, which drew more than 100,000 people. As they travelled, passengers complimented each others' placards, swapped news about marches in other cities, and quoted the weirdest phrases from Trump's inauguration address. "Thanks Trump!" read one woman's sign. "You've made me an activist." This was a common theme over the weekend. "I think the election was a wakeup call for people like me--people who haven't been as active as they should have been," said Mimi, a young woman who attended a counter-inauguration event on the evening of January 20 that drew several thousand people. "If not now, when?" The crowd at the Saturday Women's March filled the streets around United Nations Plaza to hear speeches and music, before marching down Market Street as the rain intensified. Women chanted, "Our bodies, our choice," as men responded, "Your bodies, your choice!" Anti-racist chants were popular, including "No borders, no nations--stop deportations." In an homage to Star Wars' Carrie Fisher, one popular sign featured Fisher as Princess Leia, with the words "A woman's place is in the resistance." "We have to speak up and make our voices heard," said Christen, a restaurant server. "We've got a long fight ahead." Elsewhere in the Bay Area, in Berkeley, California, the Berkeley Against Trump Coalition--formed by students, staff, faculty and community members at the University of California (UC) after the election--hosted a campus-wide teach-out and walkout on January 20. A combination of teach-outs, organizing on social media, and a phone banking by United Auto Workers Local 2865, which represents more than 16,000 student workers in the University of California system, led to nine campus walkouts, from Davis to San Diego. At noon, more than 1,000 Berkeley students walked out of class and attended a rally at Sproul Plaza. Speakers and protest signs referenced LGBTQ issues, Black Lives Matter, Islamphobia, climate change, Standing Rock, and immigrant rights, along with demands for sanctuary campuses and disbanding the UC Regents. In Oakland on the following day, more than 60,000 people turned out for the January 21 Women's March, flooding Madison Park with multiple feeder marches. Teachers, students and parents from public schools formed large contingents, along with smaller groups, like physicians from the Oakland UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, who marched in white lab coats. When asked why she was marching, Shayna Steumpfig from the Berkeley Federation of Teachers said, "To send a message to the new president that we will not tolerate a leader that promotes rape culture, racism, or legislation that supports bigotry. It's a message to tell him that he will not be able to undo all the work people have done." Gwen, a transgender rights activist marching with her two daughters, stated, "I hope this is a warning shot across the bow. I want them to know how angry and disgusted a very large number of us are. I [also] hope it inspires more people to be activists." The day before, longshore workers effectively closed at least one terminal and temporarily shut down operations at the Port of Oakland by failing to show up for work. In Austin, Texas, January 20 saw an afternoon walkout that drew as many as 400 people at the University of Texas (UT) in Austin. Called by the Anti-Trump J20 Organizing Committee, a coalition of students, faculty, and workers, participants chanted, "Starting this January, make UT a sanctuary!" The Coalition's demands include that UT support for the Fight for 15 movement and a living wage for all UT employees. Speakers included Fight for 15 workers on strike against Carl's Jr., a company owned by Trump's pick for secretary of Labor, Andrew Pudzer. Vanessa Rodriguez, an undocumented student from the University Leadership Initiative, told the crowd, "We are here because we fear the incoming administration, but we are ready to fight back!" The following day, an estimated 50,000 people crowded onto the state Capitol grounds from all directions to stand in solidarity with the Women's March on Washington. It was, according to the organizers, the largest gathering of women in Texas history. Charter buses from all over the state lined the sidewalks around the Capitol for the rally, which was sponsored by more than 30 organizations. As one woman said of the day, "This makes me proud to be a Texan!" In San Diego, hundreds of protesters took to the streets on January 20 despite rainy conditions. In the morning, demonstrators gathered on the San Diego City College campus at a rally organized by the San Diego Alliance for Justice, before marching to nearby San Diego High School in support of the students, who had been barred from joining the protest after campus security locked the gates. They gathered outside the administration building, chanting "San Diego High, shame on you!" and "Let them go!" The march continued downtown for a rally at the federal building. Later in the evening, protesters gathered for an event organized by Union del Barrio and marched through the streets of Barrio Logan chanting, "Sin papeles, sin miedo" ("Undocumented, unafraid") and "Fuera Trump" ("Leave, Trump") The following day, 40,000 people gathered at San Diego's Civic Center Plaza, flooding the surrounding streets, for the largest demonstration in San Diego for over a decade. Jackie Strong from the San Diego Alliance for Justice made a call for solidarity: "There are no workers' rights without women's rights; there is no economic equality without an end to institutionalized racism. And there is no future for any of us if we continue to depend on fossil fuels, sealing the fate of our planet." In Madison, Wisconsin, some 75,000 people marched on January 21, rivaling "the turnout at the largest protests of Gov. Scott Walker's proposal in 2011 that would effectively end collective bargaining rights in the public sector," as the Wisconsin State Journal pointed out. In Montpelier, Vermont, the population of the country's smallest state capital tripled on January 21 as 20,000 protesters converged on the statehouse to take part in the international day of action against Trump's inauguration. Eventually, the state police shut down three highway exits and told organizers, "Montpelier is at capacity." In New Orleans, some 1,000 Trump opponents rallied on January 20 in front of City Hall and marched down Canal Street. Black Lives Matter activists, the Congreso de Jornaleros immigrant rights organization, students, restaurant workers, nurses and some doctors, local union members in SEIU and others raised their voices against the incoming president. The following day, the New Orleans Women's March drew an estimated crowd of 10,000. Marchers packed and overflowed Washington Square Park in a protest larger than any held in the city in recent years. The march included a jazz band and protesters carried a sea of homemade signs, including one carried by a 10 year old that read, "If you build a wall, my generation will take it down" (carried by a 10-year-old). In Pittsburgh, Inauguration weekend was a busy one for the activist community. The People's Inauguration, hosted by One Pennsylvania, was attended by nearly 300 people on January 20. Later that day, a few hundred people gathered for a rally and march at Point State Park organized by Socialist Alternative. The following morning, activists participated in the 19th Annual Summit Against Racism in the East Liberty neighborhood and, later, for an unpermitted "Our Feminism Must Be Intersectional" rally and march, as well as a separate, permitted "Sister March for Pittsburgh" held downtown. Over 2,000 people attended the unpermitted rally and march, as a diverse set of speakers covered topics including fighting racism, LGBTQ rights, affordable housing, health care, and the rights of the disabled, among other things. In Asheville, North Carolina, as many as 10,000 turned out for the main protest of the weekend, a stunning number considering that the population of Asheville is just 87,000. Protesters started in Pack Square Park before marching through downtown to the Vance Monument. In Poughkeepsie, New York, some 8,000 people turned out, dwarfing organizers' expectations to march across the Poughkeepsie Walking Bridge that spans the Hudson River. A wide spectrum of groups were represented, including Black Lives Matter, the Service Employees International Union, Citizen Action Network and more. Although fear amongst undocumented communities might have kept turnout low amongst some immigrants, the crowd overall was diverse, with many people attending their first protest. "Trump: too many issues for one sign," read one sign. "Fight Racism," read another. Local activists are continuing to discuss how to build a sanctuary movement as we head into the Trump presidency.He showed up unannounced and was initially not even invited, but he was prepared all the same. Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former mayor of New York and one-time Republican presidential hopeful, stepped to the microphone at the “21” Club in Manhattan on Wednesday, for an event ostensibly spotlighting Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin. But by suggesting that President Obama did not love his country, Mr. Giuliani became the story. His remarks, seemingly out of the blue, were not an isolated outburst. No more than an hour or two before Mr. Giuliani appeared at Mr. Walker’s event, he vented his frustration at Mr. Obama at another fund-raising event in Manhattan. There, Mr. Giuliani took particular issue with the president’s recent comments likening Islamic extremist terrorism to the religious warfare of the medieval Crusades. Only the previous week, Mr. Giuliani veered off topic at a realtors’ conference in Las Vegas to assail the president’s irresolute stance toward President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, attendees said. And on Feb. 13, he told an Iranian-American group in Arizona that Mr. Obama was not “a man who loves his people.” (In an online video of the event, Mr. Giuliani is shown shouting: “Mr. President, wake up. Come off the golf course.”) Mr. Giuliani’s friends and political associates say he has become a man obsessed — horrified at what he views as a listless White House approach to terrorism and instability in the Middle East, and eager to say so.Science has prevailed over injustice in the state of New Jersey, where all jurors will soon learn about memory's unreliability and the limits of eyewitness testimony. According to instructions issued July 19 by New Jersey's Supreme Court, judges must tell jurors that "human memory is not foolproof," and enumerate the many ways in which eyewitness recall can be distorted or mistaken. Cognitive scientists who study memory have celebrated the new requirements. "Eyewitness identification evidence is seen by jurors as being trustworthy and reliable," said psychologist Charles Brainerd of Cornell University, who specializes in memory. "The science shows exactly the opposite." The guidelines were prompted by State v. Henderson, in which the New Jersey Supreme Court overturned the conviction of Larry Henderson, an accused murder accomplice whose identification from a lineup was unduly influenced by police. Though egregiously unjust, Henderson's case was hardly unusual: Eyewitness misidentification is the most common cause of wrongful conviction in the United States. Of prisoners exonerated by DNA testing, some 75 percent were mistakenly identified. "In the U.S., in 95 percent of felony cases, there's no evidence other than what people say and report," Brainerd said. "Over the years, we've had thousands of experiments on eyewitness identification. Under the best conditions, people have about a 50/50 chance of getting it right." Rarely do the best possible conditions prevail. The vast majority of eyewitness identifications are based on police presentations of photographic lineups, which may be constructed so as to point subtly at a lead suspect. A witness may be shown a suspect's mug shot, for example, while other photographs in an array come from driver's licenses. And while arrays should ideally contain a group of similar-looking people, some may obviously not be suspects. Sometimes the bias isn't subtle, but blatant. "I had one case in Missouri in which I was given the six-person photo spread used in the case, and there was a checkmark under the suspect," said Brainerd. Psychologist Gary Wells of Iowa State University, who served as an expert in State v. Henderson, called New Jersey's new rules "a great advance." But he warned that jury instructions aren't always effective. "There's no substitute for trying to prevent mistaken identifications from occurring in the first place," he said, calling for the development of "even better lineup procedures and safeguards." These can include computer-generated lineup arrays designed to minimize bias. In stark contrast to New Jersey's example, some states don't allow jurors to hear criticisms of eyewitness fallibility from experts like Brainerd and Wells. Cognitive scientists may also be overruled. "In the few trials where I testified on eyewitness reliability, the introduction to the jury directed them to place confidence in eyewitnesses," said psychologist Barbara Tversky of Stanford University. "That certainly disturbed me as someone who is all too aware of the fallability and malleabilty of memory." Another example of reform comes from the United Kingdom, where an especially egregious case of mistaken identification prompted the country to forbid convictions based solely on eyewitness identification. While that won't likely occur anytime soon in the United States, other states may follow New Jersey's lead. "The developments in New Jersey are thrilling," said cognitive scientist Elizabeth Loftus of the University of California, Irvine. "I've been working with a judge in Pennsylvania to do something similar, and anticipate such efforts will be forthcoming in many states." Image: James Cridland/FlickrWhat follows is part of an open letter I sent to U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power following the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 2334: To understand why so many supporters of Israeli-Palestinian peace oppose what you did on Friday, I urge you and the Administration to consider the following 12 points: 1. Resolution 2334 Encourages Palestinian Rejectionism, Undermines Negotiations The resolution dangerously disincentivizes Palestinians to come to the negotiating table. Instead, Resolution 2334 will for the foreseeable future encourage them to await being handed the same or more by international fiat. This will feed into the Palestinian strategy of preferring to deal with international institutions over bilateral talks with Israel. Contrary to its stated objective, therefore, the resolution will only push negotiations further away. In this regard, we recall that in 2011, your predecessor Susan Rice vetoed a similar resolution on the grounds that it risked “hardening the positions of both sides,” and “could encourage the parties to stay out of negotiations.” She said it was “unwise for this Council to attempt to resolve the core issues that divide Israelis and Palestinians.” Though your speech claims that circumstances have now changed, many will see the only meaningful difference as the fact that the current transition period allows a president to make unpopular decisions at no political cost. 2. Resolution Fuels Palestinian Targeting of Israelis with BDS & International Prosecutions Secretary of State John
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Bello said it has been difficult for the government to monitor the compliance of all employers because it only has 500 officers to inspect over 900,000 business establishments nationwide. "How can you expect 500 plus labor law inspectors to supervise and inspect almost a million business establishments in the country to see to it that they comply with all labor laws standards and benefits for our employees?" Bello said. He said President Rodrigo Duterte has allowed DOLE to hire 200 more inspectors, but it needs 2,500 more. The administration is determined to fulfill its promise, Bello said. During the presidential campaign, then candidate Rodrigo Duterte promised to end contractualization within a week. Almost a year after, on March 16, DOLE issued Department Order No. 174, which bans labor-only contracting, outsourcing work due to a strike, and the so-called "555" or "endo." "Endo" is the practice of repeated hiring of workers on five-month contracts so employers don't need to regularize them on the sixth month. Read: Rules on contractualization signed "Definitely, endo is going to or has already ended. Why? Because management and employers realized that this is unlawful. And that it is unlawful for them to engage in endo," Bello said. But the government earned criticisms from labor groups, who demanded an end to all forms of contractualization. Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno said the order only "legitimized contracting-out of labor through labor contracting agencies as a government employment policy." Bello clarified that what Duterte meant by terminating contractualization was -- "No more unlawful, illegitimate contractualization." "Because hindi mo maiwasan eh na [you can't avoid that] sometimes, you have to resort to a contractual arrangement," he said. Exceptions include project-based and seasonal hiring, he said. As an example, Bello said, "'Pag nagtanim ka, kailangan mo 'yung planter, 'di ba? Pero pag-ani, hindi mo ma-hire 'yung planter na mag-ani because he doesn't know anything about harvesting. All he know is he is planting. So you have to hire, for the season, a harvester." Successes for OFWs The labor chief also cited the department's accomplishments, including the establishment of 17 one-stop-shops for overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Those trying to complete their requirements for working abroad do not need to travel from one government agency to another. Bello also said a bank that serves OFWs only will be inaugurated by October. He added DOLE is working on giving each OFW an identification card called iDOLE for free. This will replace the overseas employment certificates issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. These may later be used as a passport, Bello said, but DOLE still has to coordinate with other government agencies, such as the Foreign Affairs Department and the Bureau of Immigration which is under the Department of Justice. Read more: Labor department to launch new OFW ID to replace OECs Bello said DOLE targets to create 12 million jobs by the end of Duterte's term. "So ang final goal ng ating Presidente [So the President's final goal] is to get them (OFWs) all back by providing good jobs with good pay," Bello said. He said the government repatriated 6,000 undocumented OFWs in the Middle East, and targets to bring home 2,400 more this July.Over the next few years, virtual reality is going to try to prove that it is a viable platform for gaming and industry, and publisher Epic Games is doing its part to ensure that the immersive new medium catches on. Epic, which is best known for producing shooters like Unreal Tournament and Gears of Wars, released the first entry in a new YouTube documentary series about VR. Called Sense of Presence, these minifilms will attempt to explain that magic of VR, which is an experience that is hard to translate into speech or text. But these kinds of videos may do a fine job getting people interested in the technology while it’s still impossible to put everyone into head-mounted display unit like the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. Analysts predict that the virtual- and augmented-reality markets will grow to $150 billion by 2020, but that’s not going to happen magically — it’s going to happen with companies like Epic taking the lead. You can watch the first episode of Sense of Presence for yourself below: The short documentary features interviews with a number of key people in the VR scene. That includes Oculus cofounder Palmer Luckey, who many credit with kickstarting this latest revival of head-mounted displays. The video also includes soundbites from Epic chief technology officer Kim Libreri, 3D Live chief executive officer Nathan Huber, and Magnopus cofounder Alex Hennig. Of course, Epic isn’t simply a publisher and developer — the company is also responsible for the Unreal Engine game-making tool kit that it licenses to other developers. It’s obvious that the company is trying to position that software as the premiere software for building VR experiences. This video series comes soon after Epic made its VR Showdown demonstration available to the public. This experience shows a hyperdetailed futuristic gunfight between a mech and a police force, and while you can watch the demo in a video below — you can feel like you’re walking through it if you boot it up in an Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, or PlayStation VR. And that last point is probably the most important for Epic. The company has always ensured that developers could quickly develop one game for multiple platforms. Unreal Engine games were incredibly common across the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC during the last generation of consoles. Now, with the many forms of VR upon us (Vive this holiday, Oculus Rift in early 2016, and PlayStation VR in the first half of 2016), Epic wants studios to know that they support all three.Bancor Protocol Use Case #2 Jake Vartanian Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jun 11, 2017 A network of smart token changers BNT as the mesh between tokenstoken Token changers - the first thing that comes to mind is one of those booths in the airport where one can swap one of their paper currencies into another for a small fee. Usually we have to do this because the country that we are going into won’t accept the country that we are coming from’s money. We utilize the currency exchange rate to determine how many of which currency we should get. Money Exchanger — Image Credit With the increase in availability of up to date exchange rates, we don’t necessarily need a physical store to tell us the rates. Unfortunately bank accounts in their current structure make it almost impossible to effectively swap one currency for another. Our money is stuck in one form that tends to have not much benefit associated with holding it. With Ethereum and Bancor, this can all change. Let’s assume that we have a group of 20 people who are all utilizing the same 20 Ethereum applications and often need a small amount of the various tokens to utilize the dApps. Everybody has their own portfolios/tools, and earns their income directly in one of the Ethereum standard tokens, but not everyone stores all 20 of the tokens all the time. So the group decides to utilize the Bancor Network Token as a base for an exchange. They set up a private network of 20 token changers that each can swap between an Ethereum based token and BNT. When people get paid in their respective token, they load up the changer with whatever amount they would like, which provides them the BNT to move into the other changers seamlessly. The BNT acts as the connective mesh. Not only does this process remove the need for an exchange, but it creates a network of liquidity between a small group of parties. A small fee for access to the network continues to incentivize the existing and new parties to add more liquidity to the exchangers. This is valuable to people if you have a lot of liquidity because it ensures that everyone will always be able to swap their tokens for the ones they want. Learn more about Bancor Protocol The Bancor protocol enables built-in price discovery and a liquidity mechanism for tokens on smart contract blockchains. These “smart tokens” hold one or more other tokens in reserve and enable any party to instantly purchase or liquidate the smart token in exchange for any of its reserve tokens, directly through the smart token’s contract, at a continuously calculated price, according to a formula which balances buy and sell volumes.John Guidetti has scored 14 goals for Celtic this season Celtic will fight a Scottish FA charge against striker John Guidetti, who is accused of singing an "offensive" song relating to Rangers. The 22-year-old has been issued with a notice of complaint following an interview on Dutch TV show FC Rijnmond. During the broadcast he repeated a chant sung about him by supporters. The SFA's compliance officer asserts that the on-loan Manchester City player broke disciplinary rule 73 by making a "comment of an offensive nature". Guidetti, a Swedish international, has until 15:00 GMT on 30 March to respond to the complaint, with a principal hearing date set for 9 April. "We are very surprised and disappointed that this has even found its way to an SFA judicial panel," said a Celtic spokesman. "John Guidetti will be defending this charge." Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, former SFA compliance officer Vincent Lunny said: "It would appear that their focus is on the comment attacking Rangers or making fun of Rangers for having gone into liquidation back in 2012. Lunny preceded Tony McGlennan in the role of SFA compliance officer "It is, I think, significant that there's no mention of it being sectarian or otherwise based on religion. "[Celtic forward] Leigh Griffiths this time last year was sent a charge for singing 'Hearts are going bust'. "For me, the problem with this case and with the Griffiths case is you've got professionals who are making fun of other clubs in difficulty. People are losing their jobs within football and it's simply not appropriate for players to behave in public in that manner. "There are different standards between the fans and the players. The players are directly under the jurisdiction of the SFA, the fans are not. "Any rule against fan behaviour is against the club. It would have to be fairly serious for a club to be prosecuted for fans singing something and probably would have to be a criminal-type scenario or grossly offensive for that to be done. "That is not necessarily the case here with players. You expect fans to make fun of other clubs and taking delight in another club's demise is not surprising for fans to do but for players to do it is perhaps something completely different."Manitoba’s Liberal party says it’s time for the provincial government to take the lead to create a fresh food market in downtown Winnipeg to help attract more residents. After years of failed attempts to attract a major grocery store downtown, it’s time for the province to step in to ensure there are quality food options for downtown residents, Liberal leader Rana Bokhari said. “One of the biggest impediments to growing our downtown core is the lack of availability of a grocery store,” Bokhari said Friday during a press conference in the Exchange District’s Old Market Square. A Liberal government would invest up to $20 million to purchase property to create a year-round fresh food market where local producers could sell their products. The enterprise would be owned by government and could be operated as a Crown corporation, said Bokhari. But the plan would be for it to operate without any further government subsidies, she said. “We know to revitalize the core we need something like that here,” said Bokhari. “The conversation has been happening for over a decade, let’s just do it.” Proponents of downtown revitalization have long argued that a failure to attract a major grocery store is a barrier to further residential growth in the inner city. There are many small to medium-sized food stores in the downtown. And Family Foods operates a full-service grocery store on Donald Street. A downtown Grocery Store Feasibility Analysis commissioned by the city of Winnipeg in 2013 found that the square footage space of food stores per capita downtown was above industry standard. Still, the report found the downtown could use one more full-service grocery store and that city hall should consider some form of financial assistance to help attract one. City hall did not act on those recommendations. Bokhari says if the downtown can’t attract a private sector grocery store than it’s the province’s responsibility to fill in the gap by opening a fresh food market. “If we can’t make it work in any other way then we will have to do that,” she said. “We have to do it now, we can’t just keep talking about it, we need to take concrete steps to make it happen.” Bokhari said her preference would be to purchase a heritage building or old warehouse in the Exchange District for the proposed market. But failing that, anywhere else in the downtown would do, she said. PROMISES MADE Some of the Liberals’ other election pledges: Food security for the north Cost: $25 million/year Fresh produce and healthy food options like milk are hard to come by in Northern Manitoba — and when they are available can be up to twice the price (as detailed in an MGEU report). So the Liberals’ plan includes subsidies for healthy food options like milk, fresh fruit and vegetables and also sending nutrition counsellors north. PST off expensive haircuts $7 million The NDP made haircuts under $50 PST-free, and the Liberals would expand that to those who wish to spend $50 or more — and if the loss of revenue is $7 million, that’s a lot of Manitobans. 10% of Legislature seats to indigenous Manitobans No cost The Liberals have promised to make sure 10% of MLAs are indigenous as part of their proportional representation reforms. Indigenous people make up 16.7% of Manitoba’s population as per the last Statistics Canada data. Green vehicle rebates $2 million The Liberals would start a first-come, first-served rebate for fuel-efficient vehicles — not just electric cars but also smart cars and other efficient vehicles. tbrodbeck@postmedia.com @tombrodbeckAir pollution monitoring sites could soon permanently close and leave people unable to protect themselves, according to the Waltham Forest and Redbridge Green Party. Concerns have emerged that a government consultation currently underway could end with local authorities being stripped of their current responsibility to deliver information on local pollution, and that no alternative arrangement is in place. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is now consulting over an overhaul of the local air quality management regime that has been in place for 16 years. DEFRA says it needs to change to help the UK meet EU air quality standards and that there is too much red-tape involved. The Waltham Forest and Redbridge Green Party says the changes are simply to cut funding and that a logical consequence of this would be pollution stations closing. Local Green Party spokeswoman Diana Korchien said: “The responsibility of delivering information on local pollution would no longer exist. “It’s a logical consequence then that there wouldn’t be any money spent on it and the monitoring stations would close. “If we don’t have any in our borough we won’t be able to monitor and inform citizens who can take steps to protect themselves.” In June a Freedom of Information request submitted to Transport for London revealed that a section of the A406, which runs through Walthamstow, is the most polluted road in London. The consultation, which was due to end on Friday, has now been extended by two weeks.'Inexplicable' item to be unveiled at Barnum Museum Melissa Houston, registrar for the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Conn. with the four by seven by 9 foot crate that the museum will unveil the contents of on April 1 at 3 pm. The unveiling event will be open to the public. less Melissa Houston, registrar for the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Conn. with the four by seven by 9 foot crate that the museum will unveil the contents of on April 1 at 3 pm. The unveiling event will be open to... more Photo: Brian A. Pounds Buy photo Photo: Brian A. Pounds Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close 'Inexplicable' item to be unveiled at Barnum Museum 1 / 1 Back to Gallery The public demands to know: What's in the giant crate that recently arrived at Bridgeport's Barnum Museum? A major scientific discovery? Something that will elicit ohhs and ahhs from the crowds that mass for the public unveiling on April 1? Could it alter history? Perhaps, but visitors might do well to keep in mind that Tuesday is All Fools' Day, a day on which good-natured practical jokes are played here and in many European cultures. And P.T. Barnum, a prominent 19th-century entrepreneur and brilliant marketing master, knew a good joke -- then called a "humbug" -- when he saw one, said Barnum Museum Director Kathleen Maher. Remember "Feegee Mermaid," for one. That turned out to be the torso and head of a mummified young monkey that was sewn to the tail of a fish, and then all was covered in papier-mâche. So what if it wasn't a "real" mermaid? The public loved it, and came in droves to see her in Barnum's traveling shows. But if you are now thinking this is some silly Barnum-esque stunt without merit, think again. The item was sent here by a retired University of Wisconsin professor and is being studied locally by Quinnipiac University. So the public can at least be certain that the box is not empty, Maher pointed out. More Information Barnum Museum, 820 Main St., Bridgeport. Tuesday, April 1, 3 p.m. Free; donations accepted. 203-331-1104, www.barnum-museum.org. Maher refuses to be specific, other than to say that the object is "an inexplicable specimen... a strange anthropomorphic figure." "I don't really know how to classify it," she said. "I will admit that it would have fit perfectly in Barnum's original Museum of Curiosities in New York City back in the 1840s." This is what we do know: The specimen was most recently at the University of Wisconsin, which acquired it in 1984 from professor William Willars, a zoologist who had connections to the university's archeological society, according to the museum. "He took responsibility for researching both its origins and what exactly it was. Thirty years later, Willars, now retired, admits that he wasn't successful in either endeavor and felt that the Barnum Museum -- with its close relationship to both Nick Bellantoni, a professor at the University of Connecticut and the state archeologist, and professor Jerry Conlogue of the Bio-Anthropology Research Institute at Quinnipiac University -- might be better suited to continue the investigation," Maher said. "When it arrived here in an enormous wooden box that we opened, well, it frankly astounded me," Maher said. "This peculiar skeletal assemblage of bones looks nothing like any living being that is known to modern man." The entire mystery has been turned over to Conlogue. "We are studying it under laboratory conditions," Conlogue said in a written statement to the Connecticut Post. "There's no telling right now how old it is or whether it was actually a living thing. "In nearly 45 years of imaging research, this has been not only one of the most unique objects I have encountered, but also provided one of the most technically challenging experiences. To my knowledge, the resulting single image of the entire object will be the largest ever acquired by the method developed by myself and the faculty and students of the Diagnostic Imaging Program at Quinnipiac University," according to Conlogue. His report is expected sometime next month. Tuesday's unveiling also will feature local dignitaries, fans of P.T. Barnum and curiosity-seekers, Maher said, adding that Barnum would, indeed, be proud. Festivities will take place in the People's United Bank Gallery, which is adjacent to the landmark building. (The historic museum building remains closed while it raises funds for renovation and restoration following damage caused by a tornado in 2010.) pasboros@ctpost.com; Twitter: PhyllisASBoros Barnum Museum, 820 Main St., Bridgeport. Tuesday, April 1, 3 p.m. Free; donations accepted. 203-331-1104, www.barnum-museum.org.Singer Melanie Martinez has been accused of sex assault by a former friend, who claims she “repeatedly" refused her sexual advances. Timothy Heller, a female Los Angeles-based aspiring singer, came forward with the allegations late Monday, sharing her story on Twitter about how she said Martinez, an artist who shot to stardom after appearing on NBC’s “The Voice,” sexually assaulted her. “I have kept this secret for years, convincing myself that it wasn't a big deal and I wasn't hurt by it. The thought of accepting that my best friend raped me seems insane,” Heller began her post on Twitter that attracted more than 61,000 shares at the time of publication. “When faced with a friend who really needed help though, I can honestly say she let me down completely.” Heller claims she was sexually assaulted by her then-best friend “during the most difficult time in my life, my rock bottom,” and taken advantage of during one of the nights she slept at the singer’s place. Heller did not specify when the alleged assault occurred. “I never said 'yes'. I said 'no', repeatedly. But she used her power over me, and broke me down,” she said. “Just so there is no confusion, I was molested by my best friend.” After multiple attempts to touch her, Martinez proceeded to perform “oral sex on me and then I was penetrated with a sex toy without being asked,” the woman alleged. “She knew I didn't want to, I made that clear,” noting that she was “completely not reciprocating.” Heller wrote that she was encouraged to break her silence following the recent sexual misconduct allegations against celebrities and other popular figures. “The only reason I do this now is because I'm hoping because of recent events, people will believe me.” “I beg you to imagine her role in this being a man. Girls can rape girls. Best friends can rape best friends. Friendships does not equal consent. Silence doesn't equal consent. I wish it wasn't so hard for me to convince myself of these things,” she added. Martinez responded to the allegations on Monday, writing on social media that although she’s “horrified” by the allegations, Heller “never said no to what we chose to do together.” She wrote: “I am horrified and saddened by the statements and story told by Timothy Heller. What she and I shared was a close friendship … We tried to help each other. We both had pain in dealing with our individual demons … She never said no to what we chose to do together. And although we parted ways, I am sending her love and light always.”An all-new crime series from the Noir masters coming this August Ed Brubaker (FATALE, VELVET, Captain America: Winter Soldier) and Sean Phillips (FATALE, Criminal, Marvel Zombies) launch the first show-stopper from their unprecedented five-year deal announced at Image Expo in January—the hotly anticipated epic noir series, THE FADE OUT with colorist Elizabeth Breitweiser (FATALE, Captain America). As an added bonus to this exciting launch, this first issue will clock in at 40 pages and feature exclusive back page articles. For fans wishing to experience noir fiction in true ‘40s style, an oversized "movie magazine replica" variant edition with 8 extra pages of behind-the-scenes art and articles will be available for order. An intricate and groundbreaking crime story on a level Brubaker and Phillips have never tackled before, THE FADE OUT weaves a tangled web through the underbelly of a 1948 Hollywood... A noir film stuck in endless reshoots. A writer plagued with nightmares from the war and a dangerous secret. An up-and-coming starlet's suspicious death. And a maniacal studio mogul and his security chief who will do anything to keep the cameras rolling before the Post-War boom days come crashing down. THE FADE OUT is the most ambitious series yet from the award-winning Noir Masters. Early praise for THE FADE OUT: "Brubaker and Phillips's books have always been about eight years ahead of their time." —Brian K. Vaughan (SAGA, Y the Last Man) "Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are the gold standard of the crime graphic novel." —Warren Ellis (Planetary, Transmetropolitan, Gun Machine, Fell) "Brubaker & Phillips continue to make sweet music together, broadcast to you in the form of the best comics around." —Robert Kirkman (THE WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE) "How can you resist the Lennon and McCartney of Feel-Bad Comics Noir heading out west for the flickering horrors of Hollywoodland? THE FADE OUT feels like the book Ed and Sean were born to make." —Matt Fraction (SEX CRIMINALS, CASANOVA, Hawkeye) "Ed and Sean are that rare longterm collaboration that never become complacent, each project is a new revelation, the love visibly increased, the enthusiasm for the craft only growing over time. You don't have to consider the purchase, you make it on instinct at this point." —Rick Remender (BLACK SCIENCE, DEADLY CLASS) "Like Scorsese and De Niro, Brubaker and Phillips are the unmatched masters of a certain kind of storytelling—those fables of doomed and deluded men who are ready to die bloody, defending the tatters of their soiled American dreams. A new title from the sharpshooters behind Criminal and Fatale is reason enough to go on living." —Joe Hill (Locke & Key, Horns, NOS4A2) "Brubaker and Phillips have achieved the sort of creative consistency that'd justify critics filing their INSTANT CLASSIC reviews before they even read whatever they put out next." —Kieron Gillen (THE WICKED + THE DIVINE, Phonogram, Young Avengers) "I’ve been reading Ed Brubaker comics since the first appearance of Ed Brubaker comics and every single time he announces a new title I mutter to myself: 'ugh! I wish I would’ve thought of that!'" —Brian Michael Bendis (POWERS, Alias, Ultimate Spider-Man) "I'm a pretty easy mark for any Brubaker-Philips creation, but the ambition behind this one has me spinning with anticipation. Couldn't be more excited." —Jonathan Hickman (EAST OF WEST, MANHATTAN PROJECTS, Avengers) “Two of the best in the business, no contest.” —Kelly Sue DeConnick “I never know what to say in these things” —Kelly Sue DeConnick “Seriously, just buy the [expletive deleted] book. I promise you’ll like it. Unless you’re [expletive deleted].” —Kelly Sue DeConnick “I don’t think we’re supposed to say [expletive deleted] anymore.” —Kelly Sue DeConnick “Forget I said that." —Kelly Sue DeConnick (PRETTY DEADLY, Captain Marvel) THE FADE OUT #1 arrives in stores on 8/20 for $3.50 and is available to pre-order with Diamond Code JUN140463. The movie magazine variant of THE FADE OUT is available to pre-order with Diamond Code JUN140464.He came. He brought bombs. Kansas police let him go. Mark it down as one of the odder-seeming terrorism scares in recent memory, at least thus far. On Wednesday morning, a Kansas state employee called police after noticing a funny-looking pickup truck parked in a restricted lot near the Statehouse. Its hood was missing, and its front grill was crunched; it had a specialty Florida license plate solely for U.S. paratroopers; and it was smattered with bumper stickers that said such things as “Welcome to America. Now speak English.” The truck also contained an empty gun holder — and several small homemade bombs designed to spray shrapnel, a Capitol Police spokesman said. Police cleared the bombs from the area and, using the plate numbers, got a photo of the driver. They soon tracked him down in a tunnel between the Capitol and legislators’ offices. After interviewing the suspect, who Capitol Police said lives in Kansas and was unarmed, investigators searched his home. There, they said, they found bomb-making materials. Open and shut case of potential terrorism, right? Not quite. A day after the scare, the suspect, whom police will not identify, is free. In fact, according to Capt. Jimmie Atkinson of the Kansas Highway Patrol: “In this one, we did not actually take the suspect to jail and arrest him.” Count that as one of the very few solid facts that’s been released thus far in a case that remains hazy. When asked about the case Thursday morning, officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kansas Highway Patrol and Topeka Police Department even seemed somewhat confused about who was in charge of the investigation. Finally, by Thursday afternoon, Atkinson said: “We are going to be going forward with the charges because the [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] did not want to file charges.” What charges would be filed? Atkinson wouldn’t say. Nor would he say why the suspect was at the Capitol. Police said Wednesday that the man claimed to have an appointment inside the Capitol when confronted by the authorities, but no appointment was verified. The apparent anti-immigrant stickers on the truck raised eyebrows, as the Kansas legislators were meeting that day to discuss contentious immigration legislation that would crack down on undocumented workers, who play a significant role in Kansas’ agricultural industry. A rally outside the Capitol drew about 300 protestors, according to a count by the Topeka Capitol-Journal. When asked whether he thought the suspect, now free, posed any danger, Atkinson paused and then said he wouldn’t speculate. “Anybody could be dangerous,” he said. “I can say if we thought he’d be a continued threat, more than likely we would have kept him incarcerated, and we would have posted the bond then.” He wouldn’t say any more. Atkinson said the charges would be hashed out with the Shawnee County district attorney next week -- the earliest day an appointment could be arranged. Capitol Police said the suspect did not have any connection to another man who was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of making threatening phone calls to the governor. ALSO: World's hottest chile pepper: The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion! Buy latte, pack gun: Starbucks hit with boycott -- and 'buycott' Are smokeless cigarettes safer? E-cig explodes in smoker's mouth -- Matt Pearce in Kansas City, Mo. Twitter.com/mattdpearce The Associated Press contributed to this report. Photo: Homemade explosives were found in this pickup parked near the Kansas Statehouse on Wednesday. Credit: John Milburn/Associated PressBlack man dragged to death 200 miles from site of Byrd murder 10 years ago. Brandon McClelland, 24, was dragged to death beneath a truck driven by two white men in Paris, Texas last month. McClelland was black. The site of his death is about 200 miles from the location where James Byrd was murdered in a similar manner ten years ago. (Image at left: Jacqueline McClelland, Brandon's mother; photo courtesy Jesse Muhammad.) McClelland's murder took place on September 16, 2008. Parts of his mangled body were found strewn along the highway at great distance. First responders treated the case as a hit and run. The county district attorney's office denied the possibility of racist motivations, and said comparisons to the Byrd lynching were "preposterous." The incident was reported in the local newspaper, which later followed with this editorial. Some bloggers and news sites associated with the Nation of Islam [ * ] have been discussing the killing as a hate crime for weeks, and claim local law enforcement ignored key forensic evidence at the crime scene. Howard Witt at the Chicago Tribune, who has covered related stories about racial injustice and hate crimes in this region, wrote about the case as a possible hate crime earlier this month. The story of McClelland's death -- and allegations the investigation by (white) local police investigators was botched -- seems to be gaining broader attention after having been picked up by AP today: Another Dragging Death In Texas (Associated Press). Snip from a related story about racism in Paris, Texas, also from Witt at the Chicago Tribune: The public fairgrounds in this small east Texas town look ordinary enough, like so many other well-worn county fair sites across the nation. Unless you know the history of the place. There are no plaques or markers to denote it, but several of the most notorious public lynchings of black Americans in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries were staged at the Paris Fairgrounds, where thousands of white spectators would gather to watch and cheer as black men were dragged onto a scaffold, scalded with hot irons and finally burned to death or hanged. The child's father, her brother, and two uncles then gathered about the Negro as he lay fastened to the torture platform and thrust hot irons into his quivering flesh. It was horrible--the man dying by slow torture in the midst of smoke from his own burning flesh. Every groan from the fiend, every contortion of his body was cheered by the thickly packed crowd of 10,000 persons. The mass of beings 600 yards in diameter, the scaffold being the center. After burning the feet and legs, the hot irons--plenty of fresh ones being at hand--were rolled up and down Smith's stomach, back, and arms. Then the eyes were burned out and irons were thrust down his throat. Whisky shops were closed, unruly mobs were dispersed, schools were dismissed by a proclamation from the mayor, and everything was done in a business-like manner. One of the most widely-publicized lynchings of a black person in American history took place there 115 years ago. On February 1, 1893, former slave Henry Smith was tortured to death in front of a crowd of ten thousand (mostly or entirely white) people. Here is the New York Times article from that day, documenting the brutal details of his death in explicit detail.Another snip from that century-old NYT story, which presumed Smith was guilty, and deserved the lynching: ANOTHER NEGRO BURNED; HENRY SMITH DIES AT THE STAKE. DRAWN THROUGH THE STREETS ON A CAR -- TORTURED FOR NEARLY AN HOUR WITH HOT IRONS AND THEN BURNED -- AWFUL VENGEANCE OF A PARIS (TEXAS) MOB (NYT) Update: BB commenter JWB nails it: This must be viewed in light of the Ashley Todd incident this week. Todd made up a false story that a black man attacked her and carved a "B" in her face, ostensibly because she supports John McCain. In Paris, Texas, a hundred years ago, a charge like that would get a black man burned alive. Today it doesn't go quite that far but you could see the shadow of the lynch mob forming in the darker corners of the right-wing blogosphere when the Todd story first circulated. The Southern Poverty Law Center has an interactive map of racist organizations and businesses (think: White Pride record stores, KKK branches) in this part of Texas, which you can view here. [ * ] Incidentally, SLPC also categorizes the Nation of Islam and the New Black Panther Party as " hate groups." Previously on Boing Boing: The Last Lynching: Ted Koppel documentary on Discovery tonightLess than two weeks after Tony Podesta stepped down as chairman, the firm he founded 30 years ago may soon shut its doors \| Jacqueline Larma/AP Photo Inside the Podesta Group's last days The firm's chief executive is leaving to start her own lobbying shop as Tony Podesta's firm prepares for the end. Tony Podesta’s lavish art collection is coming down off the walls at the Podesta Group, as the lobbying firm — among the largest and most powerful in Washington — prepares to close up shop. Workers started removing dozens of pieces in Podesta’s collection of photography and other artworks from the walls of the firm on Thursday, the same day Kimberley Fritts, the firm’s longtime chief executive, abruptly resigned, according to a Podesta Group staffer. Story Continued Below Fritts is starting her own firm and intends to bring many of the firm’s top lobbyists with her, according to seven Podesta Group staffers, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the situation candidly. But less than two weeks after Podesta stepped down as chairman, the firm he founded 30 years ago may soon shut its doors, with staffers unsure if they’ll be paid after next week. “The firm as it existed is essentially over,” one Podesta Group staffer said. “The vast majority of people are going their own way.” At an emotional staff meeting late Thursday afternoon, Fritts told staffers they could clear out their offices and said that Wednesday might be their last payday. “We will try to compensate you on the 30th, but we can’t make any promises,” Fritts said, according to one staffer who was in the meeting. Podesta tapped Fritts as his successor last week, hours after an indictment was unsealed charging Paul Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates, with breaking foreign lobbying law. Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, as part of his probe into Russia meddling in the 2016 election. The most reliable politics newsletter. Sign up
been amended for accuracy. About a year ago, I stopped telling people I was Christian, even though I have always been told I was “born Christian”. I toyed around with the term “free-thinker” for a bit, but never liked how overly general it sounded. What am I supposed to be thinking freely about, anyway? So instead, over the past year, whenever anyone asked what my religion was, I would simply shrug and say, “I’m open.” It’s not so much that I don’t want to be Christian; it’s that I just can’t get into religion (or more specifically, organised religion) at all. In fact, it’s been 18 years since I left church out of boredom and disinterest. Throughout the years, I’ve accepted invitations to friends’ churches in hopes of finally becoming the ‘good Christian’ that I was supposed to be. In university, I even briefly hung out with people from a campus varsity Christian fellowship. (I never felt more out of place.) And then there was the year I told myself I would start reading the bible again but lost focus after a few pages. No matter what I did, everything reminded me of the reasons I stopped going to church in the first place: religion and its people were simply too rigid for me. Nonetheless, I am told God works miracles even on the hopeless. So this year I decided to give City Harvest Church’s (CHC) Christmas service a shot. I’ve heard a lot about CHC’s service, replete with high entertainment value stage productions, professional laser lighting, and impeccable audio quality. People say that a megachurch can resemble a cult, but at least it adds variety. Besides, nothing else has worked so far, so I figure I have nothing to lose with this last ditch attempt.With stone-faced African-American leaders standing behind him, Gov. Mark Dayton said Wednesday that watching the newly released video of St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez killing motorist Philando Castile was horrifying, painful and shocking. Dayton, a Democrat, said it was one of the “horrific reminders that everyone … is not treated equally in the state of Minnesota.” The governor made his comments after meeting with the leaders for more than an hour. The meeting was filled with “raw emotion” as the community grappled with the visions of Yanez shooting Castile just seconds after pulling him over during a traffic stop last July in Falcon Heights. “What I saw in the video was a man who got shot within 60 seconds of the time that he encountered the police,” said Steven Belton, president of the Minneapolis Urban League, who participated in the meeting. “(Castile’s) humanity was not respected. What I witnessed was a 21st century execution.” The video and a transcript of an official interview with Yanez was released to the public Tuesday. It brought a fresh wave of shock in Minnesota and across the nation. It came just a few days after Yanez was acquitted in a criminal trial in the wake of last year’s shooting. In the graphic video, which was withheld along with other evidence from the shooting during the trial, Castile tells Yanez, “Sir, I have to tell you, I do have a firearm on me.” Yanez says, “OK. Don’t reach for it then,” but then the stress in his voice grows as he orders, “Don’t pull it out!” before suddenly firing seven shots into the car. Yanez later said that he feared Castile was reaching for his gun, which he was licensed to carry. Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, who was in the passenger seat with her 4-year-old daughter in the back, is heard crying “You just killed my boyfriend!” She said Castile was not reaching for his gun but instead was reaching to unbuckle his seat belt to get his wallet and driver’s license for the officer, as he had requested. “We are hurting and we are angry,” Belton said after meeting with Dayton. “But I also want to say that we are not powerless. We will move, and we will take this tragedy into transformation.” Belton was the only member of the community who chose to speak with the media after the meeting. The rest of the attendees — Chanda Smith Baker, president of Pillsbury United Communities; Jeffrey Hassan, executive director of the African American Leadership Forum; Sondra Samuels, president of the Northside Achievement Zone; VJ Smith, president of Minneapolis MAD DADS; Justin Terrell, Justice 4 All program manager; Mike Essien, president of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers; and Maria Mitchell, an assistant Ramsey County attorney — stood behind the speakers without sharing their thoughts. Dayton and others said the Wednesday meeting was only the first of a series of gatherings. In future meetings, the group will focus on changes to make Minnesota a safer place for all. He will meet again with African-American leaders on Thursday, according to his public schedule. Note: Maria Mitchell attended the meeting on behalf of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers and was not representing the county attorney’s office.Editor’s Note: This is a continuation of our core conversation, “Great Connections Lead to Great Ideas.” In our last contribution, Jen Louden shared three things that prevent us from having great conversations. In this post, Les McKeown speaks candidly about how networking doesn’t work for him, being an introvert, and instead gives the introvert’s guide to making great connections. I particularly enjoyed the alternative perspective, and I hope you do, too. ***** A few things I’ve learned about making great connections. Your mileage will most certainly vary: People will tell you that meeting and mixing with others – networking, hanging out, socializing, tribe-building, whatever you want to call it – is a vital part of the path to… something. Greatness, maybe, or creativity. Perhaps just contentedness. Honestly, I haven’t found that to be so. In fact, I find most of the connect-y, conference-circuit-y, business-socializing stuff to be vacuous, painfully false and a waste of time. Full disclosure: I’m an introvert. I don’t like being in crowds, and I haven’t been able to sit through a complete workshop or seminar since my mid-twenties (an incredibly long time ago), so I’m not the best person to ask about this. But since you did ask (well, Charlie asked on your behalf), here’re a few thoughts on how, given the aversions noted above, connecting with others works for me: Great ideas rarely come directly from great conversations When I have an incredible conversation with someone else – one of those sparks-flying, truly bonding, mind-enlarging idea-fests where we each build on each other’s insights, filling napkins with grand plans and changing the world as we know it, the ideas that arise as a direct result – at least in my experience – rarely stand the test of sunlight. There are exceptions of course, but more often than not what seemed like a great idea the night before usually collapses like an over-heated soufflé the moment I try to implement it – or, after a honeymoon period turns into a grinding, joyless, profitless venture that I wonder how I got myself into. Great ideas come instead from what great conversations do to us Any time I have truly benefited from knowing someone, or even just interacting with them, it has come not from the great ideas we sparked in each other (though that may sometimes happen), but from a real change they ignited within me: an encouragement to be more of who I am, say, or a silent rebuke to my cowardices; a glimpse of the depth that I want to attain, or the freedom to laugh at myself. It’s those changes – the enlarging of my own ‘footprint’, the ability to be more of myself because of the influences, large and small, of others, that has in turn enabled me to be more creative – in my own way, and without needing (I hope) to piggy back or emulate others. Great conversations don’t turn up on your schedule or follow your plans I gave up bringing business cards to events years ago (unless it’s an event I’m being paid to attend), and I long ago stopped pressuring myself to meet, well… anyone. I no longer seek out specific connections or conversations because I’ve learned over the years that I can be stunned by complete strangers, and bored out of my socks by household-name superstars. And vice versa. I prefer to be surprised by serendipity than disappointed by my imperfect plans. (click to tweet – thanks!) Truly great conversations happen when I’m relaxed, open, and have no agenda When I wind myself into a knot and try to ‘make’ a connection with someone I’ve been told it’s important I meet, it almost always turns to dust in my hand. When I drop all the trying, the effort and planning, I meet someone I’ve never heard of who blows my mind. You don’t need to leave a mark I see a lot of people trying to make ‘important’ connections who seem to think that the ‘important’ part is that the other person should acknowledge, remember or otherwise take them under their notice. I understand this. But it’s ultimately irrelevant. Three of the five people who have most influenced me almost certainly don’t know they’ve done so, and I’d guess it’s the same is for you. So if you find the drumbeat to attend every event and make the most of every interaction to be artificial and manipulative, try the introvert’s way: just turn up (or don’t – great conversations are as likely to turn up at your local Starbucks as at the next ‘must-attend’ conference), be yourself, listen, engage (or not – sometimes listening is quite enough) and leave. Works for me. More about Les: Les McKeown is the President & CEO of Predictable Success. He has has started over 40 companies in his own right, and he advises CEOs and senior leaders of organizations on how to achieve scalable, sustainable growth. His clients range from large family-owned businesses to Fortune 100 companies, and include Harvard University, American Express, T-Mobile, United Technologies, Pella Corporation, The US Army, Microsoft and the NSA. Based in Marblehead MA, Les now spends his time consulting, writing, teaching, and speaking. Les has appeared on CNN, ABC, BBC, Inc, Entrepreneur magazine, USA Today and The New York Times. His latest book is Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization On The Growth Track–and Keeping It There.Classic micro cars have had a bit of a resurgence in the past few years, helped no doubt by their quirky character and rarity. One such micro car that has captured collectors attention for some time is the FMR KR200. We actually featured one back in March this year (see more on that feature here). However there is one micro car from the same family of the Messerschmitt KR200 that is coveted by the collectors. And that is the FMR “Messerschmitt” TG500 Tiger, also know as the FMR TG500. As post war Europe recovered in the late 1940s and early 1950s, demand was high for cheap and compact fuel efficient vehicles that could get the populace moving. While the Messerschmitt KR200 was one such answer to the demand, its 191cc engine was not the most powerful. Introduced in 1958, the FMR TG500 Tiger, also known as the Messerschmitt TG500, was essentially a sports version of the KR200. Designed by FMR founder Fritz Fend, it was fitted with a much larger 494cc two stroke engine. The increase in engine capacity meant the traditional 3 wheel configuration had to be dropped in favour of 4 wheels. Larger brakes and an upgraded suspension were added to deal with the 20BHP on offer. And it had a top speed of 78mph. When compared with the 9BHP on offer from the KR200 and its 56mph top speed, you can see why the extra wheel and suspension upgrades were needed. The TG500 Tiger was not as successful as the KR200 with only 500 examples built. Production ended in 1961 and it is believed that only 60 survive today. The FMR TG500 Tiger we have spotted for sale is a very unique and special version of the famous micro car. This particular 1958 example is said to have been raced by the famous micro car and works racing driver Ken Piper. 88 DTO is described as being in A1 restored condition and is supplied with a history file which includes period photos and articles of the car being campaigned in the 1950s. With so few Tiger’s surviving these days, seeing one come up for sale is very rare indeed. And to come across one that has been raced and has competition history, is even rarer. 88 DTO was originally owned by Testwood Motors of Southampton who used it as a development car. Works driver Ken Piper won the 1959 Cats Eyes Rally in 1959 in a TG500 Tiger. We’re not sure if he won that race in 88 DTO, but he did have a lot of success with it in numerous hill climb events and rallies. In 1959 he took part in the Scottish Rally with 88 DTO, where he finished second in class. Given the asking price, we would be interested in seeing the history file on this FMR TG500 Tiger to verify its connection with Ken Piper and its racing background. The seller also doesn’t provide any photos of the engine bay or the interior in the listing. Regardless of its racing connection, this FMR TG500 Tiger is still a fascinating little micro car. It has all the quirkiness and charm of the KR200 and with the addition of an extra wheel, gives it a more conventional configuration. Despite appearing more like a “normal” car, it still has all the fun of the KR200 and with that extra power and surprisingly good handling, we bet it is a real hoot to drive. As head turning vehicles go, this one tops the charts and would make a great choice for events like the Goodwood Revival and Silverstone Classic. This FMR TG500 Tiger is located in London and has an asking price of £125,000. More details and photos can be found here on eBay. Watch our special Microcar feature film with the Hammond Collection here.by Weaper Hentai and drawing cool characters So, I read Lovers in Winter and in one of the omake you said that you want to draw cool looking guys doing it with pretty girls. Is there a reason why most of your cool looking heroes resemble Ken? You know blonde long hair, great physique, etc. Is that your definition of coolness? Serious question. I’m aspiring to become a comic book artist too and I found it curious if that’s true, we share the same “cool guy archetype” Federico Luciano Rohr Thanks for your interesting questions, Federico. So you want to become a comic artist!! I am cheering for your dream!! Keep it up!! I hope one day we can meet each other as pro mangaka in the same league. Please visit Boichi.com and ask any questions you’d like to know about manga.^^ My message from the omake of <Lovers in Winter> wasn’t about what I believed were cool male characters. Actually, I wanted to talk about what I thought of the state of Japanese Adult Manga at that time. If you don’t mind, it’s a bit different but would you like to hear about this subject that I’d like to share with you? I think I didn’t have the opportunity to talk about it before. When I started Hentai manga, I felt that Japanese H-manga did not show male characters in H-scenes and sometimes even made them completely invisible. Of course, it’s a good thing for male readers (who’d like to see the man’s butts, uh?), but I wanted to draw those scenes where lovers share both love and emotions, even if it is H-manga. I believe that good sex means good communication in a relationship between lovers. It’s so difficult that I’m unable to express the joy of sex communication with an invisible man. Also, I was a Shoujo manga artist before moving to Japan, even if there is limited chances for female readers to read my H-manga, I want to draw “beautiful” Erotic manga for them as well. Not simply draw sexy female characters solely for male readers. Because as male characters are happy to meet the pretty and beautiful female characters, female characters are happy to meet the handsome and cool characters. I started these H-manga with that idea, but of course there were some enormous limits to work for H-manga. That is why I put that message in the omake page. However, a few years after I quit H-manga, I realized how wrong I was. The world of H-manga isn’t a place to express what I think about what sex and love means but the world expressing sexual fantasy… Because of my insistance, I’ve made a very foolish mistake and missed in learning the world of H-manga. That’s what I think now. If I have the opportunity to create H-manga again, I would like to try what Hentai really is. I don’t want to miss the chance to learn important things again. Of course, even if it’s true that I have failed to learn the essence of H-manga, it was still a great experience brought me many valuable things. I’m always thankful for it. Now, back to your question about “What is my definition of cool male characters.” I always want to express cool and awesome male characters, but I’ve never pondered deeply about them from a design perspective. Characters are the tools for expressing the idea, the theme in the creative world. Just like actors. If themes like “the problems of Pursuing Power” are the main ideas, like in <Sun-Ken Rock>, the cool male characters I’ll want to picture is a person who does not want this power and only uses it for the good of those weaker than himself. Eventually, he’ll be able to let go of his power for good. When the themes of “Surviving” and “Living alone” are part of the story, like with <Origin>. I describe a character who can survive any difficulties and troubles. Not only to survive, but also to keep protecting what he has to. Cool and awesome male characters are different from a title to the next. Their ways are also differents. For the same reason, “muscular male characters” appear in many of my works but Origin is less muscular than Ken. Also, the main character in <H.E> isn’t a muscular character at all. Nevertheless, I think there are common patterns in the male characters that I create. But that’s not because I was the one to design them. They look cool because making cool characters is a natural attribute of creating. – Boichi Share the love 18LAHORE: At least one person was killed and 33 were left wounded in an explosion that took place Monday evening here at Sagian Bridge near the Bund Road area in what authorities say was a truck carrying fruits. A body was found in the debris of a nearby house impacted by the explosion, rescue officials said. The deceased was identified as Amanat Ali, police said, adding that he is said to have been the resident of Kāmoke. The number of injured was confirmed by the rescue sources. 22 of the wounded were initially brought in to MS Munshi hospital, of which 10 were discharged after being administered first aid, the facility said. Pakistani security officials inspect the site of an explosion on August 7, 2017, in Lahore. AFP/Arif Ali Jam Sajjad Hussain – a rescue service spokesman – told AFP that at least three of the injured were in a critical condition. Hospital sources added that 10 of the wounded were under treatment at the time, whereas two were referred to Mayo hospital for further treatment. Sources revealed that the truck is suspected to have been coming from Swat and had explosives concealed in the fruit crates stacked inside. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing. The truck was completely destroyed in the blast. Several vehicles in the area were also damaged due to the intensity of the explosion, Hussain said. Three-storey building floored A large contingent of security forces personnel reached the site of the incident following the explosion and cordoned off the area. Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) officials also commenced an area-wide search to ensure no additional explosive material(s) remained. The wreckage of the truck. GEO NEWS According to the city's Superintendent of Police (SP), the explosion took place in a truck loaded with fruits. The police official added that it is suspected that the truck contained explosive material. "The explosive material was planted inside a truck, which was loaded with fruit," Abdullah Khan Sumbal, a top government official in Lahore, told AFP. Sumbal noted that "most of [the wounded] were passer-bys", adding that authorities have now launched an investigation to determine how and when the truck arrived in the area. A nearby three-storeyed building collapsed due to the intensity of the explosion. Rai Ijaz, a senior police officer at the site, told reporters that the explosion created a big crater. In addition, the area's power supply – that comes from Sagian Grid – was cut off after the blast. Prior blasts in Lahore Monday's blast is the latest one to rattle the eastern city of Lahore, coming weeks after a bombing claimed by the Pakistani Taliban killed at least 26 people and injured dozens at a vegetable market in the provincial capital's Ferozepur area. The suicide attacker had targetted a group of policemen. Rescue personnel carry a girl rescued from a collapsed building after a blast in Lahore, Pakistan, August 7, 2017. REUTERS/Mohsin Raza In April, six people were martyred and 15 others wounded when a suicide bomber targeted a population census team in Lahore's Bedian Road. In February, a suicide bomber martyred 14 people, including senior police officers, when a suicide bomber hit close to the Punjab Assembly in Lahore when hundreds of demonstrators had gathered for a protest. The city of around six million has been hit by significant militant attacks in Pakistan's over a decade-long war on extremism, but they have been less frequent in recent years. Four terrorists dead in encounter Four terrorists were killed in an unrelated police encounter near Sagian late Monday night, a spokesperson for the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) said. The spokesperson mentioned that six to seven terrorists had tried to enter the city. He added that explosive materials and weapons were recovered from the deceased terrorists.ProcrastriTracker is an open source time tracking tool that automatically tracks what applications and documents you use, and allows you to view statistics on your usage in great detail. It is written to be small and non-intrusive. It is useful for: Compatability : Every version of ProcrastiTracker still loads databases from the earliest versions (back to 2007), and will continue to do so. This guarantees that you can run it for years, and gather some impressive statistics, meanwhile being able to get new features. Data is stored in a relatively generic way so that the representation can evolve even if the data doesn't. Most detailed statistics of any timetracking app : ProcrastriTracker doesn't just track documents and web sites for every application, it gathers information fully hierarchically, meaning that you can see documents on a per project basis (such as in visual studio). This happens fully automatically, any application or web site that deals with data in an hierarchical fashion, and shows items in its title bar seperated by " - ", " \| ", " : ", " > " or "\" will be represented hierarchically.212 SHARES Share Tweet Post By Jodi Schwan Do-it-yourself projects meet boutique shopping in AR Workshop, a fast-growing national chain that is coming to Sioux Falls. An extension of the design company Anders Ruff, AR Workshop is a hands-on boutique studio and store where visitors can create their own handmade, mixed-media pieces – everything from framed and plank wood signs to canvas wall hangings, chalkboard art, pillows, decor and more. During instructor-led workshops, customers can exercise their creativity choosing a design, assembling and customizing their signs with nontoxic paint and stain colors. Franchisees Caleb and Tracy Hinkkanen wanted to own a business and thought it seems like an ideal fit. “I love everything design and decor, and am constantly changing and redecorating our house,” Tracy Hinkkanen said. “And he loves woodworking and DYI and doing things ourselves, so it was perfect.” The North Carolina-based company started as a graphic design business, online shop and DIY blog before expanding to retail locations last year. It has grown to 36 sites. The closest to Sioux Falls is in Colorado. It combines a DIY workshop with a bar and lounge plus a boutique. Parties and corporate events can choose a project, add beer and wine, and leave with custom wood signs, wood pallet signs, canvas pillows, lazy Susans, centerpiece boxes and other projects. There also are a variety of public workshops for all ages. AR Workshop will be in vacant a space next to Potbelly Sandwich Shop at 41st Street and Western Avenue. It most recently was a men’s clothing store. “We want people to feel almost like they’re in a friend’s home,” Hinkkanen said. “There will be a lounge, a bar, sofas, so you can hang out and relax, and there will be tables with tools and paint and stain and everything you need.” By doing it yourself, you can save money, “but not if you have to go buy power tools and specific paint colors and stains,” she added. “So you get to experience DIY without spending a lot and ruining your garage.” Hinkkanen also works for Hegg Realtors and plans to keep her license. She plans to hire about 10 part-time staff for AR Workshop and hopes to open in mid-September. It’s the first of two DIY-based franchises coming into the market. Board & Brush Creative Studio plans to open this fall.The results are in, and it’s a historic win for LGBTTI rights. On November 1 Audrey Gauthier was elected president of CUPE 4041, representing Air Transat flight attendants based in Montreal. She becomes the first openly trans person elected president of a local in Canada. While she’s proud of the accomplishment, Gauthier believes the membership chose her because she can help unite them. “I’m proud to be the first transsexual member elected president of a local, and for LGBTTI rights it’s something that’s important, but our members don’t really see me as different. They just see me as a woman, period,” said Gauthier. “I was elected to unite people. My goal is to build a strong relationship between the local and our component.” Building relationships was a theme Gauthier and others wanted to develop even during the local elections. Gauthier narrowly beat out a slate of candidates that included a friend and coworker, Veronique Bond, who finished second. “It was difficult because we were friends and we wanted to remain friends. So we set out to make this election different. At national convention Veronique and I sat together, and people were very surprised,” said Gauthier. “Apparently we made a statement just by doing that, but I think it’s normal. We’re coworkers. She could save my life one day on a plane and I could do the same for her, so for me it’s kind of natural to be that way.” While she knows she was elected to do a particular job, Gauthier acknowledges that her own experiences and her transition influenced her decision to run. “I was turning 44, I was a new woman, and I wondered if my previous choices as a man were still okay for me as a female. But I have a deep sense of social justice — equity for everyone. I’ve always believed we all deserve to be treated equally, even before my transition.” Gauthier’s win came just weeks before the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, marked every year on November 20 to remember those around the world who have lost their lives to anti-transgender violence, and to reflect on transgender struggles and accomplishments.What's happening with the much-discussed, long-in-development movie reboot of Spawn? Geek culture icon Kevin Smith got some information out of the character's creator, Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane, about the project on an upcoming episode of Geeking Out, and AMC has provided ComicBook.com with an exclusive first look at that conversation. In the clip from Geeking Out, seen above, DC All Access and CW Fan Talk presenter Tiffany Smith talks with McFarlane about the plans for a movie reboot. "The simple answer is yes," McFarlane told Smith when she asked about the possibility of another Spawn movie, assuring her that it won't be a continuation of the 1997 film starring Michael Jai White and John Leguizamo. Rather, it will be "a dark, R-rated, scary, badass sort of script." He told her that "the world's going to be real, except for one thing that's going to move," and that "you're never going to see a dude in a rubber suit....This is going to be my Jaws shark," and then showed her some concept art. That all gels with what McFarlane told ComicBook.com back in February. "In the background, there’s this thing moving around, this boogeyman. That boogeyman just happens to be something that you and I, intellectually, know is Spawn," he explained. "Will he look like he did in the first movie? No. Will he have a supervillain he fights? No. He’s going to be the spectre, the ghost." Also given that Todd McFarlane has had a completed script since earlier this year, we might be closer than ever to hearing some major announcements as far as the film is concerned. "I've finished the script, and I'm in the process of editing," McFarlane said. "It's 183 pages, and [producers] usually like 120. I still think it's going to end up being about 140, because I'm putting in details for myself." Spawn launched in 1992, with its first issue becoming an instant collectible in the frantic speculator market of the early '90s. If you read comic books in the '90s, you likely remember issues of Spawn #1, which sold 1.7 million copies, retailing for $25 and up for years.? The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill Thursday that spells out actions that could justify impeaching a Supreme Court justice or other constitutional officer, including attempting to usurp the power of another branch of government. And while some supporters of the bill said it is not related to any single case, others argued that it is clearly an expression of resentment over the Supreme Court’s decisions in school finance litigation, where the court has recently threatened to close public schools if lawmakers do not pass a constitutional school funding mechanism by July 1. Sen. Pat Pettey, D-Kansas City, noted that the first person who testified for the bill during hearings last week, Sen. Mitch Holmes, R-St. John, one of the sponsors of the bill, specifically mentioned the school finance cases as one of the reasons he thinks the bill is necessary. “So I can’t see how we wouldn’t think that is the case,” she said. The Kansas Constitution allows for removal of justices and other constitutional officers if they are impeached and convicted of “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” Senate Bill 439 spells out examples of actions that could constitute high crimes and misdemeanors, including several actions that are not a violation of any law. In addition to attempting to usurp the power of the legislative or executive branches, the bill would allow justices to be impeached for “exhibiting discourteous conduct toward litigants,” or exhibiting “personal misbehavior or misconduct.” It would also allow for impeachment of the governor or other executive branch constitutional officers for personal misbehavior or, “exhibiting discourteous conduct toward persons with whom the officer deals in an official capacity.” Sen. Forrest Knox, R-Altoona, said he believes it is important to classify those kinds of actions as impeachable offenses. “We’ve arrived at a point today, in this country and this state, where specifically Supreme Court justices have become kings, where there is no check,” Knox said. “We’re not talking about indictable offenses,” he said. “If a Supreme Court justice murders somebody, that will be dealt with. We’re talking political crimes. We’re talking things that are not in the statutes, expectations that the public has of a governor, on these constitutional offices.” But committee chairman Jeff King, R-Independence, said he opposed the bill for that very reason. He noted that two years ago the Legislature passed a law that changed the way district court chief judges were chosen, a law that the Supreme Court recently struck down as unconstitutional because it usurped the Supreme Court’s own constitutional authority to administer the judicial branch of government. “If the Supreme Court had impeachment ability over the Legislature the way it’s stated in Senate Bill 439,” he said, “the Supreme Court could have started impeachment proceedings against every single person that voted on that bill in good conscience and good faith, exercising their duties to the best of their ability just because of how we voted.” The impeachment bill is only the latest example of legislation introduced this year that illustrates growing tension between the Legislature and the judiciary. Last month, the House voted on a proposed constitutional amendment that would have given the governor authority to name Supreme Court justices directly, subject to Senate confirmation. That measure failed to receive the necessary two-thirds majority vote. King himself has introduced a bill, responding to the court’s decision on separation of powers, that would effectively hand back to the Supreme Court all responsibility for administering lower courts, including setting salaries of lower court judges and assessing docket fees. Testifying before a House committee in support of that bill earlier in the week, King acknowledged that relations between the Legislature and judiciary are “not particularly good,” but he said his bill was an attempt to restore the separation of powers. But Rep. Les Osterman, R-Wichita, said he thinks it’s the Supreme Court that has crossed the line. “When they tell you a dollar amount that you have to come up with for funding for a certain project, that’s encroachment into the Legislature’s power,” he said. “Now you’re asking me to separate powers, and it’s kind of hard for me to do that when I see them encroaching into what I consider my turf, or my territory.” Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, tried unsuccessfully to table the impeachment bill. He said he attended the Supreme Court’s recent special session held at Topeka High School, and he said the people he talked with there were not in favor of the proposal. “This is an issue that has resonated with many Kansans,” he said. The impeachment bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.This is a bit tricky. Technically, the San Diego Chargers don't need an Offensive Tackle. They have a few signed through the 2013 season, including: That's, uhhh, a lot of Tackles that are signed to the 2013 roster. That's actually probably more than you'd want on the active roster, but Schilling makes up for it by also being able to play Guard (I think, things change with Zone Blocking). Clary has his haters, but he was the 38th best Tackle in the entire league in 2012 according to Pro Football Focus. He rated out at about average for his blocking skills across the board, but was the second best Tackle in the league at not creating/causing penalties. Gaither is the key here. When Jared played, he played well and the offensive line was transformed by it. Mike McCoy and Tom Telesco could make the decision to try and repair the damage caused by Gaither's first season in San Diego, but most of the rumors coming out have the team either releasing the big Tackle or trying to find another way out of the contract they signed with him last offseason. If staff is dead-set on immediately switching to a Zone Blocking scheme, Haslam and Harris would seemingly be good fits for it. Sounds like I have some work to do on a couple of "Cut Him or Keep Him?" polls for Gaither and Clary. Now, as for the free agents. If the Chargers were to get rid of Gaither (and maybe Clary?), and if they weren't comfortable with starting Harris and Haslam, they would need at least one Tackle to come in and plug the hole. Who is out there? Jake Long, Miami Dolphins - Remember this? Well, that was back in the days of Norv Turner and Power Blocking schemes. If the Chargers were to sign a big-time free agent Tackle to a long-term deal this offseason, it would have to be someone they could build their Zone Blocking scheme around. That's probably not Jake Long. The Dolphins switched to ZBS in 2012, Long struggled and the team is content to let him go to team with a PBS. Remember this? Well, that was back in the days of Norv Turner and Power Blocking schemes. If the Chargers were to sign a big-time free agent Tackle to a long-term deal this offseason, it would have to be someone they could build their Zone Blocking scheme around. That's probably not Jake Long. The Dolphins switched to ZBS in 2012, Long struggled and the team is content to let him go to team with a PBS. Brandon Albert, Kansas City Chiefs - Many Chiefs fans think that the team would rather let Dwayne Bowe leave via free agency than Albert, which means he'll probably get franchised. If he does not, he'd be a fine Tackle to come in and replace Jared Gaither as the team's Left Tackle. Many Chiefs fans think that the team would rather let Dwayne Bowe leave via free agency than Albert, which means he'll probably get franchised. If he does not, he'd be a fine Tackle to come in and replace Jared Gaither as the team's Left Tackle. Ryan Harris, Houston Texans - Harris is mostly here for backup purposes. He started just 2 games last season for the Texans, and those are his only 2 starts since 2010. That being said, he was quite good as a backup and actually graded out better than Jake Long in 2012. He would provide the Chargers excellent depth at a tumultuous time. Harris is mostly here for backup purposes. He started just 2 games last season for the Texans, and those are his only 2 starts since 2010. That being said, he was quite good as a backup and actually graded out better than Jake Long in 2012. He would provide the Chargers excellent depth at a tumultuous time. Winston Justice, Indianapolis Colts - Tom Telesco and Ryan Grigson brought the former Eagle to the Colts last year on a 1-year contract, and he performed well enough to
when species can and are invading is expanding rapidly, as is our awareness that there is much that we can do to stem the rising tide. The 9th International Conference on Marine Bioinvasions will be held in Sydney this week.Since early August, I have published at least one post per week on the relationship between coffee and water resources. In several of those posts I have made mention of coffee’s “water footprint” without much exploration of the concept. According to this excellent study, coffee’s water footprint is 140 liters (or 37 gallons) per cup. While this data point is striking, the real value of the study for the coffee industry lies — as it often does in scientific research — in the details. THE ORIGINS of THE “WATER FOOTPRINT” The water footprint of coffee — or any other good or service, for that matter — is generally defined as the total volume of freshwater necessary to bring it to market. water requirements for coffee PRODUCTION + water requirements for coffee PROCESSING = COFFEE’S WATER FOOTPRINT The idea of a “water footprint,” which was first put forth formally in 2002, is a narrow application of a broader concept introduced a decade earlier — the ecological footprint. Whereas the ecological footprint measures the land area necessary to sustain a given population, the water footprint measures the water resources required. It can be applied to different populations and products, including coffee. WET or DRY PROCESSING? FOR OVERALL WATER FOOTPRINT, IT DOESN’T MATTER. The study suggests that in terms of the overall water footprint of coffee, it doesn’t matter very much whether farmers are wet-processing their coffee — a sequence that involves depulping, fermenting and washing — or processing it naturally — drying the coffee bean inside the cherry and eliminating altogether the need for water use in the coffee process. For the overall water need in coffee production, it makes hardly any difference whether the dry or wet production process is applied, because the water used in the wet production process is a very small fraction (0.34%) of the water used to grow the coffee plant. Does that mean we shouldn’t care how our coffee is processed? WHY PROCESSING MATTERS: WATER SCARCITY and POLLUTION. The study hastens to add that from a water security perspective, not all processing is created equal. Picking up where the previous quote leaves off, the authors explain that the small amount of water used in coffee processing is disproportionately important: However, the impact of this relatively small amount of water is often significant. First, it is blue water (abstracted from surface and ground water), which is sometimes scarcely available. Second, the wastewater generated in the wet production process is often heavily polluted. This caution seems to validate the analysis of water resource management in the coffee process that we have advanced here in recent weeks, underscoring the importance of coffee processing technologies that reduce water use and improve wastewater treatment. VIRTUAL WATER IMPORTS. The water footprint, unlike its intellectual forebears, includes a spatial dimension to show how consumers in one place indirectly employ the water resources in another. While the goods and services we consume may not have significant water content, we indirectly consume the water resources used at the sites where they were produced and processed. The water footprint tracks the movement, or “virtual transfer,” of water from sites of production and processing to consumption sites. When those transfers cross international borders, they become virtual water exports and imports. Since coffee has a relatively large water footprint among agricultural products, and since so much coffee consumption takes place in countries where little or no coffee is grown — the United States, Europe, and Japan — the volume of virtual water we import along with our coffee is significant. Why does it matter? WATER JUSTICE. Besides the water we use to brew our coffee, the water needed for us to drink coffee in the United States doesn’t come from the United States. It comes from remote communities in poor and middle-income countries, in some cases communities where water resources are scarce and the source of conflict. We almost never bear the real costs of those water resources, to say nothing of the social or environmental costs of water pollution from unregulated wet-milling operations.“Scientists have grown rudimentary teeth out of the most unlikely of sources, human urine,” BBC News reveals. The story is based on a laboratory study that used pluripotent stem cells generated from human urine cells to grow teeth-like structures in a group of mice. Pluripotent stem cells have the potential to develop into any type of body cell. These stem cells were then combined with early dental tissue obtained from mouse embryos and then transplanted into the bodies of mice. The main advantage of using urine as a source is that it provides a much easier way to obtain stem cells compared to existing techniques (such as obtaining a sample of bone marrow). Scientists found that after three weeks, up to 30% of the mice developed ‘teeth-like structures’. The structures had properties that resembled regular human teeth, but only had one-third of the hardness of human teeth. Currently, the research has only used dental tissue obtained from mice, and grown the teeth in mice, and caution should be exercised when trying to generalise the findings from animal research to humans. Also, the experiments were not a complete success, as only a third developed into ‘teeth’ and few had the hardness of human teeth. For the majority of us without ready access to a genetics laboratory and a ready supply of mice it’s probably best to stick to the old-fashioned way of looking after our teeth; brushing at least twice a day, flossing once a day, and limiting the consumption of sugary food. Where did the story come from? The study was carried out by researchers from Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health in China, Peking University and other Chinese institutions. It was funded by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, the Natural Science Foundation of China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The study was published in the peer-reviewed Cell Regeneration journal. The UK media’s coverage of the study was of a high standard. BBC News, the Mail Online and the Metro all made clear that the study was carried out in mice not humans. The BBC coverage also included quotes from other experts who are reported to be sceptical about using urine as a source for the generation of stem cells. This is because of problems such as urine containing few cells to convert into stem cells, and the potential for bacterial contamination. What kind of research was this? This was a laboratory-based study in which researchers attempted to grow teeth in mice using pluripotent stem cells derived from human urine. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are cells that have the potential to divide and develop into any type of cell in the body. The PSCs in this research are referred to as ‘induced’ PSCs because they have been artificially derived from normal cells excreted in human urine. The researchers say the biggest limiting factor in stem cell dental research is the lack of an adequate source of human stem cells with dental growth potential. The researchers say that to their knowledge no other studies have investigated use of human urine induced pluripotent stem cells for tooth regeneration. For more information on recent advances in stem cell science read our special report, Hope and Hype. What did the research involve? In this study, researchers used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from human urine to develop and divide in a laboratory setting. In the laboratory, these cells were cultured with early stage molar dental tissue (mesenchymal cells) extracted from a group of mice. These mesenchymal cells have the potential to develop into the different layers of the tooth. Combining the human iPSCs with the mouse mesenchymal cells should promote their development into tooth-like structures. After a few days the cultured human and mouse tooth material was implanted into the kidneys of a different group of mice. After three weeks, the researchers dissected and examined the kidneys of the experimental mice to see if teeth-like structures had been produced. They also compared these teeth-like structures to normal human teeth and mouse teeth. What were the basic results? The researchers reported that after three weeks, the cells started to look like a human tooth with success rates up to 30%. The teeth-like structures contained dental pulp, dentin, enamel space and enamel organ. However, these ‘teeth’ were not as hard as natural teeth, and were about one-third the hardness of human teeth. How did the researchers interpret the results? The researchers conclude that human urine induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are capable of tooth-like generation. These generated teeth contained enamel and had physical properties similar to that of regular human teeth. They say that iPSCs could be a future source of stem cell research for regeneration. Conclusion This study used a technique allowing scientists to generate tooth-like structures in a group of mice in the laboratory, using stem cells derived from human urine. This research is another valuable step in stem cell research, but there is still a long way to go. Currently the research has only used dental tissue obtained from mice, and grown the teeth in mouse kidneys, and caution should be exercised when trying to generalise the findings from animal research to humans. Also, the experiments were not a complete success. When examined, only one third of the teeth-like structures were considered successful. Although the teeth-like structures resembled regular human teeth, only one third had the hardness of human teeth. Much more research will need to go into developing the technique before it can be seen whether one day it could have the potential for tooth regeneration in humans. This will include more research to make sure that lab-grown teeth can resemble and function like regular human teeth and whether lab-grown teeth are both safe and effective in the long-term. While this research is on going a ‘prevention rather than cure’ policy for dental health is the best way to go. It is recommended that you: brush your teeth at least twice a day floss at least once a day limit your consumption of fermented carbohydrates such as sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks Read more about how to prevent tooth decay.It all started when Jim Nill, then the Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager, and Hakan Andersson, director of European scouting, were at a hockey tournament in northern Finland to watch one player but a different player caught their eye. DETROIT - It takes a unique person to go from being a seventh-round draft pick to becoming a Stanley Cup champion, Conn Smythe winner and eventual captain of an Original Six team. That player was Henrik Zetterberg, who played in his 1,000th career game as the Red Wings closed out Joe Louis Arena Sunday. "What we liked was he was always on the puck," Nill said. "He was very tenacious. Back then he was probably about 5-9, 140 pounds soaking wet. You look at a guy that's not very strong, he's not a fluid skater at the best of times, so you can imagine back then when he was weaker, how he looked. "But there was just something about him. He wasn't the prettiest looking player out there, but he just was always on the puck, always doing the right things. Now you fast forward to 15 or 20 years later, here he is, he's gotten stronger and that same player plays the same way and he's turned himself into one of the elite players of all time." Zetterberg only grew to 5-11 or so but built himself up to 197 pounds of muscle. The Wings ended up selecting Zetterberg with the 210th pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. Zetterberg is only the fourth player from that draft to reach 1,000 career games, joining Daniel and Henrik Sedin and Radim Vrbata. The Sedins were taken with the second and third overall picks in that draft by Vancouver and Vrbata was taken two picks after Zetterberg by Colorado. Daniel Sedin has 370 goals and 616 assists in 1,225 games while Henrik Sedin has 237 goals and 784 assists in 1,248 games. Vrbata has 279 goals and 330 assists in 1,015 games. Zetterberg has 326 goals and 578 assists in 1,000 games. "He's just got a burning desire to be great," Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "That burning desire took him from a late-round draft pick to one of the best two-way centers of his generation. He could have cheated for more points throughout his career; he never cheats, but yet he's always put up real good points and won tons of games and has put teams on his back and he's just got a burning desire to be great." In the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, Zetterberg was the youngest player named to Team Sweden and one of just a few not already playing in the NHL. "I got to play against him actually in 2002 in Salt Lake at the Olympics, Sweden beat us in the first game," Steve Yzerman said. "It was my first look at him live and he was really good, made a great play on his backhand 2-on-1 and from that moment on, it was just like, wow, this guy's really good and he has never looked back." The Wings put Zetterberg right next to Yzerman in the dressing room. "The day that he came into the organization, he was professional, very mature," Yzerman said. "A professional in the way he conducted himself on a daily basis from the way he practiced, the way he played. He was going to be Henrik whether Nick (Lidstrom) or I was there or not. He just had special qualities of a leader. Tremendous hockey player, tremendous all-around player. From day one, he had all those abilities, which I really admired because a lot of us had to learn that stuff and he knew it as a young man." Lidstrom, who played with Zetterberg on Team Sweden, including the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy when they won the gold medal, remembers Zetterberg as a quiet, shy kid when he first arrived. "We had pretty good teams there when he first joined the Wings," Lidstrom said. "He was a quiet guy but I thought he produced right away. I think he scored 20 goals (22, along with 22 assists) his first year, kind of found his role in a way behind Stevie and some of the older players we had. Eventually him and Pav (Pavel Datsyuk) took over as leaders for this team. He's had a great career and it's still going." People around hockey knew about Zetterberg, but everyone realized what he was about after seeing him in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, when the Wings faced the Pittsburgh Penguins and their 20-year-old superstar, Sidney Crosby. Every time Crosby jumped onto the ice, Zetterberg immediately hopped on. Zetterberg was matched up so closely with Crosby that the joke was he followed Crosby to the restroom. "I know he frustrated Sidney Crosby," Nill said. "I don't think Sidney Crosby enjoyed playing against Henrik Zetterberg because Henrik, he was tenacious. He's on the puck, he's strong on the puck, you're not going to intimidate him. When he's out there, it's his puck and he's going to do it the right way." The Wings won the series in six games and Zetterberg hoisted the Conn Smythe trophy, only the second European-born player after Lidstrom to do so. Unlike Lidstrom, Zetterberg faced some adversity in terms of injury as he spent several years dealing with a troublesome back. Zetterberg was honored to be named captain of Team Sweden at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. But after playing in one game, a herniated disc forced Zetterberg to withdraw from the tournament and return to the United States for immediate surgery. No one expected Zetterberg to play again that year unless the Wings went on an extended postseason run. The Wings faced the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs and although Zetterberg was still recovering, he returned to play in the final two games of that series. "He was bound and determined to get back and try and help his team go on a playoff run," Wings general manager Ken Holland said. The Bruins won the series, but Zetterberg had once again demonstrated that will and determination that he has always possessed. Zetterberg entered the 2016-17 season with another injury as he hurt his knee in offseason training. Although Zetterberg couldn't play for Team Sweden in the World Cup of Hockey and missed all but the last preseason game, he made sure he was ready for the Wings' season opener in Tampa Bay on Oct. 13. Blashill came into the season thinking that he needed to reduce Zetterberg's heavy workload so he started Zetterberg on Frans Nielsen's wing. That experiment lasted just two games, as the Wings lost 6-4 at the Lightning and 4-1 at the Florida Panthers. Blashill returned Zetterberg to his familiar role as top-line center and ended up playing the 36-year-old more minutes than any other forward. "I looked at diminishing his minutes going into the year and all he's done is demand that he plays more, so he's been an elite player in this league for a long time and continues to be," Blashill said. Only defensemen Mike Green (23:33) and Danny DeKeyser (21:57) averaged more ice time than Zetterberg's 19:43. On a team that collectively finished minus-187, Zetterberg was plus-15. One thing that motivated Zetterberg this past offseason was the way he finished the previous season. Last season in 49 games before the All-Star break, Zetterberg had nine goals, 24 assists and was plus-5. In the 33 games after the All-Star break, Zetterberg had just four goals, 13 assists and was minus-20. This season in 49 games before the All-Star break, Zetterberg had an identical nine goals, 24 assists and was plus-8. In the 33 games after the All-Star break, Zetterberg had eight goals, 27 assists and was plus-7. "Last year I played a lot of games but not a lot of good ones," Zetterberg said. "I had a tough ending of last season so that's one thing I wanted to improve on this year and it's been better." Watching from afar as the Dallas Stars general manager, Nill was hardly shocked. "I know people were kind of starting to say is this the demise of him, but not surprised at all to see how he bounced back and led the team again," Nill said. "That's Henrik Zetterberg." In the league, Zetterberg was 25th overall in scoring with 68 points. Of the 25, Zetterberg was the oldest by at least four years. "You look at this year when he's 36 years of age, in a league where everyone is talking youth and he's in the top 30 scorers in the National Hockey League, especially the second half of the year he's really taken his game to another level," Holland said. Zetterberg said he's learned to make adjustments as he gets older. "I think you just have to realize you're not 24 anymore and you've got to do what the body can handle," Zetterberg said. "It doesn't get easier the older you get. Kronner (Niklas Kronwall) and I are joking around about that every day, especially when we see all the young guys here coming in fresh as a daisy every morning. Me and Kronner look at each other and wonder how we're going to make it out to the ice." Kronwall was limited to 57 games because of a chronic knee injury, but Zetterberg has played in all 82 games for two straight seasons. "Really this year what he has done is probably the most impressive out of all the years he's played," Kronwall said. "At this age, just his level every night, he's our best player every night. A lot of people say he's getting older, yeah, that's a number on a paper, but Hank is still Hank." Zetterberg often gives credit for his resurgence to playing with some younger linemates but usually it's his wings who benefit from playing with him. "The thing I've learned the most is his patience, especially playing with him, he is OK and he understands that nothing might happen for 59 minutes and he really preached to me that we just wait for our chance and wait for our chance and wait for our chance, play the right way, play the right way and once the other team makes a mistake or there's a chance to go or a time that there's an opening then he'll take advantage of it," Dylan Larkin said. "As a young guy you don't think like that and it's something that's a style of play that has the team in his mind first and he's never taken chances that will end up in our own net." It's not just the young players who want to learn from Zetterberg. Nielsen, 32, said he's been an admirer of Zetterberg's for a long time. "I liked playing against him. But now being on the same team, he does all the little things I think the normal fan doesn't always see," Nielsen said. "But everything he does out there is right, he never does anything wrong out there. He always makes the right plays, he's always in the right position. It's just awesome to see, especially for a guy like me playing center. It's amazing just watching him. Even sitting on the bench, I like watching him closely all the time because you can learn so much from a guy like that." Because of the festivities to celebrate the last game at Joe Louis Arena, the Wings honored Zetterberg before he played his 1,000th game Sunday. Wings legend Ted Lindsay represented the NHL and gave Zetterberg a Tiffany crystal, team president Chris Ilitch gave him a Rolex and alternate captains Kronwall and Justin Abdelkader gave Zetterberg a golf trip on behalf of the team while Zetterberg's wife, Emma, his young son, Love, and his father, Goran, looked on. "It was a nice ceremony to have my wife, my son and dad on the ice," Zetterberg said. "It's something that I'll always remember. That it ended up to be this game, the last game at the Joe, a lot of guys came back. I actually thought it was for me. It couldn't be a better game because I played a lot of games with a lot of players that were in this weekend so they're a big part of those 1,000 games." In true Zetterberg fashion, he then went out and had a goal and an assist in the Wings' 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. "It was fitting, not only for his career, but for this season," Blashill said. "He's been our best player night in and night out." Zetterberg made it to 1,000 games and proved he still has a lot of hockey left. "He's a warrior, he's a competitor, he plays with pride, he's a tremendous leader on an off the ice," Holland said. "One of the greatest Red Wings of all time."Halifax police say a 911 phone call Sunday morning that prompted a search of Point Pleasant Park and the Tower Road area was a hoax. An 18-year-old woman has now been charged with public mischief and also ticketed for making a false call to 911. She was released from police custody and will appear at a later date in Halifax provincial court. On Sunday about 3 a.m., emergency dispatch was called by what sounded like a man who said he was hurt in the Tower Road area. Police said the caller was "vague" and the number unregistered. Even so, a search was launched and included a police dog and search and rescue volunteers. No one was found and the search was called off Sunday afternoon. However, dispatch continued to receive multiple calls from the same number, but there was no voice on the line. Halifax Regional Police Sgt. Gerard Gibbons says police were helped by a telecommunications company that used information from a cell phone tower to better pinpoint the location of the calls. He says officers patrolled the area and spotted a group of three people. When they spoke with the group, officers figured out one of them was their suspect. Police say the 18-year-old woman had in her possession the phone used to make the 911 calls.With all eyes on the Wonder Woman and Justice League movies coming this year, one DC film is quietly making a ton of progress on its production. Aquaman, directed by James Wan, seems to be ahead of schedule, and everything is going smoothly. Production officially began this year, principal photography is set to begin soon, and the cast has been spotted putting in some extra training sessions. Be sure to give Aquaman an anticipation ranking, and see how it stacks up against the other upcoming films! The world of Aquaman has been bright, and a new report suggests that the project is still trending in the right direction. According to an Australian casting call, two actors with rumored roles are now part of the actual cast. Nicole Kidman and Temuera Morrison were both said to have been in talks for a role in the film, but this casting call suggests that their additions have been finalized. As the earlier rumors reported, Kidman will be playing Arthur Curry's mother Atlanna, and Morrison will portray his father, Thomas Curry.Amir D. Aczel, a mathematician and author of many books about popular science, including “Fermat’s Last Theorem.” (Author Photo/Atria Books) Amir D. Aczel, a mathematician who launched a second career as a best-selling author, most notably of “Fermat’s Last Theorem,” about how an enduring enigma of mathematics was ultimately solved, died Nov. 26 in Nimes, France. He was 65. The cause was cancer, said his wife, Debra Gross Aczel. Dr. Aczel (pronounced ahk-ZELL) spent years as a professor in Alaska and Massachusetts and wrote textbooks on math and statistics before discovering a talent for explaining the world of science and numbers to ordinary readers. He first gained widespread acclaim in 1996 with “Fermat’s Last Theorem: Unlocking the Secret of an Ancient Mathematical Problem.” The problem had been one of the great unsolved mysteries of mathematics since about 1637, when a French jurist and amateur mathematician named Pierre de Fermat wrote an equation in the margin of a book, followed by the tantalizing words: “I have discovered a truly marvelous proof of this, which, however, the margin is not large enough to contain.” Fermat’s Last Theorem, as it became known, became the most persistent and baffling puzzle in the history of mathematics. For centuries, mathematicians searched for the ever-elusive solution to this problem: x(n) + y(n) could never equal z(n) if “n” was greater than 2. Amir D. Aczel, mathematician and author of “Fermat’s Last Theorem” and other books. (Debra Gross Aczel) In his book, Dr. Aczel fashioned a page-turning thriller of intellectual adventure that, in his words, “spans mathematical history from the dawn of civilization to our own time.” It wasn’t until the 1990s that Andrew Wiles, a British mathematician at Princeton University, finally unlocked the mystery. Dr. Aczel’s 147-page book was “a captivating volume,” New York Times critic Richard Bernstein wrote, “rooted in the pleasure of pure knowledge.” Although some mathematicians considered “Fermat’s Last Theorem” simplistic, it spent months on best-seller lists and made Dr. Aczel something of an all-purpose explicator of scientific and mathematical phenomena. In more than a dozen subsequent books, he analyzed the contributions of Einstein, Descartes and other scientists and mathematicians and demonstrated how statistics applied to everyday life — and to life beyond earth. In “Probability 1” (1998), Dr. Aczel calculated that the possibility of intelligent beings living elsewhere in the universe was 100 percent. His 2004 book “Chance” weighed the odds on “gambling, love, the stock market and just about everything,” according to its subtitle. Dr. Aczel concluded that most people have better luck finding a soul mate than winning in Las Vegas. One of his more personal books, “The Riddle of the Compass” (2001), derived from Dr. Aczel’s boyhood memories of sailing throughout the Mediterranean with his father, who was the captain of a cruise ship. For most people, the compass is a simple directional device, tool, but Dr. Aczel knew that someone — most likely in China — had to invent it and put it to use in sailing the high seas. With its needle forever pointing north, the compass was, in Dr. Aczel’s words, “the first technological invention to change the world since the wheel.” 1 of 83 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Notable deaths of 2015 View Photos A look at those who have died this year. Caption A look at those who have died. From left, Swedish actress Anita Ekberg known for her role in “La Dolce Vita”; Star Trek icon Leonard Nimoy; Bobbi Kristina Brown, the only child of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown; legendary blues guitarist B.B. King; and football player and “Monday Night Football” sportscaster Frank Gifford. From left: Mario Torrisi/AP, CBS via Getty Images, Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images, Kathy Willens/AP Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. Amir Dan Aczel was born Nov. 6, 1950 in Haifa, Israel. He learned to navigate a ship before he learned to drive and became interested in mathematics, he said, while sailing with his father among Mediterranean ports of call. In Monte Carlo, he was drawn to the roulette table. “I was fascinated by these colorful numbers — ornate signs that beckoned me by their mystery, and which as I matured I would understand to represent fundamental abstract concepts that rule our world,” he later wrote. After serving in the Israeli army, he came to the United States to study mathematics at the University of California at Berkeley, where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1975 and a master’s degree in 1976. He received a doctorate, with an emphasis on statistics, from the University of Oregon in 1982. Dr. Aczel taught at the University of Alaska’s Juneau campus from 1982 to 1988, when he joined the faculty of what is now Bentley University in Waltham, Mass. He moved to Boston University in 2006. In 1989, he published a textbook, “Complete Business Statistics,” that went through several editions and was used in many college courses. Not long afterward, Dr. Aczel was audited by the Internal Revenue Service, which he used as the basis for his first foray into popular mathematics, “How to Beat the IRS at Its Own Game: Strategies to Avoid — and Survive and Audit,” in 1994. After the success of “Fermat’s Last Theorem” two years later, Dr. Aczel published almost one book a year, although not all were well received by critics. His final book, “Finding Zero: A Mathematician’s Odyssey to Uncover the Origins of Numbers,” was published this year. He moved to Uzes, France, shortly before his death and maintained a home in Brookline, Mass. Survivors include his wife of 31 years, Debra Gross Aczel of Uzes and Brookline; a daughter, Miriam Aczel of London and Uzes; and a stepdaughter, Stephanie Hoover of Chicago. In “Why Science Does Not Disprove God” (2011) and in other writings, Dr. Aczel challenged the view of British scientist Richard Dawkins that a rational view of the world held no room for religious faith. “The incredible fine-tuning of the universe presents the most powerful argument for the existence of an immanent creative entity we may well call God,” Dr. Aczel wrote in a 2014 essay in Time magazine. “Science and religion are two sides of the same deep human impulse to understand the world, to know our place in it, and to marvel at the wonder of life and the infinite cosmos we are surrounded by. Let’s keep them that way, and not let one attempt to usurp the role of the other.”A History Of Violence With A History Of Violence, Tom Breihan picks the most important action movie of every year, starting with the genre’s birth and moving right up to whatever Vin Diesel’s doing this very minute. Speed (1994) There was a science to the ’90s Hollywood studio action movie. It had to have movie stars: People who were charming and pretty, not square-jawed and ripped to shreds, as they had been in the ’80s. It had to take place in environments that were at least vaguely familiar. It had to have a flamboyant insane-genius villain, one who would always be played by a scenery-inhaling character actor. Most of the time, it had to take place over a day or two, usually in a confined space. And it helped if it had a completely fucking ridiculous premise. Given that goofy-ass set of requirements, Speed may well have been the best Hollywood studio action movie of its era. It was definitely one of the biggest and most iconic. Advertisement The change started with 1988’s Die Hard, which moved the focus to the Bruce Willis everyman type rather than the lumbering Stallone/Schwarzenegger inhuman lumps, and which showed the value of a tight, focused plot where everything took place in a single location. And 1993’s The Fugitive, a more sprawling movie, showed that an action movie made with that sort of breathless slickness could make a shit-ton of money and earn enough critical acclaim that it could win Oscars. But Speed may have been the movie that completely figured out the lessons of Die Hard. Jan De Bont, Speed’s rookie director, was in the right place to learn those lessons. He’d been the cinematographer of Die Hard, and he must’ve been studying the way that movie kept firing along and escalating tension. There are plenty of visual echoes, too, especially in the early scenes where Keanu Reeves and Jeff Daniels are crawling around elevator shafts. There were plenty of Die Hard-on-a-whatever movies during that era, and Speed wasn’t really one of those. Reeves’ character, Jack Traven, didn’t have to slowly kill his way through a battalion of henchmen, leading up to the big villain, and he didn’t really smirk out catchphrases after every big action moment, either. (He did, admittedly, get in one or two good ones.) Instead, the movie kept that Die Hard spirit alive while telling a completely different story. Those who worked on Speed will tell you that the people at 20th Century Fox didn’t believe in it from the start. The movie had a respectable $30 million budget—one that it eventually made back more than 10 times over—but producers originally offered the Reeves role to Stephen Baldwin, which would’ve made for a way shittier movie. When Reeves showed up on set with his floppy hair cropped down to almost nothing, there was reportedly talk of shutting down production for long enough to let the hair grow back. Future Avengers director Joss Whedon ended up having to do an uncredited script-polish job, rewriting almost all the dialogue that future Justified creator Graham Yost had written. And in this great Hitfix piece on the bus passengers, we learn that even the movie’s extras thought it would be a piece of shit. Advertisement They probably had good reason. The premise—a deranged and brilliant ex-cop bomber has rigged a bus to explode if it goes any less than 50 miles per hour—doesn’t make any fucking sense at all. And plenty of the plot points fall apart completely if you give them even the tiniest bit of scrutiny. When the bus crashes into the plane and explodes, are there any passengers on the plane? And even if there aren’t, wouldn’t that plane cost way more than the ransom that Dennis Hopper wanted? Why didn’t they shut down the fucking airport in the first place? Could a TV camera technician really use VHS tape to invent the animated GIF on the fly? Why did Sandra Bullock show up to help drop off the ransom money? How has brilliant thinking-of-everything bad guy Dennis Hopper never heard of dye packs? Has he never watched a bank-robbery movie? And how was he going to escape that runaway subway train? But the magic of the movie is that it moves so quickly that you don’t find yourself wondering any of that stuff until at least, say, the sixth viewing. There’s a particular suspension of disbelief that’s unique to action movies, and Speed asks all of it. You know that the movie’s entire story is a pretext for vehicular mayhem. And when the vehicular mayhem is as good as what’s in Speed, you don’t just forgive that; you’re completely amped to accept it. When the bus is whipping around turns and smashing rearview mirrors off every car in traffic? When Reeves is sliding under the bus to do a high-speed bomb defusal? When Reeves jumps from the driver’s seat of a speeding Jaguar into the door of the bus? It’s all so giddily, stupidly beautiful. The climactic jump over the incomplete bridge may look fake as fuck, but they really did jump that bus, even if it’s not over some yawning chasm, and you can tell. And those moments work, in part, because there are no boring moments in between to bog the movie down. It never slows for character development or exposition or comic relief. Instead, all that stuff happens in the context of the action. We learn what we need to know and no more. We might get to like a few characters on the bus, most of whom seem like the sort of random chumps who probably would end up stranded on public transportation, but we never have to learn their life stories. And because the movie hit the jackpot with its two stars, it never has to work to showcase their charisma. That charisma is just there. Advertisement Reeves had been a movie star before Speed, but he’d mostly played doofuses in teenage movies—most famously and brilliantly Ted “Theodore” Logan. His one action-hero role had been in Kathryn Bigelow’s great Point Break, and he was good in it mostly because he seemed more like a surfer than an FBI agent. I have this theory that young Reeves was best in movies that required him to be bemused, and even though his Speed character is supposed to be a capable man of action who thinks on his feet, the whole premise is so loony
bad at considering different viewpoints, surely there'd been Death Eaters who'd posed as enemies of blood purism and had come up with much more plausible-sounding arguments against their own side than Draco was offering. If Draco had been trying to pose as a member of Dumbledore's faction, and come up with the house elf hypothesis, he wouldn't have fooled anyone for a second. Draco had been forced to admit this was a point. Hence the Potter Method. "Please, Dr. Malfoy," whined Harry Potter, "why won't you accept my paper?" Harry Potter had needed to repeat the phrase "just pretend to be pretending to be a scientist" three times before Draco had understood. In that moment Draco had realized that there was something deeply wrong with Harry Potter's brain, and anyone who tried Legilimency on it would probably never come back out again. Harry Potter had then gone into further and considerable detail: Draco was to pretend to be a Death Eater who was posing as the editor of a scientific journal, Dr. Malfoy, who wanted to reject his enemy Dr. Potter's paper "On the Heritability of Magical Ability", and if the Death Eater didn't act like a real scientist would, he would be revealed as a Death Eater and executed, while Dr. Malfoy was also being watched by his own rivals and needed to appear to reject Dr. Potter's paper for neutral scientific reasons or he would lose his position as journal editor. It was a wonder the Sorting Hat wasn't gibbering madly in St. Mungo's. It was also the most complicated thing anyone had ever asked Draco to pretend and there was no possible way he could have refused the challenge. Right now they were, as Harry Potter had put it, getting in the mood. "I'm afraid, Dr. Potter, that you wrote this in the wrong color of ink," Draco said. "Next!" Dr. Potter's face did an excellent job of crumpling in despair, and Draco couldn't help but feel a flash of Dr. Malfoy's glee, even though the Death Eater was only pretending to be Dr. Malfoy. This part was fun. He could have done this all day long. Dr. Potter got up from the chair, slumped over in dismay, and trudged off, and turned into Harry Potter, who gave Draco a thumbs-up, and then turned back into Dr. Potter again, now approaching with an eager smile. Dr. Potter sat down and presented Dr. Malfoy with a piece of parchment on which was written: On the Heritability of Magical Ability Dr. H. J. Potter-Evans-Verres, Institute for Sufficiently Advanced Science My observation: Today's wizards can't do things as impressive as what wizards used to do 800 years ago. My conclusion: Wizardkind has become weaker by mixing their blood with Muggleborns and Squibs. "Dr. Malfoy," said Dr. Potter with a hopeful look, "I was wondering if the Journal of Irreproducible Results could consider for publication my paper entitled 'On the Heritability of Magical Ability'." Draco looked at the parchment, smiling while he considered possible rejections. If he was a professor, he would have refused the essay as too short, so - "It's too long, Dr. Potter," said Dr. Malfoy. For a moment there was genuine incredulity on Dr. Potter's face. "Ah..." said Dr. Potter. "How about if I get rid of the separate lines for observations and conclusions, and just put in a therefore -" "Then it'll be too short. Next!" Dr. Potter trudged off. "All right," said Harry Potter, "you're getting too good at this. Two more times to practice, and then third time is for real, no interruptions between, I'll just come in straight at you and that time you'll reject the paper based on the actual content, remember, your scientific rivals are watching." Dr. Potter's next paper was perfect in every way, a marvel of its kind, but unfortunately had to be rejected because Dr. Malfoy's journal was having trouble with the letter E. Dr. Potter offered to rewrite it without those words, and Dr. Malfoy explained that it was really more of a vowel problem. The paper after that was rejected because it was Tuesday. It was, in fact, Saturday. Dr. Potter tried to point this out and was told "Next!" (Draco was starting to understand why Snape had used his hold over Dumbledore just to get a position that let him be awful to students.) And then - Dr. Potter was approaching with a superior smirk on his face. "This is my latest paper, On the Heritability of Magical Ability," Dr. Potter stated confidently, and thrust out the parchment. "I have decided to allow your journal to publish it, and have prepared it in perfect accordance with your guidelines so that you may publish it quickly." The Death Eater decided to track down and kill Dr. Potter after his mission was done. Dr. Malfoy kept a polite smile on his face, since his rivals were watching, and said... (The pause stretched, with Dr. Potter looking at him impatiently.) ..."Let me look at that, please." Dr. Malfoy took the parchment and perused it carefully. The Death Eater was starting to get nervous about the fact that he wasn't a real scientist, and Draco was trying to remember how to talk like Harry Potter. "You, ah, need to consider other possible explanations for your, um, observation, besides just this one -" "Really?" interrupted Dr. Potter. "Like what, exactly? House elves are stealing our magic? My data admit of only one possible conclusion, Dr. Malfoy. There are no other plausible hypotheses." Draco was trying furiously to order his brain to think, what would he say if he was posing as a member of Dumbledore's faction, what did they claim was the explanation for wizardkind's decline, Draco had never bothered to actually ask that... "If you can't think of any other way to explain my data, you'll have to publish my paper, Dr. Malfoy." It was the sneer on Dr. Potter's face that did it. "Oh yeah?" snapped Dr. Malfoy. "How do you know that magic itself isn't fading away?" Time stopped. Draco and Harry Potter exchanged looks of appalled horror. Then Harry Potter spat something that was probably an extremely bad word if you'd been raised by Muggles. "I didn't think of that! " said Harry Potter. "And I should have. The magic goes away. Damn, damn, damn! " The alarm in Harry Potter's voice was contagious. Without even thinking about it, Draco's hand went into his robes and clutched at his wand. He'd thought the House of Malfoy was safe, so long as you only married into families that could trace their bloodlines back four generations you were supposed to be safe, it had never occurred to him before that there might be nothing anyone could do to stop the end of magic. "Harry, what do we do?" Draco's voice was rising in panic. "What do we do? " "Let me think! " After a few moments, Harry grabbed from a nearby desk the same quill and roll of parchment he'd used to write his pretend paper, and started scribbling something. "We'll figure it out," Harry said, his voice tight, "if magic is fading out of the world we'll figure out how fast it's fading and how much time we have left to do something, and then we'll figure out why it's fading, and then we'll do something about it. Draco, have wizarding powers been declining at a steady rate, or have there been sudden drops?" "I... I don't know..." "You told me that no one had matched the four founders of Hogwarts. So it's been going on for at least eight centuries, then? You can't remember hearing anything about the problems suddenly appearing five centuries ago or anything like that?" Draco was trying frantically to think. "I always heard that nobody was as good as Merlin and then after that nobody was as good as the Founders of Hogwarts." "All right," Harry said. He was still scribbling. "Because three centuries ago is when Muggles started to not believe in magic, which I thought might have something to do with it. And about a century and a half ago was when Muggles began using a kind of technology that stops working around magic and I was wondering if it might also go the other way around." Draco exploded out of his chair, so angry he could hardly even speak. "It's the Muggles -" "Damn it! " roared Harry. "Weren't you even listening to yourself? It's been going on for eight centuries at least and the Muggles weren't doing anything interesting then! We have to figure out the real truth! The Muggles might have something to do with this but if they don't and you go blaming everything on them and that stops us from figuring out what's really going on then one day you're going to wake up in the morning and find out that your wand is just a stick of wood!" Draco's breath stopped in his throat. His father often said our wands will break in our hands in his speeches but Draco had never really thought before about what that meant, it wasn't going to happen to him after all. And now suddenly it seemed very real. Just a stick of wood. Draco could imagine just what it would be like to take out his wand and try to cast a spell and find that nothing was happening... That could happen to everyone. There would be no more wizards, no more magic, ever. Just Muggles who had a few legends about what their ancestors had been able to do. Some of the Muggles would be called Malfoy, and that would be all that was left of the name. For the first time in his life, Draco realized why there were Death Eaters. He'd always taken for granted that becoming a Death Eater was something you did when you grew up. Now Draco understood, he knew why Father and Father's friends had sworn to give their lives to prevent the nightmare from coming to pass, there were things you couldn't just stand by and watch happen. But what if it was going to happen anyway, what if all the sacrifices, all the friends they'd lost to Dumbledore, the family they'd lost, what if it had all been for nothing... "Magic can't be fading away," Draco said. His voice was breaking. "It wouldn't be fair." Harry stopped scribbling and looked up. His face had an angry expression. "Your father never told you that life isn't fair?" Father had said that every single time Draco used the word. "But, but, it's too awful to believe that -" "Draco, let me introduce you to something I call the Litany of Tarski. It changes every time you use it. On this occasion it runs like so: If magic is fading out of the world, I want to believe that magic is fading out of the world. If magic is not fading out of the world, I want not to believe that magic is fading out of the world. Let me not become attached to beliefs I may not want. If we're living in a world where magic is fading, that's what we have to believe, we have to know what's coming, so we can stop it, or in the very worst case, be prepared to do what we can in the time we have left. Not believing it won't stop it from happening. So the only question we have to ask is whether magic is actually fading, and if that's the world we live in then that's what we want to believe. Litany of Gendlin: What's true is already so, owning up to it doesn't make it worse. Got that, Draco? I'm going to make you memorize it later. It's something you repeat to yourself any time you start wondering if it's a good idea to believe something that isn't actually true. In fact I want you to say it right now. What's true is already so, owning up to it doesn't make it worse. Say it." "What's true is already so," repeated Draco, his voice trembling, "owning up to it doesn't make it worse." "If magic is fading, I want to believe that magic is fading. If magic is not fading, I want not to believe that magic is fading. Say it." Draco repeated back the words, the sickness churning in his stomach. "Good," Harry said, "remember, it might not be happening, and then you won't have to believe it, either. First we just want to know what's actually going on, which world we actually live in." Harry turned back to his work, scribbled some more, and then turned the parchment so Draco could see it. Draco leaned over the desk and Harry brought the green light closer. Observation: Wizardry isn't as powerful now as it was when Hogwarts was founded. Hypotheses: 1. Magic itself is fading. 2. Wizards are interbreeding with Muggles and Squibs. 3. Knowledge to cast powerful spells is being lost. 4. Wizards are eating the wrong foods as children, or something else besides blood is making them grow up weaker. 5. Muggle technology is interfering with magic. (Since 800 years ago?) 6. Stronger wizards are having fewer children. (Draco = only child? Check if 3 powerful wizards, Quirrell / Dumbledore / Dark Lord, had any children.) Tests: "All right," Harry said. His breathing sounded a little calmer. "Now when you're dealing with a confusing problem and you have no idea what's going on, the smart thing to do is figure out some really simple tests, things you can look at right away. We need fast tests that distinguish between these hypotheses. Observations that would come out a different way for at least one of them compared to all the other ones." Draco stared at the list in shock. He was suddenly realizing that he knew an awful lot of purebloods who were only children. Himself, Vincent, Gregory, practically everyone. The two most powerful wizards everyone talked about were Dumbledore and the Dark Lord and neither had any children just like Harry had suspected... "It's going to be really hard to distinguish between 2 and 6," Harry said, "it's in the blood either way, you'd have to try and track the decline of wizardry and compare that to how many kids different wizards were having and measure the abilities of Muggleborns compared to purebloods..." Harry's fingers were tapping nervously on the desk. "Let's just lump 6 in with 2 and call them the blood hypothesis for now. 4 is unlikely because then everyone would notice a sudden drop when the wizards switched to new foods, it's hard to see what would've changed steadily over 800 years. 5 is unlikely for the same reason, no sudden drop, Muggles weren't doing anything 800 years back. 4 looks like 2 and 5 looks like 1 anyway. So mainly we should be trying to distinguish between 1, 2, and 3." Harry turned the parchment to himself, drew an ellipse around those three numbers, turned it back. "Magic is fading, blood is weakening, knowledge is disappearing. What test comes out differently depending on which of those is true? What could we see that would mean any one of these was false?" "I don't know!" blurted Draco. "Why are you asking me? You're the scientist!" "Draco," Harry said, a note of pleading desperation in his voice, "I only know what Muggle scientists know! You grew up in the wizarding world, I didn't! You know more magic than I do and you know more about magic than I do and you thought of this whole idea in the first place, so start thinking like a scientist and solve this!" Draco swallowed hard and stared at the paper. Magic is fading... wizards are interbreeding with Muggles... knowledge is being lost... "What does the world look like if magic is fading?" said Harry Potter. "You know more about magic, you should be the one guessing not me! Imagine you're telling a story about it, what happens in the story?" Draco imagined it. "Charms that used to work stop working." Wizards wake up and find that their wands are sticks of wood... "What does the world look like if the wizarding blood gets weaker?" "People can't do things their ancestors could do." "What does the world look like if knowledge is being lost?" "People don't know how to cast the Charms in the first place..." said Draco. He stopped, surprised at himself. "That's a test, isn't it?" Harry nodded decisively. "That's one." He wrote it down on the parchment under Tests: A. Are there spells we know but can't cast (1 or 2) or are the lost spells no longer known (3)? "So that distinguishes between 1 and 2 on the one hand, and 3 on the other hand," said Harry. "Now we need some way to distinguish between 1 and 2. Magic fading, blood weakening, how could we tell the difference?" "What kind of Charms did students used to cast in their first year at Hogwarts?" said Draco. "If they used to be able to cast much more powerful Charms, the blood was stronger -" Harry Potter shook his head. "Or magic itself was stronger. We have to figure out some way of telling the difference." Harry stood up from his chair, began pacing nervously through the classroom. "No, wait, that might still work. Suppose different spells use up different amounts of magical energy. Then if the ambient magic weakened, the powerful spells would die first, but the spells everyone learns in their first year would stay the same..." Harry's nervous pacing sped up. "It's not a very good test, it's more about powerful wizardry being lost versus all wizardry being lost, someone's blood could be too weak for powerful wizardry but strong enough for easy spells... Draco, do you know if more powerful wizards within a single era, like powerful wizards from just this century, are more powerful as children? If the Dark Lord had cast the Cooling Charm when he was eleven, could he have frozen the whole room?" Draco's face screwed up as he tried to recollect. "I can't remember hearing anything about the Dark Lord but I think Dumbledore's supposed to have done something amazing on his Transfiguration O.W.L.s in fifth year... I think other powerful wizards were good in Hogwarts too..." Harry scowled, still pacing. "They could just be studying hard. Still, if first-year students learned the same spells and seemed about as powerful then as now, we could call that weak evidence favoring 1 over 2... wait, hold on." Harry stopped where he stood. "I have another test that might distinguish between 1 and 2. It would take a while to explain, it uses some things that scientists know about blood and inheritance, but it's an easy question to ask. And if we combine my test and your test and they both come out the same way, that's a strong hint at the answer." Harry almost ran back to the desk, took the parchment and wrote: B. Did ancient first-year students cast the same sort of spells, with the same power, as now? (Weak evidence for 1 over 2, but blood could also be losing powerful wizardry only.) C. Additional test that distinguishes 1 and 2 using scientific knowledge of blood, will explain later. "Okay," said Harry, "we can at least try to tell the difference between 1 and 2 and 3, so let's go with this right away, we can figure out more tests after we do the ones we already have. Now it's going to look a little odd if Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter go around asking questions together, so here's my idea. You'll go through Hogwarts and find old portraits and ask them about what spells they learned to cast during their first years. They're portraits so they won't know there's anything odd about Draco Malfoy doing that. I'll ask recent portraits and living people about spells we know but can't cast, no one will notice anything unusual if Harry Potter asks weird questions. And I'll have to do complicated research about forgotten spells, so I want you to be the one to gather the data I need for my own scientific question. It's a simple question and you should be able to find the answer by asking portraits. You might want to write this down, ready?" Draco sat down again and scrabbled in his bookbag for parchment and quill. When it was laid down on the desk, Draco looked up, face determined. "Go ahead." "Find portraits who knew a married Squib couple - don't make that face, Draco, it's important information. Just ask recent portraits who are Gryffindors or something. Find portraits who knew a married Squib couple well enough to know the names of all their children. Write down the name of each child and whether that child was a wizard, a Squib, or a Muggle. If they don't know whether the child was a Squib or a Muggle, write down 'non-wizard'. Write that down for every child the couple had, don't leave any out. If the portrait only knows the name of the wizarding children, not the names of all the children, then don't write down any data from that couple. It's very important that you only bring me data from someone who knows all the children a Squib couple had, well enough to know them all by name. Try to get at least forty names total, if you can, and if you have time for more, even better. Have you got all that?" "Repeat it," Draco said, when he was done writing, and Harry repeated it. "I've got it," Draco said, "but why -" "It has to do with one of the secrets of blood that scientists already discovered. I'll explain when you get back. Let's split up and meet back here in an hour, 6:22pm that should be. Are we ready to go?" Draco nodded decisively. It was all very rushed, but he'd long since been taught how to rush. "Then go! " said Harry Potter and yanked off his cowled cloak and shoved it into his pouch, which began eating it, and, without even waiting for his pouch to finish, spun around and began striding rapidly toward the classroom door, bumping into a desk and almost falling over in his haste. By the time Draco had managed to get his own cloak off and stow it in his bookbag, Harry Potter was gone. Draco almost ran out the door.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption See inside the Oxford animal laboratory The macaque in front of me has a choice. Two differently coloured images have been slid in front of her cage. She taps the purple picture and gets a treat. The next time she taps the black image. On this occasion not only does she get a reward, but a second monkey facing her does too. This is an experiment in social decision-making, looking at the impact that our choices have on others. It's something humans and monkeys do every day. The monkeys appear relaxed and interested - possibly more intrigued by me and my cameraman than the prospect of another nut or date. We are in the Biomedical Sciences building, also known as the Oxford animal laboratory. Human volunteers The researchers, led by neuroscientist Prof Matthew Rushworth, are exploring the way neural networks vary between human and monkey brains. Image copyright F WALSH Image caption Oxford has 23 macaques housed in pens like these "About two thirds of the work we do is with human volunteers but the important thing about the animals is they allow us to manipulate in very precise ways some of these circuits." What this means is that some of the monkeys have had small lesions - areas of damage - made in part of their frontal lobe. This is something that couldn't be done with human volunteers. It allows the scientists to examine what happens when specific areas of neural network - the wiring in the brain - malfunction. "This gives us key insights into how some of these areas are going wrong in psychological illnesses such as depression, but it can also apply to disorders like autism," says Prof Rushworth. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption A rare glimpse into a controversial area of medical research But while humans and monkeys are both primates, the brains of macaques are far less well developed. Prof Rushworth's team, whose work is funded by the Wellcome Trust and the MRC, have published research in the journal Neuron comparing MRI scans of human and monkey brains. "We found that many of the neural circuits involved in decision making were similar in humans and monkeys," said Prof Rushworth. "But there were unique areas in the human brain, including one which allows us to put a value on the choices we don't take - this enables us to make more sophisticated decisions than monkeys." Although some aspects of cognition are unique to humans, the Oxford team, in common with other neuroscientists, believe primate research can give important insights into many human disorders. Image copyright OXFORD UNIV Image caption MRI scan of the human prefontal cortex. The green section resembles an area found in monkeys but the red area may be unique to humans This was my second visit to the Biomedical Sciences building, and I'm the only journalist to have ever been allowed inside. The University wants to publicise the research here but is wary of visitors, given the history of the building. Concordat In 2004 construction stopped after a campaign of intimidation by animal rights extremists. Work re-started more than year later when the government stepped in and took over the costs of security. Tough new laws and more rigorous policing led to a clampdown on extremists. Several activists were jailed. Many feel that the climate surrounding animal research is less heated, and more positive than it has been for years. Oxford University is one of more than 40 organisations involved in UK bioscience which agreed to develop a Concordat on openness on animal research. This went out for consultation two months ago. The aims include ensuring the public have accurate information about what research involves and the role it plays in scientific discovery. All animal procedures are controlled by the Home Office. There are strict regulations, with the tightest controls surrounding experiments on primates. Image caption This mouse is part of research into Parkinson's disease GM mice Out of four million animal procedures last year in the UK, 3000 were on monkeys. Three quarters of all procedures are on mice. Oxford has around 50,000 mice, almost all of them genetically modified to enable scientists to investigate single human disorders. I was shown a cage of mice which - although they looked normal - had genes inserted to mimic Parkinson's disease. Other cages held mice with Alzheimer's or a heart condition. The third group of animals I met were ferrets. They were being used in experiments on the effects of temporary hearing loss. The ferrets can be fitted with removable earplugs. Insights into how the brain compensates could point the way to new treatments for glue ear, a common childhood condition. Transparent This research is also funded by the Wellcome Trust, one of the world's biggest funders of medical research aimed at benefiting humans and animals. It's former Director, Sir Mark Walport is now the government's Chief Scientific Advisor. He wants to encourage greater openness by researchers. "People are becoming more confident and more transparent about animal research and I think that is extremely important. Image caption Ferrets are used in hearing experiments " It is important to remember that every time you take pretty much any pharmaceutical agent you are benefitting from many years of studies on humans and on animals - and of course that research benefits animals as well." But Michelle Thew, from the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, said animal experiments were archaic and inhumane. "I want to see good medicine and cures for diseases but we need progressive modern research. "We are simply getting very good at curing diseases in animals; we are not good at curing them in people. We should be investing more in alternatives such as cell culture and and computer modelling." Both sides of the animal research debate say they want the public to be better informed about the issues. The government says it is committed to seeking alternatives to animal research wherever possible. Although the overall number of animal procedures rose slightly in 2012, this was largely due to an increase in the breeding of genetically modified mice. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 enshrines the policy of "three Rs'": replacement, refinement and reduction. But despite efforts to find alternatives to animals, it seems certain that procedures on the mice, rats, fish, frogs, ferrets, guinea pigs and monkeys in Oxford will continue for many years to come.Doctors' offices and clinics ought to make their facilities more accessible for Canadians with disabilities, a medical journal editor argues. In 2012, about one in seven adults in Canada reported having a disability, which is expected to rise with an aging population. More than a quarter of those aged 65 to 74 are limited in their activities, which increases to 43 per cent among those 75 and older, Statistics Canada estimates. In an editorial published in Monday's issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, titled, "Doing the right thing for our patients with disabilities," Dr. Diane Kelsall said it seems logical that doctors' offices would be barrier-free. Yet many patients face obstacles visiting their physician, which can exacerbate their health conditions. Pending changes in Ontario may force accessibility standards for health care. But there are changes physicians can make now to help people with disabilities. For instance, a recent study in eastern Ontario found only 15 per cent of practices had an adjustable bed. Improving the physical environment with some simple changes could go a long way. For instance: Include a height-adjustable exam table. Provide a firm chair with armrests to help those who have trouble moving from a sitting to a standing position. Add a ramp with railings so patients who develop a disability don't search for a new doctor when they can't navigate entrance stairs. Make doors wide enough to accommodate scooters or wheelchairs. Add grab bars and emergency call bells in washrooms to make it less treacherous, such as for those providing a sample. "We can wait for the ministries of health to tell us to do the right thing for our patients with disabilities — or we can just do it now," Kelsall, the journal's editor-in-chief, suggested.“In this administration, our allegiance will be to the American workers and to American businesses, like Harley-Davidson,” Trump told reporters as he met with a group of Harley-Davidson employees who came to the White House from Wisconsin on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (AP Photo) (CNSNews.com) - The Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday released its first look at employment since Donald Trump became president, and although that report does not reflect actual Trump policy changes, it does include the period just before Trump became president and was tweeting about jobs saved. According to BLS, the labor force participation rate improved in January, increasing two-tenths of a point to 62.9 percent, its best showing in four months. BLS said 152,081,000 Americans were employed in January, close to last month’s record 152,111,000. At the same time, the number of Americans not in the labor force went in the right direction, dropping to 94,366,000, which is 736,000 fewer than last month’s record 95,102,000. In January, the nation’s civilian noninstitutionalized population, consisting of all people age 16 or older who were not in the military or an institution, reached 254,082,000. Of those, 159,716,000 participated in the labor force by either holding a job or actively seeking one. The 159,716,000 who participated in the labor force equaled 62.9 percent of the 254,082,000 civilian noninstitutionalized population. According to BLS, total nonfarm payroll employment rose 227,000, and the unemployment rate ticked up a tenth of a point to 4.8 percent. The Labor Department's Employment Situation report is released monthly, and it reflects data gathered in the pay period that includes the 12th of the month. So today's report reflects the situation as it was shortly before Trump was sworn in on Jan. 20. However, the January report undoubtedly reflects anticipation of Trump’s policies, as he was already discussing his intention to repeal Obamacare as well as taking credit for auto companies expanding in the U.S. (Jan. 9 tweets) during the period covered by today’s report. Baby boomers retiring, Obamacare The participation rate dropped to a 38-year low of 62.4 percent on Obama's watch, in September 2015. It is now half a point higher. In testimony before Congress yesterday, Congressional Budget Office Director Keith Hall said the retirement of baby boomers is one reason for what has been a declining labor force participation rate. But he also noted that the labor force participation rate has been lower for "every cohort in the United States," including working-age people. According to Hall, "our working-age people just aren't entering the labor force like they have in the past." He called it a "puzzle." He suggested that "federal investment in things like education and training" might address that issue. Hall said "implicit taxes on work" are another reason for the lower labor force participation rate. "There are a number of things that are implicit taxes on work, where we reduce benefits when income goes up," Hall explained. He specifically mentioned Obamacare: The ACA [Affordable Care Act] itself, probably reduces labor force participation, that's a drag as well. There are a number of things like that." Under the ACA, people don't need a job to get health insurance. On Jan. 24, the CBO released its economic and budget outlook for 2017-2017, noting that its projections, based on current law, were completed before the Trump administration took office on Jan. 20. It was this report that brought CBO Director Keith Hall to Capitol Hill. The report projects that the labor force participation rate will average 62.8 percent this year -- roughly where it has stood since 2014 -- and slowly decline over the following ten years. That 62.8 percent rate is 0.7 percentage points below CBO’s estimate of the potential rate. CBO projects that the actual rate will fall to 62.4 percent in 2020. As Hall told Congress, the report says various factors have been pushing down the labor force participation rate over the past two decades, and they are expected to keep doing so during the next 10 years, as follows: -- Members of the baby-boom generation will continue to retire from the labor force in large numbers; this factor is the most important, CBO said. -- The lingering effects of the 2007–2009 recession and ensuing weak recovery will continue to hold down participation slightly, in CBO’s view. Despite recent declines in long-term unemployment, some of the people who lost jobs in the recession left the labor force and will not return. -- Federal tax and spending policies are expected to lower participation rates slightly. In particular, under the current-law assumptions that govern its projections, CBO anticipates that people would keep responding to provisions of the Affordable Care Act by reducing the amount of labor that they are willing to supply over the next few years. The structure of the tax code, which pushes some people with rising income into higher tax brackets, would also lower participation rates. -- Long-term trends involving particular groups of people, such as a growing number of people with disabilities, are projected to push down the overall participation rate slightly. CBO also notes that those long-term factors pushing down the labor force participation rate are expected to be largely offset in 2017 and 2018 by continued improvement in hiring, as solid employment growth and rising wages draw some workers back into the labor force and keep others from leaving. In January, among the major worker groups, BLS said the unemployment rate for Asians (3.7 percent) increased in January. The jobless rates for adult men (4.4 percent), adult women (4.4 percent), teenagers (15.0 percent), Whites (4.3 percent), Blacks (7.7 percent), and Hispanics (5.9 percent) showed little or no change over the month. Employment increased in retail trade, construction, and financial activities. Enjoying your CNSNews.com article? The MRC is NOT funded by the government like NPR - but as a non-profit, your tax-free contribution will keep the MRC your conservative premiere Media Watchdog! Support us today by completing the form below. Enjoy your article! The business and economic reporting of CNSNews.com is funded in part with a gift made in memory of Dr. Keith C. Wold.Chapter Four: Guilds and Organizations City Guilds Steeped in tradition, Fairhaven has a number of esteemed guilds who work to improve and maintain the city. In ages past these were highly selective organizations which were all but hereditary and impossible to enter. Now with the loss of so many on the battlefields of the Last War, these guilds cannot afford to be picky any longer and their ranks are filled by any who want a job and show some ability. The days of the City Guilds may be numbered and they have inadvertantly become the pawns in some of the political games which run through Aundair like grapevines. Colorsmiths An enigmatic group of mages, the Colorsmiths are one of the guilds that has completely broken with the city. They are, in fact, more of a secret society than a guild and their membership is known only to the leaders of the Colorsmiths, whoever they might be. In times past, the Colorsmiths were magical artists who put on arcane shows of light and illusion. Large, glowing murals in the night sky and walking animals of fire parading through the streets. They would be active on any city holidays as part of the official celebrations and specialized in delighting the crowds with their magical displays. Sometime around the start of the Last War, however, the Colorsmiths shifted in their focus. They began to put on displays whenever they thought it would be useful and more often than not they were comedic farces rather than the patriotic displays that the Governor's office wanted. Some were even satirical and critical of the crown's handling of the war. When the city officials told them in no uncertain terms to fall in line, the Colorsmiths Guild went underground instead. Today it has developed into something of a political campaign to challenge beliefs and expose hypocrisy. Members wear colorful masks when performing at their unscheduled events and their displays are critical of politicians from all camps, of foreign powers, of the Dragonmarked Houses
, who during her answer denied that that was what the President had said, got some unwelcome attention as well, when our exchange made it onto MSNBC's Countdown. After that, it was a whole six weeks before I got to ask another question, and then it only happened because Les Kinsolving intervened on my behalf. That question, about the Pentagon's recently disclosed and probably illegal secret domestic propaganda program, only seemed to alienate her further, since she's ignored my attempts to follow up on it four times since then. (Her deputy, Scott Stanzel, did call on me once, on May 19.) The question I didn't get to ask yesterday was: "Has the President ever attended a meeting with a group of TV military analysts coordinated by the Pentagon?" As Salon's Glenn Greenwald first pointed out, on March 16, 2006, the Pentagon's Director of the Office of Public Liaison Dallas Lawrence wrote in an email regarding the military analyst program: "I'd love to see if we could get them in with potus as well (I think that was submitted to karl and company from Dorrance Smith last week." Dorrance Smith is the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. "Karl" is, almost certainly, Karl Rove. And "potus" is, of course, President Bush. Apparently, no one else in the White House press corps is interested in asking about this issue. I wish I could get an answer out of Dana for the millions of Americans who want one, but the only response I got from the White House on Wednesday was "put your hand down." This video is from The White House, broadcast May 21, 2008. Download video The preceding article was a White House report from Eric Brewer, who will periodically attend White House press briefings for Raw Story. Brewer is also a contributor at BTC News. He was the first reporter to ask about the Downing Street memo and the Pentagon analysts scandal at White House briefings.I was born in Canada to Nigerian Muslim parents. When I was 2, we moved to Denmark, and then to the U.K. at 17. Growing up in Denmark and then the U.K. has made me painfully aware of what it means to be positioned as a black migrant in Europe. Although my family and I remember our first years in Denmark fondly, there are some moments that stand out painfully. One of my earliest memories is being on a bus with my mum and siblings, and an elderly woman slapping my baby sister for “crying too loud,” before telling us that we should hurry up and leave her country. As a child, I was reminded in schools and on the street that I was an oddity within a majority-white context. I was reminded that my skin and my religion would always mark me as an outsider, as not quite Danish. I have family in the U.K. who saw signs saying “No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs.” My aunts grew up knowing that if you strolled down an unknown street and saw an English flag in a window, you ran in the other direction. When I moved here 11 years ago, I found connections with other black people who were home but not quite British. Some, like me, had migrated to this country later in life. Some were born into immigrant families. Others could trace their history in the U.K. back many generations. Regardless of how and when we came, the overwhelming narrative from the media and politicians was that immigration in the U.K. became “a problem” with the arrival of Caribbean migrants in 1948 on the SS Empire Windrush. This was supposedly the first significant wave of “migration” to the U.K., when people from colonies were brought in to make up for the labor shortage. They were told that this was the capital of “their” empire, a part of the “Commonwealth.” Advertisement Once here and attempting to build lives, these (post)colonial migrants were met with widespread racism, with the most famous example being British politician Enoch Powell’s controversial 1968 “Rivers of Blood” speech, where the “growth of the immigrant descended population” led him to argue that the U.K. was “a nation busily engaged in heaping up its own funeral pyre.” It’s telling that members of the U.K. Independence Party, one of the more explicit right-wing parties over here, and its leader, Nigel Farage (one of the loudest Brexit voices), have long been connected to Powell. And yet, the national conversation about immigration is rarely connected to the U.K.’s history of imperialism. Instead, we keep feeding ourselves the myth that racism is only a problem “over there,” in the U.S., with its history of slavery (somehow distinct from the British government’s role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade) and, now, a politician like Donald Trump. Britain’s own long and violent relationship with former colonies gets swept under the rug, enabling 25% of the British public to say that colonialism was neither good nor bad, and a full 43% to see it as a positive thing. This is the kind of climate that has made Black Lives Matter such an important rallying call to myself and other young black people in the U.K. The death of Michael Brown and ongoing cases of police brutality have been felt all the way over here, even though the issues we face are different. Like many young black people, I’ve spoken to my siblings and friends about what it means to come to the terrifying realization that black bodies could be seen as worth so little that we could be killed and no justice could be found. In 2014, three private security guards were acquitted of the 2010 murder of Jimmy Mubenga, an Angolan deportee who was killed on board a British Airways flight. The treatment of black lives over here has always been intimately connected to the protection of borders. Advertisement To understand my fear as a black person living in the U.K. now, you need to hear the language that has been stoked in the lead-up to this referendum. Journalists have described people fleeing horrific circumstances as “a plague of feral human beings.” Farage posed in front of a poster claiming Britain had reached its “breaking point.” As many have already pointed out, its image could have been picked out from Nazi propaganda films. While image after image of capsized boats and refugees in the French immigration camp near Calais (nicknamed the “Calais Jungle”) are shown, the overwhelming response from British politicians has been to close doors, build walls, and blame the migrants. When Farage and Brexit campaigners declared British independence from the EU on Friday, I was reminded that what was really being fought with the Brexit vote was the downfall of the British Empire. My British passport does not protect me from being among the bodies they want to expel from the British state, as one of the “feral,” as part of this “problem” of immigration that has led Britain to finally reach this “breaking point.” So how do we reconcile the fact that the country we have made a home doesn’t see us as part of that home? How do we move forward knowing that 52% of the voting population saw the explicitly racist campaigning and, in spite of it, decided that our lives and homes in this country were the cause of all of their anger, disenfranchisement, and troubles? Advertisement Right now, I am reminded of the reason why the Black Lives Matter movement has called to me and so many others that I know. Fighting for black lives to matter means taking a hard look at the damage caused by this legacy of Empire and connecting our experiences of blackness to the wars, walls, and refugee and prison camps that devalue all of our lives. We need to see this for the loss that it is and take some time to process the hurt and anger that comes from being positioned as an alien to our “home” nation. And then we need to remember that the future that we are struggling for involves slow and difficult battles toward self-recognition, and that these forms of oppression are a source of connection to so many different people who are fighting similar battles in vastly different contexts. So we’re going to take some time to process this referendum, to find a way to deal with the bitterness of this pill that has been served to us. And then we’re going to keep on working toward making sure that Black Lives Matter. Azeezat Johnson is a PhD student at the University of Sheffield in the U.K. Her research includes work with black Muslim women in Britain.While it’s sunny and mid-70’s here in Arizona, it is cold and miserable in most of the country this week. My home state of New York was bombarded with multiple FEET of snow. So what could be better than a warm, comforting bowl of Hearty Vegetable Stew done vegan-style? This is a stove-top meal and takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. My secret weapon? Portobello mushrooms cut into large 1″ to 1-1/2″ pieces. Sauteed over high heat in a small amount of oil and McCormick Grill Mates Pub Burger Seasoning really gives this dish flavor. If you can’t find this particular seasoning, I would add worcestershire (vegan) and any grilling seasoning blend that you like. The gravy is super easy as well. It’s just vegetable broth, flour and Gravy Master. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley. Serve with our Mashed Potato Pillow Rolls and a bit of vegan margarine (such as Earth Balance Buttery Spread) to mop up all of that yummy gravy! 🙂 Before you go, why not check out some of our recent videos and be sure to subscribe to the YouTube Channel! 🙂Scott Brown doesn't want to talk about fairness Taxes were the main topic of the week in the nation's most hotly contested Senate race between Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA). At issue primarily was Brown's vote against tax fairness and to filibuster the Buffett Rule. Brown's response? Change the subject. Ms. Warren, a Harvard professor who gained a national following as a consumer advocate, has hammered Mr. Brown for opposing the “Buffett Rule,” which would increase taxes on the nation’s richest households. He has sought to reframe the debate by asking whether Ms. Warren voluntarily paid a higher state income tax rate, which is an option in Massachusetts. [...] “I paid the taxes that are legally owed,” she said. “I did not make a charitable contribution to the state.” She added: “Scott Brown just voted against the Buffett Rule and he’s trying to find some way to change the conversation from that. But no matter how many times he says it, he cannot avoid the fact that on the fundamental question of whose side are you on, he stands with people making a million dollars a year or more paying lower tax rates than secretaries. I think he’s wrong.” The Brown campaign response? She's a hypocrite. Brown's campaign manager, Jim Barnett, says Warren “lectures others about their obligation and responsibility to pay higher taxes, but she refuses to pay the optional higher rate available in Massachusetts.” So does that mean Brown, who "earned a $700,000 advance on his memoir in 2010" and who has assets "between about $1 million and $2.3 million" feels an obligation to pay the higher optional rate in Massachusetts? Well, apparently the Times didn't think to ask that, but CNN did. And, no, he does not. And the Times was distracted from the original question: Where do the candidates stand on basic tax fairness? You know where Elizabeth Warren is on this issue: She's built her career standing with America's working families. Return the favor. Please, contribute $5 to Elizabeth Warren on Orange to Blue.Oakland man gets 2½ years for crank phone threats An Oakland man was sentenced today to 2 1/2 years in federal prison for threatening to blow up San Francisco City Hall and the Westfield Shopping Mall. Devon Craft, 22, pleaded guilty in May to threatening to destroy property by explosives. He admitted that on July 13, 2006, he used a cell phone to place four 911 calls threatening "terrorist attacks" in San Francisco. Craft admitted that he tried to disguise his voice by using a "Middle Eastern accent" in his calls, during which he also threatened to blow up the "San Francisco Tribune" and said innocent people would die, prosecutors said. Craft also admitted to making threatening phone calls in June 2006 regarding attacks at the San Mateo and Dumbarton bridges "so that he could get time off work to visit his son at the hospital," prosecutors said. Court records did not indicate how Craft believed the threats would provide him with time off. At a hearing today in San Francisco, U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel ordered Craft to serve 30 months in federal prison. The sentence will be on top of state-prison terms he is now serving for unrelated theft and robbery in cases from Alameda County. Authorities said Craft was sentenced to more than two years in state prison for store parking lot robberies in November 2006 in Alameda County. Craft grabbed women's backpacks, purses and handbags in the robberies, authorities said.Here’s the breakdown of 15 space and sci-fi games that have earned a great reputation among Google Play store reviewers. We have selected the finest games with decent ratings and conscientious developers, who keep responding to user feedback saying bugs and releasing updates on a regular basis. Some of these games are free, some are paid while others are paid games gone free. So brace yourselves for a decent portion of creepy, entertaining, fun and blood chilling shooters, runners, brain puzzles and strategy games. By Amanita Design $4 This one is an independent adventure game from the developers of Botanicula and Samorost. It offers awesome puzzles and fantastic minigames and is full of little details that bring the story to life. Users are waiting for the sequel, and the online community is unanimous in its opinion that it is the best way to spend four dollars on an Android game. It offers superb graphics and excellent gameplay that is both fun and challenging. The characters are done very well, and you will not want to finish it. The game is addictive, and the demo version is short, but enough to get you hooked on this fabulous interactive comic book. Nice music and fun sound effects blow you away as you dive head over heels in this atmospheric comic book. AXL –Dynamics This one is a highly dynamic and truly fast shooter inspired by arcade console games of the 90s. It has an immersive storyline, impressive graphics and fast pace that make it one of the best shooter on Google Play. It’s a top-notch scrolling shooter, and besides the huge multitude of them available in Google Play, this one is really worth your time. It looks beautiful; it is designed smartly, and the difficulty is just right. The game features four episodes with 18 exciting and dynamic stages plus the bonus stage. You will have 48 types of enemy units and five difficulty levels, +12 types of strong weapons and electronic soundtracks as 19 bosses will keep you tiptoeing. It is an elaborate and exhilarating 2D arcade game, solidly built and somewhat challenging. If you enjoy vertical side scrolling shooters with plenty of explosions, this game is your choice. Besides, this game is exclusively available for Android devices. GiPNETiX Puzzle This one is a sequel of the popular free puzzle game 100 Doors 2013. A new robotic world full of risk, pleasure and excitement will keep you adrenaline-boosted with turning your gears and mastering mechanical animations. Each new door features a new opportunity to boost your mind power. The game offers a lot of levels with fantastic graphics that make use of your devices features. In addition, great sound effects and soundtrack make the game addictive and immersive. The graphics and puzzles are great, and offer a fun way for brain workouts; so, don’t forget to tilt and shake because the game makes use of your devices gravitational sensors. By Uken Games Arcade and Action The Earth is no longer the galaxy’s dominant planet, and the new colonies in the hostile constellations start fighting for limited resources, as usually. You are a Marine, and you need to build your own alliance to take down ominous rivals. Of course, you fight for your survival to take over the mysterious legacy and become the hero of the galaxy. Over 10 million players worldwide have appreciated this incredibly detailed and beautiful space arcade. A large number of advanced weapons and vehicles combined with master missions and special rewards keep users coming back for more. This is a free game, and it requires Internet access to keep running. It will require your mind power and strategic skills to do your best and defeat the enemies. By Deep Silver Arcade and action This game recently appeared in our list of the epic paid games turned free. It is an optimized Android version of an award-winning space combat simulation featuring cutting-edge 3D graphics. Over 10 million installs gave this title a rightful benchmark of sci-fi gaming supremacy for Android devices. The game offers an unprecedented depth of gameplay and an endless stream of new adventures. In the game, you are hotheaded war veteran who needs to save the galaxy from its imminent destruction by alien raiders and galactic madmen. There are plenty of levels to unlock or buy via in-app purchases, but the amount of new missions and content available in the game can be enjoyed right away, irrespective of how far you have progressed. In terms of complexity, Galaxy on Fire 2 is the top of the crop. In a galaxy of over 30 star systems and 100 planets, you fight villains using more than 50 customizable spaceships and over 100 of weapons systems. The game features high-quality visuals, including 3D modules, high-resolution textures and 3D sound with orchestral soundtrack and full voice acting. The game supports more than 200 types of Android-powered smartphones and tablets. Addictive and gorgeous, this game will keep you hooked for hours on end, so make sure you try it out. by APPZIL A robot armed with an onboard replicator takes on a number of space adventures in a three-dimensional story painted in sci-fi colors full of plasma balls, overheated weapons and energy beams. You’ll have to face hordes of evil aliens in this indie release. You have more than 25 levels and 20 types aliens, 51 kinds of perks and upgrades, and five upgradable weapons with optional controller types. This is a surprisingly in-depth adventure with an adequate layer of RPG elements that hook you instantly. This is not a mainstream game, but it’s addictive and brilliant, pulling together some amazing mechanics. Great design work and smooth performance will help you sort out somewhat confusing game playing at the beginning, but once you clear that out, you won’t be able to stop playing. By Uppercut Games Pty Ltd Arcade Epoch is one of the best representations of post – apocalyptic robot combat. This is what the cover shooter is supposed to be on the touchscreen. It is sure to impress you as you will try to solve the mystery of a lost civilization in this visually stunning world, where the last survivors are robot. You have to survive and collect the fragments of the puzzle to understand what happened when your world collapsed. Controls are intuitive, and it is possible to make split-second tactical decisions, select targets, dodge bullets, use special abilities and fight hordes of robots. You can upgrade your character with pieces of armor of your defeated enemies. There are plenty of locations to fight and a lot of the ships to command, fights to witness. The overall stunning visuals use the best capabilities of next gen Android devices. This is a slick and polished shooter, which not only looks great, but offers a dynamic gameplay, where movement is important. Even though the campaign isn’t too long, you can replay the missions on higher difficulties, and the arena mode offers awesome replay if you chase high scores. By Frima Studio Inc. Arcade and action This game is available for many platforms, and it delivers endless fun and top-notch alien annihilation gameplay to almost 1,000,000 players worldwide. You are invited to embark on a hilarious journey as a space commander on an alien-hating star fighter Eradicator. This is an action-packed arcade that combines retro-style shooter gameplay, intuitive touchscreen controls, high-resolution graphics and alien blasting entertainment. The game offers hundreds of enemies, two galaxies and a fast-paced and highly detailed gameplay with incredibly luxurious epic boss fights, which allow you to keep boss weapons once they are defeated. 25 minutes of fully voiced and incredibly hilarious cutscenes will keep you entertained as you relax from fighting. This game stands apart due to its high degree of polish. By 11 bit Studios Scifi Tower offense, Anomaly 2 requires Tegra 4 devices with NVIDIA SHIELD for ultimate performance. If you are familiar with Anomaly War Zone Earth, Anomaly 2 is its sequel that maintains the core elements adding new features in both single and multiplayer campaigns. The Earth has been invaded and conquered by alien machines, and the humankind is next to extinction. Alien machines, united in convoys, search the frozen forests for supplies, which are scarce. It is humankind, or its remains, that is an anomaly on the planet fully controlled by the machines. The RTS tower offense takes you into the war with mechas, or you can take sides with them and destroy the remaining humans. Amazing sceneries of the post-apocalyptic world offer intense strategy experience as you fight your way to victory and increase your battles and weapons power. The game features over 1 million of tactical combinations to build and optional powers you can use in combat. The sci-fi world is rendered through beautiful graphics, which run on improved visual engine. There are several alternative endings depending on your approach to the strategy. The game is optimized for tablets, and the customer support is supreme, offering superior performance on mobile devices. One user says, “it’s like playing a PC game on Android,” and we definitely recommend you give it a try. Tap4fun arcade and action, free One of the best space combat strategies on Google Play store adored in more than 100 countries all over the world. You get to build your own space base and Starfleet, and conquer the galaxy as you command your forces through the vast territories of galactic star dust. You can compete with thousands of online players in this dynamic battlefield in your pursuit of victory. It is 2841 and humanity is expanding to the furthest stars. This is one of the best renditions of the sci-fi landscape full of intrigue, mystery and opportunity. You are a space commander, hungry for power, but it won’t come easy because you will need to conquer a large number of villains and enemies and hostile alliances that aim to defeat you. There are space pirates, aliens, mystery dangers all over the galaxy. The game is free and offers in-app purchases. Overall, this is a very addicting space combat RPG strategy offering single and multiplayer dimensions, cutting-edge interface, stunning galactic visuals, a wide range of tactics and an intense global arena of players. The game is compatible with smartphones and tablets running Android. Pankaku Inc. Racing, free This game is considered the best rendition all the Tron for Android. While it is a sequel to the original LightBike, this game is considered to have excelled its predecessor as well as other renditions created in the theme of Tron. You get to drive in cyberspace at the lightning speed and fight opponents all over the world. The controls are simple and 3D arena is pretty impressive. You can compete with players in real-time online and track your ranking and follow your friends’scores on Facebook. The game requires Android 4.0 and higher. Users consider this one of the most legitimate Tron games on Google play store. War Games Arcade and action Mysterious army of Droids invaded Earth, and you are a spacecraft commander holding the last line of defense. You are in charge of the remaining air forces of humankind, and you have to place towers in dense formation to protect what’s left of people. You get to fight all over the galaxy and use all your wits and strategy to build your own army. More than 18 challenges take you from the earth to the depths of the space as you fight your way through the hordes of droid forces. Quality graphics are awesome, and paired with gorgeous sound effects; this game comes out as an immersive and addictive sci-fi action. There are plenty of in-app purchases to upgrade and change the dynamic based on your preferences. The game requires tough strategy, but you can upgrade weapons and spacecrafts as you play without buying game credits to progress. There is a large variety of level layouts to keep you entertained and coming back for more. Overall, it’s a very beautiful strategy tower defense. Upopa Games Ltd arcade and action, free This one is a really weird, cute and creepy arcade game featuring funny creatures called Blobs. They are adorable, but scared and armed to the teeth as they need to protect themselves from creepy monsters hiding in the dark. The game tests your reactions as you fight monsters and try to avoid killing your friends. You just tap the screen to shoot the monsters and survive defending blobs and prevent them from getting too scared because they can get too stressed out and commit suicide. How weird is that? If you can call violence adorable that would be the case with this game. Key features of Hopeless include funny and cute visuals and an overall scary and hopeless atmosphere; intense shooting action; zero learning curve; requires fast thinking and acting putting your reflexes to their limit. It’s a dark and sinister game, and while you’re not afraid, you can feel your blobs freaking out as they face hordes of monsters. Pitch-black environment and creepy music create the perfect blend of fear that can sometimes push you to killing your teammates, just because something pops up in the darkness. This game features impressive graphics and addictive gameplay – scary, yet enjoyable. And the best part is completely free to play. Com2uS arcade and action, free This is a thrilling sci-fi strategy game where you get to fight for resources and dominance over the universe. The Federation of Empires and the Liberty Alliance fight for death, since the essential minerals all over the universe are scarce. The game is free, and you can resort to in-app purchases if you feel stranded on some level. You get to recruit and train your heroes – each with their own personality, dreams, aspirations, and potential as well as special lethal skills. The heroes need a leader with charisma and vision to lead them to the ultimate universe conquers. You need to build your fleet and use the best of your strategy upgrading your galactic space crafts, weapons and other gear to organize your fleet effectively. Heroes will help you construct buildings and conquer planets across the galaxy; you will have to research and develop new technologies to empower your nation. One of the best science fiction universes on Google Play store boasting incredibly realistic visuals that engross you in the world of sci-fi as it should be.******** Translator: TranslationChicken ****** Editor: TranslationChicken (Thank you Roanz, Aaron, Alex, Jason, Jeffry for helping me with proofreading and editing in the LiveDraft!! <3) ******** ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO TAPPEI NAGATSUKI, THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR OF RE:ZERO, THIS IS A TRANSLATION OF THE FREE JAPANESE WEB NOVEL INTO ENGLISH JAPANESE WEB NOVEL SOURCE: HTTP://NCODE.SYOSETU.COM/N2267BE/205/ Previous Chapter: https://translationchicken.com/2017/08/02/rezero-arc-4-chapter-38-caterpillar-part-22/ ARC 4 THE EVERLASTING COVENANT Chapter 39 [Friendt] [Otto: What, what’s with that bewildered face like you just saw something mind-bogglingly unbelievable at the end of a dream and now your brain’s melting] [Subaru: ……That’s, an exaggerated way of putting it but there’s no need to correct anything so let’s just say it’s something like that] Otto sighed, resting both his hands on his hips, and Subaru, turning his wrists confirming that his hands were free, dropped onto the floor looking back up at Otto. After all, having been tied up for over three days, just moving his body made it creak and ache. Since it was so difficult to turn over in that tied up position, he had only been periodically flipped at mealtimes. But, it was more than just a problem with blood circulation, as he was starting to notice other defects. Namely, [Subaru: Otto, this might just be because I just took the blindfold off, but…… my right eye’s not seeing too well. Or, rather than not well… it’s more like it can’t see at all. What’s up with that?] [Otto: What is up with it… if you ask me, I’m a bit hesitant to say as well…… I could put it more elegantly and sugarcoat it… or I could put it bluntly and say exactly what it is. Which would you prefer?] [Subaru: Sugarcoat it so I don’t get shocked and tell me bluntly so I know what’s actually happening] [Otto: That’s awfully greedy…… Uhhh, on the starboard-side of Natsuki-san’s auspicious visage, your vision had been inevitably shrouded in darkness, forever closed to light…] [Subaru: Uh. I wasn’t asking for something that edgy but I think I get the point] Hearing Otto’s dressed-up description of Subaru’s malaise, Subaru held out his hand and stopped the explanation halfway through. Then, putting his extended hand on his right eye, he carefully felt around to confirm it. ――The right side of his vision had felt as though it had been completely cut off, and no image was coming through. And once he touched it, Subaru understood why this organ was slacking on its job. Or, rather than slacking, it was more like it had packed its bags and went home. Because all that was left where his right eye used to be, was an empty hole. [Subaru: I thought…… he said I was healed] [Otto: The bleeding was stopped and the broken bones were pieced together. But healing magic depends on the healer, and it isn’t omnipotent. ……Bringing dead parts back to life would be a bit…] Otto mumbled, looking at Subaru with sympathy. Seeing that look, Subaru slackened his lips powerlessly and muttered [No helping it, I guess], [Subaru: People usually die when their heads get crushed. So I think I’m ok with just losing one eye…… but if both my eyes died I think I’ll probably lose the will to live] [Otto: That’s pretty optimistic… you aren’t going into despair, are you? Please don’t, I don’t know if we can go on without you, Natsuki-san] For someone who had just lost an important organ like the right eye, Subaru was awfully calm, in a way that even surprised himself. Maybe the shock just hadn’t kicked in yet, or perhaps it was because, unlike losing the greater part of an arm during Elsa’s attack, this one wasn’t accompanied by gore and pain. Even though Garfiel lied, it was still mostly true. He had halted the blood, sealed the wounds, and stopped the pain. It’d be expecting too much to think healing magic can heal anything, and he did save Subaru from an otherwise fatal wound just like he said he did. [Subaru: Was he… upholding some kind of principle or what? I just can’t understand him, that guy] He struck Subaru down when he was attacking Roswaal, but afterwards also healed him. And then he thought to imprison Subaru until the end of the Trials to guarantee Emilia’s cooperation. He healed him so he wouldn’t die, and even took up the role of caretaker to see it through to the end. Though he loathed the Witch’s stench drifting from Subaru’s body, it didn’t stop him from coming back here. And even though he didn’t stop coming, he hadn’t asked Subaru a single vital question. It was almost as though he knew Subaru wouldn’t say anything, or as if he already knew everything he needed to know, and so had no interest in what Subaru had to say. [Subaru: If he does know, does that mean he has a Gospel……? How come everyone is…… or actually, seeing this is the Witch’s Experimental Ground, maybe it’s only natural] If every key person possesses a book that tells the future and acts in accordance with its instructions, then shouldn’t this world progress in a way that’s much simpler for Subaru? With everyone who is anyone working toward the same outcome, marching towards the same HAPPY END, for once, couldn’t things just play out in a single cozy path? If there was truly a way to know the future, then it should have saved Subaru a long time ago from having to manually die and repeat and feel his way forward, shouldn’t it? [Subaru: ……Complaining isn’t going to move things forward at all, and no one’s gonna come help me, damnit] [Otto: That’s a depressing thing to say, Natsuki-san. Well, I can’t blame you, considering what you just went through…… but I am a bit offended by that “no one’s gonna help me” part. What did you think I’m doing here?] Overhearing Subaru mutterings, Otto offered this sympathetic comment before rejecting what Subaru’s said at the end. Seeing Otto’s smug-looking expression up close, Subaru’s face looked blank for a moment, [Subaru: Ah, come to think of it, what are you doing here? I mean, really, for the last three or four days I’ve had time to think about loads of things, and I’m not exaggerating, but you were basically the only person who never crossed my mind] [Otto: You’re unbelievable, you know that!! To think I’d still be surprised you’d say something like that at this point!!] [Subaru: Honestly though, I’m the one surprised at how your existence just vanished from my head. The moment I saw you I wasn’t even sure if you were Otto or the appa-seller-uncle, you know] [Otto: Who’s the appa-seller-uncle!?] [Subaru: He was kind of a starting point for me. We could also call him MR.SAVEPOINT] To date, in terms of Return by Death respawn points, Kadomon was probably the one who showed up the most. Joking around as he remembered that scar-faced uncle, Subaru put an end to the sense of loss for his right eye and set his mind to analyze the abrupt change in the situation. First, he better get some answers from Otto. And find out his true intentions. [Subaru: Jokes and all that aside…… there’re some things I wanna to ask you] [Otto: Well, that’s only to be expected. I’m also pretty interested to know what Natsuki-san did to get locked up in here] [Subaru: ――? You mean, all this wasn’t on Roswaal’s orders?] According to Garfiel, Subaru was supposed to be imprisoned for his act of violence against Roswaal. At the same time, his imprisonment was to be used as leverage to compel Emilia to take the Trials. But, [Otto: I don’t know how much the Margrave is involved in all this. All I know is that right now a terrible rift is dividing the Sanctuary] [Subaru: A rift? What do you mean?] [Otto: It’s exactly what it sounds like. There’s Lewes-sama’s faction, which wants to free the refugees from the village along with Natsuki-san, and there’s the other faction firmly opposed to that. Ever since Natsuki-san got imprisoned by Garfiel, the debate has really gotten out of hand] Otto gave a brief summary of what happened over the last few days with an exhausted expression on his face. Just as Subaru feared, the friction between the refugees and the Sanctuary’s residents deepened, and the mounting displeasure had exploded into small-scaled conflicts. It seemed that the originally small cracks within the Sanctuary had split its population into factions, and the Sanctuary was now in a fractured state. Swallowing a deep breath at the frightening situation, Subaru followed with [But], [Subaru: Why did this happen so suddenly? From what I’ve seen…… I mean, I expected…] In the first world, Subaru was here for over five days without seeing any of this kind of factionalism. In fact, Subaru’s proposal to release the refugees passed easily, and on the morning of the sixth day the agreement was realized. But this time, the situation was deteriorating way too quickly. Seeing Subaru make this judgement, Otto shook his head and raised a finger, [Well, you see], [Otto: It wasn’t sudden at all. In fact, Natsuki-san is one of the main reasons this happened, so if even you think it’s sudden then we’re really in trouble] [Subaru: I’m… one of the reasons?] [Otto: I don’t know what kind of relationship Natsuki-san has with the villagers of Arlam……but it must be a good one. Ever since you got attacked by Garfiel and went missing, the atmosphere in the Sanctuary has become the worst it’s ever been] [Subaru:――――] [Otto: To the villagers, Ram-san and the Margrave are in a position where they’d hesitate to voice their concerns to, but because they trust you, that makes you the ideal channel to pass their voices to the top. I’m not saying it’s the only reason, but I think it’s clear how furious everyone is] Listening to Otto’s explanation, Subaru opened his mouth without uttering a word. Certainly, when it comes to the differences in the situation in the Sanctuary between this loop and the previous one, Subaru’s well-being was definitely one of them. But Subaru never once imagined that his presence would have this kind of effect on the Arlam villagers’ feelings, much less trigger a rift inside the Sanctuary. Suspiciously squinting his left eye at Otto, Subaru tried to check if he was joking or exaggerating, but Otto just furrowed his brows without showing any notable reaction in particular. In other words, he was probably being serious. Then, the only point of contention would be whether there was something wrong with Otto’s observational skills, but, [Subaru: I don’t wanna bother piling up arguments to get the answer to that one, so] [Otto: Why do I get the feeling I’m being treated improperly somehow. Ah, nevermind. Anyway, Natsuki-san, the reason I came here is related to that rift] [Subaru: Related to the rift…… so, since things got messed up without me, you’re
in the operation of a COMSAT collection site at Kourou, Guyana, targeted on "American and South American satellite communications". DGSE is also said to have COMSAT collection sites at Domme (Dordogne, France), in New Caledonia, and in the United Arab Emirates. (27) The Swiss intelligence service has recently announced a plan for two COMSAT interception stations. (28) Satellite ground terminal at Etam, West Virginia connecting Europe and the US via Intelsat IV GCHQ constructed an identical "shadow" station in 1972 to intercept Intelsat messages for UKUSA Submarine cable interception 48. Submarine cables now play a dominant role in international telecommunications, since - in contrast to the limited bandwidth available for space systems - optical media offer seemingly unlimited capacity. Save where cables terminate in countries where telecommunications operators provide Comint access (such as the UK and the US), submarine cables appear intrinsically secure because of the nature of the ocean environment. 49. In October 1971, this security was shown not to exist. A US submarine, Halibut, visited the Sea of Okhotsk off the eastern USSR and recorded communications passing on a military cable to the Khamchatka Peninsula. Halibut was equipped with a deep diving chamber, fully in view on the submarine's stern. The chamber was described by the US Navy as a "deep submergence rescue vehicle". The truth was that the "rescue vehicle" was welded immovably to the submarine. Once submerged, deep-sea divers exited the submarine and wrapped tapping coils around the cable. Having proven the principle, USS Halibut returned in 1972 and laid a high capacity recording pod next to the cable. The technique involved no physical damage and was unlikely to have been readily detectable. (29) 50. The Okhotsk cable tapping operation continued for ten years, involving routine trips by three different specially equipped submarines to collect old pods and lay new ones; sometimes, more than one pod at a time. New targets were added in 1979. That summer, a newly converted submarine called USS Parche travelled from San Francisco under the North Pole to the Barents Sea, and laid a new cable tap near Murmansk. Its crew received a presidential citation for their achievement. The Okhotsk cable tap ended in 1982, after its location was compromised by a former NSA employee who sold information about the tap, codenamed IVY BELLS, to the Soviet Union. One of the IVY BELLS pods is now on display in the Moscow museum of the former KGB. The cable tap in the Barents Sea continued in operation, undetected, until tapping stopped in 1992. 51. During 1985, cable-tapping operations were extended into the Mediterranean, to intercept cables linking Europe to West Africa. (30) After the cold war ended, the USS Parche was refitted with an extended section to accommodate larger cable tapping equipment and pods. Cable taps could be laid by remote control, using drones. USS Parche continues in operation to the present day, but the precise targets of its missions remain unknown. The Clinton administration evidently places high value on its achievements, Every year from 1994 to 1997, the submarine crew has been highly commended. (31) Likely targets may include the Middle East, Mediterranean, eastern Asia, and South America. The United States is the only naval power known to have deployed deep-sea technology for this purpose. 52. Miniaturised inductive taps recorders have also been used to intercept underground cables. (32) Optical fibre cables, however, do not leak radio frequency signals and cannot be tapped using inductive loops. NSA and other Comint agencies have spent a great deal of money on research into tapping optical fibres, reportedly with little success. But long distance optical fibre cables are not invulnerable. The key means of access is by tampering with optoelectronic "repeaters" which boost signal levels over long distances. It follows that any submarine cable system using submerged optoelectronic repeaters cannot be considered secure from interception and communications intelligence activity. USS halibut with disguised chamber for diving Cable tapping pod laid by US submarine off Khamchatka Intercepting the Internet 53. The dramatic growth in the size and significance of the Internet and of related forms of digital communications has been argued by some to pose a challenge for Comint agencies. This does not appear correct. During the 1980s, NSA and its UKUSA partners operated a larger international communications network than the then Internet but based on the same technology. (33) According to its British partner "all GCHQ systems are linked together on the largest LAN [Local Area Network] in Europe, which is connected to other sites around the world via one of the largest WANs [Wide Area Networks] in the world... its main networking protocol is Internet Protocol (IP). (34) This global network, developed as project EMBROIDERY, includes PATHWAY, the NSA's main computer communications network. It provides fast, secure global communications for ECHELON and other systems. 54. Since the early 1990s, fast and sophisticated Comint systems have been developed to collect, filter and analyse the forms of fast digital communications used by the Internet. Because most of the world's Internet capacity lies within the United States or connects to the United States, many communications in "cyberspace" will pass through intermediate sites within the United States. Communications from Europe to and from Asia, Oceania, Africa or South America normally travel via the United States. 55. Routes taken by Internet "packets" depend on the origin and destination of the data, the systems through which they enter and leaves the Internet, and a myriad of other factors including time of day. Thus, routers within the western United States are at their most idle at the time when central European traffic is reaching peak usage. It is thus possible (and reasonable) for messages travelling a short distance in a busy European network to travel instead, for example, via Internet exchanges in California. It follows that a large proportion of international communications on the Internet will by the nature of the system pass through the United States and thus be readily accessible to NSA. 56.Standard Internet messages are composed of packets called "datagrams". Datagrams include numbers representing both their origin and their destination, called "IP addresses". The addresses are unique to each computer connected to the Internet. They are inherently easy to identify as to country and site of origin and destination. Handling, sorting and routing millions of such packets each second is fundamental to the operation of major Internet centres. The same process facilitates extraction of traffic for Comint purposes. 57. Internet traffic can be accessed either from international communications links entering the United States, or when it reaches major Internet exchanges. Both methods have advantages. Access to communications systems is likely to be remain clandestine - whereas access to Internet exchanges might be more detectable but provides easier access to more data and simpler sorting methods. Although the quantities of data involved are immense, NSA is normally legally restricted to looking only at communications that start or finish in a foreign country. Unless special warrants are issued, all other data should normally be thrown away by machine before it can be examined or recorded. 58. Much other Internet traffic (whether foreign to the US or not) is of trivial intelligence interest or can be handled in other ways. For example, messages sent to "Usenet" discussion groups amounts to about 15 Gigabytes (GB) of data per day; the rough equivalent of 10,000 books. All this data is broadcast to anyone wanting (or willing) to have it. Like other Internet users, intelligence agencies have open source access to this data and store and analyse it. In the UK, the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency maintains a 1 Terabyte database containing the previous 90 days of Usenet messages. (35) A similar service, called "Deja News", is available to users of the World Wide Web (WWW). Messages for Usenet are readily distinguishable. It is pointless to collect them clandestinely. 59. Similar considerations affect the World Wide Web, most of which is openly accessible. Web sites are examined continuously by "search engines" which generate catalogues of their contents. "Alta Vista" and "Hotbot" are prominent public sites of this kind. NSA similarly employs computer "bots" (robots) to collect data of interest. For example, a New York web site known as JYA.COM (http://www.jya.com/cryptome) offers extensive public information on Sigint, Comint and cryptography. The site is frequently updated. Records of access to the site show that every morning it is visited by a "bot" from NSA's National Computer Security Centre, which looks for new files and makes copies of any that it finds. (36) 60. It follows that foreign Internet traffic of communications intelligence interest - consisting of e-mail, file transfers, "virtual private networks" operated over the internet, and some other messages - will form at best a few per cent of the traffic on most US Internet exchanges or backbone links. According to a former employee, NSA had by 1995 installed "sniffer" software to collect such traffic at nine major Internet exchange points (IXPs). (37) The first two such sites identified, FIX East and FIX West, are operated by US government agencies. They are closely linked to nearby commercial locations, MAE East and MAE West (see table). Three other sites listed were Network Access Points originally developed by the US National Science Foundation to provide the US Internet with its initial "backbone". Internet site Location Operator Designation FIX East College Park, Maryland US government Federal Information Exchange FIX West Mountain View, California US government Federal Information Exchange MAE East Washington, DC MCI Metropolitan Area Ethernet New York NAP Pennsauken, New Jersey Sprintlink Network Access Point SWAB Washington, DC PSInet / Bell Atlantic SMDS Washington Area Bypass Chicago NAP Chicago, Illinois Ameritech / Bellcorp Network Access Point San Francisco NAP San Francisco, California Pacific Bell Network Access Point MAE West San Jose, California MCI Metropolitan Area Ethernet CIX Santa Clara California CIX Commercial Internet Exchange Table 1 NSA Internet Comint access at IXP sites (1995) (38) 61. The same article alleged that a leading US Internet and telecommunications company had contracted with NSA to develop software to capture Internet data of interest, and that deals had been struck with the leading manufacturers Microsoft, Lotus, and Netscape to alter their products for foreign use. The latter allegation has proven correct (see technical annexe). Providing such features would make little sense unless NSA had also arranged general access to Internet traffic. Although NSA will not confirm or deny such allegations, a 1997 court case in Britain involving alleged "computer hacking" produced evidence of NSA surveillance of the Internet. Witnesses from the US Air Force component of NSA acknowledged using packet sniffers and specialised programmes to track attempts to enter US military computers. The case collapsed after the witnesses refused to provide evidence about the systems they had used. (39) Covert collection of high capacity signals 62. Where access to signals of interest is not possible by other means, Comint agencies have constructed special purpose interception equipment to install in embassies or other diplomatic premises, or even to carry by hand to locations of special interest. Extensive descriptions of operations of this kind have been published by Mike Frost, a former official of CSE, the Canadian Sigint agency. (40) Although city centre embassy premises are often ideally situated to intercept a wide range of communications, ranging from official carphone services to high capacity microwave links, processing and passing on such information may be difficult. Such collection operations are also highly sensitive for diplomatic reasons. Equipment for covert collection is therefore specialised, selective and miniaturised. 63. A joint NSA/CIA "Special Collection Service" manufactures equipment and trains personnel for covert collection activities One major device is a suitcase-sized computer processing system. ORATORY. ORATORY is in effect a miniaturised version of the Dictionary computers described in the next section, capable of selecting non-verbal communications of interest from a wide range of inputs, according to pre-programmed selection criteria. One major NSA supplier ("The IDEAS Operation") now offers micro-miniature digital receivers which can simultaneously process Sigint data from 8 independent channels. This radio receiver is the size of a credit card. It fits in a standard laptop computer. IDEAS claim, reasonably, that their tiny card "performs functions that would have taken a rack full of equipment not long ago". New satellite networks 64. New network operators have constructed mobile phone systems providing unbroken global coverage using satellites in low or medium level earth orbits. These systems are sometimes called satellite personal communications systems (SPCS). Because each satellite covers only a small area and moves fast, large numbers of satellites are needed to provide continuous global coverage. The satellites can relay signals directly between themselves or to ground stations. The first such system to be completed, Iridium, uses 66 satellites and started operations in 1998. Iridium appears to have created particular difficulties for communications intelligence agencies, since the signals down from the Iridium and similar networks can only be received in a small area, which may be anywhere on the earth's surface. 3. ECHELON and Comint production 65. The ECHELON system became well known following publication of the previous STOA report. Since then, new evidence shows that ECHELON has existed since the 1970s, and was greatly enlarged between 1975 and 1995. Like ILC interception, ECHELON has developed from earlier methods. This section includes new information and documentary evidence about ECHELON and satellite interception. The "Watch List" 66. After the public revelation of the SHAMROCK interception programme, NSA Director Lt General Lew Allen described how NSA used "'watch lists" as an aid to watch for foreign activity of reportable intelligence interest". (41) "We have been providing details... of any messages contained in the foreign communications we intercept that bear on named individuals or organisations. These compilations of names are commonly referred to as 'Watch Lists'", he said. (42) Until the 1970s, Watch List processing was manual. Analysts examined intercepted ILC communications, reporting, "gisting" or analysing those which appeared to cover names or topics on the Watch List. New information about ECHELON sites and systems 67. It now appears that the system identified as ECHELON has been in existence for more than 20 years. The need for such a system was foreseen in the late 1960s, when NSA and GCHQ planned ILC satellite interception stations at Mowenstow and Yakima. It was expected that the quantity of messages intercepted from the new satellites would be too great for individual examination. According to former NSA staff, the first ECHELON computers automated Comint processing at these sites. (43) 68. NSA and CIA then discovered that Sigint collection from space was more effective than had been anticipated, resulting in accumulations of recordings that outstripped the available supply of linguists and analysts. Documents show that when the SILKWORTH processing systems was installed at Menwith Hill for the new satellites, it was supported by ECHELON 2 and other databanks (see illustration). 69. By the mid 1980s, communications intercepted at these major stations were heavily sifted, with a wide variety of specifications available for non-verbal traffic. Extensive further automation was planned in the mid 1980s as NSA Project P-415. Implementation of this project completed the automation of the previous Watch List activity. From 1987 onwards, staff from international Comint agencies travelled to the US to attended training courses for the new computer systems. 70. Project P-415/ECHELON made heavy use of NSA and GCHQ's global Internet-like communication network to enable remote intelligence customers to task computers at each collection site, and receive the results automatically. The key component of the system are local "Dictionary" computers, which store an extensive database on specified targets, including names, topics of interest, addresses, telephone numbers and other selection criteria. Incoming messages are compared to these criteria; if a match is found, the raw intelligence is forwarded automatically. Dictionary computers are tasked with many thousands of different collection requirements, described as "numbers" (four digit codes). 71. Tasking and receiving intelligence from the Dictionaries involves processes familiar to anyone who has used the Internet. Dictionary sorting and selection can be compared to using search engines, which select web pages containing key words or terms and specifying relationships. The forwarding function of the Dictionary computers may be compared to e-mail. When requested, the system will provide lists of communications matching each criterion for review, analysis, "gisting" or forwarding. An important point about the new system is that before ECHELON, different countries and different stations knew what was being intercepted and to whom it was sent. Now, all but a fraction of the messages selected by Dictionary computers at remote sites are forwarded to NSA or other customers without being read locally. List of intelligence databanks operating at ECHELON Menwith Hill in 1979 included the second generation of ECHELON Satellite interception site at Sugar Grove, West Virginia, showing six antennae targeted on European and Atlantic Ocean regional communications satellites Westminster, London - Dictionary computer 72. In 1991, a British television programme reported on the operations of the Dictionary computer at GCHQ's Westminster, London office. The system "secretly intercepts every single telex which passes into, out of or through London; thousands of diplomatic, business and personal messages every day. These are fed into a programme known as `Dictionary'. It picks out keywords from the mass of Sigint, and hunts out hundreds of individuals and corporations". (44) The programme pointed out that the Dictionary computers, although controlled and tasked by GCHQ, were operated by security vetted staff employed by British Telecom (BT), Britain's dominant telecommunications operator. (45) The presence of Dictionary computers has also been confirmed at Kojarena, Australia; and at GCHQ Cheltenham, England. (46) Sugar Grove, Virginia - COMSAT interception at ECHELON site 73. US government documents confirm that the satellite receiving station at Sugar Grove, West Virginia is an ECHELON site, and that collects intelligence from COMSATs. The station is about 250 miles south-west of Washington, in a remote area of the Shenandoah Mountains. It is operated by the US Naval Security Group and the US Air Force Intelligence Agency. 74. An upgraded system called TIMBERLINE II, was installed at Sugar Grove in the summer of 1990. At the same time, according to official US documents, an "ECHELON training department" was established. (47) With training complete, the task of the station in 1991 became "to maintain and operate an ECHELON site". (48) 75. The US Air Force has publicly identified the intelligence activity at Sugar Grove: its "mission is to direct satellite communications equipment [in support of] consumers of COMSAT information... This is achieved by providing a trained cadre of collection system operators, analysts and managers". (49) In 1990, satellite photographs showed that there were 4 satellite antennae at Sugar Grove. By November 1998, ground inspection revealed that this had expanded to a group of 9. Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico and Leitrim, Canada - COMSAT interception sites 76. Further information published by the US Air Force identifies the US Naval Security Group Station at Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico as a COMSAT interception site. Its mission is "to become the premier satellite communications processing and analysis field station". (50) 77. Canadian Defence Forces have published details about staff functions at the Leitrim field station of the Canadian Sigint agency CSE. The station, near Ottawa, Ontario has four satellite terminals, erected since 1984. The staff roster includes seven Communications Satellite Analysts, Supervisors and Instructors. (51) 78. In a publicly available resume, a former Communication Satellite Analyst employed at Leitrim describes his job as having required expertise in the "operation and analysis of numerous Comsat computer systems and associated subsystems... [utilising] computer assisted analysis systems... [and] a broad range of sophisticated electronic equipment to intercept and study foreign communications and electronic transmissions. (52) Financial reports from CSE also indicate that in 1995/96, the agency planned payments of $7 million to ECHELON and $6 million to Cray (computers). There were no further details about ECHELON. (53) Waihopai, New Zealand - Intelsat interception at ECHELON site 79. New Zealand's Sigint agency GCSB operates two satellite interception terminals at Waihopai, tasked on Intelsat satellites covering the Pacific Ocean. Extensive details have already been published about the station's Dictionary computers and its role in the ECHELON network. (54) After the book was published, a New Zealand TV station obtained images of the inside of the station operations centre. The pictures were obtained clandestinely by filming through partially curtained windows at night. The TV reporter was able to film close-ups of technical manuals held in the control centre. These were Intelsat technical manuals, providing confirmation that the station targeted these satellites Strikingly, the station was seen to be virtually empty, operating fully automatically. One guard was inside, but was unaware he was being filmed. (55) ILC processing techniques 80. The technical annexe describes the main systems used to extract and process communications intelligence. The detailed explanations given about processing methods are not essential to understanding the core of this report, but are provided so that readers knowledgeable about telecommunications may fully evaluate the state of the art. 81. Fax messages and computer data (from modems) are given priority in processing because of the ease with which they are understood and analysed. The main method of filtering and analysing non-verbal traffic, the Dictionary computers, utilise traditional information retrieval techniques, including keywords. Fast special purpose chips enable vast quantities of data to be processed in this way. The newest technique is "topic spotting". The processing of telephone calls is mainly limited to identifying call-related information, and traffic analysis. Effective voice "wordspotting" systems do not exist are not in use, despite reports to the contrary. But "voiceprint" type speaker identification systems have been in use since at least 1995. The use of strong cryptography is slowly impinging on Comint agencies' capabilities. This difficulty for Comint agencies has been offset by covert and overt activities which have subverted the effectiveness of cryptographic systems supplied from and/or used in Europe. 82. The conclusions drawn in the annexe are that Comint equipment currently available has the capability, as tasked, to intercept, process and analyse every modern type of high capacity communications system to which access is obtained, including the highest levels of the Internet. There are few gaps in coverage. The scale, capacity and speed of some systems is difficult fully to comprehend. Special purpose systems have been built to process pager messages, cellular mobile radio and new satellites. 4. Comint and Law Enforcement 83. In 1990 and 1991, the US government became concerned that the marketing of a secure telephone system by AT&T could curtail Comint activity. AT&T was persuaded to withdraw its product. In its place the US government offered NSA "Clipper" chips for incorporation in secure phones. The chips would be manufactured by NSA, which would also record built-in keys and pass this information to other government agencies for storage and, if required, retrieval. This proposal proved extremely unpopular, and was abandoned. In its place, the US government proposed that non government agencies should be required to keep copies of every user's keys, a system called "key escrow" and, later, "key recovery". Viewed in retrospect, the actual purpose of these proposals was to provide NSA with a single (or very few) point(s) of access to keys, enabling them to continue to access private and commercial communications. Misrepresentation of law enforcement interception requirements 84. Between 1993 to 1998, the United States conducted sustained diplomatic activity seeking to persuade EU nations and the OECD to adopt their "key recovery" system. Throughout this period, the US government insisted that the purpose of the initiative was to assist law enforcement agencies. Documents obtained for this study suggest that these claims wilfully misrepresented the true intention of US policy. Documents obtained under the US Freedom of Information Act indicate that policymaking was led exclusively by NSA officials, sometimes to the complete exclusion of police or judicial officials. For example, when the specially appointed US "Ambassador for Cryptography", David Aaron, visited Britain on 25 November 1996, he was accompanied and briefed by NSA's most senior representative in Britain, Dr James J Hearn, formerly Deputy Director of NSA. Mr Aaron had did not meet or consult FBI officials attached to his Embassy. His meeting with British Cabinet officials included NSA's representative and staff from Britain's GCHQ, but police officers or justice officials from both nations were excluded. 85. Since 1993, unknown to European parliamentary bodies and their electors, law enforcement officials from many EU countries and most of the UKUSA nations have been meeting annually in a separate forum to discuss their requirements for intercepting communications. These officials met under the auspices of a hitherto unknown organisation, ILETS (International Law Enforcement Telecommunications Seminar). ILETS was initiated and founded by the FBI. Table 2 lists ILETS meetings held between 1993 and 1997. 86. At their 1993 and 1994 meetings, ILETS participants specified law enforcement user requirements for communications interception. These appear in a 1974 ILETS document called "IUR 1.0". This document was based on an earlier FBI report on "Law Enforcement Requirements for the Surveillance of Electronic Communications", first issued in July 1992 and revised in June 1994. The IUR requirement differed little in substance from the FBI's requirements but was enlarged, containing ten requirements rather than nine. IUR did not specify any law enforcement need for "key escrow" or "key recovery". Cryptography was mentioned solely in the context of network security arrangements. 87. Between 1993 and 1997 police representatives from ILETS were not involved in the NSA-led policy making process for "key recovery", nor did ILETS advance any such proposal, even as late as 1997. Despite this, during the same period the US government repeatedly presented its policy as being motivated by the stated needs of law enforcement agencies. At their 1997 meeting in Dublin, ILETS did not alter the IUR. It was not until 1998 that a revised IUR was prepared containing requirements in respect of cryptography. It follows from this that the US government misled EU and OECD states about the true intention of its policy. 88. This US deception was, however, clear to the senior Commission official responsible for information security. In September 1996, David Herson, head of the EU Senior Officers' Group on Information Security, stated his assessment of the US "key recovery" project : "'Law Enforcement' is a protective shield for all the other governmental activities... We're talking about foreign intelligence, that's what all this is about. There is no question [that] 'law enforcement' is a smoke screen". (56) 89. It should be noted that technically, legally and organisationally, law enforcement requirements for communications interception differ fundamentally from communications intelligence. Law enforcement agencies (LEAs) will normally wish to intercept a specific line or group of lines, and must normally justify their requests to a judicial or administrative authority before proceeding. In contract, Comint agencies conduct broad international communications "trawling" activities, and operate under general warrants. Such operations do not require or even suppose that the parties they intercept are criminals. Such distinctions are vital to civil liberty, but risk being eroded it the boundaries between law enforcement and communications intelligence interception becomes blurred in future. Year Venue Non-EU participants EU participants 1993 Quantico, Virginia, USA Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Norway United States Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom 1994 Bonn, Germany Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Norway, United States Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom 1995 Canberra, Australia Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Norway, United States Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom 1997 Dublin, Ireland Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Norway, United States Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom Table 2 ILETS meetings, 1993-1997 Law enforcement communications interception - policy development in Europe 90. Following the second ILETS meeting in Bonn in 1994, IUR 1.0 was presented to the Council of Ministers and was passed without a single word being altered on 17January 1995. (57) During 1995, several non EU members of the ILETS group wrote to the Council to endorse the (unpublished) Council resolution. The resolution was not published in the Official Journal for nearly two years, on 4 November 1996. 91. Following the third ILETS meeting in Canberra in 1995, the Australian government was asked to present the IUR to International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Noting that "law enforcement and national security agencies of a significant number of ITU member states have agreed on a generic set of requirements for legal interception", the Australian government asked the ITU to advise its standards bodies to incorporate the IUR requirements into future telecommunications systems on the basis that the "costs of [providing] legal interception capability and associated disruptions can be lessened by providing for that capability at the design stage". (58) 92. It appears that ILETS met again in 1998 and revised and extended its terms to cover the Internet and Satellite Personal Communications Systems such as Iridium. The new IUR also specified "additional security requirements for network operators and service providers", extensive new requirements for personal information about subscribers, and provisions to deal with cryptography. 93. On 3 September 1998, the revised IUR was presented to the Police Co-operation Working Group as ENFOPOL 98. The Austrian Presidency proposed that, as in 1994, the new IUR be adopted verbatim as a Council Resolution on interception "in respect of new technology". (59) The group did not agree. After repeated redrafting, a fresh paper has been prepared by the German Presidency, for the eventual consideration of Council Home and Justice ministers. (60) 5. Comint and economic intelligence 94. During the 1998 EP debate on "Transatlantic relations/ECHELON system" Commissioner Bangeman observed on behalf of the Commission that "If this system were to exist, it would be an intolerable attack against individual liberties, competition and the security of the states". (61) The existence of ECHELON was described in section 3, above. This section describes the organisational and reporting frameworks within which economically sensitive information collected by ECHELON and related systems is disseminated, summarising examples where European organisations have been the subject of surveillance. Tasking economic intelligence 95. US officials acknowledge that NSA collects economic information, whether intentionally or otherwise. Former military intelligence attaché Colonel Dan Smith worked at the US Embassy, London until 1993. He regularly received Comint product from Menwith Hill. In 1998, he told the BBC that at Menwith Hill: "In terms of scooping up communications, inevitably since their take is broadband, there will be conversations or communications which are intercepted which have nothing to do with the military, and probably within those there will be some information about commercial dealings" "Anything would be possible technically. Technically they can scoop all this information up, sort through it and find out what it is that might be asked for... But there is not policy to do this specifically in response to a particular company's interest (62) 96. In general, this statement is not incorrect. But it overlooks fundamental distinctions between tasking and dissemination, and between commercial and economic intelligence. There is no evidence that companies in any of the UKUSA countries are able to task Comint collection to suit their private purposes. They do not have to. Each UKUSA country authorises national level intelligence assessment organisations and relevant individual ministries to task and receive economic intelligence from Comint. Such information may be collected for myriad purposes, such as: estimation of future essential commodity prices; determining other nation's private positions in trade negotiations; monitoring international trading in arms; tracking sensitive technology; or evaluating the political stability and/or economic strength of a target country. Any of these targets and many others may produce intelligence of direct commercial relevance. The decision as to whether it should be disseminated or exploited is taken not by Comint agencies but by national government organisation(s). Disseminating economic intelligence 97. In 1970, according to its former Executive Director, the US Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board recommended that "henceforth economic intelligence be considered a function of the national security, enjoying a priority equivalent to diplomatic, military, technological intelligence". (63) On 5 May 1977, a meeting between NSA, CIA and the Department of Commerce authorised the creation of secret new department, the "Office of Intelligence Liaison". Its task was to handle "foreign intelligence" of interest to the Department of Commerce. Its standing orders show that it was authorised to receive and handle SCI intelligence - Comint and Sigint from NSA. The creation of this office THUS provided a formal mechanism whereby NSA data could be used to support commercial and economic interests. After this system was highlighted in a British TV programme in 1993, its name was changed to the "Office of Executive Support". (64) Also in 1993, President Clinton extended US intelligence support to commercial organisations by creating a new National Economic Council, paralleling the National Security Council. 98. The nature of this intelligence support has been widely reported. "Former intelligence officials and other experts say tips based on spying... regularly flow from the Commerce Department to U.S. companies to help them win contracts overseas. (65) The Office of Executive Support provides classified weekly briefings to security officials. One US newspaper obtained reports from the Commerce Department demonstrating intelligence support to US companies: One such document consists of minutes from an August 1994 Commerce Department meeting [intended] to identify major contracts open for bid in Indonesia in order to help U.S. companies win the work. A CIA employee... spoke at the meeting; five of the 16 people on the routine distribution list for the minutes were from the CIA. 99. In the United Kingdom, GCHQ is specifically required by law (and as and when tasked by the British government) to intercept foreign communications "in the interests of the economic well-being of the United Kingdom...in relation to the actions or intentions of persons outside the British Islands". Commercial interception is tasked and analysed by GCHQ's K Division. Commercial and economic targets can be specified by the government's Overseas Economic Intelligence Committee, the Economic Staff of the Joint Intelligence Committee, the Treasury, or the Bank of England. (66) According to a former senior JIC official, the Comint take routinely includes "company plans, telexes, faxes, and transcribed phone calls. Many were calls between Europe and the South[ern Hemisphere]". (67) 100. In Australia, commercially relevant Comint is passed by DSD to the Office of National Assessments, who consider whether, and if so where, to disseminate it. Staff there may pass information to Australian companies if they believe that an overseas nation has or seeks an unfair trade advantage. Targets of such activity have included Thomson-CSF, and trade negotiations with Japanese purchasers of coal and iron ore. Similar systems operate in the other UKUSA nations, Canada and New Zealand. The use of Comint economic intelligence product Panavia European Fighter Aircraft consortium and Saudi Arabia 101. In 1993, former National Security Council official Howard Teicher described in a programme about Menwith Hill how the European Panavia company was specifically targeted over sales to the Middle East. "I recall that the words 'Tornado' or 'Panavia' - information related to the specific aircraft - would have been priority targets that we would have wanted information about". (68) Thomson CSF and Brazil 102. In 1994, NSA intercepted phone calls between Thomson-CSF and Brazil concerning SIVAM, a $1.3 billion surveillance system for the Amazon rain forest. The company was alleged to have bribed members of the Brazilian government selection panel. The contract was awarded to the US Raytheon Corporation - who announced afterwards that "the Department of Commerce worked very hard in support of U.S. industry on this project". (69) Raytheon also provide maintenance and engineering services to NSA's ECHELON satellite interception station at Sugar Grove. Airbus Industrie and Saudi Arabia 103. According to a well-informed 1995 press report :"from a commercial communications satellite, NSA lifted all the faxes and phone calls between the European consortium Airbus, the Saudi national airline and the Saudi government. The agency found that Airbus agents were offering bribes to a Saudi official. It passed the information to U.S. officials pressing the bid of Boeing Co and McDonnell Douglas Corp., which triumphed last year in the $6 billion competition." (70) International trade negotiations 104. Many other accounts have been published by reputable journalists and some firsthand witnesses citing frequent occasions on which the US government has utlitised Comint for national commercial purposes. These include targeting data about the emission standards of Japanese vehicles; (71) 1995 trade negotiations the import of Japanese luxury cars; (72) French participation in the GATT trade negotiations in 1993; the Asian-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC), 1997. Targeting host nations 105. The issue of whether the United States utilises communications intelligence facilities such as Menwith Hilll or Bad Aibling to attack host nations' communications also arises. The available evidence suggests that such conduct may normally be avoided. According to former National Security Council official Howard Teicher, the US government would not direct NSA to spy on a host governments such as Britain: " [But] I would never say never in this business because, at the end of the day, national interests are national interests... sometimes our interests diverge. So never say never - especially in this business" . 6. Comint capabilities after 2000 Developments in technology 106. Since the mid-1990s, communications intelligence agencies have faced substantial difficulties in maintaining global access to communications systems. These difficulties will increase during and after 2000. The major reason is the shift in telecommunications to high capacity optical fibre networks. Physical access to cables is required for interception. Unless a fibre network lies within or passes through a collaborating state, effective interception is practical only by tampering with optoelectronic repeaters (when installed). This limitation is likely to place many foreign land-based high capacity optical fibre networks beyond reach. The physical size of equipment needed to process traffic, together with power, communications and recording systems, makes clandestine activity impractical and risky. 107. Even where access is readily available (such as to COM
let i = 0; i < 6; i++) { const coords = getRandomCoords(room, newState.grid, newState.boardSize.width); newState.grid[coords[1] * newState.boardSize.width + coords[0]] = villain; newState.villains.push({ position: coords[1] * newState.boardSize.width + coords[0], level: villain - 10, health: levels[villain - 10] }); }; } villain++; }); return newState; } placeHealth(newState) { const rooms = [ {xRange: [0, 10], yRange: [0, 10]}, {xRange: [11, 20], yRange: [0, 10]}, {xRange: [21, 30], yRange: [0, 10]}, {xRange: [21, 30], yRange: [11, 19]}, {xRange: [11, 20], yRange: [11, 19]}, {xRange: [0, 10], yRange: [11, 19]} ]; rooms.forEach(room => { for (let i = 0; i < 4; i++) { const coords = getRandomCoords(room, newState.grid, newState.boardSize.width); newState.grid[coords[1] * newState.boardSize.width + coords[0]] = 5; }; }); return newState; } placeWeapons(newState) { const rooms = [ {xRange: [11, 20], yRange: [0, 10]}, {xRange: [21, 30], yRange: [0, 10]}, {xRange: [21, 30], yRange: [11, 19]}, {xRange: [11, 20], yRange: [11, 19]} ]; rooms.forEach(room => { const coords = getRandomCoords(room, newState.grid, newState.boardSize.width); newState.grid[coords[1] * newState.boardSize.width + coords[0]] = 6; }); return newState; } debounceHandleKey(e) { const arrows = [37, 38, 39, 40, 76]; if (arrows.indexOf(e.keyCode) > -1) { e.preventDefault(); } const debounced = _.debounce(this.handleKey, 250); debounced(e); } handleKey(e) { e = e \|\| window.event; if (e.keyCode === 38) { // up arrow this.checkMove(0, -1); } else if (e.keyCode === 40) { // down arrow this.checkMove(0, 1); } else if (e.keyCode === 37) { // left arrow this.checkMove(-1, 0); } else if (e.keyCode === 39) { // right arrow this.checkMove(1, 0); } else if (e.keyCode === 76) { this.toggleLights(); } } checkMove(x, y) { let validMove = true; const grid = this.state.grid; const newX = this.state.position[0] + x; const newY = this.state.position[1] + y; const newSqValue = grid[newY * this.state.boardSize.width + newX]; if (newSqValue === 1) { validMove = false; this.setState({ message: { type: 'alert', text: 'You hit a wall' } }); } else if (newSqValue > 10 && newSqValue <= 20) { validMove = this.fightVillain(newSqValue, newX, newY); } else if (newSqValue === 5) { this.boostHealth(); validMove = true; } else if (newSqValue === 6) { this.boostWeapon(); validMove = true; } else if (newSqValue === 3) { validMove = this.fightTheDonald(); } else { validMove = true; this.setState({ message: { type: 'inform', text: 'Use arrow keys to move' } }); } if (validMove) { grid[this.state.position[1] * this.state.boardSize.width + this.state.position[0]] = 0; grid[newY * this.state.boardSize.width + newX] = 2; this.setState({grid: grid, position: [newX, newY], lights: 'off'}); } } boostHealth() { const level = this.state.character.level; const levels = [0, 100, 250, 450, 700, 1000, 1350, 1750, 2200, 2700]; const boost = Math.floor(0.80 * levels[level] * (Math.random() * (1 - 0.08) + 0.8)); const character = this.state.character; character.health = character.health + boost > levels[level]? levels[level] : character.health + boost; this.setState({character: character, message: {text: `You collected a health booster. Health level is now ${character.health / levels[level] * 100}%`, type: 'good'}}); } boostWeapon() { const weapons = ['Free Speech', 'a Yale Law Degree', 'a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album', 'a private email server', 'the Democratic Party nomination']; const character = this.state.character; character.weapon += 1; character.xp += 20; this.setState({ character: character, message: `You picked up ${weapons[character.weapon]}. 10% battle bonus.`, type: 'good' }); } fightVillain(type, x, y) { const levels = [0, 100, 250, 450, 700, 1000, 1350, 1750, 2200, 2700]; const opponent = this.state.villains.find(villain => villain.position === y * this.state.boardSize.width + x); const villains = this.state.villains; const index = villains.indexOf(opponent); const you = this.state.character; opponent.health -= damageCalculation(you.level * 15, you.level * 25, you.weapon); villains[index] = opponent; if (opponent.health > 0) { you.health -= damageCalculation(opponent.level * 10, opponent.level * 20, 0); if (you.health > 0) { this.setState({ villains: villains, character: you, message: { text: `Level ${opponent.level} surrogate: you reduced his health to ${Math.floor(opponent.health / levels[opponent.level] * 100)}%; he reduced yours to ${Math.floor(you.health / levels[you.level] * 100)}%.`, type: 'hit flash' } }); return false; } else if (you.health <= 0) { you.health = 0; this.setState({ villains: villains, character: you, message: { text: `Level ${opponent.level} surrogate: he killed you. Game over.`, type: 'alert' }, gameStatus: 0 }); return false; } } else if (opponent.health <= 0) { villains.splice(index, 1); you.xp += 25 * opponent.level; this.setState({ villains: villains, character: you, message: { text: `Level ${opponent.level} surrogate: You killed him.`, type: 'good' } }); return true; } } fightTheDonald() { const levels = [0, 100, 250, 450, 700, 1000, 1350, 1750, 2200, 2700]; let theDonald = this.state.theDonald; const you = this.state.character; theDonald -= damageCalculation(you.level * 15, you.level * 25, you.weapon); if (theDonald > 0) { you.health -= damageCalculation(80, 140, 0); if (you.health > 0) { this.setState({ character: you, theDonald: theDonald, message: { text: `You reduced The Donald's health to ${Math.floor(theDonald / 1000 * 100)}%; he reduced yours to ${Math.floor(you.health / levels[you.level] * 100)}%`, type: 'hit' } }); return false; } else if (you.health <= 0) { you.health = 0; this.setState({ theDonald: theDonald, character: you, message: { text: 'The Donald defeated you. Better luck next time.', type: 'lose' }, gameStatus: 0 }); return false; } } else if (theDonald <= 0) { this.setState({ theDonald: 0, character: you, message: { text: 'You defeated The Donald! Congrats, President-Elect Hillary', type: 'good' }, gameStatus: 2 }); return true; } } } function getRandomCoords(room, grid, width) { const x = Math.floor(Math.random() * (room.xRange[1] - room.xRange[0])) + room.xRange[0]; const y = Math.floor(Math.random() * (room.yRange[1] - room.yRange[0])) + room.yRange[0]; return grid[y * width + x] == 0? [x,y] : getRandomCoords(room, grid, width); } function damageCalculation(min, max, weapon) { const hit = Math.random() * (max - min) + min; const weaponBonus = hit * (weapon * 5 / 100); return Math.floor(hit + weaponBonus); } class Board extends React.Component { constructor(props) { super(props); this.handleClick = this.handleClick.bind(this); this.reset = this.reset.bind(this); } handleClick(e) { e.preventDefault(); return this.props.onChange(e); } reset() { this.props.reset(); } render() { const intro = ( <div onClick={this.handleClick} className='intro'> <h2>Welcome</h2> <p>In this game, you play the role of Hillary. Hillary is trying to find and slay her enemy, The Donald, but his merry band of surrogates will do everything they can to stop her. Collect health boosters and new weapons as you progress. You will need to level up a few times If you want to be strong enough to defeat the big guy. Best of luck!</p> <p className='small'>Use the arrow keys to navigate. Press 'L' to toggle the lights. Click anywhere to begin.</p> </div> ); const gameOverWin = ( <div className='win'> <h2>Congratulations!</h2> <p>You single-handedly slayed The Donald and his band of surrogates. Congrats!</p> <button onClick={this.reset}>Play Again</button> </div> ); const gameOver = ( <div className='lose'> <h2>Game over</h2> <p>You died. Better luck next time.</p> <button onClick={this.reset}>Play Again</button> </div> ); let rows = []; for (let y = 0; y < this.props.boardSize.height; y++) { const row = []; for (let x = 0; x < this.props.boardSize.width; x++) { row.push( <Square key={x} thisSquare={[x, y]} fill={this.props.grid[y * this.props.boardSize.width + x]} position = {this.props.position} width = {this.props.boardSize.width} lights = {this.props.lights} /> ); } rows.push(<Row key={y}>{row}</Row>); } const gameOn = (<div className='board'>{rows}</div>); if (this.props.gameStatus === 1) { return gameOn; } else if (this.props.gameStatus === 0) { return gameOver; } else if (this.props.gameStatus === 2) { return gameOverWin; } else { return intro; } } } const Row = ({children}) => <div className="row">{children}</div>; const Square = ({children, position, lights, thisSquare, width, fill = false}) => ( <div className={getBackgroundColor(fill, position, lights, thisSquare, width)} > {children} </div> ); function getBackgroundColor(fill, position, lights, thisSquare, width) { const sqIndex = thisSquare[1] * width + thisSquare[0]; let sqFill; switch (fill) { case 1: sqFill = "square wall"; break; case 2: sqFill = "square character"; break; case 11: sqFill = "square level1"; break; case 12: sqFill = "square level2"; break; case 13: sqFill = "square level3"; break; case 14: sqFill = "square level4"; break; case 15: sqFill = "square level5"; break; case 5: sqFill = "square heart"; break; case 6: sqFill = "square weapon"; break; case 3: sqFill = "square theDonald"; break; default: sqFill = "square floor"; break; } const posIndex = position[1] * width + position[0]; const visibleArea = [posIndex, posIndex - 1, posIndex - 2, posIndex + 1, posIndex + 2, posIndex - width, posIndex - width + 1, posIndex - width - 1, posIndex - width - width, posIndex + width, posIndex + width + 1, posIndex + width - 1, posIndex + width + width]; const shadowyArea = [posIndex - (3 * width), posIndex + (3 * width), posIndex + (2 * width) + 1, posIndex + (2 * width) - 1, posIndex - (2 * width) + 1, posIndex - (2 * width) - 1, posIndex - width - 2, posIndex - width + 2, posIndex + width - 2, posIndex + width + 2, posIndex - 3, posIndex + 3]; if (lights === 'on') { return sqFill; } else { if (visibleArea.indexOf(sqIndex) > -1) { return sqFill } else if (shadowyArea.indexOf(sqIndex) > -1) { sqFill += " lessdark"; return sqFill; } else { return "square dark"; } } } class Legend extends React.Component { constructor(props) { super(props); this.toggleLights = this.toggleLights.bind(this); } toggleLights(e) { return this.props.toggleLights(e); } render() { const levels = [0, 100, 250, 450, 700, 1000, 1350, 1750, 2200, 2700]; const weapons = ['Free Speech', 'a Yale Law Degree', 'a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album', 'a private email server', 'the Democratic Party nomination']; const health = Math.floor(this.props.character.health / levels[this.props.character.level] * 100); const weaponBonus = weapons[this.props.character.weapon] * 5; return ( <div className="legendBox"> <div className="legend1"> <h3>Hillary's Stats</h3> <ul> <li><strong>Level:</strong> {this.props.character.level}</li> <li><strong>Health:</strong> {health}%</li> <li><strong>XP:</strong> {this.props.character.xp} / {levels[this.props.character.level]}</li> <li><strong>Armed with:</strong> {weapons[this.props.character.weapon]} {weaponBonus? `(${weaponBonus}% combat bonus)` : ''}</li> </ul> <Lights onChange={this.props.toggleLights}/> </div> <div className="legend2"> <h3>Good Things</h3> <ul> <li><div className="hillary"></div> Hillary</li> <li><div className="heart"></div> Heart</li> <li><div className="weapon"></div> Weapon</li> </ul> </div> <div className="legend3"> <h3>Bad Things</h3> <ul> <li><div className="surrogate"></div> Surrogates</li> <li><div className="kellyanne"></div> Kellyanne Conway</li> <li><div className="theDonald"></div> The Donald</li> </ul> </div> </div> ) }; } class Lights extends React.Component { constructor(props) { super(props); this.handleClick = this.handleClick.bind(this); } handleClick(e) { e.preventDefault(); return this.props.onChange(e); } render() { return (<button className="lights" onClick={this.handleClick}>Toggle Lights</button>) } } const Message = ({message, type}) => ( <div className={type} > {message} </div> ); ReactDOM.render(<App />, document.querySelector('#app')); !BuzzFeed fired its White House Correspondent Adrian Carrasquillo Wednesday after an internal investigation. Carrasquillo was one of several BuzzFeed employees who appeared on the infamous “Sh**** Media Men” Google spreadsheet that documented alleged sexual misconduct by men in media circles. BuzzFeed began investigating the allegations about its staff members in November. The conduct documented on the list ranges from arguably inappropriate comments to full-blown sexual assault. The company is “saddened by these circumstances, but we take these issues extremely seriously,” a BuzzFeed spokesman told Business Insider. The company is “committed to ensuring that BuzzFeed remains a place where everyone is treated respectfully by his or her peers,” the spokesman added. Carrasquillo’s termination allegedly came after inappropriate comments he allegedly made towards a coworker. “In responding to a complaint filed last week by an employee, we learned that Adrian violated our Code of Conduct by sending an inappropriate message to a colleague,” a spokesman told Business Insider. “This followed a reminder about our prohibition against inappropriate communications.” On top of covering the White House, Carrasquillo focussed heavily on immigration issues, citing his own Hispanic heritage as motivation. Before covering the White House, he served as BuzzFeed’s editor for the website’s Latino coverage. Carrasquillo had a self-described “unique beat” during the 2016 campaign, where he covered “Hispanic issues” from the various candidates, according to his LinkedIn profile. Carrasquillo’s firing is the latest crackdown in media companies over inappropriate conduct by staff members. WATCH: Follow Joe on Twitter. The Daily Caller News Foundation is working hard to balance out the biased American media. For as little as $3, you can help us. Freedom of speech isn’t free. Make a one-time donation to support the quality, independent journalism of TheDCNF. We’re not dependent on commercial or political support and we do not accept any government funding. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.New footage of Victoria’s medicinal cannabis crop has been released, along with a promise the treatment will “change so many lives”. Premier Daniel Andrews shared the footage of the first approved Australian crop to his Facebook page today, after Victoria became the first state to legalise cannabis for medical use. The video shows forensic testers pruning and drying the crop before it is pressed into oil. More than 150 plants were delivered to the Melbourne-based Cann group, which was the first company issued with a licence to be able to grow medicinal cannabis in Australia. Other crops have also been approved in Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales. Low-THC crops at the Cann Group's facility in Melbourne. (AAP) () In March, the Andrews Government spent almost $1 million to import the product from Canada to treat 29 children with severe epilepsy, with the wait for locally-produced cannabis then thought to be too long. Victoria’s locally produced crop is made at a secret location and will be produced in oil, capsule, vapour and spray forms. Research has proven that medicinal cannabis, cannabidiol, can significantly reduce convulsive seizures in children with severe epilepsy. The international study, published earlier this year in The New England Journal of Medicine, focused on Dravet syndrome, a severe epilepsy beginning in infancy where children experience drug-resistant seizures. Earlier this year, Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the next stage would be to determine which adults would be eligible for treatment with medicinal cannabis. © Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2019I created this account just to complain about the dweller limit as well. I had about 14 out when this limit got installed and now I have no reason at all to expand my base anymore. I have tons of dwellers running around my base on coffee break with nothing to do. Putting them in bedrooms is stupid and I don't want to have to deal with prego ladies that don't help defend the base. I was planning on maxing my base out, but if the exploration limit is 10 forget it. It would take so long to get any upgraded weapons for new dwellers, it just makes me not want to try. Before this update the only real complaint I had was that lunchboxes should be account wide not limited to the single vault you purchased them on.Diversification through Trade NBER Working Paper No. 21498 Issued in August 2015 NBER Program(s):Economic Fluctuations and Growth, International Finance and Macroeconomics, International Trade and Investment A widely held view is that openness to international trade leads to higher GDP volatility, as trade increases specialization and hence exposure to sector-specific shocks. We revisit the common wisdom and argue that when country-wide shocks are important, openness to international trade can lower GDP volatility by reducing exposure to domestic shocks and allowing countries to diversify the sources of demand and supply across countries. Using a quantitative model of trade, we assess the importance of the two mechanisms (sectoral specialization and cross-country diversification) and provide a new answer to the question of whether and how international trade affects economic volatility. Acknowledgments Machine-readable bibliographic record - MARC, RIS, BibTeX Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w21498 Users who downloaded this paper also downloaded* these:Though the Galaxy Note series is the "original" big phone, you can now get any number of devices with a big screen and plenty of extra functionality. The new Huawei Nexus 6P offers the same 5.7-inch screen size (and QHD resolution) as the recently-released Galaxy Note 5, as well as a one-touch fingerprint sensor and high-end materials. But while the Nexus 6P may be the new hotness right now, there's a solid case for going with the already-launched Galaxy Note 5 — here are a few reasons to consider it. You get the S Pen While it may not be the deciding factor for many, one thing to consider here is that the Galaxy Note 5 integrates a stylus — the S Pen. And once you get over the hubbub about being able to put it in backwards, the S Pen has a ton of functionality. You can write notes, annotate PDFs, manipulate small items on the screen and even just use your handwriting for text input. Though you can buy a capacitive stylus for other phones, it just isn't the same as having a phone that's built to take advantage of a better stylus. Add in the fact that it just stores inside the phone and it's really a big selling point if you have any need for a stylus on your phone. The software is tuned for a bigger screen Software to take advantage of the S Pen is one thing, but Samsung has also worked in several extra features to make that big 5.7-inch screen more useful in general. While the Nexus 6P just displays content the exact same as a phone with a smaller screen, the Note 5 has features like Multi Window for running side-by-side apps, as well as small windowed apps that can let you reference content from several different apps at once. Even further, the Note 5 has a higher density defined in the operating system than previous models, meaning apps load with slightly smaller interface elements and text, so you can fit even more content on the screen. That means more map in view in Google Maps, more emails in a list in Gmail and just plain more of everything you do on the Note 5. A great and proven camera setup No matter what phone you're comparing to, the Galaxy Note 5 has an amazing camera experience. Not only does it take fantastic photos in a variety of lighting conditions, it also does it super quickly — both in initial camera launch times and just overall camera app performance. The app is easy to use for quick shots, but extremely powerful if you hop into the Pro mode instead. Though Google is pushing the specs and features of the Nexus 6P's camera, we're taking it all with a grain of salt until the phone is actually out there and taking pictures in a real-world situation. And based on previous Nexus camera performance, we unfortunately don't have high expectations. Just on paper the Nexus 6P camera should be capable when set next to the Note 5, but its lack of OIS is worrisome and we've yet to see how its camera app can stand up to the power of the Note 5's. While Nexus 6P looks promising from a camera perspective, it's still a gamble to pick one up before you know how it really performs. Even early lab testing of the camera shows that while good, it doesn't match up to the latest from Samsung. The Note 5's camera is a proven quantity, and there's something to be said for that. Wireless charging Because the Nexus 6P is made out of metal (and a nice looking metal at that), it wasn't possible to get wireless charging inside of it like the Note 5 offers. Of course having USB-C charging helps, but nothing really beats the simplicity of just setting your phone down on a pad and having it pick up charge. Add in the fact that the Note 5 supports both leading standards — Qi and Powermat — of wireless charging, as well as fast charging without wires on capable charging pads, and you have even more options when it comes to charging up the latest Note compared to the Nexus 6P. You can buy from a carrier if you want To many of us the fact that you can buy a Nexus 6P without any carrier agreement is a bonus, and we always recommend buying without a contract whenever possible. But the unfortunate truth is that these are expensive devices, and not everyone can afford to drop $500 to $700 on a phone outright nowadays. While the Nexus 6P can be financed over 24 months if you go with Project Fi as a carrier, there's something to be said for being able to walk into any major carrier store in the U.S. and just pick up a Note 5 on a simple financing plan from the carrier you (and maybe members of your family plan) already use. You can put a small amount down and make the rest of your payments without interest for a year or two, which really makes the Note 5 more accessible despite its high sticker price. And that brings up another point about availability. You can just buy a Galaxy Note 5 today and have it in your hands right away (or at worst the next day). Since Google and Huawei are the only retailers that can offer you the Nexus 6P right now, you're going to be a few weeks out (at best) from getting one — and maybe waiting just isn't an option. What do you think? Theses are just a few reasons why you may want to consider getting a Galaxy Note 5 over the Huawei Nexus 6P, but we want to hear from you! What do you think are the strengths of these phones and how they compare to one another?Chapter 31: Won’t it be so snug with me inside you? “I don't know what we're going to face in there. But whatever it is, I know we need to face it together.” You know, I had felt so incredibly clever when I came up with this plan. I’ve always known I wasn’t a smart pony, but for a few glorious minutes I felt like a smart pony. I had been literally dead, yet I managed to kinda outwit Death itself and come back to life! I had come up with an unorthodox solution to a problem that even a council of ancient beings hadn’t been able to solve! I had linked together the various puzzle pieces of my life's experiences and concluded there was a single demand that would solve all my problems: Stuff my soul into a small wooden doll that was shaped like me! “Holy crap I can move things with my mind,” Sparkle said, grinning like a lunatic as she stared down at the tiny wooden doll that was me. I wasn’t feeling so smart anymore. Let's review. My soul was now stuck in the little wooden Frosty figurine Sparkle had made however many weeks or months ago. My body was currently being possessed by Ice Storm, who turned out to be some ancient evil wendigo who wants to destroy the world. Sparkle has no idea that Ice Storm isn't me, so she let him escape and now he's Celestia-knows-where probably screwing everything up. And now Sparkle thinks she's a wizard. Woo. Go Frosty. You rock. In light of her incredible revelation that she had spontaneously developed super magic powers, Sparkle was still prancing around the room and generally losing her goddesses-damned mind. Every few steps she would stop, point her face in the general direction of an errant object in her workshop—to which nothing would happen—but cheer anyway. It brought a metaphorical light to the dingy shack, seeing Sparkle so happy. Ignorance was bliss, after all. On the topic of revelations, I did find out that in my ethereal form I had a good two-pony-lengths of space that I could freely traverse before I was stopped by an angry transparent red barrier. However, I was somehow allowed to push this barrier around which translated into knocking my minifigure in the corresponding direction. Anyway, back to Sparkle gluing the metaphorical ice cream cone to her head and me yelling at her for trying to one-up me. “No! Sparkle, you grilled cheese, it’s ME. You’re not magic!” At this point I’d already figured out that she couldn’t hear me. That didn’t keep me from trying, but it did progressively raise my nonexistent blood pressure with each second. This second chance of mine was going to be a complete trainwreck and Sparkle Cola was the engineer asleep at the brake. Then she started intently staring at something on the workbench. “What? What are you looking at?” I demanded at the crazy mare. Obviously she didn’t react, but I traced her vision which ended on a stray nail on the table. “You can’t possibly still be trying.” As if she’d heard, she stopped. She balanced the nail up on its head and went back to staring at it. “Damn it, Sparkle. You can’t—like—uuuuugh,” I groaned. Fine. If Sparkle wanted to be magic, maybe she could be magic for a day. I floated my ghost butt over to the nail and gave it a tap. To my surprise, it didn’t budge in the slightest. I tried again, this time with determined force. Again, nothing. It felt like I was trying to move an immovable object the size of a, well, nail. It took all of my ghostly might pressing against the standing tip of the nail to finally topple it over. “Siiiiiiiick.” Sparkle marveled at herself for a bit. She strutted around the room while making zapping motions at random things. After a celebratory screech, she dashed out the room. “Is this what it’s like dealing with me? Aren’t I supposed to be the one dumber than a pigeon in a snowstorm? I can see why Rumcake is so pissy.” I tried to follow to see where she was going, but ended up slamming face-first into the angry red wall of anti-fun. I couldn’t physically follow her. Right. For now I was forced to listen to Sparkle’s rabid screeching coming from outside. The arbitrary barrier surrounding my little figure clearly wasn’t going to let me pass on through it, but as my gaze swept over Sparkle’s messy work space I found myself staring at my soul doll again. So my entire existence revolved around this dumb trinket. I was clearly not allowed to move very far from it. My lack of physical form also prevented me from picking up my soul doll and throwing it across the room so I could follow it. As I floated in thought, circling around the limited space I had and listening to the dulcet tones of Sparkle still losing her damn mind, I ended up taking another good look at the barrier again. Just past the edge of the table, my safety zone went through the back wall and came back into the room by the door. “Hey. You go through a wall, mister invisible wall,” I scolded the red barrier. Then on a whim of a thought, I decided to mush my face through the back wall. The chain of logic went like this: I can only move within the red space, so clearly the other side of the wall is fair game. Thank the goddesses that I was actually right. Or who knows, maybe it wasn’t going to be the end of the world. Point being, my head was now protruding out of a wall. Huh. Ghost powers were kinda awesome. Awesome in a limited scope, but being able to go through stuff was the coolest thing ever. I could peek into bathrooms. The possibilities! But for now, I was watching Sparkle prance in circles around Rumcake. Hello, fat Rumcake. This was the first time I’d seen him out of armor in an incredibly long time, so I couldn’t quite remember if he used to be this much of a lardcake. That being said, he was splotched all over with yellow paint—mostly all over his haunches and tail for whatever reason—and he was busy attempting to paint this excuse for a house we were in. He was mostly just standing there, painting one spot over and over again with the brush clamped in his mouth. Still prancing, still overly joyous by the metaphorical ice cream cone on her head, Sparkle exuberantly shouted, “Hey! Hey, guess what?” Without even looking away from the wall, Rumcake grumbled, “What?” Sparkle stopped bouncing. She joyously spun on the tips of her hooves, shrieking to the world, ”I can move things with my brain.” Fat Rumcake halted in mid-brush. He let out a great exhausted sigh, letting the brush fall to the ground. Once that sentence had processed in his mind, he thudded his head against the wall—yes, the wall with wet paint on it—and groaned, “…It’s two in the afternoon. How drunk are you?” When he raised his head, a portion of his stupid pink mane came back blotched in a fine yellow glop. “No, really! See?” Watching Sparkle attempt to use nonexistent magic was quite possibly the bright spot of my week. The look on her face was like she was trying to take the meanest shit in the world while trying to finish a crossword puzzle. Simply. Amazing. “Hang on, I’m still sort of trying to figure out how it works.” Rumcake, clearly not believing any of Sparkle’s bullshit, just stared at the fixated mare and let her give herself a hernia. After watching for an uncomfortably long time, he let out another tired sigh. “Riiiiight.” Suddenly, he didn’t look like the spry abusive stallion I’d met at the start of this adventure. He looked old. Fat. Tired. Fat. I legitimately felt just the teensiest bit bad for him until I remembered how fat he’d gotten. Fat Rumcake pointed at one of the many full buckets of paint and told Sparkle, “Pass me the next bucket of paint with your brain then.” After only managing to make her face red with nothing to show for it, Sparkle finally gave up. “By the way, I still don’t get why you’re painting our hovel yellow.” The saying about polishing a turd came to mind. They were literally painting corrugated tinfoil and wood paneling the color of moldy mustard. In theory it tied the whole hovel together, but in practice it just looked like a patchy smeared mess spotted with rust. “It makes it look nice,” Rumcake lied. “Why not paint it some other color? Like green?” Sparkle pointed out. Once again, Rumcake began painting the wall with his face. This time with a single thump, he said, “The only colors of paint left in existence are somehow only yellow and blue. I am not going to look at a big blue building when I come home every day. The last thing I want to see is blue.” “Two things. One, since when we were planning to stay here permanently? Two, you can mix the colors, you know. Yellow and blue make green,” Sparkle once again sensibly pointed out. Rumcake looked at the section of wooden wall and sheet metal, then back to the buckets of paint. “I am not mixing eight billion liters of paint.” With a heavy sigh, he cautiously stepped off the makeshift scaffolding he’d built. “Besides, I already got one wall finished.” He gestured at the patchy yellow paint scheme that he looked so obviously proud of. “I mean, considering I’ve been mostly using my tail it looks great.” Oh. So that’s why some of those patches looked suspiciously butt-shaped. But yeah. That was basically day-to-day action for Fat Rumcake and Sparkle. Rumcake never answered Sparkle’s question about when they were planning to move on from this dive. He’d spend a few hours attempting to paint, Sparkle did literally everything else for this dysfunctional household of two, and I did my best to send a spooky ghost message to either of these two idiots. I wasn’t very successful—Sparkle was still secretly convinced that she had somehow gained magic powers. No matter how much I attempted to guide genius magician Sparkle to any writing implement, she would default to the same excited giggling that came from me making anything move. I would have already blown out my own brains if I had them. Sparkle literally couldn’t identify a hint if—as in, when—one hit her in the face. On the bright side, it was probably better that Sparkle wasn’t a squeamish spook-terrified crybaby. Most of my efforts in advanced spookology had no effect since I simply had zero idea what I was doing. Possessing small objects allowed me to rattle them. Doing that didn’t seem to affect anything else at the moment, so I largely left them alone. Anyway, that was life with idiots. Everything was
1970s and, in addition to being a master of insightful portraits of ordinary life, is also known for her Weirdness, both of which elements can be seen in her story of a writer’s life, "Final Appearance." Antti Tuuri, an author of highly realistic and comprehensively realized fiction since the 70s, is represented here by an excerpt from his novel Eternal Road, chronicling the lives of Finnish immigrants to Soviet Karelia in the idealistic early days of communism. The 1990s and 2000s were a rich period of germination in Finland’s literature, and many of the writers in this issue emerged at that time, including the poetic and plainspoken Petri Tamminen, whose book One of Those Difficult Feelings We Have, from his bestselling series of memoirs, is excerpted here. Kari Hotakainen is acclaimed for his empathetic, bitingly funny social commentary, as seen in this group of short-short stories from his collection Finnhits. Sofi Oksanen is a widely-translated author best known for her historical fiction, represented by this excerpt from her most recent novel, When the Doves Disappeared, the third in her planned Estonia-Finland quartet. Poet, humorist, and champion of the under-underdog, Mikko Rimminen is famous for his playful use of a complex vernacular language, here represented by a tale of the indignities of modern child-rearing titled "Easy as Flushing." Maritta Lintunen is a poet and author of lyrical fiction about ordinary people’s extraordinary experiences, as in her mix of mind and magic, "The Message Bearer." Genre-bending author Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen writes fiction that mixes equal measures of profundity, geniality, and creepiness, with his story "Letter to Lethe." It’s a pleasure to also present translations of works by emerging writers, all of them, as far as I know, their authors’ first appearance in English. "The Right Place" is a brisk and believable story from Joonas Konstig’s highly praised debut collection, published in 2008. The haunted story of a medicalized life, "The White Room" is from Tiina Laitila Kälvemark’s acclaimed 2012 debut collection. Peter Sandström’s "Son," a tender but uncompromising portrait of a father, which was written in Swedish, Finland’s second official language, was also first published in 2012, and "Daughters," Shimo Suntila’s zany story of put-upon parenthood, appeared in a 2013 issue of the Finnish science fiction magazine Portti. Helping to compile a collection of contemporary Finnish literature in English is a privilege, and a somewhat heavy responsibility. While Finland’s influence in many fields is unusually large for a country of its size, the literature of Finland has historically been sparsely represented in English translation. For many readers, the pieces presented here will be the first literature they’ve ever read from a country they know little about, and for many Finnish authors this issue is a rare opportunity to reach an English-language audience. And Finland is a country brimming with avid readers and large quantities of really great books. To choose potential submissions for this issue from among the scads of books published over the past few years would be a daunting, nearly impossible task. Luckily, I was able to rely on my fellow translators, who recommended and translated a wide selection of pieces by an eclectic group of interesting authors, some of them previously unknown to me. This system had the virtue of maximizing our collective knowledge, and also of matching translators with the works they love, and love to translate. I hope you love them, too. © Lola Rogers, 2014 Go BackGlenn Beck Begs The Question To Prove His Truthiness March 2, 2011 11:27 PM EST ››› Blog ›››››› JEREMY HOLDEN Does Glenn Beck think apologies cause lies? Consider Beck's attempt to explain the role of truth in his Fox News show: BECK: When I first came here I had this pie in the sky belief that if I told you the truth, if I verified all of my facts and double-checked, and we could make that compelling case with facts to back it up, the journalists in other places would get curious, and they'd use their resources and they'd investigate and they'd prove it right and they'd show it, too! Yeah. Well, we have done our part of the bargain. I have only had to retract one major mistake on this program in two years, and that's when I said that Van Jones is a convicted felon. He's not. We corrected it -- he's not. He just spent time in jail, or he was arrested. Now, to be clear, accusing your political opponent of being a convicted felon isn't your garden variety white lie. It's a pretty big deal. But set that aside for a moment and consider Glenn Beck's underlying logic. When people say things that aren't true (lies), they correct the record (apologize). Beck has only corrected the record one time for saying things that weren't true. Therefore, Beck has told the truth all the other times. Under that reasoning, the time that Beck lied -- er, was wrong -- about taxpayers funding an art exhibit that was actually paid for by private donors doesn't count, because Beck never issued a retraction. The same holds for the time Glenn Beck fudged the facts about President Obama's response to the Gulf Coast oil spill: since Beck didn't issue a correction, it must be true. Ditto Beck's completely made up cost of Obama's trip to India - which Beck pegged at an astonishingly unbelievable $2 billion. No apology; no lie. Beck's logic completely exonerates him from accusations that he lobbed provably false smears at White House advisers Cass Sunstein and John Holdren. But look more closely at Beck's explanation: BECK: [I]f I verified all of my facts and double-checked, and we could make that compelling case with facts to back it up, the journalists in other places would get curious and they'd use their resources and they'd investigate and they'd prove it right and they'd show it, too. Last November, Beck came under fire from prominent Jewish groups for peddling the false smear that financier and philanthropist George Soros was complicit in "taking the property from the Jews" during the Holocaust and that Soros helped "send the Jews" to "death camps." Amid the uproar, Forbes magazine looked into Beck's facts and wrote that Beck had "falsely vilified" Soros. Instead of issuing a retraction, Beck demanded proof, only to completely ignore it when it showed that his attack was steeped in falsehoods. See, Beck's not the least bit interested in investigations that prove he's wrong. Beck's truth deficit is astronomical. And despite his frequent claims to the contrary, Fox News has shown no indication it cares to rein him in. After all, in Glenn Beck's world, if he doesn't take it back, it must be true.There are some changes afoot for the UFC Fight Night 93 event, which takes place in Hamburg, Germany. The UFC announced that Leandro Silva will replace Reza Madadi and now face Rustam Khabilov in a lightweight bout on Sept. 3. The 30-year-old Silva is coming off a narrow split-decision loss against Jason Saggo at UFC Fight Night 89 in Ottawa. Before then the Brazilian had been riding a four-fight unbeaten streak, scoring wins over Charlie Brenneman, Lewis Gonzalez and Efrain Escudero. He also had a win over Drew Dober converted into a no-contest due to a referee mistake. The 29-year-old Sambo champion Khabilov has won back-to-back fights, his latest coming against Chris Wade at the UFC's event in Rotterdam in May. Since debuting successfully in the UFC in late 2012 against Vinc Pichel, Khabilov has gone 5-2 in the Octagon, with wins over Yancy Medeiros and Jorge Masvidal. UFC Fight Night 93 takes place at the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, and will feature a heavyweight bout in the main event between Josh Barnett and Andrei Arlovski, as well as a light heavyweight clash between former contender Alexander Gustafsson and Jan Blachowicz.LONDON — An 11th-hour bid by Secretary of State John Kerry to ease the escalating crisis over the Kremlin’s intervention in Crimea ended in failure on Friday, raising the likelihood of sanctions against Russia and deepening the most serious East-West rift since the end of the Cold War. American officials said they presented a range of ideas on how a compromise over Crimea might be achieved, including arrangements to expand the peninsula’s autonomy and safeguard the rights of the Russian-speaking population. But the officials said that Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, appeared to have little or no leeway to negotiate and that President Vladimir V. Putin was determined that Crimea’s referendum on seceding from Ukraine should proceed on Sunday. “I presented a number of ideas on behalf of the president,” Mr. Kerry said in a news conference after the talks. “After much discussion, the foreign minister made it clear that President Putin is not prepared to make any decision on Ukraine until after the referendum on Sunday.”Leonard George Koenecke (January 18, 1904 in Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA – September 17, 1935 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. He died of a blow to the head at the hands of the pilot and a passenger of a plane of which he had seized control. Early life [ edit ] Koenecke was the son of a locomotive engineer and had worked as a fireman for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad.[1][2] Minor league career [ edit ] Koenecke made his professional debut for the Moline Plowboys in the Mississippi Valley League in 1927. In 1928 he joined Indianapolis in the American Association. Major League career [ edit ] After several seasons with Indianapolis, Koenecke was signed to the New York Giants in December 1931 in a deal worth $75,000. Manager John McGraw predicted he would "be a bright star in the National League". He played just the one season with the Giants.[3][4][5] In 1933, playing for the International League Buffalo Bisons, he hit.334 and drove in 100 runs batted in with eight home runs. In 1934, Koenecke joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, where in his first season he hit 14 home runs, 73 RBIs and set a National League fielding record with a percentage of.994. His second season saw a decline in his onfield performance and his drinking became a problem to the point where he was cut on September 16, 1935, during the middle of a road trip after a game in Chicago.[5][2] Death [ edit ] After being sent home from the road trip, Koenecke caught a commercial flight for New York City. During the flight, he drank a quart of whiskey and became very drunk. After Koenecke had harassed other passengers and struck a stewardess, the pilot had to sit on him to restrain him as he was shackled to his seat. He was removed unconscious from the flight in Detroit. After sleeping on a chair in the airport, he chartered a flight to Toronto in the hopes of rejoining the Bisons. While flying over Canada, he had a disagreement with the pilot and a passenger, and attempted to take control of the aircraft.[2] In order to avoid a crash, Koenecke was hit over the head with a fire extinguisher by both the pilot, who had left his controls, and the other passenger.[5][6] After an emergency landing at Long Branch Racetrack in Toronto, it was found that Koenecke had died of a cerebral hemorrhage.[5] The two men were charged with manslaughter but were found not liable by a coroner's jury soon after.[7][8][9][10] He was buried in Mount Repose Cemetery at Friendship, Wisconsin.[11] Pop culture references [ edit ] Koenecke's death was referenced in Season 5 Episode 7 of Archer.[12] See also [ edit ]national Australia will take part in 'Make in India' Week with a delegation of 30 government and business leaders representing a range of Australian expertise in multiple sectors New Delhi: Australia will take part in 'Make in India' Week with a delegation of 30 government and business leaders representing a range of Australian expertise in multiple sectors. Acting Australian High Commissioner Chris Elstoft said his country's engagement in Make in India Week would be an important step in helping convert business opportunities into outcomes for the two nations, said a media release from the Australian High Commission on Friday. "Each of the sectors from Australian business taking part in the event will be crucial to India achieving its 'Make in India' dream," he said. "As Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi suggested when he visited Australia, in every area of national priority for India, he sees Australia as a natural partner..." The sectors represented include energy, resources and water, industrial design, infrastructure investment, pharmaceutical research, agribusiness, metals recycling for manufacturing inputs, and agribusiness.“We are in a race against time to save lives and prevent a full-scale famine unfolding in the country, but we urgently need resources to do this,” said the WFP Representative and Country Director in Yemen, Stephen Anderson. The new emergency operation will require up to $1.2 billion over a one-year period and should allow WFP to gradually scale up assistance to feed all severely food insecure people in Yemen every month. The success of this operation hinges on immediate sufficient resources from donors. “The situation is getting close to a breaking point in Yemen with unprecedented levels of hunger and food insecurity. Millions of people can no longer survive without urgent food assistance,” Mr. Anderson continued. With the new plan, WFP aims to provide vital food assistance to nearly seven million people classified as severely food insecure, in addition to nutrition support to prevent or treat malnutrition among 2.2 million children. WFP will also assist breastfeeding and pregnant mothers with specialized nutritious foods. Until it can secure the funds that it needs, WFP will prioritize 6.7 million people for urgent food assistance. Some 2.5 million of them – particularly those in governorates hardest-hit by food insecurity – will receive a package of assistance aimed at averting famine. This will include a full food ration, which will cover 100 per cent of the food needs of every member of a family for a month, in addition to nutrition support for malnourished children and women. This is the first time that WFP has been able to provide a full food basket in more than a year. A second priority group of 4.2 million people will receive a reduced food ration, which comprises 60 per cent of the full food basket. “We have to secure urgent resources to meet the needs of all nine million people who are severely food insecure in Yemen as well as the millions of malnourished children and women,” added Mr. Anderson. “Until we are able to do this, we have to spread out what we have to ensure that we are helping the people who are at the most immediate risk of starvation.” WFP prioritizes its assistance in consultation with humanitarian partners targeting people in highest priority governorates and districts, which are already showing signs of famine-like conditions – especially in Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahj, Abyan and Sa’ada.Sun: Say, sorry to seem disappointed but we were expecting to talk to an actual person in Seat 14, Row N, Section 96 at Camden Yards this evening. You know, this slice of life thing we're doing? A little glimpse of what's on the mind of Joe Spectator in the bleachers, get the feel of the moment. Empty Seat: You want the feel of the moment, buddy, here it is. Sun: You're saying...? Empty Seat: What's to say? You read the papers, no? Sun: Yes, but let's not read too much into this. It's a chilly Friday night, it's windy, the game against Oakland was delayed by a little rain, conditions are not -- Empty Seat: So you're also in denial. Look at me. Are you looking? Listen, what sound is that? Is that the breeze blowing through the slats of an empty chair? It's not a happy sound. Most ballparks, they hear a lot of that. Whole sections full of guys like me, soaking up the atmosphere, not spending a dime, whistling in the wind. You're spoiled here with Camden Yards, Sellout City. You gotta love this place even if you don't love baseball. That's a good thing, let me tell you. You seen this team? Sun: You're saying the Camden Yards magic can't last? Empty Seat: I'm saying this bleacher seat costs $9, a 12-ounce beer is $4, the Orioles payroll is in the jet stream, the team looks like they're mailing it in. There's an emptiness about the whole exercise lately, is what I'm saying. A void. In the Buddhist concept, the Void contains all. That's a profound and beautiful idea. But you know, this is baseball, not Buddhism. Sun: You're quite the philosopher. Empty Seat: You sit out here one breezy night after another, you get to thinking. OK, pal, can we wrap this thing up? You got what you need? Sun: Now you're acting like a ballplayer. Empty Seat: For heaven's sake, somebody should.Homeport I LLC is pleased to announce applications are now being accepted for affordable housing rental apartments at 7 & 8 Navy Pier Court, in the Stapleton Section of Staten Island, NY. The size, rent, and targeted income distribution for the apartments are as follows: Apartment Size Monthly Rent* Household Size Total Annual Income Range Minimum - Maximum* Studio $947 1 $34,355 - $40,080 1 Bedroom $1,017 1 2 $36,823 - $40,080 $36,823 - $45,840 2 bedroom $1,230 2 3 4 $44,160 - $45,840 $44,160 - $51,540 $44,160 - $57,240 Tenant responsible for electric Subject to occupancy criteria Income guidelines subject to change Qualified Applicants will be required to meet income guidelines and additional selection criteria. To request an application, mail a SELF ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE to: Navy Pier Court c/o: The Wavecrest Management Team, 87-14 116th Street, Richmond Hill, NY 11418, or download an application.(More on Colombia here: /colombia) Several reports today have emerged from Colombia that Everett Eissenstat, a high-ranking official in the Senate Finance Committee under Senator Orrin Hatch, has overtly threatened Colombia that moving ahead with a compulsory license on leukemia drug imatinib could cause a withholding of financial support for the fragile Colombian peace process. This is a particularly ruthless threat, though given Sen. Hatch’s role as the pharmaceutical industry’s Gregor Clegane, not entirely surprising. The first report, from Noticias Uno, indicated that Eissenstat delivered the message through the U.S. Embassy to Colombia’s Minister of Health. A second report, from El Espectador, reports the letter was from the Colombian embassy recounting a meeting with Eissenstat. While the letter in question has not been made available to the public yet [UPDATE: see here for a letter delivered from the Colombian embassy], what is clear from both reports is that Senator Hatch was so opposed to the idea of a compulsory license on the patent for a $40+ Billion cancer drug made by a Swiss company that he was willing to find an extremely sensitive area for the Colombian people and use it as leverage. The peace process in question is the hopeful conclusion to decades of fighting in the country with guerrilla rebels that has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Now flash back to the old days, back in 2001-2002, when Sen. Orrin Hatch was not just your predictable pharmaceutical hatchet man, but was really just a hip afficionado of rock ‘n roll, palling it up with Metallica while advocating for–you guessed it–a compulsory license on copyrighted music that would have provided a legal business model for then-bogeyman Napster. This from one of several news stories about the Congressional threats to enact a compulsory license if Napster did not obtain licenses from the music industry.The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has claimed that its services are so important and informative that accessing them is a “basic human right”. In a submission to the British government on the renewal of its charter, the state broadcaster warned that some of its most popular shows could face the axe if the government forces it to be more distinct from commercial rivals. It also heaped praise upon itself, saying its output leads to “external benefits to society through, for example, creating a richer culture, promoting democratic debate and building a stronger sense of community through shared experiences.” It said that “access to culture, media and information should be a basic human right, ensured regardless of a person’s ability to pay” and that it has “an intrinsic mission: to provide programmes and services that people love and enjoy, and which inform, educate and entertain them as individuals.” Culture Secretary John Whittingdale has questioned whether the BBC should be making popular entertainment shows such as Great British Bake Off and Strictly Come Dancing as they compete with commercial rivals. However, the BBC rejected this view in its submission yesterday. “It does not make practical sense to say the BBC should only make a programme if another broadcaster never would,” it said. “That would mean when ITV made Broadchurch, the BBC would have to stop making Happy Valley. Or it would mean that we should stop doing EastEnders because ITV does Coronation Street. “The BBC makes good popular programmes – if we withdrew, audiences would have less choice. The value of – and public support for – the BBC comes from the range and depth of its content.” It also rejected the idea of replacing the compulsory licence fee – which every UK household with a TV has to pay – in favour of a subscription model. “Subscription funding… is the wrong model for the BBC in principle and in practice. It would harm UK content investment and quality, restrict access for audiences, particularly the poorest, and increase the cost they pay.” The BBC’s arguments were dismissed, however, by the Axe The TV Tax campaign, who wrote in their own submission that the licence fee should be “a relic of the past”. “There is no justification in the 21st Century for a compulsory levy that goes to fund one broadcaster,” the group said. “The Government should instruct the BBC that it needs to prepare for change, and also instruct the BBC to report to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how it is going to move from the licence fee to a subscription based service. “As soon as is practically possible, the licence fee should be scrapped.”Facebook Software Engineering Director Robert Johnson took some time to explain to a curious public exactly why Facebook went down earlier today, calling the mishap "the worst outage we’ve had in over four years." In a brief blog post, Johnson discussed today's downtime, which began around 11:30 a.m. PST. The site wasn't functioning again for most users until around 3 p.m. PST. Today's outage was unrelated to another period of downtime yesterday, when issues with a third-party networking provider caused problems for some users trying to connect to Facebook. Johnson said the downtime today was caused by "an unfortunate handling of an error condition" involving an automated system designed to verify configuration values in the cache and replace invalid values with updated values from the persistent store. Today we made a change to the persistent copy of a configuration value that was interpreted as invalid. This meant that every single client saw the invalid value and attempted to fix it. Because the fix involves making a query to a cluster of databases, that cluster was quickly overwhelmed by hundreds of thousands of queries a second. To make matters worse, every time a client got an error attempting to query one of the databases it interpreted it as an invalid value, and deleted the corresponding cache key. This meant that even after the original problem had been fixed, the stream of queries continued. The automated system for correcting configuration values has been turned off for now, and Facebook is reportedly exploring more, ahem, "graceful" methods of handling this in the future. Johnson also notes that getting the feedback loop to stop was "quite painful," saying that the entire site had to be turned off to stop traffic to a particular database cluster. We don't envy Facebook the at-scale disaster the site has just survived; 500 million users and a feedback loop adds up to some nasty business however you slice it. And Facebook's downtime problems aren't nearly as persistent and severe as those of other social media staples out there. If you have any opinions on the subject — or horror stories of your own to share — please leave us a comment and let us know about them.As we told you earlier, Sen. Lindsey Graham crossed party lines to testify as a character witness for Sen. Bob Menendez at his federal corruption trial underway in New Jersey. Here’s his testimony, via Newark Star-Ledger reporter Mary Ann Spoto: Graham on the stand for 6 mins. Said he knows Menendez to be'very honest, trustworthy man.' — MaryAnn Spoto (@MaryAnnSpoto) October 26, 2017 Graham on Menendez: In very difficult circumstances, he always keeps his word. A handshake is all you need from Bob.' — MaryAnn Spoto (@MaryAnnSpoto) October 26, 2017 Graham said got to know Menendez best working on immigration issues, which he said were 'the most difficult politics I've been involved in' — MaryAnn Spoto (@MaryAnnSpoto) October 26, 2017 Menendez was a 'bipartisan' Democrat who sometimes joined the GOP on issues, said Graham, a Republican from South Carolina — MaryAnn Spoto (@MaryAnnSpoto) October 26, 2017 Graham noted as an example when Menendez voted against Iranian deal supported by Dems. — MaryAnn Spoto (@MaryAnnSpoto) October 26, 2017 Menendez was also 'tough on the Castro brothers,' Graham said, referring to Cuba. — MaryAnn Spoto (@MaryAnnSpoto) October 26, 2017 'I’m not here because I agree with him or disagree with him. I’m here because I know him,' Graham said. — MaryAnn Spoto (@MaryAnnSpoto) October 26, 2017 The prosecution only asked one question of its own: Pros asked 1 question: if Graham had been in the courtroom to hear the testimony. Answer, of course, was no. — MaryAnn Spoto (@MaryAnnSpoto) October 26, 2017 Exit question: Does Sen. Graham actually want a GOP senator in NJ in 2018? Remarkable to see a Republican senator testify on behalf of an indicted Dem who many in his party would like to oust https://t.co/Yp64mYt2bT — Jonathan Tamari (@JonathanTamari) October 26, 2017 Thanks, Lindsey: There were a couple of weeks that I actually liked Lindsey Graham. It was in 2017, between when he introduced his health care block grants bill and when he testified in support of Bob Menendez. — Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) October 26, 2017 * Related:Shades of Batman, anyone? This all-electric Superbus, designed by students at UT Delft in the Netherlands, aims to make bus-riding attractive again by decking out the vehicle with a carbon-fiber shell, a low chassis, and sixteen individual gullwing doors. The bus has some impressive stats to match its sleek looks: a block of lithium-polymer batteries power electric motors that run at up to 800 HP, and the whole thing can travel 130 miles before recharging — plenty of time for a trip across town. Unlike other public buses, the students imagine that the Superbus won’t have a set route. Instead, passengers buy seats on the bus in advance and call or text a pickup time and location to the driver. The bus then figures out the quickest and most efficient way to get all passengers to their destinations. That seems like a tricky concept to work out, but we still love the redesign. After all, wouldn’t you be more likely to get on this bus than the standard public buses you usually see puttering around? + Superbus Via JalopnikPresident Trump boasted about his administration's progress in the face of the ongoing Russia probes on Sunday, saying Democrats have used Russia as an excuse for losing the 2016 presidential election. "Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phony Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia, Russia. Despite this I have the economy booming and have possibly done more than any 10 month President. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" the president tweeted. Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phony Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia,Russia. Despite this I have the economy booming and have possibly done more than any 10 month President. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2017 The tweet comes as special counsel Robert Mueller and various congressional panels probe Russian interference during the 2016 presidential election, as well as alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow. Trump's tweet also comes as he returns to Washington for a busy week after the Thanksgiving holiday. ADVERTISEMENT The president is expected to visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday ahead of a possible vote on tax reform this week. The administration and Republicans are looking to score their first major legislative victory since gaining power in Congress and the White House in January. Republicans already failed to make good on their seven-year campaign promise to repeal and replace ObamaCare earlier this year.It looks like American midfielder Gedion Zelalem is staying put at Arsenal this month. Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel told ESPN that the team is not interested in Zelalem, or anyone else during the January window. “Right now? No. Not as far as I’m concerned,” he told ESPN. “I don’t think that we add somebody [in January],” Tuchel added. “We had a lot of new players and it all takes time [to settle]. Even the German guys, who have a lot of experience, you have to admit that it took its time for them [to settle]. Every change in a club takes time. The 19-year-old was linked to Dortmund earlier in the week as he searches for playing time. Zelalem has earned just 17 minutes for Arsenal in all competitions so far this season. The U.S. Under-20 international played in 21 games for Scottish giants Rangers last season, but has been unable to crack the first team with the Gunners.Since embarking on my minimalist journey, stopping unnecessary noise that might otherwise influence my decisions was one of my top priorities. This includes things like visual noise (labels, advertisements, too much colors), email junk. After almost purging my email of all junk mail, I had my sights set on reducing or stopping the delivered mail coming to my home. I remembered that as a kid, I was excited each time I get mail. Because my dad would go through the mail and give me only the letters or cards from my friends, each mail had importance and value. As an adult, I take on the that chore of having to filter through all the unsolicited coupons, brochure for the thousand and one services around me. Stopping it would save time, reduce external influence on my consumption and save the earth since they get tossed anyway. Unlike junk email, you cannot simply unsubscribe to them. Calling each of them up is also not sustainable as they are probably just using some sort of marketing list for residents here. Luckily, I found a way that works. This simple little label on the slot cover was the secret to this problem. A small label that says “チラシ禁止”. And guess how many junk mail I received in the past 2 weeks that this sticker was on? ZERO. What sorcery is this, I thought. I’m guessing that the Japanese mailman, being both the stickler for rules and also respectful of customers’s wishes, simply followed the little sticker. After all, if you deliver junk mail even after requested not to, the customer would not think highly of the product or service that goes against their wishes. For your reference, this was in Shibuya-ku, so I hope it works for your area as well.Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic. After seeing an article in the “Texas Highways” magazine about the “Texas Independence Trail” I thought it would be a good motorcycle ride. I have seen the road signs in the past many times but hadn’t given it much thought until seeing this article. The Texas Historical Commission has charted out a good motorcycle adventure with its delineation of the Texas Independence Trail region. The trail is an area that winds through the Houston/Galveston area following the coast to West Columbia and Victoria. The trail then continues on to Goliad, San Antonio, Gonzales, Bastrop and Brenham. All along the trail are sites rich in Texas Independence history and much more. Here is a timeline for those of you not familiar with Texas history. It will help you unravel what happened and maybe you understand what I was seeing… December 1821: Stephen F. Austin settles the first 300 Anglo families in Texas. April 1834: Santa Anna takes control of Mexico and repeals Constitution of 1824. October 2, 1835: The first military engagement of the Texas Revolution. February 22/24 1836: Santa Anna attacks the Alamo. March 2, 1836: Texian delegates (comprised of Anglo and Mexican) gather at Washington on the Brazos to sign a declaration of independence and create a government. March 6, 1836: The Alamo falls to Santa Anna and the Mexican Army. March 27, 1836: Col. Fannin and his men are massacred at Goliad. April 21, 1836: General Sam Houston and the Texas Army defeat Santa Anna at San Jacinto. October 1836: The first permanent government of the Republic was elected under President Sam Houston, and met at Columbia in the fall of 1836. Due to the logistics, I wasn’t able follow the exact trail. I did follow it as much as possible. There is a lot to see on the trail, but I was limited by time, so I tried to hit the most significant points along the way. These were my goals… Janet was in San Diego so she wasn’t able to go on the ride. My cousin W. D. was going but at the last minute he had to put his scooter in the shop and he is waiting on a part. I thought about not doing the ride. I decided if I was going I needed to leave the next day. Late that night, I packed everything and loaded the saddle bags to leave the next morning and hoped I hadn’t forgotten something. When I left the weather was perfect, 66 degrees and partly cloudy. I headed out and was about 20 miles from home when I realized… I had left the camera! I had to have the camera… so back home I went. I lost about an hour but I had lots of daylight left. The total mileage for today was 198 miles, excluding the miles for going back home for the camera. My first and only stop today is Washington on the Brazos the site of Texas declaring its independence from Mexico. The ride to Washington on the Brazos was a good one. The spring wildflowers were still blooming and added a splash of color to the green from the recent rains. Along my route were many gentle hills covered in trees and open pasture areas. There were some nice gentle curves along the way, too. It was a cool ride both figuratively and literally. Washington on the Brazos, the birth place of Texas, is now a state park. You can walk the grounds where there are markers telling what was where at the time. Everything is free unless you want to take one of the guided tours or tour the new “The Star of the Republic” museum. The museum is administered by Blinn College. Independence Hall is revered as one of Texas’ most significant historic places. The original building burned sometime around the turn of the century but a replica of Independence Hall marks the place where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed and the government of the Republic of Texas was created. Also at the park is the Barrington Living History Farm where you can travel back in time to participate in the daily activities of an 1850’s cotton farm. You may take part in seasonal activities, daily chores, games and toys of the time. I could have stayed longer at the park… there is a lot to take in… but it was almost 1:00 and I was starving. So I was back on the road looking for a good place to eat… I had made good time in spite of the late start. Now it was on to visit my son Tony and his family in Spring. The ride was more of what I had seen earlier in the day. Gentle hills and curves with wild flowers beside the road and in open pastures… It was nice, not too warm and traffic wasn’t bad. I was dreading Houston traffic and was relieved that it was not too bad… This was partly because it was Saturday and I had some good luck. I stayed the night with Tony and we had a nice visit. Savanna, my granddaughter, wasn’t too sure about me and the motorcycle… but since grandma wasn’t with me (she is a grandma’s girl) it didn’t take her long to get over it. She had to show me all of her dolls, toys and her new big girl bed. Tomorrow it is on to the San Jacinto Battleground and Monument… Stay tuned… You can read the other posts about this ride here…“Protocol is synonymous with possibility.” — Alexander R. Galloway It is my view that there can be a successful company model that rests on an open source protocol, and that is surrounded by a vibrant ecosystem of developers and value-added services. That is the genesis of the OpenBazaar model, as they push us forward towards a future of decentralized, peer-to-peer eCommerce. Open source software models have been around for a while, but they
that cause me to grimace and wish for the pre-Hot New Food Town era. But that was before we tried the pizza. And dammit, Steve Mignogna, Shanti Church, and baker Josh Stewart make fantastic pizzas (and really good breads). The winner on the menu seems to keep in the Paulie Gee trend -- it's the Beekeeper's Lament, with hot Calabrian soppressata and local honey. It is salty and spicy and sweet all at once, with a giving, soft pizza dough that shows the time and effort they put in. It's nearly enough to prevent me from being a cynical grouch. -- KA Tony's Pizza Napoletana San Francisco, CA San Francisco is rich with delicious pizza joints, but most of the great ones adhere to the same basic style: a sort of Californian Neapolitan move with charred and chewy crusts and fresh local ingredients. And Tony can do that. But the reason he is always on this list is because this man can also do pretty much every other style of pizza that we're celebrating on this list (NY, New Haven, Detroit, Sicilian, ST. LOUIS??!?, etc.) and he does most of them better or at least on par with the originators. -- KA Via 313 Austin, TX Detroit pizza is having its moment right now. Just look at social media: the Detroit signature square slices are everywhere, possibly because they’re so damn handsome to shoot from above, but also because Detroit’s style -- with its medium deep dish, nearly Sicilian airy texture, caramelized sides, and crunchy, buttery bottom -- was one of the last to remain somewhat regional. But thanks to people like Brandon and Zane Hunt -- two brothers raised in Detroit who came out to Austin six years ago and launched the first pizza trailer outside of Violet Crown Social Club on East Sixth in 2012 -- Texans and anyone else who roams through Austin now comes away with a hankering for this delicious pizza. They now have two full-service spots on top of the two trailers, with appetizers and salads and everything, but their commitment to the pizza, and to helping give Detroit style its well-deserved moment in the spotlight, keeps them on the list for another year. Oh, and their bar-style pizza is pretty damn good, too. -- KA[/caption] “Take It” took it to another level: Last week’s episode of Dexter was a highlight of the season. But with self-help guru Jordan Chase on Dexter’s mind, a highly motivated Lumen at his side, and Quinn’s boy Liddy hot on his trail, there is no time for you to savor — only time to brace for a new episode titled “Teenage Wasteland,” which airs on Sunday. What to expect from the killer thriller’s upcoming installment? Dexter executive producer Manny Coto drops four hints below. (As a bonus, we also come bearing two exclusive clips of “Teenage Wasteland.”) Tease No. 1: “This episode marks a large step forward in how Dexter views Lumen because Deborah comes to the realization that there is someone else in Dexter’s life, and Dexter has to figure out a way how to explain who Lumen is and what she represents to him. At the same time, a remnant from the death of Rita comes back into Dexter’s life — namely, Astor — who’s never quite gotten over the death of her mom and still blames Dexter for it. In the course of this episode, Lumen inadvertently helps Dexter come to some kind of understanding with Astor.” Tease No. 2: “Dexter is undertaking his vetting process with Jordan and that involves Dexter becoming a client. And as Jordan picks Dexter’s brain, Dexter starts to pick at clues that Jordan may or may not have left behind. In this episode, he gets a clue that will lead us into the next couple of episodes. But at the same time, Jordan discovers something that could be devastating.” Tease No. 3: “Having been knocked back down to the file room because of the shoot-out at the club, Deborah finds evidence … that puts her on a collision course with Dexter.” Tease No. 4: “Quinn is slowly beginning to realize that he’s unleashed a monster in Liddy, and that the person who he hired to get information on Dexter is very close to learning the truth about Dexter’s real life. And he’s not someone who Quinn will be able to rein back in. Liddy is going to follow this to the bitter end, whether Quinn likes it or not.” Time to weigh in, folks. What horrific things will Dexter uncover about Jordan? When do you think Deborah will figure out the truth about her brother? Are you intrigued by the Lumen-Dexter relationship? Spill your thoughts below. (Be sure to visit EW.com tomorrow to read Ken Tucker’s interview with Peter Weller, a.k.a. Liddy, and Sandra Gonzalez’s break-down of all the action from “Teenage Wasteland” on Monday.) Read more: ‘Dexter,’ ‘Fringe,’ Psych,’ ‘Grey’s,’ more: Find out what’s next in the Spoiler Room ‘Dexter’ recap: Primal InstinctWhy Is Happy Hour Still Illegal in Massachusetts? Illinois just repealed their ban on happy hour. Are we ever going to do the same? Get a compelling long read and must-have lifestyle tips in your inbox every Sunday morning — great with coffee! Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed a law on Wednesday repealing his state’s ban on drink specials and happy hour. The law, in place since 1989, was passed initially to reduce drunk driving accidents in Illinois. With Rauner’s signature, Illinois joined Kansas as the second state to repeal a state ban on happy hour in the 21st century. Happy hours are still banned in Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and right here in Massachusetts. Not long after Rauner signed the repeal of the happy hour ban, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker reiterated his support for the state’s current ban on happy hour at a Q&A event aptly named “Political Happy Hour.” Baker told the crowd, while drinking what appeared to be a Harpoon, that his favorite drink in the office is “water.” A safe but boring answer. Efforts to repeal the happy hour ban in Massachusetts, in place since the 1984 drunk driving death of Weymouth 20 year-old Kathleen Barry, have been limited and unsuccessful. The most recent serious attempt to change the law came in 2011 when the state was in the process of legalizing casino gambling. The Gaming Act allows Massachusetts casinos to give out free drinks to patrons on the gaming floor. In 2013, the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission released a report on the state’s happy hour laws and recommended no changes. It was foolish at the time to think that by allowing restaurants to serve discounted drinks that they would suddenly be on the same food-and-beverage playing field as billion-dollar casinos, but it was at least an attempt to bring Massachusetts in line with the majority of states. A budget amendment authored by House Minority Leader Brad Jones that sought to repeal the ban on happy hour did not go very far this session before being pulled. With the crafting of the budget done for the year and the legislative priorities for this session largely established by leadership, it does not appear likely that a standalone happy hour reform bill of any kind will emerge out of this session. The new law in Illinois is not exactly a laissez-faire approach to happy hour, but it is a step in the right direction that Massachusetts could implement down the road. The legislation Jones offered was in a similar reform vein, but was not a full blown repeal of all happy hour regulations that some may be imagining. It aimed to limit happy hour to Sunday-Wednesday and was crafted as a way to help restaurants and bars. The Illinois law allows for up to four hours of happy hour per day with a maximum of 15 hours a week. All happy hours need to advertised a week in advance. Free drink specials like two-for-one deals are strictly prohibited. And establishments cannot host drinking games or give drinks away as prizes like at trivia nights.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption David Shukman tours the lab where Kepler's sensors are made A solar system including six planets around a star 2,000 light-years away has been spotted by astronomers. The planets range between two and four-and-a-half times the radius of Earth, and between two and 13 times its mass. Five of the planets orbit the star closer than Mercury orbits our Sun. The find, published in Nature, is the first from the latest data release from the Kepler space telescope - which includes details of more than 1,000 additional exoplanet candidates. The planets are likely to have atmospheres made of light gases, but also likely to be too hot to support life. The Kepler team released the raw data that led to the discovery as part of its commitment to making its findings publicly available. Kepler has already yielded evidence of a three-planet system, Kepler-9, and in January the team announced it had spotted the first definitively rocky exoplanet, Kepler-10. The newly-discovered solar system, around the star Kepler 11, is a rich "laboratory" for studying planetary formation. Its surprising number of planets orbiting so closely together gives astrophysicists a unique system to refine their theories of how planets form. Image caption Kepler measures stars' "light curves" as planets that pass in front block some of their light The find is different from the planetary system HD10180, first announced in August 2010, in which a rich exoplanet system comprising at least five planets orbits a star 127 light-years away. In that study, the "wobble" that the planets' gravity caused on their host star was used to infer their presence; a sixth and seventh planet are yet to be confirmed. The Kepler telescope, by contrast, performs a more direct observation, measuring the minuscule dimming that occurs when planets pass in front of their host star. Typically, in these "transit" measurements, the dimmings merely suggest planets; their presence is confirmed by ground-based telescopes that look for the "wobble" - a method known as radial velocity measurements. In the case of Kepler-11, the planets orbit their host star so close to one another that they have noticeable gravitational effects on each other. These effects rhythmically change the time that each needs to orbit the star, and the authors were able to work out the masses of the planets. 'Totally unexpected' As the report - published also on the Arxiv server - describes, all of the planets orbit their host star closely - five of them closer to their star than Mercury is to our Sun, and the sixth just beyond that distance. Two orbit at a distance just one-tenth as far as the Earth is from the Sun. What is surprising is that all the planets are comparatively large; the system has a total of 10 times the mass of the Earth inside the radius of Mercury's orbit; here in our Solar System, there are only about two Earth masses contained in a radius five times that of the Earth's orbit. I come from a planet formation theory perspective, and this has sent me back to the drawing board Jack Lissauer, Nasa Ames Research Center "Large planets very close in orbit around a single star were just totally unexpected," said lead author of the study Jack Lissauer of Nasa's Ames Research Center. "We think this is the biggest thing in exoplanets since the discovery of 51 Pegasi - the first exoplanet - in 1995." Moreover, the fact that six planets could be spotted around the Kepler-11 star means that all of the planets must lie in an almost completely flat plane, flatter even than our own Solar System, and aligned edge-on to the Earth - otherwise Kepler would not have been able to spot all six passing in front of the star. Dr Lissauer explained that the find challenges the notion that planets form by coalescing from discs of debris around young stars, bumping into each other violently in the later stages, casting them into irregular elliptical and out-of-plane orbits. "I come from a planet formation theory perspective, and this has sent me back to the drawing board," he said. More to come Study co-author Jonathan Fortney of the University of California Santa Cruz said that rather than upending current theory, the Kepler-11 system will be a boon to astrophysicists exploring a fuller range of planet formation scenarios. "Planetary science is very comparative - planets are so different from one another, you need them to be in similar environments and then compare them to each other," Dr Fortney said. "In the Kepler-11 system, we have a fantastic laboratory - better than any planetary system yet found - to look at the planets and compare them to one another to understand how they've evolved over time." David Latham of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics told BBC News that the Kepler-11 system was just the leading edge of a wave of results from Kepler, which will regularly be releasing the data it gathers by staring fixedly at over 150,000 stars. With the new crop of candidate planets, and recent suggestions that candidates are likely to be confirmed eventually as planets, the catalogue of known exoplanets looks set to explode. "This tells us about the architecture of planetary systems and gives us a context for trying to understand our own Solar System," he said. "The 'holy grail' is to find something enough like the Earth that you could live there, but in the meantime I'm very distracted by these multiple [exoplanet systems]."Screen shot of @GSElevator Twitter account. (Photo: screenshot) For three years, the @GSElevator Twitter account shared comments purportedly overheard in the Goldman Sachs elevator. The account, which has 627,000 followers, includes tweets such as, "My garbage disposal eats better than 98% of the world" and "The lottery is just a way of taxing poor people who don't know math." @GSElevator sparked an internal inquiry at Goldman and a ban on talking in elevators. It turns out the man behind the account doesn't even work for the firm, reports The New York Times. #1: Groupon… Food stamps for the middle class. — GS Elevator Gossip (@GSElevator) August 3, 2012 #1: Some chick asked me what I would do with 10 million bucks. I told her I'd wonder where the rest of my money went. — GS Elevator Gossip (@GSElevator) November 12, 2013 The tweeter is former bond executive John Lefevre, 34, who lives in Texas and has never worked at Goldman, the Times reports. Lefevre said he created the account as "a joke to entertain myself," the Times reports. The account was so popular that Lefevre landed a book deal with Touchstone Publishing. The non-fiction book is tentatively called Straight to Hell: True and Glorious Tales of Deviance, Debauchery, and Billion Dollar Deals and is scheduled to be on sale Oct. 28, according to an email from Touchstone. Twitter users are allowed to create parody accounts, according to Twitter's website. The bio must clearly identify the account as a parody or not affiliated with an organization, Twitter says. Asked by the Times if he misrepresented himself, Lefevre said, "The stories aren't Goldman Sachs in particular. It was about the culture in general." "Now that the identity of @GSElevator has been revealed, a Goldman spokesman told the Times that the ban on speaking in elevators was lifted immediately. #1: Tattoos aren't my thing. That'd be like putting a bumper sticker on a Lamborghini. — GS Elevator Gossip (@GSElevator) October 15, 2013 #1: Only Neanderthals resort to violence. I prefer crushing one's spirit, hope, or ego. — GS Elevator Gossip (@GSElevator) December 25, 2013 #1: Poor people eat so much fast food you'd think their time was valuable. — GS Elevator Gossip (@GSElevator) September 24, 2013 #1: We didn't climb our way to the top of the food chain by being vegetarians. — GS Elevator Gossip (@GSElevator) August 26, 2013 #1: I don't watch 'Shark Week', I live it. #SharkWeek — GS Elevator Gossip (@GSElevator) August 5, 2013 Follow @JolieLeeDC on Twitter. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1bID80MA nonprofit organization that investigates false and deceptive advertising practices has taken on the world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), for claiming that some of the products advertised on the store’s website were labeled “Made in the USA” when in fact the items are made in foreign countries. The organization, Truth in Advertising, found more than 100 mislabeled items and sent a letter to Wal-Mart on June 22, stating that it planned to report the labeling issue to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by June 26th unless Wal-Mart confirmed in writing its intention to “remove from [Wal-Mart’s] website and any other marketing materials all false and deceptive USA representations.” Americans prefer to buy American-made products, according to Truth in Advertising, and are willing to pay a premium of as much as 60% for goods made in the USA. The group found that some product packaging identifies goods as “Made in China” but the website carries a badge claiming that the product is made in the USA. ALSO READ: The Worst Companies to Work For Truth in Advertising also found products where the website specifications misrepresent the products’ origins, and that some products purportedly made in the USA use only a percentage of USA-made components or that the product is only assembled, not made, in the USA. For its part, Wal-Mart replied that it believes that “these errors are limited to a small percentage of items and we are confident in the overall integrity of the information on our site.” According to a report in the New York Post, a Wal-Mart spokesman said that labels claiming that a product is made in the USA as well as similar labeling such as “Women’s Economic Empowerment” and “Sustainability Leaders” will also be removed “within a week.” Wal-Mart has also said that some products that were previously made in China have now moved manufacturing to the United States, and there is still some of the older made-in-China product remaining in inventory. In some cases, the retailer said it used information on product origins supplied by the manufacturer. What makes the issue notable is Wal-Mart’s promise to buy an additional $250 billion in USA-made goods. Truth in Advertising cites Michelle Amazeen, assistant professor of advertising at New Jersey’s Rider University: It’s incredibly disingenuous for Walmart to be promoting their initiative to stock $250 billion American-made products while at the same time they are in violation of FTC labeling standards for what qualifies as made in the USA. ALSO READ: 4 Specialty Retail Takeover Deals That Make SenseIf you’ve ever walked by a building and wished you could explore it without risking a trespassing citation, Open House Chicago is for you. Every year, the Chicago Architecture Foundation throws the city-wide party that lets architecture nerds, history buffs, and simple creeps look behind typically locked doors. Over 200 sites around the city will be open this weekend, including banking institutions, logistics hubs, apartment blocks, and more. There’s a little something for everyone and tons of higher quality click-bait than this listing the best spots to hit. But, I figure you don’t need to be told why the Chicago Board of Trade building is worth seeing. Instead, here are some of the more strange spots that might fall by the wayside in the calamity to get the highest view of downtown: Yale Building – 6565 S. Yale (Englewood) You might be surprised to learn that the best substitute to a New Orleans vacation is taking the 8 Bus to Englewood. Hiding off of Marquette Road, this 7-story condominium has exterior style could be described as Romanesque Revival, but its interior is something entirely unique. Bright colors, hanging vines, steel balconies, and interior courtyard brings to mind images of the iconic architecture of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Constructed in 1893, the Yale Building was originally luxury housing for visitors of the Chicago Columbian Exposition. In fact, it’s just blocks away from the location of the infamous H.H. Holmes Murder castle (now the site of the Englewood Post Office). It remained high-income housing until the early 20th century when it was gutted and converted to mid-market apartments. Towards the end of the century, the building was dilapidated and on the path towards destruction. Luckily, it was registered a landmark in 2003 and converted into subsidized housing – today it is inhabited mostly by about 74 seniors. UIC Police Department – 943 W. Maxwell St. (University Village) This is the perfect opportunity to check out this place by choice, versus after a weeknight bender. Constructed in 1888, the building is a well-preserved example of a classic Chicago neighborhood police station. Its iconic exterior is built of red pressed brick and Joliet limestone, with walls three feet thick at the base. If the station looks familiar to you, there’s a good chance you have a corny taste in TV. In addition to being the oldest running police station in the city, the building has been immortalized on cop dramas Chicago PD and Hill Street Blues. While the UIC Police Department now patrols a relatively low-crime area made up largely of students and professionals, this wasn’t always the case. Before it was the UIC PD, this building was the 7th Distract Police Station – also known as “the Wickedest Police District in the World.” The 1.5 square mile area surrounding the station was termed “Bloody Maxwell” by the Chicago Tribune in 1906 for its violence and severe poverty. At it’s height, the precinct boasted over 200,000 residents, and more saloons and violence per capita than any other part of town. Suspect in custody at Maxwell Street Police Station (Library of Congress) The Tribune wrote, “Reveling in the freedom which comes from inadequate police control, inspired by the traditions of criminals that have gone before in the district, living in many instances more like beasts than like human beings, hundreds and thousands of boys and men follow day after day and year after year in the bloody ways of crime.” CTA Control Center – 120 N. Racine Ave (West Loop) 1.64 million riders serviced and 381,180 miles of distance covered every day. These are not small numbers when it comes to transport logistics. CTA manages 1,888 buses and 1,492 rail cars around the clock, and the magic’s got to happen somewhere. Maybe I just hoped that somewhere would be a little more glamorous than this nondescript warehouse. There weren’t any exterior images on Google, so this is the best you’re gonna get. The exterior design very much reads, “Yes, this is a government building. No, you’re not allowed in here.” In fact, in many online articles, they intentionally leave out the control center address. Sorry, CTA, I guess Open House Chicago dropped the ball on that one. “This is where we coordinate a lot of our service restoration, our emergency response, and just our day-to-day service that we provide,” says De La Cruz, CTA representative. From the West Loop Control Center, employees work 24 hours a day monitoring systems, handling crises, and dispatching relevant city employees. They’re trained to react to everything from snow on the tracks to a full-scale terrorist attack. A huge part of this effort is surveillance: each CTA station has 18-20 cameras, totaling 3600 across the city. There are many employees whose job it is to simply watch these cameras. So, next time you do something weird on CTA and wonder if anyone saw it, the answer is yes. Zap Props – 3611 S. Loomis Pl. (Bridgeport) It might not look like much from the outside, but this 36,000-square-foot warehouse stores an incredible variety of oddities, artifacts, and just plain everyday items. Nestled in the industrial no-mans land between Bridgeport and McKinley Park, Zap Props is a family owned business providing prop rental and interior decoration to movie sets and businesses throughout Chicago. When asked how many items lay behind the doors of Zap Props, owner Bill Rawski gives a definitive, “I have no idea.” Conservative estimates place the amount of items here at over a million, with categories ranging from taxidermy to architectural salvage. Calling this place an antique store on steroids might even be selling it short. A quick look at their Instagram page will show you just how many ridiculous items they have. “They started seeing what I was buying at the auction houses, they’re looking at me like, ‘You’re crazy! That stuff won’t sell! It’s not antique!’ But I had my own vision.” Rawski says that he gets the majority of his stuff at garage sales and flea markets. If you recognize something here, you might not be crazy. Restaurants all over the city, including chains like Tilted Kilt, Giordano’s and Fuddruckers, have all bought Zap Props. Zap Props is generally closed to the public, and requires a $45/hr fee to browse. So, make sure you check it out. Open House Chicago is October 14-15. To see the rest of the 200+ sites, check out their website here. AdvertisementsThe North Carolina State House Judiciary Committee recently approved House Bill 34, which makes it a felony to purposefully expose “private parts for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire.” According to WRAL.com, the bill's definition of “private parts” includes a woman’s “nipple, or any portion of the areola.” Women could spend up to six months in jail for a first offense. However, any incidental nipple exposure by breastfeeding mothers would be exempt. State Rep. Sarah Steven said that women could use pasties or nipple coverings: “They’d be good to go." “You know what they say, duct tape fixes everything,” added State Rep. Tim Moore. State Rep. Rayne Brown is co-sponsoring the bill because GoTopless.org activists held a topless women’s rights rally in Asheville, North Carolina last summer (graphic video below). “You’ve got local governments passing ordinances to protect themselves from just this thing,” Brown said. “These folks don’t need to be doing that, but they do it because they’re not sure about the law.” ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website Source: WRAL.com and GoTopless.org WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO undefinedOf the 81 pitchers who reached the 162-inning threshold necessary to qualify for the ERA title, 19 had an average fastball velocity of less than 90 MPH. In a league where scouting is often performed with the radar gun, are these pitchers effective? If so, how? The traditional conception of a pitcher with below average velocity is that of a back of the rotation innings eater, or in other words, a below average starting pitcher. This was not the case in 2013 as this group averaged a 3.80 ERA, which is slightly less than the 3.87 league mark. How did this group manage to not only merit a roster spot but collectively prevent runs better than the league average rate? The chart below shows the average fastball velocity of each of the 19 pitchers on this list that we will be examining. To answer these questions, I examined the statistics of three groups of pitchers. 1. Qualified pitchers (162 IP) with average fastball velocities below 90 MPH, which we will call the sub-90â€™s group. 2. All qualified pitchers. 3. The league average. All members of the first two groups are primarily starting pitchers (Jerome Willams was the lone swingman to qualify) while the league average includes both starters and relievers. Traditional Statistics The chart below shows traditional statistics of each of these three groups. Some of the counting stats are omitted in the league average for obvious reasons. Sub-90s Group All Qualifiers League Average IP 195 195 Â W 12.3 12.2 Â L 11 9.9 Â SO 141.2 164.7 Â HR 22.5 19.7 Â ERA 3.81 3.61 3.87 WHIP 1.26 1.23 1.3 It's odd that members of the sub-90s group are traditionally referred to as â€œinning eatersâ€, yet they average almost exactly the same amount of innings pitched as the rest of the qualified starters. James Shields and Justin Verlander seem to be much better candidates for the innings eater label than anyone in the sub-90s group. Perhaps this label is instead reserved for those who eat innings but offer little else, but either way, there seems to be little correlation between innings pitched among qualified starters and velocity. The same appears to be true regarding wins and losses. The differences in this data set are found in strikeouts, home runs, and ERA. We have already mentioned that the ERA of the sub-90s group is better than league average, but worse than the average of the qualified starters. This seems to imply that the group of qualified starters is the most effective of these three groups, followed by the group of qualified starters with sub-90s fastballs, with the league average pitcher coming in last. These differences between the group of all qualified starters and those with sub-90 fastballs are supported by the difference in home runs and strikeouts. It doesn't come as much of a surprise that the sub-90s group strikes out fewer batters than their hard throwing counterparts. The home run totals for the sub-90s group are inflated due to extremely high marks of 36 by A.J. Griffin, 35 by R.A. Dickey, and 32 by Bronson Arroyo. Nine of the pitchers in the sub-90s group surrendered fewer home runs than the average of all qualified starters meaning that the inflated home run mark of the sub-90s group results from a few extraneous variables much more than a significant trend. Observations and Conclusions from this section 1. Members of the sub-90s group should not be referred to as innings eaters. 2. Members of the sub-90s group strike out fewer batters than members of other groups. 3. The high home run totals of the sub-90s group are the result of extremely high totals from a few pitchers and not a general trend. Rate Statistics Sub-90's Group All Qualifiers League Average K% 17.24 20.24 19.9 BB% 6.07 6.93 7.9 HR% 2.75 2.42 2.52 BABIP 0.287 0.289 0.294 AVG Against 0.256 0.245 0.25 OBP Against 0.309 0.305 0.32 These rates are largely unsurprising and confirm the assertion from the previous section that of the three groups, the average qualified starting pitcher is best, followed by the average member of the sub-90â€™s group and finally the league average pitcher. It makes sense that the K rate of the sub-90s group is lower than the rest and it also makes sense that their BB rate is lower than the rest. Since these pitchers lack power, they must make up for it with movement and control. The latter of these attributes is evident in the walk rate that is nearly two percent lower than league average. As described before, the sub-90s group has a few members who are abnormally prone to home runs, which brings the rates of the entire group down. However, those with high home run rates have found other ways to counteract their combination of poor velocity and poor home run rates. A.J. Griffin and R.A. Dickey held opposing hitters to an extremely low AVG, while Bronson Arroyo posted the second-lowest BB rate in the group at 4.10% (Bartolo Colonâ€™s 3.80 mark was best). The difference in BABIP between the three groups is relatively small, but the difference in K rates widens the gap in AVG Against, as AVG against is a result of BABIP and K rate. This demonstrates the value of the strikeout as a sure out that is not subject to the variance of balls in play. The low BB rate of the sub-90â€™s group lessens this gap in OBP Against. Observations and Conclusions from this Section 1. Members of the sub-90s group walk fewer batter than members of the other groups. 2. Confirmation of conclusion three from the previous section: The high home run totals of the sub-90s group are the result of extremely high totals from a few pitchers and not a general trend. Pitch Data The following data show the value of each pitch from each group of pitchers. CT stands for cut fastball and SF stands for split-fingered fastball. The first listed statistic for each pitch, which features the pitch abbreviation followed by a lowercase v, stands for the velocity of each pitch. The second statistic is the usage of each pitch as a percentage of the total number of pitches thrown. The third and likely most unfamiliar statistic measures the value of each pitch per 100 pitches. Sub-90s Group All Qualifiers League Average FB% 49.9 54.8 57.8 FBv 88.4 91.3 91.7 wFB/C -0.11 0.07 -0.09 Â Â Â Â CT% 10.3 6.3 5.7 CTv 85.1 87.3 87.5 wCT/C -0.64 -0.28 0.13 Â Â Â Â CB% 9.1 10.7 9.7 CBv 73.7 76.6 77.3 wCB/C -0.56 -0.44 -0.09 Â Â Â Â SL% 11.3 13.5 14.5 SLv 81.3 83.3 83.3 wSL/C -0.28 0.48 0.45 Â Â Â Â CH% 11.4 11.7 10.2 CHv 80 83.4 82.9 wCH/C -0.51 -0.11 0.01 Â Â Â Â SF% 3.3 2 1.7 SFv 83.7 84.4 83.7 wSF/C 0.54 -0.05 -0.08 Before jumping to conclusions with this data, keep in mind that R.A. Dickeyâ€™s profile as a knuckleballer skews the pitch selection for the sub-90s group more than the group of all qualified pitchers. Excluding Dickey, the pitch selection for both groups is listed below. Sub-90's Group All Qualifiers FB% 52 55.4 CT% 10.9 6.4 CB% 9.6 10.8 SL% 11.9 13.6 CH% 12 11.9 SF% 3.4 2 It's no surprise that the velocities of the sub-90s group are lower than the velocities of each of the other groups in every pitch category, but the usage patterns are interesting. The average qualified starting pitcher throws his fastball significantly less than the league average pitcher, and the average starting pitcher with a sub-90s fastball throws his fastball even less than that. This makes sense and confirms the conventional wisdom that a starting pitcher must have three effective pitches but a reliever must only have two, thus starting pitchers will throw each pitch less frequently. The data also show that the sub-90s group is also extremely likely to rely heavily on a cut fastball even though it proved to be the least effective collective pitch from the group. Of the 19 pitchers in the sub-90s group, 10 throw a cut fastball with six throwing the pitch at least 20% of the time. The split-fingered fastball is used by only four of the 19 pitchers in this group, but is used extensively among three of them. Hisashi Iwakuma throws his split-fingered fastball 22.8% of the time, followed by Ryan Dempster at 17.7%, Dan Haren at 16.9%, and Scott Feldman at 4.6%. For these four pitchers the split-fingered fastball serves as a replacement for a changeup as none of them throw the pitch. Only two qualified pitchers, Ubaldo Jimenez and Yu Darvish, threw both pitches during the 2013 season. Each of the other 79 qualified pitchers chose between one pitch or the other. Justin Masterson came the closest to throwing neither pitch as he did not throw a split-fingered fastball and only threw his changeup 0.1% of the time. Conventional wisdom holds that those who lack fastball velocity must overcome this deficit by effectively changing speeds and locating well, but evidently this notion is far from accurate. We have already established that control is an area where the sub-90â€™s group excels but what about the other aspects of these common assumptions? Letâ€™s examine these one at a time, beginning with the assumption that a harder fastball is necessarily a better fastball, then examining the tendency of members of the sub-90s group to change speeds more frequently. The data shows that the correlation between fastball velocity and wFB/C among qualified starting pitchers was a mere 0.28 (where 0 means no correlation and 1 means perfect correlation). The sub-90s group fared extremely well in the value rankings of the pitch, as Iwakumaâ€™s fastball was the 12th most valuable among qualified starters last season while Colonâ€™s came in 15th, Woodâ€™s came in 16th, and Fisterâ€™s came in 19th. Moving to the bottom of the list, Bronson Arroyoâ€™s sub-90s fastball was the least valuable, followed by Edwin Jackson's 93.1 MPH heater. Wily Peralta's 94.8 MPH fastball, the fourth hardest among qualified starters, was the eighth worst fastball among the same group. It seems that the proper conclusion from this data is that high velocity is better than low velocity but velocity is not the only factor necessary for an effective fastball. It is certainly possible to have a good fastball with poor velocity and a poor fastball with good velocity. However, the very best fastballs are thrown
Brumbach stopped on the trail a short distance farther along and cocked his head. “Flicker,” he said, identifying a faint bird call. “They like to make noise.” He paused contemplatively, head back, looking in the direction of the sound. But he was still thinking about bears. “The most dangerous animal in the wilds,” he said, “as in the rest of the world, walks on two legs.” Brumbach speaks slowly, in complete, declarative sentences with emphatic annunciation, like a man accustomed to thinking before opening his mouth. Not surprising for a scientist. Brumbach got his Ph.D. in chemistry from Penn State, worked as a physicist for Argonne National Laboratories for 20 years, and later became a chemistry professor at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs (hence the first part of his business card). On our second day in the woods, while negotiating the upper reaches of Turkey Creek, I noted his steady, confident, long-striding gait and asked how long he’d been hiking. “That has two answers,” he said. “All my life, and since 1978. I have been exploring on foot my whole life, and was in the Boy Scouts in the 50s, but it wasn’t until a 12-day trip into the Wind River Range in 1978 that I got hooked. It was my first trip in genuinely Western terrain and the sheer beauty of the place astounded me. Thereafter, serious hiking became an important part of my life.” Brumbach left a good job in Illinois and moved West. But it wasn’t until the spry age of 57 that he began his quest to hike all U.S. Forest Service wilderness areas (the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also manage wilderness areas, but the USFS claims the lion’s share of them by number of units, if not by area). “I’d visited about 50 wilderness areas, and from my limited experience at the time, I decided the Forest Service wildernesses had the best to offer. The motivation to do them all was elementary: I wanted to experience the most scenic, most aesthetic natural places.” It was no accident that Brumbach, Spies, and I had chosen to hike in the Gila. It’s the world’s first official wilderness area, designated on June 3, 1924, due largely to the intense commitment of a young man named Aldo Leopold. The Forest Service set aside more than 700,000 acres of the Gila River headwaters with the simplest of management instructions: “Prohibit roads and hotels, and then leave it alone.” (The administrative act establishing the Gila Wilderness foreshadowed the congressional act that followed four decades later.) Back in 1909, Leopold, one of the nation’s first Yale graduates in the newly created field of forest management, was assigned to hunt bears, wolves, and mountain lions in the territories of New Mexico and Arizona. But on the ground, he quickly began to rethink the balance of predators and prey needed for a healthy, functioning ecosystem. Leopold was one of the first land managers to recognize that a sustainable ecosystem was an exceedingly complex web of intricate interactions among all species. Aldo Leopold is now famous as the father of the modern conservation movement, cofounder of The Wilderness Society, and author of the seminal, very personal biodiversity treatise A Sand County Almanac. Leopold didn’t live long enough to see his dream of a national wilderness system realized. But 16 years after his death in 1948, following an eight-year struggle and 66 drafts, Congress passed the Wilderness Act, signed by President Lyndon Johnson on September 3, 1964. Today there are 758 wilderness areas in the National Wilderness Preservation System, comprising more than 109 million acres, all governed by this poetic definition: A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor and does not remain. In 1964, one could imagine hiking in all of the wilderness areas. The new law established 54 designated units in 13 states. Fifty years later, hiking in even a quarter of them looks nearly impossible. But Brumbach set about his quest methodically, like any scientist would. On one road trip to the Eastern U.S., he hiked in 25 wilderness areas in 33 days. (To mark it off the list, his minimum visit is a hike of at least a few hours.) “Most of them were dayhikes because the wildernesses are just so small in the East. And they all look so damn similar. I started to ask myself, ‘Didn’t I do this exact same trail yesterday?’” That’s not to say he didn’t come to appreciate these smaller wilderness areas. “I was in West Virginia at the Spice Run Wilderness trailhead when a grizzled old guy roars up in a service pickup and jumps out. He was curious why someone from Wyoming—he saw my plates—would care about this remote, little piece of land.” The man took Brumbach to a small hunting camp and shared stories and photos of how generations of his family had explored and hunted in the hushed dales—a wild slice of oak and hickory and maples. The experience helped Brumbach appreciate the value of all wilderness—even if he remains biased toward the West. “In my view,” expounded Brumbach, the third day in the Gila, “there’s nature on the grand scale—the Wrangell-St. Elias Wilderness in Alaska, for example—and nature at the detail level, like squirrel tracks and brilliant oak leaves in the Joyce-Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. I enjoy them both, but my heart is drawn to the majesty of the big Western wildernesses.” Brumbach has spent more than 1,200 days hiking in wilderness areas—not including getting to and from his destinations. He acknowledges the wildernesses in Alaska, which invariably require a bush pilot flight, have been expensive. Last year alone he spent $9,000 on bush flights. “But everything in the Lower 48 is extremely cheap,” he says. He never stays in a hotel, just sleeps in his Nissan Frontier pickup bed at the trailhead or a nearby campground. One afternoon in New Mexico, as the three of us were making a steep, ankle-turning ascent of Granite Peak, I asked him if he’d ever been hurt on his adventures. “Never. I am a cautious person. I am not impulsive.” We stopped to catch our breath. “To tell you the truth,” he added, “I’ve never had a single negative experience on the trail.” Pressed, he admitted that he once left his tent poorly staked in Indian Basin in the Wind River Range on a windy day, then climbed Jackson Peak. When he returned, his tent was floating in a lake. “The wind eventually blew it to the far shore. Surprisingly, my sleeping bag, which was inside, was still dry.” All those wilderness areas and no snakebites or scorpion stings, no broken legs nor lost-for-days, no near-drownings during river crossings or nasty glissades during pass crossings. And most of them done solo to boot. Brumbach doesn’t deem going alone the least bit dangerous. “You simply need to know your limits, mental and physical, and not become so goal-oriented that you lose your rationality.” I suppose you can’t take the scientist out of the hiker. Still, the hiker in Brumbach has his say on the final day. “In modern society, we’re used to living in material comfort and getting our way,” he said, “but in the wilderness, we have the chance to revert back to a simpler life and must accept the day on nature’s terms, not our own. There’s a valuable lesson in that. Wilderness returns us to rhythms that are ancient parts of ourselves that have been lost living in cities.” Do anything long enough, with enough passion, and you will become a connoisseur of your subject. Keep doing it, keep thinking about it, and you become a critic. Brumbach has ranked all 430 USFS wilderness areas he has visited according to a rating system, which he admits is subjective, hiker-biased, and sometimes based on limited experience. For example, he has spent more than 200 days in the Wind Rivers on some 40 trips, while only a few hours in sundry small Eastern wildernesses. Here are his criteria: Is it wild? Traffic noise, crowds, litter—signs of civilization—diminish wildness. Is it scenic? Face it, some landscapes are more appealing than others. Does it have unique biological or geological features (i.e. is it interesting)? Fjords, brown bears, spires of granite or cactus? Is it hikable? Swamps, thickets, briar patches are not hikable. Is it overrun with domesticated livestock? Livestock push out endemic species. Besides, sheep chew the grass to dirt, and cows shit everywhere, especially in sensitive riparian zones. Although the Wilderness Act is now 50, there has yet to be a legal definition of “wilderness character.” In a paper in Park Science that investigates the issue, the authors identify five fundamental traits of wilderness that match Brumbach’s criteria remarkably well: naturalness (“free from the effects of modern civilization”); the opportunity for solitude; undeveloped (“wilderness retains its primeval character”); untrammeled (ecological systems are “unhindered by human control”); and contains “unique features” of some kind (such as geology, culture, or history). But Brumbach goes even further—he has ranked each wilderness from one-star up to five-star. The one-, two-, and three-star rankings aren’t worth mentioning. In the four-star category are some classics—Frank Church in Idaho, Emigrant in California, Maroon Bells-Snowmass and Holy Cross in Colorado—but also some surprises, like the Garden of the Gods in Illinois. There are only 22 places on his five-star list, which according to Brumbach means, “Go. Go out of your way to visit this area.” Click Here to see the complete list. Curious, I asked Brumbach to name his top three wilderness areas. “Bridger, Fitzpatrick, Popo Agie. Does that make me provincial?” he asked rhetorically. All three are in Wyoming, his home state. “I don’t think so. Remember, I am a hiker. I want to hike in the wilderness. Accessibility matters to me. I don’t have to book a bush pilot or a commercial plane to visit these wildernesses.” On the final afternoon, we were walking along conversing about the visionary foresight of the Wilderness Act and the ecological ignorance that is now pervasive in the U.S. “The Act’s founders knew what was coming down the road, literally and figuratively, and knew they needed to do something about it,” Brumbach said. “The Wilderness Act could never pass through Congress today.” Engrossed in conversation, I managed to lose the trail. We halted in an open forest, pulled out the topo, and checked the GPS. I suggested that we were still going the right direction and should just bash onward. Brumbach looked at me quizzically, obviously perplexed by such an ill-conceived notion, and quietly advised that we merely follow the GPS bearing back to our last waypoint. Which we did and quickly located the trail. On our last night, around the campfire, satiated by a dinner of rice and beans, I asked Brumbach about the remaining Forest Service wilderness areas on his list. He has nine more to hike. Five are in Alaska, and there’s one each in Pennsylvania, Michigan, California, and Puerto Rico. Brumbach departed for Alaska as this issue went to press, and should be well on his way to finishing his quest by the end of summer. “I already have my bush flights booked,” he said with a wide grin. I asked him if he thinks his quest is an obsession. “Well, I guess that is the right word,” he replied, almost reluctantly. “In my defense, I can say that it has given me the magnificent opportunity to see nature up close and personal, undisturbed, in solitude.” In Alaska, Brumbach plans to visit the Warren Island, Tracy Arm-Fords Terror, Chuck River, and Pleasant/Lemusurier/Inian Islands wilderness areas on one trip, and Endicott River Wilderness on a separate adventure, later in the summer, when stream crossings are safer. “I’m told the Endicott, because of its extreme inaccessibility, might be the least-visited national forest wilderness.” And then what? What does a man do who has hiked all 439 Forest Service wilderness areas? A man who is fitter and sharper than most men half his age, and who is committed to hiking through the most aesthetic landscapes in America? Brumbach was sitting on a log, his face glowing in the firelight. “There are 61 national park wilderness areas, and I’ve already hiked in 31 of them. Thirty to go!” he said with anticipatory delight. Now that’s a Very Serious Hiker. ■ Mark Jenkins has hiked, hunted, climbed, or fished in all 15 wilderness areas in his home state of Wyoming. The National Wilderness System 439 Forest Service 221 Bureau of Land Management 71 Fish and Wildlife Service +61 National Park Service 758* total areas[np_storybar title=”Eyewitness account” link=””] I was coming from Hudson’s Bay and was heading to the subway northbound around 7.37 p.m. I walk towards the back of the platform and when the train arrives, which was a few minutes later, I enter the second last section of the train. I sat there for a couple of minutes while the train was idling and there was an announcement that the emergency button was pressed. I assumed that the train will resume service after 10 minutes so I stayed seated along with other bystanders. People sitting in front of me were staring at something behind me and then I saw a couple of policemen in yellow jackets pass by like they were looking for something. I turned my head, thinking it wasn’t something serious and then I hear the policemen scream “put your hands where I can see them” multiple times which caught everyone’s attention. I didn’t hear everything that the guy yelled back but I clearly heard him say “…. I don’t have anything to live for anyways.” I looked in the direction that they were looking at and saw this guy at the back of the train. Tall guy with a black jacket. That’s when everyone started getting out of the train and I saw that the policemen had their guns pointed at him. We all (as in about 15-20 of us) slowly walk to the exit (Hudson’s Bay side) and met up with other people just waiting there. I heard from another bystander that he had a gun pointed at his own head. I also heard he was a young guy. We all wait in the middle of the exit thinking that the policemen had caught the guy but that’s when approximately 6-8 other policemen came. They started directing us to leave the platform and that’s when people all started heading towards the staircase that leads to the Hudson’s Bay underground bypass. At that time, I retrieved a transfer ticket (7:57 p.m.) and after 15 seconds, all of a sudden we all heard about 10-15 gun shots. That is when everyone started running up the stair case and escalators. People who were coming down were going back up, people were even running up the down escalators in which some got hurt from falling or were traumatized from the shots that they heard. I left through the Bay and that’s when I took a picture of all the policemen outside. Jessica Wong [/np_storybar] Ontario’s police watchdog said Saturday that it’s believed four officers opened fire inside a Toronto subway station, wounding a man in an incident that eyewitnesses described as sending a ripple of panic through transit riders. Shots rang out inside the Queen subway station underneath the bustling Eaton Centre mall around 8 p.m. Friday, sending the 18-year-old man to hospital. Subway rider Kevin Chan described a frightening and chaotic scene onboard the train before the young man was shot. “It was like people panicking, screaming and then people saying ’get off’… some people were crying,” he told local media outlets after the incident. Carm Piro with the Special Investigations Unit told reporters it’s believed four of the nine officers who were on the scene fired their weapons. “The man has some gunshot wounds. We haven’t been able to determine which officer has caused those injuries.” The SIU earlier said the man was in stable condition in hospital but didn’t offer an update on his condition. It isn’t releasing his name because his family won’t consent to it. Piro said officers were responding to calls from inside the station about a “suspicious person” on a subway train. He said the person had a weapon, but wouldn’t elaborate. He said the four officers have not been interviewed, though three of five “witness officers” have. More than a dozen eyewitnesses at the station have also told investigators their account of the incident and it’s hoped others who were there will have video footage, Piro said. Other witnesses said multiple shots were fired after police ordered a man to drop a weapon. Piro wouldn’t comment on the number of shots or the circumstances of the incident, citing the ongoing investigation. Jessica Wong, who said she was on the same train as the victim, described the chaotic scene in a Tweet. Police officers told the man to put up his hands where they could see them and ordered the other passengers off the train, she said. The young man screamed, “I have nothing to live for anyways,” Wong said. She said she heard 10 to 15 gunshots. A main leg of the Yonge Street subway line surrounding the station was closed following the shooting, with service resuming for holiday shoppers and other passengers early Saturday afternoon. The shooting is the second time this year police have used lethal force on city transit. It comes after the fatal police shooting in late July of 18-year-old Sammy Yatim on an empty streetcar, an incident caught on video that sparked noisy protests and accusations that officers are too eager to go for their guns in confrontations. An officer faces a second-degree murder charge in Yatim’s death, while the police service has also launched a review of its use-of-force policies. Meanwhile, an ongoing coroner’s inquest is looking into the deaths of three Toronto-area residents who were gunned down by police at different times over the past three years. Coun. Josh Matlow said that while the facts aren’t yet in on just what happened during the subway shooting, lethal force should always be the “last option” for police. “I deeply hope that the results of the SIU investigation show that the police acted responsibly. But if it turns out that they did not then the public would justifiably demand accountability.” The Canadian Press, with files from Tristin Hopper, National PostAnalysis When Apple's iOS 11.2 update arrived on December 2, the release notes touted faster wireless charging support, among other enhancements, but made no mention of a necessary but less appealing augmentation: retarded apps for aging iPhone models. It turns out Apple's mobile operating system includes a throttling mechanism for devices with weary batteries, designed to limit CPU utilization in order to prevent peak power demands that the battery is no longer capable of providing. In other words, the OS secretly stalls the CPU on older iPhones to stop them rapidly draining their aging batteries to zero. When the CPU runs slower, though, so do the apps on the device, and some of the iPhone users who experienced this first hand have been wondering why. Since at least last year, Apple's iPhones have been shutting down unexpectedly, a consequence of power management problems. In November 2016, the iGiant launched a repair program specifically for iPhone 6s units made between September 2015 and October 2015 because they were whimsically powering themselves down at inconvenient times. In January, Apple released iOS 10.2.1 which included a fix in the form of a CPU speed limit designed to stop older model iPhones – 6, 6s, and SE – from demanding too much from batteries with diminished capacity, thus preventing the handsets from rapidly running out of juice and powering off. In December, Apple added its secret slow mode to iPhone 7 models via iOS 11.2. John Poole, founder and president of software biz Primate Labs, on Monday published an analysis of iPhone 6s and 7 performance profiles, running various iOS versions, using his company's GeekBench software. Based on explanations offered on Reddit and on his findings, he speculated that Apple had extended its CPU throttling to its iPhone 7. On Wednesday, Apple acknowledged the situation in an email to The Register: Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices. Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components. Last year we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions. We’ve now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future. A 2008 support article, since removed without explanation from Apple's website, discusses similar power management tactics for its MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks. Battery problems are common in the mobile device industry because chemistry tends to be messy. Apple has had its share of battery issues, though it has yet to top the self-combusting Samsung's Galaxy Note 7. Poole, in a phone interview with The Register, said iPhone users have been complaining for a while about performance problems related to batteries. "But I'm not aware of any other manufacturer limiting processor speed due to performance concerns," he said. Poole said he began looking into the issue after his wife complained about her iPhone. "She said her iPhone had gotten really slow," he explained. Apple's processors, said Poole, are particularly fast and that makes them more demanding on the battery. Over the coming weeks, Poole said he intends to look into whether other devices like Apple's iPad or various Android handsets are subject to similar CPU throttling. Apple, Poole believes, should have been more open about the issue. Instead of applying a fix behind the scenes without telling anyone, he said the company should have been more transparent. "If Apple had disclosed to people that it had to reduce performance because the battery was degraded," he said, "I think that would have gone a long way toward helping people understand." ®The Baltimore Orioles’ travel chess set couldn’t look any more low-rent: chunky plastic pieces with a flexible rubber mat with green and white squares. But in a visiting clubhouse where more than two dozen guys have a ton of time to kill, it’s a hub of activity. A rotating cast of players, plus first-base coach Wayne Kirby, takes turns in a series of grudge matches, but before a Saturday evening game in Houston, pitcher Dylan Bundy and third baseman Manny Machado are up. Machado, long and broad, leans on one arm, bending over the table, while the more compact Bundy keeps all six legs on the floor, staring at the board like it’s a particularly intransigent question on a high school algebra test. Some variation of this showdown happens before every game in every clubhouse in the league. It’s chess in the Orioles’ locker room, but elsewhere it’s ping-pong, Monopoly, or one of a hundred different card games. Unlike most clubhouse games, which are ultimately a way for pathologically competitive 20-somethings to lock horns and therefore involve trash talk, complaining, and swearing in at least two languages, this game resolves quietly. Bundy checkmates Machado and, with a nod, retreats to his own locker, as do Machado and the two or three spectators. It’s all very routine. Bundy met Machado for the first time at a wood bat tournament when they were 16 or 17. Machado, despite being a year ahead in school, was only four months older, so they wound up in the same age bracket. By that point, both were on professional teams’ draft radar and were starting to scope out the competition to learn who they might see again in pro ball. Their first in-person meeting went better for Bundy than it did for Machado. “He was a hell of a player,” Machado said. “I think we faced him one time and he had 13 strikeouts in six innings or something like that, which was crazy.” Machado figured out how to hit just about everyone else; as a big, power-hitting Dominican American shortstop from Miami, he was drawing comparisons to Alex Rodriguez by the time he finished high school. In 2010, the Orioles made Machado the no. 3 pick in the draft and offered him a $5.25 million signing bonus, the highest sum they’d ever paid to a high school draft pick. Bundy joined the organization a year later. High school pitchers are almost comically unpredictable as draft prospects — in the 52-year history of the draft, a high school right-hander has famously never gone with the no. 1 pick — and even then, Bundy wasn’t exactly a prototypical high school pitching prospect. Most big high school right-handers are, well, big. Josh Beckett (no. 2 overall in 1999) is 6-foot-5. Tyler Kolek (no. 2 overall in 2014) is 6-foot-5, 260 pounds. Lucas Giolito, who might have gone first overall in 2012 if not for a sprained UCL and a big bonus demand that caused him to fall to no. 16, is 6-foot-6, 255 pounds. Bundy came out of high school with a fastball that touched triple digits, a devastating cutter, a plus curveball, and unusual polish for an 18-year-old. But he’s only 6-foot-1. Conventional wisdom is that bigger pitchers are more durable, and they definitely have an easier time throwing downhill and releasing the ball as close to the plate as possible. However, Bundy’s repertoire and command made him look like the rarest of amateur pitchers: a relatively safe bet to become a big league contributor who nonetheless had top-of-the-rotation upside. In one of the strongest drafts of the 2000s, Baltimore took Bundy and gave him a $4 million bonus and a five-year major league contract. Anthony Rendon, Francisco Lindor, Javier Báez, José Fernández, Sonny Gray, Joe Panik, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Michael Fulmer came off the board in the next 40 picks. Bundy and Machado have been not only linked, but cast as the future of the Orioles since they were teenagers. That’s exactly what they became: Bundy is the no. 1 starter and Machado the top position player on a team that’s a game out of the wild card and very much in the thick of the pennant race, despite a recent 2–9 skid. But even though they started and ended in the same place, Bundy and Machado have lived very different lives since their big league debuts. Those back-to-back top-five selections transformed Baltimore’s otherwise bare farm system. Before the 2012 season, Baseball Prospectus rated Bundy and Machado the no. 6 and no. 8 overall prospects in baseball, with Jonathan Schoop (no. 85) as the only other Oriole in the top 101. No other team had two top-10 prospects, and only the Mariners (Jesús Montero and Taijuan Walker) and Pirates (Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon) had two players in the top 20. Coming up through the Orioles system presented specific narrative challenges to both Machado and Bundy. For 44 of the team’s first 50 seasons in Baltimore, the left side of the Orioles’ infield featured at least one Hall of Famer — either Brooks Robinson or Cal Ripken — plus a couple of Hall of Very Good players, like shortstop Mark Belanger and third baseman Doug DeCinces. A 40-plus-WAR career was always the expectation for Machado. Bundy, meanwhile, was tasked with overturning 20 years of history, in which the Orioles’ farm system produced just about nothing in the way of starting pitchers. Since Mike Mussina debuted in 1991, the Orioles have produced Erik Bedard and an argument about whether Chris Tillman, who was a Mariner up until Double-A, and Wei-Yin Chen, who spent five seasons in NPB, count as “homegrown.” It’s not for lack of investment, either. From the 1994 strike through 2010, the Orioles spent 14 first-round picks, five of them in the top 10, on pitchers. Of those, only five even made it to the majors, and only Brian Matusz, a no. 4 overall pick and two-time top-20 prospect who turned out to be a LOOGY, has a positive career WAR. As Bundy and Machado both shot through the minors, they still knew each other mostly by reputation and during their time in spring training. “There’s 50 or 100 guys in a small area, so you get to know everybody pretty well,” Bundy said. “Then the guys who are a level above or below you, you hear their names and see box scores.” In 2012, as the Orioles chased their first playoff appearance since 1997, that changed, and the two top prospects took the field together for the first time. In early August 2012, veteran third baseman Wilson Betemit went down with a wrist injury and Machado, despite having played two games at third base in his entire career, was called up to replace him. Bundy took Machado’s place at Double-A Bowie. “It was awesome, just being in the big leagues was an unbelievable experience,” Machado said. “To come up and for them to have so much faith in me in the middle of their first pennant race in 15 years, it gave me the encouragement that I needed.” That Orioles team had Adam Jones and a bunch of good players, but no other real stars. Machado quickly made good on the hype and became a household name nationwide, thanks mostly to his precocious defense. “I was just playing the game,” Machado said. “I was just excited to be in the big leagues, to be honest, so I didn’t worry about anything else. I was hitting eighth or ninth, so it really didn’t matter what I did with the bat as long as I played good defense, so that was my main focus.” Machado had just turned 20, and because his July 6 birthday falls a week after Baseball-Reference’s cutoff date, he’s credited with playing part of his age-19 season in the majors, a distinction shared by only 10 other active players. One of them is Bundy, who debuted on September 23, 2012, two months shy of his own 20th birthday. While Machado went on to win two Gold Gloves, hit 35 home runs twice, make three All-Star teams and earn two top-five MVP finishes by age 24, Bundy spent the next three years in the wilderness. The issues began in 2012, when Bundy, whose out pitch in high school was a high-80s cut fastball, was scything through three minor league levels. That summer, it came out that the Orioles had forbidden him from throwing the cutter during his first minor league season. That’s not in and of itself unusual; teams will often have a prospect put a pitch on the shelf to force him to develop his weaker offerings. But when it came out that Orioles GM Dan Duquette thought the cutter was bad for Bundy’s arm and wanted him to scrap it permanently — this only a year after the Orioles drafted the cutter-happy Bundy in the top five — a minor scandal ensued. It seemed at the time like an organization with an unparalleled track record of screwing up pitching prospects was doing it again, this time to a pitcher who came out of high school looking un-screw-up-able. Then Bundy started the 2013 season sidelined with forearm soreness, a nebulous affliction that’s often a precursor to a torn UCL. And in late June it became official: Bundy needed Tommy John surgery, ending his 2013 season before he’d thrown a pitch. Bundy says he stayed positive throughout his rehab thanks to an unfortunate coincidence: His older brother Bobby, also an Orioles minor leaguer, suffered the same injury a month later. “We were able to go through Tommy John together and live in the same apartment in Florida and rehab together,” Bundy said. “You’ve just got to stay positive the whole time and look up success stories, not the failures. Read those and you’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel.” Bundy returned to action in June 2014 and made nine starts before a lat strain sidelined him for the rest of the year. In 2015, he made it back to Double-A, but suffered a calcium buildup in his shoulder that ended his season in late May (outside of a two-inning stint in the Arizona Fall League). Since his cameo in 2012 featured two relief appearances in which he didn’t strike out a batter, it took Bundy until April 21, 2016, his seventh major league appearance, to notch his first big league strikeout. On May 27, he picked up his first win, and on July 17, he allowed four runs in 3.1 innings in his first big league start, almost four years after he replaced Machado on the Double-A roster. “I didn’t get too bad, but there were times when I was like, ‘Dang it, I don’t know if I’m ever going to throw 95 again,’” Bundy said. “But I just continued to keep my head up and continued to do my rehab.” Bundy finished 2016 with a 4.02 ERA in 36 appearances, 14 of them starts. After throwing 65.1 innings across all levels from 2013 to 2015, Bundy threw 109.2 innings in the majors in 2016. Bundy was right about one thing: He’s not consistently hitting 95 anymore. After throwing in the high 90s and maxing out at 100 in high school, then sitting at 95 and maxing out at 97 in 2012, Bundy’s fastball has averaged 92.2 miles an hour in 2017, with his fastest offering coming at 95.7. Despite the drop in velocity, and despite a strikeout rate of just 6.2 K/9, Bundy has been Baltimore’s best starter in 2017, with a team-leading 145 ERA+ and — perhaps most importantly — 71.2 innings pitched in 11 starts. “My goal is to make 30 starts this year,” Bundy said. “Mainly, as long as I feel good and take care of my body, hopefully I can make 30 starts and continue to grow as a pitcher in the mental side of the game. Not so much making pitches nastier, but locating them better.” Still only 24, Bundy could yet become the Orioles’ best homegrown pitcher of the past 20 years. The Orioles, despite lacking a no. 1 starter, are still the winningest team in the American League since 2012, so they can win even if Bundy doesn’t turn into the next Mussina, but it would make life easier if he did. “You need someone like that, and he definitely has everything in the tank to get there,” said Machado. “He’s still young, he’s still learning the hitters. He just needs to continue doing what he’s been doing and not really worry about anything else. Every single day you’re working at fastball command. If you can command the fastball and throw it where you want to at any time, you can control an at-bat and throw your off-speed stuff to get weak contact or strikeouts.” Bundy’s been able to live with the velocity drop because after not throwing a single cutter in 2016, he’s brought back his old out pitch. Only now he’s adjusted how he holds the ball, trading velocity for movement, and he’s calling it a slider. “It’s pretty much the same pitch, minus the velo,” Bundy said. “When I was in high school I was throwing it 89, 90 miles an hour. Now it’s 82–84, and it’s just a tad bigger than it was in high school. I’ll take it — it’s a swing-and-miss pitch, a ground-ball pitch.” About one pitch in five this year has been a slider for Bundy — 239 in all — and it isn’t causing him any discomfort in his surgically repaired elbow. “So far so good. I haven’t felt anything on my forearm that I felt before,” Bundy said. “As long as I don’t feel anything, I’ll keep on throwing it. If I do end up feeling anything, I’ll shut it down immediately and continue to throw my three-pitch mix.” While Bundy has hit a groove, Machado is struggling for the first time since his injury-plagued 2014 season. He’s battled beanballs against Boston and, despite career highs in walk rate and hard-contact rate, he’s hitting only.210/.292/.415, for an 88 wRC+. But Machado says he hasn’t changed his approach or swing, nor does he think pitchers are attacking him differently. In fact, he’s completely unconcerned with his underlying numbers. “That’s you guys coming up with some dumb-ass stats,” he said. “I’m just playing baseball. It’s just like any other year. For five years it’s been the same. It’s just a matter of [hits not] falling now, and that’s just part of the game.” Machado’s distaste for the numbers notwithstanding, an 86-point drop in BABIP from last year (.309 to.223) seems to back him up. He’s seen a decline in line-drive percentage, but that should be offset by hitting the ball harder overall. At age 24 and with such a long track record of big league success already behind him, Machado’s season looks more like a bad couple of months than a permanent slide off the track to the Hall of Fame that, without the least bit of hyperbole, he’s currently on. And just like when he was a rookie, he’s still playing world-class defense at third base. Five years after they were both top-10 prospects, Machado and Bundy are now 24 years
to go with the carrier that best fits your tastes, needs, and budget. However, if you’re buying a new phone you’ll want to make sure that it’s going to work with your network, so always check first.From Jester King & Stillwater Artisanal: We’re excited to announce the release of Audio Palette — our spelty farmhouse ale with American hops, brewed in collaboration with Stillwater Artisanal! The motivation behind Audio Palette stems from our mutual love of music. Stillwater Artisanal Founder/Owner Brian Strumke and Jester King Head Brewer Garrett Crowell are both musicians, and Garrett named the beer in reference to Brian’s musical background. Garrett for years has been highly influenced by the work of composer and musical theorist John Cage. Cage embraced “natural variance” and unpredictability in his compositions, which Garrett sees as paralleling mixed culture fermentation. Coincidentally, we were contacted several months ago by a scholar of John Cage named Justin Scheibel. Comparisons with Cage came to mind for Justin after visiting Jester King and learning about our process and philosophy. Justin wrote to us: “My reasoning is that the kind of natural variance that is a consequence of mixing yeast strains, altering environmental conditions and using chance operations with regard to fermentation additions, use of barrel aging, etc. was exactly what John Cage was going for in his desire to be surprised by unanticipated difference as opposed to intentional representation (i.e. this is a Stout or a Weißbeir specifically defined by certain symbolic cues in its composition and social context…that it should taste the same way each time rather than be a unique autographic work with greater variability). Even in composing his erasures, Cage would not simply randomize and accept the results but rather selected only those products that were interesting and complex in a way he could not generate intentionally, and then adjusted his ear to appreciate the result. In his aesthetic philosophy, there are disparate centers of value that are irreconcilable with each other, but each intrinsically valuable. I identified this idea in the general palate of sourness created by the mode of production which is particular to Jester King’s farmhouse style and diverges from “laboratory” beers brewed in highly controlled environments. Within the domain of that sourness there is an entirely different relation between constituent flavors such that it is not a defining feature, but rather a contrapuntal difference from other brewers. In a sense, it is a different vocabulary of taste that is self-contained, just like Cage’s ‘disparate centers’. Lastly, both Cage and Jester King engage in what I feel is the true spirit of experimental art and not avant-gardism. The divergence from convention is the natural consequence of being intrigued by unpredictable possibilities and discovering new relations rather than the desire to intentionally deviate. It is a positive valance in celebration of alterity and different preference rather than the negative oppositionary attitude of the avant-garde. In ‘‘45’ for a Speaker’, Cage writes, ‘Not wondering am I right or doing something wrong. The preparation changes that occur during a performance are a) a simple change of position b) total or partial addition of objects c) total or partial subtraction.’ The idea being that one is fully immersed in the aesthetic process of generation and experimentation such that the question of its social function never enters the picture…merely the possible variables one can alter to instigate novel results.” We were flattered and intrigued by Justin’s analysis and the comparisons between Jester King and Cage. Jester King artist Josh Cockrell used Cage as an inspiration for creating the label art, and speaks below on how he believes the beer is true to the spirit of his work: “Following music as a general theme for creative direction, I compared the aesthetic similarities of our mixed culture fermentation to the stochastic compositions of John Cage. Both challenge the expectations of an audience within their fields and include unpredictability as in important part of their compositions. However, the concept of the beer itself struck me as a bit ironic when held next to aforementioned aesthetic practices. Encapsulated within the general idea of the beer are some very popular beer trends as of late. It is essentially an American dry hopped session pale. Furthermore, it is yet another example of the growing trend of collaborative efforts between two breweries that are popular within the beer world. I liked this as a starting point for the art, because it is only at first glance that it holds to being a product of popular beer culture. The stochastic nature of its fermentation takes what might otherwise be a pop beer and transcends it into something much more layered and complex. I chose a visual aesthetic that could reflect this irony, and that just so happened to be emerging at the same time as Cages first aleatoric compositions: Pop Art and more specifically the early layered combines of Robert Rauschenberg. The movement seemed to fit perfectly. It is a taking of the commonplace, removing it from its original context, to create something much greater than the sum of its parts. This is paralleled not only in the circumstances of the beer being pulled into a new context by mixed culture fermentation, but also in the harnessing of the mundane unrecognized micro-flora around us to make our creations. Rather than use some pre-existing elements as Rauschenberg might have, I used all original artwork for the “collaged” composition in an effort to create a contrast of process and organic influence. What you see is the ear of John Cage, surrounded by a palette like graphic score that has been plotted around blind pen drops. An atypical musical staff enters the ear like sound and divides the more organic illustrated portions of the composition from the more processed elements. The eye that is layered into the background of the combine was created specifically for use in the label by the artist of Stillwater, Leeroy Mendoza! The text in the left panel was constructed with a similar process in mind. It is a rearrangement of blindly selected words from randomly chosen philosophy books.” Audio Palette was brewed on October 28th, 2015 with raw Hill Country well water, malted barley, malted spelt, and hops, and was fermented in stainless steel with our mixed culture of brewers yeast, and native yeast and bacteria harvested from the land and air around our brewery. It is 100% naturally conditioned through refermentation in bottles, kegs, and casks. Audio Palette is 4.3% alcohol by volume, 51 IBU, and has a finishing gravity of 1.001 (0.25 degrees Plato). It was packaged on November 30th, 2015. Audio Palette will be released at Jester King when our tasting opens at4pm on Friday, March 4th. It will be available by the glass, as well as in bottles to go (750ml/$12/No bottle limit). About 3,600 bottles are available. We do not foresee Audio Palette being available outside of our tasting room, aside from a few special events. About Bil Cord Founder, owner, author, graphic designer, CEO, CFO, webmaster, president, mechanic and janitor for mybeerbuzz.com. Producer and Co-host of the WILK Friday BeerBuzz live weekly craft beer radio show. Small craft-brewer of the craft beer news sites and one-man-band with way too many instruments to play.twbuckner / Flickr)” width=”637″ height=”477″ />Moral Monday march and interfaith social justice rally, July 29, 2013. (Photo: twbuckner / Flickr) Truthout doesn’t take corporate funding – that’s how we’re able to confront the forces of greed and regression, with no strings attached. Instead, we need your support: make a donation today by clicking here. This past summer, “Moral Mondays” in North Carolina emerged as the locus of one of the country’s most insistent state-level movements against extremist efforts to slash the social safety net and roll back civil rights. But what has become of the protests in the past two months? And what’s next for the movement that catapulted Moral Mondays into national prominence? It took several months last spring and early summer for the Moral Monday protests to reach a crescendo. While early statehouse rallies in North Carolina started by attracting about 50 protesters, by July thousands of people from around the state were swarming the state capitol. After three consecutive months of action, there had been around 920 arrests for civil disobedience at the weekly rallies. Since the state’s legislative session closed July 26 and lawmakers left town, the fight has become more decentralized, with coalition activists showing up at district offices to protest. “The Legislature was going home,” says North Carolina AFL-CIO President James Andrews. “We went home with them.” One example of the new, locally based protests appeared in Asheville, where police estimated that the crowd at the August 6 incarnation of the “Mountain Moral Mondays” rallies drew between 8,000 and 10,000 people. “We were fueled by people’s sense of total outrage,” says Max Socol, co-founder of Carolina Jews for Justice, a coalition member group that brings Jewish progressives together from around the state for political action. The surge of activism was prompted by the type of state-level Republican overreach that has become familiar in many parts of the country. In February, North Carolina’s Republican-controlled Legislature, along with Gov. Pat McCrory, passed into law restrictions to the state’s unemployment program that resulted in 70,000 people immediately losing their benefits; an additional 100,000 were cut from the rolls shortly after. In April, they passed a measure prohibiting the state from accepting federal dollars to expand Medicaid and from establishing the health care exchanges mandated by the Affordable Care Act. They also cut $332 million from the state’s public school system, severely restricted abortion rights, and passed a law eliminating early voting and requiring all voters to show a state- or government-issued ID to vote. In a response reminiscent of the Wisconsin uprising of 2011, a coalition of grass-roots community, faith and labor groups organized a weekly protest outside the state capitol building in Raleigh that grew in participation and militancy. The coalition includes just about every advocacy and community group imaginable, including the North Carolina NAACP, Carolina Jews for Justice, Teamsters Local 391, Black Workers for Justice, UE Local 150, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the Southern Piedmont Central Labor Council, and a variety of Christian church leaders. Moral Mondays “have really caught fire with progressive groups,” says Socol, who characterizes Republican budget cuts and voter suppression measures as “furious overreach on the part of the Legislature.” His view is reflected in recent polling among North Carolina voters: 54 percent of respondents in an August 12 Public Policy Polling survey said they disapprove of what the state Legislature is doing, with just 24 percent approving and 21 percent unsure. In another poll from September 25, 49 percent of those asked said they have a favorable opinion of the Moral Mondays protesters, with just 35 percent saying they have an unfavorable opinion of the protestors and 17 percent undecided. Sounding the refrain that “This is a movement, not a moment,” Andrews and other grass-roots organizers insist that the real story isn’t the archconservative assault. They say the real story is of an ongoing grass-roots mobilization that has raised the consciousness of thousands of North Carolinians and that has grabbed the national spotlight after a years-long swelling. Well before the current Legislature took charge, the organizers anticipated a conservative attack. “It was, ‘Build the defense wall,’ ” Andrews says. ” ‘Get your ammunition, get your folks together because there is a storm coming’ – and we knew it was coming.” The Genesis of a Republican Assault I asked Andrews about how the battle lines in this state that helped birth the civil rights movement of the 1960s were drawn. He described a moment, just after the 2010 election, when Republicans, funded primarily by conservative multimillionaire Art Pope, captured majorities in both chambers of the state’s General Assembly for the first time in more than 140 years. They promptly went on the offensive. “After the 2010 election, the Republicans got a hold of the pen, and they drew the boundaries and took full control of the Legislature,” he said. “This group of Republican, right-wing, Tea Party leaders decided that they were going to put forth all of the ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) legislation, any right-wing group’s agenda.” Socol agrees. “The serious overreach that they committed just demonstrates that they’re amateurs at being in the majority,” he said. “They don’t seem to know how to control themselves in that situation.” Andrews explained that unemployment and voter suppression were the first two issues that spurred the coalition to act. “As a result of the changes, North Carolina is not eligible for extended [unemployment] benefits,” Andrews explained. “Therefore 170,000 workers in North Carolina not only won’t be able to get state dollars – but they won’t get federal dollars, under the extended benefit program at the national level. That’s just mean-spirited and cruel.” Combating budget cuts and voter suppression fit within a wider agenda being pursued by Moral Mondays organizers. The coalition that created Moral Mondays, called Historic Thousands on Jones Street (and known as “HK on J”) saw the need for a progressive political agenda that could help to shore up the gains in civil rights that the state has made since the 1960s. With the Rev. William Barber, a progressive minister and state NAACP president, at its helm, HK on J developed a 14-point agenda, a deeply researched set of policy proposals that includes fully funding the state’s mandate to provide a sound basic education for all children; stopping the school-to-prison pipeline for at-risk students; raising the state minimum wage and indexing it to inflation; accepting and implementing the ACA immediately and expanding Medicaid and other health care programs aimed at low-income patients; legalizing collective bargaining for state employees and better regulating workplace safety; and protecting the rights of immigrants. The genius of the platform was that it has allowed the organizers to draw together the interests of a wide variety of communities – including African-Americans, Latinos, women, poor people, children, seniors and incarcerated people. Andrews argues that a diverse representation was the best way to make a swift, strong impact. “Legislators get blown away,” he says, “when they see the labor movement walking in with the NAACP, with NOW, with the environmental group, with the church-based groups. We said, we are going to bring folks together, and we are going to lay out not just what’s wrong but how to fix it to this legislature.” Toward Civil Disobedience I asked Andrews to elaborate on his own decision to be arrested for civil disobedience. He described the mentality of himself and others – a different group stepped forward each week – who risked arrest at the state capitol. “There are some of us who walk into the Legislature and say, ‘We think it is immoral, it is cruel for you to do what you are doing, and I’ve got a right to stand here and tell you that,” he explained. “This Legislature is my house. And if you want to arrest me, arrest me.’ ” He added, “I’ve got grandkids in the public school system. To see what [lawmakers] are doing to the teachers and to public schools here – by channeling money to private schools and vouchers – it just tears at the core of who I am.” Asked about what impact the Moral Mondays protests are having, Andrews noted that, within the movement, the arrests have built a cadre of committed activists. “Among the more than 900 folks that have been arrested through Moral Mondays, there is a family now,” Andrews said. “We are planning and making connections with each other, and we are committed. The first project that we are working on now is trying to push out some voter registration with these 900-plus folks.” Socol, who also was arrested during Moral Mondays rallies, believes the protests could help produce political gains in the coming year. “North Carolina historically has been a progressive Southern state,” he said. Noting district-by-district polling in the wake of the Moral Mondays upsurge, Socol said, “We have very good chances to flip every four state senators in 2014, and that would be a huge win for us. That would move us a lot closer to rolling back some of the damage from this past session.” “Our biggest challenge is to keep people’s attention, keep them focused,” Socol said. “To remind them that unless we make a big splash in 2014, this could always happen again.”The most popular free game on iTunes right now allows users to grow and sell marijuana. "Weed Firm," developed by Manitoba Game, was released earlier this month and rose to popularity within mere hours. The game's website explains how it works: "Follow the story of an expelled botany sophomore Ted Growing as he inherits a growing operation and expands it. Learn to grow weed, plant new varieties to increase your yields, expand your customer base and interact with the characters to become the biggest weed dealer in town." In addition to growing and selling pot, users can use their profits to purchase more growing materials, including a vinyl player that helps things grow faster. Players must bribe police along the way and are able to spend money on virtual strippers. Customers can even come by the player's customizable virtual apartment to pick up their weed and, if the gamer offers them a joint first, it'll affect their behavior. The company says they only condone marijuana use within the context of the game. "The creators of this game do not encourage the cultivation or use of cannabis. The plot of this game is solely a work of fiction and should be viewed only as such," the game's disclaimer reads. However, some parents fear that easy access to the game will encourage children to participate in drug sales and/or use. "Weed Firm" makes selling, buying and use drugs into a game, which is a problem within itself," says Corrinne Steep, a homeschooling mother of four. "Kids have such easy access to the game, largely because it's free. Apple's willingness to promote this game is worrisome." CNET notes that Apple's decision to make this game available is surprising in light of their typically strict moral criteria for approving new apps. Last year, Toronto photo-sharing startup 500px reported that both of its applications, 500px for iOS and ISO500, had been pulled from the Apple App Store due to concerns about nude photos. In May 2009, Apple rejected the first version of 'Newspapers', an iPhone app that let users read content newspapers around the world due to the topless "Page 3" girls daily features being too "obscene." At the time, Steve Jobs commented that "We do believe we have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone."Mark Levin rips apart Chuck Schumer’s ‘better deal’ bullcrap Kicking off the week on the radio, Conservative Review Editor-in-Chief Mark Levin addressed the Democratic Party’s new 2018 campaign slogan, “A Better Deal for the American Worker.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote an op-ed in the New York Times detailing the Democratic plan for bigger government. Levin read the op-ed, which was predictably full of horse excrement. “The Democrats don’t care about anybody who works, they care about people going on welfare,” Levin said. “They care about bringing in as many illegal aliens as they can so they can to turn red states purple and then blue.” Listen: Schumer promises to raise the minimum wage, to create new government agencies, to establish new welfare programs, and to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure. Which is to say, the Democrats have no new ideas. “They’ve been selling this warmed-over, marxism clap-trap for over 100 years, which is one of the reasons we’re in the pickle we’re in right now,” Levin said. “It’s a better deal for America’s welfare recipients.” Don’t miss an episode of LevinTV. Sign up now!Thank you so much for the gifts! Our Santa found perfect items for our three girls! We have two cats and one dog. The new cat toy came first. They both were quickly obsessed with it! Lola, the older of the two, usually watches as Layla plays. Not this time, she pounced, batted at, and carried away the fly toy immediately after I took it out of the plastic. I have been playing with them every few hours and it's not only fun for them, but fun for me. Perfect choice! Our dog is a rescue who has no teeth and doesn't know how to play...so our Santa had to keep those things in mind when choosing a gift. She got our dog a pink chiffon scarf. It's absolutely perfect! She looks great in it! When I get a chance to take a picture I will be sure to upload it :). Thank you so much for the gifts! We all really appreciate it! UPDATE: As I was making breakfast this morning I heard someone knocking on my door. I figured it was the local Dems doing GOTV today. It was one of my neighbors...turns out that last week they received a package for me. I was really glad they brought it by! The box contained a bag of treats that my dog went nuts for and a castle for the cats! The castle is colorable/paintable and my girlfriend got really excited to break out her painting supplies. I'm going to try to convince her to paint the sigil on the castle in Lannister colors. The cats immediately took to the castle, and I finally got a picture of my dog in her new scarf. To our Santa I want to say a very sincere thank you from myself, my girlfriend, and our pets!The book 'Becoming Batman: The Possibility Of A Superhero' by E Paul Zehr - out now ‘If we want to know whether it is possible for the average man to become a superhero then Batman is the perfect one to examine,’ says neuroscientist, author and martial arts enthusiast E Paul Zehr. ‘Unlike every other hero, he isn’t endowed with any special gift. There’s nothing supernatural about his abilities. He’s just a normal guy who is determined to better himself in every respect and he has tapped into the tremendous potential that each of us has.’ Here’s what it takes to become Batman. COMPOSURE: 6-8 YEARS It’s one thing having the skills to fight, but you need the poise and grace to perform flawlessly under pressure. The caped crusader can never, ever afford to lose, or else he dies. The high-level performance needed to defend Gotham City and himself without ever resorting to killing requires vast experience. STRENGTH AND SKILL: 9-17 YEARS It would take three to five years to reach maximum physical capacity and six to 12 years to hone your ability to tackle multiple enemies. A skilled martial artist can defend himself against up to six thugs at once, but if this recurs over time injury is inevitable. LONGEVITY: 2-10 YEARS Based on the careers of UFC fighters and NFL players, Batman would be at his peak for two to three years. With luck, the maximum would be ten years – as long as his mere presence caused enemies to flee much of the time, so that he rarely had to fight. DON'T GIVE UP YOUR DAY JOB You don’t have to devote your whole life to becoming Batman to reap the benefits of his example. If we are determined to stick with something and pursue physical activity for a purpose – rather than for exercise’s sake – we will become stronger, healthier, more successful and, ultimately, happier. E Paul Zehr is a professor of neuroscience at the University of Victoria, Canada. His book, Becoming Batman: The Possibility Of A Superhero (£14, Johns Hopkins University Press) is out now. Go to becomingbatman.com for details.“Mask Off” (Remix) [ft. Kendrick Lamar] When Kendrick Lamar brought Future out to perform “Mask Off” during his epic headlining set at Coachella, he seem poised to spring a surprise verse on the song. Anticipation engulfed the crowd but Future soon drifted off stage, no alterations made to his FUTURE smash. It seemed like a missed opportunity. More than a month after the performance, the official “Mask Off” remix has surfaced. Fueled by the song’s momentum, Kendrick takes a “conscious rap” victory lap over the ubiquitous flute riff that spawned its own challenge. While Future’s original is about being brazen and destitute enough to commit a robbery without a mask, Kendrick’s remix is about masking and his refusal to conform to social pressures. Few things are more fearsome in rap than Kendrick playing for keeps, and on the remix, he dismantles the logistics of becoming a rap star, weighing his path to success against a more conventional one. “How y’all let the braids on TV?/How y’all let the hood at the table?/Now y’all don’t even know how to rate him/Niggas lookin’ like I’m a created player,” he snarls. His singsong flow vaults into a full-on wail that descends effortlessly into an elastic series of bars. The feature is situated at the center of Future’s original song, which remains otherwise untouched, and their messages are at odds with each other, but there isn’t much of a disconnect given the players involved. More than anything, it feels like Future merely cedes space to Kendrick, letting him do his own thing. A Kendrick unconfined by the narrative pressures of an album can be a different kind of formidable, using the sheer force of his raps to make plain his supremacy. This isn’t a remix; it’s a revival.The pesky Security Tool Virus is back again, but this time, the rogue distributors are using a different tactic to get users to install this malicious and fake antivirus program. The old trick was false and exaggerated scans that would make a user believe that their system is infected. The playing field has changed as these criminals are now using a fake Firefox “Just Updated” page. This is the page that loads immediately after an Firefox update. The page shows a message that tells the user that they need to update their Adobe Flash Player. Once a user is on the “Just Updated” page, a download dialog box will pop-up automatically without the user clicking anything on the page. If the user clicks “Save File” the rogue antivirus program will be installed. This rogue program will wreck havoc on a users system and cause the system to be unusable. How to remove Security Tool Virus Manually Stop Security Tool Processes: [random numbers].exe Remove Security Tool Files C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\[random numbers]\ C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\[random numbers]\[random numbers].exe Remove Security Tool Registry Keys HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Security Tool HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Security Tool Remove Security Tool Startup Entry: [random numbers].exe Automatically You can also download MalwareBytes Anti-Malware to remove Security Tool Virus. F-Secure has already updated their AV product to block and remove Security Tool Virus. They offer a 30 day free trial of Anti-Virus 2010. Read more removal instructions and comments here.The Supreme Court had directed the CBSE to conduct a second test after allegations of irregularities in the test held in May. The CBSE has issued stringent instructions to students appearing for a retest of All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) on July 25. The Supreme Court had directed the CBSE to conduct a second test after allegations of irregularities in the test held in May. Advertising In its notice to parents of the examinees, the CBSE has imposed a strict dress code, banned any jewellery and shoes, watches and all electronic devices. Students have also been asked to present themselves for frisking and alert invigilators of other students using unfair means. [related-post] “…wear light clothes with half sleeves shirt/t-shirt/kurta not having big buttons, brooch or any badge, flower…wear open slippers and not shoes,” the notice reads. Other banned accessories include wallets, goggles, handbags, hair pins, hair bands, tabeez, belts, cap and scarves The instructions come after the apex court cancelled the May test after Haryana police arrested suspects who allegedly supplied answer keys to students taking the test through bluetooth.Australia has gone to great lengths to prevent outsiders from seeing what goes on in these offshore prisons. The contractors who work there are subject to criminal prosecution for speaking publicly about conditions at the centers. Nauru, which has profited handsomely from the deal, has made efforts to shield the arrangement from scrutiny. In 2014, it raised the cost of a journalist visa from $178 to $7,126 and it barred a team from the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention from visiting. Amnesty International found that suicide attempts among refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru have become disturbingly common. In late April, Omid Masoumali, a 23-year-old refugee from Iran, set himself ablaze in Nauru after shouting: “This is how tired we are. … I cannot take it anymore.” The following month, a Somali refugee, Hodan Yasin, set herself on fire. Mr. Masoumali died. Ms. Yasin survived, but suffered burns to 70 percent of her body. Among the 58 refugees and asylum seekers Amnesty International interviewed, most said they experienced severe emotional distress. One Iranian man, according to the report, said his pregnant wife attempted to hang herself. She told him, “I’m homeless; I can’t bring another person into this world.” While the number of refugees held on Nauru and Manus Island is small compared with refugee numbers in the Middle East and Europe, Australia’s inhumane imprisonment of desperate people is a disgrace. The government should end its offshore processing of refugees and stop treating anyone who approaches its borders without a visa as automatically inadmissible. The United Nations can assist by redoubling efforts to resettle those stranded on the two islands and by putting pressure on Australia to change its policy.David Gilmour previewed his new solo album during the 2015 Borris House Festival of Writing and Ideas in Carlow, Ireland this weekend. Entitled Rattle That Lock, the long-awaited follow-up to 2006’s On an Island was recorded in collaboration with Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera, Jools Holland, and Gilmour’s wife, Polly Sampson, who assisted in writing the lyrics. According to Sampson, the theme of the album is “‘Carpe Diem’ … seize every moment, look to the future, ‘Just Do It’ and don’t be afraid or hold back.” Gilmour played two songs during the event: “Girl with a Yellow Dress”, “a lovely jazz number” which features Holland on keys, and an uptempo track called “Boots on the Ground”, which Gilmour was inspired to write after listening to loud speaker announcements at a French train station. Rattle That Lock is expected to see release in September to coincide with Gilmour’s UK/European tour. Also during the event, Gilmour once again dismissed the prospects of a Pink Floyd reunion with Roger Waters.Whether you’re just starting out as a photographer, or you’ve been at it for years, there’s a good chance that the allure of Vermont in the fall will be too much to resist at some point, and you’ll become a bonafide leaf peeper. I’ve lived in Vermont for a good portion of my life, and I didn’t become a leaf peeper until a few years ago, when I really started taking photography seriously. Now when October hits I have a plan in place, and it usually involves getting up early every morning for two weeks, and driving the back roads of southwestern Vermont. When to Photograph Fall Foliage in Southwestern Vermont I thought I’d share some of my favorite destinations for a fall foliage photography in southern Vermont to entice you to make the journey. The whole of New England is pretty gorgeous through October, but I’m partial to my home turf. Bennington, Vermont is nestled in a valley between the Taconic Range to the west and the Green Mountains to the east. In early October, when the leaves begin to turn, I head into the mountains on either side for the best color. After a week or two of shooting in the mountains (depending on the weather), I set my sites on the back roads, farms, and villages in the southwestern Vermont valleys. The leaf-peeping season is unpredictable, but you’ll always find varying levels of color during the first two weeks of October. Generally, the best colors come after a rainy summer. This year, we’re in a bit of a drought, so many of the leaves have fallen from the trees already, but believe me, there’s still lots of color out there if you know where to look! Hidden and Well-Known Spots for Southern Vermont Landscape Photography Southern Vermont is my home. The back roads, mountains, and valleys around Bennington are where I learned to take photos and fell in love with landscape photography. I could not write a post like this about any other place in the world. I truly believe I have traveled and photographed every back road in Bennington and Windham Counties, but for this post, I’m going to focus on Bennington County, otherwise I would have to write a whole book! When I visit a new place, the first thought that crosses my mind is, “Where can I get a good cup of coffee?” My second thought is usually, “Where can I capture the beauty of this place with my camera?” I may cover that first question in another post, but for now, let’s talk about the best places to take fall foliage photos in southern Vermont. Landscape Photography in Bennington County, Vermont Woodford, Vermont Woodford State Park, Woodford – Woodford State Park is open from Memorial Day until Columbus Day each year. It’s my favorite spot to walk our dogs, and I always bring my camera, because you just never know. The day that I forgot to bring my camera was the time we saw a moose munching on leaves in the beaver meadow. Peak foliage usually happens here in early October, and if you come in the early morning, you will often catch a nice fog coming off of the lake. There’s a trail around the lake, which takes about an hour to walk, and you’ll find lots of photo opps on the trail. You can read more about Woodford State Park here. Shaftsbury, Vermont Lake Shaftsbury State Park, Shaftsbury – Another favorite for capturing foggy lakes, reflections, and waterfowl, Lake Shaftsbury State Park officially closes after Labor Day. You can still park outside the gate and walk in, though, and it’s another good spot for dog walking in the early morning. Shaftsbury is in a lovely valley, and the colors usually start to peak during the second week of October. Want to read more? Check out An Autumn Walk Around Lake Shaftsbury. Old Depot Road, Shaftsbury – We’ve seen moose on Old Depot Road as well, and this road offers up a good mix of woods, farms, and beautiful wetlands. There are two entrances to Old Depot Road, right off of route 7A in Shaftsbury, and another in Arlington. It makes a nice driving loop in the fall, especially if you stop at Propagation Piece Orchard on 7A in Shaftsbury for donuts and cider. Bennington, Vermont Old Bennington – Judging by all the tour buses I see here in the fall, the Old First Church has got to be one of the most photographed places in Vermont. It’s worth a visit, especially around 8 am, when the early sun hits the maples lining the street in front of the church. A walking tour through Old Bennington will provide lots of opportunities for photos – be sure to check out the Bennington Battle Monument, the graveyard behind the church, and the old Walloomsac Inn (it’s a private residence, but really photogenic). Colors peak in Bennington later than in the surrounding hills – the second week of October in most years. Southern Vermont College, Bennington – After checking out Old Bennington, travel on Monument Avenue and turn right into the Southern Vermont College Campus. Head up to the Everett Mansion and park in the parking lot. There are a number of hiking trails through the woods that open up to expansive views of the Green Mountains and the Bennington Monument. The mansion itself is quite photogenic, as is the fountain on the hillside behind the building. Mt. Anthony Road, Bennington and Pownal- This is a dirt road that connects route 9 in West Bennington to Pownal, which is just south of Bennington. It’s a narrow, windy road, traveling through stands of stately hardwoods, and then opening up to incredible views of Mt. Anthony. Highlights of Mt. Anthony Road include an unmarked waterfall locally known as the Tubbs (look for a small parking area lined with boulders, but no signs), beautiful old barns, farm animals, and stone walls. I prefer photographing Mt. Anthony in the late afternoon, just before sunset. Mid October seems to be peak foliage here. North Bennington, Vermont Meyers Road, North Bennington and Shaftsbury- Another favorite dirt road, Meyers Road starts on 7A in Shaftsbury, turns into Cross Hill Road in North Bennington, and pops out just on the border of New York and Vermont on White Creek Road. You’ll find fabulous views of Mt. Anthony to the south, as well as rolling hills and plenty of farms. This is one of those roads that you’ll drive on once, and swear that you’re going to move to Vermont for its pastoral beauty. It’s a gem! The Mile Around the Woods, North Bennington – This special place is a popular walking spot for locals, and it offers up some pretty spectacular scenery in every season. Park your car on McCullough Road, just past the Park McCullough House and walk through the fields and woods. Photo opps include distant hills and mountains, a beautiful old hardwood forest, and a pasture full of draft horses. The grounds of the Park McCullough house are gorgeous as well. Early morning in mid to late October is the best time to take photos. Arlington, Vermont Kelly Stand Road, Arlington – Kelly Stand Road takes you deep into the mountains of the Green Mountain National Forest so you can explore places like Stratton Pond, Grout Pond, and Somerset Reservoir. We’ll talk about those lovelies in another post, but Kelly Stand Road is worth meandering along without a destination in mind. It begins in East Arlington and will take you all the way to Wardsboro if you want to go that far. If you’re driving on route 7, get off at the Arlington exit. Take a right on
! Packing him with alternate heads of different expressions (some of them can be without his new face tattoo) would allow collectors to diversify their Madrox displays since his dupes unpredictably exemplify various aspects of his psyche. (He’s made a lot of evil twins.) If that’s not in the budget, a goofy expression should be chosen to best represent his anti-gritty personality. Although he clones himself, he shouldn’t look like a generic action hero. Making Marvel Legends Multiple Men would be a license for Hasbro to print money, unless they decide to inexplicably short pack him like their latest HYDRA and AIM troopers. 3. Polaris Polaris is often treated like a middle daughter because she joined the X-Men after Jean Grey but before Storm. She may be the superheroine who’s spent the most time mind controlled. She has, however, proven herself a capable leader of X-Factor despite her bipolar disorder and PTSD. It’s recently been retconned that she’s the daughter of Magneto and half-sister to Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Adding in the fact that she was also Havok’s on & off girlfriend for a long period, she’s essential for awkward mutant family reunions. This Mistress of Magnetism deserves to be made on the Moonstone body to compensate her for everything writers have put her through for years. Polaris doesn’t really have an iconic costume so I’d go for the one that debuted in the excellent X-Factor # 87 where she vows to take control of her life. Unlike her other monochrome green and complementary purple outfits, the red and gold contrast dynamically with her naturally lime-hued hair. The way her non-mask frames her face similar to Magneto and Jean is neat too. I don’t care if it’s not a popular or long-lived costume. I’ll gladly accept her subsequent blue and gold X-Factor outfit, however, as my second choice. Just don’t make her in her mustard & gray Serval Industries uniform because corporate uniforms are the worst uniforms. 2. Silver Samurai Silver Samurai combines two of the universe’s coolest visuals: samurai armor and shiny things! He may be a B-lister at best, but he’s completely toyetic. It’s absurd we haven’t gotten a Marvel Legends figure of Wolverine’s frenemy yet. Hasbro rudely emphasized his abscence by not only making the silver armored Stryfe instead (at least his suit made of giant X-Acto blades makes him cooler than the other Emo Summers supervillain, Vulcan) but by arming him with a sword he only used once. Maybe they’re holding how badly The Wolverine bungled his character against him? (I’d actually buy a toy of the movie’s Adamantium Samurai mech-suit because I have no honor, but the classic comic book version takes priority. His power-armored bastard needs to get in line, too.) As soon as Silver Samurai is finally produced, however, your Wolverine toys won’t have to battle the Shredder as a stand-in anymore! Hasbro already made a pretty neat prototype of him for a ToyFare Fan’s Choice poll, but he was outvoted in favor of his cousin, Sunfire. Recently Hasbro produced an even better looking Silver Samurai, but unfortunately it was in the tiny Marvel Universe series. They just need to pantograph that gorgeously detailed sculpt to 6″ scale to make it fly off the shelves. Providing both regular and energy-charged katanas (one can be the the Yoshida Clan Honor Sword and the other the Muramasa Black Blade) for him is a must. He’d be the only toy that could love Viper. There’s even a John Belushi action figure waiting to duel with him! 1. Sauron Dr. Karl Lykos transforms into a were-pteranodon with hypnotic eyes that drains energy from his victims. He’s conquered the Savage Land, whose chief attractions are dinosaurs, proto-humans, and superpowered mutates. Although he possesses the proportionate strength of a pteranodon, he prefers to hypnotize his enemies into beating the tar out of each other for him while he trash talks like a champ. Long before Rogue, Selene, Omega Red, and Emplate, he was the pioneer in the field of feeding off lifeforces. To top it off, Lykos rechristened himself Sauron because he’s a giant nerd. In the rare instance of the Comics Code Authority’s arbitrary censorship yielding enhancing the medium, its ban on vampires and werewolves caused Sauron to become a more memorable monster than either. Yet somehow he’s not considered an A-list foe. MADNESS! Maybe he’d finally earn the recognition for being the platonic ideal of awesome if he finally got a new action figure. The SDCC exclusive Savage Land box set cries out for Sauron to menace Ka-Zar, Zabu, and Shanna the She-Devil. He’s been a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants despite technically being a mutate, so getting him takes us one step closer to finishing that team. He can even beat up the Spider-Man figure of your choice to teach him that the Lizard and Stegron are pikers by comparison. Sauron is a classic foe co-created by the legendary Neal Adams (with the legendary Roy Thomas), who gave him prehistorically inaccurate wings because he used One Million Years B.C. as reference. Adams would later co-create Man-Bat, who’s inspired several nifty action figures despite not being Arkham Asylum Inmate of the Year material himself. Because pterosaurs are even cooler than bats, a fully detailed and articulated Sauron would be even better! Hasbro even has most of Sauron made already thanks to the Walmart exclusive movie Lizard. All that’s needed is a new head, tail, winged arms, and loincloth. Why not make a Sauron since they’ve already paid for half the molds? If Hasbro knows what’s good for it, they’ll have Marvel Legends Sauron on shelves by the time Jurassic World hits theatres as a synergistic cross-sell. If there’s one X-character born to be a kick-ass action figure, it’s Sauron! You may remember Matthew Catania from such Daily Lists as 10 Reasons Why The 100 Is the Best Show You’re (Probably) Not Watching 10 Things That Must Be in a Live-Action The Tick Relaunch 12 Marvel Characters That Need To Appear on Agent Carter 8 Reasons Why Marvel Studios Won’t Make A Comics Accurate Howard The Duck Movie The 10 Least Terrible SyFy Channel Original Movies (Sorry, Sharknado!) 10 Characters That Should Appear on Arrow Season 3 The 10 Worst Adaptations of X-Men on Film (So Far) 10 Ways to Make a Wonder Woman Movie Not Suck Top Ten Reasons X-Men and Doctor Who Are Secretly the Same Franchise Eight Reasons Why a Superman/Batman Movie Might Not Be Such a Great IdeaBillie Weiss/Getty Images New England Patriots defensive tackle Alan Branch joined the growing number of players who have decided against visiting the White House to celebrate the team's Super Bowl LI victory. "I've got four kids at home so I'm just going to hang out with the family and continue celebrating until the next season starts," Branch said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio on Thursday (h/t Sporting News' Alex Marvez). No sports franchise has been connected to President Donald Trump more than the Patriots. Team owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady are all friends with Trump. The president held a watch party for Super Bowl LI at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. He congratulated Kraft, Belichick and Brady following New England's victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday: Branch is the sixth Patriot to turn down the invitation to meet with Trump. Martellus Bennett was the first to do so, and Branch, Chris Long, LeGarrette Blount, Devin McCourty and Dont'a Hightower have followed suit, per the New York Times' Victor Mather. The group could grow to seven depending on James White's decision. The Patriots running back said Tuesday he remains on the fence, according to Marvez.photo by: Nick Krug Former Lawrence mayor Jeremy Farmer reported to a federal prison this week, part of his punishment for stealing money from a food bank he led, according to federal officials. Farmer is now at the Administrative U.S. Penitentiary Thomson, located in Thomson, Ill., according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He began serving his federal sentence there on Tuesday, in the all-male facility’s adjacent minimum security camp, according to the bureau’s public affairs office. Farmer’s sentence is 10 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release, plus $81,000 in restitution. At his sentencing hearing on Aug. 15, Farmer requested to be assigned to a facility as close to the Kansas City area as possible, and the judge agreed to make that request. Farmer was not taken into custody after that hearing, but rather ordered to report to his assigned facility later as directed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Farmer was charged in August 2016 and pleaded guilty the following month to stealing money from Just Food. He admitted to embezzling by fraud more than $5,000 from Just Food from 2013 until he resigned in August 2015, and concealing it by “adjusting” QuickBooks entries and financial statements provided to the Just Food board. Farmer was hired as executive director of Just Food in 2011. He was elected to the Lawrence City Commission in April 2013 and chosen by fellow commissioners to become mayor in April 2015. Farmer resigned from Just Food on Aug. 10, 2015, and also resigned as the city’s mayor days later. A month later, Just Food board representatives alleged that a review of their financial records showed Farmer made unauthorized payments to himself of more than $52,000 in salary and benefits over a two-year period. The alleged overpayments were in addition to more than $61,000 in federal and state payroll taxes that went unpaid while Farmer served as the executive director, Just Food said.As the world awaited the US Senate report on the CIA’s detention and interrogation programme under the George W Bush administration, there was very little introspection in Europe. As if European countries had nothing to do with what went on in the hunt for al-Qaida in the years after 9/11. In fact, many of America’s European allies were deeply involved in the CIA programme. And they have managed to stay very quiet about it. Could this change now? Under President Bush the CIA used a web of European airports and bases for its extraordinary rendition flights, secretly transferring terror suspects across borders for interrogation. Some European states helped the CIA to carry out kidnappings. Others hosted CIA “black sites” – in effect, torture chambers – on their territory. The 600-page redacted summary of the 6,000-page report, published on Tuesday by the Senate intelligence committee, will no doubt be scrutinised to see what it may reveal of the continent’s involvement in these abuses. In 2007 a special investigator for the Council of Europe, Dick Marty, concluded that there was “enough evidence to state” that American secret prisons existed in Poland and Romania. He added that the “illegal deportation of suspects by CIA kidnapping teams in Europe” amounted to “a massive and systematic violation of human rights”. After 9/11 the CIA reached out to its European allies as it embarked on its detention and extraordinary rendition operation. The aim was to place detainees beyond the reach of law. The active participation of dozens of foreign governments made both the renditions and interrogations possible. How many in Europe will now be pressed to disclose the full extent of their involvement in these operations? To this day the exact scale of European complicity remains unknown. This is because of the secrecy maintained for years by the US and its partner governments. Washington has never confirmed the location of secret CIA prisons, nor named the governments that cooperated, and nor indeed does the material just published. A decade on, there is still no public comprehensive account. But some facts have been established, thanks to the work of NGOs, the media, the European parliament and the Council of Europe. It is striking that all those who have attempted to shed light on the subject have said that governments actively obstructed their efforts, for instance by classifying the issue as “state secrets”. European countries failed to conduct effective investigations into the agencies and officials who facilitated the CIA’s work. Sweden is the only country to have paid compensation to victims of extraordinary renditions. Italy is the only country where officials have been convicted by a national court for their involvement in the CIA programme. According to information compiled by Open Society Foundations, at least 54 governments cooperated with these CIA activities. Twenty-one of those are European, of which 17 were at the time members – or soon to become members – of the European Union. In addition to the countries above, the list of European states that were complicit in CIA rendition flights and other unlawful activities includes Lithuania (there are strong indications that this country also had a “black site”), the UK, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania. One of the best-documented cases relates to the abduction, on the streets of Milan in 2003, of Abu Omar, an Egyptian cleric who had been granted asylum in Italy. The CIA then secretly transported him to Egypt. In November 2009, in a case unique in Europe, an Italian court convicted 22 CIA agents, one US military official and two Italian intelligence operatives to at least five years imprisonment for their role in the kidnapping. The CIA agents were convicted in absentia and never extradited. In 2004 Khaled El-Masri, a German citizen, was mistakenly seized in Macedonia and shipped by the CIA to Afghanistan, where he was detained. In 2012 this abduction and detention was condemned by the European court of human rights. But German authorities have always denied ever turning over information on El-Masri to the US. Two Egyptians seeking asylum in Sweden, Ahmed Agiza and Muhammed al-Zery, were secretly apprehended by police in December 2001 and handed over to the CIA – who forcibly administered sedatives to them before flying them to Egypt, where they were tortured on an electric bed frame. After an investigation, in 2008 the two Egyptians were awarded $500,000 each in compensation. These cases are some of the few that have led to lawsuits or official inquiries. In other instances, governments have managed to shroud almost everything in secrecy. According to the 2007 Council of Europe report, Poland’s CIA “black site” was located at the Stare Kiejkury military training facility, and used by the CIA to torture “high-value detainees” – some of them Saudi, Yemeni and Algerian nationals. One was subjected by American interrogators to mock executions with a power drill as he stood naked and hooded. Poland’s judicial system and government officials have failed to shed light on any of this. The UK cooperated closely with the CIA on detention and rendition – as documents found in Libya after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 showed. But there have been few judicial cases or investigations. European states that took part in the CIA operation were complicit in violating fundamental human rights, the Geneva conventions and the UN convention against torture. None, with the exception of Sweden perhaps, has admitted to any wrongdoing. Yet the strength of democracies resides precisely in their ability to recognise and debate their mistakes. In authoritarian countries where torture abounds, there is no such thing as public accountability. As the US embarks on a renewed effort to get to the truth, this could be a good time for Europe to come clean. The bottom line is that fully exposing such practices is the only way to ensure they will never be repeated.The United States Oil & Gas Association, formerly the Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, is a trade association which promotes the well-being of the oil and natural gas industries in the United States. Primarily, the organization focuses on the production of these resources. Other organizations exist to deal with concerns of transportation, refining and processing, and other discrete functions of the fossil fuel industry. Early history [ edit ] The predecessor organization, Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, was founded on October 13, 1917, after the entry of the United States into World War I, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which called itself "The Oil Capital of the World".[1][2] At its creation, the association worked to provide petroleum to the Allied forces. In the decades since its establishment, the association is recognized as a leading advocate for producers of domestic oil and gas.[3] State-level affiliates [ edit ] Beginning in 1919, local divisions of the association were created in several states.[1]The Oklahoma-Kansas Division was established that year under the leadership of Frank Phillips, a founder of Phillips Petroleum Company, as well as oil company entrepreneurs William G. Skelly of Tulsa and H. H. Champlin of Enid, Oklahoma. E. W. Marland, whose company became Conoco, Inc., was later the governor of Oklahoma from 1935-1939. Alfred M. Landon, later the governor of Kansas from 1935-1939 and the 1936 Republican presidential nominee, was also instrumental in the establishment of the Oklahoma-Kansas division.[2] As of June 2018, Bloomberg, LP, lists Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association of Oklahoma, Inc. located at 6701 North Broadway, Suite 300 Oklahoma City, OK 73116, and states that its business is to, "... support legislation for the energy industry at the Oklahoma State Capitol and to provide education programs and seminars.[4] The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association was founded in 1923, with emphasis in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. Headed by its president, former U.S. Representative Chris John of Louisiana's 7th congressional district, since disbanded, LMOGA represents companies involved in exploration and production, refining, transportation, and marketing as well as other firms in the fields of engineering, environment, finance, law, and government relations.[5] The Texas association was also established in 1923 and renamed the Texas Oil & Gas Association in 1997.[1] See also [ edit ]CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA—In an effort to help his students develop inaccurate perceptions of their talents, University of Virginia creative writing professor Alan Erickson told reporters Monday that he takes the time to provide each and every one of them with personalized false hope. “Every student is different, and even though there may be 30 of them per class, I feel it’s important that I make enough time to sit down with them individually to let them know they have a unique voice worth pursuing,” said Erickson, explaining that he frequently extends his office hours and often stays after class to meet with students one-on-one to ensure they hear individualized, unfounded optimism about their writing and their prospects within the publishing industry. “It certainly adds a bit to my workload, but providing specific feedback and encouragement really has a huge impact on their confidence. Going that extra mile for your students is what inspires them to follow their dreams.” The professor added that his efforts have yielded some notable results, asserting that a number of his most deluded former students have gone on to humiliating, short-lived attempts at writing careers. AdvertisementSukarno[a] (;[2] born Kusno Sosrodihardjo, Javanese: [kʊsnɔ]; 6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970)[3] was the first President of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for Independence from the Netherlands. He was a prominent leader of Indonesia's nationalist movement during the Dutch colonial period, and spent over a decade under Dutch detention until released by the invading Japanese forces. Sukarno and his fellow nationalists collaborated to garner support for the Japanese war effort from the population, in exchange for Japanese aid in spreading nationalist ideas. Upon Japanese surrender, Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta declared Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945, and Sukarno was appointed as first president. He led Indonesians in resisting Dutch re-colonization efforts via diplomatic and military means until the Dutch acknowledgement of Indonesian independence in 1949. Author Pramoedya Ananta Toer once wrote "Sukarno was the only Asian leader of the modern era able to unify people of such differing ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds without shedding a drop of blood."[4] After a chaotic period of parliamentary democracy, Sukarno established an autocratic system called "Guided Democracy" in 1957 that successfully ended the instability and rebellions which were threatening the survival of the diverse and fractious country. The early 1960s saw Sukarno veering Indonesia to the left by providing support and protection to the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) to the irritation of the military and Islamists. He also embarked on a series of aggressive foreign policies under the rubric of anti-imperialism, with aid from the Soviet Union and China. The failure of the 30 September Movement (1965) led to the destruction of the PKI and his replacement in 1967 by one of his generals, Suharto (see Transition to the New Order), and he remained under house arrest until his death. Name [ edit ] The spelling Soekarno, based on Dutch orthography, is still frequently used, mainly because he signed his name in the old spelling. Sukarno himself insisted on a "u", not "oe", but said that he had been told in school to use the Dutch style. He said that it was too difficult to change his signature, so still wrote it with an "oe".[5] Official Indonesian presidential decrees from the period 1947–1968, however, printed his name using the 1947 spelling. The Soekarno–Hatta International Airport which serves near Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, still uses the Dutch spelling. Indonesians also remember him as Bung Karno (Brother/Comrade Karno) or Pak Karno ("Mr. Karno").[6] Like many Javanese people, he had only one name.[7] According to author Pramoedya Ananta Toer in several interviews, "bung" is an affectionate title meaning "friend" creatively used to be an alternative way of addressing person in equal manner, as an opposite word of old-form "tuan", "mas" or "bang". He is sometimes referred to in foreign accounts as "Achmad Sukarno", or some variation thereof. The fictitious first name may have been added by western journalists confused over someone with just a single name, or by Indonesian supporters of independence to attract support from Muslim countries.[7] Background [ edit ] Sukarno as an HBS student in Surabaya, 1916 The son of a Javanese primary school teacher, an aristocrat named Raden Soekemi Sosrodihardjo, and his Hindu Balinese wife from the Brahmin varna named Ida Ayu Nyoman Rai from Buleleng regency, Sukarno was born at Jalan Pandean IV/40, Soerabaia (now known as Surabaya), East Java, in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia).[8][9] He was originally named Kusno Sosrodihardjo.[10] Following Javanese custom, he was renamed after surviving a childhood illness. After graduating from a native primary school in 1912, he was sent to the Europeesche Lagere School (a Dutch primary school) in Mojokerto. Subsequently, in 1916, Sukarno went to a Hogere Burgerschool (a Dutch type higher level secondary school) in Surabaya, where he met Tjokroaminoto, a nationalist and founder of Sarekat Islam. In 1920, Sukarno married Tjokroaminoto's daughter Siti Oetari. In 1921, he began to study civil engineering (with focusing on architecture) at the Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng (Bandoeng Institute of Technology), where he obtained an Ingenieur degree (abbreviated as "Ir.", a Dutch type engineer's degree) in 1926. During his study in Bandung, Sukarno became romantically involved with Inggit Garnasih, the wife of Sanoesi, the owner of the boarding house where he lived as a student. Inggit was 13 years older than Sukarno. In March 1923, Sukarno divorced Siti Oetari to marry Inggit (who also divorced her husband Sanoesi). Sukarno later divorced Inggit and married Fatmawati. After graduation in 1926, Sukarno and his university friend Anwari established the architectural firm Sukarno & Anwari in Bandung, which provided planning and contractor services. Among Sukarno's architectural works are the renovated building of the Preanger Hotel (1929), where he acted as assistant to famous Dutch architect Charles Prosper Wolff Schoemaker. Sukarno also designed many private houses on today's Jalan Gatot Subroto, Jalan Palasari, and Jalan Dewi Sartika in Bandung. Later on, as president, Sukarno remained engaged in architecture, designing the Proclamation Monument and adjacent Gedung Pola in Jakarta; the Youth Monument (Tugu Muda) in Semarang; the Alun-alun Monument in Malang; the Heroes' Monument in Surabaya; and also the new city of Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan. Atypically even among the country's small educated elite, Sukarno was fluent in several languages. In addition to the Javanese language of his childhood, he was a master of Sundanese, Balinese and of Indonesian, and was especially strong in Dutch. He was also quite comfortable in German, English, French, Arabic, and Japanese, all of which were taught at his HBS. He was helped by his photographic memory and precocious mind.[11] In his studies, Sukarno was "intensely modern", both in architecture and in politics. He despised both the traditional Javanese feudalism, which he considered "backward" and to blame for the fall of the country under Dutch occupation and exploitation, and the imperialism practised by Western countries, which he termed as "exploitation of humans by other humans" (exploitation de l'homme par l'homme). He blamed this for the deep poverty and low levels of education of Indonesian people under the Dutch. To promote nationalistic pride amongst Indonesians, Sukarno interpreted these ideas in his dress, in his urban planning for the capital (eventually Jakarta), and in his socialist politics, though he did not extend his taste for modern art to pop music; he had Koes Bersaudara imprisoned for their allegedly decadent lyrics despite his own reputation for womanising. For Sukarno, modernity was blind to race, neat and elegant in style, and anti-imperialist.[12] Independence struggle [ edit ] Sukarno was first exposed to nationalist ideas while living under Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto. Later, while a student in Bandung, he immersed himself in European, American, Nationalist, communist, and religious political philosophy, eventually developing his own political ideology of Indonesian-style socialist self-sufficiency. He began styling his ideas as Marhaenism, named after Marhaen, an Indonesian peasant he met in southern Bandung area, who owned his little plot of land and worked on it himself, producing sufficient income to support his family. In university, Sukarno began organising a study club for Indonesian students, the Algemeene Studieclub, in opposition to the established student clubs dominated by Dutch students. On 4 July 1927, Sukarno with his friends from the Algemeene Studieclub established a pro-independence party, Partai Nasional Indonesia (PNI), of which Sukarno was elected the first leader. The party advocated independence for Indonesia, and opposed imperialism and capitalism because it opined that both systems worsened the life of Indonesian people. The party also advocated secularism and unity amongst the many different ethnicities in the Dutch East Indies, to establish a united Indonesia. Sukarno also hoped that Japan would commence a war against the western powers and that Java could then gain its independence with Japan's aid. Coming soon after the disintegration of Sarekat Islam in the early 1920s and the crushing of Partai Komunis Indonesia after their failed rebellion of 1926, PNI began to attract a large number of followers, particularly among the new university-educated youths eager for larger freedoms and opportunities denied to them in the racist and constrictive political system of Dutch colonialism.[13] Sukarno with fellow defendants and attorneys during his trial in Bandung, 1930. PNI activities came to the attention of the colonial government, and Sukarno's speeches and meetings were often infiltrated and disrupted by agents of the colonial secret police (Politieke Inlichtingen Dienst/PID). Eventually, Sukarno and other key PNI leaders were arrested on 29 December 1929 by Dutch colonial authorities in a series of raids throughout Java. Sukarno himself was arrested while on a visit to Yogyakarta. During his trial at the Bandung Landraad courthouse from August to December 1930, Sukarno made a series of long political speeches attacking colonialism and imperialism, titled Indonesia Menggoegat (Indonesia Accuses). In December 1930, Sukarno was sentenced to four years in prison, which were served in Sukamiskin prison in Bandung. His speech, however, received wide coverage by the press, and due to strong pressure from the liberal elements in both Netherlands and Dutch East Indies, Sukarno was released early on 31 December 1931. By this time, he had become a popular hero widely known throughout Indonesia. However, during his imprisonment, PNI had been splintered by oppression of colonial authorities and internal dissension. The original PNI was disbanded by the Dutch, and its former members formed two different parties; the Partai Indonesia (Partindo) under Sukarno's associate Sartono who were promoting mass agitation, and the Pendidikan Nasional Indonesia (PNI Baroe) under Mohammad Hatta and Soetan Sjahrir, two nationalists who recently returned from studies in the Netherlands, and who were promoting a long-term strategy of providing modern education to the uneducated Indonesian populace to develop an intellectual elite able to offer effective resistance to Dutch rule. After attempting to reconcile the two parties to establish one united nationalist front, Sukarno chose to become the head of Partindo on 28 July 1932. Partindo had maintained its alignment with Sukarno's own strategy of immediate mass agitation, and Sukarno disagreed with Hatta's long-term cadre-based struggle. Hatta himself believed Indonesian independence would not occur within his lifetime, while Sukarno believed Hatta's strategy ignored the fact that politics can only make real changes through formation and utilisation of force (machtsvorming en machtsaanwending).[13] During this period, to support himself and the party financially, Sukarno returned to architecture, opening the bureau of Soekarno & Rooseno. He also wrote articles for the party's newspaper, Fikiran Ra'jat. While based in Bandung, Sukarno travelled extensively throughout Java to establish contacts with other nationalists. His activities attracted further attention by the Dutch PID. In mid-1933, Sukarno published a series of writings titled Mentjapai Indonesia Merdeka ("To Attain Independent Indonesia"). For this writing, he was arrested by Dutch police while visiting fellow nationalist Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin in Jakarta on 1 August 1933. Sukarno at his home in exile, Bengkulu This time, to prevent providing Sukarno with a platform to make political speeches, the hardline governor-general Jonkheer Bonifacius Cornelis de Jonge utilised his emergency powers to send Sukarno to internal exile without trial. In 1934, Sukarno was shipped, along with his family (including Inggit Garnasih), to the remote town of Ende, on the island of Flores. During his time in Flores, he utilised his limited freedom of movement to establish a children's theatre. Among its members was future politician Frans Seda. Due to an outbreak of malaria in Flores, the Dutch authorities decided to move Sukarno and his family to Bencoolen (now Bengkulu) on western coast of Sumatra, in February 1938. In Bengkulu, Sukarno became acquainted with Hassan Din, the local head of Muhammadiyah organisation, and he was allowed to teach religious teachings at a local school owned by the Muhammadiyah. One of his students was 15-year-old Fatmawati, daughter of Hassan Din. He became romantically involved with Fatmawati, which he justified by stating the inability of Inggit Garnasih to produce children during their almost 20-year marriage. Sukarno was still in Bengkulu exile when the Japanese invaded the archipelago in 1942. World War II and the Japanese occupation [ edit ] In early 1929, during the Indonesian National Revival, Sukarno and fellow Indonesian nationalist leader Mohammad Hatta (later Vice President), first foresaw a Pacific War and the opportunity that a Japanese advance on Indonesia might present for the Indonesian independence cause.[14] In February 1942 Imperial Japan invaded the Dutch East Indies quickly defeating Dutch forces who marched, bussed and trucked Sukarno and his entourage three hundred kilometres from Bengkulu to Padang, Sumatra. They intended keeping him prisoner and shipping him to Australia, but abruptly abandoned him to save themselves upon the impending approach of Japanese forces on Padang.[15] The Japanese had their own files on Sukarno and the Japanese commander in Sumatra approached him with respect, wanting to use him to organise and pacify the Indonesians. Sukarno on the other hand wanted to use the Japanese to gain independence for Indonesia: "The Lord be praised, God showed me the way; in that valley of the Ngarai I said: Yes, Independent Indonesia can only be achieved with Dai Nippon...For the first time in all my life, I saw myself in the mirror of Asia."[16] In July 1942, Sukarno was sent back to Jakarta, where he re-united with other nationalist leaders recently released by the Japanese, including Mohammad Hatta. There, he met the Japanese commander General Hitoshi Imamura, who asked Sukarno and other nationalists to galvanise support from Indonesian populace to aid Japanese war effort. 1966 ABC report examining Sukarno's alliance between imperial Japan and the Indonesian nationalist movement Sukarno was willing to support the Japanese, in exchange for a platform for himself to spread nationalist ideas to the mass population. The Japanese, on the other hand, needed Indonesia's manpower and natural resources to help its war effort. The Japanese recruited millions of people, particularly from Java, to be forced labor called "romusha" in Japanese. They were forced to build railways, airfields, and other facilities for the Japanese within Indonesia and as far away as Burma. Additionally, the Japanese requisitioned rice and other food produced by Indonesian peasants to supply their own troops, while forcing the peasantry to cultivate castor oil plants to be used as aviation fuel and lubricants.[17] To gain cooperation from Indonesian population and to prevent resistance to these measures, the Japanese put Sukarno as head of Tiga-A mass organisation movement. In March 1943, the Japanese formed a new organisation called Poesat Tenaga Rakjat (POETERA/ Center of People's Power) under Sukarno, Hatta, Ki Hadjar Dewantara, and KH Mas Mansjoer. The aim of these organisations were to galvanise popular support for recruitment of romusha forced labor, requisitioning of food products, and to promote pro-Japanese and anti-Western sentiments amongst Indonesians. Sukarno coined the term, Amerika kita setrika, Inggris kita linggis ("Let's iron America, and bludgeon the British") to promote anti-Allied sentiments. In later years, Sukarno was lastingly ashamed of his role with the romusha. Additionally, food requisitioning by the Japanese caused widespread famine in Java which killed more than one million people in 1944–1945. In his view, these were necessary sacrifices to be made to allow for future independence of Indonesia.[18] He also was involved with the formation of Pembela Tanah Air (PETA) and Heiho (Indonesian volunteer army troops) via speeches broadcast on the Japanese radio and loud speaker networks across Java and Sumatra. By mid-1945 these units numbered around two million, and were preparing to defeat any Allied forces sent to re-take Java. In the meantime, Sukarno eventually divorced Inggit, who refused to accept her husband's wish for polygamy. She was provided with a house in Bandung and a pension for the rest of her life. In 1943, he married Fatmawati. They lived in a house in Jalan Pegangsaan Timur No. 56, confiscated from its previous Dutch owners and presented to Sukarno by the Japanese. This house would later be the venue of the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence in 1945. On 10 November 1943 Sukarno and Hatta were sent on a seventeen-day tour of Japan, where they were decorated by the Emperor Hirohito and wined and dined in the house of Prime Minister Hideki Tojo in Tokyo. On 7 September 1944, with the war going badly for the Japanese, Prime Minister Kuniaki Koiso promised independence for Indonesia, although no date was set.[19] This announcement was seen, according to the U.S. official history, as immense vindication for Sukarno's apparent collaboration with the Japanese.[20] The U.S. at the time considered Sukarno one of the "foremost collaborationist leaders."[21] On 29 April 1945, with the fall of Philippines to American hands, the Japanese allowed for the establishment of the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence (BPUPK), a quasi-legislature consisting of 67 representatives from most ethnic groups in Indonesia. Sukarno was appointed as head of the BPUPK and was tasked to lead discussions to prepare the basis of a future Indonesian state. To provide a common and acceptable platform to unite the various squabbling factions in the BPUPK, Sukarno formulated his ideological thinking developed for the past twenty years into five principles. On
YOU GOPlanned May Day celebrations in Gaziantep, as well as 130 miles away in Adana were subsequently cancelled, CNN Turk reported, while security forces in the capital of Ankara arrested four alleged IS militants thought to be planning an attack on parades. It was the latest in a series of deadly blasts to hit Turkey and sixth in a major urban area this year alone. The Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish militants have been blamed for previous attacks, but no group has yet claimed responsibility for the one on Sunday. Unidentified sources cited by a number of Turkish outlets said an IS member was responsible. The moment of the explosion was captured on security camera footage broadcast by local media outlets, while pictures and video of the aftermath showed extensive damage to the surrounding area and wounded and dead sprawled amongst the debris. The blast targeted a police headquarters in the southeastern city at around 9:20am local-time. Gunmen in two cars fired on the entrance of the multi-story building, prompting a brief firefight with police, local Hürriyet daily reported. One of the vehicles rigged with explosives then detonated and the other was able to escape. Two officers were killed and at least 18 others injured, along with four civilians, the provincial governor's office said. A fatal car bomb attack in Turkey's Gaziantep overshadowed May Day gatherings elsewhere in the country, while Istanbul police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters attempting to reach Taksim Square. Read more A fatal car bomb attack in Turkey's Gaziantep overshadowed May Day gatherings elsewhere in the country, while Istanbul police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters attempting to reach Taksim Square. The blast targeted a police headquarters in the southeastern city at around 9:20am local-time. Gunmen in two cars fired on the entrance of the multi-story building, prompting a brief firefight with police, local Hürriyet daily reported. One of the vehicles rigged with explosives then detonated and the other was able to escape. Two officers were killed and at least 18 others injured, along with four civilians, the provincial governor's office said. The moment of the explosion was captured on security camera footage broadcast by local media outlets, while pictures and video of the aftermath showed extensive damage to the surrounding area and wounded and dead sprawled amongst the debris. It was the latest in a series of deadly blasts to hit Turkey and sixth in a major urban area this year alone. The Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish militants have been blamed for previous attacks, but no group has yet claimed responsibility for the one on Sunday. Unidentified sources cited by a number of Turkish outlets said an IS member was responsible. Planned May Day celebrations in Gaziantep, as well as 130 miles away in Adana were subsequently cancelled, CNN Turk reported, while security forces in the capital of Ankara arrested four alleged IS militants thought to be planning an attack on parades. In Istanbul, thousands of trade unions, NGO, and political party members gathered in Bakirkoy district to mark May 1, International Workers' Day, where organizers had agreed to assemble in order to avoid clashes with police. Separate smaller groups defied a massive security presence in an attempt to march on Taksim Square, but were quickly dispersed. Police pepper sprayed then quickly arrested a group of leftist demonstrators gathered in Besiktas neighborhood in the mid-morning. Plain-clothed officers hustled a group of at least a dozen men on to a waiting bus, their eyes still streaming from the effects of the pepper spray. In nearby Mecidiyekoy, a large contingent of riot police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters. One man was killed by a water cannon, seemingly while attempting to cross the road, according to DHA. Authorities deployed up to 15,000 officers and 120 water cannons across Istanbul as part of a huge security operation. Helicopters circled from the early morning and access to Taksim Square and Istiklal, a main commercial thoroughfare, was entirely blocked off with metal barriers. Taksim Square has a special significance for groups involved in International Workers' Day events. At least 34 people died there in 1977 after unidentified gunmen shot into a crowd hundreds of thousands strong, causing mass panic. The anti-government Gezi Park protests of 2013 also centered around the square, and in recent years access has been tightly restricted on May 1. Related: Rockets From Syria Strike Turkish Border Town in Wake of Merkel Visit Follow VICE News on Twitter: @vicenewsHey everyone, Alexicon1 here with an interview with Duelyst’s first World Champion, Ferocca! Before we start, here’s a little bit of information about our new Champion. A: Following on from that, what made you want to play Mechs on the world stage, in front of hundreds of viewers? F: Well, I didn’t want to do that from an honour perspective, but I just realized that there are no real answer to Mech, besides hardcore tech cards like Crossbones. This is especially true if you have movement cards like Hearthsister, then dispel doesn’t matter. Alexicon1: So after two days of phenomenal competition, you’ve just taken out the competition and are now the first Duelyst World Champion, can you give any insight on how you feel right now? Ferocca: I feel absurd. I didn’t see myself winning at all. Choosing Mech decks for the Top 8 was a total gamble, a decision which was made 30 minutes before the deck submission deadline and now I am World Champion, so it feels insane. I am 23 years old, from the Netherlands, I’ve always lived in small towns but studied in Amsterdam. I had a strange education in art which basically turned me into a trader. nothing fancy though. It’s hard to explain, the art world is absurd, but basically, I make money with trading and art without making art. My hobbies involve gaming (of course), reading and writing in my native language A: You’ve played quite a few games this weekend, so out of all your matchups this past weekend, what would you say was the hardest opponent for you to face? F: Dragall definitely. We had to play 4 times against each other and he won twice. The order in which our series ended, decided the World Championships which is also why I feel so absurd about it. He also won more total games, regardless of series, going 10-9 in top 8 and 3-1 in the group stage against me, so there’s no way I can’t name him as the hardest opponent. I thought it was a good meta call and I felt like it was a good idea to bring something that is out of control of everyone. Mech is uninteractive and since Alpha the most uninteractive decks were the best in Duelyst. Playing the Mech style was a purely competitive choice and to make a point on luck-based decks being viable. A: So, about Dragall, it was previously mentioned that you had criticised his Reva deck, what about it made you feel it was a suboptimal deck. F: I am surprised, but people should remember I hadn’t played in a single tournament yet when I was cynical and critical about Dragallhai. Songhai still had great aggro tools when he created it, and I loved all of that, but I found the rest of the mostly-neutral deck to be plain ugly. I wanted to see flashy aggressive combos in Songhai not Dioltas and Bonereaper, so it was definitely a taste thing, it wasn’t suboptimal because it definitely works. A: So Dragall’s Reva deck just didn’t fit with your playstyle? F: Yes, at that time I played a completely opposite playstyle for Songhai, as it was easier to be aggressive back then, and it’s hard to be aggressive with them now, so I do like the deck more now. A: And moving on to your decks, out of the Mech decks you played, which did you think was the strongest? F: I think the Zirix one might have been the strongest out of all my decks actually. Faie and Starhorn are really good too, it’s just Kara and Reva that I consider inferior to the rest when it comes to playing Mechs. A: Now, as the first World Champion, you will be the subject of many netdecks going into the future, so do you have any advice for newer players coming into the game? F: For new players, I will give pretty standard advice of just mucking around. don’t care about winning or losing, or knowing what you are doing. Try to have fun and see if you become interested in competitive from that A: Going back to basics here, but what got you into Duelyst in the first place and what made you stick with the game? F: I got into Duelyst because of the pixel art + cards made into pieces. it looked like a flashy chess which I used to play. I had never played a CCG before actually and as Duelyst was being developed I got more and more of a feeling what a normal CCG feels like. what I am trying to say is that I am one of the nostalgic 2-draw people. The quick swingy consistent style of 2-draw made it a tactics game over a card game in my opinion. A: After Dragall took that first Best of 7 in the Grand Final, how were you feeling going into the deciding series? F: I felt really nervous. I thought he was going to smack me 4-1 again. I got lucky to be honest. Like I mentioned, he had the better record against me today and yesterday so, I felt nervous going into it, just nervous. A: Along with the prize money, you also will get the ability to design a card, have you got any idea of what that could be? Are we going to see a Mech themed card come in? F: I don’t think it’s going to be a mech card because I actually hate Mech, but no idea on it yet because I didn’t know before today that the personal card was a prize. Will definitely put time into that one, I really want a positional-based card something like Juxtaposition, Hearth-Sister, those are my favourite types of cards. I am really excited about the personal card though. A: What would say would have been your first maindeck, or have you stuck with Mech the entire way? F: It was a Songhai deck with a lot of 1-ofs, like Mindwarper, Storm Aratha and Crimson Oculus, I just put in 39 random cards with no plan at all. I think I started making ‘good’ decks after watching streams of Elmanbeastio and JoyfulRogue way back in Alpha. I’ve never actually played Mech before today, I just thought it would be an unprepared surprise that is secretly very strong and luckily it turns out it that it was. For my mech decks, I just run x3 Helm, x3 Wings, x3 Sword, x3 Cannon, x2 Chassis as a core for Mech. A: Was there a time where you felt you wanted to quit Duelyst? F: Yes from the 2-draw to 1-draw change I wanted to quit Duelyst but I guess I adapted in the end A: Coming in as a so-called “underdog”, where did you think you would end up in the DWC? F: I thought I would end 3rd in my group to be honest. I thought I would win vs either DemmiRemmi or TM21 and then lose two games. A:Who would you say were your “models” as you continued playing Duelyst? F: Jassz was a model, and before that Elmanbeastio. Drezbo in some way (in the way that I never played Magmar but he was still a model), and I think I learnt a lot from Grinch’s streams too. I also like maser’s decks almost always, but they usually only work for him. For this DWC I went to nowayitsJ as a model though, for the second round at least, the first round I was basically playing Kolos (x4 arcanysts, we had same generals too). A: Although the readers may instantly assume your answer will be Mechaz0r, what would you say would be your favourite card? F: Juxtaposition, I love positioning based cards and cards that interact with the board. A: Probably the best decision in your Duelyst career, so do you plan to continue playing Mechs? F: Probably never again. This way I can improve my matchups because my opponents will have to play useless tech cards. I guess Crossbones does stop me from playing Reva though which is sad A: So you are going to utilise the fact you won the World Champs with Mech to force opponents to run counters when they match up with you, meanwhile you very well could be running something completely different? F: Yes, Crossbones, Hollow Grovekeeper and Sunset Paragon are techs against Mech, which are all terrible against Obelysk Vet for example, so I’ll run something completely different. A: And who would you say would be your favourite General? F: My favourite general is Kaleos, he was the first General I played, and I only played him for a long time. this was long before Reva. I still like him most because his BBS truly interacts with the board unlike other BBSs. A: Outside of Duelyst, what would say your favourite books and games be/recreational activities? F: Books written by Reve, Brusselmans and Dimitri Verhulst. I have to menton Gummbah for comics (nothing superhero-like, it’s a humouristic comic). For games I like older Civilization games, Age of Empires, Europa Universalis – basically empire-building A: Are there any shoutouts or thanks you want to make to members of the Duelyst community or elsewhere? Do you have any celebrations planned? F: Maser, nowayitsj, kolos. Their decks and advice helped me win this tournament. also RHacker for presenting the idea of Mech about 3 days before DWC started, that is where the seed was planted really when he mentioned mech kara, running x5 mech was after some talking with Maser. I plan to go to on a 3-week trip to Korea as celebration!Doomsday is coming back. A few of you drew this conclusion from last week's tease, and we'll confirm here that the Kryptonian killing machine will return to Earth early next year - and you don't need me to tell you that's never a good sign for the heroes of the DCU. Doomsday will first make his presence known this January in- but I can promise you, he won't be the only hero facing Doomsday's wrath for long. The story will continue with:OUTSIDERS #37JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #55SUPERBOY #6"Doomsday is one of the most popular villains in Superman's canon of foes," says Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras, "He injects a feeling of dread and chaos into the DC Universe that few other characters can." In other news, one of the exciting pieces of news to come out of last week's DC Digital Store launch is the launch of some amazing back list titles in digital format - including The Death and Return of Superman. And if you haven't read those stories before, you might want to do it sooner rather than later. Y'know, just sayin'...This Toddler Was Mesmerized by His First Look at Automatic Doors Little Boy Gives His Mom 'Ticket' for Being on Her Phone Too Much A California mom was arrested last month for letting her 4-year-old son play outside unsupervised. Sonya Hendren said that her son, Tomahawk, was on a playground about 120 feet from her front door when a neighbor called Child Protective Services. Steve Doocy and Elisabeth Hasselbeck demonstrated the distance on “Fox and Friends” this morning. The two were within sight of each other, though Hendren admitted she wasn't watching her son at all times. Weren't you afraid that your son would wander off? Steve asked. “No. He’s lived there and played there for a year. He had proven himself ready to have in-and-out privileges,” she said. "It was shocking,” the mom added, when she walked out of her apartment to find her son standing with Sacramento police. “We’re being terrorized,” Hendren said, explaining that she believes in "free-range" parenting. “This is an abusive thing that they’re doing. There is something wrong with this system, when kids are being taken from their yards.” Her attorney told FOX 40 that Hendren faces a charge of child endangerment and neglect, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail. He said she was offered a reduced sentence of 30 days in jail, but rejected it. Baby Survives After Being Buried Alive Along Bike Path This Grandpa-to-Be Has Priceless Reaction to Pregnancy Announcement Mom Posts Video of Sick Baby in Plea for Parents to VaccinateKotaku East East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am. SF Magazine is a well-known sci-fi magazine in Japan. Launching in 1959, it's still published today. And in July 1973, the cover looked like BioShock. BioShock was released decades later in 2007 (the above image features a still from the 2010 sequel). But wow, look at the similarities—especially the similarities with the Little Sister from the game: This appears to be one interesting kwinky-dink, which was noticed by Twitter users GonziStyle and eSe_Acua. This particular sci-fi cover seems to be somewhat obscure (though, it's certainly possible that the game's artists saw it). I hadn't seen it until earlier today. However, the little girl on the cover isn't an exact match by any means and looks very different from the Little Sister concept art: Advertisement Heck, originally Big Daddy and Little Sister were going to be giant rat and a dude in what looks like kendo gear. Advertisement It's unclear if that issue of SF Magazine featured some sort of underwater tale or if the cover was simply striking artwork. Of course, right now you might be saying, "But, Atlas Shrugged did BioShock in 1957!" Update: BioShock designer Ken Levine tells Kotaku, "It's a beautiful image, but the twins from The Shining were the closest thing to an inspiration for the Little Sisters." @Brian_Ashcraft what do you think about this? [GonziStyle Thanks, Gonzalo!] To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft. AdvertisementFlorida has only one openly gay state legislator, but a record eight LGBT candidates are on the ballot trying to change that. All the candidates are in winnable races. They say the LGBT community needs greater representation because the Legislature's conservative outlook on gay rights has not kept up with the swiftly liberalizing views of Floridians. Five of the candidates running are from South Florida, including incumbent state Rep. David Richardson, D-Miami Beach. He has a Republican opponent in November, but the district is largely Democratic. He believes the relatively large group of LGBT candidates is an indication of things to come. "I think it's going to be the new normal," he said. "We're at a place and time where people are truly being evaluated based on their qualifications and not some of these other demographics." The other South Floridians are: Paulette Armstead and Ken Keechl, both running in Broward; and Michael Góngora and Kevin Burns, facing each other in a state Senate race in Miami-Dade. They are joined statewide by Carlos Guillermo Smith and Beth Tuura, both running in the Orlando area, and Jennifer Webb, running in a west coast district that includes parts of St. Petersburg. While all eight of the candidates are Democrats, and the Democratic Party generally pushes for expansion of gay rights, they say it makes a difference to have members of their community in the Legislature. "The more gays and lesbians that are involved on the floor of the House, the more the other side is going to see that we're not different than anybody else," Keechl said. "It's a very toxic environment to begin with, and we're only there for two or three months, but I'm hopeful that it can make a difference." Richardson agrees. "When I'm able to stand on the floor and speak on an issue that affects me so personally, then I think it's more impactful," he said. "We're always going to need our straight allies, but I do think it changes the dynamics to have someone who's so personally affected talk about it in a way that people can relate to it on a personal level." After the legalization of gay marriage, the state Legislature started to push back at the expansion of LGBT rights, including the passage last session of a bill that protects clergy from having to perform same-sex marriages. They already have that right under the First Amendment, but supporters of the bill said it would protect clergy from expensive lawsuits. Opponents of the bill called it homophobic and unnecessary. A Gallup demographic study in 2012 found that 3.5 percent of Floridians self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. But because the study asked people to self-identify, it's possible the number of LGBT people in Florida is somewhat higher. Despite that small percentage, a series of polls over the past two years has found about 60 percent of Floridians support gay marriage, and a slightly larger percentage support LGBT nondiscrimination laws. Richardson became one of Florida's first openly gay representatives, along with Joe Saunders of Orlando, when the two were first elected to office in 2012. Richardson says his sexual orientation was never an issue. "I didn't even get any questions," he said. "No one asked me to leave their front porch when I was knocking on doors." Saunders lasted just one term in office, but Smith, the man who served as his legislative aide, is now looking to take Saunders' old seat back from the Republicans. And Smith has an easy path to power; he faces only an independent candidate in November. "The last couple years have been fairly hostile for LGBT Floridians even as Republicans need to be moving on from these social wars. Not only because it's 2016 and, come on, get over it, but because they can't afford to marginalize a very active voter base," he said. "Things are moving in our direction, and I think that's a good signal of things to come." For the other six LGBT candidates, the future is less certain. Burns, Góngora and Armstead don't have Republican opponents but face crowded Democratic primaries. "I'm running as an out-and-proud lesbian, but it doesn't make a difference. I want people to look at my qualifications, my advocacy," Armstead said. "To have more [LGBT candidates] is not some big surprise. Even Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, is, so I'm in good company." Armstead said that although the LGBT community may take a deeper interest in issues such as firing people based on their sexual orientation — the subject of a bill that comes up every year and just as frequently dies — the most important issues tend to be the same. "A lot of the issues facing the LGBT community are some of the same issues facing the general community — the economy, jobs, the expansion of Medicaid and quality health care," she said. "That community is interested in good schools, affordable housing. The issues are no different." The final three candidates face the toughest odds of getting elected, because all are trying to unseat incumbent Republicans. Tuura has to win a primary before trying to beat state Rep. Mike Miller, R-Orlando, in November. Webb will face state Rep. Kathleen Peters, R-South Pasadena, in November. And likely Democratic candidate Keechl will go against state Rep. George Moraitis, R-Fort Lauderdale, the only Republican state legislator in Broward County. Beating an incumbent is rarely easy but all three of these districts produce close races, and all three candidates have raised enough money to keep them competitive. "I think this is a precursor of things to come," Keechl said. "If the House has 120 people in it and we say five percent of the population is gay or lesbian, you would expect to have 5 or 6 gay or lesbian House members." Keechl became Broward County's first openly gay county commissioner in 2006, and even ten years ago, he found there was little pushback over a gay politician. "I don't remember any homophobia in 2006 while I was running, with the exception of one thing that happened," he said. "Jim Scott, my Republican opponent, and I live in the same neighborhood. I was jogging one day and I saw a Jim Scott sign defaced with the word 'Fag' and I thought, 'I think they got the wrong guy.'"Ambient Occlusion Benchmark For our paper Visionaray: A Cross-Platform Ray Tracing Template Library, we reported results gathered with our simple AO benchmark program implemented with Visionaray. Going to update the results from time to time here for new hardware platforms. Platform Conference Room Fairy Forest Sibenik Cathedral NVIDIA GTX 1080Ti 290.7 (290.9) 143.4 (143.5) 288.5 (290.7) Intel KNL with 64x4 threads 254.0 (273.2) 130.0 (130.4) 247.7 (268.2) NVIDIA GTX 980Ti 172.9 (228.3) 73.4 (83.3) 139.1 (188.5) NVIDIA Quadro K6000 142.4 (189.1) 63.1 (71.1) 113.2 (142.9) NVIDIA Titan (1st gen, Kepler) 114.4 (143.3) 55.5 (56.9) 81.5 (114.4) 16-core dual socket Xeon E5-2690 102.0 (117.0) 55.0 (57.1) 94.2 (105.6) NVIDIA GTX 970M 83.6 (107.1) 32.7 (36.4) 63.9 (87.9) Intel Core i7 6800K, 6x2 threads 80.1 (89.4) 40.6 (41.7) 68.6 (77.8) Apple MBP Mid 2014 2.8 GHz Core i7, 4x2 threads 41.8 (46.2) 20.8 (21.0) 34.7 (39.4) Nehalem Core i7 920, 2.67 GHz, 4x2 threads 20.7 (21.9) 11.4 (11.9) 15.9 (18.5) Raspberry PI3 with ARM NEON 2.0 (2.3) 1.2 (1.3) 1.7 (1.9) Results are in Mrays/s, 1024 x 1024 px. images, averaged over 250 runs, 8 AO rays. We report results for the binned BVH builder, and the SBVH builder in parentheses. A tarball containing the benchmark script can be downloaded from here. Results for hardware platforms not listed here are highly welcome. Please send those to me (Stefan Zellmann, info (at) szellmann (dot) de), along with the output of cat /proc/cpuinfo or sth. similar, and a brief note which benchmark you ran (CUDA, SSE, AVX). Contributors Thanks go to: - Martin Aumüller for the i7 6800K results'Queer-Hatin' Cordon Bleu' Goes On Sale Wednesday ATLANTA—As part of its recent efforts to publicly align itself with fundamentalist Christian values, the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain announced today the debut of its new Queer-Hatin' Cordon Bleu sandwich that would be on sale in all of the company's 1,600 restaurants this Wednesday. Advertisement In a press conference to reporters, company representatives said the homophobic new sandwich will include the national fast food chain’s trademark fried chicken filet wrapped in a piece of specially-smoked No Homo ham that would be topped with a slice of Swiss cheese and lathered in a creamy new Thousand Island-based Fag Punching sauce. "The Queer-Hatin' Cordon Bleu is our company's way of showing our firm commitment to strong, Christian family values," said Chick-fil-A spokesman Robert Gary, before adding that the vehemently anti-gay rights sandwich comes served in a combo with waffle fries and a medium soda for just $6.95. "From the very first morsel of this savory meal to the very last bite, customers can envision gays burning in hell with their sodomizing cohorts, and know that our sandwich is on their side.” "Of course, the young ones will want to finish their meals off right with a No Fudge Packin' Soft Serve Cone," Gary added. "I can't think of a better way to follow up a sandwich this good." Advertisement While the release of the Queer-Hatin’ Cordon Bleu has led to anger from pro-gay rights groups, loyal Chick-fil-A customers claim they are happy they can finally enjoy a sandwich that takes a firm stance on the issue of homosexuality. "Any sandwich that combines that great Chick-fil-A flavor with a hefty dose of vitriolic homophobia is definitely going to keep me coming back for more," said Atlanta customer John Oaks. “Come Wednesday, I’m going to be first in line for this thing.” According to sources, the Queer-Hatin’ Cordon Bleu is merely the first of Chick-fil-A’s new family values menu which is set to include the AIDS Is God’s Curse chicken nugget combo and the Fags Caused 9/11 strawberry fruit smoothie.Domestic violence: Nowhere to turn for migrant women trapped in violent relationships Updated Psychologist Eman Sharobeem has not heard from one of her regular clients for three days and she is worried. Sitting at her desk, she taps out a message on her mobile phone, her face illuminated by the screen. "Hello dear," she writes. "Are you OK?" She does not want to cause trouble for her client, so she uses a message service that will not show up on the bill. Secrecy is paramount. Three of her clients have been murdered in the past five years. The woman Dr Sharobeem is concerned about has already suffered a broken jaw and dislocated shoulder, but she has decided to stay in the family home until her last child has grown up and moved out. She does not want to bring shame on the family. Dr Sharobeem is uneasy. "My fear is there will come a day when she is murdered before I am able to say 'out we go'. That is my fear," she said. For the past 10 years, Dr Sharobeem has been the director of the Immigrant Women's Health Service in Fairfield in the sprawling multicultural suburbs of south-west Sydney. Born in Egypt and married off to a cousin at 15, she speaks openly about her own experience in a violent relationship. By the age of 29 she was a widow and mother of two. She trained as a psychologist and found her calling in working to improve the lives of migrant women. Centre hears cases of violence daily The health service, which is housed in an unassuming converted single-storey brick house, is a place where women come for health checks and to socialise and learn English. But there is one topic of conversation that keeps coming up. "We used to have a case every second day, now I have more than one case every day. Maybe now I am more immune [to] the shock, but of course there are cases that really raise my eyebrows," Dr Sharobeem said. Some of the most shocking cases involve girls taken out of school to be married off by their families. "We have at least 60 recorded cases... and we are just one service," she said, adding that many of the cases are identified because of domestic violence. One case involved a girl who gave birth at the age of 11 as a result of being raped after a forced marriage. The abuse only came to light when the girl registered for English classes and gradually divulged her story. I am stuck in this situation because I don't know what to do, where to go. "Sarah" "When she has her period, in their mind she's ready to have babies, ready to be a mother, ready to have sex - 'She's ready to be a wife. Let's seal the deal'," Dr Sharobeem said. Dr Sharobeem says the fact the practice is illegal under Australian law proves no obstacle. "If the marriage doesn't take place here, they travel overseas and bring the young bride here, pregnant most of the time," she said. Dr Sharobeem says some migrant men feel threatened and emasculated by Australian laws that protect women's rights. She tells of one asylum seeker who called his wife from inside the Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney saying he would send his relatives to kill her if she attempted to learn English or went to any women's group. Another man dumped his pregnant wife on the health centre's doorstep after the woman reported him to police. "He actually pushed her in front of him and he said to me, 'Here take her, I don't want her any more'," she said. "The woman was left, no family, no visa, no accommodation, no relatives, no language, no income, nothing." 'I am stuck in this situation' Sarah sits fiddling nervously with her hands. She has agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, but even then it is a brave step. If her husband finds out she could be in serious danger. A petite softly-spoken woman, Sarah came to Australia five years ago from a Middle Eastern country. Her husband started abusing her on their honeymoon, and since then the insults and beatings have continued. "I don't feel I'm treated like a human being," she said. "I just want to leave this situation and live in peace with my daughter. I don't want her to be exposed to all this humiliation against her mother." Sarah says she does not feel she can leave her husband as she does not have a job or money and speaks little English. "I am stuck in this situation because I don't know what to do, where to go." She is worried that if she speaks out she will be ostracised by her community. When confronted by domestic violence, Dr Sharobeem says it is common for religious and community leaders to side with the abuser. "The first thing they say to the woman is, 'What did you do? How did you provoke him?', without even first condemning the violent act," she said. More education is needed, she said, on how to deal with domestic violence. "Many of these communities are quite guarded and it's quite hard to get in and give them the right information. We're relying on the gatekeepers, the community leaders." For more on this story watch ABC News at 7:00pm on ABC 1 Topics: domestic-violence, law-crime-and-justice, religion-and-beliefs, marriage, immigration, women, womens-health, fairfield-2165, australia First postedShareblue Media’s Jess McIntosh was having none of Kellyanne Conway’s glaring double standards. As the horrific extent of Harvey Weinstein’s abuse of women — and the culture of powerful Hollywood men who knew of his depravity and laughed it off — continues to trickle out, the corporate media and Republicans are bizarrely keen on shifting the blame toward any woman who happened to run in Weinstein’s social or political circles — including Hillary Clinton. One eager proponent of this narrative is counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, who on Tuesday afternoon gleefully weighed in on Twitter: “It took Hillary abt 5 minutes to blame NRA for madman’s rampage, but 5 days to sorta-kinda blame Harvey Weinstein 4 his sexually assaults.” The idea that Conway — who ran the campaign of a man who openly boasted on tape about using his celebrity to sexually assault women — would have any leg to stand on in this debate is ridiculous. Appearing on a discussion on MSNBC, former Clinton campaign veteran and Shareblue Media Executive Editor Jessica McIntosh had some choice words for Conway: MCINTOSH: Sister, you are working for a sexual predator. I don’t know where you can get off criticizing anybody for anything in this realm and still look at yourself in the morning. It’s just not — it’s so far beyond the pale, I can’t even imagine the kind of mental shutting down that she has had to be able to do to comment on a story like this while working in a White House for that man. McIntosh perfectly nailed the utter shamelessness of Conway’s inability to apply the standards to herself and her employer that she has to others. The truth is that statements like this, from Conway and others, reveal a total lack of actual concern about Weinstein’s victims. Turning these horrifying revelations into an attack on other women does exactly zero to give closure or justice to the women who were assaulted, or to change the culture of misogyny in Hollywood. And no one working for Donald Trump has any room to speak on the matter.Bosses at Aston University in Birmingham are calling for the UK to remain a member of the European Union (EU) – but have admitted they only want the UK to stay in because they receive money from Brussels. In a recent statement Aston University was quick to point out the monetary benefits it gets from the EU. Professor Simon Green, who is the director of the Aston Centre for Europe stated: “the funding we get from Europe, which supports our European Bio-energy research among many others, keeps us at the cutting edge of world research, creating the jobs and technologies of the future,” the Birmingham Post has reported. He added, “I have no doubt that our continuing members of the EU has a great many benefits,” though neglected to mention any. Professor Green should be able to point out how European Union funding has benefitted him personally however. A project listed on the Aston University research page entitled The Political Challenge of Managing Migration in the UK and Germany shows Prof. Green applied to the EU-funded German academic exchange service (DAAD) for a total of £57,912 on January 23, 2012 and three months later was awarded £62,891 from DAAD. The attitudes espoused in Green’s research on migration may reflect the same views as his article a year ago for the website The Conversation where he has written on the subject of Germany’s anti-mass migration PEGIDA movement.
which also includes more angular glyphs found in early versions of Futura.[39] The family includes 20 fonts in 6 weights and 2 widths, with book and demibold missing in condensed width, with complementary oblique. Futura Next (2016) [ edit ] Designed by Marie-Thérèse Koreman, it is a version of Futura ND Alternate with alternate characters designed for small or low resolution displays.[40] The family includes 20 fonts in 6 weights and 2 widths, with book and demibold missing in condensed width, with complementary oblique. Small caps and old style figures are included in 18 fonts. ParaType version [ edit ] The ParaType fonts added Cyrillic characters. They were developed at ParaType (ParaGraph) in 1995 by Vladimir Yefimov. They came in only Light, Book, Medium, Demi weights. Futura PT [ edit ] This version is based on the previous ParaType design by Vladimir Yefimov (see below), expanded to include seven weights, with Book, Medium, Bold, Extra Bold weights for condensed fonts. Additional Cyrillic styles were developed in 2007 by Isabella Chaeva.[41] Futura Futuris [ edit ] Futuris is a redesign at ParaType (ParaGraph) in 1991 by Vladimir Yefimov that includes Cyrillic characters. Condensed styles were added in 1993 by Vladimir Yefimov and Alexander Tarbeev. It is available in Light, Medium, Bold, Black (without oblique) weights, while condensed fonts were made in Bold, Extra Bold, all without obliques. Also available are Cameo Extra Bold (black in reverse), Shadow Light, Shadow Extra Bold (black with shadow), Volume Light.[42] Futura Eugenia [ edit ] This version is based on the Futura Black, but designed at the Polygraphmash type design bureau in 1987 by Elvira Slysh.[43] Bukra [ edit ] Bukra is an Arabic variant designed by Pascal Zoghbi. It consists of Bukra Extra Bold, which was used as an Arabic display typeface for Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai as a complement for Futura Extra Bold. The design was based on Kufi script, but using shortened descenders. The name Bukra itself is a phonetic representation of one way to express "tomorrow" or "in the future" in some Arabic cultures. Unusually, URW has two main digitisations, Futura and Futura No. 2. Futura 1 has the larger range of weights with some unusual versions like stencil and shadowed designs, while Futura No. 2 has, amongst other differences, a conventional 'j' in all the non-condensed weights apart from demi-bold, but no italics except in some bold weights. According to URW, No. 2 is based on Letraset's version.[44] It has also released some styles as Futura 3 and 7. Futura Classic [ edit ] This release by Gert Wiescher is notable for presenting the original alternate characters planned by Renner.[45] They have also appeared on a digitisation of Twentieth Century, Monotype's competitor to Futura, a release which allows them to be mixed and matched with the more standard characters and small caps.[46] FuturaRenner [ edit ] This free and open source typeface was digitized by Bastien Sozoo in 2011 around his presence at La Cambre art school in Brussels. The metal lead type in the letterpress facility of the school were given by Renner to Henry Van de Velde, the school founder, and the original 1927 forms are, as Sozoo described it, "the first draft of Futura as we know it." While the capital letters are very similar to their modern counterparts (some visible differences include capital J's descent below the base line and a slightly higher crossbar on capital A), FuturaRenner uses text figures as opposed to the usual lining figures, and the letter forms of r (which has a distinctive dot-and-line styling), m and n (both of which are box-based and unrounded) are in particular contrast to modern Futura adaptations. FuturaRenner is available in light and regular weights, both of which are licensed under the SIL Open Font License.[47] Influence on other typefaces [ edit ] Though Erbar was the first of the new geometric sans-serif faces, the enormous success of Futura fostered the creation of many new geometric sans-serif faces by competing foundries including Kabel, Metro, Spartan by Linotype, Vogue by Intertype, Twentieth Century by Monotype and Airport by Baltotype, Semplicità by Nebiolo, and Tempo by Ludlow. Some were near identical copies as in Spartan and Twentieth Century but others were uniquely different, including Nobel and Kabel. Futura was rebranded in France by Deberny & Peignot as "Europe".[48] In Germany the designer Arno Drescher created the family Super Grotesk, which became very popular in East Germany after the war.[49][50] Stephen Coles has described FontShop International's Super Grotesk digitisation as surprisingly useful, noting that its digitisation is unusually well-hinted allowing good display on Windows computers.[36][51] It also features a conventional 'j'. Another German competitor, also recently digitised by FontFont, was Friedrich Bauer's Bauer Grotesk, issued by J. D. Trennert & Sohn and then Genzsch & Heyse.[52][53] Volkswagen's VAG Rounded typeface borrows the same letterforms as Futura, but has rounded terminals on all strokes. Typeface designer Adrian Frutiger acknowledges Futura as one of his inspirations for his 1988 typeface Avenir.[48] More recently Futura has been the basis of IKEA Sans and Opel Sans, fonts designed (for IKEA and Opel, respectively) by Robin Nicholas.[54][unreliable source?] The Toronto Transit Commission developed the Toronto Subway font based on Futura for use in Toronto subway station signage since 1954. Tasse is a revival of Steile Futura. League Spartan and Beteckna are descendants of Futura that are licensed as Free Software (Under the SIL OFL and GNU GPL+FE licenses, respectively). Century Gothic borrows liberally from Futura letterforms, with the glyphs adjusted to be metrically compatible with another geometric sans-serif, ITC Avant Garde. Brandon Grotesque is inspired by Futura but with an unusually low x-height, giving it a more elegant appearance for uses such as headings and display settings.[55] Designed by Hannes von Döhren of HVD Fonts, it is the main corporate font of Comedy Central.[56] In 2014, von Döhren released Brandon Text, a tighter version intended for body text.[57] Braggadocio is based on Futura Black. The 2000 typeface Gotham is similarly geometric and based on 1920s signage. Passata is a modernised version of Futura specifically designed to replace Futura as the corporate branding font of Aarhus University. References [ edit ] ^ [6] It was, though, not the first sans-serif with these features: Koralle, for instance, already used a single-storey 'a', and the form is standard in blackletter ^ This illustration compares Futura Demi with Helvetica Neue Medium. ^ [14] This characteristic did vary by size: unlike digital facsimiles, Futura in metal type was made differently at different sizes.LAS VEGAS – NHL commissioner Gary Bettman gave a one-word answer on whether he was worried if the NFL could move into the Las Vegas market and steal some of the thunder of the NHL’s expansion for 2017-18. “No,” Bettman said. Much of the NHL’s success on the Las Vegas market is predicated on the fact that the league will be the only major pro game in town. But if the Oakland Raiders move to Las Vegas – which has been rumored recently – would that damage the league’s business model in Sin City? Scroll to continue with content Ad The NHL officially announced expansion into Las Vegas for 2017-18 on Wednesday. “I’m focused on a hockey team in Las Vegas, which we think will do extraordinarily well,” Bettman later added when further pressed on the issue. On June 25, 1997 the NHL’s Board of Governors granted Nashville an NHL franchise. Around that same time the Houston Oilers started the process of moving to Middle Tennessee. This slowed the momentum of the Predators locally for several years. “If we had come solely like we were supposed to come to Nashville and be the only thing it would have been like San Jose. The Sharks are the only thing there. I think it would have galvanized really quickly in Nashville,” former Predators coach Barry Trotz said. “We went from being, 'Hey, we got a professional team' to 'Now we've got two.' We went from being the talk of the town to now the Titans were the talk of the town, and that did hurt.” Las Vegas owner Bill Foley was open to an NFL team coming to Las Vegas, which has over 2 million people, and said he would support the franchise but noted how he didn’t believe his team would have to compete with the NFL in regards to the sports entertainment dollar in Las Vegas. Story continues “I think the NFL would be great here. I’ll be a season ticket holder,” he said. “They’re a different fanbase than we have and I don’t believe they’ll have any impact on us. On sponsorships we have a head start. We’re here. We’re going.” Is Vegas big enough to go from no professional teams to an NHL team and an NFL team? The NFL’s strict anti-gambling stance make this a difficult task, but if the Raiders figure out a way, the Las Vegas an NHL team may have to fight harder for dollars. “First it is unlikely the Chargers are the Raiders will relocate to Vegas, but if they did the NFL would consume almost all of the corporate fan base and the NHL team would be relegated to being a stepchild,” Vanderbilt University economics professor John Vrooman said. “This happened in Nashville with the Preds and then the Titans, but again Nashville has economic depth and Vegas is a sham market overly dependent on the gaming and tourism industry.” Ultimately the NHL looks at the NFL as a hypothetical and says they won’t worry about it at this present juncture. “The league has never been stronger form an ownership standpoint, viewing on all platforms, attendance, revenues have never been higher,” Bettman said. MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY - - - - - - - Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!Structur3d Printing Technology may soon turn us all into badass cake-decorating pros. The first step is to already own a 3D printer. The next step is to check out the Discov3ry Extruder on Kickstarter. It's a paste extruder designed to create 3D shapes with any pasty sort of material, including silicone, wood filler, certain types of clay, and delicious cupcake frosting. The extruder is designed to work with most stepper-based (a type of motor) 3D desktop printers. If your printer uses regular plastic filament, it will probably work just fine with the Discov3ry. You will have to make adjustments to your printing parameters to accommodate the squishiness of the type of paste material you're working with. Structur3d Printing, the company behind the extruder, says it will provide guidance on dialing in the proper settings and choosing the proper extruder tip to handle the viscosity of the material. The paste itself is loaded using refillable food-safe 60cc syringe cartridges. It gets pushed through food-safe tubing and out through the tip onto your printing platform. Smaller tips are designed to work with thinner materials, like Nutella. Thicker materials like silicone can be extruded through wider tips. This isn't the first time a paste extruder has appeared in the wild, but the $299 price tag for a regular pledge puts this one in reach of hobbyists. The Canadian Kickstarter project set a $30,000 goal in Canadian dollars (approximately $27,500 US or £16,400), and it has already exceeded that amount with 35 days left to go. The lure of Nutella printing seems to be bringing in the backers. The Discov3ry could certainly open up some new facets of desktop 3D printing. You would no longer need a steady hand to create really cool cupcake-topping decorations. You could make edible portraits of your cats out of Nutella or print a flexible gasket out of polyurethane. The possibilities are entertainingly endless. Structur3d PrintingNatural rivalries breed natural animosity toward opposing coaches. Unnatural rivalries breed unnatural animosity. And it seems like Oregon has been developing a lot of unnatural rivalries over the past couple of years. So continuing with ESPN.com's "Love to Hate" series this week, today's theme is all about the coach in the Pac-12 you love to hate because he wins so much. And since the guy in Eugene has won the Pac-12 championship three consecutive years, well, it takes a lot of the guess work out of the selection process. Lots of teams have plenty of reasons to hold, shall we say, certain frustrations toward Chip Kelly. For starters, he embarrasses your team and gets paid a lot of money in the process. His career average margin of victory is 21 points. He makes you fake injuries and laughs at you when you don't cut the grass on your field in a feeble effort to slow down his thoroughbreds. He challenges you to games in parking lots. He flirts with the NFL, does the wine and dine thing, then says: "Gosh, you're great. But it's not you, it's me. It's what I'm going through. I hope we can still be friends." Winning isn't the only thing Chip Kelly has done to rub opposing fans the wrong way. AP Photo/Don Ryan He's as conventional as square wheels. Oh, how you love to hate Chip Kelly if you're a Stanford fan. After all, he single-handedly cost Andrew Luck the Heisman two years in a row. Right? All his fault. And what about you, Washington fan? How you love to hate him eight-fold. (OK, he wasn't there for all eight. But does that really make it easier?) And the Civil War? He's been Sherman to Oregon State's Atlanta. Burn, baby, burn. Kelly is a winner. In just three seasons he's amassed a 34-6 overall record and a 25-2 mark in the Pac-12. He's gone to two Rose Bowls and the national championship game. He doesn't come from blue-blood coaching pedigree or a rich NFL background. He wasn't a "big name" when he came to the conference. But his teams get it done with swagger and an unforgiving confidence. Doesn't it just make you want to jump up and down. He can even get away with telling his own fans to shut up one second and then he goes and issues one of them a refund another. He closes practices -- a big point of contention with the media. As the saying goes, don't ever get into an argument with someone who buys ink by the barrel. Amendment to that: unless you win the Rose Bowl. Then do whatever the heck you want. And you know what really irks about him? He's a nice guy (unless you're a reporter covering his team). He even gave Mike Riley a ride home in the Oregon jet a couple of years ago after media day. He's big into the military. The spring games are annual tributes and he's even gone overseas to visit and speak to troops in Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan. And then there are the Chipisms. The catchy one-liners that Oregon fans love oh so much. Folks are anti-Kelly because his teams are everything that you want yours to be. Kelly knows that you love to hate him. And it just burns you up that he couldn't care less.Students in New Brunswick's public schools can expect to learn more Mi'kmaq and Maliseet content in the near future. It comes as the Department of Education begins to roll out a 10-year plan designed, in part, to meet calls to action from the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. "The goal of the department is to ensure that First Nation realities, experiences and contributions to Canadian society are embedded throughout the K-12 educational system, not just in one class," wrote Kelly Cormier, spokesperson for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in an emailed statement. "In fact, our 10-year education plans aim to ensure that the provincial curriculum is reflective of First Nation history and culture," said Cormier. Beginning in September 2017, high school students with First Nations backgrounds can take advanced Mi'kmaq and Wolasoquey language courses. Other Indigenous content that will be mandatory for all students throughout the K-12 system is still in development and the department did not say when it will be rolled out. Those curriculum changes include a new Native Studies course and new Indigenous content modules in social studies and history courses for Grades 8 and 9. Call to Action 62 Experts monitoring implementation of calls to action from the national Truth and Reconciliation Commission applaud the new curricula, but say New Brunswick still has a lot of work to do. Kairos, a faith-based social justice organization of 10 Canadian churches and religious organizations, has published a report card rating every province and territory's efforts to meet call to action number 62, a call for mandatory indigenous content throughout K-12 curricula. It puts New Brunswick near the back of the pack, just ahead of Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Kairos, is an ecumenical and faith-based social justice organization of 10 Canadian churches and religious organizations. (Image from Karisos 2015 report ) "New Brunswick has a very long way to go before all K-12 students in the province are learning about treaties, residential schools and the contributions of Indigenous peoples," said Katy Quinn, Indigenous rights co-ordinator at Kairos. "There are some small steps being taken but more emphasis needs to be placed in this area of curriculum change if real progress is going to be realized." She said Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the territories have made implementing the Call to Action 62 more of a priority. But overall she said curriculum changes are happening very slowly across the country. Curriculum changeThu 09 March 2017 “Remember, when advertising is involved you the user are the product. […] When people ask us why we charge for WhatsApp, we say ‘Have you considered the alternative?’” Brian Acton and Jan Koum, June 2012 “Facebook today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire WhatsApp, a rapidly growing cross-platform mobile messaging company, for a total of approximately $16 billion, including $4 billion in cash and approximately $12 billion worth of Facebook shares.” Facebook Newsroom, February 2014 “[B]y coordinating more with Facebook, we’ll be able to do things like track basic metrics about how often people use our services and better fight spam on WhatsApp. And by connecting your phone number with Facebook’s systems, Facebook can offer better friend suggestions and show you more relevant ads if you have an account with them.” Brian Acton and Jan Koum, August 2016 Pattern Recognition WhatsApp started out full of dreams: “we want WhatsApp to be the product that keeps you awake…and that you reach for in the morning. No one jumps up from a nap and runs to see an advertisement”. When they thought of WhatsApp, Brian Acton and Jan Koum were very keen on not selling our user data for targeted advertisement purposes. So they charged a nominal rate for the use of their service, rightfully pointing out the hidden cost of using free services. In the year of 2014 however, WhatsApp was bought by Facebook, thus joining the social network’s happy and expanding family of venture capital investments, a family including Instagram, purchased in April 2012, and Oculus VR, purchased the month before. At the time, many, and with good reason, worried about the changes this acquisition could entail for WhatsApp. Eventually, in August 2016, WhatsApp users everywhere learned about what was in fact unavoidable. The company that built its reputation upon an ad-free ethic, would now be sharing private user information with Facebook, its parent company. So we, the users, are the product after all, and as expected, this is presented in the form of an improvement of the user experience. Thanks to the tighter coordination between WhatsApp and Facebook, we can now more easily find our friends or see more valuable messages from the companies that truly matter to us. Of course, small footnote, these ‘benefits’ comes at the price of sharing our phone number and other private data with Facebook—though, trusting their word, not the content of the messages themselves. Facebook does this for the simple reason that it needs to increase its market share on mobile devices; the family of Whatsapp, Facebook and Instagram are all different channels leading to this same purpose. One of the consequences of this is that while Facebook’s chat function can still be used on their mobile website, plans are that we will soon be forced to install Facebook Messenger should we wish to continue using it on our mobile phones. Once again, in a stroke of pure genius and creativity, this move is being marketed as a way to provide us with the best experience ever. And we can use it with just a phone number, we don’t even need a Facebook account. That way, their user base expands along with their profits. Every time there is a breach of user trust —read: a change in the Terms of Service— or news regarding network surveillance, people are on the lookout for an alternative, and rightfully so. In these moments there are many also willing to promote such alternatives, usually in the form of yet another disruptive app. After the purchase of Whatsapp, for example, Telegram was advertised as the alternative. After it became clear that Telegram had dreadful security, people promoted Viber. Then Snapchat, then Threema, then Allo and now Signal. There is a reason why we’re falling into this pattern of needing alternatives to the alternatives. And that is because… There are no alternatives. There’s a tendency to oversimplify the issues related to the use of these apps as merely a privacy matter, and not even that is sufficiently addressed. While each of the aforementioned apps are alternative companies and brands, what these alternatives all have in common is that they share the same model. A model that revolves around centralized services, vendor lock-in and marketing related surveillance, and all of that within a neoliberal context of the free market. These alternatives therefore promote themselves as more than just an alternative, but also as competing products, usually highlighting a particular feature lacking in rivals’ products. Remember that ill-fated, super cool, nice looking alternative to Facebook, Ello? It gained a lot of traction out of legitimate concerns with Facebook’s modus operandi, promoting itself as an alternative for its nice features and its promise not to use advertising. But as Aral Balkan was quick to point out, allowing investments by venture capital firms meant the project was dead before it really began. Taking these investments, which allowed them to scale as a platform, also meant that they would, at some point, have to make a lot of money for their investors. How? By selling ad space or information about their users. The reason the pattern keeps repeating itself is not because the makers of these apps always secretly intended to sell your data while saying they wouldn’t. The reason is that they have no choice within the economic system they choose to operate in. Cryptography matters, but then it also doesn’t The latest competitive feature—one might even say, marketing trick—to make concerned users switch from one alternative to another is cryptography, the act of coding messages during communication. This strategy works well because the vast majority of people are not really informed when it comes down to the technicalities of cryptography, so this discourse mostly serves to throw bedazzling sparkles in our eyes. To be sure, cryptography is fundamental for privacy. However, the main privacy threat in the context of using these apps isn’t the potential of a government eavesdropping on our communications. The privacy threat is the wholesale and increasing dependence on centralized services which revolve around the surveillance and monetization of user information. In 2016, both WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger enabled end-to-end encryption? to address increasing privacy concerns. Adding crypto to a communication app in this case merely obfuscates a concern about the hegemony of these platforms. In essence, the issue of privacy is much larger than just the lack of cryptography; the conditions that threaten privacy are structural and economic and not resolved by a patch or a new feature. This issue is further stressed when looking at the question of metadata, that is to say, data about data, which in the case of communication applications is everything but the communication data itself. When WhatsApp started sharing, among other things, its users’ phone numbers with its parent company, Facebook, it went to great lengths to guarantee us that the content of our messages was still perfectly secure, impossible to be read by both WhatsApp and Facebook. The argument stating that “It’s only metadata, don’t worry” has been however debunked numerous times. Even though these platforms would love us to believe otherwise, metadata is neither a trivial disposable by-product, nor it is anonymous. And assuming that the crypto is sound and that the app running this crypto is not flawed, cross-referencing several databases containing metadata will always produce an array of very personal information, that in itself is much more valuable than encrypted naked selfies. Thus it should be no surprise that former NSA director Michael Hayden infamously said in 2012 “we kill based on metadata” and later argued in 2015 that metadata should be the main area of focus of surveillance activities, and not the creation of backdoors within crypto, or the banning of the latter. In short, both Whatsapp and FacebookMessenger can afford to deploy end-to-end encryption for your messages because it won’t hurt their bottom line, which is making money based on the surveillance of your behavior and your social graph. Adding crypto thus merely patches your privacy worries, but not the threat to it. The Wrong Signal The end-to-end encryption enabled in WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger has been developed by Open Whisper Systems, a non-profit run by crypto-celebrity Moxie Marlinspike. OWS also developed the algorithm for their own instant messaging application, Signal, and then open-sourced it. Signal itself is now the latest app being promoted as an alternative to WhatsApp and is hailed as the panacea of both security and usability. It even has the backing of members of the dissident elite such as Edward Snowden. While OWS provides thorough expertise in the field of cryptography, Marlinspike is currently advocating centralisation as the only answer towards user-friendly, fast and secure messaging apps. Decentralisation, according to him, has no place in the modern world and apparently hampers innovation. However, some of his arguments have not remained unchallenged. In particular, where Marlinspike accuses federation of stalling evolution, Daniel Gultsch provides a counter argument by using the Web as an example of successfully federated system?. Furthermore, Gultsch states that the problem is not that federation doesn’t adapt, but rather that there are problems with its implementation for a very significant reason: software developers working on federated systems mostly work for free in their spare time or with little means, given the difficulty to monetise a system which design can only succeed if it is open and can be appropriated easily beyond its original scope, and thus making its capitalisation particularly challenging. In that sense, the most interesting aspect of this debate is that while Marlinspike seems to defend his product from a technological perspective, Gultsch’s counter argument moves back the discussion to the context of political economy. Daniel Gultsch is an important counter-voice because he is the main developer behind Conversations?. This open-source instant messaging app tries to be both accessible for new users as well as provide enough flexibility for more advanced users. In that regard, Conversations itself does not manage to escape the logic of competition and the discourse around alternative superior apps discussed previously. However, its approach is significantly different because unlike any other apps, Conversations is not a complete solution, nor does it present itself as such. It is a client that relies on federation, which means that it allows for people to chat with each other regardless of what provider they are using. In concrete terms, there is no central server directly connected to Conversations, but Conversations can connect to different chat servers. This is possible because Conversations is built upon a long-lived messaging protocol called XMPP?. XMPP, the federated messaging protocol Up to a few years ago XMPP and its implementations were lagging behind in terms of mobile features, usability and interface design. That was the so-called lack of evolution Moxie pointed out. But recently Gultsch and the other contributors to Conversations have managed to bring XMPP up to speed with the functionality of well known mobile messenger applications. Not only did this demonstrate that bridging the gap could be done technically, but it also had the effect of breathing new life into the XMPP community. An example of this new energy was the initiative to create and implement OMEMO?, an XMPP Extension Protocol? that provides multi-user end-to-end encryption and which is based on Signal’s own encryption algorithm. Ever since a growing number of clients have started implementing OMEMO, including Gajim? for desktops and ChatSecure? for iPhones. Gultsch succeeded so far precisely because of understanding the technical underpinnings of centralized services? such as WhatsApp or Signal. It is however a bitter-sweet victory, because as Gultsch articulated in his defense of decentralisation, the main difference between centralised and decentralised implementations is not only technical, but also a matter of economic sustainability. In other words, if his ongoing efforts show that it is possible to have a satisfying and safe user experience while using federated alternatives, this is only possible because, unlike any other XMPP client developers, he is in the position of working on this project full time. The problem has not been solved but shifted. If economically sustainable XMPP federation were to scale to the point of being as successful as the centralised solution offered by Signal, it would have to face the consequences of doing so in the context of a free market driven by competition. In that situation, each XMMP client’s economic viability would depend heavily on its capacity to capture enough users that can provide income for their developers. The problem therefore is not so much a problem of the technical or economical sustainability of federation, but more a problem of the economic sustainability of open standards and protocols in a world saturated with solutionist business models. After all, many years ago, Google and Facebook did provide XMPP support in their chat applications before deciding to close its interoperability. Approaches not Apps Given the different problems mapped in this text, it becomes difficult to blindly recommend Conversations as the superior alternative, that is to say, a near drop-in replacement to Signal or any other competing secure communication software. The reason is not technical but is linked to the fact that, as discussed earlier, Conversations’ own success relies on an economic model that is quite fragile, and the success of which—and it’s a paradox—could potentially undermine the cultural diversity of the XMPP ecosystem. With that said, there are however two essential points that the Conversations case brings up. These points are not always articulated clearly in discussions on federation: scale and trust. Rather than having to swap one app for the other in an attempt to mitigate a large and confusing privacy problem, the XMPP federation approach allows to collectively tackle the problem based on its various discrete parts. Such an approach, rather than suggesting a singular and proprietary solution, allows for the existence of different free and open source software servers which can be combined with different free and open source software clients. That makes it possible for you and a group of friends to run your own infrastructure, whether on a rented server or on a very small home server. The federated nature of the protocol allows you to try, play and experiment with different network infrastructures with different clients. These clients can range from custom XMMP bots to general instant messengers that you would be able recommend your friends and family to replace Whatsapp, without making a fool of yourself. As these open-source technologies continue to evolve you can make incremental changes to your server or switch clients as newer versions arrive. Hosting your own infrastructure allows you to scale your communication in a way that is the most meaningful for the group or community you belong to. It is also a way to make sure your system matches your own threat model?, while simultaneously allowing you to deal with trust that is not mediated by an app. It also allows you to experiment with economic models other than those linked to large-scale infrastructure involving surveillance and capturing of your social graph for financial gain. Maybe you want to share the cost of the server or the responsibilities of administrating it, maybe you want to collectively learn how to run all this stuff, or maybe you want to start meetings to exchange tips, etc. However, this does not mean that you need to cut yourself off from the rest of the world and this form of localism should not be misunderstood for a hipsterist and reactionary form of escapism. Instead, such an approach is quite the opposite as it provides a possibility to actively engage with societal issues. It allows groups to collectively think, in the sense of defining questions and hypotheses themselves, acquire skills and knowledge and respond to issues that are both relevant to their own situation but that can also resonate globally, enabling others to start a similar process. The goal of this article was to provide some tools and insights which not only allow for contextualisation of the technology we are using and supporting, but also help making sure that the instant-messaging you and your friends use happens in a trusted and secure environment, as much as possible outside the economies of surveillance. For this reason our motivation for writing this article was two-fold. On the one hand we wanted to show that the issue of privacy is more insidious than institutional eavesdropping and not merely solved with the use of end-to-end encryption. On the other hand, and as a consequence, we wanted to suggest not a different app, but a different approach altogether on the basis of XMPP federation and collective action. Therefore we’ve written two guides. One on how to configure a server and one on how to choose and use clients that can go along with it. These allow you to put a self-hosted approach, an approach that brings aspects of trust, scale and implementation to the forefront and into practice. Once again, such guides should not be perceived as definitive answers but more as tools to keep us, and hopefully you too, busy formulating the right questions and building networks of mutual help. So while we are unable to recommend you the next big app that will solve all user surveillance and financialisation once and for all—as we are pretty sure no such app will ever even exist—we hope to at least help shed a light on the confused and confusing discourses that surround crypto-sound alternatives which may obfuscate less obvious problems.Greetings Citizens, We’re launching new patches today… but we aren’t updating the Hangar Module! The Star Citizen pledge store now lists a new collection of patches. For $18, backers can purchase a set of three cloth patches showing the Star Citizen, Squadron 42 and Roberts Space Industries logos. Perfect for decorating a jacket, bag or anywhere else you want to show your Star Citizen pride! Pick yours up here. Development subscribers also have the option to purchase a set of five ship patches (pictured below.) Showing off Star Citizen’s initial set of pledge ships, these cloth patches honor the Aurora, 300i, Hornet, Freelancer and Constellation. To learn more about becoming a subscriber, click here. (Patches shown are prototypes; the lettering on ‘EARTH’ has been corrected for the final run!) Jump Point Collection The Jump Point Volume 1 book is going to press! A limited number are still available in the pledge store… but they’re going fast! For $80, you get a handsome printed edition containing thirteen issues of the subscriber-only Jump Point magazine in full color! Jump Point is the true chronicle of Star Citizen’s development, featuring everything from step-by-step work in progress stories of ship development to exclusive Star Citizen fiction available nowhere else. Get yours while you can!Thanks to all of you who read and enjoyed The U.S. National Debt – 233 years in the making. Here, at last is the third article in this series on World Debt – Who are America’s Creditors? Or, debt economics for beginners. Let us fittingly start this article with wise words from one of the founding fathers: "There is in the nature of government an impatience of control that disposes those invested with power to look with an evil eye upon all external attempts to restrain or direct its operations. This has its origin in the love of power. Representatives of the people are not superior to the people themselves." Alexander Hamilton - Federalist Papers, 1787. U.S. Treasury Department will tell us the current National Debt to the penny As of today’s date (January 27, 2010), the U.S. national debt sits at $12,301,772,321,038.04 according to the U.S. Treasure department website. http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np This is broken down into two main categories: Debt Held by the Public $7,784,152,852,860.25 Intragovernmental Holdings $4,517,619,468,177.79 Which tells us very little The treasury department will gladly tell you the detailed make-up of these amounts, along with impressive pie charts, bar graphs and officious tables, along with signed opinions from their auditors certifying the report as being fair, audited and truthful (in accordance with the legal guidelines as set forth in the U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and under 31 U.S.C. 3512 (c) and (d) – a piece of legislation commonly known as Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act. Here is a link to a PDF copy of their report on the audited financial statements of the United States Treasury. http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/feddebt/feddebt_ann2009.pdf Go there and read the document for yourself, but you know what? It won’t tell you who America’s creditors are Back to searching we go. Be sure not to get lost in some of the more strident sites, or lose your perspective in the tons and tons of misinformation out there. Don’t be sidetracked by headlines such as “We Owe Our Nations Future to the Chinese -- $12 trillion” attached to sites with names like “America – Let’s Take Her Back.” Nope. And ignore those who call for “stiffing the bastards
to talk about all of this with you. You and I are breaking a silence together, speaking for the first time about the ways in which both of us are shamed, hurt, pressured, all because of the shape of our skin. All because of the space we occupy. We’re describing our experiences aloud and seeing them anew. We’re throwing off what we’ve been told our bodies mean and must be. And that means taking on the sisyphean task of training ourselves to think differently about our bodies, what they’re capable of, and the lives we can lead now, whether we lose weight or not. We’re no longer just envisioning a bright world of beach vacations, good sex, happiness or success that will come fifteen pounds down the line — we’re pursuing all of it. Because our lives are happening now, and what are we waiting for? Doing all of that means building a different relationship between you and I. We can no longer relate over the desolation and loneliness we believe our bodies prophesy. We can no longer return to the comfortable small-talk of hating where our skin falls, whether it is convex and concave in the right places. Our relationship now must be borne of the intimacy that only comes from building our strength together; from the vulnerability that only comes from finding our weaknesses in the process. It must be borne of a candid, precise assessment of what our bodies invite, and what treatment we’re subjected to. As a person who wears straight sizes, you know the obsessive focus on specific parts of your body, the way your friends’ eyes may linger on your hips after you’ve put on five pounds, the uninvited comments from your mother or aunt. You know what it’s like to be perched so precariously near a more ideal body, always just out of reach. Always afraid of toppling down further. But when you and I talk about our bodies, there will be a point where you no longer see yourself reflected in my experiences. Maybe it is the point at which fat stops being a weaponized insult, an omen of a sad and frightening future — the point at which plus size people use it as a liberating statement of fact. Maybe it is the point at which another plus sized friend tells you how frankly her work friends tell her you’ll never find a man looking like that. Or maybe it’s hearing a fat friend tell you about how a stranger approached him in the produce section, lecturing him about the sugar content in mangos. Maybe an acquaintance will sigh about how hard it is to find clothing, and will try to explain to you that some garments simply aren’t made in her size 18 silhouette. These experiences may seem implausible to you, hovering on the edge of reason. Then you will start to hear about experiences that are fully unthinkable. A very fat friend may tell you about a flight attendant who refused to seat him on her flight, then refused a refund for an unused ticket. He will tell you how other passengers watched in silence, and let it happen. Another extended plus friend might tell you how she was denied a service job, because A very fat friend may tell you about a flight attendant who refused to seat him on her flight, then refused a refund for an unused ticket. He will tell you how other passengers watched in silence, and let it happen. Another extended plus friend might tell you how she was denied a service job, because she couldn’t pass the weekly weigh-ins. You will ask if she’s thought of taking legal action. She will answer what’s the point? and she’ll be right. There is no legal precedent to protect her. A very fat friend may tell you about the day strangers mooed at her from a passing car, throwing trash at her feet. She felt relieved they didn’t hit her face or work uniform. You may be the only person she’s told, for fear she wouldn’t be believed. She may tell you about the parade of acquaintances who abandon backhanded compliments and polite slights, instead comfortably telling her she’s going to die. You’re going to get diabetes, and it’ll be your own damn fault. Are you really okay with that? What will that do to your family? She has become accustomed to passersby foretelling her death. You may hear a fat colleague talk about a doctor telling him to stop shoving food in your face long enough to pay attention. This may seem impossibly harsh, especially coming from a professional whose first commitment is to do no harm. It may not make sense to you. It doesn’t make sense to him, either. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.UK White Paper paves way for the destruction of public education By Tania Kent 11 April 2016 The UK Conservative government’s White Paper on education, launched on March 17, has been met with widespread opposition among thousands of teachers across the country. The White Paper, “Educational Excellence Everywhere”, is not just a continuation of the right-wing offensive launched against education over the past 20 years. Its central aim is the complete privatisation of state education. The paper demands that all schools are converted into academies—which are state funded but privately run—by 2022. Along with handing over statutory education fully to the private sector and abolishing local authority control, the wages and conditions of teaching staff will no longer be determined by national contracts and the state will no longer take responsibility for the training of teachers. The announcement was met with shock and anger by masses of teachers. Within two days, over 140,000 teachers signed a petition of protest. Rallies were held across the country in opposition to the White Paper. The two largest teaching unions, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), which held their national annual conferences immediately following the publication of the White Paper, announced strike ballots and called for industrial action to be held in the summer and autumn terms. No confidence should be placed in the teaching unions whatsoever! The education system has reached this juncture precisely due to the complicity of the teaching unions with every single attack by both Labour and Conservative governments over the past two decades. The vast majority of state schools will be forced to join “multi-academy trusts”, charitable bodies which run chains of schools. There is no evidence that academies have improved pupil performance. Rather, much evidence exists establishing that academies in poorer communities do worse than they did under state control. Over 80 percent of local authority schools are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted. Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills, along with the Education Select Committee and the Sutton Trust’s Chain Effects report, all demonstrate that academy status not only does not result in higher attainment but that many chains are badly failing their pupils. Several leading figures in the flagship academies are under investigation for financial irregularities as well as corruption charges, and have lost control and been handed over to other academy trusts. The first academy was created in 2002 under the Labour government. Under the Tory-led coalition with the Liberal Democrats, academies became a significant part of schools provision. When Michael Gove was removed as education secretary in 2014, there were around 4,000 academies, nearly 20 times the number when he took office in 2010. Currently, 59 percent of secondary schools and 17 percent of primary schools are academies. There are only 16,000 schools that are still run by local authorities. The White Paper will also end the requirement for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is a university-accredited teacher training programme involving a year of in-school training. Instead, the decision on whether to accept that a teacher is qualified will be made at the discretion of a head teacher. This could mean teachers working years for low pay before someone in charge of the school budget decides to accept they have qualified. It means that non-teachers can be brought into schools to take classes at the discretion of the head, based on the supposed benefits they bring. In addition, it will impact the international portability of England’s teachers’ qualifications, which will have no recognised status outside of the country. The government also intends to remove the requirement for governing bodies to have parent governors. Multi-academy trusts will be allowed to close down the governing bodies of individual schools. Once in a multi-academy trust, there is no way for a school to leave. It will create the conditions where there is no public accountability or scrutiny. All decisions will be made by highly paid chief executives. The response to this unprecedented assault by the teaching unions has been to promote alliances with the Labour Party and to foster illusions in petitions and protests to pressure the government to stop its policy. The NUT conference was addressed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to rapturous applause. Corbyn, who is a member of the party that first launched the academy agenda, while stating that a Labour government under his leadership would rescind the Conservative government’s anti-union laws, did not make any such promises on the abolition of academies. Labour Shadow Education Secretary Lucy Powell merely called for a “pause”. Kevin Courtney, deputy secretary of the NUT and a member of the Socialist Alliance of Teachers stated, “We agree with Lucy Powell’s call for a ‘pause’ and we intend to work with all possible allies, including, importantly, parents and governors, to seek to defeat this White Paper.” These allies will include leaders of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties in local government, who joined together to urge the government to rethink the proposals. Nicky Morgan, the Conservative Education Secretary, rejected such appeals and made clear in a statement to the NASUWT conference that “there is no reverse gear when it comes to our education reforms.” The NASUWT issued an evasive statement declaring that it will “carefully consider the proposals”. “All of the proposals contained in the White Paper will need to be carefully examined and teachers will expect the Government to avoid rushing into implementation of ill-considered or poor policy ideas which will fail to deliver excellence for all pupils,” it declared. The NASUWT would consider industrial action “in cases where academies fail to protect conditions of service and advance decent working conditions for members” and if they link teachers’ pay to test results, pupils’ progress or schools’ inspection results. What this means in reality is that there will be no coordinated national opposition to the White Paper, only isolated action against an individual academy school—and then only when teachers’ anger prevents the unions from suppressing opposition. The only concern of the unions regarding the White Paper is that they will be left out in the cold. The break-up of national pay structures could impact their negotiating rights with the government and, through this, their privileged positions as enforcers of labour discipline on behalf of the ruling elite. The White Paper is an historic attack and will set back the education system decades if implemented. It necessitates the political mobilisation of teachers, along with broad sections of the community and students, in opposition to the dismantling of public education. The unions are hostile to such a struggle, as has been demonstrated time and again, year after year. Their “fight” against the White Paper will only ever go the same way as their “fight” in defence of public sector pensions or any other attack on teachers: To defeat via the road of betrayal. Teachers must organise meetings in every school, independently of the unions, to discuss the implications of the government’s White Paper and the privatisation agenda, and organise rank-and-file committees in defence of public education. These must form links with other sections of workers, such as the junior doctors who are engaged in a struggle against a work contract meant to pave the way for the further privatisation of health care. The Socialist Equality Party is ready to lead such a fightback. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.While India has promised swift justice in the case of the woman who died Saturday after a brutal gang rape, human-rights groups say the problem is much thornier than punishing the six men accused in this case. The country won’t make progress in combating rape until there’s a wholesale shift in the way men, including those in power, treat woman, they say. Indian women have made it to the tops of their professions in India. There’s been a female Indian president, women run multi-billion-dollar enterprises and Sonia Gandhi, president of the Congress party, is the most powerful politician in the country. But on the peripheries of big cities and rural areas of the nation, women continue to fight for equal rights – and this is reflected in how authorities treat rape victims, human-rights groups say. Human Rights Watch, in a report released Sunday in India, points to the so-called “two-finger test” as evidence of how India had failed to take rape seriously, often blaming women’s behavior for the offense. In the test, which appears in Indian jurisprudence textbooks and is admissible in court, a doctor inserts two fingers into a women’s vagina to determine its laxity and whether the hymen is broken, signaling previous sexual activity. The test perpetuates stereotypes of rape survivors as loose women and often is used by defense counsels to achieve acquittals, human-rights groups say. Comments by politicians that most rape is actually consensual sex, has deepened this way of thinking. There were 24,206 rape cases registered in India in 2011, according to the National Crimes Record Bureau. But the number of convictions of alleged rapists occurred in only a quarter of cases, the statistics show. Many more cases are not reported due to pressure from families and the idea that the victim has experienced "shame," activists estimate. The case of the woman who died Saturday, a 23-year-old student whose name has not been released, has become a rallying point for people – many of them young students - who want to see change. The woman was gang raped for over an hour on a moving chartered bus on Dec. 16. Authorities say they will soon formally charge the six suspects with murder, which carries the death penalty. On Sunday morning, the woman’s body was flown back from Singapore, where she had been treated. The plane was met at Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi by Ms. Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and soon after cremated, local media reported. The city remained in security lockdown Sunday to make sure protesters could not get near central areas housing government offices. Protests last weekend in that zone led to violence between police and demonstrators, injuring 85 people. The government’s response so far has been to promise a quick trial for the alleged rapists in this case. New Delhi also has appointed a panel headed by a former chief justice to look into ways to mete out swifter and harsher punishment to convicted rapists. The panel’s report is due in January. Human-rights groups welcomed the move. But activists say there needs to be an overhaul in the way authorities respond to allegations of rape. “For politicians, supporting the death penalty is an easy but ineffectual way out,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “It is much harder, but more effective, to revamp the response of police, doctors, forensic specialists, prosecutors, and judges to sexual violence. Survivors deserve an effective, coordinated response to sexual assault.” In its report, Human Rights Watch pointed to reports in the local media last week that a woman alleging gang rape in Punjab state had killed herself after police refused to register the case. In other cases, police themselves have been complicit in rape. This has occurred in areas where the government is fighting insurgent groups, such as Chhattisgarh. (Human Rights Watch points to these examples, here and here.) But it also has occurred in suburbs of the capital. Amnesty International, in its 2012 review of India’s human-rights situation, pointed to a case of rape allegedly involving police in Noida, outside Delhi. Seven women from two villages near Noida allege they were raped in May 2011 by police officers as a reprisal for protesting over government land acquisition in the area. Two policemen and two farmers died in the protests. A court in Noida over a year ago ordered charges to be filed against 30 police officers in the case. The officers involved deny wrongdoing. The trial has yet to begin. Follow India Real Time on Twitter @indiarealtime.We all know that the old ideological labels, such as “conservative” and “liberal,” are worn out. Okay, so what are the new labels? What are the new ideologies? Let’s get right to it: These, below, are the belief systems of most Americans. We will examine them in alphabetical order. But first, for reference, here’s the full list: Cosmopolitanism Establishmentism Green Malthusianism Leftism Libertarianism Libertinism Nationalism Neoconservatism Paleoconservatism Populism 1. Cosmopolitanism Cosmopolitanism is the view that we are all, everywhere, a part of a single world community, and that such things as nation-states, including the United States, only slow down the fulfillment of our true destiny— coming together in a global harmonic convergence. As John Lennon sang, “Imagine there’s no countries.” Most ordinary citizens probably like the country that they live in, but for many in the globetrotting elite, that’s not good enough; they want to be citizens of the world. We might further note a division within this category: There’s a Left Cosmopolitanism and a Right Cosmopolitanism. Left Cosmopolitanism means support for open borders, of course, and also for multiculturalism. As might be said, “Celebrate diversity—or else!” In addition, Left Cosmos love international organizations, such as the United Nations; to them, that’s the future—one big New World Order. Right Cosmopolitans also support open borders. In addition, being good capitalists, they support free trade and anything else that multinational corporations might wish for. And since they are private-sector-loving corporatists, they avidly embrace pro-business international combines, such as the World Trade Organization. And it’s not just the WTO: When British Prime Minister David Cameron announced, for example, that he supported his country’s staying within the increasingly hulking European Union—that is, opposing “Brexit”—he was expressing the Right Cosmopolite view, namely, that the EU matters more than any country, even his own home country. So then we might ask: Who are some leading Cosmopolitans? Well, in addition to Cameron, we could cite Germany’s Angela Merkel, as well as Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, both of whom have hungered, or still hunger, to be Secretary General of the UN. In their minds, America is just a place to hang one’s hat—nestled in between Algeria and Andorra in the roster of the General Assembly. On the Republican side, former Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana counts as a first-rate Cosmopolitan. In fact, he was too much of a Cosmopolitan for Hoosier tastes; that’s why he lost his bid to be renominated by the GOP in 2012. But today, freed from ever again having to go back to Indiana, the internationalist ex-solon regularly holds court at the Lugar Center at Georgetown University. In addition to Lugar, most big corporate CEOs are also Republican Cosmopolites. Sure, they yearn for more H-1B visas at home and new tax havens abroad, but they still admire the GOP for its commitment to lower taxes on wealth. 2. Establishmentism Some people just like the status quo. They identify with power; they instinctively take the go-along-get-along position. One might call them “stand-patters,” or “sticks-in-the-mud,” or “kneejerk moderates.” It could be argued that Establishmentism is more of an approach, more of an attitude than an ideology, and that might be the case. Still, whole political parties, and many political careers, are based on the idea of dutifully propping up the Establishment. In the medieval past, such deference was described as the Great Chain of Being; that is, there was supposedly a divinely ordained hierarchy of things. In this vision, God had put the master in the castle, and the servant at the gate. The English Tory Party, before it went Cosmopolitan under Cameron, was mostly dedicated to the idea of “God Save the King” (or Queen); everything else flowed from that vision of dignified obedience. Yet Establishmentism is by no means limited to the political right: The Soviet Communists of the ’70s and ’80s, under the doddering leadership of Brezhnev and others, were as blindly devoted to Keeping Things The Same as any Colonel Blimp. Returning to the U.S., we can see that leading Establishmentists have been fully bipartisan, including Mike Mansfield, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bob Michel, Jay Rockefeller, and John Boehner. And, among those currently in office, such elected officials as Susan Collins, Dianne Feinstein, Steny Hoyer, and Mark Kirk all wear the Establishment label—and proudly so. None of these incumbents, in either party, are boat-rockers; they are not likely to get excited about any idea in politics, except, maybe, deficit reduction—carefully balanced, of course, between tax increases and spending cuts. Most recently, we can also observe that Marco Rubio, the Tea Partier-turned-Gang-of-Eight-dealmaker, made the mistake of “outing” himself as an Establishmentist a little bit too soon. For his sake, he should have waited till after the GOP presidential primaries were over before showing off his “Scarlet E.” And so, as things worked out for the Floridian, it was simply too easy for his critics to portray him as the wannabe leader of the Bush-Romney Restoration. And that was a big dud. Not surprisingly, we can detect no small degree of willful smugness in Establishmentists. That is, if they are on top, well, that must be the way it was meant to be. We can add that for those who entered into the upper classes at birth, there’s the strong feeling, nevertheless, that they did it or on their own, that they hit a triple—not that they were born on third base. And among those who worked their way up—perhaps because they chose tax- and trade-favored careers in such favored sectors as media and finance—there’s also the inescapable feeling that they are the Anointed Ones. In the unsparing commentary of lefty social critic Thomas Frank: “For successful professionals, meritocracy is a beautifully self-serving doctrine, entitling them to all manner of rewards and status, because they are smarter than other people.” In this reckoning, the victory of certain connected classes is not an inside job. No, not at all, it’s the natural order of things; we can call it the modern American version of the Great Chain of Being. Of course, Frank continues, there’s a cruel flip-side to such self-congratulation: “For those who have just lost their home, for example, or who are having trouble surviving on the minimum wage, the implications of meritocracy are equally unambiguous. To them this ideology says, forget it. You have no one to blame for your problems but yourself.” Yes, in the Establishmentist vision, if you aren’t a member of the well-rewarded “creative class,” then you’re a loser—and there must be something wrong with you. Not surprisingly, this harsh view spills over into politics. Just a few days ago, one Jonathan Bernstein, opining for Bloomberg View—surely the leading citadel of self-satisfied this-is-the-way-things-have-to-be-ism—argued that Trump supporters had, precisely, nothing to complain about: My view is that Trump is doing well precisely because things aren’t particularly bad for the U.S. right now. In difficult times, voters take their responsibilities more seriously, and wouldn’t embrace the buffoonery of a reality-television star. People can indulge in Trump’s fantasies in a period of (more or less) peace and (sort of) prosperity. If such clueless condescension is a key part of Establishmentist thinking, we can also note a more brutal aspect: the process of bludgeoning the lower orders into submission. Yes, this is an old story: the Establishment hiring courtiers and henchmen, tasking them with keeping the peasants quiescent. We might dub these henchmen—and, to be fair, henchwomen—as Compradores. That’s a Portuguese word for middleman, which historians have used to lump together all the in-country agents of old colonialism. That is, the Compradoreswere the overseers, foremen, policemen, etc., assigned to manage the colonial enterprise and, of course, crush any unrest. We can quickly see that the Compradores had a rough life: In the plantations and mines across the world, they were the hired bullies, the hired guns, working for their masters—those aristocrats who enjoyed the resulting profits in some faraway European capital. We can further note that one of the perverse consolations of this system was that the Compradores had the satisfaction of knowing that those they were tyrannizing had it even rougher. Thus the system was often a downward spiral of violence and brutality. That is, the Compradores worked out their bad feelings about themselves by treating the locals ever more badly. Here in America today, we can observe a variant on the Compradore system. As we have seen, smug journalists are happy to tell the “yokels” that they should be more grateful for all the good things they have. And yet for some Compradores today, there’s a further cruel edge: They don’t seek to soothe the masses with oily bromides; instead, they attack them with rhetorical viciousness. Outright suppressive violence in America has been, happily, extremely rare, and so American Compradores, instead, have relied on propaganda. They hope that through adroit use of language, they can connive the consent of the governed. And if conniving doesn’t work, well, they’ll try clobbering. Thus we come to a remarkable group of American Compradores, avowedly conservatives, who happily pull out their verbal truncheons to beat down the people. They might well have come from the working- or middle-classes themselves, but by now, having moved to the bright lights of the big city, they have totally absorbed the value-system of their paymasters, and this inward propagandizing, in turn, leads them to hate their “inferiors”—that is, to hate their former selves. Yes, we are talking about such agent-propagandists/beatdown artists as National Review’s Kevin Williamson and David French, and also The Weekly Standard’s Matt Labash. The nasty vituperation of such self-haters as Williamson and French is well known to Breitbart readers. But just on March 18, Williamson and French were joined by Labash, who published this ferocious, if familiar, assault on Middle America: We buy cut-rate Chinese goods at Walmart, or better still, on Amazon Prime, so we don’t have to put down the Doritos bag and budge from our easy-chair rage-stations as our passions get serially inflamed by Sean Hannity telling us how great we are and how hard we have it. Our consumption of everything seems to be increasing— of carbs, meth, anger-stoking shoutfests—even as our producers seem to be disappearing. Okay, that’s standard-issue Archie Bunker-bashing. But then Labash piled it on further, blaming the misprisions of the political class, too, on the poor voters: “Maybe we have unimpressive politicians because they’re our representatives, and we’ve become grossly unimpressive ourselves.” So that’s Establishmentism: both in its clueless-aristocratic form, and also in its conscious-attack-dog form. 3. Green Malthusianism The Greens, in the fullness of their state-enforced elitism, are a familiar target for Virgil. Back in 2014, for example, he noted that the U.S. government was sitting on $128 trillion in oil and natural gas, all locked up because the Greens didn’t want it to be used. And the mineral wealth under those same federal lands and federal waters is perhaps even greater. More recently, he observed that old tactics are being revived to achieve a new objective—namely, driving residents, American citizens, off their land. What is it that drives the Greens? Some say they are fulfilling some pagan religious ritual. Others insist that they just like to enjoy a lake- or ocean-front view without any riffraff cluttering things up. Both views, of course, could be true. In addition, we can note a further incentive for rich Greens to do what they do: getting ever richer, by shorting the market—that is, betting that the price of something goes down. And so, in 2015, if a rich Green were to know that Exxon was about to be sued, as were the tobacco companies were 20 years ago, well, that Green could make a lot of money shorting Exxon stock. And sure enough, Exxon’s stock is down by a fifth in the last 18 months, even as the Dow Jones average has gone up. For context on this shorting phenomenon, we can add that leading hedge funders, such as George Soros, have regularly been accused of seeking to profit by crashing currencies, even whole economies. So why couldn’t a billionaire Green such as San Francisco’s Tom Steyer play the same cynical-but-profitable game? In the minds of the Greens, financial manipulation is just another way of doing Gaia’s work. 4. Leftism Everybody knows the Left, and everybody knows that Leftism has never recovered from the collapse of communism. Yet still, something interesting is happening here in the US: Even though Republicans control most of the important political offices at the federal and state level, the country is moving in a liberal, progressive direction. That’s what untrammeled corporate power will do—it will provoke a backlash. That is, a workforce of outsourced employees, now becoming Uber drivers, is not a conservative voting bloc. Indeed, we can observe that most Americans hold left-wing positions on many key issues. As tallied by the left-wingers at Counterpunch: Support for raising the minimum wage: 70 percent. Support for free public college: 55 percent. Support for addressing “now” the rich-poor gap: 65 percent. Support for raising taxes on people earning more than $1 million per year: 68 percent. Support for Medicare-for-all universal healthcare: 58 percent. And we might further ask: How about this new legislation, the Brokaw Act, put forth by two Democratic senators, aimed at thwarting corporate takeovers and shutdowns? The Chamber of Commerce aside, would most rank-and-file Republicans oppose, or support, this bill if they knew about it? Yet not only are Democrats in the minority today, they are also likely to stay in the minority tomorrow. And why is that? Why can we on the right be so confident? Because these days, left-leaning economics—New Deal-style, as opposed to socialist or communist—is but a small portion of the Democrats’ agenda. For example, just on March 15, Chelsea Clinton told an audience that as president, her mother, Hillary, would support extending Obamacare to illegal aliens. Such a promise might be a vote-getter inside the diversitarian wing of the Democratic Party, but it’s a vote-shedder with the nation as a whole. The old Democrats of FDR’s time were happy enough with capitalism; they just wanted to extend solidaristic job-protections, and basic social-insurance plans, to all Americans. By contrast, today’s Democrats, filled with Cosmopolitan dreams, want to extend government benefits to the world—and that’s not just a budget-buster, it’s also a political loser. In truth, today’s Democrats aren’t much interested in the well-being of working stiffs. Instead, they are enraptured with new plans to advance identity politics, co-ed bathrooms, and #BlackLivesMatter. All the while, of course, keeping the border open and suppressing energy production and economic activity. We can sum it up: #Losing. 5. Libertarianism Libertarianism is as strong as red garlic among the intelligentsia. Indeed, Libertarianism has such intellectual abundance that one must divide it into a flowchart of sub-categories, from anarchists on the left to anarcho-capitalists on the right. Also, there are the “orthodox” Libertarians of the Koch Brothers’ Cato Institute, and the “rebels” associated with the late Murray Rothbard or LewRockwell.com. And then, in their own little world, are the followers of the famed author Ayn Rand, who have subdivided themselves into various feuding Objectivist factions. Yet for all this neural proliferation, what can not be said about Libertarians is that they are numerous in the country at large. We can prove this statement by examining the performance of Libertarian Party (LP) presidential candidates, who have run in every national election since 1972. In those 11 elections, their average percentage of the vote has been a mere.37 percent; they have never won more than 1.06 percent—and that was back in 1980. We can further observe that in the last quarter century, the LP has run some seemingly credible candidates: Its nominees have included a former Congressman, a former Governor, and even a sitting Congressman—that would be Ron Paul, the LP candidate in 1988. (All these elected officials, we might note, won as Republicans before switching). Yet it’s important to emphasize, once again, that Libertarians loom large in the wonk-chattering class. It’s hard to find a Republican economist, for instance, who is not a “classical liberal.” And that reality is full of implications for Republican office-holders, present and future. Wise old Washington hands have a saying: “Personnel is policy.” That is, a Republican might win office—maybe even win the White House—and discover that “his” people are the same free-market ideologues who ran the Bush 43 administration over a cliff. 6. Libertinism If Libertarians are scarce as hen’s teeth nationwide, Libertines are as plentiful as grains of sand on the beach. As such, Libertinism poses a challenge to the American social fabric. In our history, the Founding Fathers strongly believed in personal freedom, but they also strongly believed in personal morality. “Liberty,” John Adams wrote, “can no more exist without virtue and independence than the body can live and move without a soul.” Thus was born the American Experiment: The government would be small, but institutionalized personal probity would be large. That is, the churches and other civic institutions would gladly provide the personal and patriotic instruction for the benefit of the populace, at no expense to the taxpayer. As we can see, the old system was sort of a free lunch—and on the menu was virtue. Yet in the minds of most Americans, the idea of an ordained structure that determined personal behavior started dying in the19th century; as Herman Melville explained to his fellow novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1851, “The Godhead is broken up like the bread at the Supper, and we are the pieces.” For the intellectuals, this breaking up of the old faith-based codes was mostly the result of Darwinism; for the masses, later, it was mostly the result of consumerism. Either way, these days, the values of “Do your own thing” and “Live and let live” are now pre-eminent. Some might ask: Isn’t this Libertine trend really Libertarianism by the backdoor? And the answer is, not really. For some, Libertinism is a gateway to rugged individualism, which is to say, it’s a recapitulation of ancient Stoicism. And while most ordinary folks, over the ages, have never heard of the philosophers Zeno, Epictetus, or Seneca, they have known innately that the values of restraint and delayed gratification are not only keys to happiness, but also the keys to health and even survival. Yet for most, Libertinism seems to offer no political lessons; it’s just an appetite: Do whatever you want, and someone—maybe parents, maybe the welfare system, maybe the Federal Reserve—will pay for it. Of course, if one truly wants to give oneself over to Libertinism, it’s best to be rich. What do I mean? Only this: It helps to have money handy to pay for all those counselors and clinics. 7. Nationalism For the last 400 years, the nation-state has been the preferred form of political organization—and certainly the most powerful. And the fuel of the nation-state is Nationalism. It’s inherently powerful because it derives from the most primal forms of human organization—family, tribe, race. After the 17th century, when the Reformation had broken the supranational authority of the Catholic Church—even in Catholic countries—individual nation-states rose to fill the vacuum. The Holy Roman Empire, for example, was soon displaced by Austrian, German, and Swiss principalities, and then, eventually, by the nations of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Later, in the 17th and 18th centuries, Nationalist patriots from Holland to England to America to France fought revolutionary wars to achieve national sovereignty and self-determination. Meanwhile, wily monarchs, too, got aboard the Nationalism train, because they recognized that they needed some sort of Nationalistic imprimatur. Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, bonded to his people by declaring himself to be der erster Diener des Staates—“The first servant of the state.” In other words, the nation-state was where the power resided. People would fight, and fight hard, for kith, kin, and patriot graves. Of course, Nationalism has taken on diseased forms as well: The Nazis leap to mind. And even here in America, it’s possible to identify malignant kinds of tribalism, such as the KKK or the Black Panthers. But as the pundit George F. Will has said, the four most important words in the English language are, “Up to a point.” That is, anything can be taken to a loathsome extreme. And yet just because something can be taken to a bad end doesn’t necessarily make the thing itself a bad idea. Overeating is a bad thing, to be sure, but that doesn’t mean that eating itself is a bad thing. Yet without question, the residue of Hitlerism has been so noxious that even today, more than seven decades after Hitler’s death, “nationalism” is still a pejorative, at least among elites in the West. Back in 2014, I wrote about Nationalism, defending it against its many critics, here. However, today, in 2016, Nationalism has made a “yuge” comeback, thanks to Donald Trump. His signature line, “Make America Great Again,” clearly plucks Nationalist notes in our mystic chords of memory. Yet it remains to be seen what, exactly, Trump the
Syrian army, as well as to send a message to the UN envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, who is currently visiting Damascus. De Mistura held several meetings with Syrian diplomats before meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The factions have previously conveyed a message to the UN envoy to express their rejection of his former endeavors to freeze the fighting in Aleppo before he started on working for a third meeting in Geneva on Syria,” the source added. Regarding the close proximity of Jabhat al-Nusra to the site of the clashes, the source said, “Jabhat al-Nusra has brought in a thousand fighters from Idlib and Aleppo and is waiting for the factions to fail in their mission, in order to lead the way and try to exert its authority by force.” It is remarkable that there was no major media campaign accompanying the violent attack on Aleppo, which was what the Aleppo Conquest Operations Room and its supporting states started to do at the beginning. However, no statements were made later on as there was no news on the latest attacks on any of the groups' websites, Twitter or Facebook, which were created to cover the developments of the “conquest of the city.” This demonstrates that “the order to bomb the city was made hastily and is currently limited to targeting the city only and to engage in side battles on the already flared fronts.” A military source confirmed that the Syrian army and the supporting factions have deterred attacks and contained the situation. The source added that Syrian air forces have intensified airstrikes on the missile launching locations toward the city, managing to destroy several bases. In the meantime, the Syrian army forces have intensified the combing of the areas of contact with the armed factions, which help stop the attack on several axes. In the same vein, the military source added that the Syrian army has reinforced its presence on several contact points and sent reinforcements to different axes. Meanwhile, the supporting factions (including the National Defense Force, the Baath Brigades, the Local Defense force and al-Quds Brigade) have also reinforced their forces on the contact points so as to hold off any sudden attacks in the future.Announcing the release of Fedora 15 Beta!! The clock is ticking. The days are counting down. The release of Fedora 15, codenamed "Lovelock," is scheduled for release in late May. Fedora is the leading edge, free and open source operating system that continues to deliver innovative features to users worldwide, with a new release every six months. We are delighted to announce the availability of the Beta release of Fedora 15. "I beta one American dollar that you will love this release!" Come see why we love Fedora so much. We are betting you will, too. Download it now: http://fedoraproject.org/get-prerelease?wkanF15b == What is the Beta Release? == The beta release is the last important milestone of Fedora 15. Only critical bug fixes will be pushed as updates leading to the general release of Fedora 15 in May. We invite you to join us in making Fedora 15 a solid release by downloading, testing, and providing your valuable feedback. Of course, this is a beta release, meaning that some problems may still be lurking. A list of the problems we already know about can be seen on the Common F15 bugs page, at http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Common_F15_bugs. If you find a bug that's not found on that page, be sure it gets fixed before release by reporting your discovery at https://bugzilla.redhat.com/ Thank you! == Features == Desktop enthusiasts and end users of all sorts can look forward to: * Gnome Shell and the Gnome 3 desktop. Gnome 3 is the next major version of the Gnome desktop. After many years of a largely unchanged Gnome 2.x experience, GNOME 3 brings a fresh look and feel with GNOME Shell. * LibreOffice Productivity Suite. LibreOffice is a fork of OpenOffice, with the support of the OpenOffice.org community. All of the applications you know and love are still there, including apps for spreadsheets, document creation, and presentations. * Desktop environments a-plenty. The Xfce and LXDE spins have been updated, and the Fedora Spins SIG has other offerings tailored to a wide variety of user needs. Sysadmins will love features such as: * Appliance building. BoxGrinder creates appliances (virtual machines) from simple plain text appliance definition files for various virtual platforms, and is great for building appliances for use in a Cloud environment. * Dynamic Firewall. The dynamic firewall mode aims to make it possible to change firewall settings without the need to restart the firewall and to make persistent connections possible. Coders have lots of new development tools to try out, including: * Updates to popular languages. Python 3.2, Rails 3.0.3, and OCaml 3.12 are all included in Fedora 15. * Project tooling. Maven 3 is a Java project management, project comprehension, and build system tool. * Compiling and debugging. GDB gets an update to 7.3, and GCC 4.6 is included. (Fedora 15 has also been rebuilt using GCC 4.6!) And that's only the beginning. A more complete list and details of all the new features in Fedora 15 is available here: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Releases/15/FeatureList We have nightly composes of alternate spins available here: http://alt.fedoraproject.org/pub/alt/nightly-composes/ == Contributing == For more information on common and known bugs, tips on how to report bugs, and the official release schedule, please refer to the release notes at http://docs.fedoraproject.org. There are many ways to contribute beyond bug reporting. You can help translate software and content, test and give feedback on software updates, write and edit documentation, help with all sorts of promotional activities, and package free software for use by millions of Fedora users worldwide. To get started, visit http://join.fedoraproject.org today! -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 198 bytes Desc: This is a digitally signed message part. Url : http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/announce/attachments/20110419/38b1b4c1/attachment.bin#Calexit is trending as Californians want their state to secede following the election results A lot of people are struggling to come to terms with the reality of Donald Trump becoming the 45th President of the United States but none more so than the people of California who voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton. Although the majority of the democratic states are planning for life with President Trump, California seems to be looking at other alternatives, namely secession. Since Trump's victory was announced, #Calexit has been trending on Twitter with many citizens declaring that they want their own independent state. Looks like California can legally secede for some reason. Interesting. #Calexit — David Latchman (@SciWriterDave) November 9, 2016 Well, that took about 30 minutes. #CalExit — Caprice (@CapiCapone) November 9, 2016 I am so 100% for #calexit — Alex Messick (@PotatoScavenger) November 9, 2016 So #Calexit is a thing right? I am a million times down for that. — Sam Bell (@sarcasticsoresu) November 9, 2016 Seriously. What are the steps to make this possible??? We must secede!! #Calexit — Perez (@ThePerezHilton) November 9, 2016 Other west coast states started getting in on the action too. They even came up with a name. CA, OR, and WA should either be a new country known as Cow or a Canadian province(also known as Cow). #CalExit — Denmark Gacayan (@tekniks) November 9, 2016 2016. You never cease to amaze us. Although it's highly unlikely Californian citizens actually want this to happen, there is no law stopping them from doing it should they be determined enough. Via Metro3D printing company MakerBot has announced a new version of its Smart Extruder — a vital printer component whose flaws have gotten the company in hot water over the past two years. The Smart Extruder+ is designed to fit into MakerBot's fifth-generation Replicator printers, which were announced in early 2014. That includes the latest version of the MakerBot Replicator, as well as the smaller Replicator Mini and the plus-sized Replicator Z18. Like the original design, the Smart Extruder+ is supposed to make Replicator printers simpler to use, more reliable, and more future-proof. It automatically detects when the printer's filament runs out and pauses the job, notifying users via a desktop or mobile app. It also can be quickly swapped out upon wearing out or becoming obsolete. But though the concept was sound, customers complained that the first Smart Extruder clogged and jammed easily, and that its lifespan was disproportionately short. While the company promised more support and software improvements, a class action suit alleged that MakerBot and its parent Stratasys had known about the extruder's faults and misled investors about their severity. It was part of a run of bad luck in 2015, alongside two rounds of layoffs and a major restructuring. MakerBot says the new Smart Extruder+ has been tested extensively by both it and Stratasys. The extruder is supposed to have worked "consistently and reliably" in those tests for at least 700 printing hours, with 90 percent of the units working after 1,200 hours, although MakerBot says that lifespans will vary significantly based on an individual printer's settings. Accordingly, it's doubling the warranty, covering extruders for six months instead of three. That's good, because the Smart Extruder+ is also slightly more expensive than its predecessor: $199 instead of $175. Customers buying a new printer can get their first extruder for $99, as can anyone who owns a fifth-generation Replicator already. Preorders open today, with the first units shipping on January 18th.We’re down to the final straight, and after a budget that has had more leaks than a colander, where are we at? The Government has about €1.2 billion for tax cuts and spending increases in Budget 2017 and nobody will be surprised if Michael Noonan manages to pull a rabbit-shaped tiny extra bit out of the hat, over and above the €200 million he produced with a flourish. More than two-thirds of any spare cash is likely to go to spending increases, leaving not much more than €300 million – net – for tax cuts. What we do know is that he will giveth with one hand and will taketh with the other. Anyway, here’s what we know, and what we think will happen. The old reliables Cigarettes: Battling a major cultural headwind. Went up by 50 cent last time out. Will definitely rise again. Pre-budget papers suggested that low-priced packs of cigarettes, which have grabbed an increasing market shares in recent years, could be particularly targeted by an increase in the minimum tax which must apply to a pack. However all smokers are likely to be hit - yet again. Alcohol: Drinks Industry Group of Ireland has called for a cut in excise on alcohol. Extremely unlikely to happen. The best that the sector (and drinkers) can hope for is that, like last year, Noonan leaves it alone. Fuel: Diesel is in the firing line, not helped by the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Extremely likely that the Government will target this low-hanging fruit, particularly as prices here are below those across the Border, by increasing excise duty. The jury is out on whether petrol will feel the heat, but the ongoing low price for oil may be a temptation too hard to resist. Your money USC: An article of faith for Noonan and his colleagues. What we do know is that the universal social charge will be cut. Last October the entry point to the USC rose from €12,012 to €13,000 which Mr Noonan said would remove 42,500 workers from the scope of the charge. This looks likely to rise again, according to pre-Budget briefings given by the Minister to his Cabinet colleagues. The three lower USC rates fell last year – the 1.5 per cent rate (on the first €12,012 earned) was cut to 1 per cent; the 3.5 per cent rate (on income of €12,012 to €18,668) to 3 per cent; and the 7 per cent rate (on earnings of €18,668 to €70,044) fell to 5.5 per cent. A further cut in the two lowest rates is on the cards. It remains to be seen whether the Minister can afford to drop the main 5.5 per cent rate - as this applies to a large chunk of income, cutting it is costly, but does deliver to middle income earners. There is some talk of PRSI being increased on lower incomes to claw back some of the gains from a further lifting of the entry point and measures are also likely to claw back any USC gains from higher earners. State pension: Fianna Fáil is flexing its muscles on this one and wants a €5 increase. Last year pensioners got €3. Chances are that a compromise will be reached, with the outside possibility of allowances such as the living alone allowance being increased or the telephone allowance being reinstated rather than a straight rise. However “FF push gains €5 for pensioners” may be too hard for the Soldiers of Destiny to resist and not enough for Noonan and Fine Gael to go to the wire on, especially if the USC cut is agreed. Children’s allowance: Very little noise about this. Was one of the centrepieces of Labour’s budget and election strategy which saw a €5 rise for in the rate. The voters took it with one hand and with the other slapped Labour down. It got a bigger rise than the old-age pension last year so may not be at the head of the queue, seeing as the Government is, as outlined in the Programme for Government, concentrating on child care. Minimum wage: Rose to by 50 cent to €9.15. Earlier this year the Low Pay Commission recommended a 10 cent increase to €9.25 an hour. However, unions and left-wing politician have said this is way too little while employers have said its too much. Chances are the Government will endorse the commission’s recommendations – or possibly add a small bit more. Respite care: The respite care grant for carers will was restored to its previous level of €1,700. The programme for government is committed to an increase in the carer’s tax credit, likely to be by €200, and carer’s benefit. On Finian McGrath’s watch it is difficult to see any way around a rise, however token. Christmas bonus: The Christmas bonus for social welfare recipients was restored to 75 per cent of the recipient’s weekly payment. It means a pensioner on €230 gets a bonus of €173. A dole claimant receiving unemployment benefit of €188 gets a bonus of €141. Likely to happen again this year, though could be pitched at 50 per cent of the payment. Family support: The threshold for the family income support payment increased in 2016 by €5 per week for families with one child and €10 for those with two or more children. Motor tax: Owners of commercial vehicles above a certain size had their motor tax significantly reduced. The maximum rate is now €900 compared to then top level of €5,195. Unlikely to see any changes for private vehicles this time out. Fuel allowance: The fuel allowance was increased by €2.50 a week to €22.50. Big money First-time buyers: It’s been broadly signalled that some form of incentive is on the way for beleaguered first-time buyers, with Minister for Housing Simon Coveney indicating during the summer that it would likely be announced on budget day – although it is being prepared in conjunction with the Central Bank and its mortgage lending rules, so agreement will need to be reached on this. What we know so far about the scheme is that it will be backdated to July 19th; it will likely be restricted to new builds up to a certain value; it could be worth up to €20,000 a couple; and it’s likely to be given in a “rebate” type format. It’s possible that the rebate will be given at source, which means that no one will have a €20,000 cheque with which to buy their new furniture. Among the other measures identified in the programme for government is a reduced VAT rate of 9 per cent (down from 13.5 per cent) for new affordable houses and apartments. Mortgage relief: The programme for government promises to extend this beyond its current 2017 end date. No new mortgages taken out since 2013 have qualified for relief, so extending the phase-out date for earlier mortgage holders may not be popular with those who did benefit. This is a promise that will be honoured. Tax bands: A stealthy way of recouping some money if there is no change as incomes rise, more people enter the top rate of 40 per cent and more income is taxed at this rate. Expect no change here. Tax rate: Under Budget 2016 the marginal rate of tax fell to a maximum of 49.5 per cent for all people earning under €70,044. A USC cut could move it down a bit more. The Department of Jobs has suggested a special rate for returned emigrants with particular skills, though it is not sure if there will be any more here. Self-employed: In the last Budget, a €550 earned income tax credit was introduced for the self-employed. This was the first step towards equalising treatment with the PAYE employee, who gets an annual credit of €1,650. It is expected that the earned income credit will rise to €1,100 for 2017, as part of a three-year move to equalise treatment. It is possible that some more of the PRSI benefits PAYE workers enjoy will be broadened to include the self-employed. While the self-employed, who pay PRSI at a rate of 4 per cent on their income, are entitled to the State pension, maternity benefit and jobseeker’s allowance, they cannot claim jobseeker’s benefit or sick pay. The self-employed may be expected to up their PRSI contributions to pay for these additional benefits. Bank levy: The bank levy is to remain in place until 2021 which is expected to bring in an addition €750 million over the period. Capital gains and acquisition taxes: A cynic would say this is a virtue hiding some serious wealth transference. The Government has promised to cut capital gains tax (CGT) for entrepreneurs and also to reduce capital acquisitions tax (CAT) for those inheriting money from parents. Meeting the commitment to cut CGT on people selling companies to 10 per cent up to a limit of €10 million would cost €65 million. It would also be presented as levelling the playing field with Britain post-Brexit. Increasing the CAT threshold for so-called Class A – parent-to-child inheritances – from €280,000 now to the promised level of €500,000 would cost €75 million. Both could also leave the Government open to accusations of targeting the better off. An increase to around €320,000 this year is being speculated on. Sugar tax: Michael Noonan has yet to pull the tab on the introduction of the new tax on sugary drinks, which could raise €100 million a year. It may be announced but could be delayed until 2018, which is what happened in the UK. Tax loopholes: Finance Minister Michael Noonan has signalled that he is weighing taxing non-residents’ income from Irish property held in funds used by private equity firms that have been active here in recent years. His focus now is on so-called Qualified Investor Alternative Investment Funds (QIAIFs) and Irish Collective Asset-management Vehicles (ICAVs), having clamped down on another type of structure, known as section 110 special purpose vehicles (SPVs) last month. Education: The Government is committed to reducing the pupil/teacher ratio and increasing the number of special needs assistants. Health: The Minister for Health has already committed €50 million to target waiting lists, including €15 million ring- fenced for the national treatment purchase fund. It is likely he will seek more funds to achieve the target of reducing those waiting over six hours for hospital treatment from 32 per cent to 7 per cent by 2021. Justice: The Government is committed to reversing the reduction in Garda numbers. This year should see Templemore parade ground ring to the sound of 1,200 boots. However, there are heavy rumblings among the rank and file over pay. Child care: A radical new system of subsidised childcare that would mean the State pays a portion of a family’s bills directly to childcare providers is under consideration for next month’s budget. The means-tested scheme is expected to be rolled out over a number of years, starting next September. Looks like being one of the Government’s big ticket items. Paternity leave: Two weeks of paternity benefit will be available to fathers from September 1st, and the Department of Social Protection will pay €230 a week. The cost of the introduction is €5 million this year, rising to €20 million in a full year. The fiscal space: The Government has about €200 million more than expected to spend in the budget, with an estimated €1.2 billion package to be revealed next week. The extra €200 million to expand the so-called “fiscal space”, is understood to have been found through “savings”, allowing Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe to spend more money on higher than expected cuts to the Universal Social Charge. Farmers: Farmers are likely to receive further income supports to counter ongoing price volatility in commodity markets and possibly an increase in the earned income tax credit. However, it’s unclear if the Government will announce emergency aid for hard-pressed cereal growers as farmer groups have been advocating. It is more likely to simply announce additional funding for farm schemes in line with rural development commitments.Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyOvernight Health Care: Drug execs set for grilling \| Washington state to sue over Trump rule targeting Planned Parenthood \| Wyoming moves closer to Medicaid work requirements Senate reignites blue slip war over Trump court picks Lower refunds amplify calls to restore key tax deduction MORE (R-Iowa) has opened an inquiry into allegations the FBI worked with the British spy who authored a controversial opposition research dossier on President Trump during the 2016 election. In a Monday letter to FBI Director James Comey, Grassley asked for records pertaining to any agreements the agency may have had with Christopher Steele. The MI6 agent wrote an explosive memo on behalf of Trump’s political enemies alleging that the Russians had compromising information on the president. Comey briefed Trump on the existence of the memo in a private meeting in January. ADVERTISEMENT Shortly after, several news organizations published the unverified allegations, which the White House denied. In late February, The Washington Post reported that the FBI reached an agreement with Steele whereby the British spy would continue his investigation on behalf of the bureau. “While Trump has derided the dossier as 'fake news' compiled by his political opponents, the FBI’s arrangement with Steele shows that the bureau considered him credible and found his information, while unproved, to be worthy of further investigation,” the Post reported at the time. Grassley is pushing back and demanding the FBI provide information pertaining to its use of the British spy, whose salacious allegations have infuriated Trump and his allies. “The idea that the FBI and associates of the Clinton campaign would pay Mr. Steele to investigate the Republican nominee for President in the run-up to the election raises further questions about the FBI’s independence from politics, as well as the Obama administration’s use of law enforcement and intelligence agencies for political ends,” Grassley wrote. “It is additionally troubling that the FBI reportedly agreed to such an arrangement given that, in January of 2017, then-Director Clapper issued a statement stating that ‘the [intelligence community] has not made any judgment that the information in this document is reliable, and we did not rely upon it in any way for our conclusions.’” In his letter, Grassley asks for all records regarding Steele’s investigation, details of the agreement between the FBI and Steele, the FBI’s policies for using outside investigators, and whether the bureau has relied on any of the information Steele has provided in seeking warrants.CEO 2015(470 Singles Entrants) – 6/27/2015, Orlando, Florida Singles Results 1. TSM\|Leffen 2. [A]rmada 3. C9.Mango 4. Westballz Full Results here Videos here The Oregon SHFFL(169 Singles Entrants) – 6/20/2015, Eugene, Oregon With both Oregon’s and Washington’s top talent (excluding Silent Wolf), SHFFL was a smash success. The tournament was a fantastic example of Oregon TO prowess. With only 1 day to run 6 brackets (singles and doubles of Melee, PM, and Smash 4), and taking no pre-registration, the tournament ran ahead of schedule. Melee 2v2 (39 teams): 1st: Eggz + Mew2King 2nd: Bladewise + FatGoku 3rd: Iceman + Ganobrator Smash 4 1v1 (87 entrants): 1st: Cacogen 2nd: KOG MVG Mew2King 3rd: Brobear 4th: Jaxas Smash 4 2v2 (25 teams): 1st: Bladewise + Mew2King 2nd: Brick + Cacogen 3rd: Nigga Cheese + Tall Guy Project M 1v1 (71 entrants): 1st: Mew2King 2nd: Bladewise 3rd: ePG \| Chevy Singles Results 1. KOG MVG Mew2King 2. 62bit \| Bladewise 3. FatGoku 4. Eggz Full Results here Videos here New Game Plus VIII(100 Singles Entrants) – 6/16/2015, Brooklone, MA (Boston) The 8th of Bostons revamped weekly hosted every Tuesday at Osakas Japanese Sushi and Steakhouse hosted by Big Blue eSports. In a record breaking 100 man bracket (following three weeks of 80 man brackets) surprise guests DJ Nintendo and The Moon came and prevented Mafia from taking his 3rd straight tournament. Challonge: bigbluees.challonge.com/NGP8 We stream in 720p on twitch.tv/bigbluees around 7pm Tuesday! Sorry if another of us already posted this Singles Results 1. The Moon 2. DJ Nintendo 3. Mafia 4. MattDotZeb Full Results here Videos here High School Smash IV(54 Singles Entrants) – 6/20/2015, South Pasadena, CA SoCal’s High School only monthly is back with the fourth installment of High School Smash. Featuring students from classes 2015 to 2018, this tournament rounded off at 54 entrants, along with guest appearances from two SoCal power ranked players, MacD and ConnorTheKid. Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/highschoolsmash Singles Results 1. The Prince 2. MoJoe 3. Jose V 4. Motoko Full Results here Videos here TGC 3(41 Singles Entrants) – 6/20/2015, Houston, TX Texas Gaming Championships 3 was the third in a tournament series in Houston that features Smash Wii U and various other fighting games hosted by Xyro and AirbrushKing. Many of the best Melee players in Houston were in attendance, including the undisputed #1-ranked GG \| Mojo. Although Mojo lost in a set of Falcon dittos against longtime training partner Jake13 in Winner’s Finals and struggled with the Fox ditto against Dawn in Loser’s Finals, he ultimately took 1st place in a convincing 6-0 over Jake13 in Grand Finals. The doubles tournament was also exciting and included a number of sick combos, e.g. http://www.gfycat.com/PoisedImpressiveBuffalo and http://www.gfycat.com/ExemplaryInexperiencedConure. Singles Results 1. GameGuys \| Mojo 2. Jake13 3. Dawn 4. Noc Full Results here Videos here Ice Crown(22 Singles Entrants) – 6/21/2015, San Salvador, El Salvador Was the principal Tournament in El Salvador the past weekend, in the mini event “Smash day” organized by TO “Rey Helado” with 3 tournaments, the others ones was Space Animals (melee with Fox and Falco Only),and Wii-U with customs amiibos permited, both of them was took by Ñ / Fer Singles Results 1. Kaiser Tocker 2. Ñ / Fer 3. Loy 4. Taku Full Results here Videos here 2nd Terramedia Smash(14 Singles Entrants) – 6/20/2015, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil Singles Results 1. Joker 2. DD 3. DASH\|FNF.dede 4. DASH\|Phoca Full Results here Videos hereThis is a bombshell story just waiting to explode! While questioning James Comey in a House Intelligence Committee hearing, Gowdy suggested the Obama himself and some of his staffers may have been the sources of the Michael Flynn leaks! This is a major accusation! And it’s even bigger because in order to be the source of the leaks, then they had to get the information from somewhere in the first place. Can you say ….. illegal wiretaps?!?! Here’s the story, from True Pundit: Rep. Trey Gowdy, questioning James Comey during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on Monday, appeared to name former President Barack Obama and six of his administration’s top staffers as potential sources of leaks about former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn’s alleged collusion with the Russian government during the 2016 election. It should be noted that Gowdy did not give evidence for any of the names he raised possibly being the source of the leaks. Gowdy asked similar questions about former CIA Director James Brennan, former National Security Advisor Susan Rice former White House advisor Ben Rhodes, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch and former acting Attorney General Sally Yates. Finally, Gowdy asked Comey if he “briefed President Obama on any calls involving Michael Flynn.” Read the full article here: http://truepundit.com/video-gowdy-points-to-president-obama-and-6-admin-officials-as-possible-source-of-flynn-leaks/ Watch the video here: Gowdy Points To President Obama And 6 Admin. Officials As Possible Source Of Flynn Leaks No Description Stay connected with Trump News Email … FREE! Success! Who wants one? Proud to be an American No Description 1,342 total views, 6 views todayBOSTON - One of the traits from the Bruins' recent, impressive 6-1-2 record over their past nine games has been an improvement in overall team defense and a tightening up on some of the weaknesses in that area. One of the other characteristics has been something that would seem to fly in the face of that defense. The Bruins have given up 40 plus shots on net in four of those nine games. The Bruins are 4-0-0 in those four games while allowing 40-plus shots to Pittsburgh, Carolina, Florida and Tampa Bay. Boston is 5-1-1 overall this season when surrendering 40 plus shots in a game. So, the Bruins have enjoyed pretty good success even when struggling in what the fancy stats people call “shot suppression” these days and the Bruins coaching staff thinks the number might be a little deceiving at points. “People are making a big deal about shots. I can tell you in Florida it was an issue because they had a lot of scoring chances. [In Tampa] with all the shots they had they had 11 scoring chances. So if teams want to shoot from all over the place, from the outside and everything else and let our goalies stay in the game and warm, that’s fine with me,” said Claude Julien. “I base more on the scoring chances versus the number of shots because some teams shoot it right at the goalie from outside the blue line. That’s a shot on net. “So, it depends where they come from. I would tell you that it was an issue after the Florida game because they had a lot of scoring chances, but definitely not against Tampa. So we’d like to bring our shot count down, but we can’t control that if teams are going to shoot from everywhere.” While Julien’s analysis of the B’s shot suppression, or lack thereof, is completely sound, it is worth mentioning that the Bruins allowed 40 or more shots in a game exactly twice in the first 60 games of the season. Now, they’ve allowed 40 plus shots in four of the past nine games with 13 games left to go this season and that’s a trend worth watching as the Bruins continue trying to keep things stable defensively.LAKEWOOD — The arrest Monday of four couples, including four people who had earned millions of dollars, may just be the start as officials crack down on welfare fraud in this Ocean County community. Rabbi Zalmen Sorotzkin, 39, of Congregation Lutzk, and his wife, Tzipporah, 35; and Mordechai Breskin, 37, and his wife, Jocheved, 35, were arrested on charges filed by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. The FBI, meanwhile, arrested Rachel Sorotzkin, 32, Mordechai Sorotzkin, 35, Yocheved Nussbaum, 40, and Shimon Nussbaum, 42, on federal charges of conspiring to steal federal funds. Authorities said the families, some of whom owned businesses and lived in large homes, collected Medicaid and subsidized housing benefits and food stamps. Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato said that his office warned religious leaders two years ago about the risk of abusing financial assistance programs. "Financial assistance programs are designed to alleviate family hardships for those truly in need," Coronato said. "Those who choose to ignore those warnings by seeking to illegally profit on the backs of taxpayers will pay the punitive price of their actions." Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the prosecutor, said the meeting in 2015 with Lakewood religious leaders was meant to explain the application process for various financial assistance programs. He said the meetings were intended to inform the community about the potential "pitfalls" of what can be a confusing process and, also warn about the potential risks of providing false information. These are the first arrests as part of an ongoing investigation, and Della Fave said Monday that more suspects could face charges. The Breskins are charged with improperly collecting more than $500,000 in Medicaid, SNAP, HUD, and SSI benefits from January 2009 until December 2014. The Sorotzkins are charged with collecting more than $300,000 in aid during that same time frame. County officials did not detail what assets and income these families earned during that time. But Coronato said the charges came after the defendants allegedly declared lower income amounts in order to qualify for the various benefit programs. By doing this he said they were able to collect more money for themselves and their family. Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick said two other couples were charged after collecting federal benefits despite earning millions. The feds say Rachel and Mordechai Sorotzkind received Medicaid benefits for themselves and their children despite getting "significant windfalls," including a $1 million payment to Rachel Sorotzkin's business in April 2013. Fitzpatrick said that payment was not reported to Medicaid, nor was the fact that the couple earned more than $1 million in both 2012 and 2013 while they continued to claim medicaid benefits. In total Fitzpatrick said the couple collected close to $96,000 in "taxpayer-funded medical care," including $22,000 for medical expenses when their sixth child was born in November 2013. "Everything is going to work out and all will be vindicataed," Fred Zemel, an attorney for Rachel Sorotzkin said. Fitzpatrick said the Nussbaums also received illegal benefits from 2011 through 2014 by creating several shell companies, which they said were run by relatives but were actually under their control. Fitzpatrick said the family made as much as $1.8 million in 2013 but still applied for Medicaid, Section 8 housing, and SNAP food benefits. In order to hide their income, Fitzpatrick said the couple opened several bank accounts using the names of the companies and would then use the money from the accounts for their daily expenses. In total, Fitzpatrick said the Nussbaums received close to $178,000 in government funds. Yocheved and Shimon Nussbaum appeared in front of a judge in Trenton on Monday afternoon, the Associated Press reported. They will be released on $100,000 bond each and their travel will be restricted to the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. A judge also ordered the rabbi and his wife to be released from jail pending trial. Their attorney, Edward Bertucio, said the couple is pleading not guilty. All four defendants who appeared in state court were ordered to surrender their passports. The conspiracy charges carry a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Coronato encouraged anyone with information about the investigation to contact Sgt. Mark Malinowski at 732-929-2027. State Comptroller Philip James Degnan said, "My office will continue to ensure that only individuals and families truly in need of benefits receive them," and that those who choose to steal from New Jersey Taxpayers are referred for prosecution." EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been updated to say that state prosecutors did not disclose information about the income or assets of Zalmen and Tzipporah Sorotzkin or the Breskins. Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. More From New Jersey 101.5 Contact reporter Adam Hochron at 609-359-5326 or Adam.Hochron@townsquaremedia.comWe shared a lot when we took on Hillary Clinton this
008.html" class='autolink'>Haze is such a burden placed on the otherwise acclaimed development team at Free Radical, whose many employees have worked on GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, not to mention establishing its acclaimed TimeSplitters franchise. While Free Radical's previous work was quite excellent, Haze is anything but, coming across as a middling, generic first-person shooter with bland visuals, a weak plot and laughable characters. Haze is the story of Shane Carpenter, a young Mantel soldier that's dispatched, along with the rest of his squad, to the Boa Region of South America. The largest PMC in the world, Mantel has an army of enhanced warriors boosted with their specialized "supplement" known as Nectar. With a large force at its disposal, Mantel has been asked to go in and pacify the region from the dangerous "Promise Hand", a militant group of rebels headed up by the villainous Skin Coat (so named because he enjoys skinning his victims and wearing them). However, Carpenter finds that his mission to "liberate the hearts and minds" of the indigenous people is not what it appears to be, and after one objective takes an unexpected turn, he finds himself defecting to the rebel cause and fighting against his former At first glance, this appears to be an interesting premise for a title, giving players a sense of both sides of the conflict. Unfortunately, its plot is such a hackneyed and feeble amalgamation of concepts that the true impact or commentary that could've been presented in the title is immediately lost. For one thing, the Mantel soldiers are presented as your stereotypical jarhead grunts that have no morality or sense of responsibility, killing people because they have always had a genuine bloodlust for death and destruction. This alpha male broad stroke is painted with comments such as "It's like taking candy from a crippled baby," and "Is there an award for most badass gangsta? Because that's me!" Forget the liberation of people from terror; that concept is immediately thrown out of the window, as is any other sense of humanity. However, Carpenter isn't ever presented with these emotions, regardless of the action he faces or the amount of Nectar in his system. This makes him stand out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of his unit and immediately weakens the player's connection as to why they want to even play through these sections. What's more, the character of Carpenter doesn't endear himself to the player, especially because he either whines his way through sections of missions or seems perpetually lost, making him come across as exceedingly weak and not someone you want to take through the entire game regardless of what happens to him. It doesn't really help in the middle of battle, when you're dodging bullets or rockets from your former company, to hear Shane complain about not being sure what to do next. I got your shotgun right here. What further widens this disconnect between Shane, the Mantel troops and the player is the deliberate attempt to tie soldier immorality to the blatant use (and abuse) of Nectar, making the war seem much more like a videogame than real life. Supposedly, this explains the behavior of the troops, because they are living in a drug-induced fantasy world that is perpetually extended by their battle armor. In fact, the only time that you do see soldiers crash from their Nectar high is laughable. Not laughable because of what the soldiers do, but laughable in the manner in which it's carried out, which is extremely forced and horribly acted. That's unfortunate, because the mechanic of Nectar within the game is actually rather striking. It heightens Shane's senses, making enemies stand out from the environment because of their glowing silhouette. This makes it much easier to snipe enemies or pick them out -- even in dense cover. Nectar also manages to reduce the amount of damage that you take, as well as warn you of incoming danger thanks to a rippling pulse of energy from grenades or other threats. Finally, Nectar makes you much stronger, and any melee attacks are radically stronger than ever before. What's more, every kill that you make on the Nectar high provides you with an additional boost of power to maintain your buzz. That gives you somewhat of an incentive to continue blasting any enemy soldiers that cross your path, as long as you don't accidentally overdose on the initial injection of the drug into your system. This will cause you to lose control of Shane for a while as he shoots at friend and foe alike.“Perhaps you’ve noticed the trend among certain people these days,” wrote Neil Genzlinger in The New York Times the other day, “to decide that certain other people are not living acceptable lives and must be reformed.” Yes. There certainly is a lot of that going around. You can see it in the comments from Michele Bachmann’s husband, Marcus—who says homosexuals are “barbarians” who need to be “educated” and “disciplined.” The Bachmanns own a clinic that tries to make homosexuals go straight—a procedure as likely to succeed as trying to make a straight man gay. You can see the trend in Arizona, Alabama, and other states that have imposed stiff penalties for employers who choose to hire illegal immigrants—i.e., individuals who moved to the U.S. without a government permission slip. You can see it across the country in the attempts by Christian parents to have Harry Potter books removed from school libraries, to keep children from reading stories that supposedly promote witchcraft and the occult. And when you finished reading Genzlinger’s column of page A16 in last Sunday’s Times, you also could see the trend he wrote about just a few pages further in—on the front of the Times’ Sunday Review section. “What will it take,” asked the paper’s Mark Bittman, “to get Americans to change our eating habits?” This is a subject of great concern to progressives today. Many of them are deeply distressed that—despite incessant lecturing on the subject—too many of their fellow citizens continue to eat what they like, rather than what progressives think they should eat. Bittman’s answer to this dilemma is to tax “bad food” and subsidize “good food.” He is far from alone. But this answer to the problem of too much food freedom rests on two major factual errors and a moral grotesquerie. The first factual error is the belief that healthful foods cost too much. Nonsense: For the price of a single fast-food combo meal you can buy a week’s worth of fruits and vegetables. The second error is Bittman’s claim that “efforts to shift the national diet have failed, because education alone is no match for marketing dollars that push the very foods that are the worst for us.” Donald Boudreaux, professor of economics at George Mason University in Northern Virginia, makes quick work of this foolishness—in a response to a different piece—on his blog, Café Hayek. “Why,” he asks, “doesn’t McDonald’s simply serve raw celery? Celery being much less costly for McDonald’s to buy than ground beef and chicken patties, a raw-celery-only menu at McDonald’s would slash that company’s costs. And with its nefarious facility at using ‘advertising and marketing’ to hypnotize consumers into buying whatever it peddles (even ‘nasty killer foods’!), that fast-food behemoth will keep consumers spending as much on McCelery stalks as consumers now spend on Happy Meals and Egg McMuffins. McDonald’s profits will zoom upward!” (The answer is obvious: Consumers have the last word.) The moral grotesquerie comes later in the piece, when Bittman offers the rationale for his scheme: Some might “argue that their right to eat whatever they wanted was being breached,” he concedes, “but public health is the role of the government, and our diet is right up there with any other public responsibility you can name, from water treatment to mass transit.” Besides, “health-related obesity costs are projected to reach $344 billion by 2018—with roughly 60 percent of that cost borne by the federal government.” In short, the government should dictate what you eat for the sake of the collective good. Bittman used to write about recipes, so perhaps he does not know of Kant’s categorial imperative, which instructs us to treat people as ends in themselves—not as mere means to an end. Using government coercion to dictate other people’s food choices in order to save money on government programs is a blinding violation of that moral precept. Nevertheless, Bittman says it is “fun—inspiring, even” to think about the various ways government could order people about: “We” could convert soda machines to “machines that dispense grapes and carrots.” “We” could sell vegetables, grains, legumes, and fruit “cheap—let’s say for 50 cents a pound—and almost everywhere: drugstores, street corners, convenience stores, bodegas... ” Just one problem: “We” do not own the drug stores or bodegas—so we have no right to dictate what they stock. The progressive campaign against obesity relies on the assumption that the individual no longer owns his or her body—rather, society as a whole does. This has some profound implications for, say, abortion. And Bittman’s contribution to that campaign should serve as a warning: Anyone who thinks it would be “fun” to use government power to dictate everyone else’s choices—from sex partner to dinner menu—should not be allowed anywhere near it. A. Barton Hinkle is a columnist at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. This article originally appeared at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.You’ve probably seen the picture that surfaced Tuesday morning. Now, it’s time to take in the substance behind it. Hours after a photo of former Giants’ pitcher Tim Linececum surfaced on the internet that featured Lincecum preparing to throw a baseball, the founder and president of Driveline Baseball tweeted an update on the status of The Freak. After pitching in just nine games in 2016 and skipping the 2017 season entirely, Lincecum is planning an attempt at a comeback that will soon feature a showcase for Major League scouts. Though Lincecum suffered through a significant decline after making his fourth straight All-Star team in 2011, it’s possible that time off to recover and get healthy could serve the right-hander well. FOR RELEASE: Yes, this is Tim Lincecum at @DrivelineBB. Yes, Adam Ottavino took the picture while training here. Yes, Tim will throw for teams at a showcase in the near future. No, I have no other information for you. Send all communication to kyle@drivelinebaseball.com. pic.twitter.com/0N0cXHVUq8 — KyleB @ Driveline (@drivelinebases) December 19, 2017 While it’s unclear whether Lincecum will attempt to make a comeback as a starter or a reliever, it would not come as a surprise if the Giants were among the teams that send a scout or two to watch the right-hander throw. Lincecum spent nine seasons in San Francisco and was a three-time World Series champion with the franchise, and has always had a preference for pitching on the west coast. With San Francisco looking for bullpen help and in search of cheap options to shore up its pitching staff, Lincecum would make an intriguing non-roster Spring Training invitee candidate. For those of you who might be shaking your head at the idea, just remember: The Giants signed Pablo Sandoval again in July, and he’s expected to be competing for a roster spot this spring, too.At the start of April, Iraqi forces and Shia militia recaptured the city of Tikrit in northern Iraq, taken by the Islamic State last June. Iraqi journalist Ridha Al-Shimmari witnessed the operation. He posted this account and photos on his Facebook page after he returned from Tikrit. Translated by Balsam Awni: The road leading to Tikrit was not fully secured. Military pockets of Daesh [Islamic State] were believed to exist in a village called Sayid Qareeb. We saw a Daesh black flag over one of the high towers near that village. Fighters of the Badr Organization [a Shia militia], who accompanied us with other reporters to Tikrit, told us that the flag was kept flying as a camouflage to distract Daesh, I didn’t understand how could they make such an announcement in a bus filled with journalists! Samarra was our next destination before reaching Tikrit. We took some rest in the organization quarter near Samarra Dam. Then we headed to Tikrit. Although I had been to the city before, I never took the road leading to the residential Palaces. The nature was beautiful there, making it hard to believe that such a place witnessed the most terrifying atrocities in a decade or more: the Speicher massacre [where the Islamic State killed at least 1,566 Iraqi troops in June 2014]. The column was supposed to go to a mass grave of Speicher victims; but it never did so, due to security precautions or to keep the journalists on a specific track. Instead, we headed to another quarter inside the city which used to be a private philology college. Next to it was a house whose bathroom was used by soldiers. It was covered with dust, all its furniture still there. The smell from the fridge was nasty. We saw scattered school books, indicating that the household left the house in a hurry. Wherever the column went, we could hear heavy shooting welcoming us. One of the federal police armors fired loudly. The sound was scary! It seems that the popular paramilitary units have lots of guns, but only few were shooting in the air despite encouragement by their leaders. One of the female reporters also borrowed a gun, and started shooting in the air as well. Hadi Al-Amiri, Badr’s leader, held a press conference. He told us that the tribesmen of al-Hawija [in Kirkuk Province in northern Iraq] visited him yesterday, asking for help to liberate their city. He also emphasized that Baiji, al-Shirqat, and Al-Hawija are the next targets before the “great” battle for Anbar [in western Iraq], assuring us that Anbar would be much easier than Tikrit because many of its tribes are fighting against Daesh. Al-Amiri repeatedly stressed that the Tikrit victory is exceptional for two reasons. The first is related to the symbolic significance of the city. The second is related to the participation of many Sunnis from Tikrit in the liberation. He also repeatedly made it clear that the city should now be handed over to the local police forces whom we saw deployed on its outskirts, particularly in al-Qadissiya District where Daesh pockets were still present — at least when we visited the city on Thursday, April 2. We could finally wander inside Tikrit. We went to the palaces area. Al-Farouq Palace, with a statue of Saddam [Hussein], was interesting. The bullet-scarred monument was never lifted or destroyed by Daesh despite their public hatred of the statues which they consider as idols. It was now replaced by the Badr flag. We continued to wander inside the city neighborhoods. We saw all foreign currency exchange stores empty, with no money inside. Food stores were empty too. Some of the pharmacies were open and medicine-free, and some were closed. Most of the other shops still had their furnishings, although their windows were all broken. In many cases, the windows appeared to be broken from the inside. I saw some volunteers in the by-ways close to these shops. Some of them were sleeping on cardboard on the pavements. We never witnessed any looting. All what we saw was a man holding a TV and going somewhere. Although he did not care about us, he seemed to be confused and frightened once he saw a car with the Badr logo behind us. He then hurried to put the TV in a nearby open shop. I met with one of the PMU [Popular Mobilization Unit] leaders, whose small platoon took part in capturing the city. He assured me that both the Golden Division forces and the federal police had completed the final stag of liberating the city. More than 400 fighters were declaring the victory in Tikrit after a three-month siege. Golden Division soldiers could not be found in the city as they went to Al-Maliha village, near Baiji, immediately after the liberation. Upon our return from Tikrit, I contacted one of these soldiers who told me that he was shocked to hear the news about “burning and looting Tikrit”. He kept asking me if this was true. I answered: I saw some smoke from one of the far places. I don’t know if they were houses, but I never saw organized collective looting or a car carrying stuff, or even people taking certain things from a shop. What I did see were some empty shops. “Foreign currency exchange shops?”, exclaimed the officer. “Yes” I said, “and some pharmacies too”. He answered: Yes, we noticed that some of the foreign currency exchange shops and some pharmacies were empty when we first entered the city. I hate to think that I have risked my life for Tikrit to be looted, and I can’t believe this. We never lifted anything, even what was thrown on the streets. We see death every day, my friend, and never think of stealing. He continued: Anyway, have heard today [Saturday, April 4] that [Prime Minister Haidar] al-Abadi ordered the withdrawal of PMUs from Tikrit to its outskirts. This could be an attempt to put an end to the many rumors circulated, distracting the attention from our great victory. One security analyst says we ae in danger because of these rumors and because Daesh is still close to the liberated areas, in numbers. In contrast, the number of forces existing in the librated areas is not enough to protect them. The analyst also says that we should expect a big surprise by Daesh. Balsam Awni adds: Ritha Al-Shimmari also writes about one of the displaced camps he visited in Samarra. The camp was inhabited by members of the Albu Nimr tribe which lost 2000 of its people in Anbar and Salehedin Provinces at the hands of Daesh. Many of the victims were women and children. He wrote that he met five orphan children. He asked how they lost their parents. Their eyes filled with tears, they kept silent and could not answer.Leicester City is delighted to confirm the signing of Daniel Amartey from FC Copenhagen on a contract until 2020, subject to Football Association, Premier League and international clearance. - Leicester City complete the signing of Daniel Amartey from Copenhagen - Amartey signs a four-and-a-half-year contract at King Power Stadium - Ghana international becomes City’s second new signing this month Leicester City Football Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Daniel Amartey from FC Copenhagen on a contract until 2020, subject to Football Association, Premier League and international clearance. Daniel, a versatile Ghanaian international, arrived in the UK this week to complete a medical and finalise personal terms after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee for his transfer. The highly-rated 21-year-old, who operates both in central midfield and at right-back, becomes City’s second new signing this month, following the arrival of another exciting young player –. Daniel told lcfc.com: “It’s a great pleasure to join Leicester City. I know the Club have been interested in signing me for some time and that was a big part of my decision to come here. “All over Europe, people are talking about Leicester City and how well the Club is doing in the Premier League. The team plays exciting, attacking football and I’m looking forward to being part of it.” A powerful presence both in midfield and defence, Daniel has impressed in Danish football since arriving in the capital in July 2014. He played a key role as Copenhagen finished second in the Superliga to qualify for the UEFA Europa League during his first season with the club and has helped guide them to the top of the table this term. Copenhagen recruited Amartey from Swedish outfit Djurgårdens IF, who he joined at the age of 18. He made his senior debut for Ghana against Senegal a year ago and has since featured six times for the Black Stars, where he is an international colleague of Foxes winger Jeffrey Schlupp. Daniel trained with his new team-mates for the first time on Friday ahead of a Barclays Premier League meeting with Stoke City at King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon.Anglers from around the world come to Cairns in the hope of catching the 'Holy Grail', a 1000-pound black marlin The pristine waters of the Coral Sea are renowned the world over for its big game fishing including the most prized of all, the elusive and magnificent black marlin. Every September, the professional charter fishing fleet swells to double as anglers from around Australia and the world come to far north Queensland for a chance to be the next to land a big one. This season marks 50 years since a 1,000-pound fish was reeled in off the coast of Cairns by Captain George Bransford and angler Richard Obach. Audio Player failed to load. Try to Download directly (5.56 MB) Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Download (5.56 MB) Load more chevron right It proved a defining moment in the birth of a multi-million dollar industry, establishing Cairns and the region as the place to come in search of the "Holy Grail" of angling. "There's nowhere else that you can guarantee a 1,000-pound black marlin," Kelly Dalling-Fallon of the Cairns Professional Game Fishing Association explains. Share Captain Luke Fallon is heading to sea for his 30th consecutive black marlin season in the Coral Sea "I'm not saying that every person coming here is going to catch one but they are caught here every year, every week of every year during the marlin season. "So, that first 1,000-pound fish is the fish that opened the world's fishermen's eyes to Cairns as a destination and it's never let us down since." Ms Dalling-Fallon is one of only a handful of women who work full-time in the black marlin industry. This will be her 11th consecutive season in the Coral Sea, something she admitted was ironic, given her lack of interest in fishing growing up in a marlin-mad family. But after starting a professional career in Japan and travelling the world, she returned home to work alongside her father on his charter boat. Share Game fishing boat, Kekoa, heads out of the Marlin Marina at Cairns at the start of an historic black marlin season Kelly learned the ropes and already an avid blogger, soon recognised Cairns had a story to tell about its place on the world's big marlin stage. Now, it's a story she's determined to tell. Every season, her Black Marlin Blog attracts thousands of followers who live vicariously through her daily fishing reports. "It's man-versus-beast really. We use big tackle and they're big fish," she said. "You don't know how big it is until it's jumping across the horizon and for everyone on board, that's an eye-opener, the excitement of seeing that fish for the first time." Share The pristine waters of the Coral Sea are renowned for black marlin fishing. Big marlin make big splash in Cairns economy The frantic activity of refuelling, last-minute repairs and truckloads of stores and supplies being loaded onto game fishing boats in the Marlin Marina this week is perhaps the most obvious sign of the industry's economic contribution. Game fishing boat captain Luke Fallon, on his way to the Coral Sea at the start of an historic 50th anniversary black marlin season, said an influx of privately-owned boats added to the permanent fleet of about 30. "It's huge. A lot of fuel, motels, restaurants, eating out at night-time, marina berths, it's $1,800 a month to park the boat here, so it's tens of millions of dollars that gets brought into the region just for this short, two-month season." "I've been doing it for 30 and can honestly say it's hard to tell any difference in the fishing. It's definitely sustainable and 50 years proves it." To tag and release a 1,000-pounder is considered the goal of every angler, and charter boat customers will pay thousands of dollars a night for the thrill of the chase. "It is pretty high pressure. People think 'oh yeah, you're just going fishing and how good's that' but there's a lot of stress and a lot of pressure and yeah, a lot of expectation," Mr Fallon said. "I always tell them, look, they're an extremely hard fish to catch when there's none around. "There's a lot of theories and everyone's got a bit of an idea but in fact, no-one knows what the season's going to be like until it's done and dusted."What a week! As stated in last weeks State of the Game, there is another closed beta test going on this week. So far, I would say it’s going pretty great! While lots of issues have been found, many of them have been fixed. I have been on pace, delivering a new test build nearly every day. I have been tackling a lot of game breaking bugs, mainly with connection issues, server stability, hit detection, and general ‘statefullness’ of the multiplayer. Some of the bigger items that went in this week are : Better lag compensation and prediction In the current release there can be quite a big difference between where you see a player, where the server sees a player, and where that player actually is. With the new prediction system, the gap in the difference is MUCH smaller. In addition to this, the lag compensation system allows minor fix ups to the position, so in high lag environments, where the prediction can be off, it can still correct it’s self. Since this is a continuous correction, it shouldn’t result in rubber-banding. Better Stats Reporting For as long as I can remember MAV has had some spaces on the post game review screen for several stats, but only kills and damage were ever reported. Not any more! Now kill, damage, parts destroyed, and XP earned are all properly displayed. Along with that, there are many more stats that are being tracked but not shown yet, like damage per weapon type, longest shot distance, damage done to the base, damage received, and even damage done to your allies. These things, along with the other aspects of the update, are shaping it up to be a very compelling multiplayer experience! Well, that’s enough chit chat for this week, I need to jump back into the code and make everything even better for next week!Former FBI Director James Comey reportedly told members of Congress that he had a “frosty” exchange with former Attorney General Loretta Lynch last year when he discussed her possible interference in the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server. Circa reported that in a closed session following Comey’s testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee last Thursday, the fired FBI director told lawmakers he confronted Lynch over a sensitive document reportedly suggesting she had agreed to stop any Clinton prosecution. During the closed-door conversation, Comey reportedly told lawmakers Lynch looked at the document and then looked up with a “steely silence” -- and directed Comey to leave her office. In the open session before the Intelligence Committee, Comey said that Lynch directed him to describe the Clinton email probe as a “matter” and not an “investigation.” Comey also said that the directive, combined with Lynch’s unusual Arizona tarmac meeting with former President Bill Clinton, led him to make his independent announcement regarding the Clinton email probe last July. Comey testified that the tarmac meeting was a “deciding factor” in his decision to act alone to update the public on the Clinton email probe—and protect the bureau’s reputation. “There were other things, significant items,” he added, citing how “the Attorney General directed me not to call it an investigation and call it a matter—which confused me.” “That was one of the bricks in the load that I needed to step away from the department,” Comey said, later adding he was concerned Lynch was trying to align the DOJ’s comments with the way the campaign was talking about the probe. “That gave me a queasy feeling,” he said. On Wednesday, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, sent a letter to committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and said the committee will pursue investigations into any efforts to influence FBI investigations.Since 2010, the Festive 500 has challenged cyclists to ride a total of 500km between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. I have completed the challenge annually since I started riding in 2012. It's a great boost of fitness going into the new year. And this time round (as I had some time off work) I decided to see if I could do 1000km in two weeks - on top of the 500km in eight days challenge from Strava and Rapha. That meant going into the Festive 500 I already had 470km in my legs. And those weren't easy miles either. I continued my structured training of mostly Sweetspot and Threshold sessions but added on a few extra miles to my usual training loop. The day before the Festive 500 started I did a short but painful ride in high winds with good friends Phill and Ian. During that ride I averaged 275w over ninety minutes. The first twenty of which at over 310w. That's not the best way to save the legs for not just a big the next day, but a big week to come! Christmas Eve. 165km. Last year I kicked things off with a one hundred mile ride on Christmas Eve. Which I've now tried to make a new tradition. I always make sure I prepare my kit the night before a big ride. The last thing you want as you're trying to leave the house is to be running around in a flap. I can't count the number of times I've been late because you of a lost arm-warmer, or glove, or leg warmer. I've slowly learned my lesson over the years. And daylight is precious at this time of year. It won't be light until 9am, and dark again by 3:30pm. Every minute counts! The weather forecast for Christmas Eve wasn't fantastic. With high winds and rain showers all day. As I planned on being out for around six hours I decided to dress for the worst. You can remove layers, but being frozen to the bone hours from home. That's just not fun. So I decided on my long-sleeve Castelli Gabba and Rapha deep winter tights. I stuffed the jersey pockets with food and tools. Mostly Flapjack. But also a banana, a jam and peanut butter wrap, and a spare tube wrapped inside a wind breaker jacket. I was ready to tackle the one hundred and three mile route I had mapped into my Garmin. Setting out at first light I felt on the cusp of overdressed. It was mild, it wasn't raining, but the wind was gale-force. For the first part of my ride I was fortunate enough to have it behind me at least. I soft pedaled North towards Lancaster. Where I turned off to make my way over Jubilee Tower - the toughest climb of the day, but nothing scary. Anyone familiar with it will know the first half is a bit of a grind. I just tapped away in my easiest gear until the road flattens out towards the top and I was able to pick up some speed again. The descent towards the Trough of Bowland is fantastic. It's fast and flowing with great visibility. There was a fair crosswind at times making me more cautious than usual. As the bike twitched beneath me I couldn't help but think about the recent accident of local Pro Dillon. He came down hard not far from where I was because of high winds. Knocking himself unconscious and waking in a puddle of water with a few broken bones. Luckily he's okay now, and is already back on the bike. Hard as nails! I was roughly fourty miles into my ride when I had to make a right turn into a wall of wind. The road from Marshaw to Oakencloguh was the first time I'd properly had my nose in the wind all day. This was the literal turning point of the ride. Things only got worse from then on. For now though, there was nothing to do but get my head down and get on with it. I slowly - but not without effort - made my way towards Bleasedale. Skirted around Chipping, before climbing up to Cow Ark. It's a steady climb, and on a good day it'll be quick too. I must go back and give it the beans soon. Some time between Bleasedale and Cow Ark my Stages power meter decided to call it a day. I had a quick roadside faff but it was no good. I couldn't get the thing to work. I can feel a mini-rant coming on now. I don't know a single person who has had a good experience with Stages power meters. You definitely get what you pay for. They're cheap, and a good introduction to using power for training but you can't rely on them. As soon as they even hear the word 'water', you've had it. Even someone being a bit over-eager with the hosepipe when cleaning the bike will be in for a bad time. I have to remove my battery after ever ride otherwise it shorts out. And if I'm riding in the rain I'll tape up the battery door in an attempt to keep out the moisture but it rarely helps. I have to just accept the fact that it's going to cut out at some point during the ride, and hope that it isn't during a key part of my workout. It's also a pain when trying to keep track of your TSS and fatigue. I can't recommend a Stages to anyone unfortunately. And as soon as I can afford to I'll replace mine with something like a set of Garmin Vector pedals. Coming off Cow Ark I noticed the bike felt a bit spongy. I carried on, as sometimes it's just a bad road surface playing tricks with your mind. This time it was a slow puncture. Annoying, but not the end of the World. I found a sheltered place to pull over and got to work replacing the inner tube. New tube in, tyre pumped up to pressure I went to release the mini-pump from the valve aaanddd.... PSSSSSSHHHHHHFFFFTTTTTTTTTTT! I've got a screw-on pump and it decided it was going to unscrew the valve too. I was already a bit wound up by the Stages being a dick, and after a few rounds of this I was on the edge. For once I was carrying two tubes so I decided to take the wheel out again. Remove the inner tube again. Put a new tube in again. And pump, pump, pump everything up. Again. PSSSSSSHHHHHHFFFFTTTTTTTTTTT! Argh! Are you fucking kidding me!! Now what do I do? I'm still a good thirty miles from home at this point and time isn't on my side. As luck would have it by the time I'd finished swearing two nice chaps turned the corner with a proper pump. They were kind enough to stop and get me going again. I can't thank them enough. Before that I was considering calling it a day and sitting in the pub until my wife could come and pick me up. Setting off again I only had to get through Longridge, before I was on the home stretch. Ish. I'd head to Elswick first, before turning back on myself to avoid Kirkham and finally arrive home in Lytham. The rest of the ride was uneventful until just before I got to Lytham. I was getting tired by this point but keeping a nice cadence and steady speed even into the wind. A trio of lads came by me in a chaingang and we exchanged pleasentries. I hopped on and got a free ride for a bit. The road dipped and because one of them was on a single speed I was able to overtake comfortably without any extra effort. At this point it began to hail. And we're talking proper, big, nasty, spiky balls of ice falling from the sky. It was painful to look up. "Lovely this, isn't it?!", I said to the guys as I made my way past them. Which is when one of them decided to comment on the fact I didn't have mud guards on my bike. "He doesn't even have mud guards on!" Why should I though? I'm riding on my own. It's mostly been a dry day, and I'm on a nice fast aero bike. Why the sodding hell would I want to put mud guards on it? This kind of grinds my gears a bit. There are so many aggressive mud guard users on the roads. And most seem to be as short-tempered as the drivers they no doubt love to moan about (closely followed by moaning about people who don't have mud guards). I've done the mud guard thing in the past. It's near pointless. I've had SKS Raceblade (long and normal versions) and they are just a pain in the arse. They don't keep THAT much muck off you, and they sure as hell don't keep spray off anyone behind. That's absolute bollocks. Bikes are not fucking scared of weather. They don't give a fuck if it's raining (Stages, you're the exception here you dick). The only time I generally use the 'winter' bike is if it's icy and there's grit everywhere. I ride my bike to have fun. And in my experience the mud guard lot begrudge anyone else on the road who have decided they don't actually need to put up with endless faffing, rubbing, knocking, and not to mention the shocking aesthetics that come with sticking mud guards on your bike. I didn't say anything at the time though. Passive aggressiveness is the best thing of aggressiveness. Right? And so ended my first ride of the Festive 500. It's a shame really but it was one I'll soon forget, and not the most enjoyable day I've ever had on the bike. Christmas Day. 191km. I took it easy Christmas Day. Spinning the legs for an hour or so for some much needed recovery. Not many miles but enough to work up a decent apetite for dinner in the evening. Where, obviously, I over-indulged (actually I was very well behaved until the cheese came out. Cheese was my downfall this year). Cheese was my downfall this year. The weather was naff. It pissed it down - not that I noticed. I was generously gifted a Castelli Tem
Chinese regularly offering lamb sacrifices to ShangDi at Mount Tai on the eastern border of China. Later, this sacrificial practice was moved to the Forbidden City in Beijing, at the Temple of Heaven. COUNTERARGUMENTS I've relayed this material to Christians, and some of them respond with much happiness, declaring that God has preserved a wonderful record of Biblical accounts in the Chinese language. Well, I dunno about that. I haven't come to any conclusion myself. But here are some counterarguments I've thought of, which should hopefully persuade the reader to be wary of this material. The author of this theory is a missionary! Many Chinese characters can be interpreted so that you see whatever you want. It's like looking at clouds. However, there do exist particular interpretations that are probably correct -- ones that reflect the intentions of the character's maker. Etymological dictionaries can be researched to find these correct interpretations, which are derived from studies of character evolvement over time. The fact that I've seen many characters whose standard etymological interpretations conflict with Kang's suggests to me that Kang may have conjured many interpretations out of his own volition. Admittedly, some of the interpretations seem very convincing; however, some others are just laughable. Flood stories and tree-based creation stories are found in many cultures besides Hebrew. http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/flood-myths.html has a giant collection of flood myths. We see similarities in myths across the world. So even if some of Kang's interpretations are valid, that does not necessarily indicate a correlation to the Hebrew myth in particular. It shows a correlation to myths in general. Lambs are also considered sacrificial in some other cultures besides Hebrew and Chinese. For instance, the Sidama religion of Ethiopia. "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." REFERENCES Kang, C.H. and Ethel Nelson. The Discovery of Genesis : How the Truths of Genesis Were Found Hidden in the Chinese Language. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1979. Voo, Kui Shin and Larry Hovee. The Lamb of God Hidden In The Ancient Chinese Characters. Online. Internet. Answers in Genesis. http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/linguistics.aspImpressions of Gearslutz from a newbie simultaneously I thought it would be interesting for me to give you feedback on what a typical person of average skill and intelligence has gathered from reading Gearslutz. I am a blank slate, and have literally been reading the forum 12 hours a day for the last 2 weeks.1. Low-end gear means anything under $2000.2. Everything made by Neumann is crap today. I mean Grade-A dog diarrhea. People only use it because of hype or because they have deals (like LA Guitar Quartet - the KM184 actually SUCKS for guitars, but they have an endorsement so they HAVE to use them...)3. The Yamaha NS-10M is the worst speaker in the world. The sound is somewhat like putting tape over the mouths of two macaws and tasing them(make sure they aren't flush against the wall).4. The only monitors anyone should ever use are the ADAM A7's or maybe - JUST MAYBE - the Barefoot speakers or the Dynaudio M3's. And you really need a sub for those.5. Avalon 737 is trash.6. Avalon 747 is trash.7. The Avalon M5 is OK "for bass."8. The only mics that can be used for classical guitar are the $2500 Schoeps or some equally priced Sennheiser. Otherwise, nothing in your mic cabinet will work.9. Teams of well-paid German, Austrian, and Russian engineers consistently miss the mark, because any piece of equipment can be modded by you for $30 in parts to make it sound "just like a Neumann XX" (vintage of course).10. Anything with the number "500" on it is a great piece of gear.11. Anything that says Apogee is good.12. Anything that has a cat logo or the name of a type of cat is good.13. The Fireface is really the only firewire interface anyone should ever consider. Everything else - EVERYTHING - belongs in the skip.14. Why aren't you using a Mac?15. The TLM 103 is by far the worst microphone made. It makes everything sound like Fiona Apple wrapped in carpet.16. The TLM 49 is a close second. It makes everything sound like Barry White garggling wasps.17. You should've gotten a Soundelux U195. God, it is so much better than any Neumann.18. Or a Peluso 2247.19. If it doesn't say Neve, it is crap.20. If it doesn't say API, it is crap.21. If it doesn't say Manley, it is crap.22. In a "comparison post," whatever YOU own is BETTER, regardless of whether you've ever heard of it or used it, or if your gear was even listed in the OP's comparison.23. Any piece of equipment that is available at Guitar Center or American Musical is crap, except maybe a U87, but that is junk too unless someone from GS swallows it and shts it out, a technique used to simulate 40 years of delicate aging.24. Any gear that is good must've been pulled out of a much larger object and modified to fit in a rack by the actual person that designed it.25. Trident is now crap.26. The jury is still out on Toft, but we're pretty sure it is crap since it is often mentioned in the same breath as Joe Meek.27. Did I mention that Genelec makes the WORST monitors in the world? Just absolute horse-sht.28. Anything touched by Joly is better than any mic ever created, including a vintage U47.29. Anything that starts with a G is a good piece of gear (Great River, Grace, Golden Age, Gefell, Grado) EXCEPT Genelec, of course.30. There is no gear - NONE - worse than Mackie. Mackie is worse than late 80's Nady gear. The HR824's woofers are made of goat dung and the tweeters are made from the severed wings of demon locusts, and to dare use anything with a Mackie pre will summon brutish beasts from Netherworld who will feast on the souls of your family.31. Bring your lunchbox everywhere, because no commercial studio has anything that competes with the 512c.32. U87's are not compatible with anything made by Universal Audio (which is all crap anyway, just unusable)33. The Shure SM7 is awesome... BUT IT BETTER BE AN A/B/(no letter).All in good fun, people. I am new to the forums and can't imagine that so many talented (and apparently insanely wealthy and successful) people are on this forum, including industry leaders, designers, and engineers. It's a great forum.Feel free to add lessons I missed.Thanks for all the great info - it's been a roller coaster ride so far.Seagate and Western Digital are the two last big American names standing in the hard drive market, along with Toshiba in Japan, and all three face an existential thread in the SSD. More and more laptops are shipping these days without a hard drive in them, every smartphone and tablet has flash storage and Apple is sending the iPod Classic, the one with a 160GB drive in it, to the glue factory. So what are hard drive makers to do? Find a new raison d'etre, that's what. Seagate is betting its luck on hybrid drives that combine a large SSD cache with an HDD, while Western Digital is looking at massive drive capacities and betting that the advent of cloud storage will make people buy big. With so much of our lives becoming digital, mass storage is important. NAS devices take up a huge amount of space at the local Fry's Electronics, and there are more than two dozen cloud storage providers to choose from. PCs were limited in drive capacity due to the legacy of the old BIOS. Thanks to that 1980 design, a PC could not physically see more than 2.1TB of storage. With the advent of UEFI, we have shattered that limit, and PCs can handle 3TB drives or larger as they hit the market. Many of the NAS devices that could hold 10TB or more use their own hardware and software fixes to get around that problem for old PCs. But just as HDD makers hit the 3TB barrier, they started hitting physical limits of hard drives as well. WD has been at the forefront of high-capacity drives, and it came up with an interesting solution: helium. The company on Monday introduced a 6TB drive called the Ultrastar He6 that packs seven platters into the space usually filled by five. The helium inside the drives keeps them from overheating and minimizes the friction of the heads as they move over the platters. The helium means less drag by the platters than from air, so the platters could be closer together and the motors don't have to burn as much energy spinning them. The new drive runs quieter and consumes 23% less power when idle. It has to be hermetically sealed to keep the helium in, something the company said was a major challenge. It will be interesting to see how customers use the drive, since there are very few drives on the market that are hermetically sealed. This means a lot of scalability over the old max of 4TB in a 3.5-inch form factor. After all, you are talking about a 50% improvement in capacity in the same space with less power drawn. So you can take up less space, or more likely deploy more storage. It's no accident Netflix was offering a canned quote in the press release for this announcement. With so much of its content on-demand now, it needs more storage capacity, which the He6 gives. WD has not given out the price, but the Ultrastar 7K4000 4TB model is $315 from Amazon, so expect the He6 to be a fair amount above that.Seer's Lantern and the Recent History of 3CMC Mana Rocks in Standard by SaffronOlive // Jan 06, 2016 Tweet spoilers oath of the gatewatch Getting the opportunity to write a spoiler article is by far one of the coolest Magic-related things ever to happen to me, so a huge thanks for Wizards for hooking us up with a brand new, never-seen-before Oath of the Gatewatch card to share with all of you today! I've always hated those spoiler articles that make you read a bunch of nonsense before getting to see the new card, so let's get this out of the way right off the bat: presenting Seer's Lantern! So what we have here is a three-mana mana rock with upside. At first I was put off by the fact that Seer's Lantern only produces colorless mana, but in the brave new world of Oath of the Gatewatch, this might actually end up being an upside. Sure, producing one-mana of any color like Darksteel Ingot is great, unless you want to activate a Mirrorpool or cast a Kozilek, the Great Distortion, then you'll be wishing your Darksteel Ingot was a Seer's Lantern. Of course, for the immediate future we have the painlands from Magic Origins as the easiest and best way to make colorless mana, but once these cards rotate in the fall, Seer's Lantern could be very important to the format. So is this card constructed playable? To answer that we'll look back over the recent history of three-CMC mana rocks in Standard. Is Seer's Lantern Constructed Playable? $ 0.00 $ 0.00 The upside of Seer's Lantern is similar to Crystal Ball, which saw extremely fringe play while it was Standard legal. Obviously the numbers are reversed; instead of scrying two for one-mana like Crystal Ball, Seer's Lantern scrys one for two-mana. But remember, we aren't playing Seer's Lantern for the scry — we're playing Seer's Lantern for the mana production. The upside of doing something when you are flooded out in the late game is important to the playability of the card. Assuming you have some left over mana sitting around, it doesn't take too many activations of Seer's Lantern for it to become better than Mind Stone's "sac to draw a card" ability. This is the biggest benefit of Seer's Lantern. Imagine you are in a control mirror and looking to get down an Ob Nixilis Reignited on turn four. You play your Seer's Lantern on turn three, play your Ob Nixilis Reignited on turn four, and then what? Most mana rocks lose their utility as the game goes on and the amount of mana you have access to increases, but not Seer's Lantern. There's a strong argument that Seer's Lantern is even better in the late game where the scry one will make sure you keep drawing action while your opponent draws useless lands. Have you ever watched a Twin mirror in Modern? Typically, the first person to get a Desolate Lighthouse online will win the game because their average draw is so much better than their opponent's. I can imagine control mirrors in Standard being similar, where whoever gets into a position to scry every turn with Seer's Lantern first will likely win the game. $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 I'm pretty sure that a dedicated ramp deck (i.e. one that it trying to get to 10+ mana to cast Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, Kozilek, the Great Distortion or Part the Waterveil) has better options than Seer's Lantern. In my experience with these decks, the goal is to go from two-mana, to four-mana, to six-mana, to 10-mana. Seer's Lantern ends up being at a very odd and inefficient place on the curve. On the other hand, I can picture dedicated control decks wanting to go from three-mana to five-mana, not only for planeswalkers like Ob Nixilis Reignited, but for the ability to turn Planar Outburst into Wrath of God. In some matchups, having a turn four wrath (instead of a turn five wrath) is a pretty big deal, and Seer's Lantern is the perfect card to facilitate this play. I'll admit that when I first saw Seer's Lantern I wasn't overly impressed. My first impression was that it was another in a long line of mediocre three-mana mana rocks. However, I'm not the type to take my initial impression as the truth, so of course I did some research on the recent history of three-CMC mana rocks in Standard to try to figure out just how playable they really are. While none of these cards are exactly the same as Seer's Lantern, they are similar enough that we can use them to help judge Seer's Lantern's potential in tournament Magic. 1. Pristine Talisman $ 0.00 $ 0.00 Easily the most played three-cmc mana rock of recent years is Pristine Talisman. When we ran a search of decks in the MTGGoldfish database containing three-cmc mana rocks over the past several years of Standard, we came up with a total 3,578. Of these, more than 2,200 were running Pristine Talisman. More than 60 percent of the play seen by all three-cmc mana rocks in our sample is attributable to this one card! So what made Pristine Talisman a Standard staple? I mean, it looks a lot like Seer's Lantern, costing three-mana and tapping for one colorless. The key here is the incidental life gain. While the main purpose of the card was to ramp into extremely powerful control finishers like Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite and Sun Titan, it was the lifegain, one-by-one, turn-by-turn, that kept these slow control decks alive in a fairly aggressive Standard format. So how does paying two to scry one compare to gaining one life each turn? I believe it really depends on a matchup and the metagame. Assuming we are playing a control deck, which seems to be the most likely home for Seer's Lantern, in any aggressive matchup gaining life is far better than scrying. In fact, if we play a Seer's Lantern deck against something like Atarka Red, it's doubtful we'll ever find enough time to activate the scry ability. On the other hand, if we run into a midrange or control deck, being able to scry repeatedly in the late game is typically going to be better than gaining a bit of life here and there. Imagine we are going up against Esper Dragons. How often is gaining one life a turn going to be relevant? Not very. On the other hand, leaving up countermagic and scrying when we don't have to cast a counterspell has potential to win a lot of games. I think it's ambitious to expect Pristine Talisman-levels of play from Seer's Lantern. None of the other three-cmc mana rocks printed over the past few years have even come close, but the fact that there are some matchups where we'd rather have Seer's Lantern than a Pristine Talisman does bode well for the card's playability. 2. Rakdos and Selesnya Keyrune $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 While all of the members of the keyrune cycle saw at least a little bit of play during their time in Standard, it was Rakdos Keyrune and Selesnya Keyrune that came out the big winners. Rakdos Keyrune in specific saw a ton of play, with just about 900 decks showing up in the MTGGoldfish database (meaning 25 percent of all three-cmc mana rock comes from Rakdos Keyrune). This, however, was more of a product of the format than a testament to the power of Rakdos Keyrune itself. For the first year of Rakdos Keyrune's life, we were living in a Standard format utterly dominated by Thragtusk. It just so happens that a 3/1 with first strike is a very good way to keep from dying to a 5/3 and the 3/3 token it leaves behind. While it is difficult to draw a direct comparison between any of the Keyrunes and Seer's Lantern (keyrunes tap for two colors of mana and can turn into creatures), I think the main takeaway here is that the playability of a three-cmc mana rock is highly dependent on the metagame. Rakdos Keyrune (and to a lesser extent, Selesnya Keyrune) was very good in its respective Standard format because it matched up well with Thragtusk, while also providing the mana necessary to ramp into Thragtusk and Rakdos's Return, as well as activate Olivia Voldaren. While Seer's Lantern is never going to stonewall a creature, it does have some pretty powerful colorless creatures to ramp into, but the real question is just how good will scry one be in Standard? Obviously it will be better if the format is slow and more controlling, so it seems unlikely to be very good immediately. Until April rotation, Standard will still have Atarka Red, it will still have super efficient four-and five-color decks built around the fetchland manabase, and it will still have Mantis Rider and Siege Rhino. However, once rotation hits, it seems probable that the format will slow down considerably. Instead of super efficient wedge cards, many of the most powerful cards in Standard will be huge, colorless Eldrazi from Battle for Zendikar and Oath of the Gatewatch. It is in this environment that Seer's Lantern could have a chance to shine, as a way to ramp into an Eldrzi and then eat up additional, useless mana on subsequent turns. 3. Chromatic Lantern $ 0.00 $ 0.00 After Pristine Talisman and Rakdos Keyrune, there is a huge drop off to the number three three-cmc mana rock, Chromantic Lantern. While Pristine Talisman showed up in thousands of decks, and Rakdos Keyrune showed up in almost a thousand, Chromantic Lantern shows up in a grand total of 90, mostly four- or five-color decks which leaned heavily on the "lands you control can tap for any color of mana" ability. On its face, it's difficult to compare an "any color" mana rock like Chromantic Lantern to a "colorless" mana rock like Seer's Lantern, but I think there is one thing we can glean from trying. Some three-cmc mana rocks, while not good enough to be jammed in every deck, are very good if you are playing one specific archetype. For Chromantic Lantern, this is four/five color decks, for Seer's Lantern this might end up being control decks (that can take advantage of the scry ability) or decks that really need colorless mana (especially in a post-painland world this fall). So even though not everyone will want Seer's Lantern in their deck, there is a fairly good chance that someone will. Not Quite Good Enough We've been talking about mana rocks that were successful and playable in their Standard formats, but in the name of fairness, I should also mention the recent three-cmc mana rocks that didn't end up seeing much play at all. While all of these cards saw play in the strictest sense of the term (they show up in between 1 and 10 decks in the MTGGoldfish database), for all intents and purposes they didn't have a place in their Standard formats. So the questions are, why not, and how does Seer's Lantern compare to these cards? $ 0.00 $ 0.00 Let's start with Darksteel Ingot, which has two major problems. First, it doesn't really have an upside (being indestructible isn't relevant most of the time), and second, it was released right before the devotion-themed Theros set. As a result, for pretty much the entire time Darksteel Ingot was in Standard, the format was dominated by mono-colored decks like Mono-Black and Mono-Blue Devotion. As a result, tapping for one-mana of any color wasn't really an upside in the format. Plus, decks like Mono-Blue Devotion were fast enough that the big control deck in the format — Esper Control with Sphinx's Revelation — couldn't afford to tap out for a do-nothing artifact on turn three. I'm fairly confident that Seer's Lantern will be better than Darksteel Ingot because tapping for colorless will mean more in Oath of the Gatewatch Standard than tapping for any color in Theros Standard. Plus, it has more upside thanks to the scry ability. $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 We might as well lump the Cluestones and the Banners together because they are very similar. Each taps to add mana for its respective guild or wedge, and each can be sacrificed to draw a card by paying one-mana of each color it produces. As for why these cards didn't see play in Standard, I think the best explanation is that their formats were either too fast and efficient (Khans Standard) or too mono-color focused (Theros Standard). Once again, Seer's Lantern seems better than either of these cycles. We've already talked about how the format will likely slow down once Khans block rotates in April, and slow formats are more welcoming to three-cmc mana rocks. Plus, being able to scry one repeatedly is far more valuable in a long game than simply sacrificing to draw a card outright. There was a big debate about how much "scry one" is actually worth when the scrylands were released in Theros, and I think the general consensus was scry one was equivalent to drawing half a card. After two activations, Seer's Lantern produces value equal to a Cluestone or Banner (and remains on the battlefield), and after three or more activations is has produced more value than a Banner or Cluestone. $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 Finally, we have the Monument cycle from Dragons of Tarkir. While they have a fairly impressive upside by turning into 4/4 flying creatures, the big problem here is that the activation cost is just far too high. Six-mana is almost always your entire turn, so if your opponent has a removal spell, you basically end up time walking yourself. At least with Seer's Lantern, the activation is only two-mana, and unlike a Monument, you can sit on a counterspell and scry one on your opponent's end step. The Verdict Overall, I expect Seer's Lantern to fall somewhere in the Chromatic Lantern range. It's hard for me to imagine it reaching Pristine Talisman levels of play, or being an important role player like Rakdos Keyrune, but I think there will be a deck or two that really wants it (mostly likely a control deck, or a deck that really values its ability to produce colorless mana). This said, much will depend on what our future Standard format looks like. The more play colorless cards see and the slower the format is, the more play Seer's Lantern will see. On the other hand, if Shadows over Innistrad picks up where Khans block left off and pushes Battle for Zendikar block to the fringes of the format, there might not be much of a reason to play any three-cmc mana rock, including Seer's Lantern. So while I think Seer's Lantern has enough upside to potentially see play, as with all freshly spoiled cards, much will depend on what cards end up around it and how the metagame shakes out. Conclusion Anyway, that's all for today. Leave your thoughts, ideas, options, and suggestion in the comments, and as always you can reach me on Twitter (or MTGO) @SaffronOlive.A petition to the White House calls for the public hanging of a man who allegedly raped and killed his girlfriend’s 10-month-old daughter. Benjamin Taylor, 32, of Cottageville, West Virginia, was charged with first-degree murder on Wednesday after the baby, Emmaleigh Barringer, died from injuries that indicated a violent sexual assault. According to CBS, Taylor told authorities he “blacked out” while caring for the baby and doesn’t know how the injuries occurred. Shortly after the arrest, a petition on We the People began circulating, asking for the public hanging of Taylor. “Prison is too good for child rapists and their ilk,” it reads. “When it’s an open and shut case such as this, let us hang these creatures publicly. Let us make examples of them, and allow the American people to attend these hangings so that the accused may be ridiculed, as they should be.” As with all petitions to the White House, if it reaches 100,000 signatures in 30 days, President Obama will have to respond. So far it has over 40,000. The death penalty was abolished in West Virginia over 50 years ago; a public hanging hasn’t happened in the state since 1897. Emmaleigh’s mother, Amanda Leigh Adkins, found her daughter naked in blood on the basement floor early Monday morning. The 10-month-old was rushed to the hospital but was later declared brain dead. “It wasn’t enough that he took her innocence, he had to take her life too,” Adkins told local station WSAZ. A public vigil will be held for Emmaleigh in Maryland tonight. [Placeholder for https://www.facebook.com/UnitedWeStandAgainstChildAbuse/posts/1117382901670976 embed.] H/T Daily MailGeneral Information Who Will Win? MK Leo showed he's capable of going toe-to-toe with ZeRo at KTAR XIX. --- On, in theat the, a score will be settled. Will's #1 player manage to add another victory to his ever-expanding resume? Or will one or more of the various challengers vying for his spot prevail against him? With a guaranteedpot bonus from Collegiate Colosseum and overconfirmed entrants for singles, the time is as good as any for elite competitors to prove themselves atDecember marks the one-year anniversary for 2GGaming's 2GGT tournament series. Hosted by venerated veteran TO, 2GGT has quickly become SoCal's most consistent Smash Wii U tournament series. With the help of fans everywhere, 2GG has managed to fly in the strongest and most entertaining players from all over the globe, leading to a series of head-to-head matchups normally only seen at premier international competitions.Though performing admirably, none of these guests would ultimately win the tournaments dedicated to them. Instead, most 2GGT events would go to former SoCal native Gonzalo "" Barrios. Though originally from Chile and now residing in New Jersey, ZeRo has proven that he can win consistently on any turf, becoming the undisputed best at Smash Wii U in the process. Though there were doubts that he'd be able to keep his title, ZeRo has proven that he still has what it takes by winning an impressive string of events this fall. He's now looking to become the first player to win his own 2GG Saga!In addition to the usual singles and doubles formats, there will be a number of special events at 2GGT: ZeRo Saga. In conjunction with Collegiate Colosseum, Friday will feature a collegiate crew battle featuring teams from UNLV, Utah Valley University, UCSD, Tecnológico de Monterrey and more! There will also be a special exhibition series called "ZeRo's Runback," in which the famed champion will battle against numerous players who've previously managed to beat him in sets. Finally, you'll be able to catch a USA vs. World crew battle Saturday night. Below you can view the finalized event schedule, as well as the current lineup for the special ZeRo's Runback series. Streaming duties will be split between 2GGaming and FADGames, so be sure to tune in to both!As usual, it's nearly impossible to predict the final results of a Smash Wii U tournament of this caliber. ZeRo is clearly the favorite to win it all, but he has a lot of stiff competition.There are several players in attendance who've taken multiple sets from ZeRo, including Ally, Larry Lurr, ANTi, Salem and Nairo. However, all of these players lost their most recent rematches against him, some of which ended convincingly in his favor. Part of what makes ZeRo so frightening is that he rarely succumbs to mental blocks against certain players and styles. People who triumph over him later find it more and more difficult to achieve a repeat performance. All that said, these players are still probably the safest picks for pulling the upset.At UGC Smash Open, Abadango finished 2nd only to ZeRo. While he'd previously never taken a game off of his Diddy Kong, he managed to bring grand finals to game 5. On top of that, Abadango managed to win the fairly stacked Hirosuma Tokaigi Qualifier last weekend. So Abadango has multiple reasons to be confident this weekend. Even so, he'll have to play his absolute best to win, because ZeRo won't be complacent with a 3-2 victory.Though a 13th place finish at UGC Smash Open was less than some people expected, MK Leo is still very much in contention to defeat ZeRo. His sets against him (both casual and in tournament) are always very close. A player as consistent as Leo is unlikely to be shaken by a single disappointing performance. Rather, he'll come prepared for a wider range of threats. Don't be surprised if Leo manages to redeem himself, perhaps even winning his first US major in the process.Kameme (formerly Kamemushi) is one of a few players to hold a 1-0 record over ZeRo. He managed to annihilate him 3-0 in losers' finals at EVO 2016, earning the respect of Smash fans worldwide. Many people are eagerly awaiting a rematch between the two titans. However, they're seeded far apart in the final bracket, so Kameme will have to do well in a number of matchups to even reach ZeRo. How he performs in this matchup during ZeRo's Runback could foreshadow the outcome of an eventual bracket meeting.Beyond that, there are other consistent performers, such as Mr.R and Dabuz, who have taken a set from ZeRo in the past. Mr.R is seeded on the opposite side of the bracket as ZeRo, but Dabuz could end up playing him as early as winners' quarterfinals. Even a player of ZeRo's caliber would prefer to avoid such a tough matchup early in bracket, but he may not have that luxury. It is worth noting that Dabuz will have to get through Tyrant's Meta Knight in pools if he wants a chance to knock ZeRo into losers' bracket early.All of this is of course speculative and could easily turn out to be wrong, but that's part of the fun of it. If you think you know who will perform well this weekend, why not create your own Fantasy Smash team and try to win your own custom Smash.gg shirt? Entry is free and simply requires choosing players using a limited budget.2GGT: ZeRo Saga will surely be one of the most exciting Smash Wii U majors of 2016. Stay tuned to Smashboards for more 2GG-related content, and be sure to follow them on Twitter to keep up with the 2GGT series.CLOSE Cuba has presented its most detailed defense to date against US accusations that American diplomats in Havana were subjected to mysterious sonic attacks that left them with a variety of ailments including headaches and hearing problems. (Oct. 27) AP President Trump clenches his fist as he announces a revised Cuba policy during a speech in the Cuban-American enclave of Miami on June 16, 2017. (Photo11: Lynne Sladky, AP) President Trump cracked down Wednesday on U.S. travel and business with Cuba, a major step toward rolling back another Obama-era policy. Under new regulations that take effect Thursday, the Trump administration is banning U.S. citizens from doing business with dozens of entities that have links to Cuba’s military, intelligence and security agencies. The list includes stores, hotels, tourist agencies and even two rum makers frequently visited by Americans who have flocked to the communist country in recent years. The Obama administration ended more than 50 years of diplomatic isolation with its Cold War foe in December 2014. The historic move re-established embassies in Havana and Washington, made it easier for Americans to visit the long-isolated island and was punctuated by a personal visit to Havana where President Barack Obama met several times with Cuban President Raúl Castro. Trump repeatedly questioned this easing of hostilities. He vowed to cut the opening throughout the presidential campaign and claimed in June that the U.S. gave away too much in exchange for too little. The White House also blamed Cuba for a series of unexplained attacks against U.S. diplomats on the island, prompting the State Department to cut back its staff in Havana and halt the processing of visas for Cubans trying to reach the United States. On Wednesday, the Commerce, Treasury and State departments announced regulatory changes that will close many doors opened by Obama nearly three years ago. The administration says blocking Americans from providing money to Cuban businesses run by the military will drive visitors to support Cuba's growing class of private entrepreneurs, who run their own hotels, restaurants, taxis and small stores. "We have strengthened our Cuba policies to channel economic activity away from the Cuban military and to encourage the government to move toward greater political and economic freedom for the Cuban people," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. More: Trump in Asia: U.S. and China companies ink $9 billion in deals More: Mystery behind U.S. decision to yank diplomats from Cuba? More: Trump outlines new Cuba policy in speech in Miami's Little Havana Among the changes being made: • End 'people-to-people' visas One of the biggest changes is to restrict "people-to-people" visas that thousands of Americans have used in recent years to travel to Cuba. The U.S. maintains an economic embargo against Cuba that prohibits travel there solely for tourism. Congress allows for Americans to travel only through certain visa categories, including religious, humanitarian, journalistic, diplomatic and business trips. The Obama administration expanded those categories, allowing U.S. travelers for the first time to book a flight online to Havana, buy a people-to-people visa at the counter of a U.S. airport and then go on their trip. Now, those travelers will need to be accompanied by a U.S.-based tour guide who must ensure they are engaging in approved activities that help the Cuban people. • Restrict educational visas The new regulations also restrict Americans traveling to Cuba on educational visas, requiring traveling as part of a larger group overseen by a U.S.-based company. • Bar certain hotels and rum factories Approved travelers will also have fewer places to frequent in Cuba. The administration released a list of hotels, marinas, stores and rum factories owned by the Cuban military that will now be off-limits to Americans. The list includes 84 hotels: 27 in the capital Havana, 13 in the popular beach resort of Varadero and others spread around the island. The list even includes the Hotel Ambos Mundos, a favorite of American author Ernest Hemingway. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., along with other Cuban-American members of Congress who opposed opening relations with Cuba, described the changes as "a step in the right direction." Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., said the new regulations did not go far enough to cut off U.S. monetary assistance to Cuba’s ruling class. "It is clear that individuals within the bureaucracy who support the former administration's Cuba policy continue to undermine President Trump," Diaz-Balart said. "I look forward to working with the president to ensure that his policy is fully implemented." Supporters of Obama's renewed diplomatic ties with Cuba criticized Trump's new changes. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said the move will hurt the island's burgeoning class of private entrepreneurs, because Americans will now be more hesitant to make the trip. "These new regulations are reminiscent of the Cold War and what one would expect of a paranoid totalitarian government, not a democracy like ours," Leahy said in a statement. Josefina Vidal, chief of U.S
-round to help people in the communities they serve. I’m proud to represent a brand who challenges themselves to improve daily.” About Liberty Tax, Inc. Founded in 1997 by CEO John T. Hewitt, Liberty Tax, Inc. (NASDAQ: TAX) is the parent company of Liberty Tax Service. Last year Liberty Tax prepared over two million individual income tax returns in more than 4,000 offices and online. Liberty Tax’s online services are available through eSmart Tax, Liberty Online and DIY Tax, and are all backed by the tax professionals at Liberty Tax locations and its nationwide network of approximately 22,000 seasonal tax preparers. Liberty Tax also supports local communities with fundraising endeavors and contributes as a national sponsor to many charitable causes. For a more in-depth look, visit Liberty Tax Service and interact with Liberty Tax on Twitter and Facebook.1. Trio Suspected of Providing Weapons to Charlie Hebdo Attackers Arrested Two men and one woman were arrested by French authorities Monday, suspected of providing weapons to the Islamist terrorists who attacked the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2015. Two of the arrests took place in Haute-Marne and in the Ardennes on Monday and another on Tuesday. A 28-year-old woman along with two men, one aged 46, were taken into custody as French investigators suspect they may have had a role in procuring weapons for the terror attackers L’Express reports. [...] While the raids that have turned up such weapons have been primarily linked to drug rings, other countries have noticed an overlap between drug gangs and radical Islamists. In Germany, authorities arrested nine Syrian asylum seekers in July who were not only linked to radical Islamism but were part of the illegal narcotics scene as well. 2. Saudi crown prince calls Iran's supreme leader 'new Hitler' Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has denounced Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the 'new Hitler of the Middle East', as tensions simmer between the regional rivals. Saudi Arabia and its arch-rival Iran have traded a bitter war of words after a missile fired from Yemen was intercepted near Riyadh airport on November 4. The missile was claimed by Yemen's Tehran-backed Huthi rebels. Iran's "supreme leader is the new Hitler of the Middle East", Prince Mohammed told The New York Times in an interview published Thursday. 'We learned from Europe that appeasement doesn't work. We don't want the new Hitler in Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East.' 3. At least 200 killed in blast at Egypt mosque At least 200 people were killed and 130 more injured in an attack at a mosque during Friday prayers in northern Sinai in Egypt, according to Egyptian state news agency MENA. A local resident present at the Beir El-Abd hospital, which received victims in the aftermath, described the wounded arriving via ambulance and private car at a rate beyond the capacity of the hospital, which is between 25 to 30 miles away from the targeted mosque. The resident added that urgent cases are being sent to another hospital in Ismailia, almost 75 miles away. Two photographs taken after the attack each show more than a dozen bloodstained bodies lined up on the ground of a building as those who appear uninjured tend to them.” Although no motive for the attack has been stated yet, typically when a mosque is attacked it is internecine fighting, mostly between Shiia and Sunnis, or literal Muslims attacking more liberal mosques. 4. Germany: Migrants turn Berlin’s tourist hotspot into no-go area Alexanderplatz (Alexander Square) was once a vibrant tourist attraction visited yearly by thousands of people; now, however, it has become a crime ridden hive it would be smart to avoid. On average there are more than 18 crimes per day at Alexanderplatz. The number of crimes for the first ten months of 2017 totalled 5,631. [...] Just this weekend 61 people were arrested there; multiple cases of underage drinking and one sexual assault had occurred. The police are now allowed to check for ID without suspicion of a crime. Especially on the weekends, Alexanderplatz has become synonymous as a haunt of migrants and as an area where drug dealing is rife. Knife attacks and mass brawls, once a rarity, are now almost a daily occurrence. 5. Islamist Extremists Gather Near DC to Promote Jihad At a gathering of Islamist extremists near Washington, D.C. last weekend, speakers from Maryland, Virginia, Texas and Pakistan railed against America calling it the 'land of infidels.' The keynote speaker, Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi, a visiting imam from Pakistan who is the principal of an Islamic seminary in Faisalabad, told a group of about 100 that 'ignorant infidels' need to be forced to accept Islam. 'They are ignorant and there is no need for dialogue with them. God has given them two options, one is the holy book and one is the stick, and if one does not accept the holy book, they have to be forced,' he said. Reports from the conference came from several Muslims from the Ahmadiyya community that attended the conference under cover. The conference was held at the Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, Virginia, and organized by two U.S.-registered charities, Idara Dawat-O-Irshad and Khatme Nubuwwat Center, both of which enjoy IRS tax-exempt status. Reports from inside the conference can be read here.Dartmouth's football team has welcomed a new teammate and entry in the coming robot wars: remote-controlled, foam-encased robotic dummies. Built by the Dartmouth engineering school, the "Mobile Virtual Player" -- MVP! Get it? -- is designed to allow players to practice tackling without actually tackling one another and risking concussion or other injuries. It provides a more dynamic solution than traditional dummies, which are stationary or track-bound and lack the artificial intelligence to convincingly imitate opposing football players or to wage war on humanity. "They're now working on making it easier for coaches to control them so they act more realistically," WMUR concludes, which is another way of saying that the coaches do not currently have real control of the robots. Look -- anything that could reduce the incidence of head and neck injuries, a significant percentage of which occur during practice, should be applauded. It is good that smart people are taking this seriously, and that institutions like Dartmouth are investing resources into finding new ways to protect athletes. But we probably shouldn't be building semi-autonomous, human-sized megarobots specifically designed to be indestructible as they rocket themselves around. What could go wrong? (h/t WMUR)The news that a Kenyan uncle of President Obama’s has been living in the United States illegally has brought new attention to a perennial fact in the White House: Wayward relatives can cause trouble. Onyango Obama, who is known as “Uncle Omar,” has been living in the country for several decades, and a deportation order was issued in 1992, according to news reports. Omar was arrested last week in Framingham, Mass., for drunken driving and is now being held on an immigration detainer. Omar, who is in his 60s, is the second relative of the president’s to face deportation. In the final days of the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama’s aunt Zeituni Onyango was found to be living illegally in Boston. She was later granted asylum, though her immigration status raised unwanted questions for Obama’s campaign. “It certainly isn’t rare for a president to have a relative who is embarrassing,” said Gary Boyd Roberts, a scholar at the New England Historic Genealogical Society who has studied presidential lineages. “The question is: Are there other relatives who are illegal? Are there others who have come here after [Obama] was a public figure? ” Scholars who have studied Obama’s family said they do not think he has ever met his uncle Omar, whom the president refers to only briefly in his memoir, “Dreams From My Father.” In the book, Obama says he was told that Omar had come to Boston and was “lost.” This undated booking photo shows Onyango Obama, the uncle of President Obama, who was arrested last week near Boston on a drunken driving charge. (HO/AFP/HO/Framingham Police Department) Boston Globe reporter Sally Jacobs writes in her biography of the president’s father, “The Other Barack,” that Omar was brought to the city on a visa in 1963 by Barack Obama Sr., who was tasked with helping out his younger siblings. He helped Omar get accepted into Browne & Nichols, an exclusive preparatory school in Cambridge where the young men wore blazers and white shirts, according to Jacobs. After two years, Omar enrolled in a nearby public school, but after Barack Obama Sr. returned to Kenya, Omar dropped out without graduating. Before his detention, he had been working in Framingham as a clerk at a liquor store. Omar’s lawyer, Margaret Wong, did not return calls requesting comment Wednesday. Wong also represented Zeituni Onyango in her asylum appeal. It is unclear whether Omar has made a similar appeal for asylum. The White House referred calls on Omar’s case to the Department of Homeland Security, which does not comment on individual immigration cases. Two weeks ago, the Obama administration announced a new immigration policy that prioritizes the deportation of serious criminals over that of immigrants with deep roots in the United States. The phenomenon of presidential siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles running afoul of the law is nothing new, Roberts said. “Remember Jimmy Carter’s brother and Bill Clinton’s brother?” Roberts said, referring to news of Carter’s brother undergoing treatment for alcohol abuse and of Clinton’s brother being convicted on a drug charge. Presidential relatives living in the country illegally are less common, Roberts said. It is even rare for a president to be the child of an immigrant: The last chief executive whose father was an immigrant was James Buchanan. The 15th president’s father was born in Ireland in 1761. Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, said he was surprised to learn that Obama had another relative apparently living illegally in the country. “How many illegal immigrants are there in the president’s family?” asked Krikorian, who favors limiting immigration. “But it’s not like the president knew about the guy.” Omar did, however, know about his famous nephew. He was arrested for reckless driving late last Wednesday in front of the Chicken Bone Saloon, according to the Framingham Police Department log. A copy of the police report, obtained by the Associated Press, records Omar’s response to a police officer asking whether he wanted to make a call for bail. “I think I will call the White House,” he said.Recently watched a bunch of climbing documentaries, so felt like compiling a list to help you keep your psych up during your rest day. Most descriptions and all images are borrowed from the movie sources, if you don’t want me to use your text or want to add some documentary, feel free to shoot me an e-mail. Last updated: 2017-09-11 Cerro Torre (1h 38min, Red Bull) Watch on Red Bull TV Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Patagonia, climbing wunderkind David Lama and climbing partner Peter Ortner set out to free climb the infamous southeast face of Cerro Torre, a route once said to be the most difficult in the world. Roraima - Climbers of the lost world (1h 37min, Red Bull) Watch on Red Bull TV Climbing partners Kurt Albert and Holger Heuber don’t know what they’re in for when they join competitive climbing superstar Stefan Glowacz for an expedition to Mt. Roraima, a steep-walled South American peak shrouded in both rainforest and legend. Valley Uprising (1h 43min, Sender Films) See availability of Valley Uprising on JustWatch The 50-year history of rock climbing in Yosemite Valley is chronicled in this documentary charting the birth and rise of a rebellious counterculture. Meru (1h 29min) See availability of Meru on JustWatch Three elite climbers struggle to find their way through obsession and loss as they attempt to climb Mount Meru, one of the most coveted prizes in the high stakes game of Himalayan big wall climbing. Sherpa (1h 36min) See availability of Sherpa on JustWatch A brawl on Everest? Director Jennifer Peedom set out to uncover tension in the 2014 Everest climbing season from the Sherpas’ point of view and instead captured a tragedy when an avalanche struck, killing 16 Sherpas. Sherpa tells the story of how the Sherpas united after the tragedy in the face of fierce opposition, to reclaim the mountain they call Chomolungma. Reel Rock (29x 21min, Red Bull) Watch on Red Bull TV A visually stunning series that follows the world’s top climbers, alpinists, and mountaineers to the wildest places on earth in their pursuit of the next big adventure. Stories of triumph, failure, and redemption unfold on stages of sheer stone. Some must see’s are: S01E05 Wide Boyz and S03E01 Boys in the bugs To Climb the World (24min, National Geographic) Watch on YouTube Watch on National Geographic Climbing dream team Alex Honnold, Mark Synnott, and Jimmy Chin face rugged cliffs, knife-wielding thieves, and deadly waters as they traverse the globe searching for the next great rock to climb. On Sight (52min, Posing Productions) Watch on Amazon (with Vaporvue) Watch on Vimeo on Demand A gripping adventure into the world of cutting edge rock and ice climbing documenting what is possible with a ground up, no pre-practice approach resulting in raw, compelling and often frightening footage. The climbers in this film aren’t necessarily the strongest but they have the biggest kahooners(!); willing to take a 30 foot fall for the ultimate on sight ascent. Added by /u/InappropriateAlias The Real Thing (53min, Steep Edge) Watch on Steep Edge’s website The Real Thing is the first feature length bouldering movie ever made. Britain’s top rock climbers Jerry Moffatt and Ben Moon take you on a rollercoaster road trip from the classic gritstone crags of the UK’s Peak District to the mecca of European and World climbing in Fontainebleau, France. Also starring climbing hero Sean Myles, the late and great Kurt Albert and French climbing legend Marc Le Menestrel. A must watch for all boulderers, with an unforgettable pumping soundtrack. Added by /u/01stewartn Hard Grit (1h 4min, Steep Edge) Watch on Steep Edge’s website Full of crazy characters attempting very dangerous routes it abounds with dark humour and dark fear. Includes one of the most bone-crunching falls ever captured on film. Watch it now! Winner of ten awards on the world Mountain Film Festival circuit. Including wins at Kendal, G Fest, Graz & Torello. Added by /u/01stewartn El Capitan Remastered (60min, 1978, Fred Padula) Available to buy from El Capitan, the film El Capitan is a film by filmmaker Fred Padula that captures one of the earliest ascents of The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite Valley, California. It has won several awards at film festivals around the world. Added by /u/CrackJammer First Ascent - The Complete Series (6x 23min, 2010, Sender Films) Available to stream on Vimeo on Demand or buy from Sender Films First Ascent (2010) is Sender Films’ groundbreaking 6-part series that takes you to the cutting edge of adventure. Produced over two years on five continents. First Ascent follows the greatest climbers to majestic locations around the globe on their quests to redefine what is possible in the mountains. Added by /u/CrackJammer Dosage (5x 1h 20min, 2001 - 2008, Big UP Productions) Dosage I - Available to buy from Sender Films Dosage II - Available to buy from Sender Films Dosage III - Available to buy from Sender Films Dosage IV - Available to buy from Sender Films Dosage V - Available to buy from Sender Films Added by /u/CrackJammer E11 (41min, 2006, Hot Aches Production) See availability at Hot Aches Production E11 tells the story behind the first ascent of Rhapsody, a route considered to be the hardest traditional rock climb in the world. Told in an offbeat dramadoc style the film attempts to understand what it takes to climb a route of this standard. E11 strives to get inside the head of its first ascentionist, the understated yet quite remarkable Dave MacLeod. Oh yeah, it’s also packed full of ankle smashing, gear ripping, monster falls! Added by /u/CrackJammer King Lines (60min, 2007, Big UP Productions) Available to stream on Vimeo on Demand or buy from Sender Films Short 40 min version available on Red Bull TV, Reel Rock The best-selling climbing film of all time. Follow Chris Sharma on his ultimate global quest to redefine the possible in the vertical world. Includes his first ascent of Es Pontas, the still-unrepeated Mediterranean deep-sea arch. Co-produced by Sender Films and Big UP Productions. Added by /u/CrackJammer Masters of Stone (6x 1h, 1991 - 2009, Steep Edge) Masters of Stone 1 - Available to buy and rent from Steep Edge Masters of Stone 2 - Available to buy and rent from Steep Edge Masters of Stone 3 - Available to buy and rent from Steep Edge Masters of Stone 4 - Available to buy and rent from Steep Edge Masters of Stone 5 - Available to buy and rent from Steep Edge Masters of Stone 6 - Available to buy and rent from Steep Edge Added by /u/CrackJammer The Sharp End (1h 3m, 2008, Sender Films) See availability at Sender Films Enter the danger zone with the world’s best climbers, including Alex Honnold, Dean Potter, Steph Davis, Lisa Rands, Chris McNamara, Ammon McNeely, Renan Ozturk, Cedar Wright and others, as they push the barriers of free soloing, high-ball bouldering, hard trad climbing, extreme big-wall aid, wingsuit BASE flying, high lining and tower jumping in the wildest spots on earth. Added by /u/CrackJammer Wide Boyz 1 & 2 (2x 50min, Hot Aches) Available to stream on Vimeo on Demand or buy from Hot Aches Production Watch short 20 min version of Wide Boyz is available on Red Bull TV, Reel Rocks The world of offwidth crack climbing is a strange sub-culture rumoured to be dominated by knuckle-dragging, bar-brawling dirt-bags! The climbing is tough,painful and bloody. Two climbers from England, Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall, set out to explore this world and climb the world’s hardest offwidths. They complete a brutal two-year training regime, mostly spent hanging upside down in a suburban Sheffield basement, before embarking on a tour of the USA. The tour culminates in the first ascent of the ultimate offwidth test piece, Century Crack, the world’s hardest offwidth. Added by /u/CrackJammer Monkey See Monkey Do (1h 4min, 2009, Hot Aches) Available to stream on Vimeo on Demand or buy from Hot Aches Production This collection of four films features world class climbing from the UK, Canada and Madagascar. Added by /u/CrackJammer Committed Vol I & II (1h 17min & 1h 46min, 2007 & 2008, Hot Aches) Committed Vol I - Available to stream on Vimeo on Demand or buy from Hot Aches Production Committed Vol II - Available to stream on Vimeo on Demand or buy from Hot Aches Production The multi award winning Hot Aches team present – a year at the cutting edge of hardcore trad climbing.Featuring Britain’s best rock climbers, plus top overseas visitors, Committed packs in over 200 ‘E’ points of action: the hardest and most dangerous ascents that have been grabbing the climbing headlines across the world. Added by /u/CrackJammer Stick It (53min, 2001, Slackjaw) Rent or buy on Steep Edge’s website If you have, or are ever going to, boulder in the UK then this is the film to see. It takes you to all the best places using all the best climbers as you tour guide. Energetic and at times hilarious, this joyful romp is accompanied by a quirky, exciting soundtrack. Infectious, fun stuff that will unfortunately leave you wanting to pack in work and take a road trip all of your own. Added by /u/CrackJammer The Hills Have Allies - An Irish Bouldering Film (28min, 2016, David Fitzgerald) Watch on Vimeo Quote from the movie author: This video aims to highlight the passion in the Irish bouldering scene. Over time, I began to obsess over personal progress. It was with this that I discovered the beauty in projecting lines at my limit. The Wicklow mountains have always held such intrigue in my mind. I soon began to explore the rural landscape, throwing myself at the established test pieces. When I began climbing over three years ago, I dreamed of the effort required to succeed on such lines. Over the course of my discovery, with the help of others and a portion of self-taught practice, I began to adapt to the climbing style and embraced the projecting mentality. Spanning two years worth of effort, culminating last Spring, this is the product of that dream. Added by /u/CrackJammerVariety is truly the spice of life and Cain Velasquez served up a vindaloo of strategic punishment to Junior dos Santos in all areas of the fight at UFC 155. In his successful attempt to recapture the UFC heavyweight strap, Cain Velasquez overwhelmed Junior dos Santos on the feet, in the clinch and on the ground. Time and again in mixed martial arts we have seen the threat of grappling from the fighter with the more primitive striking game act as equalizer and allow the lesser striker to land blows that he wouldn't otherwise have had success with. From Kevin Randleman's faked shot to left hook on Mirko Cro Cop, to Chael Sonnen's surprise left straight on Anderson Silva, to Georges St. Pierre's consistent dismantling of supposedly better strikers - the threat of the takedown changes the game completely. Fedor Emelianenko and Chuck Liddell are remembered for their excellent takedown defense in their prime but much of this stemmed from sacrifices made in their stand up game at times. Chuck Liddell in particular is remembered for carrying his hands low to protect his hips from his opponent's control rather than to protect his face from their strikes. As MMA has evolved so to has the striker's takedown defense. Mirko Cro Cop was perhaps the only elite striker to be able to fight with his hands high and consistently sprawl on good wrestlers - where others tend to make sacrifices in their offense and tactical decisions to better defend themselves from the shot. Fedor Emelianenko and Chuck Liddell in their hands low stances against guard pulling great Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and takedown master Kevin Randleman respectively. Junior dos Santos is something of a hybrid between the old hands low school of takedown defense and the newer school of evasive footwork and feeding the lead leg to the opponent before hopping to the fence when they pick up a single leg. The problem with any striker who is trying to sprawl and brawl is that it is near impossible to focus on striking with the opponent and defending the takedown simultaneously and a great deal of the game is anticipation. Cain's constant use of his right hand (where in the first fight he attempted to stand out at range and box) took away Dos Santos' low hands or punished Dos Santos when they did drop, and the threat of the shot forced Cigano to move at all times - which both tired him out and took the power off of the punches that he landed as Cain bulldozed in. Cain Velasquez was able to land hard shots on Junior dos Santos and eliminate the better boxer's power by having dos Santos constantly worried about keeping his legs out of the way of Velasquez. In the opening seconds Velasquez did exactly what he should have been doing throughout the first fight, diving on the lead leg that Dos Santos so freely presents to his opponents in his wide stance. Where I criticized Cain's head movement before, and it still hasn't improved all that much in a standing position, the act of changing levels for the single actually made him far harder to hit. Notice below how Cain is chasing Dos Santos to the fence - where Cain does his best work - and in his level change to pick up Dos Santos' lead leg he avoids the counter left hook which we talked about in Killing the King: Junior dos Santos. As soon as the two were back in the centre of the octagon, Junior dos Santos assumed his wide stance and Cain immediately dived on the presented lead leg again. While Junior was able to shake Cain off, his feet were rarely in the position to throw with any power after this second takedown attempt. With only one match since his previous bout with Dos Santos, and none of that taking place on the feet it was reasonable to expect Velasquez to still have flaws in his striking, and he certainly did. Whenever he jabbed, Cain Velasquez did so with his head bolt upright but because Cain had committed to attacking Dos Santos' base whenever and wherever possible, Cigano was constantly moving in the opposite direction to his own punches. To throw straights with any power while moving backward the straight must act as a rod which the opponent can walk on to. It is necessary to slow down the retreat and let the opponent run onto your fist in order to do any damage, but Cigano was so concerned with defending his hips and legs that he was constantly moving in the opposite direction to the punches he was throwing. The only time Cigano set his feet was to throw a right uppercut from low by his thigh in an attempt to counter Cain's constant level changes. For all the talk of Dos Santos' right uppercut, he lands it on covering opponents, not on opponents who are changing level for a takedown from an appropriate distance. As a result of Cain's constant switching between striking and diving on singles, Dos Santos missed his wild uppercut and got nailed with a right hand for his troubles. Cain was equally successful any time he got near the fence as Dos Santos simply dropped his hands to defend the threat of a takedown with nowhere left to move his feet. This was where Cain landed several good shots such as the hard jab to diving right hand below. The knockdown which turned a lopsided fight into pretty much one way traffic came as the result of Dos Santos trying to land a counter jab while backing up and failing to protect himself from the right hand which followed from Cain. The knockdown is displayed from 2 angles below and you will notice that Junior's feet are in no position to punch with the stiffness that a good counter jab requires, and that he clearly doesn't anticipate Velasquez following him. Check out this brilliant gif. It is interesting that in their first bout it was Cain Velasquez's ill advised desire to counter at any opportunity that got him knocked out - as he threw back powerless jabs across himself while JDS worked his body before coming across the top with a Cross Counter. Yet in this bout Dos Santos' inability to counter with power while staying away from Cain's level changes caused him to throw this weak jab and eat a hard right hand which changed the fight from bad to worse for him. The truth is that Cigano cannot hit hard while on the retreat because it is a rarely practiced technique and it is a skill which isn't taught much in traditional boxing. A great many unorthodox strikers have used it to great effect against wrestlers though - Chuck Liddell, Fedor, Igor Vovchanchyn, even Anderson Silva's second bout against Chael Sonnen was heavily influenced by backstep punching. The advantage of being able to step out of stance and take steps back to counter is that it creates such a distance between the two combatants that the wrestler is almost guaranteed to attempt to strike his way in because unless he is a young Kevin Randleman, a wrestler's shots from outside of striking range just don't work. Of course with Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos being 1 - 1 against each other, talk of a rematch will follow as soon as Cigano picks up another win, and to be honest it will be exciting to see a truly great heavyweight rivalry after the decline of the heavyweight trinity of Nogueira, Filipovic and Emelienenko. It is important to remember however that even without a finish a sustained 25 minute beating will take far more of a toll on a fighter's career and health than an embarassing 60 second knockout. Junior dos Santos has a great deal to fight back from and his work cut out if he wants to be the heavyweight champion again. Learn the techniques and strategies of effective striking in Jack Slack's BRAND NEW ebook: Elementary Striking. 20 of the world's top strikers from boxing, kickboxing and MMA have their techniques dissected in Jack Slack's first ebook, Advanced Striking. Jack can be found on Twitter, Facebook and at his blog; Fights Gone By.Get the biggest Weekday Cardiff City FC stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Cardiff City have announced the location of their new training base. The club said it will take a long-term lease on land at Hensol in the Vale of Glamorgan – adjacent to its current base at the Vale of Glamorgan Resort. In a statement, the Bluebirds said the agreement on the 40 acre site will see work start on a facility and pitches, which will provide a long-term base for the club’s professional and academy squads. The deal will be subject to Vale of Glamorgan council planning approval and it is hoped work will start in the coming months. The first phase of work on the complex will include the development of five training pitches and development, goalkeeping and rehabilitation areas. Cardiff manager Malky Mackay told the club's website: “The Vale of Glamorgan Training Facility will without a shadow of a doubt become the cornerstone of this Football Club for many years to come, the magnificent site at Hensol enabling us to develop an international standard facility for our senior squad and Academy. “I am once again indebted to our owner, Tan Sri Vincent Tan for his vision and backing and believe that this project is something that all connected to Cardiff City Football Club can celebrate. I would also like to thank all at the Vale of Glamorgan Council for their assistance in driving this club forward.” Neil Moore, leader of the Vale council, said: “Cardiff City’s promotion to the Premier League was fantastic news and the club’s aim to develop a state-of-the-art training facility in the Vale of Glamorgan looks to be a positive move for the Vale and the club. “We have had very positive discussions with the club’s management and I’m pleased to say we will be considering the proposals for the training facility at our Cabinet meeting on Monday 20 May. It goes without saying we are very keen to welcome Cardiff City Football Club to the Vale of Glamorgan.” Bluebirds’ acting chairman Simon Lim promised it would be a “landmark project” for South Wales. He said: “Alongside the excellent facilities already in place at the Vale of Glamorgan Resort, this new development gives the Football Club a solid platform to build on, including first class pathways for our Academy youngsters. “The new training facility, funded by Tan Sri Vincent Tan is excellent news for all supporters, as the new site will attract players for many years to come, further enhancing the progress of the club.”Microsoft is beefing up Windows Defender, the anti-malware program that ships with Windows 10, to give it the power to tell companies that they've been hacked after the fact. Attacks that depend on social engineering rather than software flaws, as well as those taking advantage of unpatched zero-day vulnerabilities, can evade traditional anti-malware software. Microsoft says that there were thousands of such attacks in 2015 and that on average they took 200 days to detect and a further 80 days to contain, giving attackers ample time to steal data and incurring average costs of $12 million per incident. The catchily named Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection is designed to detect this kind of attack, not by looking for specific pieces of malware, but rather by detecting system activity that looks out of the ordinary. For example, a social engineering attack might encourage a victim to run a program that was attached to an e-mail or execute a suspicious-looking PowerShell command. The Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) software that's typically used in such attacks may scan ports, connect to network shares to look for data to steal, or connect to remote systems to seek new instructions and exfiltrate data. Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection can monitor this behavior and see how it deviates from normal, expected system behavior. The baseline is the aggregate behavior collected anonymously from more than 1 billion Windows systems. If systems on your network start doing something that the "average Windows machine" doesn't, WDATP will alert you. The system also strives to understand malicious behavior, too. More than 1 million suspicious files are automatically executed and examined within sandboxed environments in the cloud to build a better picture of the abnormal activities that malware and hacks can cause. All this data is crunched and analyzed using machine learning techniques to build models of normal and abnormal system activity. This means that not only can unusual PC behavior be identified, it can also be cross referenced against particular malware. When errant system behavior is found, WDATP alerts administrators and gives them a view not just of a machine's current activities, but also historic information about network usage, files accessed, and processes run. That an intrusion has occurred may not be detected immediately, but this information should make it easier to determine when machines were compromised and just how far into an organization's systems the intruder managed to penetrate. As is increasingly the way with Microsoft's software, the whole thing is cloud-based with no need for any on-premises server. A client on each endpoint is needed, which would presumably be an extended version of the Windows Defender client. While announced today, WDATP is currently being tested on about half a million systems in a private beta. WDATP will become more broadly available in a public preview later the year. Microsoft has yet to decide on what kind of pricing model it will have. The company says that more than 22 million enterprise customers have already made the switch to Windows 10 and points at the Department of Defense's plans to upgrade 4 million systems as further evidence that Windows 10 is not merely ready for the enterprise but is also a marked improvement on Windows 7 and 8.1. Part of the push for Windows 10 is its improved security features; Windows 10 includes a number of sensible new security features that Microsoft is trying to sell enterprise users on, such as Credential Guard (to make credential theft and lateral access within breached networks harder) and Device Guard (to more robustly lock malware out of systems). WDATP is going to be part of that same push to Windows 10, and it won't be available for older operating systems. This arguably marks a broader shift in Microsoft's approach to enterprise software; traditionally, Redmond would, just like every other software vendor, support its software on multiple versions of Windows. In so doing, Microsoft acted as an enabler, allowing corporations to keep old versions of Windows long past their prime. Keen to avoid Windows 7 becoming "the new Windows XP," the company is being rather more aggressive in applying pressure on users to upgrade to Windows 10 sooner rather than later.February 23, 2015—Last week, Ron Paul stirred up a firestorm when he called states defying the feds “a good thing.” I would like to start off by talking about the subject and the subject is secession and nullification, the breaking up of government, and the good news is it’s gonna happen. It’s happening. Unsurprisingly, the establishment on both the left and the right threw an apoplectic fit. One progressive website called Dr. Paul “a moron” for even daring to suggest that states can nullify unconstitutional federal acts or regions might want to secede from centralized, monopoly government. And the Sean Hannity, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck supported Convention of States Project used Paul’s comments to attack the principles of nullification. Despite legitimate secession movements in Scotland, Italy and Canada, the idea remains primarily theoretical in the United States—an option for the future if things continue to deteriorate, as Paul put it. But a robust nullification movement continues to grow and gain momentum across the country today. Less than two months into the 2015 state legislative season, the Tenth Amendment Center counts more than 250 nullification bills introduced in state legislatures across the United States. Sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans, these bills range from narrowly focused legislation that would allow terminally-ill people access to experimental drugs and medical treatments despite FDA regulations, to bills that would deny resources and assistance from states to the NSA. Other legislation addresses the federal violations of the Second Amendment, the federal prohibition of hemp and marijuana, common core, the use of drones for surveillance, the Affordable Care Act, and even federal grant programs that arm local police with battlefield-ready military equipment. Despite the number of states considering nullification legislation, the attacks from both the establishment left and right continue. Aside from the ridiculous name-calling and accusations of racism, opponents most often challenge the legality and legitimacy of nullification. But these attacks on the modern nullification movement focus on just one mode of nullification seldom used today, ignoring the widely applied, Supreme Court sanctioned, strategy employed in the vast majority of nullification efforts across the country today. James Madison provided the blueprint for the modern nullification movement in Federalist 46. During the ratification debates, the founding generation wrestled with the question: what will we do if the federal government oversteps its bounds? Madison wrote that the “means of opposition is powerful and at hand.” He went on to list several action states could take to thwart unwarranted actions – and even unpopular “warranted” actions. Among the steps Madison recommended was “refusal to cooperate with officers of the union.” He argued that even a single state employing this strategy would present serious impediments, “and were the sentiments of several adjoining States happen to be in Union, would present obstructions which the federal government would hardly
$175,000 bond before transferring the case to the Part A docket, where the most serious cases are handled. Conklin said officers found about six improvised explosive devices, including a live hand grenade, taped in containers, when they searched the home on Thursday night. “They appeared to be ready to go,” he said. The bomb squad secured the explosives before they were seized, and the grenade is being tested to determine if it’s real or a type of prop, Conklin said. Charges regarding the explosives won’t be filed until an analysis is conducted. A grow room was discovered in the basement, containing about a half-dozen marijuana plants, Conklin said. Some were mature with buds and others much younger, he said. Police also found an illegal large-capacity magazine attached to a rifle that could hold as many as 16 bullets, Conklin said. Magazines in Connecticut cannot legally hold more than 10 bullets. Conklin said one of the firearms, a.22 caliber pistol, had its serial numbers removed. In addition to the pistol charge, Braverman was charged with possession of a high-capacity magazine, illegally altering pistol identification numbers, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell and operating a drug factory.At a time when banks are displaying a deep interest in the blockchain technology underlying cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) has made a big leap forward. Its application regarding the patent of ‘cryptographic currency technology’ has brought it under the spotlight as well as placed it ahead of many other in the race to harness the power of blockchain. The New York-based financial services giant’s patent was filed in October 2014, but only published recently by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). According to the application titled, “Cryptographic Currency For Securities Settlement,” Goldman Sachs is seeking patent protection for a settlement system for securities market based on cryptographic currency protocol, which introduces its own cryptographic currency - the SETLcoin. The regular settlement procedure in securities markets is handled by clearing houses, such as National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) wherein a settlement time of minimum one business day (in case of listed options and government securities) to three business days (for marketable securities) after the execution of trade is required. In addition to the huge time consumption that goes into such settlements, the procedure also involves certain proportion of risk for the parties during the settlement interval that ‘follows trading and precedes settlement.’ Goldman Sachs' patent application means that the settlement procedures are carried out via a cryptographic currency, as it facilitates rapid, secure and confirmed transactions via a network, thereby eliminating the need for a third party. This results in extremely timely and efficient settlements. It further describes how the technology would replace the existing system of clearance and payments. Just like individuals (investors or traders) have traditional securities and cash accounts, the technology would provide a virtual multi-asset wallet that would generate, manipulate and store a new cryptocurrency referred to as SETLcoins. The cryptographic currency SETLcoin would facilitate the exchange of assets via a peer-to-peer network while the underlying technology would further facilitate transactions between virtual wallets, as well as between virtual and non-virtual wallets on the same peer-to-peer network. This would change the way settlement of securities are traditionally carried out. The patent application describes, “A trader no longer trades securities by meeting at an exchange with an indication of cash for security and then settles the transaction seconds, hours, or days later, meanwhile bearing all of the associated credit risk in the interim. Traders using the described technology exchange securities by presenting an open transaction on the associated funds in their respective wallets.” The ownership of SETLcoin will be transferred immediately after authentication and verification based on network ledgers within the peer-to-peer network, thereby making “nearly instantaneous execution and settlement” possible. The technology generates SETLcoin transactions based on the contents in the wallet. Say, Trader A enters his order into his wallet, and Trader B enters her order into her wallet; then based on the orders, the described technology generates the appropriate transaction messages, which are broadcast to the network for authentication and verification. The figure below is a flow diagram implementing various aspects of the described technology: Once the transaction is sent to the network, the settlement is immediate and thus requires traders to be prepared to make the trade. For the process to happen smoothly, the technology has implemented a two-phase commitment protocol to ensure that both traders are ready to send their respective transaction messages. Final Word Goldman Sachs has been proactive with its comments and ventures towards cryptocurrencies and the blockchain technology. Back in 2014, the company had released a report which acknowledged the ledger-based technology as one that “could hold promise.” In early 2015, another report by Goldman Sachs mentioned that “bitcoin and cryptocurrencies promise to change the mechanics of transactions.” In April 2015, Goldman Sachs, along with China-based IDG Capital Partners, led a $50 million investment into Circle Internet Financial Limited, a bitcoin start-up working on using bitcoin’s underlying technology to improve consumer payments. Goldman Sachs also was among the initial members to partner with R3, an innovation firm working on the distributive ledger initiative. While the increasing interest and involvement of big banks towards the technology is evident, the news of Goldman Sachs patent filing opens up the possibility that they are more deeply (and even secretively) involved, than originally though.Echoing State Bank of India chief Arundhati Bhattacharya's views, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor S.S. Mundra on Thursday expressed concern over farm loan waiver affecting credit discipline."The RBI's views has always been that farm loan waiver affects credit discipline," Mundra told reporters at the launch of Bandhan Bank's branch here.On March 15, Bhattacharya had expressed reservation over assurances and demand for complete farm loans waiver, coming from different quarters. The following day, Congressmen staged a protest outside the SBI headquarters at Nariman Point in Mumbai to protest.Those making the demand for loan waiver include Maharashtra's opposition parties and the ruling ally Shiv Sena, besides the Karnataka government, while assurances to this effect have been made in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.Bhattacharya too said it will disturb credit discipline among borrowers, since they will keep expecting more such waivers in future and then those (future) loans will remain unpaid.On resolution of the non-performing assets (NPAs) issue, Mundra said discussions were on in this regard."A number of resolution mechanisms have been given to banks from time to time. Variety of cases will require use of different instruments," the RBI senior officer said."Valuation of stressed companies need to be transparent," he added.'These people are plain crazy': FBI informant reveals how he spent 20 YEARS undercover in white supremacist gangs Fascinating Newsweek interview with John Matthews He posed as an extremist in white supremacist circles Went to Klan parties and hosted leaders at his home A former FBI informant has revealed a fascinating career of two decades undercover with white supremacist and far right anti-government groups. John Matthews, 59, told Newsweek he appeared as a troubled and paranoid Vietnam veteran who could not hold down a job, flat or marriage. But in reality the Rhode Island native was posing as an extremist in a violent world and trying to help the FBI prevent far right terror attacks. Former informer: John Matthews, 59, told Newsweek he appeared as a troubled and paranoid Vietnam veteran who could not hold down a job, flat or marriage Mr Matthews, who always kept a backpack with provisions by his bedroom door, revealed all to his family when he developed a fatal lung condition. ‘These people are just plain crazy,’ he told Newsweek. ‘If they don’t like you, they (would) take you out to have you shot. They don’t care. ‘These people think that if they overthrew the government they’d make a better world,' he told Newsweek. 'Their world would be a total nightmare.’ He joined the U.S. Marines ‘to be like John Wayne’, going to Vietnam, and then working in various jobs - including as a Grand Canyon tour guide. White supremacy: Mr Matthews attended parties with the Ku Klux Klan, sold weapons at petrol stations and hosted extremist leaders (file picture) Going up: Since Barack Obama was elected President in 2008 the number of right-wing extremist groups has reportedly risen fivefold (file picture) Mr Matthews also married and divorced four times. He first became interested in the dangers of the far right at a gun enthusiasts’ conference. ‘These people are just plain crazy. If they don’t like you, they (would) take you out to have you shot. They don’t care' John Matthews He became an FBI informant after tipping them off about the gun theft plans of the head of a paramilitary group he met at the conference, reported Newsweek. Mr Matthews was soon attending Ku Klux Klan parties, selling weapons at petrol stations and hosting extremist leaders at home. He once met a former Klan leader who allegedly laundered money, paid off authorities, bought stolen weapons and threatened to kill two FBI agents. Agents: Mr Matthews became an FBI informant after first tipping them off about the gun theft plans of the head of an American paramilitary group (file picture) Since Barack Obama was elected U.S. President in 2008 the number of right-wing extremist groups has reportedly risen fivefold from 149 to 824. 'These people think that if they overthrew the government they’d make a better world. Their world would be a total nightmare' John Matthews Government officials warned of this rise in 2009 and said it was in part down to easier access to information online and America electing its first black President, reported Newsweek. Last year nine members of Christian militia Hutaree allegedly tried to kill Michigan policemen, in just one of many recent far right terrorist attempts. Jared Lee Loughner allegedly went on the rampage in Tucson, Arizona, in January, killing a judge and severely injuring Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.ESPN Stats & Information has posted their 2017 Football Power Index (FPI), which includes college football strength of schedule rankings. According to the preseason ESPN FPI, the California Golden Bears have the toughest schedule for the 2017 season. Georgia is second, followed by LSU, Florida, and South Carolina. The SEC leads the ESPN FPI strength of schedule rankings with nine teams in the Top 25. The SEC is followed by the Pac-12 (7), ACC (6), Big 12 (1), Big Ten (1) and Notre Dame. Below are the top 25 toughest 2017 college football schedules as ranked by the ESPN FPI, followed by 26 through 130. 1. California 2. Georgia 3. LSU 4. Florida 5. South Carolina 6. USC 7. Stanford 8. UCLA 9. Arizona State 10. Georgia Tech 11. Alabama 12. Utah 13. Florida State 14. Mississippi State 15. Vanderbilt 16. Texas A&M 17. NC State 18. Oregon State 19. Auburn 20. Clemson 21. Wake Forest 22. Notre Dame 23. Duke 24. Texas Tech 25. Maryland 26-50 (26) Pittsburgh, (27) Iowa State, (28) Oklahoma State, (29) Arkansas, (30) Tennessee, (31) Texas, (32) Kentucky, (33) Boston College, (34) Syracuse, (35) Oklahoma, (36) Ole Miss, (37) North Carolina, (38) Michigan State, (39) Washington State, (40) TCU, (41) West Virginia, (42) Miami (FL), (43) Washington, (44) Kansas, (45) Purdue, (46) Oregon, (47) Baylor, (48) Arizona, (49) Missouri, (50) Colorado 51-75 (51) Kansas State, (52) Ohio State, (53) Nebraska, (54) Virginia, (55) Michigan, (56) Virginia Tech, (57) Louisville, (58) Iowa, (59) Rutgers, (60) Penn State, (61) Illinois, (62) Indiana, (63) Wisconsin, (64) Minnesota, (65) Northwestern, (66) East Carolina, (67) Navy, (68) Tulane, (69) Tulsa, (70) Houston, (71) Fresno State, (72) BYU, (73) Temple, (74) UConn, (75) UMass 76-100 (76) SMU, (77) Nevada, (78) San Jose State, (79) Boise State, (80) Utah State, (81) Cincinnati, (82) Air Force, (83) UCF, (84) Colorado State, (85) New Mexico, (86) ULM, (87) Memphis, (88) Kent State, (89) Eastern Michigan, (90) Hawai’i, (91) Rice, (92) UTEP, (93) Akron, (94) San Diego State, (95) UL Lafayette, (96) Wyoming, (97) Central Michigan, (98) Georgia Southern, (99) Bowling Green, (100) Northern Illinois 101-130 (101) UNLV, (102) USF, (103) Army, (104) New Mexico State, (105) Western Michigan, (106) Toledo, (107) South Alabama, (108) Middle Tennessee, (109) Old Dominion, (110) Marshall, (111) Texas State, (112) Florida Atlantic, (113) Arkansas State, (114) Southern Miss, (115) FIU, (116) Idaho, (117) Ball State, (118) North Texas, (119) Buffalo, (120) Georgia State, (121) Miami (OH), (122) Louisiana Tech, (123) Troy, (124) Charlotte, (125) Coastal Carolina, (126) UTSA, (127) Western Kentucky, (128) UAB, (129) Appalachian State, (130) OhioWhat does it take to be the same person over time? This question has vexed philosophers for millennia. If an individual’s character changes enough, can this disrupt identity to such an extent that it no longer makes sense to say that we are dealing with the same person? That seems a reasonable conclusion to draw when the change is extreme. But I wanted to explore whether there might be more going on than this, and specifically whether the direction of change, not just the magnitude of change, might be a key factor. In order to explore this question, I presented participants (Aeon readers who responded to a survey) with one of two different scenarios. The two scenarios expressed different versions of a classic thought experiment. They were based on the well-known story of Phineas Gage: a 19th-century railroad worker who had an unfortunate accident in which a tamping rod went right through his skull; he survived, but underwent a major character transformation as a result of brain damage – or so the story goes. Consider a vignette based on the myth of Gage: Phineas is extremely kind; he really enjoys helping people. He is also employed as a railroad worker. One day at work, a railroad explosion causes a large iron spike to fly out and into his head, and he is immediately taken for emergency surgery. The doctors manage to remove the iron spike and their patient is fortunate to survive. However, in some ways this man after the accident is remarkably different from Phineas before the accident. Phineas before the accident was extremely kind and enjoyed helping people, but the man after the accident is now extremely cruel; he even enjoys harming people. Gage’s friends and family were inclined to regard the man after the accident as ‘no longer Gage’. This case study is often taken to show that some substantial changes of character can disrupt personal identity to the extent that it seems reasonable to say that this is a different person in an important sense. However, in this case, the accident involved not just a large change, but specifically a deterioration: the man after the accident is seen as worse than Gage before the accident. The typical interpretation of this case is that sufficient magnitude of character transformation disrupts identity. But might this other feature, the direction of change (‘improvement’ or ‘deterioration’) be partly responsible for judgments about identity? To test this hypothesis, consider a replication of an X-phi (experimental philosophy) study. Aeon readers were invited to read either the ‘Deterioration Case’ (the vignette printed above, based on the real Gage) or the following ‘Improvement Case,’ in which a similarly sized change results in an improvement (differences in bold): Phineas is extremely cruel; he really enjoys harming people. He is also employed as a railroad worker. One day at work, a railroad explosion causes a large iron spike to fly out and into his head, and he is immediately taken for emergency surgery. The doctors manage to remove the iron spike and their patient is fortunate to survive. However, in some ways this man after the accident is remarkably different from Phineas before the accident. Phineas before the accident was extremely cruel and enjoyed harming people, but the man after the accident is now extremely kind; he even enjoys helping people. All participants rated whether they thought the (improved or deteriorated) man after the accident was still Gage. They rated this on a scale from 1 (still the same person) to 7 (not the same person); those who read the deterioration scenario rated on average 3.48, while those who read the improvement scenario rated on average 2.68. Those who read and rated the ‘Improvement Case’ were more inclined to see the man after the accident as still Gage than those who read the scenario based on the classic ‘Deterioration Case’. This suggests that large changes do not always affect perceived personal identity in the same way: intuitions about personal identity can depend on the direction of change. The same improvement/deterioration effect sheds light on another philosophical thought experiment: Derek Parfit’s Russian Nobleman case. This is Parfit’s original thought experiment (a ‘Deterioration Case’), from his book Reasons and Persons (1984): In several years, a young Russian will inherit vast estates. Because he has socialist ideals, he intends, now, to give the land to the peasants. But he knows that in time his ideals may fade. To guard against this possibility, he does two things. He first signs a legal document, which will automatically give away the land, and which can be revoked only with his wife’s consent. He then says to his wife: ‘Promise me that, if I ever change my mind, and ask you to revoke this document, you will not consent’. He adds: ‘I regard my ideals as essential to me. If I lose these ideals, I want you to think that I cease to exist. I want you to regard your husband then, not as me, the man who asks you for this promise, but only as his corrupted later self. Promise me that you would not do what he asks.’ Parfit suggests that some might think of the older Russian as a different person from the younger Russian, noting that: if this man’s wife made this promise, and he did in middle age ask her to revoke the document, she might plausibly regard herself as not released from her commitment. It might seem to her as if she has obligations to two different people. She might believe that to do what her husband now asks would be a betrayal of the young man whom she loved and married. And she might regard what her husband now says as unable to acquit her of disloyalty to this young man. Parfit does not himself claim that the young and the old Russian are different persons, but this Russian Nobleman case is a seminal thought experiment suggesting that major dissimilarities can seem to disrupt personal identity. However, this judgment might also gain its force from a Phineas Gage effect, as the change described might be seen as not only a big change, but specifically a deterioration. Another experiment tests the part played by direction of change in this scenario. Participants read either the original Russian Nobleman Case above (a ‘Deterioration Case’), or a slightly revised ‘Improvement Case’ (differences in bold): In several years, a young Russian will inherit vast estates. Because he has anti-socialist ideals, he intends, now, to not give the land to the peasants. But he knows that in time his ideals may fade. To guard against this possibility, he does two things. He first signs a legal document, which will automatically not give away the land, and which can be revoked only with his wife’s consent. He then says to his wife: ‘Promise me that, if I ever change my mind, and ask you to revoke this document, you will not consent.’ He adds: ‘I regard my ideals as essential to me. If I lose these ideals, I want you to think that I cease to exist. I want you to regard your husband then, not as me, the man who asks you for this promise, but only as his corrupted later self. Promise me that you would not do what he asks.’ Participants reading the Deterioration [Improvement] case were told about some changes that occur many years later: Imagine this young man’s wife made this promise so the land would [not] go to the peasants. But years later, her husband, now the old Russian, asks her to revoke the document, so as to [not] give the land to the peasants. Compared with participants responding to Parfit’s original (Deterioration) case, those responding to the revised (Improvement) case agreed more strongly that the old Russian was the same person as the young Russian, free to release his wife from her promise. Positive-Kirk and Negative-Kirk are both dissimilar from the original, yet Positive-Kirk is the captain and Negative-Kirk is the impostor Further evidence that direction of change affects identity can be seen in popular examples. Take, for example, ‘The Enemy Within’ (1968), an episode of the original Star Trek television series. A transporter malfunction splits the ship’s Captain Kirk into two people, one with the properties of his negative side, the other with the properties of his positive side. Positive-Kirk and Negative-Kirk are both dissimilar from the original captain, yet the ship’s crew refers to Positive-Kirk as Captain Kirk and Negative-Kirk as the impostor. Improved Positive-Kirk is taken as identical and deteriorated Negative-Kirk as non-identical to the original. Another example is found in the sci-fi novel Flowers for Algernon (1966) by Daniel Keyes. Charlie Gordon begins the story as mentally disabled. He enters surgery and, afterwards, the post-surgery patient is more intelligent. Some see this part of the story as an example of continuous personal identity despite radical change. However, eventually, the post-operative patient begins to deteriorate, resulting in a less intelligent individual. Unlike the identity-preserving improvement, this deterioration is cited as a personal death. This example suggests the broader significance of the effect of direction of change on personal identity intuitions. These intuitive judgments can underlie a variety of more practical judgments about the self and personal identity. Extreme effects of mental disease or deterioration can seem to disrupt identity. But similarly large cognitive changes (eg, brought about through deep-brain stimulation) are often treated as obviously preserving personal identity, both when they restore previous cognitive functioning, and when they enhance it beyond previous capacities. The experiments discussed so far indicate that direction of change affects intuitions about personal identity, but a crucial question remains about whether direction of change is really relevant to the actual personal identity relation. It might seem like extreme deteriorations disrupt personal identity, but is this simply an error of judgment? There are noteworthy implications in either case. First, suppose direction of change is irrelevant to personal identity. In that case, the finding that direction of change impacts attributions of identity in these thought experiments reveals that such attributions are produced, in part, by an irrelevant factor. This gives a reason to doubt the status of these commonly experienced intuitions about seminal thought experiments – and also the status of other personal-identity intuitions driven by direction of change. The old Nobleman cannot release his wife from her promise to the young Nobleman; yet his wife is still his wife Philosophers have long used thought experiments to elicit intuitions about personal identity. Perhaps the most famous is John Locke’s example of the prince and the cobbler. When imagining that a prince’s mind were to enter a cobbler’s body, most are inclined to regard the man with the cobbler’s body and prince’s mind to be the same person as the prince. Such thought experiments provide intuitive data, one source of evidence about the nature of personal identity. For example, from the prince and cobbler intuition, we infer the importance of psychological properties to personal identity. If it turns out that an irrelevant factor systematically skews our intuitions about certain cases, then we should be more skeptical about conclusions drawn from those thought experiments. Now consider the alternative: suppose direction of change is relevant to personal identity. One challenge for this view is to make sense of some seemingly plausible ways in which the deteriorated individual still seems to be the same person as the earlier individual in the vignettes. For example, even if the post-accident man is no longer Gage, it does seem that he is still the son of pre-accident Gage’s mother, that he owns the same house, and that he owes the same taxes. Perhaps someone who accepts that the post-accident man is not Gage would just reject these other judgments. Alternatively, one might allow that certain relations or properties stand aside from personal identity. Perhaps (for example) the post-accident man is no longer the pre-accident Gage in some sense, but the pre- and post-accident Gage remain identical to each other in another sense relevant to tax obligations and property ownership. The old Nobleman might not be the young Nobleman in the sense that he cannot release his wife from her promise; yet he does appear to be identical to him in the sense that his wife is still his wife. Whatever turns out to be the best solution to these puzzles of personal identity, the evidence from experimental philosophy so far indicates that direction of change plays a crucial role in judgments about whether we are dealing with the same person or not after the change. The surprising conclusion is that you can undergo a fundamental transformation of character and still be judged to be the same person, provided that the transformation is in the right direction.By SANDRA MWILA – THE first round of the Zambia Motor Sport Association (ZMSA) national rally championship revs off today in Chisamba with 19 drivers eyeing a good start as the 2014 season gets on track. Spectators were, however, yesterday given a hint of what to expect today when the rally proper gets underway as drivers showed off their skills at the super special stage that covered 100 kilometres at the Graham Raes Farm in Chisamba. Leading the pack for the 150 kilometres rally is champion Ken Mukosa, who dominated last year’s stages winning three from the five races to grab the title from Jassy Singh. The rally that has eight stages will have the super special stage at the Graham Raes Farm, located on the road leading to Chaminuka Lodge, which will cover 100 kilometres of the 150 kilometres total distance of the event. Mukosa should, however, expect a tough race this time around especially that Jassy, who is the African champion, will not race in the continental challenge but will actively battle out in the national rally. “I am ready, I know it will be a tough competition looking at the drivers taking part but all the same I am ready for the challenge,” Jassy said. Also in the hunt for the national title is former champion Mohammed Essa, who missed most of last year rally owing to his involvement in the Africa rally Championship (ARC). Essa said he wants to try out his new Subaru Impreza N12 ahead of the start of the ARC. “This is the perfect opportunity to test the car especially that we are racing in the rainy season, in the mud and it will help me prepare for the ARC,” said the former African champion. Other drivers to look out for include Farook Ticklay, who gave Mukosa a good run last year but could only manage a runner-up position. Also taking part is Muna Singh junior, Ahmed Essa, Miles Monge, Shabbir Amin, Walter Wasamunu, Geofrey Chulu, Toofail Dalal, Mohammed Vimba, Colin Gander, Yazdaan Ticklay, Kelvin Mhlanga, Azim Ticklay, Dani Beani, Chimanga Biyela and Jurgen Sauter. The rally whose budget was put at K30, 000 has been sponsored by Madison General, Manzi Valley, Automotive performance Centre, Group 3 Security, Kevin Exhaust and Quick Fire Extinguisher Services. ZMSA vice president Sam Chingambu said all was set for the rally and called on rally fans to turn up in numbers and offer the drivers support.I found this sitting half-finished on my computer so I went ahead and completed it. It's a Latin translation of the awesome Friendship is Witchcraft song Gypsy Bard. It's a little bit more "dark" than the original, I think. If you think a lot of the lines have too many syllables, you're right....sort of. See, there's something called "elision" where if a word ends with a vowel or an m and the next one begins with a vowel or an h you can essentially cut off the last syllable of the first word and go straight into the next. So in the second line, "Res facilis explicare est" is pronounced "Res facilis explicarest." Itactually singable with the tune, though I admit the line "Orpanotrophio me miserunt" is a little awkward when you try it. I left it like that though because of the rhyming.Anyway, here's a literal English translation of it:When your life is difficult,It's an easy thing to explain.You are playthings of the gods.You are stuck inside a crystal ball.And whichever way they turn it,Know that we must be strong.We will always overcomeWhile we sing this song.When I was a little pony,A wildfire destroyed my city.They sent me to an orphanage."Abandon your roots!" they said to me.I often dug holes,and danced with orphan foals.Now memories grow dim,Faces are hidden,But I still remember these words.When your homes have been destroyedAnd loved ones mangled,Listen to the jinglesOf my gypsy tambourine.Because these chords will delight you,And the whole world sings together.Please stop crying,And just sing with me.Full credit to Friendship is Witchcraft for the original (link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=W29uMc…Some staff at Saints Row studio Volition were uncomfortable with former publisher THQ's emphasis on porn actresses when promoting the series, a producer has revealed. Saints Row 4's associate producer Kate Nelson has criticised the porn-heavy focus of THQ in an interview with Edge, and highlighted a particular occasion when THQ marketing types suggested porn star Tera Patrick had been a "special producer" on the project. Tera Patrick (right) as she appears in Saints Row 2: Ultor Exposed. Volition staff members "didn't appreciate" the move, Nelson said. "Saying that someone who had no industry experience was in a role that is sexualised as a producer of our project, or saying the Penthouse girls are our QA staff... I can see the humour in that angle of promotion but for me that's the line where it gets into reality." Porn actress Patrick was hired to help promote Saints Row 2, and then voiced a character in its Ultor Exposed expansion. Former porn actress Sasha Grey was then hired to play Viola DeWynter in Saints Row: The Third. "In Saints Row 2 and Saints Row 3 there was an emphasis on the Penthouse girls, and earlier Tera Patrick," Nelson continued. "I think it's important in marketing games to make sure that the essence of the game is what's being marketed, and I think the porn star angle didn't really fit in with what Saints Row is at heart, which is a parody. We like to poke fun." Nelson went on to suggest that the series was actually very inclusive for female players due to the game's extensive character customisation controls. "You can be an important female character - you don't have to have a D cup either. You can be large woman, a small woman - you can be blue. "You can be who you want to be in the game and you have powerful female characters written into the narrative. I think our game actually does represent women in a positive way, but the press will focus on, oh hey, there are strippers, or there's a dildo bat - it's unfortunate from my perspective that that doesn't come through." Saints Row 4 is now published by new series owner Deep Silver - but it is debatable whether much has changed. A recent preview event for the game was populated by a number of scantily clad models.Dozens of inmates in Arizona jails have been put on a diet of bread and water for desecrating U.S. flags that hang in their cells, Reuters reports. Sheriff Joe Arpaio, of Maricopa County, told the news agency that 38 inmates in six different jails were getting meals of bread and water twice daily – the punishment for destroying government property while in custody. “These inmates have destroyed the American flag that was placed in their cells. Tearing them, writing on them, stepping on them, throwing them in the toilet, trash or wherever they feel,” Arpaio said in a statement. “It's a disgrace to those who have fought for our country.” Arpaio said the punishment will last seven days; a second offense would bring 10 additional days of the bread-and-water diet. [pullquote] There are about 8,300 inmates in the jail system. Dan Pochoda, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union in Arizona, called the move a “publicity stunt.” “It's certainly not illegal, but what he is doing is bad policy,'' Pochoda told Reuters. “It's just another vindictive policy that has nothing to do with running a good jail system.” The Maricopa County jails have, in recent months, played patriotic songs over the public address systems, including “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America.” Arpaio, a six-term sheriff, has cemented his persona as a tough-as-nails lawman, coming under criticism in recent years for his actions, including a hard-line stance on immigration. Arpaio is facing a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department accusing him of civil rights abuses, over allegations he and his officers profile Latinos. The Arizona immigration law that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court allows police in the state to ask people they stop about their immigration status. Click for the story from Reuters.Other than the season-ending injury to Florida defensive end commit Jordan Sherit, it’s been nothing but good news for the Gators on the recruiting front. UF was the place to be last weekend and the upset over LSU produced a special atmosphere that opened the eyes of some targets in attendance. The Gators didn’t gain any public commitments, however, several sources told me they received two silent verbals. I cannot name these prospects or give any hints, but I promise Florida fans will be excited about them when they announce. The South Carolina game on Oct. 20 is going to have just as many big-time visitors as LSU and a similar outcome (packed crowd, beat a Top 5 team) could lead to more (possibly public) commitments. On to the questions! Is there any recruits that your gut tells you we turned with the performance vs. LSU? — Garrett, Travis, Alex, T.J. Most of the visitors didn’t need to be turned because they were already high on Florida. But receiver Marquez North, FSU offensive guard commit Ira Denson and defensive tackle Montravius Adams are the three recruits I would say the Gators improved their chances with. North and Adams called UF the best school they’ve been to and it sounded like both will be back for Florida’s banquet weekend on Dec. 8. Denson said he’s going to officially visit for South Carolina. When North returns it will be on his dime, which tells you how serious his interest is. Tennessee is still his leader, but if the Vols struggle the rest of this season with their head coach on the hot seat and the Gators capture the SEC East and/or win some more big games, that could certainly change. But they have to show more production in the passing game for him — and his father — to be completely sold. Saturday’s 12 pass attempts and 61 yards won’t cut it. UF was assured a spot in Adams’ Top 5 when it’s released and he said he’ll most likely take an official here in December. I still doubt he ends up in this class, but I don’t think the Gators have to sign another defensive tackle even though they want to. Caleb Brantley will contribute right away and either Joey Ivie or Antonio Riles can slide inside if needed. Florida’s depth should be fine for the 2013 season with those three freshmen, Damien Jacobs, Leon Orr, Jafar Mann and the possible return of Dominique Easley (who would likely move back to tackle if Sharrif Floyd leaves early as expected). Hey Zach, is there any prospects we have a shot at if Marcell commits elsewhere? — Sleezie, Devin Georgia safety commit Tray Matthews has said he would like to visit UF and the Gators could make a late run at Preist Willis or Leon McQuay, but all three appear to be long shots at this point. If Florida REALLY wants another safety, it could offer the infamous Demar Dorsey! All jokes aside, I think the coaches are happy with the two commits they have and see Harris as a plus-one guy (although he’s probably near the top of their board). If he doesn’t pick the Gators, I don’t think they can or will want to add another safety. But out of all the targets that visited for the LSU game, Harris is by far the most likely to join the class. Who is the one recruit left on the board you feel the Gators have to sign? — Doug The Gators have to sign another offensive lineman, and it doesn’t really matter which one out of Denson, Michigan commit David Dawson, Trenton Brown, Laremy Tunsil and former Florida commit Roderick Johnson. Brown is the surest bet to be UF bound because the Gators lead, he will visit for the South Carolina game and I don’t see another school swaying him before he makes his decision in November. What’s the status of DT Greg Gilmore after the LSU game? I have not seen any comments by him afterwards. — Alex Gil

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