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June 15, 2016
Super-resolution microscopy reveals unprecedented detail of immune cells’ surface
Salk scientists show how T-cell receptors reposition during an immune response, revealing more on how the immune system is regulated
June 15, 2016
LA JOLLA—When the body is fighting an invading pathogen, white blood cells—including T cells—must respond. Now, Salk Institute researchers have imaged how vital receptors on the surface of T cells bundle together when activated.
This study, the first to visualize this process in lymph nodes, could help scientists better understand how to turn up or down the immune system’s activity to treat autoimmune diseases, infections or even cancer. The results were published the week of June 13, 2016 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“We had seen these receptors cluster and reposition in cultured cells that were artificially stimulated in the lab, but we’ve never seen their natural arrangements in lymph nodes until now,” says senior author Björn Lillemeier, an associate professor in Salk’s Nomis Laboratories for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, and the Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center.
T cells are activated when receptors embedded in their outer membrane bind to other immune cells that have digested an antigen, such as a virus, bacteria or cancer cell. In turn, the activated T cells switch on cellular pathways that help the body both actively seek out and destroy the antigen and remember it for the future. In the past, by looking at T-cell receptors embedded in isolated cells under the microscope, researchers discovered that the receptors are arranged in clusters—called protein islands—that merge when the cells are activated.
Lillemeier wanted more detail on how the receptors are arranged in tissue and how that arrangement might change when the T cells are activated in living hosts. The team used a super-resolution microscope developed in the laboratory of co-senior author Hu Cang, assistant professor at Salk’s Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center and holder of the Frederick B. Rentschler Developmental Chair. This microscopy approach, called light-sheet direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM), let the researchers watch T cell receptors in the membranes of T cells in mouse lymph nodes at a resolution of approximately 50 nanometers.
The new imagery confirmed the previous observation that protein islands of T-cell receptors merge into larger “microclusters” when T cells are activated. But it also showed that, before cells are activated, the protein islands are already arranged in groups—dubbed “territories” by Lillemeier’s team. “The pre-organization on the molecular level basically turns the T cell into a loaded gun,” says Lillemeier.
The organization of surface receptors enables T cells to launch fast and effective immune response against antigens. Understanding how the molecular organization mediates the sensitivity of T cell responses could help researchers make the immune system more or less sensitive. In the case of autoimmune diseases, clinicians would like to turn down the immune system’s activity, while turning up the activity could help fight infections or cancers.
The research could also have implications for understanding other receptors in the body, which have a wide range of functions both within and outside the immune system. “We think that most receptors on the surfaces of cells are organized like this,” says Ying Hu, first author and postdoctoral researcher at the Salk Institute.
The work and the researchers involved were supported by grants from the NOMIS Foundation, the Waitt Foundation, the James B. Pendleton Charitable Trust, the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, the National Cancer Institute and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. |
When asked about the FBI investigation into her email scandal broadening to include corruption allegations, Hillary Clinton’s response was to declare the report was “absolutely not true,” an “unsourced, irresponsible claim that has no basis.”
Rarely has someone whistled past a graveyard at such a high tone, so badly off-key.
As many observers hastened to point out, there’s no legal way Hillary Clinton would know if the Fox News story about the widening FBI probe was true or not. The story was based on anonymous sources within the intelligence community, bolstered with accounts of FBI agents growing increasingly angry at the prospect their meticulous investigation will be discarded by the politicized Justice Department to protect Clinton.
The FBI doesn’t have to formally notify Clinton that its probe is expanding; indeed, given the case and the subject, they would be wise to hold off on letting her know for as long as possible. The Clinton machine is very, very good at getting to people who might damage the Big He and Big She.
Even as Clinton was dismissing the Fox News report out of hand, former U.S. attorney Joseph DiGenova was confirming the key revelations, saying he has been told 150 FBI agents are working the Clinton corruption case, and the investigation has been in progress for months.
Everything described in the Fox News piece is entirely plausible, and consistent with the events of the past year. The intelligence community does think former CIA director General David Petraeus got off light, and what Clinton did is orders of magnitude worse than his offenses – she’s up to 1,340 classified emails on the server she swore contained zero, and her effort to challenge the severe Top Secret classification for two of them failed spectacularly.
Contrary to Clinton’s blithe assurances, her private server was unprecedented, and very much against both federal and State Department procedures. Questions have been swirling around her finances and the activities of the “Clinton Foundation” for a long time, and it’s long been thought one of her primary motivations for setting up a private server was to conceal correspondence that could shed unwelcome light on the intersection between her State Department job and her political and financial portfolio.
To put the best possible spin on it for Clinton, even if they don’t find anything damning, one can hardly blame the FBI for wondering if there’s a fire behind all that smoke. It’s her fault this is all happening during the 2016 election. It could all have been over and done with long ago, if she hadn’t concealed the existence of her private server for so long.
It definitely would have been over long ago if Clinton had used the State Department email system, as she was supposed to, making her correspondence promptly responsive to congressional inquiry and Freedom of Information Act requests. There is no doubt whatsoever that Clinton’s obfuscation tactics delayed this investigation for years, and it’s really just bad luck for her that she wasn’t able to delay it for one year longer, because it took just the right combination of document requests to force the State Department to admit it didn’t have her emails.
Clinton and her supporters are dreaming if they think they can make these investigations go away by ignoring them. For one thing, the cloud of suspicion over Clinton is hitting one of her biggest political vulnerabilities, the public perception of her dishonesty… at a moment when many American voters have grown disgusted with government dishonesty, incompetence, and corruption in general. Clinton’s email scandal is also a national-security debacle, in an hour of heightened public concern about terrorism. This was exactly the wrong moment to have precisely the scandal Clinton is having.
Former U.S. attorney DiGenova said he believes the FBI is close to issuing subpoenas in the Clinton corruption investigation. If that happens, it will be a bombshell the Clinton campaign would be hard-pressed to recover from, especially since she doubled down by denying the corruption probe exists at all. Even some of her hardcore supporters are likely to have their confidence shaken by subpoenas arriving a few days or weeks after Clinton tried to wave the whole affair off as a Faux News fantasy.
She’s rolling some very big dice by gambling that won’t happen, at least not until the Democrat primary is effectively over. (Democrat voters will surely become more willing to swallow their doubts about her when she’s irreversibly confirmed as their nominee for the presidency.)
Until now, Democrats (and more than a few cynical Republicans) have assumed the Justice Department will squash whatever indictments the FBI comes up with. Surely the FBI agents involved in the case (all 150 of them!) know that’s the likely outcome… unless they build a case so strong that not even Obama’s hyper-politicized DOJ can ignore their recommendations with impunity. It would beggar the imagination to believe anyone involved in probing Clinton’s email or corruption allegations views her as an ordinary subject. If there has ever been a “go big or go home” moment for the Bureau, this is it.
Look at it this way: even FBI agents who might feel some personal favor for Clinton and the Democrat Party know the results of their work are likely to influence the 2016 election, and the faith of the American people in their government. Clinton has tried to pass off her difficulties as a silly food fight with the intelligence community, but the intel people seem very serious indeed – and deeply worried about the dangerous precedent Clinton could be setting for control of sensitive material. It seems like a safe bet that everyone is bringing their A-game.
There are signs Democrats are starting to get nervous about Hillary Clinton. Lefty grassroots group MoveOn.org – whose very name is derived from their Nineties campaign to convince people to “move on” from Bill Clinton’s sexual harassment – just endorsed Bernie Sanders, in a 79-15 percent blowout over Hillary Clinton. A new poll has Sanders with a commanding lead over Clinton in New Hampshire, 53-39.
Sanders himself is starting to show a few signs of real fight, after ostentatiously rolling over for Clinton at the first Democrat debate. Even Joe Biden has taken to muttering that he really should have gotten into the race… not exactly a stirring demonstration of support for the designated successor to his President, whose nomination was supposed to be a coronation.
The usual election model has early-state insurgencies crashing and burning against establishment firewalls… but what if the Clinton investigations make too many Democrats nervous about taking the plunge with her, especially since all of the real enthusiasm in the party is behind Sanders? What if Sanders actually starts throwing punches at Clinton and uses whatever develops from the FBI investigation on the campaign trail?
Throw in the rolling Obama foreign-policy disaster that makes it tough for his former SecState to claim any achievements from her office, the looming possibility of bad economic news ahead, and Donald Trump’s surprisingly effective use of Bill Clinton to slap the “War on Women” card out of her hand, and there’s very little for Hillary Clinton to feel sanguine about. |
L. Randall Wray is a Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Senior Scholar at the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, NY. More ›
ARE MORE JOBS THE ANSWER? The “BIG” Bait and Switch
Last week Allan Sheahen published a piece arguing that “Jobs Are Not the Answer” to America’s unemployment problem. Here’s his reasoning:
“The current unemployment rate of 7.5% percent means close to 20 million Americans remain unemployed or underemployed. Nobody states the obvious truth: that the marketplace has changed and there will never again be enough jobs for everyone who wants one — no matter who is in the White House or in Congress. Fifty years ago, economists predicted that automation and technology would displace thousands of workers a year. Now we even have robots doing human work. Job losses will only get worse as the 21st century progresses.”
In fact, economists have recognized this possibility since at least the early 19th century, when David Ricardo posed it as “the machine problem”. “Robots” have been doing “human work” since the time of Adam Smith’s pin factory. Or, indeed, since the first proto-human discovered the fulcrum and lever so that one could do the work of four.
However, “unemployment” has existed only since the development of production for market. Our tribal ancestors “worked” about a dozen hours a week to provide the food, clothing, and shelter required for the standard of life they deemed acceptable. They occupied themselves the rest of the time with all the other human activities that we regard as “culture”: dancing, singing, tattooing, shaman-ing, piercing, ritualizing sacrifices, child rearing, storytelling, marrying, fighting, debating, drawing, and thinking.
Neither were our peasant forbearers, who had access to the main means of production—agricultural land—unemployed. They might have worked much longer days, and they grudgingly turned over an ever-rising portion of their production to rapacious feudal lords, but they were not unemployed. It is only once they lost access to land through enclosures, etc, that their livelihood depended on the whims of the employing class.
Why didn’t the inexorable trend to greater use of “robots” from the time of Smith forward lead to the dis-employment of all (or most all) human labor? First we raised living standards (arguably, of course, since it is not altogether clear that we live better than our tribal cousins in all important respects), always finding other ways to employ humans to produce products that our ancient ancestors never knew they needed. Second, we reduced the workweek—adding “weekends” and “holidays”, and reducing the daily grind from 16 hours to 12, and hence to 10 and finally 8. And there it got stuck—at least in America.
Further, being a Puritanical/Calvinist sort, Americans really never embraced the idea of vacations, anyway, and so unlike every other civilized society on earth, there is no considered right to a vacation and most Americans either don’t get them or don’t want them.
In recent years, it seems that involuntary unemployment and underemployment in the US has been rising. There are a number of reasons. First, the really lousy jobs have left the country and headed to developing nations like India, China, and Viet Nam. For reasons that escape me, many of my progressive friends want to bring them back. Somehow they’ve idealized life in the factory (one suspects because they’ve never read Dickens or Marx, nor actually done manufacturing work, and apparently slept through the history lectures on the Lawrence, MA fire at the Pemberton Mill factory: According to the Boston Globe: The scene after the fall was one of indescribable horror. Hundreds of men, women, and children were buried in the ruins. Some assured their friends that they were uninjured, but imprisoned by the timbers upon and about them. Others were dying and dead. Every nerve was strained to relieve the poor unfortunates, when, sad to relate, a lantern broke and set fire to the wreck. In a few moments the ruins were a sheet of flames. Fourteen are known to have been burned to death in the sight of their loved ones, who were powerless to aid them.)
No matter how often one reads about fires or structural collapses in Asia that kill hundreds of workers at a time behind locked factory doors, our progressives want to bring back those “good jobs” to America.
At the same time, they disparage the kind of work done by the vast majority of workers in all rich, developed, capitalist societies: services. These jobs come in all shapes and sizes: personal, financial, customer, educational, health care, entertainment, and insurance. They are the jobs of the past, the present, and the future but are forgotten or denigrated by progressives who pine for the days when American workers serviced machines.
Some of those service sector jobs will be taken by robots, others will be lost to increased productivity. It is inevitable, of course.
I saw in the news that the prostitutes of the future will be robots. I’m not sure what to think of that development, but it is probably inevitable and will displace a lot of human workers. (Will future progressives bemoan the loss?)
My own profession—education—will almost certainly see technological displacement as we increasingly use “on-line” and “distance learning” methods to reach greater numbers of students. Doctors are already doing diagnosis and even providing care at a distance, and robots will soon enough do the delicate procedures at the operating table that are too difficult for even well-trained human hands.
Again, I do not know whether it is better to have a robot’s digits exploring body cavities, but it is going to happen.
I’ve focused on the advanced economies, but the same thing is happening everywhere. Unemployment globally had already reached a record high before the GFC hit in 2008. Chinese manufacturing employment will soon begin to trend downward at a rate that will make USA factory job losses look trivial. The truth is that global demand for manufactured products cannot possibly be high enough to support more than a relatively small proportion of global jobs (much like agriculture before it).
Like it or not, humans everywhere will rely mostly on the service sector for paid employment. I like to joke that we’ll all be in one of the “P” jobs: performance, personal care, politics, or prostitution. Maybe that’s really only three categories since members of the third can be combined with the first or last.
And—who knows—maybe the best comics and magicians and preachers of the future will be robots. I already suspect that most comments provided to blogs are submitted by robots—a hunch strengthened by a recent stunt perpetrated by Brad DeLong (who programmed a “sub-turing robot” to harass David Graeber; see here)
Indeed, note that all the tribal “cultural” activities that I listed above that were created to occupy time are now respectable and paid professions: dancing, singing, tattooing, piercing, ritualizing, child rearing, storytelling, marrying, fighting, debating, drawing, and thinking. Add accounting, banking, and marketing and you’ve pretty much identified the whole damned service sector. The difference from tribal (and other pre-capitalist) societies is that we moved to what economists from Marx to Veblen and through to Keynes called a “monetary production economy”—one in which much of the provisioning process is undertaken using money with a view to make “more money” (for the technically trained, that is M-C-P-C’-M’).
By no means should this be taken to mean that all production is monetary—most kids do not pay their parents for child care (yet)—but much of it is, and increasingly we have brought more of our provisioning activities into the market. While it is true that we also provide many of those activities through government, those, too, involve money. Indeed, I’ve argued that the monetary system was created to mobilize resources for the “public purpose”—but we need not go into that.
The important point is that our modern government uses the monetary system to mobilize resources (think national security) or to ensure access to them (think Social Security and Medicare). (Of course, we can consume some publicly provided resources—such as parks—without paying fees, but generally the state has directly or indirectly paid the wages required for upkeep.)
And, if it really should be the case that robots take away even our service sector jobs, then the answer (of course) is to reduce the work week—to share the work that living humans can contribute toward production.
In a capitalist society, access to many of the resources needed for the good life requires money, and access to money is linked to employment. Neither of these is a one-to-one correspondence, of course. To a greater or lesser degree, we “take care of our own” even when they do not have money or jobs. Still, there is an expectation that healthy people of appropriate ages “work for a living”.
As I said before on this blog, when discussing a “new meme for money”, we expect that those who are able to do so will “pay for” their own support. Everyone knows what “pay for” means—we all go to the shopping mall, and we pull out our wallets to “pay for” the Gucci handbag. You do not grab the bag and look around for someone else to pay. “Hey bro’, I’m a bit short today; can you spare a few hundred to buy this for me?” No, if you cannot afford the Gucci you buy the Wal-Mart store brand made in China. It does little good to argue that those who can “afford” to pay more ought to do so for the benefit of those who need welfare. That is what the charity meme is for. Of course we all ought to give to charity—from each according to ability to each according to need. If the tax system comes down to charitable contributions, then it should be based on voluntary contributions. The mixing of these memes will at best lead to confusion, but more predictably it will lead to tax revolt and social spending cuts.
So here’s the strange reaction of Allan Sheahan to the observation that we’ve got “growth without sufficient jobs”, not only at the USA level but also at the global level: we don’t need no more stinking jobs. He says:
“Job creation is a completely wrong approach because the world doesn’t need everyone to have a job in order to produce what is needed for us to live a decent, comfortable life. We need to re-think the whole concept of having a job. When we say we need more jobs, what we really mean is we need is more money to live on. One answer is to establish a basic income guarantee (BIG), enough at least to get by on — just above the poverty level — for everyone. Each of us could then try to find work to earn more.”
In short, he claims we need the BIG (basic income guarantee). Those who cannot find jobs will simply live on publicly supplied hand-outs.
Now, I’m all for charity, even publicly organized charity. As Hyman Minsky put it, this has nothing to do with reducing poverty caused by unemployment, but rather, as he said “expanded, improved, and modernized programs of transfer payments and income in kind for the aged, the infirm, the disabled, and needy children are necessary. As I see it, this has little to do with the War on Poverty; it has mainly to do with our national conscience and affection for man.” He (rightly) predicted way back in 1965 that a War on Poverty based on charity would not lower the poverty rate at all—and it did not. It relieves our national conscience but it does nothing to alleviate poverty.
The BIG proponents, like Sheahan, always use a “bait and switch” approach. They love to point to the supposed success of Alaska’s “permanent fund” program that shares the profits from oil production with state residents. This, it is claimed, separates income from work, allowing all residents to choose to pursue a life of leisure free from the necessity of work. That life of leisure allows all Alaska residents to voluntarily contribute to the higher life of the community—free of the daily grind of work, they can pursue charity, or the arts, or a life of quiet contemplation. And then we find out exactly how much Alaska provides in the form of a “BIG” income guarantee:
“In 1982, the state of Alaska began distributing money from state oil revenues to every resident. The Alaska Permanent Fund gives about $1000 to $2000 each year to every man, woman, and child in the state. In 2012, the amount fell to $878. There are no work requirements. The grant has reduced poverty and the inequality of income in Alaska.”
Uhhmmm: there’s no typo there. You read it right: $878 smackaroos for the year. In Alaska that buys approximately two Big Macs plus a Coke every other month to feed a family of four, living out their dreams of a life of leisure among the Grizzlies. Now, let me see. If we added several zeros to that number, we might get close to what BIG promises, holding all else constant.
But all else would not be constant if we paid “every man, woman, and child” in the US, say, $87,800 per year. Because we’d add just about two or three zeros to all prices and wages in the US—at least within a reasonably narrow margin of error. We’d simply raise the price of that life of leisure the BIG proponents promise, until we’d priced out the couch potatoes who are now willing to live on $878 a year in Alaska without work, but would want the same $87,800 that a BIG actually requires. (To be sure, it will get messier than that, but you get the idea. It amounts to little more than a quick devaluation of the currency. It could even be much, much worse than this if we all together decide to become couch potatoes to live out the BIG promised life of leisure–and then that $88k would buy just about nothin’.)
I love the best quote ever from Dean Baker, to the effect that, in general, economists are not very good at economics. We could go further. BIG folks are just plain horrible at economics.
Look, I love welfare. I’ve got a huge bleeding liberal heart. I think our nation should take care of its own. But this incoherent nonsense argument that we don’t need no stinking jobs is just plain stupid. Even the progressive’s favorite argument that we need to bring back to the US all those old horrible factory jobs is better than BIG.
But why not advocate for decent pay in good service sector work, jobs for all who want to work, and an Employer of Last Resort to make the promise something more than empty?
As Hyman Minsky remarked barely one year into President Johnson’s battle against poverty, “The war against poverty is a conservative rebuttal. . . . It can spread poverty more fairly. . . . However, this approach, standing by itself, cannot end poverty”. The critical missing component in 1964, and that remains AWOL today, is a government commitment to full employment. Only a targeted jobs program, paying decent wages, will successfully fight poverty among the non-aged in a politically acceptable manner.
Minsky went on: “We have to reverse the thrust of policy of the past 40 years and move towards a system in which labor force attachment is encouraged. But to do that we must make jobs available; any policy strategy which does not take job creation as its first and primary objective is but a continuation of the impoverishing strategy of the past decade. A necessary ingredient of any war against poverty is a program of job creation; and it has never been shown that a thorough program of job creation, taking people as they are, will not by itself, eliminate a large part of the poverty that exists”.
And to conclude with my favorite quote from J.M.Keynes:
“The Conservative belief that there is some law of nature which prevents men from being employed, that it is ‘rash’ to employ men, and that it is financially ‘sound’ to maintain a tenth of the population in idleness is crazily improbable–the sort of thing which no man could believe who had not had his head fuddled with nonsense for years and years….”
Sorry, got to quit now. I expect there will be a Part Two after the inevitable comments by the turing bots. |
The new Presto fare system will be up and — hopefully — running at every subway station in the city on Friday morning.
The TTC says the last Presto-free station, Coxwell, will have an operating card reader in place for the morning commute. But whether that new equipment will work is less certain, as some riders have been discovering.
The TTC says its received more than 600 complaints about faulty Presto equipment this year. (CBC)
Frustrated customers say they're facing big problems reloading their cards at Presto machines across the city, problems that Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency, insists it is close to ironing out.
Customers have also reported problems with card readers at subway stations and on streetcars and buses, TTC spokesperson Heather Brown said.
In total, the TTC has logged some 620 Presto complaints system-wide so far this year.
If the bugs that have plagued card loaders can't be worked out, Metrolinx says it has a brand new generation of fare-loaders waiting to be installed in TTC stations.
Customers could be partially at fault
"We will completely agree they are not reliable," Anne Marie Aikins, Metrolinx senior manager of media relations, said earlier this week.
"Sometimes it's just usability — a customer who takes their card out too fast. But we're also diagnosing whether it's a software fix that needs to happen."
Metrolinx is set to roll out "a next generation of self-loading machines that we expect to be much better than these current ones," she said, adding those machines would be delivered in the new year. Metrolinx is responsible for front-line maintenance of the Presto machines.
Metrolinx's Anne Marie Aikins says her agency is working to iron out glitches with Presto card loaders. (CBC)
Currently there are 75 fare loaders in TTC stations across the city.
Customers have reported problems with card readers as well.
As of Friday, all buses will be equipped with them, the TTC says. Streetcars have been accepting Presto since 2015.
Help is on the way
The TTC's Brown told CBC Toronto on Thursday that the commission keeps track of rider complaints about faulty Presto machines, but doesn't distinguish between readers and loaders.
TTC chief executive officer Andy Byford on Wednesday expressed frustration with Presto gate glitches, but said help is on the way.
TTC CEO Andy Byford expressed frustration with the Presto problems. (CBC)
"There is a software patch and an increase in technology that we're about to deploy that will mean the station collector will be able to reset the system if it fails," he said. "They can't do that today. We have to wait for a Metrolinx technician to turn up."
He also said he's expressed that frustration to Metrolinx "practically daily." |
The Oklahoma State Penitentiary, nicknamed "Big Mac",[3] is a prison of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections located in McAlester, Oklahoma, on 1,556 acres (6.30 km2). Opened in 1908 with 50 inmates in makeshift facilities, today the prison holds more than 750 male offenders,[1] the vast majority of which are maximum-security inmates.
Construction and early years [ edit ]
Before Oklahoma became a state in 1907, felons convicted in Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory were sent to the Kansas State Penitentiary in Lansing, Kansas. At statehood, Kate Barnard became Oklahoma Commissioner of Charities and Corrections. During the summer of 1908, Barnard arrived unannounced at the Kansas prison to investigate widespread complaints she had received about mistreatment of Oklahoma inmates. She took a regular tour with other visitors first, then identified herself to prison officials and asked that she be allowed to conduct an inspection of the facility. Barnard discovered systematic, widespread torture of inmates.[4]
Upon her return to Oklahoma, Barnard recommended that all Oklahoma inmates be removed from the Lansing facility and returned to the state. Governor of Oklahoma Charles N. Haskell supported Barnard's proposal, and within two months of Barnard's visit to Kansas, on October 14, 1908, two groups of 50 offenders each were sent by train to McAlester.[4] The inmates were temporarily housed in the former federal jail in the town. Under direction from Warden Robert W. Dick, they built a stockade to house themselves on a 120 acres (0.49 km2) plot northwest of McAlester, which was donated to the state by a group of McAlester citizens.[5]
The remaining Oklahoma inmates in Lansing were moved to the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth until the state could build adequate facilities to house them all. The next spring, in 1909, the Oklahoma Legislature appropriated $850,000 to build the permanent facility.
Construction began in May 1909 on a prison designed after the Leavenworth facility. The state purchased about 1,556 acres (6.30 km2) surrounding the original plot of land. Using prison labor, the West Cellhouse and Administration Building were completed first; the Rotunda and East Cellhouse came later. The steep hills and grades required more than 6,250 cubic yards (4,780 m3) of concrete and more than 2,000,000 cubic yards (1,500,000 m3) of rocks and soil to be moved for the prison's walls alone.[5] The F Cellhouse was added in 1935, and later the New Cellhouse was constructed. A shoe manufacturing plant and a tailor shop were part of the prison's inmate industry program, designed to provide work for offenders; at Lansing, prisoners were forced to work in the local mines, a practice Barnard banned. The Warden's House, across the street from the prison, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Female prisoners were sent to Kansas in territorial days also. The first females brought back from Kansas stayed in a ward near the East Gate, built in 1911, on the fourth floor of the West Cellhouse. The female population had grown to 26 by the time a separate building about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the main institution was completed in 1926.[6]
The first prison escape (from behind the walls) occurred on January 19, 1914. Three inmates stole a gun and killed three prison employees and retired federal judge John Robert Thomas during the escape attempt. The convicts were later killed behind a rock ledge located on a ridge overlooking a wagon road.[7][8]
Riots and lawsuits [ edit ]
By the early 1970s, advocacy groups warned the state government that the situation was becoming dire.[9] From 1970 until July 27, 1973 the facility cataloged 19 violent deaths, 40 stabbings and 44 serious beatings. On January 22, 1973, prisoners staged a hunger strike that lasted 3 days in an attempt to draw attention to the conditions at the facility.[10]
On July 27, 1973, trouble began in the prison's mess hall, reportedly by five inmates who, according to a prison spokesman, "were doped up on something." It quickly spread through the rest of the facility. At the end of the riot, three days later, three inmates were dead, 12 buildings were burned, and 21 inmates and guards had been injured. Damage was estimated at $30 million.[9]
A federal court in 1978 found conditions at OSP unconstitutional.[7][11] The lawsuit, filed by one inmate before the riot, was changed to a class action suit after the riot. U.S. District Judge Luther Bohannon put the Department of Correction under federal control. The last issue of the lawsuit, medical care for offenders, was settled 27 years later, in 2001.[9]
Consequent to the court's orders, four new housing units were built at OSP, and in 1984 the aging East and West Cellhouses were closed. In 1983, all female inmates were moved to Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in Oklahoma City.[7]
On December 17, 1985, the inmates became disruptive, then gained control and took five employees as hostages on A and C units. Three of the hostages were seriously injured before their release the next day. The disturbance caused more than $375,000 in damage and two of the hostages were permanently disabled. After this incident, security was overhauled at the prison to reduce inmate movements, limit recreation, and institute a level-ranking system for offenders to improve safety.[10]
The Talawanda Heights Minimum Security Unit was opened outside the East Gate Area in October 1989 to house inmates who hold support jobs inside the facility. In 1992, a special-care unit opened to provide mental health care to offenders, reducing the need for psychiatric hospitalization outside the prison. A medium security unit with a capacity of 140 inmates is located on G and I units to help prisoners adjust to a lower security classification.[12]
Another addition to the prison, H Unit, houses inmates under both administrative and disciplinary segregation. H Unit is also the site of Oklahoma's death row and the state's lethal injection death chamber.[12]
Death Row and executions [ edit ]
Between 1915 and 2014, Oklahoma executed a total of 192 men and 3 women. 3 different methods of execution have been employed by the state. Lethal injection, which was first used on September 10, 1990 has been used 112 times. Other execution methods have included the hanging of a federal prisoner, and 82 electrocutions using the electric chair commonly referred to as "Old Sparky", a method that was last performed in 1966.[13][14]
In March 2015, Gov. Mary Fallin signed into law HB1879 providing for nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative to the primary execution method of lethal injection.[15][16] In March 2018, Attorney General Michael J. Hunter and Corrections Director Joe M. Allbaugh announced that Oklahoma would start using inert gas asphyxiation as the primary method of execution. Oklahoma Department of Corrections has had difficulty obtaining the drugs used to perform lethal injections.[17]
Prison rodeo [ edit ]
Starting in 1940,[18] except for a handful of years during World War II and during the 1970s inmate uprising, OSP held a prison rodeo until 2009.[19][20] A two-day event was held in August,[21] or on Labor Day weekend[19] (accounts differ), the rodeo was a joint venture between the city of McAlester and the state Department of Corrections.[21] The McAlester Chamber of Commerce contracted with the city to coordinate and market the event, which was last held in 2009 due to a state budget shortfall starting in 2010.[21][20] Inmates from several prisons throughout the state competed. Attendance at the 12,500-seat arena was down in the 2000s from the 65,000 who routinely attended during a four-day version of the event in the 1960s. The animal-rights group PETA denounced the rodeo on grounds of animal cruelty.[19]
Female convicts began competing in 2006, leading to the documentary film, Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo (2009), about the co-ed competition.[22]
Use in popular culture [ edit ]
The prison was mentioned in:
The facility is shown in scenes of the movie Heaven's Rain by Paul Brown and Brooks Douglass.
Notable prisoners [ edit ]
Former [ edit ]
C. L. Harkins - Wealthy veterinary surgeon, convicted of rape. Acquitted of three counts of murder.
Roger Dale Stafford (Executed on July 1, 1995) - Convicted serial killer sentenced to death on Oct. 17, 1979, and spent over 15 years on death row for the 1978 Lorenz-Sirloin Stockade murders. [23]
Clayton Lockett (Executed on April 29, 2014) - Convicted of a 2000 murder, rape and kidnapping. Lockett's execution made headlines for the series of events that took place during his execution, resulting in the Governor ordering a review of the execution process.
See also [ edit ] |
We live in interesting times, an age when up is down, left is right, good is bad, and orange is the new black.
Free apps? Now they’re called freemium; apps with limited functionality that are free to install and try, but cost money when you want to add full functionality. I came across one such app recently; one I really like because it does something useful– it lists all the devices connected to your network.
Free? Or, Freemium?
At home or office or elsewhere, your Mac usually is connected to a network; one that is shared by any number of other devices?
What devices? To find out what is connected to the same network your Mac is connected to there’s IP Scanner, a ‘free’ Mac app that scans the network and lists all the devices a few of the devices connected to the network.
See the problem already?
Alright, back to the basics. IP Scanner lists devices and information about each device connected to the same network as your Mac.
This information can be handy to determine which devices are connected, who is using the network at any given time, and IP Scanner displays plenty of useful tidbits– device name, IP address, MAC address, and the last time the device was connected.
It’s also a convenient way to see who or what is connected to your network that should not be connected.
Devices connected to the network can be sorted a variety of ways. You can also configure the visible display, add devices to a known whitelist, even add custom icons to a device for easier recognition.
What’s not to like? It’s free, right?
No, it’s not really free. It’s more like a trial version; not even freemium. You can view up to six devices on the network in the free license version, but the full version, which scans the network and displays all connected devices, is not free.
What if you’re on a budget or your local network has more than five additional devices connected? Try iNet instead. This inexpensive utility isn’t free but scans your entire network and displays all connected devices, including Bonjour connections, and it has a graphic interface.
Well done, fast, easy, cheaper. |
University professors in New Brunswick are asking St. Thomas University to withdraw its offer to host CTV's leaders' debate on Thursday unless the leaders of all five political parties in the New Brunswick election campaign are allowed to participate.
St. Thomas University professor Jean Sauvageau is the president of the Federation of New Brunswick Faculty Associations. He says STU should withdraw from hosting a leaders' debate on CTV unless all five provincial parties are invited to attend. (CBC) The debate format will see only the leaders of the Progressive Conservative, Liberal and New Democratic parties take part.
Jean Sauvageau, the president of the Federation of New Brunswick Faculty Associations, has asked CTV to also invite Green Party Leader David Coon and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin to take part in the debate.
If CTV doesn't open the debate to all the party leaders, Sauvageau asks that "STU refuses to partake in this undemocratic undertaking and withdraws its offer to host the debate."
"STU's decision to accept the request of CTV to host a debate which limits the number of leaders to three, as opposed to all five, flies in the face of the true spirit of democracy," states Sauvageau in a letter to St. Thomas University president Dawn Russell.
"In light of the extremely varied electoral platforms advocated by the parties, each one having crucial implications for the future of New Brunswick, there are no valid reasons that justify CTV's arbitrary decision to exclude two leaders nor are there any reason that justify STU's decision to host such an undemocratic debate," says Sauvageau, who is also a professor at STU.
Universities are places where debates are allowed to flourish and where all voices can express their point of view - Jean Sauvageau, president of Federation of Faculty Associations of New Brunswick
"It is most egregious to see STU, an institution of higher learning, accept to host this debate on its campus. Universities are places where debates are allowed to flourish and where all voices can express their point of view," states Sauvageau.
"CTV’s arbitrary exclusion of two legitimately recognized party leaders sends an unsavoury message to everyone about the value and desirability of democracy in New Brunswick.
"More to the point about hosting the debate on a university campus, what message does it send to students about democratic participation, critical thinking and inclusiveness? Those are values that cannot be parsimoniously promoted, solely on the basis of mercantile considerations, i.e., viewership ratings for the television network and a rental fee for the host institution.
"In short, freedom of speech simply cannot become an empty concept."
STU spokesman Jeffrey Carleton said the university is not receiving a fee for use of its space.
Carleton said the matter of CTV inviting only three of the leaders was discussed at the university, but it was determined it isn't the university's place to play a role in determining the participants in the CTV event, or in any of the 400 other events staged on campus each year.
"We decided to proceed because we didn't want to be in a position of dictating to anybody what the content or format of their event should be," said Carleton.
"We're very reluctant to start saying to groups that use our facilities and on-campus groups, `What is your format? Who is speaking? Do you have balance?'
"We feel that would just cross a line that we don't think is appropriate," said Carleton.
Freedom of speech simply cannot become an empty concept. - Jean Sauvageau, president of Federation of Faculty Associations of New Brunswick
Earlier in the campaign, the Progressive Conservative party initially said it would not take part in the CBC English debate on Sept. 9 unless participation was limited to the Tories, Liberals and New Democrats. However, the debate remained open to all five party leaders and the Conservatives eventually relented and participated.
The French-language debate did not include the Green or People's Alliance leaders due to language proficiency considerations.
In debates last week on Rogers television, all five party leaders participated. |
Leaving no merchandising stone unturned, Major League Baseball has authorized the use of team logos on a line of funeral caskets for people who want to carry their fandom unto eternity. Models for the Yankees (replete with interior pinstripes) and the Mets (with handles of mixed Dodger blue and Giant orange) went on sale at the Branch Funeral Home in Smithtown, Long Island.
The caskets gleam in cream-colored 18-gauge steel, with the team logo embossed on both the open lid lining and the loved one’s head pillow. They dominate the display room’s 22 caskets, attracting more interest than the Harvard gunmetal model, the copper Pieta, or the solid cherry Senator, according to John Vigilante, the funeral home manager and a lifelong Mets fan.
For baseball fans, the only distractions lately have been winter trades as teams swap their moribund bullpen arms and flatlining batters in hopes of livelier teams next year. For those feeling particularly restless between the demise of last season and the birth of spring training, the contemplation of such a resting place may fill the bleak hours.
Mr. Vigilante reports that the home team caskets — priced at $5,000, or 20 percent more than the non-logo model — have drawn admiration and not a word of complaint as they at least give pause to families in grief.
He finds them a logical evolution from last wishes in which a treasured autographed baseball or a beloved dog’s ashes are routinely interred with the deceased. The undertaker even hopes to purchase dirt from the defunct stadiums of the Mets and Yankees to burnish the occasion: “You know, toss infield dirt on the casket as a sendoff.”
The first baseball coffin was reported sold, prepaid by a Mets fan. He told a sports writer at The Daily News that it was only appropriate because “they’re going to drive me to my grave." |
But the woman was found not guilty of another charge of making false accusations. Several other charges were dropped by the prosecution during the July trial, and the woman pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon; capsicum spray. The man, then a guard at Alexander Maconochie Centre, spent about four months locked up in Goulburn jail after the woman alleged he had bashed and sexually assaulted her twice. But police became suspicious when she then made allegations about his family members, including that they had attacked and burgled her. In one incident, she triggered a duress alarm and claimed to have been run off the road and attacked with a knife.
She showed police a superficial cut on her hand as evidence of the violent confrontation. Police went to the scene and discovered a steak knife that matched a set the defendant had at her home. She was put under covert surveillance, and police found evidence to suggest she had been lying about her ex-boyfriend's family. In another incident, she claimed the family had burgled her home and stolen her iPad. The tablet computer was found on the verge in front of the family home the next day, but a check of a GPS tracker on the woman's car showed she had visited the property the previous evening.
CCTV footage mounted near her home showed the family had not been to her property. Officers then re-investigated other allegations she had made in the past, finding the woman had accused a friend's father of sexually assaulting her in 2008. She was under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged false accusation, and the court suppressed her name as a result. During the trial, the prosecution argued the motive for the deception had been greed, as the pair had been locked in a family court dispute over property at the time of the allegations. In making her findings, Ms Walker agreed that greed could have driven the behaviour, but also said revenge, after being dumped by the man, and attention seeking behaviour could also be a factor.
Upon the findings of guilt, prosecutor Anthony Williamson applied to have the woman's bail revoked. Mr Williamson argued the woman was a flight risk as she now faced a stint behind bars. But defence lawyer, Michael Kukulies-Smith, said his client had no history of breaching bail and the risk could be managed by conditions. Ms Walker granted the woman bail on condition she report to police twice a week, surrendered her passports, and did not contact or approach the ex-boyfriend and his family. The magistrate ordered pre-sentence and psychological reports for a sentence hearing in October. |
In the Mel Brooks comedy, "The Producers," the characters set out to make a Broadway flop, only to see it become a smashing success. What if something similar is happening with Obamacare's first open enrollment period under President Trump?
To be clear, the idea of Republican "sabotage" of Obamacare has been exaggerated. Even when President Barack Obama was in office and willing to do everything in his power (or even take actions that were illegal) to prop up his signature healthcare law, the program's health exchanges were running into problems. Too few young and healthy people were signing up to offset the costs of covering older and sicker individuals, insurers were losing billions of dollars and reacting by raising premiums, slashing coverage, or exiting the market altogether. These problems did not arise because of Trump. In fact, these problems are part of the reason we ended up with Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress.
That having been said, it is true that Trump has, on several occasions, talked about letting Obamacare "implode." He's said the law is dead. And whereas Obama did everything in his power to promote and advance his law, Trump has in many cases done the opposite. His administration has slashed the ad and outreach budget, cut the open enrollment period in half from three months to six weeks, and refused to continue Obama's illegal payments to insurance companies known as cost-sharing reduction subsidies. All of these actions and others, taken together, led most healthcare analysts to assume that enrollment would be down this year, perhaps significantly.
But then something funny happened. On Thursday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released data on the first four days of open enrollment, and they smashed expectations. More than 600,000 signed up in that short time for coverage through the federal healthcare.gov website, a seemingly much faster pace than last year. Now, many caveats should be applied. It's merely four days, which isn't much of a sample size. With the open enrollment period being half as long, the daily average would have to be double just to sign up the same number of people as a year ago. All of the fundamentals that led experts to project lower enrollment this year still hold, especially given that premiums are skyrocketing for those who don't qualify for subsidies. But while the smart money may still point to a lower enrollment number, the early numbers should at least have everybody exploring the possibility of an increase in enrollment under Trump. We should be asking: If "The Producers" effect plays out, what would it look like?
One direct way in which Trump actions branded "sabotage" by Democrats could end up playing out differently is when it comes to CSR payments. On the surface, Trump's decision not to fund them would mean higher premiums and lower enrollment. However, insurers and state regulators have worked together to try and counteract this move, relying on Obamacare's other funding streams that are still flowing. Because Obamacare's core subsidies to help individuals purchase insurance are tied to the cost of silver plans, insurers have substantially hiked premiums on that category. This, in turn, means the government pays out more subsidies. Meanwhile, insurers have kept down premiums on bronze and gold plans. So, the increased subsidies could be used to offset the premium increases on silver plans, or they could be applied to the cheaper bronze plans, making them free or near free. Those who do not qualify for subsidies may find that bronze or gold plans did not go up by as much. Sure, there are unsubsidized consumers who may be priced out of enrolling. But there is the low hanging fruit of people who qualify for subsidies but have not enrolled in previous years. The prospect of a free bronze plan could be an attractive option for those who qualify for subsidies.
Beyond some of the tangible effects of changes, there may be some intangible differences in the current political environment that one could see giving a lift to open enrollment. The months-long debate over repealing Obamacare, which was handled poorly by Republicans, ended up increasing the popularity of the law. Each drive for repeal was another opportunity for the law's supporters to educate the public about some of the law's benefits that could be available to them, such as subsidies to purchase insurance. There's been a lot of talk about Trump's decision to slash ad spending, but it's unproven that such spending effectively boosted enrollment. However, it's possible that the repeal effort was, in effect, months of earned media for Obamacare.
Another possible intangible effect is the "resistance" to Trump. It's possible that signing up for Obamacare becomes the latest symbol of defiance against an administration that's particularly unpopular under younger Americans. People may be more eager to sign up and urge their friends and family to sign up, in conversations and on social media. This sort of organic effort could prove more powerful than canned ads from the Department of Health and Human Services.
To be clear, I'm not necessarily saying this is the most likely scenario. I could easily see enrollment go down, especially with premiums as high as they are. But, healthcare, just like politics, often has a way of confounding the experts. So it's worth entertaining alternate possibilities. |
China’s AIIB: Seoul: “yes,” Pyongyang: “no way”
South Korea is joining the Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. According to a South Korean government spokesperson, Seoul will complete negotiations with other AIIB members over the bank establishment accord by June, which will then be submitted to the national assembly for ratification in the second half of the year. Subject to approval from AIIB’s other prospective founding members, South Korea will be granted founding membership status of AIIB. Given developments in recent weeks, none of this is particularly surprising.
What is interesting is an account in Euromoney’s Emerging Markets, which I confirmed with the single named source, that Pyongyang also approached Beijing about joining the AIIB and was flatly rebuffed. (Having been jilted, Pyongyang pouted that Seoul's entry into AIIB was just a pay-off for acquiescing in the US desire to station a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea.)
According to the report, and I find this entirely plausible, the reason for the Chinese decision was not the Rodong Sinmun’s recent habit of putting Chinese President Xi Jinping on page 3, but rather Pyongyang’s unwillingness to reveal conventional financial statistics—the same issue that sank a tentative effort to join the IMF and World Bank nearly twenty years ago. The information requested by presumptive AIIB president Jin Liqun included the sectoral composition of economic activity and the state of public finances, including the tax base. In most countries, these items are public information. If anything the informational demands, North Korean paranoia over disclosure, and unwillingness to bend rules are all likely to be increased with a number of Western countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia joining the bank as founding members. According to Masahiro Kawai, former ADB official and ADBI dean, “the AIIB needs ultimately to be repaid when it lends to sovereign states.”
As an economist writing on these issues, I am often struck by the disconnect between the assumptions of foreign policy mavens, North Korea watchers in particular, and the attitudes and behaviors of the bankers and economists who run multilateral financial institutions. These are first and foremost financial institutions, not charitable organizations. Bankers are bankers the world over. Chinese bankers are proving no different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rco9Q8BfGrg |
Lawrence Casler, of the State University of New York at Geneseo, studied 115nudists, removing his own clothes to minimize defensiveness or false responses. One of his major findings: Nudists are not sexually aroused by the sight of unclad bodies.
Why don't nudists react as we expect them to? Casler believes that sexual arousal is a learned response to nudity and that the naked body arouses us only under certain conditions. Anthropologists do not report unusual promiscuity or a higher birth rate among habitually naked primitive tribes; nor is there any other sign that such groups are more sexually active than their clothed neighbors.
Under what conditions, then, is the unclad body an erotic object? The answer seems simple. In non-nudist life, we see the opposite undressed during making, and conditioning causes nudity to become associated with sexual excitement or behavior. Nudists, on the other hand, associate the naked body with volleyball. The body becomes deconditioned as a sexual stimulus.
Male nudists have reported, however, that immediately upon leaving the nudist camp they are stimulated by women wearing ordinary clothes.
--excerpted from "Nudity" by
Leonard Blank, June 1969.
[Blank's article, part of a cover package on nudity, accompanied a story looking at the then-hot trend toward all-nude group sessions.--P.D.] |
A 50-year-old woman was injured in a struggle over her cell phone on Wednesday morning. Police report that the woman was walking with her cell phone in hand near 23rd Street and South Van Ness Avenue at 1:20 a.m. when she was approached by two unidentified men. As one of the men grabbed her phone, the woman resisted and a struggle ensued.
The man then pulled out a handgun, which he used to hit the woman, causing her to fall to the ground. Both suspects reportedly ran to a vehicle and fled westbound on 23rd Street. The victim was transported to the hospital for treatment of her non-life-threatening injuries — police do not have a vehicle description at this time and have not reported any arrests.
On January 10, four men believed to be between the ages of 20 and 30 violently attacked a 29-year-old man at 16th and Mission streets. The incident occurred at 1:40 p.m. and was motivated by a verbal argument between the victim and one of the suspects, which escalated when all four attacked the man, knocking him to the ground and hitting him. The suspects fled on foot and have not been apprehended, and the victim was transported to the hospital in non-life-threatening condition.
Two Mission District garages, and three in nearby neighborhoods, were targeted by burglars on Monday evening and early Tuesday morning. It is unclear if the burglaries are related.
The first Mission District burglary is believed to have occurred sometime between 7 p.m. on Monday and 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, when an unidentified suspect entered the garage of a 66-year-old man on Dearborn Street — near 18th and Guerrero streets – and stole the man’s bike, tools, and tool box. The victim discovered in the morning that the items he had secured in his garage were missing. Police have not reported any arrests.
A 47-year-old woman also reported a burglary at her residence in which an unidentified suspect entered her garage to steal several items, including a bicycle and a tent. Police report that the burglary occurred sometime between 8 p.m. on Monday and 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, and that the woman awoke on Tuesday morning to find her garage door wide open and her belongings missing. No arrests have been made.
Crime is trauma and the county offers different services, which can be found here. Victims of violent crime can also contact the Trauma Recovery Center at UCSF. |
UPDATE (2/5/14): This morning D.A. Wolfson charged Lee with 27 FELONY counts of attempted abuse of an animal. A big THANK YOU to everyone (from all over the globe) who took the time to read and sign this petition! If you have a spare moment, I'm requesting that we send some THANK YOU letters to D.A. Wolfson at [email protected]
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"Firefighters rescued more than two dozen puppies from fire danger earlier this week after a 35-year-old Las Vegas woman tried to set fire to her pet store on Rainbow Boulevard just south of the Las Vegas Beltway, a fire official said late Friday.
Gloria Lee was charged with first-degree arson in connection with the single-structure blaze.
Clark County Battalion Chief John Steinbeck said the 28 puppies could have died had it not been for the sprinkler system inside the pet store and the quick action of firefighters..."
Read more at http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/firefighter-dozens-puppies-survive-pet-shop-fire |
Already under fire for its latest nuclear test, North Korea has been making preparations at a launchpad that could pave the way for firing a long-range missile, a US think tank said Thursday.
38 North, a blog of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University, analyzed satellite photos that it said showed possible assistance from Iran at the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground in northeastern North Korea.
38 North said that a commercial satellite photograph taken on January 5 showed “important progress” since the area was hit with typhoons last year and indicated activity that was consistent with preparations for a launch.
But the website said there was not enough evidence to support speculation that North Korea could raise the stakes by testing its KN-08, a new missile with potential intercontinental range first displayed in a parade in April.
The website said that North Korea likely was preparing to test much larger rockets by the time the site is completed in 2016. The launchpad was last used in April 2009 for a long-range test widely seen as a failure.
The area has a new flame trench covering, which would protect large rockets from exhaust gases, that has a design similar to one used at the Semnan launchpad in central Iran, the website said.
It said that the satellite photos showed that three storage tanks were built last year that can hold 439,100 liters (116,000 gallons) of fuel, a level far above North Korea’s capacity during its most recent launch.
38 North said that it also observed a conduit through which technicians and electrical and communications lines can pass, even though Tonghae is accessible only by a dirt road.
North Korea defiantly carried out its third nuclear test on Tuesday, saying it was responding to US “hostility” after the UN Security Council condemned its last launch two months earlier.
On December 12, North Korea launched a rocket from its separate Sohae site that, according to experts, managed to reach near the Philippines and to put a small satellite into orbit.
The United States and its allies condemned the launch, fearing it was part of efforts to refine a longer-range missile. |
WALTHAM, Mass. -- Boston Celtics second-year big man Jordan Mickey made a promise, and that's what brought him to a suburban Party City where he towered above most of the pint-sized customers hunting for Halloween costumes. Mickey's shopping list: an Aladdin costume that might fit his 6-foot-8 frame.
A couple weeks earlier, Mickey had promised the daughter of teammate Jae Crowder that he would dress up as the Disney character of her choosing for a princess-themed 3rd birthday party. After some discussion, Mickey and young Jada settled on Agrabah's beloved thief.
"[Mickey] probably thought she was going to forget. But she didn’t forget and she reminded him time after time of what he was going to be," said Crowder. "He didn’t lose a bet. It wasn’t rookie duties. He just made a promise to my little one and she never forgot."
Mickey couldn't find an actual Aladdin costume, but pieced together a pirate outfit and Fez hat to achieve the desired look. Mickey didn't look particularly thrilled in a snapshot that teammate Jonas Jerebko posted to Instagram but said he never intended to go back on his word.
went to princess Jada's birthday party. @jmick_55 @iamamirjohnson @bossmann99 #reallifealaddin A photo posted by Jonas (@jonasjerebko8) on Oct 22, 2016 at 1:30pm PDT
"We were all just talking one day around [Crowder's] house, and it came up that Jada was having her birthday party and it was princess-themed. She was just naming off characters, and she kind of told me that’s what she wanted me to be," said Mickey. "I just did it for her. I’ll do anything for a kid. That’s what she wanted so that’s what I came dressed up as."
It wasn't just Mickey who came in costume. Fellow 2015 draftee Terry Rozier and his girlfriend came as Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Their efforts weren't lost on Crowder, who seemed genuinely touched that his teammates went so far to brighten the day for his own princess.
Crowder, maybe more than any other veteran on Boston's roster, has opened his doors to Boston's youngest players. It's not uncommon for the Crowder family to host Mickey, Rozier, or rookie Jaylen Brown. And the bond those players have built off the court is reflected in the party snapshots that found their way onto social media.
"It’s more than basketball. We’re trying to build a brotherhood. Trying to be there for one another," said Crowder. "I think it makes the game much easier to play once you have a good cohesion off the court. I think that’s big because you come into a locker room at the NBA level, there's so much emotion, so much pride in the locker room. Off the court, we’ve never had that problem. We just always come together and be brothers, be there for one another. And it helps players unite with one another."
Veterans Jonas Jerebko and Amir Johnson, both dads to young daughters, were also in attendance for the "Frozen"-themed party. Crowder's entire family got dressed up for the event, blending seamlessly with the hired cosplayers that performed as Anna, Elsa, Sofia, and Rapunzel.
HAPPY BDAY TO MY PRINCESS.!!! I LOVE YOU BABY & WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE U THE WORLD.!!! #PRINCESSJADA #FROZENSQUADWITHME A photo posted by 99 PROBLEMS (@bossmann99) on Oct 22, 2016 at 4:34pm PDT
Rozier, who said his girlfriend tracked down their costumes while he was at practice one day, said bonding is important to Boston players.
"It’s more than basketball with us," said Rozier. "Mickey’s always at [Crowder's] house, I’m always at his house. Jae has always been looking out for us since we first came into the organization. Jada is like family and I call her my niece. She wanted me to be a frog [from "The Princess and the Frog"] but we couldn’t find a frog outfit, so we made sure that Mickey Mouse was fine.
"Like I said, she’s like family, so it was nothing. It wasn’t like, ‘You’re still a rookie, you got to dress this way.’" There wasn’t nothing to it. It was just whatever Jada wants, she gets it. It’s her birthday."
And Rozier believes those bonds translate onto the court.
"It means we can trust one another when you’re that close," said Rozier. "I feel like our trust just keeps going up and bonding helps. Bonding brings trust. And trust carries over to the court. It makes you successful."
Crowder says it'll probably mean even more to Jada as she gets older to realize how many NBA players went out of their way to enhance her birthday.
"She’s trying to figure out what we do," said Crowder. "She'll say, 'Daddy, why you taking pictures with people when we go out? Why are you signing this?' She’s trying to figure it out. It's kind of cool to see that stage of her trying to figure out what an NBA player is."
Or why all of her dad's really tall friends like to dress up for her birthday. |
After all these years of soldering without a fume extractor I decided to quit a bad habit and build one. My parts bin is, of course, full of fans so I got a 120mm one and got to work.
Design-wise the course I took was to use a lamp boom/arm and mount the fan on that, so it could be positioned as close to, or over the soldering job.
Half an hour of solidworks later, I had 3 laser cut parts. Two grills and a spacer consisting of 5 and 3mm acrylic to get to and 8mm space to accomodate 2 sheets of filter material. With the filter I went the only way I knew which was using an activated charcoal foam sheet which is sold for exhaust hoods. So I cut it out in the shape of the spacers.
Then I just dismantled the cheapest boom-arm lamp I could find and mounted the fan onto that. Of course it took me three tries to get the holes right. Tired, I guess.
All assembled, and waiting for a speed controller:
On to the speed controller. I briefly thought about using an Arduino to provide the PWM for the 4 wire fan I used, but then I realized I hadn’t used a really old friend in a long time. My good old buddy, the 555 timer. I found a schematic online to provide the high frequency PWM for 4 fire fans and built the schematic on a small perfboard after trying it out on the breadboard first. This way, I didn’t need any voltage regulators and I saved loads of space.
I’ve fallen in love with this lamp arm. It’s so cheap (around 5 euro) and versatile! I also built a microphone adapter for it, for a friend of mine. |
Kurdish Peshmerga fighters march during a training camp conducted by trainers from the German military forces as German defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen visits the camp in Arbil, the capital of the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq, on October 27, 2015. AFP PHOTO / SAFIN HAMEDSAFIN HAMED/AFP/Getty Images ORIG FILE ID: 545785266 (Photo11: SAFIN HAMED, AFP/Getty Images)
The Pentagon is considering plans that would place U.S. advisers closer to ground combat in Iraq and Syria in a move that could amount to a major escalation in its war against the Islamic State, a senior defense official told USA TODAY.
The potential move reflects growing concern at top government levels that U.S. military operations in Syria and Iraq are not making sufficient progress against the Islamic State. The official, who is familiar with the plans, was not authorized to discuss the possible changes publicly because no decisions have yet been made.
The options under consideration include placing U.S. advisers alongside local combat units in Iraq and embedding a small number of U.S. advisers with Syrian forces fighting the Islamic State, the official said.
The White House would need to approve any U.S. military expansion on the ground. President Obama has warned against expanding the U.S. role beyond its defined mission and inadvertently ushering in another Mideast war. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday that U.S. strategy in both countries would remain limited to supporting local forces working to defeat the Islamic State.
Last week, American Special Forces soldiers accompanied Kurdish units on a successful mission to rescue 70 prisoners from the Islamic State. A U.S. soldier, Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler, was killed in the fighting. The Pentagon said U.S. forces would assist in future raids if conditions warranted. The U.S. military currently has about 3,400 troops in Iraq, mostly serving in an advise-and-assist mission for Iraq’s military.
Marine Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged this week that the military is considering new options in Iraq and Syria but declined to give specifics. “We're continuing to examine ways to enhance the effectiveness of our operations,” he said in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The Pentagon hopes moving advisers closer to combat will bolster local forces' advance in the key cities of Ramadi, an influential Sunni city in western Iraq, and Raqqa, the de facto Syrian capital of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL.
In Iraq, the military has struggled to recapture Ramadi, which fell to militants in May, but Iraqi troops have been closing in on its city center for the past week.
In Syria, Kurdish forces backed by U.S. airstrikes have had some success against the militants, but it has been largely limited to Kurdish regions in the northeast. To expand the fight beyond those regions, the U.S. recently air-dropped 50 tons of ammunition to support the Syrian Arab Coalition, a group opposed to the rule of Syrian President Bashar Assad that seeks to recapture Raqqa.
Taking back Ramadi and placing military pressure on Raqqa would be a blow to the Islamic State, which has attempted to hold territory in its attempt to create a caliphate, or state under Islamic law, across Iraq and Syria.
The administration appears to be moving in the direction of engaging more directly with ground forces in Iraq and Syria, said William McRaven, a retired admiral and former commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.
“We’ve known for a very long time that airstrikes alone can’t solve the problem,” said McRaven, who is now chancellor of the University of Texas system. “You have to put boots on the ground.”
“It looks like they are proceeding or moving in that direction, where Secretary Carter and the president are prepared to take more risks in ensuring that we can actively ... degrade ISIS,” he said.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1N9mCrx |
Since becoming First Lady, Melania Trump has found her style focus and quickly become a fashion icon.
There are a few things you can take to the bank when it comes to Melania’s dresses, pants, and gowns: She likes solids. She likes futuristic sleeves and necklines. She favors dresses. Some have even compared her simple monochrome elegance to Jackie Kennedy.
You aren’t likely to see Melania wearing busy patterns. She’s more likely to wear vibrant hues – hot pink, red – at Mar-a-Lago, the Trump’s vacation home in Florida. At the White House, she often chooses sedate hues, such as white or black. She likes American designers like Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors, and her dresses carry steep price tags ($9,500 for the glittery ensemble she wore to her husband’s speech to Congress alone.)
That’s despite some designers refusing to dress the First Lady.
Here are some of the First Lady’s looks since assuming the role:
In Florida
The First Lady often chooses vibrant colors when she travels to the Trumps’ Palm Beach vacation palace.
Here are other views of those looks:
Pants Suits
It’s rare to see Melania in slacks, but she wore them to the airport once as First Lady.
White House Looks
When Melania is doing official First Lady duties back at the White House, she often opts for suits or sheath dresses. Here are some of those looks:
Governors’ Ball
One of Melania’s favorite colors is black.
Casual
You won’t see Melania much in casual attire. Pretty much the only time that happened in public since the inauguration? The Trumps’ Super Bowl party in Florida:
Speech to Congress
Melania wore a sparkling gown to her husband’s speech to Congress, which some critics called inappropriate for the occasion.
The dress does not come cheap off the rack:
Inauguration Dresses & Gowns
Melania dazzled in an array of dresses and gowns on inauguration day.
New Year’s Eve
Trump wasn’t president yet, but the inauguration was just a few days away.
Campaign Looks
Here’s a flashback to some of Melania’s campaign looks:
Before
Melania’s style used to be a lot flashier before her husband hit the campaign trail. |
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island state lawmakers are demanding that a Brooklyn colleague apologize after she publicly made a disparaging remark about the Island in Albany today.
During a joint Assembly and Senate Health Committee budget hearing, Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (D-Brooklyn) told state Health Commissioner Dr. Nirav R. Shah that she did not want to have to suggest to any of her constituents that they would have to go to the Island for treatment, because "you know how none of us like Staten Island."
The comment drew gasps of shock from the audience, according to Assemblymen Michael Cusick (D-Mid-Island) and Lou Tobacco (R-South Shore), who belong to the committee.
"The senator's comments were uncalled for," said Cusick. "She should withdraw them and focus on helping us provide a compressive plan to strengthen our city's health services. That is something that residents of Staten Island and Brooklyn can agree on."
Tobacco and Cusick have written a letter to Ms. Montgomery, demanding that she apologize for the comment and inviting her to visit their districts to deliver her mea culpa directly to the people of Staten Island.
"Instead of making disparaging remarks about different parts of the state, we urge the senator to work with her colleagues to come up with solutions that will help improve the quality of life for people throughout the entire metropolitan region, not just Brooklyn," said Tobacco.
Tobacco and Cusick also said that Ms. Montgomery's comments regarding the toll costs and commute times for outside residents visiting love ones receiving hospital treatment in Staten Island reflected concerns which the two lawmakers have been raising for years.
"This is a similar argument to the one that Staten Island lawmakers have been making, but which continue to fall on deaf ears," said Tobacco.
A video of her remarks was posted on YouTube: |
ACTION COMICS #967
Written by Dan Jurgens.
Art by Tyler Kirkham.
Colors by Arif Prianto.
Letters by Rob Leigh.
Cover A by Clay Mann, Brad Anderson, and Dan Jurgens.
Cover b by Gary Frank and Brad Anderson.
If the sight of Lex Luthor strutting about in a gleaming suit of Superman armor caught your eye (and then raised your eyebrow), you are not alone. There are forces out there, far beyond the sight of humanity, that have noticed Luthor’s brand new super-hobby too.
And it looks like they’re gonna do something about it.
The latest thrilling arc to Action Comics, “Men of Steel”, begins here! Check out this exclusive first look at issue #967, courtesy of DC Comics!
$2.99 | T | NOVEMBER 9
From DC Comics: “MEN OF STEEL” part one! LEX LUTHOR is under attack—and only Superman can save him! When the world’s most ingenious scientific mind took on the mantle of Metropolis’ new man of steel, the world took notice—and so did the mysterious Godslayer! |
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid Harry Mason ReidBottom Line Brennan fires back at 'selfish' Trump over Harry Reid criticism Trump rips Harry Reid for 'failed career' after ex-Dem leader slams him in interview MORE (D-Nev.) says Mitt Romney’s bid to join President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHouse committee believes it has evidence Trump requested putting ally in charge of Cohen probe: report Vietnamese airline takes steps to open flights to US on sidelines of Trump-Kim summit Manafort's attorneys say he should get less than 10 years in prison MORE’s Cabinet has erased any esteem he has for the GOP’s 2012 presidential nominee.
Trump on Tuesday chose Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his secretary of State, ending Romney’s open lobbying for the position.
“Mitt Romney is somebody I had respect for,” Reid told The Huffington Post before Trump announced his nomination of Tillerson. "I have none anymore.
“This is a man who came out big-time against Trump,” he added. "Oh, the things he said about Trump. Well, that’s great, that’s wonderful."
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The former GOP governor of Massachusetts in March blasted Trump as “a phony” and “a fraud."
“Either he wasn’t telling the truth, or he’s a person with no character," Reid said. "And having said that, to go and do homage to this guy he said awful things about, I don’t think that shows much character.”
Romney pushed back on his reversal over Trump, arguing he could set aside his past differences for the good of America.
“I was indeed very critical of Mr. Trump during his campaign,” Romney said through a spokesman. "But now he has been elected president and accordingly, if I could have helped shape foreign policy to protect the country that I love, I would have been more than willing to do so.
“As for Mr. Reid, I lost respect for him when he repeatedly lied about my taxes and later admitted to it cheerily. Good riddance, Mr. Reid. The Senate will be better served without you in it.”
Reid famously accused Romney of having not paid any taxes for a decade during the 2012 presidential campaign. |
Today the crisis of American government is expressed in an ungainly phrase that rarely appeared in conservative vocabulary in the 1950s and 1960s—the “administrative state,” by which is meant the independent “fourth branch of government” that fits nowhere within the scheme of the Constitution as understood by its authors.
Conservatives were slow to perceive the full nature and origins of the administrative state. They saw Marxism and radicalism as wholly foreign in character, and the character of Progressive Era and New Deal bureaucracy as primarily economic and narrowly constitutional in nature.
They missed the benign-sounding homegrown versions of deeply radical political philosophy behind the administrative state, and especially the key role of Woodrow Wilson and similar Progressive Era intellectuals. If Wilson was mentioned at all, it was usually with a shrug or mild approval of his conventional expressions of Christian faith.
The urgency of the Cold War dominated the attention of conservative intellectuals and activists alike, and with the predations of the New Deal fresh in mind, it was understandable that the conservatism of that time would set the New Deal as the horizon line for their attack on current American politics.
Only slowly did it come into focus that the New Deal was not the key turning point toward liberalism, and that socialism is not the chief threat to constitutional government and individual liberty.
The “administrative state” is not a new or recent phrase; it has been around for several decades, but its nature and depth was only recently more fully appreciated. Once confined chiefly to scholars and policy wonks, the term is now in widespread popular use.
The administrative state is not the same thing as bureaucracy, with its connotations of wastefulness, inefficiency, red-tape, and rule-bound rigidity, nor it is limited to the post-New Deal welfare and entitlement state.
Its character is best described by Alexis de Tocqueville in his famous chapter on “What Sort of Despotism Democratic Nations Have to Fear.” After struggling over what to call it, he could do no better than “soft despotism.”
The administrative state represents a new and pervasive form of rule, and a perversion of constitutional self-government. It has deep theoretical roots that were overlooked for a long time, roots inimical to the Constitution, thereby providing a lesson in the importance of understanding the principles of the Constitution.
A chief feature of the administrative state is its relentless centralization, but with a reciprocal effect: Its mandates, regulations, distorting funding mechanisms, and elitist professionalism have corrupted our political culture all the way back down to local government. It is the chief reason why Americans increasingly have contempt for government.
>>>Check out Steven F. Hayward’s book, “Patriotism Is Not Enough: Harry Jaffa, Walter Berns, and the Arguments That Redefined American Conservatism”
Unlike the attacks on the Constitution from Charles Beard, J. Allen Smith, Vernon Parrington, and other Progressive historians of the early 20th century that portrayed the Constitution as an anti-democratic fraud, the most potent part of Progressivism, and its chief legacy for today, was its theoretical attack on the American founding.
Progressivism reduced to the proposition that the principles of the founding were wrong for the 20th century, and needed to be discarded. The swirling currents of Darwinism, Hegelian historicism, and scientific hubris all combined, in the summation of Harvey Mansfield Jr., to make Wilson “the most powerful intellect in the movement” and “the first American president to criticize the Constitution.”
The Very Definition of Tyranny
What bothered Wilson the most was one of the central features of the logic of the Constitution as explained especially in The Federalist: the separation of powers.
Wilson laid out his criticism of the separation of powers in his book “Constitutional Government in the United States,” in which he argued in favor of a “Darwinian” constitution. Government, he argued, is not a machine, but a living, organic thing. And “[n]o living thing can have its organs offset against each other as checks, and survive. … You cannot compound a successful government out of antagonisms.”
Wilson thought the conditions of modern times demanded that government power be unified rather than fragmented and checked. His great confidence in the wisdom of science and benevolence of expert administrators led him to the view that the founders’ worries about concentrated power were obsolete.
He exhibited the combination of love for power and unbounded paternalism that is the hallmark of the administrative state today. He wrote in “Congressional Government” that “I cannot imagine power as a thing negative and not positive,” and on another occasion that “If I saw my way to it as a practical politician, I should be willing to go farther and superintend every man’s use of his chance.”
Quite a contrast from James Madison’s views expressed in The Federalist on the permanent reasons for suspicion of government power, as well as his specific understanding of the separation of powers: “The accumulation of all powers legislative, executive, and judiciary in the same hands, whether of one, a few or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”
Wilson explained once that the increased role of the national government could be accomplished “only by wresting the Constitution to strange and as yet unimagined uses. … As the life of the nation changes so must the interpretation of the document which contains it change, by a nice adjustment, determined, not by the original intention of those who drew the paper, but by the exigencies and the new aspects of life itself.”
The legal academy was happy to oblige. Harvard’s Roscoe Pound, for example, remarked that “No one will assert at present that the separation of powers is part of the legal order of nature or that it is essential to liberty.”
The main reason Progressives like Wilson no longer shared the older liberal suspicion of government power was the new view that politics and administration could be neatly and cleanly separated, with administration entrusted to scientifically trained and disinterested experts, who by their very expertise should be insulated from political pressure.
Frank Goodnow, a prominent political scientist of the Progressive Era and one of Wilson’s teachers, provides the best short summary of this view in his book “Politics and Administration: A Study in Government”:
The fact is, then, that there is a large part of administration which is unconnected with politics, which should therefore be relieved very largely, if not altogether, from the control of political bodies. It is unconnected with politics because it embraces fields of semi-scientific, quasi-judicial and quasi-business or commercial activity—work which has little if any influence on the expression of the true state will. For the most advantageous discharge of this branch of the function of administration there should be organized a force of government agents absolutely free from the influence of politics. Such a force should be free from the influence of politics because of the fact that their mission is the exercise of foresight and discretion, the pursuit of truth, the gathering of information, the maintenance of a strictly impartial attitude toward the individuals with whom they have dealings, and the provision of the most efficient possible administrative organization. The position assigned to such officers should be the same as that which has been by universal consent assigned to judges. Their work is no more political in character than is that of judges.
There is something almost charming as well as comic about this level of naïveté, except that so many people in the administrative apparatus of government still believe it.
Note: This excerpt was taken from Steven F. Hayward’s book “Patriotism Is Not Enough: Harry Jaffa, Walter Berns, and the Arguments That Redefined American Conservatism (Encounter Books, 2017). |
Tantra
(Redirected from Tantric)
Tantra (Sanskrit: loom), tantric yoga or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. Tantra can be concisely described as the black sheep of Hindu yoga. Extolled as a short-cut to self-realization and spiritual enlightenment by some, left-hand tantric rites are often rejected as dangerous by most orthodox Hindus.
In some respectable and influential schools of Buddhism, however, particularly Tibetan Buddhism, Tantra (also known as Vajrayana, and also Yoga, though in a different sense than that term is used in Hinduism) plays a central role. In the Tibetan case, esoteric tantric practice is tightly integrated with the exoteric (non-esoteric) tradition so that the two work together as a unified system. Also, Tibetan Tantra is equipped with extensive safeguards and ethical constraints that greatly mitigate the danger to practitioners inherent in many esoteric spiritual practices.
There are two "paths" in Hindu Tantra: dakshinachara (also known as samayachara), the "Right-Hand Path", and vamachara, the "Left-Hand Path". The terms Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path have been adopted by Western occultists.
According to another popular view, Hindu Tantra is classified as either red (rajas or heat, fire, restlessness, anger), black (tamas or darkness, ignorance, stagnation) or white (sattwa pure, moderate, divine). These correspond to three Hindu conceptions of the qualities of existence first posited in Samkhya.
Some tantric aspirants simply feel the union is accomplished internally and with spiritual entities of various kinds. For this reason, almost all Tantrik writing has a gross, higher and subtle meaning. This tripartite system of understanding readily obscures the true purport of many passages for those without the necessary background or deeper understandings so crucial to Tantra. Thus, a 'union' could mean the actual act of sexual intercourse, ritual uniting of concepts through chanting and sacrifice, or realisation of one's true self in the cosmic joining of the divine principles of Shiva and Shakti in Para Shiva.
The Tantra Tradition
According to John Woodroffe, one of the foremost Western scholars on Tantra, and translator of its greatest works (including the Mahanirvana Tantra):
"The Indian Tantras, which are numerous, constitute the Scripture (Shastra) of the Kaliyuga, and as such are the voluminous source of present and practical orthodox "Hinduism." The Tantra Shastra is, in fact, and whatever be its historical origin, a development of the Vaidika Karmakanda, promulgated to meet the needs of that age. Shiva says: "For the benefit of men of the Kali age, men bereft of energy and dependent for existence on the food they eat, the Kaula doctrine, O auspicious one! is given" (Chap. IX., verse 12). To the Tantra we must therefore look if we would understand aright both ritual, yoga, and sadhana of all kinds, as also the general principles of which these practices are but the objective expression." - Introduction to Sir John Woodroffe's translation of "Mahanirvana Tantra."
While Hinduism is typically viewed as being Vedic, the Tantras are not considered part of the orthodox Hindu/Vedic scriptures. They are said to run alongside each other, The Vedas of orthodox Hinduism on one side and the Agamas of Tantra on the other. However, the practices, mantras and ideas of the Atharva Veda are markedy different from those of the prior three and show signs of powerful non-Aryan influence. Indeed, the Atharva Veda is cited by many Tantra texts as a source of great knowledge. it is notable that throughout the Tantras, such as the Mahanirvana Tantra, they align themselves as being natural progressions of the Vedas. Tantra exists for spiritual seekers in the age of Kaliyuga, when Vedic practices no longer apply to the current state of morality and Tantra is the most direct means to realization. Thus, aside from Vajrayana Buddhism, much of Tantric thought is Hindu Tantra, most notably those that council worship of Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother, Kali.
A tantra typically takes the form of a dialogue between the Hindu gods Shiva and Shakti/Parvati, being that Shiva is known in Hinduism as being 'Yogiraj' or 'Yogeshwara,' 'The King of Yoga' or 'God of Yoga' and that his consort is known to be his perfect feminine equal. Each explains to the other a particular group of techniques or philosophies for attaining moksha (liberation/ enlightenment), or for attaining a certain practical result. [Agamas are Shiva to Shakti, and Nigamas are Shakti to Shiva.]
This extract from the beginning of the Yoni Tantra (translated by Mike Magee) gives an idea of the style.
Seated upon the peak of Mount Kailasa the God of Gods, the Guru of all creation was questioned by Durga-of-the-smiling-face, Naganandini. "Sixty-four tantras have been created O Lord, tell me, O Ocean of Compassion, about the chief of these."
Mahadeva said:
"Listen, Parvati, to this highly secret one, Dearest. Ten million times have you wanted to hear this. Beauteous One, it is from your feminine nature that you continually ask me. You should conceal this by every effort. Parvati, there is mantra-pitha, yantra-pitha and yoni-pitha. Of these, the chief is certainly the yoni-pitha, revealed to you from affection."
History of Tantra
Legend ascribes the origin of Tantra to Dattatreya, a semi-mythological Hindu yogi and the assumed author of the Jivanmukta Gita ("Song of the liberated soul"). Others see Lord Adinath, or Shiva, as the first Guru of Tantra. Things become a little more clear with Matsyendranath ("Master of fish" - so-called either because he was a fisherman, or, less probably, because he discovered a tantra inside a fish). He is accredited with authorship of the Kaulajnana-nirnaya, a voluminous ninth-century tantra dealing with a host of mystical and magical subjects, and occupies an important position in the Hindu tantric lineage, as well as in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. His disciple, Gorakhnath, founded laya yoga. Hatha Yoga was penned by Swami Swatamarama as the secrets of Lord Adinath (another name for Shiva) in the 15th century.
Tantra evolved into a number of orders (sampradaya) and diverged into so-called "left-hand tantra" (varma marg), in which sexual yoga and other antinomian practices occurred, and "right-hand tantra", in which such practices were merely visualised. Both groups, but in particular the left-hand tantrists, opposed many features of orthodox Hindu culture, particularly the caste system and patriarchy. Despite this, Tantra was accepted by some high-caste Hindus, most notably the Rajput princes. Hindu tantra even briefly enabled a yogic/sufi synthesis among some Indian Muslims. Nowadays Tantra has a large, though not always well-informed, following worldwide.
Buddhist and Hindu Tantra, though having many similarities from the outside, do have some clear distinctions. Scholars are unable to determine whether the Hindu or the Buddhist version of Tantra appeared first in history. Buddhist Tantra is always part of the Mahayana school of Buddhism, which has as main aim to help all sentient beings becoming free from problems (Dukkha), in order to achieve this aim, one should try to achieve Buddhahood oneself, in order to be the most profound teacher for others. Buddhist Tantra spread out from (North) India, chiefly to Tibet, where it became known as the Vajrayana school of Buddhism. It also had some influence on Chinese and Japanese Buddhism (notably Shingon)
Tantric practices
Because of the wide range of groups covered by the term "tantra", it is hard to describe tantric practices definitively. The basic practice, the Hindu image-worship known as "puja" may include any of the elements below.
Mantra and Yantra
As in all of Hindu and Buddhist yogas, mantras plays an important part in Tantra, not only for focussing the mind, often through the conduit of specific Hindu gods like Shiva, Ma Kali (mother Kali, another form of Shakti) and even Ganesh, the elephant-headed god of wisdom (refer to the Ganesha Upanishad). Similarly, puja will often involve concentrating on a yantra or mandala.
Identification with Deities
Tantra, being a development of early Hindu-Vedic thought, embraced the Hindu gods and goddesses, especially Shiva and Shakti, along the Advaita (nondualist Vedic) philosophy that each represents an aspect of the ultimate Para Shiva, or Brahman. These deities may be worshipped externally (with flowers, incense etc.) but, more importantly, are used as objects of meditation, where the practitioner imagines him- or herself to be experiencing the darshan or 'vision' of the deity in question. The ancient devadasi tradition of sacred temple-dance, seen in the contemporary Bharata Natyam (http://in.geocities.com/medhahari/bharata_natyam/bharata_natyam.html) is the example of such meditation in movement. The divine love is expressed in Sringara and Bhakti.
Concentration on the Body
Tantriks generally see the body as a microcosm; thus in the Kaulajnana-nirnaya, for example, the practitioner meditates on the head as the moon, the heart as the sun and the genitals as fire. Many groups hold that the body contains a series of energy centres (chakra - "wheel"), which may be associated with elements, planets or occult powers (siddhi). The phenomenon of kundalini, a flow of energy through the chakras, is controversial; most writers see it as essential to Tantra, while others regard it as unimportant or as an abreaction. As it is, kundalini is nothing but the flow of the central sushumna nadi, a spiritual current, that, when moving, opens chakras, and is fundamental to the siddhi concept that forms a part of all tantra, including hatha yoga.
Tantra and Sex
As stated before, actual sexual intercourse is not at all a part of all tantric practice, but it is the definitive feature of left-hand Tantra. Contrary to popular belief, "Tantric sex" is not always slow and sustained, and may end in orgasm. For example, the Yoni Tantra states: "there should be vigorous copulation". However, all tantra states that there were certain groups of personalities who were not fit for certain practices. Tantra was personality specific and insisted that those with pashu-bhava (animal disposition), which are people of dishonest, permiscuous, greedy or violent natures who ate meat and indulged in intoxication, would only incur bad karma by following Tantrik paths without the aid of a Guru who could instruct them on the correct path.
In Buddhist tantra, actual ejaculation is very much a taboo, as the main goal of the sexual practice is to use the sexual energy towards achieving full enlightenment, rather than ordinary pleasure.
There are three types of Tantric Sex: White, Gray, and Black. White Tantra never ejaculates nor reaches orgasm in order to awaken consciousness. Gray Tantra elongates the sexual act, and sometimes concludes with orgasm/ejaculation, but without any longing towards awakening consciousness. Black Tantra always concludes with orgasm/ejaculation in order to awaken consciousness. It is said that White Tantra awakens consciousness to the absence of desire, while Black Tantra awakens consciousness into desire.
Taboo-breaking
Sexual intercourse, preferably with a low-caste partner, was one method by which traditional left-hand practice forced practitioners to confront their conditioned responses. Others include the eating of meat (particularly beef and pork) and drinking of alcohol. Fear has also been used as a method to break down conditioning; rites would often take place in a cremation ground amidst decomposing corpses. This, of course, also falls under the prerequisite of the practitioner's nature, in such cases demanding a vir- (heroic) or even devya- (godlike) -bhava (disposition of purity, self-control, suppression of pride, respect to parents and guru and often celibacy).
Tantra in the Modern World
Tantra is used in the West, as a general term which relates to sexual practice as a spiritual evolutionary scheme. There are in fact many different approaches as to how this manifests in American society. There have been many civilizations which have deified sexuality as the most approximate expression of cosmic love or God. Regardless, the point is that tantra is moldable. It changes with each moment and environment. It especially depends on the nature of the practitioner.
In traditional pockets of Tantric practice in India, such as in Assam near the venerated Hindu temple of Kali, Kammakha, in parts of West Bengal, in Siddhanta temples of South India, and in Kasmiri Shiva temples up north, Tantra has retained its true form. Its variance in practice is seen, where many tantrics are known to frequent cremation grounds in attempts to transcend their worldly attachment to life, and others are assuredly performing still more arcane acts. But what is common to them all is the intense secrecy in which their secrets are kept and the almost godlike reverence paid to the Guru, who is seen as a the pinnacle of Tantra. It would be safe to say that every single Hindu Tantra Yogin in India is a Shiva and/or Shakti worshipper, and the more wide-spread practices to which all Hindus commit themselves, like pooja and worship through devotion, are maintained while more occult yogic practices involving sacred rites continue. Tibet too has a very strong Buddhist Tantric background which continues, albeit many have been transplanted to monasteries in India, but can be said to widely cleave to the right-hand path, in contrast to the more varied Hindu counterparts (that include both left and right-hand practices).
Tibetan Tantra or Vajrayana, on the other hand, flourishes in America and other countries in a relatively pure and genuine, if somewhat attentuated form, under the guidance of many Tibetan teachers of the first generation to escape from Tibet or the next generation. There are hundreds of Tibetan Buddhist centers outside Tibet and India, primarily in the Americas and Europe, but also in eastern contries such as Malaysia, Taiwan, Russia and others. Practices in these centers, with Tibetan gurus or those trained directly by them, emphasize the true Mahayana ideal of rapidly gaining the enlightenment that characterizes a Buddha entirely for the purpose of relieving the suffering of others. This is the Bodhisattva ideal of Mahayana Buddhism represented historically and mythologically by Avaloketishvara, Tara and others, as well as today in the person of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan teachers. In the Tantric or Vajrayana aspects of this system, harnessing the energies of the body, emotions and mind, including, joy, wrath and sexual energy, is not an end in itself but a potent means to the ultimate goal of realizing the true nature of reality, emptiness or Shunyata, thus attaining complete spiritual enlightenment and relief from the endless dissatisfaction of life, and using the power thus gained exclusively to help others do so as well.
Modern Tantra may be divided into practices based on Hinduism and Buddhism, Indian and Tibetan, traditions. In America, Hindu Tantra is represented by a mutilated and extremely narrow-minded, sensationalist approach encompassing only a misguided thinking about "sacred sexuality," with little reference to its true practice. Real Tantra involves much more than mere wizardy or sexual titillation: like the rest of Yoga (Hindu), it requires self-analysis and conquering of material ignorance, often through the body, but always through a pure outlook of the mind. 'Real Tantra' is about transforming one's sexual energy into spiritual progress, and has nothing to do with 'sex just for fun'. Those without a guru or lacking in discipline of the mind and body are unfit. It is telling that a Tantrica in West Bengal, a devotee of the Hindu goddess Kali, once said that "those most fit for Tantra almost never take it up, and those least fit pursue it with zeal."
For three Tantric practitioners (two well-known and one lesser-known), see the Dalai Lama (Buddhist), Shri Ramakrishna (Hindu) and Shri Gurudev Mahendranath (Hindu).
See also
References
Wikipedia (2004). Tantra (http://www.wikipedia.org/Tantra) . Retrieved Oct. 16, 2004.
Bagchi, P.C. (ed.), Magee, Michael (trans.) (1986) Kaulajnana-nirnaya of the school of Matsyendranath . Varanasi: Prachya Prakashan.
. Varanasi: Prachya Prakashan. Mookerji, Ajit (1977) The Tantric Way: art, science, ritual. London: Thames and Hudson. A general introduction.
London: Thames and Hudson. A general introduction. Woodroffe, John (1913/1972) Mahanirvana Tantra (Tantra of the Great Liberation). Available online at [1] (http://www.sacred-texts.com/tantra/maha/) . A late Hindu tantra, but one of the best known.
External Links |
An artist’s rendering of the planned Purple Line trains in Maryland. (Purple Line Transit Partners)
Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn on Wednesday ordered the companies contracted to design and build the light-rail Purple Line to immediately scale back pre-construction work, saying the state needs to cut costs while it appeals a legal ruling blocking the project.
Rahn said he told the contractor, Purple Line Transit Partners, to stop executing new construction contracts and procuring any nonessential materials and equipment. The contractor was also directed to freeze all hiring of construction staff. The state will stop hiring people to oversee the project and hold off on buying more land for the 16-mile right-of way between Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, Rahn said.
“All parties are directed to limit the obligation of further costs for the Purple Line project to those of agreed necessity,” he said in a statement.
The slowdown — the Maryland Department of Transportation described it as a “suspension of key elements” — comes during a time of uncertainty for the light-rail project, which has been planned in some form since the late 1980s.
[Trump administration is still considering Purple Line for $900 million in federal aid]
Rahn made the announcement one day after the Maryland Attorney General’s Office said it would appeal a May 22 ruling in a 2014 lawsuit opposing the project. The court order requires the state to redo the line’s ridership forecasts to reflect Metro’s decline. The Purple Line would be operated separately from Metro, but about 27 percent of the light-rail line’s passengers are expected to be people transferring to and from the subway.
In a mid-May filing seeking a speedy decision in the lawsuit, Rahn warned that the state would have to suspend Purple Line work starting Thursday unless it had a “foreseeable path” to $900 million in federal grant money. The state won’t be eligible for that money until the project’s environmental approval is restored as part of the lawsuit appeal.
As of Thursday, he wrote, Maryland would “no longer have sufficient cash flow” to keep the project moving in anticipation of being reimbursed with federal aid. The entire project could be canceled about 60 days after a suspension of “ongoing project activities,” Rahn told the court.
It was unclear whether this suspension was enough to start a 60-day clock or what money the state will use to continue ongoing Purple Line work. Rahn’s statement also didn’t expand on a mention that “further steps should be anticipated as more information is available.”
A spokesman for the Maryland Department of Transportation said Rahn was traveling and unavailable for interviews.
In the statement Wednesday, Rahn said U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon’s final ruling in the lawsuit Tuesday — the judge dismissed two of the three major environmental claims — had given the state a “legal path forward” because it can now appeal the ridership issue.
[Judge dismisses most of Purple Line lawsuit, but ridership estimates must still be redone]
“MDOT’s and the Purple Line’s situation has changed from the unknown circumstances of just two weeks ago,” Rahn wrote. “With an unknown timeline for an appeal and dwindling available cash to carry the federal reimbursable costs being expended by MDOT, and to protect the taxpayers of Maryland, I am ordering that action be taken immediately.”
Miti Figueredo, a spokeswoman for Purple Line Transit Partners, said about 700 people, both in the contractor’s Riverdale office and employed by subcontractors throughout the country, are working on the final design and pre-construction activities, such as soil borings and surveying.
“We will keep reviewing our activities as we move forward to identify other areas where we can allow work to continue while minimizing costs,” Figueredo said.
The Purple Line, which is estimated to cost more than $2 billion to build, is designed to link inner Washington suburbs with spokes of the Metro system and attract development around 21 light-rail stations, particularly in economically struggling areas of Prince George’s.
Congress has appropriated $325 million toward the Purple Line, but Maryland can’t access that money until a court reinstates the project’s federal environmental approval. The Trump administration also is continuing to consider the project for the $900 million in construction aid even though the project remains stalled in the legal battle.
Supporters of the light-rail project have said they’re concerned that any pullback would slow momentum and make it more difficult and expensive to get the project back up to speed, assuming the state wins the lawsuit on appeal.
Montgomery County Council member George L. Leventhal (D-At Large), a longtime Purple Line supporter, said he was reassured that the state was continuing the project even if it needs to curtail spending until the lawsuit is resolved.
“I’m very concerned” about a slowdown, Leventhal said, “but I’m glad it’s out of Judge Leon’s courtroom, and I hope an appeal can be adjudicated quickly.”
David Lublin, a former mayor of the town of Chevy Chase who once opposed the Purple Line as being too expensive, said he believes the state will win the lawsuit on appeal. Even so, he said he questioned Maryland officials’ “dramatic” statements that the state would lose $800 million in sunk costs and contract termination fees if the project is canceled. Why, he asked, did state officials sign a $5.6 billion, 36-year contract on a rail project that had a pending lawsuit and no federal funding in hand?
“The state seems to have arranged it to make it politically impossible to cancel or delay it,” said Lublin, a local blogger and political science professor at American University. “Would you want to be the governor who has to explain ‘We spent $800 million and got nothing?’” |
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Kurdish president Barzani says it’s time for independence of Kurdistan region
ARA News
The German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel in a visit to the Kurdistan Region on Thursday said that the German government will not send new weapons to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces, Euronews reported.
However, 150 German soldiers continue to train the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
Since September 2014, Germany has reportedly sent more than 2,000 tons of weapons in more than 30 shipments.
Furthermore, the German FM Gabriel stressed that plans by the Kurdish president Masoud Barzani to hold a referendum on Kurdish independence this year “is an internal Iraqi affair.”
A day before, the German Foreign Minister said during a visit to Baghdad that the reconciliation process in Iraq must be pushed forward and the country must be held together.
He further said that the living conditions of the population have to be improved and that the Iraqi government must implement reforms for stability in Iraq.
This week, the US State Department has approved a possible sale of military equipment to the Peshmerga to an estimated cost of $295.6 million, reported Rudaw.
The sale would include equipment to fully outfit two Peshmerga light infantry brigades and two support artillery battalions, a statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency detailed on Wednesday.
Reporting by: Wladimir van Wilgenburg | Source: ARA News
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Introduced in January in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, HB569 would get rid of marriage. Sort of.
To be exact, the proposed bill, currently in committee, privatizes marriage. The New Hampshire state government would no longer issue marriage licenses; instead, it would grant domestic partnerships. If you wanted to get married in the traditional sense, you’d go to your religious house of choice. If you wanted the legal benefits of marriage as it currently stands, you’d get a domestic partnership. And all this would apply to gay and straight couples alike.
A group of Republican members of the New Hampshire state house proposed the bill, coming from the libertarian position that marriage is a contract:
that should be recognized and applied by the courts, but that the government has no business, in general, decreeing who may or may not make the contract or imposing any prior conditions, as licensure does.
Is this where American marriages are heading? Is this the best solution to the same-sex marriage debate?
On one hand, the government has a monopoly on marriage, and government-sanctioned marriages have been disintegrating for years—just look at the divorce rate in the United States [PDF]. Since all 50 states issue no-fault divorces, it’s sometimes easier to end a marriage than it is to end a corporate partnership.
David Boaz explained the benefits of privatized marriage for both heterosexual and homosexual couples in his 1997 Slate article:
Make it a private contract between two individuals. If they wanted to contract for a traditional breadwinner/homemaker setup, with specified rules for property and alimony in the event of divorce, they could do so. … Marriage contracts could be as individually tailored as other contracts are in our diverse capitalist world… And what of gay marriage? Privatization of the institution would allow gay people to marry the way other people do: individually, privately, contractually, with whatever ceremony they might choose in the presence of family, friends or God. Gay people are already holding such ceremonies, of course, but their contracts are not always recognized by the courts and do not qualify them for the 1,049 federal laws that the General Accounting Office says recognize marital status.
Those who consider the word “marriage” to carry great importance can still get married; the institution would just belong to religious organizations (as it originally did) instead of the government. If a church or synagogue or mosque chose to bless a union, they would be free to do so. Marriage would not be eradicated; in fact, it might become more spiritually meaningful. Today, marriage licenses have become meaningless in terms of what Stephanie Coontz called “interpersonal responsibilities;” after all, in 2008 almost 30 percent [PDF] of all households were single-parent homes, a 10 percent increase since 1980. Coontz writes:
As Nancy Polikoff, an American University law professor, argues, the marriage license no longer draws reasonable dividing lines regarding which adult obligations and rights merit state protection. A woman married to a man for just nine months gets Social Security survivor’s benefits when he dies. But a woman living for 19 years with a man to whom she isn’t married is left without government support, even if her presence helped him hold down a full-time job and pay Social Security taxes. A newly married wife or husband can take leave from work to care for a spouse, or sue for a partner’s wrongful death. But unmarried couples typically cannot, no matter how long they have pooled their resources and how faithfully they have kept their commitments.
That marriages currently take place under the auspices of religion presents its own issue. When a member of the clergy marries a couple, he or she does so under the power of the law, essentially acting as a representative of the government. So when a church refuses to marry a gay couple, conflict could arise as to whether the church is acting as a representative of government (as it does when dealing with marriage) or as a religious organization. A 2007 position paper by the secular think-tank Center for Inquiry explored this issue, along with other issues relating to same-sex marriage, and argues that state-endorsement for domestic partnership is the best possible solution with regards to the separation of church and state, though they argue LGBTQ couples should be granted equal marriage rights so long as the state sanctions marriages.
Gay couples may actually be the ones most resistance to having domestic partnerships replace “marriage” on a legal level. Time magazine pointed this out after the California Supreme Court ruled against the ban on gay marriage:
After all, what was the most sweeping part of the May 2008 decision Ming and his colleagues issued that granted gays the right to marry? It was the idea that the word marriage is so strong that denying it to gay couples violates the most sacred right enshrined in the state constitution: the right for all people to be treated with dignity and fairness. Just 10 months later, gay couples–whether or not they are among the 18,000 who married in the state before Prop 8 stopped the ceremonies–are loath to lose a word for which so many fought so hard and so long to have apply to themselves.
If the government no longer marries people, it cannot control who can and can’t get married, so the argument about gay marriage becomes irrelevant–the legal rights and protections of “marriage” are no longer at stake. Domestic partnership may still have conditions and qualifications, but the “sacred institution of marriage” loses its legal definition and with that the legal requirements necessary to enter it. Whether or not that’s a good thing is up for discussion.
Photo from Flickr user comeilmare licensed under Creative Commons. |
Story highlights More than 20 firefighters killed in the building collapse, Tehran mayor says -- report
The Plasco building was home to garment manufacturers and other businesses
Tehran (CNN) More than 20 firefighters were killed in Tehran on Thursday when a multi-story building collapsed as they were battling a blaze, the city's mayor told Iranian state TV channel.
"Our colleagues in the fire department have lost their lives while trying to save the people in the fire," Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf told the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network.
Earlier Thursday, Tehran's fire department spokesman Jalal Maleki told IRINN an estimated 20 to 30 firefighters were on the third floor of the high-rise Plasco building when it collapsed.
Maleki also told a local journalist at the scene that 35 firefighters were missing and that rescue workers were trying to dig them out.
The cause of the building fire and collapse is being investigated, he added.
Read More |
Tesla Prepares For Australian Launch Of Model S
November 6th, 2014 by Christopher DeMorro
Motoring.com.au reports that Tesla talent scouts held an interview open house in Melbourne, which is home to most of the country’s automotive industry. The position requires people to move to California, and they’re looking for engineers regarding a wide variety of automotive features, from crash and cooling systems to body and interior engineers.
It isn’t just automotive talent that Tesla is scouting in Australia either, as the electric automaker sponsored Web Directions, a two-day web developer conference. The company offered free test rides and no doubt targeted some of the top investors and talent that attended. Though it’s still in its infancy, Tesla has already become a global contender, and it’s showing an impressive ability to adapt to different areas. That said, some good old-fashioned product placement (in the middle of a mall) can still be just as effective as well. Tesla has already priced the Model S in Australia at just over $97,000 to start though, so it’ll still cost a pretty penny.
With the launch of the Model S in Oz comes the need for a nationwide Supercharger network. Australia is unique in both its abundance of solar-powered homes and businesses, and the massive, mostly-unlivable desert known as the Outback that separates the inhabited coasts. Elon Musk, who sits on the board of directors at SolarCity, is naturally a big proponent of solar power, and according to RenewEconomy, the first batch of Aussie Model S owners will all have solar-powered homes. If Musk can also manage to entirely (or at least mostly) power the Australian Supercharger network from the sun alone, it would be a tremendous demonstration of how electric cars can be 100% renewable energy powered.
China might be Tesla’s biggest market, but there’s big potential to swoop into Australia just as the conventional auto industry packs up and leaves. It’s Elon Musk to the rescue once again.
Source: Gas2. Reprinted with permission. |
Thank you to Ponchies For Kids for providing me with product, free of charge, in exchange for this blog review. All opinions are 100% my own.
It amazes me how far we’ve come with carseat safety. When my husband and I first purchased his family farm 13 years ago, we started going through the garage and sheds. He pulled a contraption off the wall and told me it had been his younger brothers carseat. It literally was a seat with two hooks that would set over the car’s seat. No belts, buckles, or harness of any sort. So it really would have served very little purpose in keeping a child safe, more so, it was just a “baby holder”. Now days, there is lots of information and research showing that a 5-point harness is the safest way to go. Even further, no bulky clothing or coats should be worn in conjunction with a carseat either. So I went searching for something that would work to keep our little girl warm during car rides as well as when out playing outside in mild weather. Enter: Ponchies For Kids.
We were sent the adorable Baby & Kids Arrows Fleece Poncho – Pink, Yellow, Grey in size 2-4 for review. It is super cute and oh so soft in person. Ponchies For Kids ponchos are handmade with love from a light fleece material. As soon as our little girl saw her Poncho, she ran for her hat because she knows when it’s time to head outside. With it hovering around the 40’s here in Minnesota, hats are still required for us! So I put her hat and Arrow Poncho on her, snapped her “sleeves”, and we headed outdoors.
Ponchies For Kids Features:
~Versatile Sizing That Fits Over Longer Period Of Time
~Adjustable Drawstrings To Shorten Sides
~Side Snaps Which Creates Arm Holes
~Adorable Hood
~Easy To Get On & Off With Generous Neck Opening That Features A Button Closure
~Can Be Utilized With A Carseat
I especially love that I can flip the Poncho up, buckle our daughter into her carseat and then drape it back over her to keep her warm during our cold Winters! It’s lightweight enough that she won’t overheat yet keeps her cozy.
I really like the overall design of Ponchies For Kids Ponchos. Along with all the great features, the hood of the Arrows Poncho is lined with a matching pink layer of fleece that is absolutely adorable and really pops!
I am so in love with all of the adorable styles available at Ponchies For Kids. Check out a few more of my favorites:
Buy It: Head over to Ponchies For Kids to see for yourself the great selection of products they offer.
Connect: Don’t forget to like Ponchies For Kids on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and Instagram for all the latest news and promotions.
Win It: Ponchies For Kids is generously offering one of our lucky readers their very own Poncho! The winner may choose from any design up to $100 value. This giveaway is open to the US and Canada and will end April 17th, 2016. For your chance to win, enter the Giveaway Tools below. Good luck!
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I’m a city girl turned country by my awesome husband and we have three busy boys and two darling daughters. I love spending time with my family, reading Karen Kingsbury novels, and catching up with friends while our kiddos have play dates. I’m blessed beyond measure and can’t wait to see what God has in store.
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In the pre-Spotify era, one of the main ways to discover music was through MP3 blogs. In fact, some of us spent a lot of time burrowing through these obscure blogs, hoping to find and obtain rare vinyl rips and mindblowing '70s Japanese prog. But in the past several years, huge changes have occurred to change that landscape. File sharing services such as MegaUpload and Rapidshare went supernova on their own clientele, leaving many blogs deserted graveyards of links galore. Bloggers ran out of the patience to re-upload huge collections of music for the umpteenth time. Kim Dotcom went broke. Several places proclaimed "R.I.P." on these blogs, fearing the proliferation of obscure music would have to end up behind closed doors. Yet some of these blogs remain, with people still plugging away at them, not to mention there’s new sites to carry on the never-ending battle of providing a well-curated collection privy to copyright infringement takedown notices.
Here’s a brief look into some fantastic resources.
Buffalo Tones
What: Buffalo Tones is the equivalent of the cool older sister who pops in from time to time to teach you something new. It’s a master collection with everything you can find off the beaten and bizarre path: garage, no wave, post-punk, psych and noise music. After years of inactivity, this blog made a return with sporadic updates.
Why: It is home to over 200 releases, often accompanied by good write-ups on each one. Blogs hosted on Blogspot tend to incorporate throwback features such as live comment boxes and sidebars featuring other sites you need to check out. Buffalo Tones outdoes a few of these by having a list of blogs complete with a thumbnail of its most recent post.
Frustration Levels While Downloading: Low. In fact, there’s a joy to be found in discovering that ancient links still work. Evidently, we have yet to robbed of the things we (will learn to) cherish the most.
Ghost Capital
What: Described as an "effort to share...rare, oddball and under-appreciated music of all kinds," the ear of Ghost Capital is pointed towards the obscure and the global: psych, blues, folk, funk and more from all corners of the globe make appearances here alongside several well-curated mixes.
Why: It’s incredibly niche, which is a great thing considering the amount of care that goes into each update with detailed notes to match. The site is well-maintained, easily one of the best looking blogs with its standout design. Also a plus needs to be given to anyone willing to upload 320kpbs quality mp3s only to do it again in FLAC.
Frustration Levels While Downloading: Low. Nonexistent, likely. There are FLAC downloads, y’all.
Sophie’s Floorboards
What: A fantastic collection of punk music, ranging from screamo to post-hardcore to pop-punk along with any other notable releases that can somehow shoehorn themselves into the canon. If this blog appeals to your listening tastes then you’ll make no qualms as to how Death Grips are on there or how Sunny Day Real Estate or Texas Is the Reason belong next to entries about Jawbreaker and Touché Amoré. It just makes sense.
Why: What Sophie’s Floorboards excel at is providing a fantastic point of reference for people looking to get themselves started along with shining a light on lesser-known bands. They also get points for providing Jawbreaker demos.
Frustration Levels While Downloading: Low
Old-School Hip-Hop Tapes
What: A collection of live rap shows and radio mixes, going as far back as 1977. The blog also features documentaries and archived news stories on the history of rap.
Why: It’s an illuminating look into an integral part of hip-hop culture that goes unnoticed by many. At this time, it’s one of the few archives of its kind. Current hip-hop culture is primed for accessibility but it’s a lot harder to find historical documents such as these.
Frustration Levels While Downloading: There are tons of broken links and the blog is a mess to look at, yet their constant updates (majority of it consisting of requests for popular tapes) and help make these offenses worth forgiving. |
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - An Islamic court in Indonesia has sentenced two men to 85 lashes of the cane for having sex together, judges in the conservative province of Aceh said, ignoring pleas for clemency from human rights groups.
Two Indonesian men, who were later sentenced to 85 lashes of the cane for having sex together, are escorted by police into an Islamic court in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, Indonesia May 17, 2017. REUTERS/Junaidi Hanafiah
The public caning handed down by a panel of judges is the first time laws against homosexuality, introduced in the province in 2014, have been used. The sentence was more severe than the 80 lashes requested by the prosecutor.
“The defendants are proven to have committed sodomy and are found guilty,” the presiding judge, Khairil Jamal, said in a statement.
The two men had opted to represent themselves in court and said they would not appeal the verdict.
Aceh is the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia that criminalizes same-sex relations and that uses sharia as its legal code in addition to the national criminal code.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) had called on Indonesia to release the men who were detained in March after vigilantes reported them to religious police for allegedly engaging in gay sex.
“The verdict will increase fear among LGBT people not only in Aceh but also in many other, especially conservative provinces ... in Indonesia,” said HRW’s Andreas Harsono.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Indonesia has faced growing pressure since high-ranking government officials last year expressed reservations about activism by its members.
Three years ago, Aceh province enacted a law that punishes anybody caught engaging in consensual gay sex with 100 lashes, 100 months in jail or a fine of 1,000 grams of gold.
It also sets out punishment for unmarried people engaging in displays of affection, adulterous relationships and underage sex.
Authorities in the province on the northern tip of Sumatra island caned 339 people in 2016 for a range of crimes, according to HRW.
Religious police in Aceh have also been known to target Muslim women without head scarves or those wearing tight clothes, and people drinking alcohol or gambling.
Two women were detained in October on suspicion of being lesbians after they were seen hugging in public, and were made to undergo “rehabilitation”, media reported. |
After several anti-gun billionaires donated tens of millions of dollars to support i-594, Washington state’s background check initiative, it looks like WA will now have some of the strictest gun transfer laws in the country.
Simply loaning a firearm to a friend could be construed as a felony under the new law.
The law was likely passed as many voters didn’t really realize the full scope of the extremely restrictive set of laws and regulations. I highly doubt most Washington voters realized they were voting for one of the strictest laws of its kind in the nation.
Well, thousands of gun owners in Washington aren’t taking the issue lying down. According to the RSVP count on a Facebook event page called “i594 I Will NOT Comply!” over 5,000 gun owners will meet in front of the state capitol in December and break the law on purpose.
Here is the description of the event:
We’re not waiting for politicians, judges or lawyers. Our birthright is NOT to be touched. We call on our Sheriffs, local representatives and legislators to stand with us and uphold their oaths. The Constitution is the supreme law and our God given rights are NOT open for negotiation. We choose to uphold the law as peacefully and principled as possible, but it will be upheld. We will buy and sell guns from whom we please, we will not submit to background checks, we will not give up our rights, WE WILL NOT Comply. We will rally at the capital, openly exchange guns, unveil and plan to break apart the entire legislation and violate i594 in every possible way. Because ALL law that violates the Constitution is not law, it is VOID! This is being organized by the Gavin Seim for Liberty and Anthony Bosworth For Sheriff teams. Please show up. If you want to help with logistics you can pitch in a few bucks here: http://callmegav.com/donate/
The event also has a website in the event something happens to the Facebook page. |
Ryder Cup golf tournament in Perthshire seeks 1800 volunteers
SWNS
Ryder Cup organisers are seeking 1800 volunteers to help out at the golf competition next year.
Those keen to help out will be asked to pay £75 for the privilege. The cost will cover the food, drink and clothing they will be given at the event, organisers say.
The tournament, which involves the best players from Europe and the US, will be held at Gleneagles, Perthshire in September next year.
Around 250,000 spectators are expected to descend on the area for the event, and organisers say they need volunteers for roles on and off the course.
Applicants can apply for duties such as scoreboard carriers, crowd safety marshals, programme sellers and buggy shuttle drivers.
But the recruitment drive for scores of volunteers has been met with criticism from the Scottish Trades Union Council.
Ian Tasker, assistant secretary, said: "Our position is that this is an event that clearly generates massive amounts of money for the Scottish economy and a substantial sum for the PGA. We think it is quite strange that they are asking for £75 from each volunteer to register and that this could be a barrier to stop some people from volunteering.
"They appear to want to recruit people from a golfing and middle class background. It is a good opportunity to give people paid work and we believe some money should go towards investing in people. It would have been possible to employ 1800 young people who are currently looking for work to give them a bit of experience and pay them a decent wage, and that could probably have cost less than £500,000.
"And you need to consider that as a tiny percentage of the profits that are going to be derived from this event."
Europe beat the US to win last year's competition, in Illinois, US, by a single point in one of the most dramatic final days the tournament has seen.
Paul McGinley, captain of the 2014 European team, is promoting the campaign after seeing how volunteers influenced previous tournaments.
"It takes a huge team of people to make the Ryder Cup a successful event, and the thousands of volunteers involved are a very important part of that. We are always appreciative of anyone who gives their time to volunteer and support golf and there are not many countries in the world better than Scotland for producing volunteers and marshals whose golf knowledge is second to none.
"We will be looking for volunteers who have a knowledge of the game but also people who will enjoy the experience and help to make the Ryder Cup an unforgettable event for the fans who will have a vital role to play in trying to help the European team retain the trophy at Gleneagles."
The application process is now open online and closes on April 13. It includes a search for 60 volunteers to help out at next year's Junior Ryder Cup at Blairgowrie Golf Club, also in Perthshire.
Edward Kitson, match director of the competition, said: "The Ryder Cup is a unique event that stirs the passions of players and spectators in a way unlike any other sporting occasion. This makes volunteering at it very special. It's a chance to be a part of history and to welcome the world to Scotland.
"The volunteers at the 2014 Ryder Cup will be the public face of the match. They will be the first and last people our spectators see.
"Naturally some of the roles require specialist experience and while some knowledge of golf would help, in most cases the main criteria is a positive attitude and genuine desire to be involved in one of the world's great sporting events.
"Ideally our volunteers will be friendly, outgoing, good-humoured and will enjoy helping others."
Scotland was ceremoniously handed the baton of host nation last October when First Minister Alex Salmond received a silver putter at the end of the tournament in the US.
The Scottish Government says the Ryder Cup will generate an estimated £100m for the local economy in the week of the tournament.
Ryder Cup Europe said that volunteers would be guaranteed at least half a day of time on course during each day of competition and would be transported from their sites to the golf course directly to ensure they can enjoy the match.
A spokesperson for The Ryder Cup said: "Registration fees are common to Ryder Cup volunteering programmes both in Europe and the USA. They make a contribution to volunteers’ food and beverages as well as clothing for the event. Volunteers receive a jacket or windcheater, fleece, polo shirt and cap as well as catering vouchers for breakfast and lunch, plus access to one of the greatest golf events in the world." |
The simplest explanation is that music producers compose or produce music while sound engineers record and mix music. The designation ‘Music Producer’ has come in vogue in the past twenty years or so. Sound Engineers have existed since the era of radio broadcasting that commenced in the 1920s. These lab coat-wearing personnel looked quite different from the modern sound engineer. It is important to understand the history of names and designations used in the field of music over the past hundred odd years.
Before the advent of music technology, music was composed by composers on paper. A composer would write down his musical ideas as music notation on staff paper. Think of classical greats such as Beethoven and Mozart. A composer would use instruments such as a piano or an organ to work on his compositions. A ‘transcriber’s help might be taken to formally notate the compositions. Lets take the example of a symphony. A symphony is meant to be performed by a large orchestra. The composer himself might conduct the orchestra or a ‘conductor’ might be commissioned for the recital. Imagine a 60 piece symphony orchestra performing for a live audience in the 18th century. There was no audio technology in the form of microphones and loudspeakers to take advantage of. But the audience had to be satisfied aurally. This was achieved through the acoustic properties of the concert hall. Acoustics happens to be the oldest field of sound engineering (Ancient Greeks were the first to delve in to the field of acoustics). A skilled ‘Acoustician’ would design the room to constructively enhance and amplify the sound of the orchestra so that every person in the audience would receive optimum quality of sound.
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and Thomas Edison invented the Phonograph. Collectively they initiated the field of ‘Audio Technology’. Sound could be now converted into an electrical signal and also stored as a recording. With the emergence of Radio as a mass media format and also with the increasing popularity of vinyl playback systems, the masses became used to the idea of listening to music over loudspeakers. Electric Guitars became popular in the fifties and led to the development of blues, jazz and rock. Technology was influencing the style of music, the methods used to capture the performers and the manner in which the audience consumed music. Singers, Songwriters and Bands replaced the Composer as the creator of music. An artist would write and compose his songs and perform them to his audience. Sometimes a songwriter would write and compose the songs only to be performed by someone else. Thus began the profession of commercial songwriter. An artist could be a talented song writer but could lack the skills required to transform his song into a full fledged composition including parts written for a larger musical ensemble. An ‘Arranger’ would be called in to address this requirement. An arranger would generally be classically trained and have background in transcription and orchestration. His skills would be used to make the composition more complete with additional parts such as strings, horns, percussions etc.
In India film music formed the mainstream music style. Motion pictures were released with songs that were specially recorded for the film. With the movies released across the country, film music garnered support among the general public. The composer of film songs was designated as the ‘Music Director’. The music director would be briefed by the director of the motion picture in terms of the style and mood that the songs must follow. A ‘Lyricist’ would be contracted to write the lyrics for the songs. Some times the lyrics would be written to the tune created by the music director, at other times the music director would think up melodies for the lyrics. Traditionally the music director is expected to come up with the primary melody and rhythm for the songs. The standard practice in Bollywood till the late 90s was to appoint an arranger to ‘arrange’ and essentially finish the production.
As mentioned earlier, music was now being recorded. The link between the artist and the listeners was ‘Audio Technology’. Personnel were needed who understood ‘Audio Technology’ in order to facilitate the mass distribution of music. Earliest of studios were owned by record companies and broadcast companies. Staff engineers were trained in audio science and also in operation of early recording equipment. These men were qualified in electronics but now worked in the field of Audio Engineering making them the first generation of Audio Engineers. There seems to be some confusion over the two designations that are used interchangeably, Audio Engineers & Sound Engineers. Audio is sound as an electrical signal. A microphone picks up the pressure variation created by a sound wave and creates an audio signal at its output. A mic doesn’t create sound signal, nor does it respond to an ‘audio’ wave. These are two names for the same job.
From the 60’s a new role emerged in the field of music business in the west. This was the all-important role of the ‘Producer’. A producer is a link between the artist and the audio engineer. We know that the artist is the creator of the music, the artist has the single biggest creative contribution towards the record. Most artists at the time were not comfortable with technology and did not understand the process of record production all that well. The engineer on the other hand was interested in the technical aspect of the process, ensuring that the recordings and the mix are of the highest quality. The engineer may not have a complete understanding of the artist’s creative vision. This gap is filled by the producer, who is a person with a musical background and is also experienced in audio engineering. Traditional producers were in their 40s and 50s with years of experience behind them. Good producers would make insightful improvements to the song structure and arrangement while employing creatively interesting production techniques. The decision would range from deciding the correct tempo for a song to what mic to use for the signer and which effect to apply to the drums. Some who brought the role of the producer to the forefront are legendary Beatles producer George Martin and the eccentric Phil Spector. As the recording and mixing process became more sophisticated the producer became the same with examples such as Quincy Jones (Michael Jackson) and Phil Ramone (Billy Joel, Madonna).
Unlike the west, Bollywood did not use a producer in the music business. The job of the producer was jointly handled by the chief engineer (main boss man behind the mixing console) and the music director.
MIDI technology was introduced in the 80s. MIDI technology allowed digital musical devices such as keyboard, synths and samplers to be used for music production. This was a revolutionary approach to music production as it reduced the need for live musicians. A talented operator could use the MIDI gear to program all the musical parts. This led to the creation of a new profile in the music production business, the ‘Programmer’. Initially programmers used keyboard and hardware programmers as made by companies such as Akai, Yamaha, Korg etc. Ability to program also led to the development of dance music styles such as Rap, Hiphop, EDM etc. Later the computers took over the field of music production and a variety of computer based MIDI programming software such as Logic Audio, Cubase etc became popular. In India the programmer was initially referred to as the arranger, probably because the programmer effectively replaced the erstwhile arranger in bollywood.
In contemporary music production the ‘Music Producer’ has become a multi faceted profile. Ability to accomplish most of the production tasks within a computer environment has led to the condensing of multiple roles into a single profile. A music producer is generally expected to have some amount of formal music training. Some are self-taught and some spend years learning music formally. A music producer is likely to be proficient in his principle instrument, which is popularly the keyboard or the guitar. A music producer possesses good programming skillset on one or multiple software platforms. A modern day music producer produces music using all the aforementioned skills such as composition, arrangement, orchestration, production and programming. A music producer will collaborate with others to widen the palette of ideas and skills. A modern day music producer will produce music in genres of his preference. A music producer creates music for single or album release, A music producer will produce a background score for any visual content such as TV show or motion picture, Modern trend has led to the evolution of EDM producer who are music producers specializing in contemporary electronic dance music genres such as Techno, Dubstep, Trap, Trance etc. A music producer is also likely to tour and perform music live.
An audio engineer is a technically qualified personnel who is trained in audio engineering tasks. An audio engineer is trained in the science of sound and is a skilled operator of professional audio equipment. A Music oriented audio engineer is a person who specializes in recording musical instruments. A song is made up of parts from many individual instruments. These have to be recorded separately and blended together to form a balanced presentation. This engineer must have a good understanding of microphone technology and miking technique. An engineer working on a music project should be skilled in editing and mixing of music tracks. Music being a creative endeavor behooves creativity in the way in which music is recorded, edited and mixed. It’s a field where Art & Science meet. Audio engineers working mainly in the field of music find further specialization in the form of recording or mixing engineers. Broadcast studios and stations also require audio engineers to accomplish the task of good quality audio broadcast. The sound of the TV shows you enjoy has been engineered and mixed by an audio engineer. The field of Motion Picture Production is another large area of employment for Audio Engineers. The soundtrack of a motion picture comprises of multiple elements such as Dialogues, Foley (sounds such as footsteps), SFX (Monster screaming) and Background Score. Audio Engineers are the people behind the delivery of a motion picture soundtrack. In the west different teams work on different elements of the soundtrack. In India such distinction is a recent trend, Traditionally an ‘Audiographer’ would be the Audio Engineers appointed to work on the sound of motion picture. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences deems that there is creativity involved in motion picture sound, which is why it awards Academy Award for Best Sound and Best Sound Editing to deserving candidates every year. Another exciting field where Audio Engineers play a key role is Live Sound Entertainment. Next time you find yourself dancing to the music at a gig, realize that there is a team of audio engineers who are responsible for that sound.
If you play an instrument, you love composing songs on your guitar or keyboard, you dream up lyrics in the middle of the day, you cant get over how great a record or song is, you spend the night tweaking a synth, you dream of producing, gigging, recording, performing professionally then Music Production is your future.
If you love technology, you love music, you listen to a song a hundred times to figure out how it was recorded or mixed, you watch the same movie multiple time cause you cant get over the sounds, you stand next to the console at a gig and watch the engineer more than the artist, you dream of working in a big studio with great gear, touring with the biggest bands and handling stadium PA systems, you dream of creating the ultimate sound design for a game or a movie then Audio Engineering is you future.
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These days, the video game business is bigger than Hollywood, with the latest installments of major franchises like Call of Duty and Destiny raking in hundreds of millions within days of release. But plenty of us—the Atari kids, the Nintendo kids, heck, even the Playstation and Xbox kids—remember when gaming was given the same side-eye by the mainstream as big fat fantasy novels (hello, HBO’s 20-million-viewer-strong Game of Thrones) and sci-fi books covered in spaceships (*cough* Guardians of the Galaxy *cough*). Gaming is the future. The future is here.
Press Start to Play, a new SF/F anthology from editors Daniel H. Wilson (Robogenesis) and expert short fiction curator John Joseph Adams, is both of-the-minute, “exploring what happens when sci-fi and video games collide,” and alive with the exuberance of authors who came of age in an era when playing video games wasn’t something everyone did, but was an identity. Among its contributors are some of the biggest names in speculative fiction—Charles Yu, Seanean McGuire, Charlie Jane Anders, Austin Grossman, Andy Weir, Holly Black, Hugh Howey, Catherynne M. Valente—and, in honor of the book’s release, we asked them to share with us the games that made them players.
John Joseph Adams (Loosed Upon the World)
“My favorite game series is unquestionably the Fallout series. Post-apocalyptic fiction is probably my favorite genre, and I’ve been a huge fan of Fallout’s amazing world-building ever since the first one came out in 1997. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I’m also a huge Skyrim fan; it would likely be more of a competition for Fallout for the top spot, except that I never really got into Elder Scrolls until Skyrim—not even Oblivion, which is pretty close in terms of ‘game engine vintage.’
All that said, I suspect my actual favorite game of all time is Portal; it’s got a fantastic story that just sort of lives in the background and has an absolutely wonderful antagonist in GLaDOS, but what sets it apart for me is that the level design is so damn clever. (Also, props to the level designers of Portal 2, who made those intricate two-player puzzles—kind of mind-blowing from a design POV.) I’ve got to give a shout out to the Civilization series; I’ve lost many hours of my life to those imaginary empires. Did you hear about the guy who’s been playing the same game of Civ II for ten years? You know you’ve built an amazing game when something like that is even possible. I’d better stop there; I could go on and on (and do, in the introduction to Press Start to Play).
Charlie Jane Anders (All the Birds in the Sky)
“The original Elevator Action was a jazzy, exciting spy thriller where you run and jump around a building, shooting everyone who crosses your path…and riding up and down in elevators. A lot. But the 1990s sequel, Elevator Action Returns, is a gritty post-industrial grungefest, where you fight mutants, robots, and tons of other enemies.
All of a sudden, there is political propaganda everywhere: the walls are scrawled with messages like “CRUSH THE OLD ORDER!” and “CREATE A NEW SOCIETY.” It’s a much darker, more dystopian Elevator Action, in which you can get a rocket launcher and light half a dozen opponents on fire at once, while exploring a downed aircraft, a warehouse, and a ton of other settings. Society is doomed, but at least we’ll have fun in the ashes.”
Hugh Howey (Wool)
“I gauge my favorite video games by how much they wrecked my grades. By this metric, Wing Commander: Privateer was my favorite video game of all time. I dropped out of college because of that game—it was released in 1993, the year I graduated from high school :::shakes fist:::. All I ever wanted to be in life was Han Solo, and with a PC, a joystick, and a copy of Privateer, I could escape into the galaxy on my very own starship and pretend that I was a likable smuggler who occasionally engaged in acts of compassion.”
Seanan McGuire (A Red Rose Chain)
“Classically speaking, I’m a Pokémon sort of girl. I have battled the Elite Five on continent after continent in my never-ending quest to catch them all. I appreciate the world-building, the weirdness, and the fact that my lack of highly refined twitch reflexes doesn’t mean that I am doomed to linger forever in the early levels. I’ve even talked, not entirely jokingly, about making a run at the World Championships. Pokémon is a way of life, and I am a Pokémon Master.
Currently, although still within the Nintendo family, I am enjoying Splatoon more than I would have ever thought possible. I am a squid who is also a kid, and my goal is to turn everything orange. EVERYTHING ORANGE FOREVER. It’s a brilliantly low-learning-curve shooter, suitable for all ages, and I could not be more impressed, or more delighted. With my paint roller, I shall rule the world!
At least until my Pokémon need me.”
Ken Liu (The Grace of Kings)
“I’m going to suggest something a bit unusual in this age of ever-more-powerful consoles and graphic cards: an old fashioned text adventure (much like my story!). The game I recommend is Photopia, by Adam Cadre. This piece of interactive fiction, which you can play through the browser at the author’s web site, allows you to piece together what happened in the aftermath of a momentous event in the lives of a family. No matter your experience level with interactive fiction, I think you’ll find it moving and enjoyable.”
Yoon Ha Lee (“Snakes”)
“My favorite CRPG of all time is Planescape: Torment, for its combination of eerie world, fascinating NPCs, and great storyline. In the interactive fiction realm, I love Dan Schmidt’s For a Change, Emily Short’s Pytho’s Mask, and Andrew Plotkin’s Shade. I’ve also enjoyed the rogue-like variant OAngband (although I don’t think it’s being developed anymore), the Crysis Wars mod Mechwarrior: Living Legends (first-person shooter, but with mechs!), and the chess-like turn-based strategy game M.A.X. (Mechanized Assault and eXploration), with its attention to logistical details—which makes it sound boring, but it’s one of the most engrossing and rewarding games I’ve ever played. In college, it’s a wonder I didn’t flunk out playing Diablo II during finals week (I played a Vehementazon). These days, I play the occasional spot of League of Legends (I like Jinx, but am very bad at her) and the web-based ‘pet’ game Flight Rising, which is completely different; my daughter got me into it because she loves all things dragon, and I’ve developed an affection for the pixel beasts!”
Chris Kluwe (Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies)
“My favorite video game of all time has to be Final Fantasy VI (FFIII in the U.S.), for one simple reason—the writing. I was 12 when it came out, and up until that point, I enjoyed the stories of video games, but had never really been sucked into one like a good book or movie. That all changed with FFVI. From the opening sequence, with Terra striding through the snow while World of Ruin (foreshadowing!) played over the credits; to gathering a diverse cast of party-members, all of whom had their own, fleshed out reasons for opposing the Empire; to Kefka cracking the world, what would normally be the end of any lesser game…well, to say I was enthralled would be putting it mildly. I cared about the characters, and I wanted to know how their story ended (a story that could end in a variety of ways based on my actions throughout the game). The graphics aren’t much compared to what’s available now, but FFVI is still the one game I can play over and over again, because it was so well written—something I wish more games strove for.”
Django Wexler (The Price of Valor)
“This is a really hard question, there’s so many! At best this is a partial list. From the good old days, there’s Total Annihilation, a real-time strategy game whose elegance and depth of strategy have perhaps never been equaled, and Unreal Tournament, which was my introduction to late-night LAN party shooter madness. A lot of my favorites mix good gameplay with great writing and story—standouts there include Disgaea, a snarky jRPG with interesting mechanics that’s laugh-out-loud funny, especially for anime fans; the Mass Effect series, which, in spite of the botched ending, has some of my favorite video game characters of all time; and Borderlands 1 & 2, which are great examples of how good writing turns a more-or-less standard shooter into something spectacular. (And Portal, of course, but everyone’s going to say Portal.) In terms of actual time devoured, recent winners would have to be the endlessly replayable Civilization V, and Blizzard’s Diablo III, which raises the art of monster-smashing to something almost zen.”
Micky Neilson (World of Warcraft comics)
“Video games have influenced me throughout my life. Growing up, it was arcade games like Missile Command, Star Wars, Tron, Space Ace and Dragon’s Lair (yep, I’ll be dating myself here). Later came the PC games: some of my faves include adventure games like Full Throttle and the Monkey Island series, early first person shooters like Doom, Descent, Heretic and Star Wars: Dark Forces (Boba Fett scared the crap outta me) and Duke Nukem. Of course, you can’t leave out the consoles: the ones I played most were Metal Gear Solid and Tenchu. At work, throughout the early years of Blizzard, the fighter game to end all fighter games was Samurai Shodown. Pretty much the entire company stepped up for that one, and I’m happy to say it still holds up today (and I can still play a pretty mean Kyoshiro). Last but not least are the Blizzard games: Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm and Overwatch. I love ‘em all!”
S.R. Mastrantone (“Nothing Can See You”)
“I’ve loved a lot of computer games in my time, but it was Dizzy that saved my Grandmother’s life. Dizzy, an egg wearing boxing gloves, starred in a series of platform games in the late ’80s. In each adventure, Dizzy would be trapped in some strange place (Treasure Island, Magicland, Fantasy World) and could only escape by solving a series of puzzles scattered around the landscape. (You plant the magic bean. A lovely beanstalk grows.) Some of the puzzles were hard, especially for a 10-year-old. My two brothers and I were really struggling with the underwater skeleton beast on Spellbound Dizzy, so we gave in and decided to phone the premium-rate Dizzy Helpline. Having been banned from the Dizzy Helpline at home, we had to wait until we were staying at my grandmother’s. We got up at 5 a.m. (just to be safe) and snuck downstairs to make the expensive call, but found my grandmother on the sofa in the lounge talking incoherently to herself.
You call your parents and wake up Grandad to tell them about Granny. A lovely ambulance arrives.
She’d suffered some sort of dreadful stroke/hypothermia/gangrene combo, then in hospital, she had a massive heart attack.
But she lived, although had we not found her when we did…
So while I’ll always have soft spots for games like Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, Operation Genesis, Football Manager and Kingdom Hearts, the crown belongs to that intelligent, boxing-glove clad egg, Dizzy, King of the Yolkfolk.”
Marc Laidlaw (The 37th Mandala)
“I believe this URL says it all.”
What games define you? |
Approximately 7,000 Islamic State group fighters have been killed since Jordan began participating in coalition airstrikes, the country’s air force chief claimed on Sunday.
The Hashemite Kingdom has launched airstrikes against Islamic State group weapons depots, training centers and military barracks since militants released a video of them burning a Jordanian pilot to death.
Jordanian officials have said they would retaliate harshly for the slaying of the pilot, Lt. Muaz Kasasbeh, who was set ablaze while trapped in a cage.
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Since Thursday, the Jordanian air force has attacked and destroyed 56 Islamic State targets, the air force chief, General Mansour al-Jabour, told reporters. This includes 19 targets on the first day, 18 on the second and 19 on the third, he said.
“We achieved what we were looking for: revenge for Muaz,” the general said. “And this is not the end. This is the beginning.”
In recent days, Jordanian officials have delivered tough warnings to Islamic State, saying the retaliation campaign would not stop until the group has been destroyed.
The United States and several Arab allies, including Jordan, have been striking the Islamic State group in Syria since September 23, while warplanes from the US and other countries have been waging an air campaign against the extremists in Iraq for even longer. The campaign aims to push back the jihadist organization after it took large parts of Iraq and Syria and declared a “caliphate.”
Al-Jabour said coalition planes have flown 5,500 sorties since the beginning of the air campaign, including 2,000 reconnaissance flights. He did not say whether this included flights over both Syria and Iraq. He said Jordan’s air force participated in 946 sorties.
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have been participating in the Syria airstrikes, with logistical support from Qatar.
US officials have said that the UAE suspended airstrikes after the capture of the Jordanian pilot. The UAE announced Saturday it was sending a squadron of F-16 fighters to Jordan.
The Emiratis did not say what role the planes would play. A Jordanian official said they would participate in airstrikes. |
More than once during a storm — as I've fretted over the contents of my freezer or my lack of access to Netflix — I've found myself asking:
Why doesn't the U.S. bury its power lines?
It turns out I'm not alone in wondering.
Burying power lines is expensive
The simple answer is that burying power lines is considerably more expensive than you might think. As reported by CNN, North Carolina's Utility Commission looked into burying power lines after more than 2 million homes were left without electricity in the storms of 2002. Th commission found that the project would cost $41 billion, take 25 years to complete, and would require that customers' electricity rates nearly double to pay for it — leading the commission to conclude that it would be "prohibitively expensive."
Access and longevity are a concern
The upfront cost of "undergrounding" power lines isn't the only downside. According to this Wikipedia entry on the practice, other disadvantages include a shorter shelf life for cables, the danger of the cables being accidentally damaged by road construction or other digging, vulnerability to floods and the fact that if damage does occur, repairs can take considerably longer than what's needed for overhead cables.
That said, there are advantages. Some communities advocate burying cables for aesthetic reasons. My hometown of Durham, North Carolina, has chopped down or severely pruned its beautiful street trees because they interfere with power lines. (Apparently, when Durham's many willow oaks were planted, city planners assumed power lines would eventually be buried.)
Undergrounding: Long-term investment and economic stimulus
Commentator David Frum has made a strong case for burying power lines, arguing that utilities' cost estimates are over-inflated (a U.K. study suggested a premium of five times the cost of overhead lines, not 10); that resilience to storms is increasingly important in a changing climate; and that because U.S. cities are becoming more dense, we can expect the cost per mile to come down. Frum also argued that undergrounding is the kind of job-creating initiative that governments should undertake during an economic downturn, taking advantage of low interest rates to upgrade our infrastructure, shore up our communities against the threat of climate change and put many Americans back to work. (Indeed, burying power lines is one of the ways cities are preparing themselves for climate change.)
It seems unlikely that large-scale undergrounding will take off anytime soon, at least not in existing communities. But burying power lines in new communities is a lot more commonplace, and considerably cheaper than replacing existing infrastructure. It may be that we'll gradually see a shift to underground lines over the decades, but for now, I think we should all plan to do a better job of preparing for the next power outage.
Editor's note: This story has been updated since it was first published in November 2015.
Why don't we bury power lines in the U.S.?
Storm-related blackouts are expensive. But then, so are buried power lines. |
Asheville Scarefest started out as a little mini-con for Pathfinder Society, back in 2013. The idea was to find a way to combine the creepiness of The Best Holiday with the joy of our favourite hobby, and it worked! We ran and played a lot of the scarier PFS games, had some pretty great costume contests, and everyone had a lot of fun. In fact, it went so well that in 2014 we could barely fit in the Wyvern’s Tale (our FLGS — Friendly Local Gaming Store). So we realized that we’d need to find a bigger place. And once we were looking for a bigger place it occurred to us that there was no reason to limit ourselves to only one game. Most of us don’t only play one game…but for some reason the different gaming groups in the WNC area rarely wound up in the same place at the same time.
So in 2015, we threw open the doors for any tabletop game that wanted to come and join us! We got a great response, and wound up running tables of D&D, Savage Worlds, Dread, Shadowrun, World of Darkness, and more. Our goal is to add more variety every year, so if you have a game you’d like to run at some point, let us know!
We’ll be back at the beautiful Montreat Convention Center again this year, from October 19-21. Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, May 29th for the bargain price of $35 for the weekend. Plus, we’re offering rooms at the infinitely spooky Winsborough Lodge (we filled it last year, and had a blast), a few rooms at the elegant (and much quieter) Assembly Inn, and possibly other housing situations around the place, depending on interest. And, due to popular demand, we are also offering meal tickets for the entire weekend. Stay tuned!!
Thanks, and we’ll see you there!
About the denizens…
Those of you who have received our newsletters have occasionally asked about the various interesting creatures that keep popping up around our offices. So for those of you who are perhaps confused by references to the Tiny Turtles, or are unsure why our Twitter feed is sometimes less than eloquent, here’s a quick primer to what’s wandered in so far…
The Minions:
The Minions are the core clockwork of the AVL Scarefest team, and keep the paperwork in check and the Overlord happy. While some of the Minions (the most human-looking ones) will be allowed to come to the conference to help out, you can picture the vast majority of them as more miserable Jawas. Or, more accurately, like this guy.
The Overlord:
No one knows exactly what The Overlord looks like, and it’s generally advised not to bring him/her/it up too often for fear they might appear. All that’s really known is that they are a stickler for paperwork. And, apparently, they are very into Halloween.
The Tiny Turtles
The Tiny Turtles are just that: itty bitty turtles that wander around the Scarefest offices and nibble on the Minions’ toes. No one knows where they came from, but the Minions are all very protective of them, because the toe-nibbling makes them laugh…which makes them stop crying.
The Yeti
The Yeti wandered in out of the woods one day…or to be more accurate, burst into Scarefest HQ on a rampage, ate the Minions’ goldfish (RIP Egon, Pumpkinhead, and Carol Ann), and was only placated by a massive amount of frozen fish sticks and chocolate custard and a job offer. And that’s how the Yeti became the official SpokesYeti for AVL Scarefest over on Twitter. Which, in turn, explains why our Twitter feed reads like the Cookie Monster wrote it.
Hilda the Vampire
We found Hilda sucking our red ink cartridges dry behind a massive pile of paperwork. She’s sort of pretty, but also really damned creepy, so we didn’t really question when she said she wanted a job. She’s in charge of decorating this year, though you’re more likely to see her chief Minion, Olivia, than her (she doesn’t really do crowds). You should probably count yourself lucky.
The Paperwork Monsters
Sometimes the paperwork around here grows to such dimensions that large stacks can be left unattended for long stretches of time. Occasionally, one of those stacks spontaneously shifts into life, becoming a dreaded Paperwork Monster. Paperwork Monsters can be up to eight feel tall, with burning red eyes and huge, gaping maws that have on rare occasions swallowed a Minion whole. They are one of many reasons we really try to stay on top of the paperwork issue around here…but sometimes it’s just too much. We’re just grateful they don’t seem to notice the Tiny Turtles.
The Clown Encampment
The clowns were not invited, but they came anyway. At least, we don’t think they were invited, but Hilda called them “friends”, so it’s entirely possible she invited them and didn’t tell us about it. In any event, while at first we Minions found them deeply disconcerting, the clowns pitched their tents and stayed anyway, so eventually a truce was brokered and now the clowns are just a deeply disconcerting part of daily life in the Minion Compound.
The Baby Miniature Dire Goats
The herd of Baby Miniature Dire Goats was brought in by The Overlord to “do maintenance” so that the Minions could “focus”. That didn’t work out quite as expected, though, what with the goats eating computer cables and shoes (they did take a few inches off the Paperwork Monsters). Eventually, after the Great Upset of 2017, the Clown Cabal agreed to watch over the goats each day so they could be let out of the compound to graze. This turned out to be a most satisfactory solution, and now each day the goats come home to happy relatively calm Minions who are ready to cuddle them. Or possibly, as in the case of Minion #18, try to get them to do “goat yoga” with them, which sounds patently ridiculous but apparently it’s on the Internet so it must be a real thing.
The Swampodiles
The Swampodiles are *not* cuddly. Not at all. So they aren’t let in the Minion bunker. They are, however, extremely useful for disposing of luggage that Scarefest attendees have left in their rooms after 11AM on the day of checkout. So useful that the Minions have to go on raiding expeditions throughout the year, looking for old bags or suitcases left by the side of the road, in order to resolve Swampodile hunger strikes. |
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it would withdraw from Unesco, the United Nations cultural organization, after years of the United States distancing itself because of what it called the group’s “anti-Israel bias.”
The administration also cited mounting arrears at the organization as a reason for the decision.
“We were in arrears to the tune of $550 million or so, and so the question is, do we want to pay that money?” Heather Nauert, a spokeswoman for the State Department, said Thursday at a news briefing. She added, “With this anti-Israel bias that’s long documented on the part of Unesco, that needs to come to an end.”
While the United States withdrew from the group, the Trump administration said it wanted to continue providing American perspective and expertise to Unesco, but as a nonmember observer. The withdrawal goes into effect at the end of 2018, but that decision could be revisited, officials said.
If Unesco returns “to a place where they’re truly promoting culture and education on all of that, perhaps we could take another look at this,” Ms. Nauert said. |
Valencia agree Kondogbia loan?
By Football Espana staff
Valencia have reportedly agreed terms with Inter for a loan deal for French midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia but the player is yet to decide on a move.
Plaza Deportiva verifies reports from Goal.com that the two clubs have been ‘locked in negotiations’ with the Nerazzurri open to striking a deal for the 24-year-old.
Los Che have sanctioned sales of several high-earners in their squad this summer including Diego Alves, Mathew Ryan and Enzo Perez – who Kondogbia could directly replace in the squad.
This has reportedly freed up much-needed funds for the club to pursue the targets of new Coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, with the Frenchman said to top the list.
A season-long loan deal with an option to buy is what has been reported, although the player himself has yet to confirm whether he wishes to move or not.
The Milanese club paid €36m to Monaco for the midfielder’s services two years ago but his time at the San Siro has been underwhelming. |
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Comedian Ellen DeGeneres is to receive America’s top comedy prize later this month.
The award-winning gay chat show host will be presented with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour, at the John F Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts in Washington DC.
Past winners of the accolade include Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal and Will Ferrell.
Jimmy Kimmel, Kristin Chenoweth and Jason Mraz are among those who will perform tributes to the star.
In 1997, Ellen made history by playing the first prime-time gay character in a US television series.
The prize honours Mark Twain’s tradition of satire and social commentary.
This year’s ceremony will be broadcast in the US on PBS on 22 October.
Last month, a star was unveiled for Ellen on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Her current syndicated talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has earned 38 Daytime Emmy awards over its 10 seasons, and she has been on Forbes magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women and Entertainment Weekly’s 50 Most Powerful Entertainers lists.
A former host of the Academy Awards and Primetime Emmys, Ellen has also featured in several films including Ron Howard’s EDtv and The Love Letter starring Bill Pullman.
She has long been admired by America’s gay rights campaigners for her LGBT advocacy work. |
16 August, 2007 (14:29) | Duncan/Blake Mystery
http://dreamsendweb.com/2007/08/16/tuesday-weld-conspiracy/
I’m sorry, I thought I was familiar with most of the variation of Illuminati lore. Evidently there’s a version that puts Tuesday Weld in the center of the Illuminati conspiracy. Thanks to a friend (who I’ll name if he wants…wasn’t sure) for telling me about it. I don’t have too much time to look much into it just now but maybe others know about it. A bit from Adam Gorightly :
Turner’s conspiratorial cosmology revolves around 60’s sex kitten Tuesday Weld , who, Jeff contends, descended from a royal bloodline of Druid witches, and at a very early age had been selected as high priestess in the international Illuminati hierarchy. From this position of occult authority, Weld was able to wield great control over the 60’s counterculture, secretly influencing such luminaries as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, among other rock groups and movie stars of the era, meanwhile pulling the strings behind world events, exercising her occult influence in the realms of political intrigue.
This would explain the Tuesday references everywhere. I’m told Duncan liked Tuesday, and yet another page that is connected has the first post being “I hate Tuesday”. So I guess that sorta helps keep score here. Or something.
Sorry for being slow on the uptake. I guess “Tuesday Weld” and Illuminati High Priestess just didn’t click in my own cosmology. Gorightly has an article in Steamshovel Press about this, but I haven’t read it. Or maybe just go to his page and check out the links he provides. There are two audio files.
Please note, I do not personally believe Tuesday Weld is an Illuminati high priestess. In fact, I don’t even believe in the “Illuminati” beyond the historical one in Bavaria. It’s their mythology we are exploring. But keep in mind that there ARE people out there who believe this, including, evidently, Jeff Turner who will take this to extremes. That’s why I have objected to groups who intentionally spread this sort of disinformation for whatever reason. Here’s a disturbing article about Turner, lifted from Gorightly’s site :
That said, Weld does come from old Boston Brahmin money , so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Weld family name pop up when looking at the structure of our ruling elites. And she was also a “child model”, so who knows what darkness may lie underneath the Illuminati cover story. Also, you might have a google about William Weld, former Republican Governor of Massachusetts who resigned to become U.S. ambassador to Mexico under Clinton. That would explain the weird “Mexican Maid” reference I recently saw on Eve’s website .
If you don’t speak Spanish, all you need to remember is that “U.S. Embassy building in the Federal District of Mexico” is often simply abbreviated “CIA.” In fact, I believe it may be the largest CIA station in the world. So, here we have our same old conundrum. On the one hand we have some references to rather elaborate and poorly sourced conspiracy theories but on the other, we dig a tiny bit and see that there may be some deeper story that is being pointed to . In fact, I’m afraid I have to say that when it comes to drug trafficking, child trafficking and prostitution and even Satanic cult type murders , we are on frighteningly factual grounds. I don’t mean to point the finger at Mexico…the point is that the U.S. is a primary “customer” in relation to all of the above.
Please note, I have zero evidence that Tuesday or William Weld have anything to do with any of that (though a U.S. ambassador to Mexico would certainly be aware of such things, especially given all the handy CIA gadgets and assets sitting in the same building) but I am suggesting that there is a real story under the bizarre “Illuminati” references.
What that ultimately means? I’m not sure.
Edit: The mystery deepens. I keep getting told that Duncan was “really into” Tuesday Weld, hence this post. Or read this L.A. Times article :
Duncan was intrigued by beautiful, thwarted women: starlets who never quite reached icon status, like Tuesday Weld, and it can’t be said that she wasn’t, to some degree, interested in suicide. She asserted that Jean Seberg was driven to suicide by the FBI. She posted photographs by Francesca Woodman, the beautiful self-portraitist who jumped out a window at 22. Hunter Thompson’s suicide note, she informed us, was titled “Football Season Is Over.” She also posted poems by Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton and Sarah Hannah, a Boston poet who took her own life this May at age 40.
Why do I find this odd? Well, try it yourself. Google this: inurl:witostaircase “tuesday weld”
Go ahead and hit “repeat search with omitted results included”. At first it might look like 7 or 8 hits, but look again. Most of them are simply the same article or another, unrelated article with a link indicating that the PREVIOUS article was about Tuesday Weld. In fact, on the whole blog, I find only TWO mentions of Tuesday Weld. And yet the above article is the second source I’ve seen point me in the Tuesday Weld direction. That is a SERIOUSLY close reading of the blog, I have to say.
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PC sales suffered a 14 percent drop in the first quarter, the largest drop for a single quarter in the 20 years that IDC has been tracking the data. Fingers immediately began pointing at Windows 8, but the new Microsoft OS isn’t to blame—at least not in the way you might think.
Traditional PC sales are down. There's no arguing that. However, it’s misguided to assume it’s the result of a failure on the part of Windows 8. Rather, it's because the definition of "PC" is evolving.
In addition, Windows 8 runs well on older hardware and was offered at a bargain price. That means there has been less incentive to buy a new PC, even for users who wanted Windows 8. Many who did purchase new hardware for Windows 8 chose a Surface Pro, another tablet, or a tablet-PC hybrid. This skews the data because analysts aren't tracking PCs and tablets as a unified market.
Don't hate Windows 8
Windows 8 is a radical shift, but it also offers the comforts of Windows 7.
Windows 8 is a dramatic shift from earlier versions of Windows. Its Modern interface was designed with touch-enabled gadgets in mind, and Windows 8 is an attempt to straddle the line between a traditional PC and a tablet. Microsoft melds the two, but in a Jekyll-Hyde, split-personality way that many users aren’t comfortable with. Plus, of course, there’s no Start button (gasp!). Yet, Windows 8's desktop mode is nearly identical to Windows 7, and you can easily simulate the Start button with a third-party add-on.
As popular opinion seems to hold, millions of people using older, slower PCs were itching to buy a new one, but decided not to because the radical new Windows 8 turned them off.
That's doubtful. If it’s time for a new PC, you're going to get one, and that's separate from the decision to upgrade your OS.
Windows 8 may be to blame for the perception that PC sales are declining, but not because people hate it. The problem lies in how PCs are sold and how the PC market is measured. In a nutshell, Windows 8 sales don't necessarily equate with PC sales.
Blame Microsoft's great deal
If new processor, graphics or networking technologies are introduced, you'll need new hardware to take advantage of them. You can upgrade your existing hardware incrementally, or buy a whole new PC that incorporates the new technology.
A new OS, however, doesn't always require new hardware. New PCs will come pre-loaded with the newest OS, but that's a fringe benefit. Most people don’t buy a whole new computer just to upgrade their OS.
It's even more true with Windows 8 than with previous versions of Windows for two reasons. First, Microsoft went to great lengths to ensure that Windows 8 runs efficiently on minimal resources. It out-performs Windows 7 and works better on weaker, legacy hardware. Unless you really want a touchscreen, there may be no compelling reason to get a new PC with Windows 8.
Second, Microsoft offered a great deal with Windows 8. New versions of Windows are usually high enough to dissuade people from buying the OS by itself, swaying people to buy a new PC instead. Why pay $150 or more for the operating system alone if you can buy a whole new PC with that pre-installed for only $100 more?
Microsoft offered Windows 8 for only $40 in its first few months. At that price, it was a much easier decision just to buy the OS—especially if new hardware wasn't required.
PC vendors have traditionally relied on a new Windows OS as a carrot to lure customers, but that's a poor incentive, and not one PC vendors should depend upon. The PC itself has to offer some compelling reason to attract customers beyond their desire for the latest OS.
Define 'personal computer'
Microsoft Is a Surface Pro a PC or a tablet?
The popular narrative follows that we’re in a "post-PC" era, in which tablets are going to kill off the PC. Ominous sales figures seem to support the theory.
However, this scenario is misleading. Tablets are personal computers, in fact, just a different size and shape than a traditional desktop or laptop PC. The tablet market can’t really kill the PC market, because tablets are the PC market.
Cue the tablet naysayers and PC purists. Despite stubborn assertions that tablets are no match for PCs, a tablet is perfectly capable of performing the functions most people use their PCs for. In many ways, the tablet is a better choice.
Then, there’s the “problem” of the Surface Pro and other Windows 8 Pro tablets. When IDC or other industry analysts consider PC sales versus tablet sales, is a Windows 8 Pro tablet a PC or a tablet? Technically it's both, but a spokesperson confirmed that in the eyes of IDC if it can be detached from and used without a keyboard, it's a tablet and is not counted in the PC sales data.
If the Surface Pro and other Windows 8 Pro tablets suddenly skyrocketed in sales, Windows 8 could dramatically increase in OS market share even as PC sales continue to plummet in relation to tablets, or what's considered the overall personal computer market.
The combination of the fact that Windows 8 was offered so cheaply and runs fine on older hardware, and the fact that many of those buying new Windows 8 PCs will opt for tablets like the Surface Pro both adversely affect PC sales as they're currently counted, but not necessarily because Windows 8 is unpopular or a bad tool. |
The Quo Vadis is a famous gaming conference and took place in the German capital Berlin from the 24th-26th April as part of the Gamesweek Berlin. And we were invited! Between various industry expert panels, indie showcases and press, we got the opportunity to move into our own VR booth to present Elemental Combat for the first time to a live audience.
The two weeks before the event were filled with intense work. Every puzzle piece like animations, sound effects and attack structures now had to be put together to a coherent game with each part working together like gears in a clock. Also we needed a tutorial for the players to learn the basic controls of the game without our direct help. Only with the help of our dev duckys (#devducky) did we remain somewhat sane in the process.
When the doors opened at the Quo Vadis and people showed up at our booth, we were so happy to see the smiles on the players faces when they tried out the game and threw fire balls around the arena. We talked with more players than we can count. We learned a lot of things about what we can do to improve the game. (With even some live-coding sessions with Thiago during the conference) We still have a long way to go, and this was just the first step of our own baby into the big world called gaming industry.
In the end, the Quo Vadis was a great event. Watching players interacting with your game is breath-taking experience and that is worth every hour worked late at night to fix the last bugs. Our next event will be the ARVR Innovate Conference in Dublin on the 11th May. If you are in the area, come by and try out the game yourself!
Your Avrlon Team |
Control of Palestinian movement has been a feature of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territory since its inception in 1967. However, over the last 14 years the draconian system of movement controls used by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory has become increasingly institutionalized and restrictive. The permit system put in place in the early 1990s which requires that all Palestinians obtain military issued permits to move between the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem or to travel abroad is now complemented by a permanent system of roadblocks, gates, checkpoints, the Wall and other obstacles to movement in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza blockade.
Taken together all of these factors contribute to forced displacement, severely limit Palestinian access to basic resources including land and water and basic services including health care and education, and perpetuate a system of segregation and legal and structural inequality between Palestinians and Israelis. Understanding how Palestinian’s freedom of movement is restricted is important to understanding the severe impact of Israel’s occupation on average Palestinians.
This paper provides background information on how Israel has restricted Palestinian movement and the impact that these restrictions have on Palestinians lives.
When did Israel first begin restricting Palestinian movement?
Control over Palestinian movement has been a feature of the conflict since 1948. Following the 1948 War Israel incorporated into its own laws the Defense (Emergency) Regulations imposed by the British Mandate Authorities in 1945.[i] These regulations were used to restrict the rights of Palestinians inside post 1948 Israel, most notably their freedom of movement which was controlled by permit requirements and curfews. In 1966 most of the restrictions imposed by Israel over Palestinian citizens of Israel under these regulations were lifted, but the regulations themselves remained in place. After the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza in 1967 the Defense (Emergency) Regulations were incorporated into the military laws used by Israel to administer the occupied Palestinian territory.
From 1967 to 1972 the occupied Palestinian territory was declared a closed military area by the Israeli military and many freedoms including the freedom of movement by residents were severely limited. In 1972 the Israeli military issued a general exit order which allowed Palestinian to enter Israel from the West Bank and Gaza during daylight hours with few limitations. During this period Palestinians could also travel with relative freedom between the West Bank and Gaza.
Some limits were imposed on the general exit permit during the first Intifada, and following the start of the first Iraq war in 1991 the general exit permit was revoked and a general closure was declared over the occupied Palestinian territory. This was when Israel started requiring that all Palestinians acquire military issued permits if they wanted to enter Israel or move between the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. This permit regime was formalized as a part of the Oslo Accords and Palestinian movement into and out of Israel and between the different parts of the occupied Palestinian territory remains restricted to those Palestinians who have received travel permits from the Israeli military.
The Oslo Accords also resulted in new limitations on movement within the occupied Palestinian territory. Under the Oslo Accords the West Bank was divided into three administrative areas (A,B, and C). Area C, which comprises 61 percent of the West Bank, is under the full control of Israel through the Civil (Military) Administration in the West Bank. Area B, 22% of the West Bank, is under the full administrative control of the Palestinian Authority but under the military control of Israel. Area A makes up 17% of the West Bank and is under full Palestinian control. Even before the start of the Second Intifada in September 2000 this division resulted in the imposition of movement restrictions between communities and between administrative areas inside the West Bank which were enforced through the imposition of mobile checkpoints.
After the start of the second intifada Israel intensified the general closure in place over the occupied Palestinian territory, more closely regulating travel by Palestinians and formalizing an internal system of movement restrictions through permanent checkpoints, roadblocks, gates, closed roads, barriers, and the Wall. This system which remains in place is addressed in more detail below.
Restrictions in place over Gaza were also further tightened in 2005 when Israel unilaterally withdrew its settlers and redeployed its troops from Gaza. Following the redeployment, Israel placed new and increased restrictions over the movement of people and goods into and out of Gaza. These restrictions were further tightened in 2006 after Hamas won the Palestinian parliamentary elections and then tightened again in 2007 when Gaza was placed under siege following the Hamas-Fatah factional split. These restrictions on movement placed over Gaza are also addressed in more detail below.
Has Israel eased movement restrictions in the West Bank over the last several years?
Israel has made travel between major Palestinian population centers (Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Hebron) in the West Bank easier over the last several years. Several major checkpoints in the West Bank that restricted direct movement between and into these cities have been removed or modified. However, in general this opening is less the result of an overall easing in movement restrictions than the result of the institutionalization of movement controls into a formal and permanent regime of restrictions that has replaced roadblocks with gates that can be opened and closed at the whim of the military and that has reconfiguring how Palestinians travel.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) the number of obstacles to movement inside the West Bank increased to 542 during 2013 from 529 in 2012. Approximately 100 of these obstacles are permanent staffed checkpoints and the others are roadblocks, gates, unmanned checkpoints, and other obstacles. Only 40 of these permanent checkpoints are a last inspection point before entry into Israel and most of these 40 checkpoints are located several kilometers inside the West Bank and not along the Green Line which is the internationally recognized demarcation line between the West Bank and Israel. Additionally, each month the Israeli military puts in place several hundred temporary checkpoints that change location from day to day and which are used to control Palestinian movement.[ii]
Most of the movement restrictions in the West Bank are put in places to specifically restrict Palestinian access to roads used by settlers or to areas near or controlled by settlements. While Palestinian movement is severely restricted, a separate system of roads that are closed to Palestinians or that bypass Palestinian communities has been set up for Settlers to ensure their unrestricted movement in the West Bank and between the West Bank and Israel.[iii] According to the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem,
“there were 67 kilometers of roads in the West Bank that Israel classified for the sole, or practically sole, use of Israelis, first and foremost of settlers. Israel also prohibits Palestinians from even crossing some of these roads with vehicles, thereby restricting their access to nearby roads that they are ostensibly not prohibited from using. In these cases, Palestinians travelers have to get out of their vehicle, cross the road on foot, and find an alternative mode of transportation on the other side.”[iv]
OCHA has also reported that in 2013 at least 55 West Bank communities which are home to more than 180,000 people remain completely isolated as a result of roadblocks, barriers, checkpoints and other movement restrictions. All of the main roads into and out of these communities remain blocked and residents wishing to leave these communities must use alternative routes that are two to five times longer than the blocked direct routes. Many of these communities are located near the Wall, near settlements, or in the Jordan Valley.[v]
How does the Wall impact Palestinian’s Freedom of Movement?
As of late 2013 just over 60% of the Wall had been built. Although Israel has said that the ostensive purpose of the Wall is to stop Palestinians from crossing into Israel, 85% of the Wall’s route runs through the West Bank as opposed to along the Green Line. When the Wall is completed 9.5% of all West Bank land will be located on the Western Side of the Wall and thus will be effectively annexed to Israel. [vi]
Included in the area cut off by the Wall are 71 illegal Israeli settlements and 33 Palestinian communities. The Palestinian communities are home to approximately 11,000 people and they are completely isolated from other areas of the West Bank. All residents of these communities over the age of 12 must obtain special residency permits from the Israeli military in order to remain in their homes. Residents can only enter and leave their communities through gates in the Wall that are controlled by the Israeli military which does not open them regularly. Because these are small and rural communities most of them do not have their own hospitals, schools, clinics, and stores and therefore rely on other nearby towns for these services. The Wall severely limits access to other towns and thus also cuts off access to these vital services.[vii]
Agricultural land belonging to more than 150 West Bank communities, which are home to approximately 200,000 people, has also been de facto annexed to Israel as a result of the construction of the Wall. In theory this land can be accessed through 73 gates that have been built along the length of the Wall. However, 70 percent of the gates in the Wall are only open for a few weeks each year during the annual olive harvest. Only 11 gates are open on a daily basis and 10 more are open on a weekly basis. Even if these gates were open more regularly access to land that has been cut off would remain restricted by permit requirements. All of the land in these areas was declared a closed military zone in 2003 and all people wishing to enter these areas (including land owners) must obtain special permits from the Israeli military. According to OCHA only 40% of requests to the military for permits to allow entry to these areas receive a positive response.[viii] The limits on access to these areas have decreased farming in these areas by over 80 percent.[ix]
Are Jerusalem residents able to move freely?
After occupying East Jerusalem in 1967 Israel annexed the city, although this annexation has not been recognized or accepted by the international community which continues to view East Jerusalem as part of the occupied Palestinian territory. Palestinian residents of Jerusalem refused to accept the annexation of Jerusalem and therefore did not take full Israeli citizenship. Instead, Palestinian Jerusalemites are considered “Permanent Residents” of Jerusalem. However, their status as residents of the city is anything but permanent.
Since 1967 over 14,000 Palestinians have had their residency rights in the city revoked.[x] According to Israeli law the residency right of Palestinian Jerusalemites can be revoked if they leave Israel for a period of 7 years, if they gain permanent residency status in another country, if they gain citizenship status in another country, if they are declared a threat to national security, or if their center of life (job, home, etc.) as defined by the Israeli government is not in the city. Students studying abroad, individuals who leave Israel to pursue work opportunities, and Jerusalemites who gain employment in the West Bank have all had their Permanent Resident status revoked. Losing Permanent Resident status means losing their right to visit or live in Jerusalem.[xi] These same restrictions do not apply to Jewish Israeli residents of Jerusalem.
In 2002 Israel also frozen the family reunification process through which Palestinian residents of the West Bank and Gaza could gain Jerusalem residency rights if they married a Palestinian from Jerusalem. The Military Order that put in place this freeze was transformed into “The Nationality and Entry into Israeli Law” in 2003. This law makes it nearly impossible for Palestinian from the occupied Palestinian territory who are the spouses of Palestinian Jerusalemites (or Palestinian-Israelis) to gain citizenship. The effect of this law is that Palestinians from Jerusalem who marry Palestinians from the West Bank or Gaza must move out of Jerusalem if they wish to live with their spouse, but if they move they risk losing their Jerusalem residency rights.
Therefore, while Palestinian residents of Jerusalem can travel more freely than Palestinians from other parts of the occupied Palestinian territory most of the time, their ability to change their place of residence and to leave Jerusalem for an extended period is severely limited.
How is movement restricted in Gaza?
The movement of both goods and people into and out of Gaza was strictly limited in 2005 when Israel unilaterally withdrew its settlers and redeployed its troops from Gaza. In that year Israel severely cut back the number of exit permits that it gave to Palestinians wishing to leave Gaza. These restrictions were strengthened in 2006 after Hamas’ victory in that year’s parliamentary elections. After Hamas won the elections Israel and the international community put in place sanctions[xii] against the Hamas run Palestinian Authority. These sanctions included limitations on imports to and exports from all of the occupied Palestinian territory.
In 2007 following the Hamas-Fatah split which saw Hamas seize control of the Gaza Strip, sanctions against the Palestinian Authority were ended in the West Bank, but strengthened in Gaza. These strengthened sanctions effectively placed a blockade over Gaza, severely limiting exports and imports and banning nearly all travel by residents of Gaza. Between 2007 and 2010, even basic necessities such as cooking gas, water filtration equipment, toilet paper, tooth paste, clothes, noodles, candy, and spices were blocked from entering Gaza. In 2010, the Israeli government announced an “easing” of the blockade and allowed for limited increases in imports such as clothing and food. However, severe restrictions on the import of many goods including the raw materials necessary for industrial production, construction materials, medical supplies, fuel, and many consumer goods were never lifted, and there was no easing on the restrictions imposed over exports from Gaza.
The movement of people into and out of Gaza is also severely restricted. Prior to the outbreak of the second Intifada approximately 26,000 people were allowed to leave Gaza each day via the Erez crossing. During the first half of 2013 only 200 people on average crossed Erez each day.[xiii] Students are denied exit to study abroad. Patients needing medical treatment not available in Gaza are delayed or blocked from reaching care. People with families in other parts of the occupied Palestinian territory are blocked from seeing their relatives. People wishing to leave to pursue work in other places are blocked from doing so. Nearly all access to the outside world for the residents of Gaza is blocked.
What is the impact of the blockade on people in Gaza?
The blockade has had a devastating impact on the Gaza population, affecting all aspects of life. According to UN OCHA[xiv], as of June 2013:
Less than 200 people per day were allowed out of Gaza via Israel in the first half of 2013.
Less than one truckload of goods per day were allowed out of Gaza during the first half of 2013.
57 percent of Gaza households are food insecure, and approximately 80 percent receive some form of food assistance.
35.5 percent of those able and willing to work are unemployed – one of the highest unemployment rates in the world.
Due to fuel shortages, there are power outages for up to 12 hours per day in most areas of Gaza.
Only 25 percent of households in Gaza receive running water every day, and then only for a few hours.
Over 90 percent of the water extracted from the Gaza aquifer is unsafe for human consumption, while needed filtration equipment cannot be imported to Gaza.
Nearly 90 million liters of untreated or partially treated sewage is dumped into the sea off of Gaza every day while equipment needed to build new or maintain existing treatment facilities are banned from entering Gaza.
It must be emphasized that, despite the terrible human suffering caused by the blockade, the situation in Gaza should not be viewed as a humanitarian crisis that can be resolved through the provision of international aid and assistance. Rather, the current situation in Gaza is a political crisis that can only be resolved through political action. All of the impacts outlined above are the direct result of Israeli actions and policies, and ending the crisis in Gaza therefore requires ending the blockade and Israel’s continued occupation of the Palestinian territory, which are at the root of the crisis.
Since the Israeli military’s redeployment of its forces outside of Gaza are there any restrictions on movement in Gaza?
Movement in Gaza is restricted in what is known as the “restricted access area”. The Gaza “restricted access area” (often referred to as the buffer zone) is an area along the Wall that has been built between Gaza and Israel. In this area Palestinians can be shot on sight by the Israeli military.[xv] The restricted access area was first created during the second Intifada when Israel began enforcing a 150-meter no-go zone along the Eastern border of Gaza. At that time Israel also began systematically demolishing homes and structures in areas near the Gaza borders in the north and south of the Gaza Strip. In May 2009, the Israeli military announced an expansion of the restricted access area in leaflets they dropped on Gaza from the air. These leaflets warned people that anyone coming within 300 meters of the border could be shot. Additional homes and structures in this area were subsequently destroyed. In addition to the official 300-meter restricted access area, Israeli forces conduct regular raids one and two kilometers into Gaza and constantly monitor all areas up to two kilometers into Gaza. The land included in the restricted access area accounts for 17 percent of the total Gaza land area and includes 35 percent of Gaza’s agricultural land.[xvi]
How are corporations complicit in helping Israel restrict Palestinians freedom of movement?
Israel’s restriction of Palestinian movement is made possible through support provided by a number of international corporations. These corporations include:
Hewlett Packard – Hewlett Packard (HP) produces the biometric ID systems used to track and control Palestinian movement. The IDs produced using HP technology are similar in nature to the passbooks produced by Polaroid during the Apartheid era and used by the Apartheid government to control the movement of Black South Africans.
All Palestinians wishing to enter Israel must apply to the Israeli military authorities for a magnetic biometric ID card. Each electronic ID card contains biometric, personal, and security information. While only a fraction of Palestinians who apply for permits actually receive them, each applicant’s information is kept and stored in a database held by the Israeli authorities. Over the years, Israel has accumulated this information into a population registry that contains information about every Palestinian in the occupied Palestinian territory over the age of 16. Biometric data is collected as part of the BASEL system, a biometric access control system, which is installed in major Israeli checkpoints in the occupied West Bank. This system is used to restrict Palestinian movement across checkpoints inside the West Bank and to grant or deny special movement privileges (see for example this UN Report).
EDS Israel, now part of HP Enterprise Services, is responsible for developing, integrating, and maintaining the BASEL system.[xvii]
Elbit Systems - Elbit Systems is directly involved in many Israeli military operations and has developed technologies specifically suited for the control and repression of the civilian Palestinian population. In addition to manufacturing weapons, Elbit and its subsidiaries Elbit Electro-Optics (El-Op) and Elbit Security Systems (Ortek) have been contracted to supply surveillance systems such as the LORROS (Long-Range Reconnaissance and Observation System) for use along the length of the Wall. Grassroots International has estimated that Elbit makes over $2 million per kilometer from the construction of the Wall. This makes Elbit one of the major profiteers from the construction of the Wall.[xviii]
What can you do?
Demand an immediate end to movement restrictions in Palestine: Although the US government is aware of the impact that Israeli imposed movement restrictions have on Palestinians, it has not taken any effective actions to demand change. Contact your government representatives and the State Department and demand that they call for change. Ask that they:
Call for the dismantling by Israel of the Wall in the West Bank in fulfillment of the International Court of Justice’s 2004 ruling which declared the Wall illegal. Demand that Israel allow Palestinians to move freely between communities inside the occupied Palestinian territory, between the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, and internationally. Call for the removal of the 549 roadblocks, checkpoints, gates, and other barriers used to restrict Palestinian movement in the West Bank.
Demand an immediate end to the siege on Gaza: U.S. government policy officially supports Israel’s continued siege on Gaza and the Isolation of Hamas. This is a situation that must end. Contact your government representatives and the State Department and demand that they call for an immediate change in U.S. government policy and support both the complete end to Israel’s siege on Gaza and engagement with Hamas. The siege is illegal and immoral and must end. Additionally, if any solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict is going to be found all political factions including Hamas must be at the table and involved in reaching an agreement. U.S. policy must change.
Join the Palestinian led BDS movement:[xix] Support or organize a BDS campaign against either of the companies listed above or other companies that support Israel’s occupation or violence in Palestine and Israel. One of the fastest growing boycott campaigns is one that targets Hewlett Packard because of the role that it plays in facilitating the restriction of Palestinian movement. The “Coalition to Stop HP”[xx] has organized a national campaign which asks both individuals and groups to boycott HP. More information about this campaign and HP can be found on the Global Exchange website.[xxi] Other campaigns in the U.S. that you can support include the Caterpillar Boycott, SodaStream Boycott, Veolia Boycott and more[xxii].
Share information with others: Raise awareness in your community about the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and about the Israeli imposed movement restrictions faced by the Palestinian population.
Learn more
The following organizations in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel address and challenge Israel’s movement restriction policies.
Al-Haq – http://www.alhaq.org
Al-Mezan - http://www.mezan.org/en/
The Civic Coaltion for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem - http://www.civiccoalition-jerusalem.org/
Palestinian Center for Human Rights - http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/
Gaza Community and Mental Health Program - http://www.gcmhp.net/en/
The Boycott National Committee – http://www.bdsmovement.net
The Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign – http://www.stopthewall.org
Anarchists Against the Wall – http://www.awalls.org
Taayush – http://www.taayush.org
B’Tselem - http://www.btselem.org/
Gisha – http://www.gisha.org/
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - http://www.ochaopt.org/
About AFSC
Since 1948, AFSC has worked in the U.S., Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territory with Palestinians, Israelis, and other committed activists to support nonviolence, challenge oppression, and (since 1970) to end Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory. This work is guided our “Principles for a Just and Lasting Peace in Palestine and Israel”[xxiii]. These principles support the implementation of international human rights and humanitarian law and call for an end to Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory, implementation of refugees’ right of return, equality, and justice for Palestinians and Israelis.
[i] http://www.btselem.org/legal_documents/emergency_regulations
[ii] http://www.btselem.org/freedom_of_movement/checkpoints_and_forbidden_roads
[iii] http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_movement_and_access_report_september_2012_english.pdf
[iv] http://www.btselem.org/freedom_of_movement/checkpoints_and_forbidden_roads
[v] http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_fragmented_lives_annual_report_2013_english_web.pdf
[vi] Ibid
[vii] http://www.btselem.org/separation_barrier
[viii] http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_the_humanitarian_monitor_2013_05_24_english.pdf
[ix] http://www.btselem.org/separation_barrier
[x] http://www.btselem.org/jerusalem/revocation_statistics
[xi] http://www.civiccoalition-jerusalem.org/system/files/palestinians_-_residence_in_their_home_final.pdf
[xii] http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/06/17/us-palestinians-funds-idUSL8196756120070617
[xiii] http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_gaza_blockade_factsheet_july_2013_english.pdf
[xiv] http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_gaza_blockade_factsheet_july_2013_english.pdf
[xv] http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_special_focus_2010_08_19_english.pdf
[xvi] http://www.mezan.org/upload/13210.pdf
[xvii] https://wedivest.org/c/57/hp#.Uq4R3eIa5pE
[xviii] http://www.globalexchange.org/economicactivism/elbit/why
[xix] https://afsc.org/story/boycott-divestment-and-sanctions-explained
[xx] http://www.globalexchange.org/economicactivism/hp/joinus
[xxi] http://www.globalexchange.org/economicactivism/campaigns/hp
[xxii] http://www.endtheoccupation.org/section.php?id=203
[xxiii]https://afsc.org/sites/afsc.civicactions.net/files/documents/AFSC%20Principles%20for%20a%20Just%20and%20Lasting%20Peace_0.pdf |
Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party is trying to get Donald Trump kicked off the state ballot. | Getty Minnesota Democrats move to kick Trump off ballot
Minnesota Democrats are taking steps to kick Donald Trump off the state's ballot, arguing that the Minnesota Republican Party improperly put Trump's name on there.
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Ken Martin filed a legal petition with the state Supreme Court looking to remove Trump from the ballot.
Story Continued Below
"The Minnesota GOP did not elect to elect alternate presidential electors at the state convention earlier this year. After being notified that they had failed to provide the names of alternative electors by the Secretary of State’s office, Republicans decided to appoint alternate electors in a closed-door meeting rather than electing them. This is violation of state law," the Minnesota DFL's statement reads.
The move follows a minor kerfuffle in August when Trump and running mate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's name were initially absent from the state ballot. The Minnesota Republican Party scrambled to provide the state secretary of state's office the necessary paperwork, and it seemed the situation was resolved when Trump's name was officially listed online.
However, Michael Brodkorb, a former deputy Minnesota Republican Party chairman, pointed out on Twitter that the Minnesota GOP's rules don't allow for such a fix, as the DFL's suit also argues.
"Last night #MNGOP 'appointed' alternate electors to fix problem - BUT this isn't allowed in #MNGOP constitution - so we have a mess," Brodkorb tweeted. |
Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings are set in fantasy worlds, so why does everybody speak with a British accent?
A lot of British people will not have heard of Game of Thrones.
This tale of family strife and royal intrigue in a fantasy world called Westeros has been a big hit on HBO in the US. Millions watched the first series, justifying the movie-like budget poured into the production.
The second series of the show, which starts on HBO on Sunday, and Sky Atlantic on Monday, is the subject of much more hype in the US than in the UK.
But while aimed at a US audience and adapted from the books of American author George RR Martin, Game of Thrones is entirely dominated by British accents.
UK accents also dominate in The Lord of the Rings and the forthcoming Hobbit films.
It contradicts the traditional stereotype of British accents cropping up mostly as bad guys and upper crust types in period drama.
"It's such an ingrained part of fantasy and science fiction that I'm a little surprised when those kind of characters don't speak in British accents," says Matt Zoller Seitz, TV critic for New York magazine and Vulture.com.
"In the fantasy realm they could have any kind of accent but British does seem to be the default."
Image caption An American-accented Gandalf might not have pleased fans
A British accent is sufficiently exotic to transport the viewer to a different reality, argues Seitz, while still being comprehensible to a global audience.
The neutral Mid-Western accent is still what counts as "normal" in the US dominated entertainment industry. A British accent provides a "splash of otherness", when set alongside it.
American viewers of Game of Thrones also get a coherent range of accents from all of the British Isles.
Where is Tolkien's Middle Earth? JRR Tolkien gave differing explanations as to the setting for his story
He described The Lord of the Rings as taking place in "the North-West of the Old World, east of the Sea"
This has been interpreted by fans as being a link to north-western Europe and Britain in particular
In the complex array of languages he created for the books, the influence of Old English, Old Norse, Gothic, Welsh and Finnish have all been identified
Those from the north of the fantasy world tend to speak mostly with either northern English or Scottish accents. In the first series, Yorkshiremen Sean Bean and Mark Addy played their parts with their own accents. There are also characters with an Irish tinge.
British audiences are used to seeing imported US shows - like House or The Wire - with British actors doing American accents.
But Game of Thrones, much of which was filmed in Northern Ireland, has only one American actor as a central character, Peter Dinklage. He does his part with a rather posh English accent.
"A New York accent wouldn't work," Dinklage, who was born in New Jersey and plays scheming Tyrion Lannister, recently explained to the Calgary Herald. "It doesn't sound right."
And if you go on the forums you see American fans' expectations have been met.
"I'm not an expert by any means, but what I find interesting is that they sound to my American ears to be not only British accents, but regional British accents," writes Independent George onthe Ice and Fire Forum.
Image caption This character is from the south so speaks with a southern English accent
"The North sounds vaguely Scottish to me, Robert sounded like he was from Northern England, I know the DVD commentary track to episode six said that the Vale was cast as predominantly Welsh (though I couldn't identify a Welsh accent if my life depended on it)."
He adds: "Hopefully one of our British readers can set me straight. For natives, it could be as jarring as watching a western where everybody's speaking Italian. Oh, wait... "
Martin, the creator of the Song of Ice And Fire series of books, was inspired a great deal by European Medieval history," says Stephen Tierney, administrator of the Game of Thrones UK fansite.
"As such his characters reflect that and if you read the books and listen to the cadence of the characters' voices you will find that they do sound more regionally British than they do American.
"Since it is a mediaeval fantasy saga with more emphasis on the characters than on witches and wizards I do think the regional British accents work very well. The show does place a lot of emphasis on a north/south divide and seeing the northern House Stark going up against the distinctly southern House Lannister provides a great contrast and helps the viewers know which side everyone is on."
It's not just fantasy that has developed a British accent default setting, even for American audiences. For ancient Greece and Rome - as seen in everything from Spartacus to HBO/BBC's Rome series - audiences again expect UK accents. One has only to cast one's mind back to Joaquin Phoenix's accent in Gladiator for a classic example.
Image caption While this character is from the north and speaks with a more northern English accent
Some have a simple explanation for the British invasion of fantasy land - Kevin Costner.
Although not strictly part of the genre, his US/British accent in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves was so jarring, and out of historical context, that it stood as a warning to all future directors. Or so the theory goes.
Martin has said English accents work best for fantasy, as the genre is rooted in the Middle Ages.
"It's full of castles and lords and swords and knights and all the other trappings that we associate with England in this country. It seems natural. It would be hard to do with a group of actors who had thick Southern accents," he has commented.
"You would think why not just film it in the states with famous American actors, especially since George RR Martin, who wrote the books originally, has been called the American Tolkien? You would think this is an American thing," says Dan Wright, producer of UK-based Game of Thrones fan show Thronecast.
"But originally the books were sourced and based around at least a working knowledge of British history, the War of the Roses and things like that, and that certainly comes out in the way the royal family is structured and that sort of thing."
But Game of Thrones is on a premium cable channel. There is still a long way to go before British actors are allowed to use their own accents on network television in mainstream roles.
Lisa De Moraes, TV critic of the Washington Post, believes the big US networks are reluctant to have characters speak with a foreign accent.
"They will make an exception with fantasy drama, or costume drama, but the need to pull in big audiences - and to have lead characters with broad appeal - means they will not allow British actors to use their natural accents."
Additional reporting by Lauren Everitt |
EternaLEnVy Profile Joined February 2009 Canada 203 Posts Last Edited: 2011-12-10 22:10:43 #1
Due to parents, I've decided to delay this till mid April. Thanks a lot everyone, but now I'll have more time to do more indepth research. However, I would like to have more input. The neat thing about this thread is that I'm getting a lot of suggestions that an computer noob like me has yet to consider.
END EDIT
Hello, I am a shut in kid from Canada who doesn't know anything but Math, Science, random shit, anime, and video games. I made this thread in order to get some help but first let me explain the situation:
My IGN is EternaLEnVy in HoN and DotA and my SC2 name is YanagiNagi. I have not played SC2 since July, and HoN since August of 2010. I played DotA for a few weeks in August of this year but haven't really played seriously since probably mid 2008. I played mid solo for DWi (Deal With It) and was rank 2 on the ladder for a few months in HoN. I won one major tournament under this team and placed fairly high in every other. I believe this team is called Complexity now. I was rank 2 in DotA Cash Tier 2 (under Aisaka_Taiga) while I was messing around for a few weeks in august but I doubt that actually matters.
OK SO ENOUGH OF THAT HERE IS THE SITUATION:
I'm a 2nd year Engineering Science Student at the University of Toronto. It's basically this extremely fucking retarded course that destroys your soul:
NEW EDIT:Due to parents, I've decided to delay this till mid April. Thanks a lot everyone, but now I'll have more time to do more indepth research. However, I would like to have more input. The neat thing about this thread is that I'm getting a lot of suggestions that an computer noob like me has yet to consider.END EDITHello, I am a shut in kid from Canada who doesn't know anything but Math, Science, random shit, anime, and video games. I made this thread in order to get some help but first let me explain the situation:My IGN is EternaLEnVy in HoN and DotA and my SC2 name is YanagiNagi. I have not played SC2 since July, and HoN since August of 2010. I played DotA for a few weeks in August of this year but haven't really played seriously since probably mid 2008. I played mid solo for DWi (Deal With It) and was rank 2 on the ladder for a few months in HoN. I won one major tournament under this team and placed fairly high in every other. I believe this team is called Complexity now. I was rank 2 in DotA Cash Tier 2 (under Aisaka_Taiga) while I was messing around for a few weeks in august but I doubt that actually matters.OK SO ENOUGH OF THAT HERE IS THE SITUATION:I'm a 2nd year Engineering Science Student at the University of Toronto. It's basically this extremely fucking retarded course that destroys your soul:
Although I'm doing decently in this program (low 80 average ish), I've decided that before starting the 2nd half of 2nd year, to go on "leave" and start playing DotA seriously. Basically I can come back to school if I fail miserably. To make money I plan on streaming (10-13 hours a day every day), coaching (not sure how this works), and winning tournaments. If I end up failing miserably in gaming I can go back to school.
HERE ARE MY CONCERNS:
1. Streaming.
Where do I stream? I was originally thinking of Justin.TV but then I heard of a site called Own3d from my friend that apparently pays better. I would appreciate it if anyone could compare these two sites for me.
My second concern in streaming is in money. On Justin.TV you get $0.002 for every ad you show a viewer, so basically $2 for every ad given 1000 viewers. Some people have further extrapolated this to 4 games/hour in SC2 and thus $8 every hour. This worries me because DotA games last much longer, probably would take 45minutes on average to find a game, pick, and play. I'm also not too sure about the math being used here, do people really only show one ad after every game? Say I show an ad after I finish a game and another b4 my 2nd game starts, would this be frowned upon? I don't watch DotA 2 streams so if anyone could tell me how it works that would be great.
2. Canada Sucks
Streaming in Canada fucking sucks. Our internet is overpriced and we don't get enough bandwidth or options. But honestly I know nothing about any of this stuff so I'm here to get input. I'm willing to pay more for better internet service but I'm stuck with Rogers for another 2 years I believe due to a contract. What internet speed do I need to play while streaming and not lag. How much bandwidth would I need to stream 12 hours per day every day for a month. And if possible, help me choose a plan that would be able to solve this issue. I also hear that you could call up rogers and make a deal with them, if anyone knows anything about this please comment.
Those two are my main concerns other than personal ones. If anyone knows anything else I should look into, please comment on that as well. I could probably do some more research of my own but its exam period and I need to make this choice before the end of the semester, so I apologize if it feels like I'm leeching too much.
Thanks for your help.
EDIT:
THE PURPOSE OF THIS THREAD IS NOT TO CONVINCE ME OF STAYING IN SCHOOL. You have no right to judge me because you know nothing about what I've considered. It is unfair to criticize someone's judgement that they took many hours considering on whim. Please don't derail the thread.
If you intend to continue anyway, please understand that I CAN GO BACK TO SCHOOL if I fail. It's only a year or two of my life. My financial issues aren't so bad that these two years would cost my life. Although I'm doing decently in this program (low 80 average ish), I've decided that before starting the 2nd half of 2nd year, to go on "leave" and start playing DotA seriously. Basically I can come back to school if I fail miserably. To make money I plan on streaming (10-13 hours a day every day), coaching (not sure how this works), and winning tournaments. If I end up failing miserably in gaming I can go back to school.HERE ARE MY CONCERNS:1. Streaming.Where do I stream? I was originally thinking of Justin.TV but then I heard of a site called Own3d from my friend that apparently pays better. I would appreciate it if anyone could compare these two sites for me.My second concern in streaming is in money. On Justin.TV you get $0.002 for every ad you show a viewer, so basically $2 for every ad given 1000 viewers. Some people have further extrapolated this to 4 games/hour in SC2 and thus $8 every hour. This worries me because DotA games last much longer, probably would take 45minutes on average to find a game, pick, and play. I'm also not too sure about the math being used here, do people really only show one ad after every game? Say I show an ad after I finish a game and another b4 my 2nd game starts, would this be frowned upon? I don't watch DotA 2 streams so if anyone could tell me how it works that would be great.2. Canada SucksStreaming in Canada fucking sucks. Our internet is overpriced and we don't get enough bandwidth or options. But honestly I know nothing about any of this stuff so I'm here to get input. I'm willing to pay more for better internet service but I'm stuck with Rogers for another 2 years I believe due to a contract. What internet speed do I need to play while streaming and not lag. How much bandwidth would I need to stream 12 hours per day every day for a month. And if possible, help me choose a plan that would be able to solve this issue. I also hear that you could call up rogers and make a deal with them, if anyone knows anything about this please comment.Those two are my main concerns other than personal ones. If anyone knows anything else I should look into, please comment on that as well. I could probably do some more research of my own but its exam period and I need to make this choice before the end of the semester, so I apologize if it feels like I'm leeching too much.Thanks for your help.EDIT:THE PURPOSE OF THIS THREAD IS NOT TO CONVINCE ME OF STAYING IN SCHOOL. You have no right to judge me because you know nothing about what I've considered. It is unfair to criticize someone's judgement that they took many hours considering on whim. Please don't derail the thread.If you intend to continue anyway, please understand that I CAN GO BACK TO SCHOOL if I fail. It's only a year or two of my life. My financial issues aren't so bad that these two years would cost my life. Progamer Hell in my head
Darkren Profile Joined February 2010 Canada 576 Posts #2 U sound like u need a psychologue and not quitting school and being stuck infront of a computer alone all day.
Reconsider what makes u happy in life and seek some help.
"Yeah, I send (hopefully) helpful PM's quite frequently. You don't have to warn/ban everything" - KadaverBB
FinestHour Profile Joined August 2010 United States 6897 Posts #3 Its possible to balance both serious gaming and school. Many people have done it thug life. MVP/ex-
Miss_Cleo Profile Joined March 2010 United States 10 Posts #4 stay in school
Kindream Profile Joined September 2011 Estonia 21 Posts #5 On December 10 2011 11:22 Darkren wrote:
U sound like u need a psychologue and not quitting school and being stuck infront of a computer alone all day.
Reconsider what makes u happy in life and seek some help.
And miss out on him, possibly, becoming a great player? The scene needs great players, there is a chance we might have one in him. Hurr-durr you should do school... hurr-durr you should be a responsible human being... where the fuck is the enjoyment of life in that. As long as you do not limit your options to only being the best / or suicide... I wish you luck in your future career, be it as a Dota player -- or an engineer. And miss out on him, possibly, becoming a great player? The scene needs great players, there is a chance we might have one in him. Hurr-durr you should do school... hurr-durr you should be a responsible human being... where the fuck is the enjoyment of life in that. As long as you do not limit your options to only being the best / or suicide... I wish you luck in your future career, be it as a Dota player -- or an engineer.
s2pid_loser Profile Joined March 2010 United States 56 Posts #6 ive played with u before in dotacash.
you're quite good
who am i to judge about ur plans so anyways
1) i'd go with justin.tv, its better and easier for viewers than own3d.
i have heard of making money off of ads by streaming but i dont know how it works (how does the money reach me, etc)
2)sorry, i dont know much about internet either, but i think you should be able to stream with good quality regardless of living in canada. Et Ducit Mundum Per Luce
EternaLEnVy Profile Joined February 2009 Canada 203 Posts #7 I have clear reasons as to why I'm doing this. I did not make this thread so that people could change my mind. I just haven't stated my reasons in order to keep the thread concise, plus its not really necessary in order to answer my concerns. I don't really think you can judge me based on what I've written here, though it does make me seem like a geek (which I am), it by no means shows that I'm unhappy.
I don't think you can judge people by your own standards. Plus, I've considered, and reconsidered many many times, this is not a spur of the moment thing I'm planning here. It's because I want to pursue what I love that I'm doing this.
I posted this topic here (not in dota websites) because I believe that many people on TL know that being a pro-gamer isn't just some thing that retarded kids pursue, that it can have a future. I really hope other people don't respond the way you did. Progamer Hell in my head
MichaelDonovan Profile Joined June 2011 United States 5 Posts #8 Dota doesn't have much of a future. At least not one that's worth throwing away yours for.
DarkPlasmaBall Profile Joined March 2010 United States 7 Posts #9 You're going to quit becoming an engineer just because someone dubbed you into the Hitler meme? My friend is an engineer and he makes 60K a year, and you're excited to make $8/ hour? McDonald's pays better.
My main problem is that you clearly don't have the passion for it. It looks like you just consider pro-gaming a regular job and nothing else. You're going to get bored and stop. You even said in your post that you played only 12 hours in one month. Now you're going to do that every day?
I don't see you prioritizing this right. Destiny is pretty much the only player who can make a living off streaming, and that's because of his personality. What makes you think you'd get more than 100 viewers? Being good =/= many viewers.
Sorry if this sounds harsh; I just want you to be realistic. You have a good thing going for you right now.
EternaLEnVy Profile Joined February 2009 Canada 203 Posts #10 On December 10 2011 11:29 s2pid_loser wrote:
ive played with u before in dotacash.
you're quite good
who am i to judge about ur plans so anyways
1) i'd go with justin.tv, its better and easier for viewers than own3d.
i have heard of making money off of ads by streaming but i dont know how it works (how does the money reach me, etc)
2)sorry, i dont know much about internet either, but i think you should be able to stream with good quality regardless of living in canada.
Thanks, can you elaborate on your first point? Thanks, can you elaborate on your first point? Progamer Hell in my head
DarkPlasmaBall Profile Joined March 2010 United States 7 Posts #11 On December 10 2011 11:27 Kindream wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 10 2011 11:22 Darkren wrote:
U sound like u need a psychologue and not quitting school and being stuck infront of a computer alone all day.
Reconsider what makes u happy in life and seek some help.
And miss out on him, possibly, becoming a great player? The scene needs great players, there is a chance we might have one in him. Hurr-durr you should do school... hurr-durr you should be a responsible human being... where the fuck is the enjoyment of life in that. As long as you do not limit your options to only being the best / or suicide... I wish you luck in your future career, be it as a Dota player -- or an engineer. And miss out on him, possibly, becoming a great player? The scene needs great players, there is a chance we might have one in him. Hurr-durr you should do school...As long as you do not limit your options to only being the best / or suicide... I wish you luck in your future career, be it as a Dota player -- or an engineer.
Yeah totally. If you're responsible, you can never have fun.
False dichotomies make me so sad. Yeah totally. If you're responsible, you can never have fun.False dichotomies make me so sad.
EternaLEnVy Profile Joined February 2009 Canada 203 Posts #12 On December 10 2011 11:34 DarkPlasmaBall wrote:
You're going to quit becoming an engineer just because someone dubbed you into the Hitler meme? My friend is an engineer and he makes 60K a year, and you're excited to make $8/ hour? McDonald's pays better.
My main problem is that you clearly don't have the passion for it. It looks like you just consider pro-gaming a regular job and nothing else. You're going to get bored and stop. You even said in your post that you played only 12 hours in one month. Now you're going to do that every day?
I don't see you prioritizing this right. Destiny is pretty much the only player who can make a living off streaming, and that's because of his personality. What makes you think you'd get more than 100 viewers? Being good =/= many viewers.
Sorry if this sounds harsh; I just want you to be realistic. You have a good thing going for you right now.
I rather not deal with these type of posts but at least you've put thought into it so I will.
Please understand that the 12 hours for a month was all I needed to get cap level, when ever there was a new level cap I played 16-20 hours a day in order to get it first, and this is while skipping high school. There's no point in playing any longer right if there's nothing to do. What makes me think I'll get more than 100 viewers is that other HoN pros have over 1k, and I was at there level before I quit. Whether my personality is fit for streaming is for me to decide.
You only think of Engineering as a profession for money. Making a lot of money is not what concerns me, as long as I can make a decent living I'll be fine.
But to be perfectly honest, I am extremely confident in my gaming if I play seriously. Everything I've accomplished in HoN and other games was while maintaining a 95 average in school. But I'm not here to show off.
I can add a lot more details into my analysis of why I want to do this (I'm an engineer right...?) but I'm not going to. Everything you said I've obviously considered, none of it strikes the eye at all. I believe that I deserve enough respect that people should not be able to judge me at least based on what I've written. I rather not deal with these type of posts but at least you've put thought into it so I will.Please understand that the 12 hours for a month was all I needed to get cap level, when ever there was a new level cap I played 16-20 hours a day in order to get it first, and this is while skipping high school. There's no point in playing any longer right if there's nothing to do. What makes me think I'll get more than 100 viewers is that other HoN pros have over 1k, and I was at there level before I quit. Whether my personality is fit for streaming is for me to decide.You only think of Engineering as a profession for money. Making a lot of money is not what concerns me, as long as I can make a decent living I'll be fine.But to be perfectly honest, I am extremely confident in my gaming if I play seriously. Everything I've accomplished in HoN and other games was while maintaining a 95 average in school. But I'm not here to show off.I can add a lot more details into my analysis of why I want to do this (I'm an engineer right...?) but I'm not going to. Everything you said I've obviously considered, none of it strikes the eye at all. I believe that I deserve enough respect that people should not be able to judge me at least based on what I've written. Progamer Hell in my head
s2pid_loser Profile Joined March 2010 United States 56 Posts #13 On December 10 2011 11:34 EternaLEnVy wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 10 2011 11:29 s2pid_loser wrote:
ive played with u before in dotacash.
you're quite good
who am i to judge about ur plans so anyways
1) i'd go with justin.tv, its better and easier for viewers than own3d.
i have heard of making money off of ads by streaming but i dont know how it works (how does the money reach me, etc)
2)sorry, i dont know much about internet either, but i think you should be able to stream with good quality regardless of living in canada.
Thanks, can you elaborate on your first point? Thanks, can you elaborate on your first point?
justin.tv allows u to choose the quality to watch so ppl can watch it at 360p or higher depending on their own internet so thats better than own3d which only has HD or non HD
also, streaming games through justin.tv allows you to use twitch.tv for better publicity justin.tv allows u to choose the quality to watch so ppl can watch it at 360p or higher depending on their own internet so thats better than own3d which only has HD or non HDalso, streaming games through justin.tv allows you to use twitch.tv for better publicity Et Ducit Mundum Per Luce
Sender Profile Joined April 2011 United States 5 Posts #14 Lol you guys shouldn't flame this guy. He was top 5 hon players in his prime....
DarkPlasmaBall Profile Joined March 2010 United States 7 Posts #15 On December 10 2011 11:42 EternaLEnVy wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 10 2011 11:34 DarkPlasmaBall wrote:
You're going to quit becoming an engineer just because someone dubbed you into the Hitler meme? My friend is an engineer and he makes 60K a year, and you're excited to make $8/ hour? McDonald's pays better.
My main problem is that you clearly don't have the passion for it. It looks like you just consider pro-gaming a regular job and nothing else. You're going to get bored and stop. You even said in your post that you played only 12 hours in one month. Now you're going to do that every day?
I don't see you prioritizing this right. Destiny is pretty much the only player who can make a living off streaming, and that's because of his personality. What makes you think you'd get more than 100 viewers? Being good =/= many viewers.
Sorry if this sounds harsh; I just want you to be realistic. You have a good thing going for you right now.
I rather not deal with these type of posts but at least you've put thought into it so I will.
Please understand that the 12 hours for a month was all I needed to get cap level, when ever there was a new level cap I played 16-20 hours a day in order to get it first, and this is while skipping high school. There's no point in playing any longer right if there's nothing to do. What makes me think I'll get more than 100 viewers is that other HoN pros have over 1k, and I was at there level before I quit. Whether my personality is fit for streaming is for me to decide.
You only think of Engineering as a profession for money. Making a lot of money is not what concerns me, as long as I can make a decent living I'll be fine.
But to be perfectly honest, I am extremely confident in my gaming if I play seriously. Everything I've accomplished in HoN and other games was while maintaining a 95 average in school. But I'm not here to show off.
I can add a lot more details into my analysis of why I want to do this (I'm an engineer right...?) but I'm not going to. Everything you said I've obviously considered, none of it strikes the eye at all. I believe that I deserve enough respect that people should not be able to judge me at least based on what I've written. I rather not deal with these type of posts but at least you've put thought into it so I will.Please understand that the 12 hours for a month was all I needed to get cap level, when ever there was a new level cap I played 16-20 hours a day in order to get it first, and this is while skipping high school. There's no point in playing any longer right if there's nothing to do. What makes me think I'll get more than 100 viewers is that other HoN pros have over 1k, and I was at there level before I quit. Whether my personality is fit for streaming is for me to decide.You only think of Engineering as a profession for money. Making a lot of money is not what concerns me, as long as I can make a decent living I'll be fine.But to be perfectly honest, I am extremely confident in my gaming if I play seriously. Everything I've accomplished in HoN and other games was while maintaining a 95 average in school. But I'm not here to show off.I can add a lot more details into my analysis of why I want to do this (I'm an engineer right...?) but I'm not going to. Everything you said I've obviously considered, none of it strikes the eye at all. I believe that I deserve enough respect that people should not be able to judge me at least based on what I've written.
Well, good luck to you then. Unfortunately, I have no information on streaming. I hope you succeed! Well, good luck to you then. Unfortunately, I have no information on streaming. I hope you succeed!
Pandepic Profile Joined February 2011 Australia 43 Posts #16 On December 10 2011 11:22 Darkren wrote:
U sound like u need a psychologue and not quitting school and being stuck infront of a computer alone all day.
Reconsider what makes u happy in life and seek some help.
Expecting everybody else in the world to value only the same things that you value is quite ridiculous, many successful people didn't finish university, and there are many people who finish university that still don't do very well after it. It also sounds like the course he is doing would make anybody extremely unhappy, so I think it's perfectly reasonable and actually quite intelligent for him to take leave from the course and try doing something that can earn him a living as well as actually make him happy about his life. Expecting everybody else in the world to value only the same things that you value is quite ridiculous, many successful people didn't finish university, and there are many people who finish university that still don't do very well after it. It also sounds like the course he is doing would make anybody extremely unhappy, so I think it's perfectly reasonable and actually quite intelligent for him to take leave from the course and try doing something that can earn him a living as well as actually make him happy about his life.
Kindream Profile Joined September 2011 Estonia 21 Posts #17 On December 10 2011 11:36 DarkPlasmaBall wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 10 2011 11:27 Kindream wrote:
On December 10 2011 11:22 Darkren wrote:
U sound like u need a psychologue and not quitting school and being stuck infront of a computer alone all day.
Reconsider what makes u happy in life and seek some help.
And miss out on him, possibly, becoming a great player? The scene needs great players, there is a chance we might have one in him. Hurr-durr you should do school... hurr-durr you should be a responsible human being... where the fuck is the enjoyment of life in that. As long as you do not limit your options to only being the best / or suicide... I wish you luck in your future career, be it as a Dota player -- or an engineer. And miss out on him, possibly, becoming a great player? The scene needs great players, there is a chance we might have one in him. Hurr-durr you should do school...As long as you do not limit your options to only being the best / or suicide... I wish you luck in your future career, be it as a Dota player -- or an engineer.
Yeah totally. If you're responsible, you can never have fun.
False dichotomies make me so sad. Yeah totally. If you're responsible, you can never have fun.False dichotomies make me so sad.
Being a clever fellow I am sure that You realised that the term "responsible" was used as a direct nod to the poster(s) before me, who all cried the same thing: you are a fool, go back to school. Aye that was the "responsible" course of action here . . . did it look as if OP was "having fun"? Being a clever fellow I am sure that You realised that the term "responsible" was used as a direct nod to the poster(s) before me, who all cried the same thing:Aye that was the "responsible" course of action here . . . did it look as if OP was "having fun"?
DarkPlasmaBall Profile Joined March 2010 United States 7 Posts #18 On December 10 2011 11:53 Kindream wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 10 2011 11:36 DarkPlasmaBall wrote:
On December 10 2011 11:27 Kindream wrote:
On December 10 2011 11:22 Darkren wrote:
U sound like u need a psychologue and not quitting school and being stuck infront of a computer alone all day.
Reconsider what makes u happy in life and seek some help.
And miss out on him, possibly, becoming a great player? The scene needs great players, there is a chance we might have one in him. Hurr-durr you should do school... hurr-durr you should be a responsible human being... where the fuck is the enjoyment of life in that. As long as you do not limit your options to only being the best / or suicide... I wish you luck in your future career, be it as a Dota player -- or an engineer. And miss out on him, possibly, becoming a great player? The scene needs great players, there is a chance we might have one in him. Hurr-durr you should do school...As long as you do not limit your options to only being the best / or suicide... I wish you luck in your future career, be it as a Dota player -- or an engineer.
Yeah totally. If you're responsible, you can never have fun.
False dichotomies make me so sad. Yeah totally. If you're responsible, you can never have fun.False dichotomies make me so sad.
Being a clever fellow I am sure that You realised that the term "responsible" was used as a direct nod to the poster(s) before me, who all cried the same thing: you are a fool, go back to school. Aye that was the "responsible" course of action here . . . did it look as if OP was "having fun"? Being a clever fellow I am sure that You realised that the term "responsible" was used as a direct nod to the poster(s) before me, who all cried the same thing:Aye that was the "responsible" course of action here . . . did it look as if OP was "having fun"?
Right because other, more responsible, options (like doing this after he completes his degree, rather than quitting school) couldn't lead to any fun in the future. It just has to be right now.
But I don't want to derail the thread any further, so I'm going to leave it alone and wish you a good night. Right because other, more responsible, options (like doing thishe completes his degree, rather than quitting school) couldn't lead to any fun in the future. It just has to beBut I don't want to derail the thread any further, so I'm going to leave it alone and wish you a good night.
r33k Profile Joined March 2009 Italy 38 Posts Last Edited: 2011-12-10 03:03:29 #19 On December 10 2011 11:45 s2pid_loser wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 10 2011 11:34 EternaLEnVy wrote:
On December 10 2011 11:29 s2pid_loser wrote:
ive played with u before in dotacash.
you're quite good
who am i to judge about ur plans so anyways
1) i'd go with justin.tv, its better and easier for viewers than own3d.
i have heard of making money off of ads by streaming but i dont know how it works (how does the money reach me, etc)
2)sorry, i dont know much about internet either, but i think you should be able to stream with good quality regardless of living in canada.
Thanks, can you elaborate on your first point? Thanks, can you elaborate on your first point?
justin.tv allows u to choose the quality to watch so ppl can watch it at 360p or higher depending on their own internet so thats better than own3d which only has HD or non HD
also, streaming games through justin.tv allows you to use twitch.tv for better publicity justin.tv allows u to choose the quality to watch so ppl can watch it at 360p or higher depending on their own internet so thats better than own3d which only has HD or non HDalso, streaming games through justin.tv allows you to use twitch.tv for better publicity
This is false. own3d has the same settings for displayed resolution as twitch.tv. Own3d.tv also pays much higher rates to its partners and is always working for both the US and EU region, unlike twitch, which is why regular non-tournament streamers have much higher viewer counts on own3d.
If you're a top dawg and you meet the twitch.tv executive guys at lans they'll buy you hookers and drugs tho. So pick your favorite between the two. This is false. own3d has the same settings for displayed resolution as twitch.tv. Own3d.tv also pays much higher rates to its partners and is always working for both the US and EU region, unlike twitch, which is why regular non-tournament streamers have much higher viewer counts on own3d.If you're a top dawg and you meet the twitch.tv executive guys at lans they'll buy you hookers and drugs tho. So pick your favorite between the two.
Markwerf Profile Joined March 2010 Netherlands 4 Posts #20 This was quite an obnoxious read.
You seem to be quite the narcistic character, confidence is one thing but having it too much is just annoying.
Also the others are right, you should never leave school for gaming unless you are already having success at that moment. It's a terrible choice to leave school with the expectation that you will do well and make enough money with streaming. If you don't like your education, go do something else or finish it and then go do something else but this entire plan is just rediculous.
This bragging about engsci is also just plain annoying
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Next Game: Auburn 3/15/2015 | 1:00 PM SEC Network + 1150 AM
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 7 Texas A&M posted an historic victory Saturday afternoon, toppling the Auburn Tigers, 10-4, for the 1,000th Aggie win at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
The win carried additional significance as it improved the Aggie record to 20-0 on the season. Texas A&M, the last undefeated Division I team in the country in 2015, is off to its best start since 1989, when the Maroon and White commenced the campaign with a 26-0 mark.
Auburn (13-6, 0-2 SEC) bookended the game with two-run frames in the first and ninth innings, but in between it was all Aggies.
Matt Kent (5-0) weaved his longest career outing and was masterful from innings two to eight when he yielded just three hits. For the day, Kent worked 8.1, allowing four runs on 10 hits while striking out seven. On the year, Kent has 33 strikeouts and only two walks in 35.2 innings of work.
The Aggies' offense was relentless on the day with 11 hits, nine walks and two hit batters. Texas A&M had six at-bats with bases loaded, going 4-for-6. Blake Allemand , Logan Taylor and Ronnie Gideon each knocked in two runs to lead the attack. Gideon went 2-for-3 with two walks, one run and two RBI. Hunter Melton went 2-for-3 with two runs, one hit-by-pitch and one walk. Taylor batted 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
Auburn used four singles two register two runs in the top of the first inning. Anfernee Grier bounced a single up the middle to start the rally. Grier was replaced at first base by Damon Haecker who was unsuccessful in getting a sacrifice bunt down. Jordan Ebert slipped a single through the right side of the infield to put two runners on before Kent fanned Dylan Smith for the second out of the inning. Kent was unable to get out of the frame unscathed as Cody Nulph and Blake Logan each laced RBI singles through the left side of the infield, staking the Tigers to a 2-0 advantage.
After missing out on chances to churn out runs in the first three innings, Texas A&M broke the scoring seal in the bottom of the fourth. Taylor drew a five-pitch walk to start the inning and moved to second on a groundout by Blake Kopetsky . Melton was hit by a pitch and Gideon was issued a base on ball to fill the bags with Ags. GR Hinsley and Allemand both poked singles through the right side of the infield, driving in a run apiece to tie the game at 2-2. Ryne Birk plated Gideon as the go-ahead run, grounding out to first base for the 3-2 lead.
Melton helped Kent get out of a sticky situation in the top of the fifth. Grier was hit by a pitch to start the frame, Haecker singled through the right side and Ebert placed a perfect bunt for a base-loading single. Kent got pinch-hitter Bo Decker to strike out swinging and then Melton pounced on a line drive by Nulph into the hole, leapt up after the snare and raced to the bag to double off Grier, ending the Auburn rally.
The Aggies cranked out another three-run frame in the fifth. With one out, Taylor threaded a single through the left side of the infield, knocking Auburn starter Rocky McCord out of the contest. JB Moss greeted reliever Izaac Yarbrough by sneaking a ball down the leftfield line for a double to put two runners in scoring position. Yarbrough was immediately lifted for Robby Clements who issued an intentional walk to Melton, bringing Gideon to the plate with saturated bases. Gideon plated two with a single through the left side and after Hinsley was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, Allemand plated Melton with a groundout to second base, and the Aggies owned a 6-2 lead.
The gap ballooned to five runs in the seventh. Moss drew a leadoff walk and moved to third when Melton chipped a single to rightfield. Moss came around to score when Gideon grounded into a 5-4-3 double play, giving A&M the 7-2 margin.
The Maroon and White put the game away with three runs in the eighth. Birk started the frame with a walk and Nau singled through the left side of the infield. Nick Banks motored down the first base line to beat the pitcher to the bag on an infield single, loading the bases. Taylor punched a single up the middle to drive in two and a sacrifice fly by JB Moss inflated the A&M cushion to 10-2.
The Tigers mounted a late rally, highlighted by a pinch-hit RBI single by Kyler Deese, which drove Kent from the contest, and an RBI single by Grier.
McCord (1-1) was saddled with the loss for Auburn. He allowed four runs on five hits and five walks while striking out two in 4.1 innings.
Auburn managed 11 hits on the day, led by Grier who went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one hit-by-pitch.
With the victory, Texas A&M secured a series win over Auburn, a team the Aggies dropped series against in each of their first two SEC campaigns.
Olsen Field was dedicated on March 21, 1978 and renovated as Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park prior to the 2012 season. The Aggies are now 1,000-324-4 all-time at the facility.
Texas A&M will don the black uniforms on Sunday as the Aggies go for their fifth weekend sweep of the season. First pitch in the series finale is slated for 1:05 pm.
TEXAS A&M BASEBALL
Head coach Rob Childress
What it means to get the 1,000th win at Olsen Field…
“It's great to be a part of the history of amazing players, all the coaches and the players, the staff members that have gone before us and to do it in the Southeastern Conference just makes it extra special.”
On figuring out ways to win…
“They just keep coming. They don't get timid, they don't get scared, and they just keep punching. Let the cards fall where they may. I was really proud of them. We finally grabbed the lead in the fourth inning and we go back out and Auburn almost grabbed the momentum back by loading the bases with no outs. Kent was able to make some big pitches to keep the momentum in our dugout and we were able to come back and hang another three on them. Then in the seventh and the eight we were able to put the game away.”
On Matt Kent 's performance…
“I thought he was fantastic. They scored two on him with four hits in the first two innings. He twirled a three hitter into the ninth inning from that point on. Auburn was really committed to going the other way with the soft stuff and he really established the fact that he was going to get the fastball to the inner half the next time through the lineup. He was really special.”
Sophomore third baseman Ronnie Gideon
On the comebacks…
“It's a great lineup to be a part of. Everybody, up and down the lineup and even guys outside of the lineup have a dedication to win. Without that, I don't think we would be able to do what we did. Every day all the time, everybody is ready to go.”
Thoughts on getting back in the lineup…
“It was great. I've been working hard to get to this. They gave me a shot and I took advantage of it. But I wouldn't have been able to do what I did without the great coaches that I have and my teammates getting on base and putting me in a situation like that.”
Junior starting pitcher Matt Kent
The outing…
“Auburn had a great approach in the early part of the game. They were really taking away the outer-half of the plate and managed to get some balls through the infield and scored a few runs. Throughout the game I was really good inside on righties and away on lefties. I just tried to keep them off balance as much as I could.”
On getting out of a jam in the fifth…
“Baseball is a funny game. It will kick you in the teeth sometimes even when you're ahead. Auburn got the bases loaded and there wasn't much we could do on some of those plays. Then, the way Hunter (Melton) got us off the field was big. It was great positioning and great heads-up awareness to know where to go after a line drive like that." |
China’s population increased by 8.09 million in 2016, according to a report released by the National Bureau of Statistics today.
The total population of mainland China now stands at 1.38 billion, the report said, with the natural population growth rate up from 0.49 percent in 2015 to 0.58 percent last year.
A total of 17.86 million children were born in the country in 2016, with 9.77 million deaths. The number of births is almost one million higher than 2015 (16.55m), possibly due to the abandonment of the country's one-child policy.
Though the imbalance in China's gender ratio fell last year, from 105.02 to 104.98, there remains 33.59 million more males than females in the country.
China's urban population now totals 792.98 million, or 57.35 percent of the nation as a whole, while the population categorised as rural fell to 589.73 million.
As an ageing country, China’s population above the age of 60 now stands at 230.86 million; 16.7 percent of the total population. |
The announcement that Pastor Maldonado will race for Lotus in 2014 was not wholly unexpected but it was greeted with universal disdain from Formula 1 fans. Maldonado will move across from Williams and join the affable Romain Grosjean in black and gold as the sport enters a new era. Maldonado is not the hopeless driver that many suggest he is, but his new partnership with Lotus is symptomatic of the deep-rooted problems facing Formula 1 at the current time. That Lotus – the fourth best team in 2013 and one that was within touching distance of beating Mercedes and Ferrari – has had to employ a driver who scored a single championship point this year does not reflect well on the sport. The typically quirky Lotus social media team decided to announce the deal with a picture of Grosjean and Maldonado colliding in GP2 three years ago…
Maldonado has raw speed – albeit he was trumped by rookie Valtteri Bottas this season – and at times he has aptly demonstrated his ability in the sport. Having stormed to the GP2 title in 2010, he joined Williams when the team produced a mediocre car. But his drive in Monaco in 2011 was sublime, while his weekend in Spain in 2012 was sensational, even if he was aided by the penalty to Lewis Hamilton. On that day in May 2012, he held Fernando Alonso at bay for 66 laps and delivered Williams their first win in eight years. There were also other good races – his performances in Spain and Abu Dhabi were mature, as he dealt with the adversity that was thrown his way. At those moments, he delivered when it mattered. Lesser drivers would not have done so.
But for all of his high points, they are indeed contrasted with a tendency to get involved in trouble. He threw away a bagful of points through silly contact in 2012 – the prime example being his impatience in Valencia - while at times his approach to racing means he causes unnecessary problems for himself. It’s highly unlikely that Lotus will be able to change his attitude, for while he is a pleasant person outside of the car, his personality appears to alter inside the cockpit. When Grosjean made errors, he was a broken man and vowed to improve himself. He did. When Maldonado makes mistakes, he never accepts the blame and therefore does not see that a different approach would assist his cause. Perhaps Monaco is the best place to analyse Maldonado’s Jekyll and Hyde racing personality: in 2005, he seriously injured a marshal during an FR3.5 race, in GP2 he was phenomenal around the principality, winning twice, while in 2011 he put in his best drive of his rookie season. Then in 2012 he made a dubious move on Sergio Pérez in practice, crashed out of the session and then blundered into an accident at the start. Nevertheless, while trading Kimi Räikkönen for Maldonado is far from the deal of the century, occasionally in 2014 – given the right equipment – the Venezuelan will pleasantly surprise his detractors. He is not a world champion in waiting, but he is a race winner and an infinitely better driver than some that have participated in the sport.
The bigger issue in hand is the money. There have been doubts about Lotus’s financial state for a few years but the signing of Maldonado is proof that not only was there not enough money to retain Räikkönen, but there was not enough to sign Nico Hülkenberg, arguably the driver that Lotus would have wanted. Effectively, Maldonado is therefore an enforced third choice. Some blame has to lie with Lotus’s marketing department, who have evidently not been as successful as hoped, despite having employed a popular world champion for the past two years. The Quantum deal is still being negotiated, so for Lotus’s sake one can only hope that there is a positive outcome for all involved. But Maldonado’s move to Lotus highlights the perilous financial state of several teams on the grid. Costs are rising unsustainably but the sport cannot get together as a unit and begin to address the issues at hand due to conflicting motives. Rumours persist that a few teams are considering mergers – Caterham and Marussia held discussions about doing so last winter – while midfield outfits such as Sauber and Force India are waiting for whichever two drivers can stump up the most cash. It’s frustrating for fans to see talented drivers miss out on top seats, but survival of the teams is the priority – hundreds of people and their families are reliant on salaries that need paying. Painting Lotus team principal Eric Boullier as the antichrist is misguided. But what this should be is another wake-up call to the sport that the current financial model as a whole is unsustainable. Formula 1 is dreaming up mandatory stops and fixed car numbers for drivers during a period of ongoing global financial problems, while the suits continue to exploit a sport that they do not understand. It is naturally a money-driven business, but until the method of short-term profit is abandoned, then the current situation will only be exacerbated.
Financial difficulties in motorsport are not a new phenomenon but the development of the sport is such that the spending has rocketed uncontrollably. The major impact for the fans is that the likes of Hülkenberg miss out on a competitive seat, while others such as Robin Frijns can’t even get a shot in Formula 1. The show will roll on, but it could be much better. When the majority are merely thankful that the fourth best team can survive for another season, only those with blinkers can ignore the negatives. Sadly for fans, blinkers are popular in Formula 1. |
Now that we are officially in the second half of the NFL season, it’s time to look at where each of the teams are headed. Much like last week’s article, I have separated the teams into four different categories: True Contenders, Playoff Bound Material, Mediocre at Best, and Dead in the Water.
True Contenders: Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings.
Philadelphia (8-1) still looks the team to beat in the entire NFL, and are the closest thing the league has to a pure, dominant squad. The Patriots (6-2) and Steelers (6-2) both benefited greatly from their bye weeks, and now are the top two seeds in the AFC playoff picture. The Saints (6-2) have now rallied off six straight wins, after starting their season 0-2. After steam-rolling through a bad Tampa Bay team, they look to be clicking on all cylinders moving into the home stretch of the season. The Los Angeles Rams (6-2) continue to roll as well, after another dominant performance this week over the Giants.
Playoff Bound Material: Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins.
Kansas City (6-3) dropped another game this week, and now will have to claw their way back into an AFC top seed. Seattle (5-3) experienced a heart-breaking loss to the Washington Redskins (4-4) after giving up the deciding touchdown in the final minute of regulation. Dallas (5-3) was able to gain another impressive victory at home versus the Chiefs, and look like Dak Prescott has this team believing in themselves again. The Buffalo Bills (5-3) dropped an inexcusable game to the NY Jets on Thursday night, but should be able to recover this week. Jacksonville (5-3) is keeping pace with Tennessee (5-3) atop of the AFC South, while Houston has dropped far in these rankings due to the tragic ACL injury to star rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson. Additionally, Carolina (6-3) is the toughest team to figure out after another key divisional win against the Falcons (4-4).
Mediocre at Best: NY Jets, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals.
The NY Jets (4-5) started out in these rankings as one of the assumed worst teams in the league, yet they have showed a lot of fight and are a tough squad to face week in and week out. Kudos to coach Todd Bowles for keeping his sqaud focused. The Dolphins (4-4) lost a close game last evening to the Raiders (4-5), with neither team looking good enough to move far in these rankings. The Ravens (4-5) have now dropped to under .500 for the season, and will need to do some “soul searching” during their bye week. Finally, the Falcons (4-4) looks just about done for the season, after “dropping” (ahem, Julio Jones) another divisional game to the Panthers. I guess that whole “Super Bowl hangover” really is a thing.
Dead in the Water: Cleveland Browns, NY Giants, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals.
The new additions to this category have a lot in common with the other basement dwellers: serious issues at the quarterback position. Deshaun Watson tore his ACL in practice, and the Texans couldn’t rally around Tom Savage to beat the Colts. That pretty much sealed their fate in my book. The Denver Broncos continue to free fall as well, losing their fourth straight game. Elsewhere, look for my early season prediction to come true as Bengals coach Marvin Lewis could very well be fired sooner rather than later.
The Bengals should have removed themselves from Marvin Lewis after the Pittsburgh playoff loss. Wasted the last two years spinning wheels. — Brian Bosarge (@DeepFriedDraft) November 5, 2017
Be sure to check back next week to see the movement in these categories, which teams should start to be taken seriously, and the others we wish would just get off our TV screens for good.
Photo Credit: CBSSports.com
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"I Want a New Duck" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of "I Want a New Drug" by Huey Lewis and the News.
The lyrics note the traits that the singer wants in his new pet duck. Reasonable traits include not messing up his house or quacking all night, while bizarre ones include being able to wash his car and rescue him from drowning if need be.
Writing and recording [ edit ]
In order to educate himself on the nature of ducks, Yankovic went to the local library and "read up on ducks for a week."[1]
Track listing [ edit ]
The following tracks are on the single:
"I Want a New Duck" – 3:01 "Cable TV" – 3:52
The promo single only contains "I Want a New Duck".
Popular culture [ edit ]
This song is heavily referenced in a Funny or Die skit featuring Huey Lewis and Yankovic, spoofing the movie American Psycho (2000). In the original movie, there is a scene in which Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) gives a critique of the Huey Lewis and the News song "Hip to Be Square" to an intoxicated Paul Allen (Jared Leto), before he brutally murders him with an axe. In the Funny or Die parody, Lewis himself plays the part of Bateman, and Yankovic plays the part of Allen; however, instead of discussing "Hip to Be Square", Lewis discusses American Psycho itself. In the end, Lewis kills Yankovic with an axe before yelling: "Try parodying one of my songs now, you stupid bastard!"[2] The song was also featured in the 1987 Disney special Down and Out with Donald Duck, set to a montage of Donald's fall from stardom.
References [ edit ]
See also [ edit ] |
VARANASI: A marriage party from Bihar had to return without a bride from Ballia after the girl refused to tie the nuptial knot as she felt that the boy was ‘mentally unsound’. The boy’s only fault was that he ate a ‘rasogullah’ made of flour from a plate full of ‘gulab jamuns’.Though the boy later counted the currency notes, given to him to prove his mental soundness, the girl remained adamant on her decision. Later, the police was called to play the role of peacemaker. In presence of the police and panchayat, both parties returned gifts and the marriage was called off.Rajkumar Bind of Maritar village in Bansdih police circle of Ballia had fixed marriage of his daughter with a boy from Chotka Rajpur village in Buxar district of Bihar. The marriage was to be solemnized on Friday night.However, the celebrations were marred by bitterness soon after ‘dwarpuja’ and other rituals. Girl’s friends offered groom Manoj Kumar a plate full of ‘kala jaam’ (sweet dish). At the centre of the plate was a sweet item resembling ‘rasogullah’ but made of flour. The groom picked up the ‘rasogullah’. His act irked the girl, who termed him ‘mentally disturbed and refused to tie the nuptial knot with him.The girl’s decision stunned all. Groom’s father Birendra Bind and other members of the marriage party tried to convince the girl but failed. A panchayat of elders was held on Saturday morning where the groom was given some currency notes to count. Though he counted the notes properly, the girl remained adamant on her decision.Later, groom’s father went to Bansdih police station to find a solution. Following a long negotiation in presence of police, both parties agreed to end the wedding. Girl’s father returned wedding gifts, including ornaments, to groom’s father. Bansdih inspector Vashistha Narayan Dubey told TOI over phone that the baraat returned without a bride after collecting their gifts given to the girl and her family members. |
Mr. Trump is also making an aggressive push to win the state. He planned to appear at least one more time with Mr. Knight, this time in Evansville, the largest city in southern Indiana. And he is deploying additional staff members here: His top aides told a small group of Indiana Republicans at the Republican National Committee meeting last week that Mr. Trump already had 20 campaign workers on the ground in the state and planned to bring in 20 more.
“I am here for three days, then coming back for three more,” Mr. Trump said Wednesday evening, before staying overnight at a Holiday Inn Express, according to a message posted hours later on Twitter. “I’m not playing games with Indiana.”
Unlike in Wisconsin, the last state where he and Mr. Cruz made such an aggressive push, Republican leaders here have yet to rally around one of the candidates. Gov. Mike Pence; his predecessor, Mitch Daniels; and Senator Dan Coats have all stayed out of the race. Some of Indiana’s establishment-aligned Republicans drifted to Mr. Kasich, but his semi-withdrawal from the state has even further complicated the situation for mainstream conservatives.
“I have no idea if I’ll vote for a presidential candidate now,” said Jim Merritt, a state senator from the Indianapolis area who had been inclined to back the Ohio governor. “I am very disappointed.”
Perhaps the most consequential question looming over the race now that Mr. Kasich has pulled back is whether his voters will support Mr. Cruz to stop Mr. Trump. It is especially pivotal in the Indianapolis area, the most voter-rich and affluent part of the state. If Mr. Cruz can make a strong showing here, it could offset Mr. Trump’s expected strength in the industrial areas of northern Indiana and the more working-class precincts of the state’s south.
“Now the question is: Is it a 3 percent movement or an 8 percent movement?” Curt Smith, an Indiana social conservative leader and political veteran, said of the possible shift in support from Mr. Kasich to Mr. Cruz.
If the energy and size of Mr. Cruz’s crowds have not quite measured up to those in some earlier states, there have been encouraging signs nonetheless. |
Harry Redknapp has met me. Years ago my neighbour at the time organised a testimonial for one of the Charlton players against West Ham and my wife’s family are rabid Hammers, so there we were in the director’s box at the Valley. Before kick-off Peter waves to me and beckons me down to the front. I’m happy to thank him but he says, “Where are the rest of you? Come and meet Harry. Harry!” he shouts, “Someone I want you to meet.” Harry strolls over, is as pleasant as can be as we exchange a few words and the photo, once pride of place in my wife’s daughter’s living room, is now shoved behind a cupboard in their loft but I’m there, hanging back and forcing a smile.
Peter Varney and I used to work for Lewisham Council – he was something in building – and we got to know each other better during the 5 week strike over, well, I forget now but it was important. Lovely bloke and a good neighbour. He used to cut the thick hedge that divided our front gardens and it was only when he moved that I realised it was on my side of the line but he never mentioned it. A lifelong and long-suffering Charlton fan, he did a bit for the supporters club and for charity. We’d be chatting over the fence and his wife would call out, “Pete, phone. Again!!!”
“Coming. Who is it”.”
“Kevin Keegan”
“Tell Kev to hang on a minute, I’m busy.”
Although he was too modest to speak about it, he must have been good because one day it was announced that Pete was the new CEO at Charlton. From humble beginnings on the picket line, he was in the boardroom and moved away. I, um, downsized.
I never took to Harry. I wanted to, for him to be the football man with a heart of gold who brought success to clubs in the right way. Fact is, my image of him has been tainted from the start as my wife’s family chronicled his dodgy wheeler-dealing that left him in pocket (allegedly) and successive clubs in a ruinous state financially. I refused to succumb to his assiduously cultivated persona of all-round good ol’ Uncle Harry. It was none of my business, until a couple of years ago anyway, but I don’t like being manipulated. Despite his generosity towards me, perhaps I was the first of those ungrateful Spurs fans he’s told to go elsewhere.
Never mind the man. My club comes first, last and always: there’s only one question, what has he done for Tottenham Hotspur? I’m genuinely and sincerely grateful for the progress we have made since Redknapp became manager. It’s not just about the league position, although I’m convinced those advertising boards that form the post-match interview backdrop flash subliminal messages saying “2 points after 8 games”, lest we forget. For me it’s also about the pleasure of watching wonderful footballers in (almost) white shirts playing scintillating flowing football. No trophies but everlasting memories. All Spurs fans are disappointed that we failed to qualify for next season’s competition but let’s just pause and say it out loud: “In 2011 Tottenham Hotspur reached the quarter finals of the Champions League.” Enjoy the sensation. One of the problems of the modern game is that we never stop to savour the feeling, it’s all about what happens next. Relish it, taste it, roll it round your tongue and chew it over, because these moments don’t come around that often. Then think back to February or March last year and tell me you believed that was possible. Be honest.
Yet our undoubted achievements this season have been tinged with regret. It’s realistic rather than greedy to say we could have done so much more. Our woeful lack of firepower up front has been the main problem – the strikers have been downright dreadful for much of the time. Coupled with regular disappearing acts from our defenders and keeper (where the hell did they go?), we failed to dispatch teams we should have beaten. Had just a few draws become wins then we would have overtaken Arsenal and secured 4th place.
Redknapp has to take some of the blame for this, yet he appears unwilling or unable to do so. Win and he basks in the glory. Lose and it’s down to the players. Harry has infamously been dismissive of the value of tactics in the past. He doesn’t really mean this of course, the very last thing he can be accused of is naivety, but he likes us to think he sends the players out to, well, just play. However, he has to take some greater responsibility for our performances, good and bad
The regular selection of Crouch encouraged the use of the long ball. Earlier in the season it went straight down the pitch, often too early, varied as time went on by the player pulling away to the far post, hence the long looping ball. When Pav played, we did the self-same thing. Whilst this brought some rewards, too often it negated the advantage gained from our skilful, clever midfield. Luka and Rafa don’t want to see the ball flying over their heads. Defenders have a fair idea of where the ball will go, therefore it’s easier to handle. Too frequently our strikers were ahead of the ball, stationary and waiting for the ball at the edge of the box. Problem is, the defenders are waiting too.
Also, and as a lover of attacking style it pains me grievously to say this, we were often too open to succeed in the Premier League. Although we developed greater resilience and an ability to hang on to possession, we lost it more easily than we should have on too many occasions and the midfield did not work hard enough to tuck in and protect a lead. It’s not about outright defence, rather, it’s about adapting to the conditions on the pitch. That’s the way it is in this league. This is tactics. This is the responsibility of the manager.
Redknapp’s great strength is that he is good with players. He takes their skills, fits them into position and asks them to do what they are good at. Find a group of players whose skills dovetail and you have a fine team. That’s why players always say they like playing for him, because he plays to their strengths. Nothing wrong with that and his loyalty to some men by giving them a run in the side has meant Bale, Dawson, Assou Ekotto and latterly Sandro have developed their full potential.
He’s more shaky when there’s a gap. He doesn’t adjust or enable the whole side to be as flexible and mobile as the best teams. For example, if Bale was out or he felt compelled to squeeze Van Der Vaart into the side we struggled because we did not have another man to step in to play the same role. Square pegs in round holes. Modric shifted to the left, unaccountably taking our finest player from his best position or Rafa wandering aimlessly from the right. Also, if he has it in for you, it’s less Uncle Harry and more evil stepfather. Bent was never played in the right way, back to goal too often when he likes it in front of him, then ridiculed and off elsewhere. What we could have done with half the goals he’s scored since he left.
Redknapp is immune from criticism and has taken umbrage recently against Spurs fans who have dared to go where the media refuse to and question his tactics, selection and status. I first commented on this a few weeks ago after the West Brom game. In an age where the media unstintingly dissect their subjects like a pathologist dragging out the innards of a corpse then examining the entrails under a microscope, his protection is a truly remarkable achievement. I can’t recall any sustained critique of his era at Tottenham from a professional pundit. Any suggestion of negativity is met with snorts of derision, not even considered but immediately and forcefully ruled out of bounds. No other manager is shielded in this way, not even Alex Ferguson. Nothing sticks.
Harry would do well to remember that we the fans were here when he came and will be here long after he’s dumped us for the England job. He can’t control us the way he looks after the media. He’s done a good job for us but should also look back to his appointment and be grateful because his record as a manager didn’t merit the role. I’m sure he’s as frustrated as we are at some of the problems, so why can’t he acknowledge that and share the pain and joy we’ve felt over the past 9 months.
Redknapp must carry on as manager. Consistency is key and the process of team building should continue. Above all, he must hang on to Modric, Van der Vaart, Sandro and Bale. Sell his grandmother and his precious Sandra if he has to, just the build the team around these gems that he did not unearth but has polished almost to perfection.
This man of the football world is still learning, even in his early sixties. He’s never been in this position before. He’s had little experience in Europe, let alone the Champions League, or at the top end of the table. Neither has he previously worked with players this good nor been in a position to buy the highest quality footballers. No more bargains or cheap but useful veterans for the short-term. Never mind the team, he has to step up in quality too, like managers with 15 or 20 years less experience in the game. I have the niggling feeling that he’s an old dog who can’t learn any new tricks and shed the underdog mid-table mentality. I desperately want him to prove me wrong.
Pouring over his individual comments has little value but over time you get a broad sense of what he’s up to. At the moment he’s gone on the defensive, talking down our ambitions and dropping hints to Levy that we need the money to buy quality this summer. It’s familiar territory, as is the rubbishing of the fans. Most of us do not have over-inflated expectations. Within our frustrations we realise both the potential of the club and the work still to be done. To fulfil that potential, Redknapp has to move out of his comfort zone in terms of the players we buy, the way we play and the manner in which he relates to the fans. He has to work hard this summer. I for one look forward to August. |
Hollywood residents awoke Sunday morning to find the iconic Hollywood sign had been altered to read "HOLLYWeeD" in an apparent New Year's Eve prank.The sign was vandalized about 3 a.m. by a male suspect who was recorded on surveillance video, said Lt. Guy Juneau of the Los Angeles Police Department's Security Services Division.Dressed in all black, the unidentified vandal scaled Mount Lee, made his way over a fence and then climbed onto each of the landmark's "O" letters, the lieutenant said. He then draped those letters with black tarps so they each appeared as a lowercase "e."The suspect remained at large hours after the incident. If arrested, he would face a misdemeanor trespassing charge, according to the LAPD.A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Division said the agency was aware of the vandalism and a unit was dispatched to Mount Lee to investigate.The LAPD also notified the city's Department of General Services, whose officers patrol Griffith Park and the area near the sign.Alvin Kim and two fellow hikers posed for a photo with the revised landmark in the background, which Kim described as "pretty cool."California voters in November approved Proposition 64, which legalized the recreational use of marijuana, beginning in 2018. |
It’s been so long in coming that many folks stopped waiting for it, but Microsoft’s(s msft) Windows Azure Infrastructure as a Service — its long-promised response to Amazon Web Services — goes live for all customers on Tuesday.
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While he did not characterize Azure IaaS as an “Amazon(s amzn) killer,” Azure GM Bill Hilf did say Microsoft will match AWS on price for any of its base-level infrastructure — storage, compute instances, etc. — continuing a price war that flared last November when AWS, Google and Microsoft traded price cuts on their respective cloud storage offerings.
And, Azure IaaS pricing will be uniform across all geographies and data centers. Microsoft runs 8 data centers worldwide, 4 in the U.S., 2 in Europe and 2 in Asia. This is a pointed response to AWS, which relies heavily on its aging-but-humongous U.S. East data center farm in Ashburn, Virg. Many AWS services debut there and prices for U.S. East services are often lower than the same services originating in other AWS regions. “Many customers architect their applications in really weird ways to take advantage of that pricing,” Hilf said. U.S east is also the epicenter for most of the AWS outages over the past year or so.
And before you write off Azure as too late to matter, consider this: For the many companies that run Windows applications and may want to move them betwixt and between a public cloud and their own Windows-centric server rooms, Azure may be a really smart choice. In the run up to this news Microsoft announced Active Directory for Azure last week.
PaaS priority hurt Azure
Microsoft’s problem is that it zigged when it probably should have zagged 3 years ago when it rolled out Azure as a full Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). It was a great idea in theory, but by then developers — especially those in startups — were already flocking to AWS and its easy-to-spin-up-and-pay-for infrastructure.
That interest started to spread to bigger, more established businesses or departments within enterprises where developers loved the idea of being able to quickly build their own sandbox on AWS without IT interference. Fair or not, the perception soon became that Azure was a development and deployment platform for old-world Windows and .Net applications. It was deep and rich, but it was attacking a moribund market.
Ironically, those old-school Windows shops could now be Azure’s saving grace. The majority of legacy enterprise applications run on Windows and many of those enterprises are evaluating cloud deployments, although not many of them are wild about moving enterprise applications to a public cloud. Hilf’s argument is that since Azure’s underpinnings mirror those of Windows Server 2012 shops, applications can run on premises or in the cloud and partially in either.
Google Compute Engine, aka the wild card cloud
For many developers, the great unknown here is what impact Google Compute Engine will have when it becomes widely available. I would bet that might happen at Google I/O next month, but who knows, Google(s goog) may want to counter program this Azure news. Plus the OpenStack Summit is this week with lots of news coming out of companies including Rackspace(s rax), IBM, HP and others — which hope to combat with AWS with OpenStack-based public clouds.
But many think that Google, by virtue of its sheer scale, will be the cloud to watch vis-a-vis Amazon Web Services.
The other issue is whether Amazon, which is by all accounts the world’s largest public cloud provider, can maintain the advantages of being first to market with its gigantic cloud and whether it can attract enterprise accounts with higher-end services like RedShift data warehousing.
AWS has rolled out hundreds of services and features since launching in 2006 — Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos put the count at 159 new features last year alone. That’s quite a head start and Amazon fans say it’s market position is unassailable.
But remember: People used to say the same about Microsoft. |
Members of the citizens' Self-Protection Police take a rest in Nueva Italia community in Michoacan State, Mexico, on Jan. 12, 2014 [AFP]
Mexico’s government urged vigilantes on Monday to quit their growing armed struggle against a drug cartel and go home, saying federal forces will handle security in their embattled western towns.
Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong made his plea after the “self-defense” forces seized another town in the troubled western state of Michoacan, gaining ground in their struggle against the Knights Templar gang.
But a vigilante leader, Estanislao Beltran, told AFP that the civilian militiamen were not ready to drop their weapons in their year-long battle in a lime and avocado growing region known as Tierra Caliente, or Hot Country.
“We can’t abandon our weapons because the moment that we do, organized crime will come after us and our families,” Beltran said from Nueva Italia, the latest town to be seized on Sunday.
Admitting that Michoacan faced a security “crisis,” Osorio Chong signed a new security pact with Governor Fausto Vallejo for federal forces to take over the responsibilities of state and local police.
“The self-defense groups are asked to return to their places of origin and resume their normal activities,” Osorio Chong said after the emergency security talks in the state capital, Morelia.
But he did not say how many forces would be used for the new effort, which comes eight months after President Enrique Pena Nieto deployed thousands of troops and federal police to Michoacan in an mission that has failed to contain the unrest.
The turmoil in Michoacan has become the biggest security crisis of Pena Nieto’s 13-month-old administation. He inherited a drug war that has claimed more than 77,000 lives in the past seven years.
The vigilantes formed almost a year ago, arguing that local police were unwilling or unable to curb the cartel’s violence and extortion rackets.
Ignoring repeated government warnings that their expansion would not be tolerated, the civilian militias seized Nueva Italia, which was considered a Templar bastion.
The vigilantes say they have now surrounded the gang’s presumed headquarters, the city of Apatzingan, which they have made their next target.
Apatzingan was a ghost town on Monday, with stores closed in the city of 123,000 people which is a vital trade hub for the region’s lime, avocado and mango exports.
The Templars and some officials have accused the self-defense forces of being a proxy force for the rival Jalisco New Generation cartel, a charge the vigilantes deny.
But analysts say the government has tacitly allowed the vigilantes to do security work for them, a risky tactic that could replicate Colombia’s experience with violent paramilitary militias.
Osorio Chong invited the vigilantes to join the regular police forces and warned authorities would “not tolerate” people using illegal weapons.
The security pact includes the creation of an academy to train local police as well as $18.7 million in funds for prevention programs to “rebuild the social fabric,” Osorio Chong said.
For his part, the state’s much-criticized governor announced that he would now regularly work from Apatzingan and other towns of Tierra Caliente.
In Nueva Italia, vigilantes armed with assault rifles manned checkpoints to protect the town from any cartel counter-attack after they seized the town in a shootout that wounded two militiamen on Sunday.
“We can’t give up our weapons when they (the authorities) have not even captured one of the (cartel) leaders,” said Beltran, the vigilante leader.
Soldiers were nowhere to be seen around Nueva Italia on Monday but many stores reopened in the town of 32,000 people.
Jorge Vazquez, another leader of a vigilante group that controls the town of Aguililla, said the Templars had abandoned Nueva Italia but could fight back.
He said it was unclear when “the war will start, when they will begin to fight”.
“It looks like they have merely retreated to the mountain and they have not used the firepower that they possess,” he said.
[Image via Agence France-Presse] |
Art museum in Nuevo Polanco, Mexico City
The Museo Soumaya is a private museum in Mexico City and a non-profit cultural institution with two museum buildings in Mexico City - Plaza Carso and Plaza Loreto. It has over 66,000 works from 30 centuries of art including sculptures from Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica, 19th- and 20th-century Mexican art and an extensive repertoire of works by European old masters and masters of modern western art such as Auguste Rodin, Salvador Dalí, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and Tintoretto. It is considered one of the most complete collections of its kind.[2][3] The museum is named after Soumaya Domit, who died in 1999, and was the wife of the founder of the museum Carlos Slim.[4] The museum received an attendance of 1,095,000 in 2013, making it the most visited art museum in Mexico and the 56th in the world that year.[1] In October 2015, the museum welcomed its five millionth visitor.[5]
Collection [ edit ]
The Julián and Linda Slim gallery, Plaza Carso building, where much of the Rodin and Dali collection is displayed
The Museo Soumaya has a collection of over 66,000 pieces of art. The majority of the art consists of European works from the 15th to the 20th centuries. It also holds Mexican art, religious relics, and historical documents and coins.[6] The museum contains the world's largest collection of pre-Hispanic and colonial era coins.[4]
The museum holds the largest collection of casts of sculptures by Auguste Rodin outside France, and the world's largest private collection of his art.[7] Slim owns a total of 380 casts and works of art by Rodin. His late wife, whom he credits with teaching him much of what he knows about art, was an admirer of Rodin's work.[4] In addition to Rodin, some notable European artists whose work is displayed include Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, the circle of Leonardo da Vinci, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Joan Miró, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, El Greco, Camille Claudel, and Tintoretto.[6] The most valuable work of art in the collection is believed to be a version of Madonna of the Yarnwinder by a member of the circle of Leonardo da Vinci. Another version of the same painting has been valued at over £30 Million.[4]
Several Mexican artists are also featured, including Diego Rivera and Rufino Tamayo.[7] The director of the museum has claimed that the total worth of the art it holds is over $700 million.[4]
The museum's director, Alfonso Miranda, has described its approach as "not a copy of the Occident; what we have is a whole new version of things."[6] The museum notably includes some types of European art that have not been permanently displayed in Latin America in the past. The museum collection includes many of the most well known European artists from the 15th to 20th centuries, in particular a large collection of sculptures by Rodin and Salvador Dali.
Carlos Slim bought a large number of sculptures by Rodin in the 1980s and the value of many of these pieces has soared since. With a collection of over 100 Rodin works, some critics have claimed that Slim "...is more of a bargain hunter than an aesthete".[6]
Building [ edit ]
Detail of the building's external tiles.
The original building of the Museo Soumaya, opened in 1994, is in the Plaza Loreto of San Ángel in the southern part of Mexico City. The new building in Plaza Carso in the Nuevo Polanco district was designed by the Mexican architect Fernando Romero and opened in 2011. The building is named after Lebanese-Mexican Soumaya Domit Gemayel who is the late wife of Lebanese-Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helo. Her relatives are also the important political family Gemayel in Lebanon and is a cousin of the former President's Bashir and Amine Gemayel.
Plaza Loreto [ edit ]
Built near the Magdalena river the museum's first building is on what was part of the encomienda of the conquistador Hernán Cortés in the 15th century. His son Martín Cortés installed a wheat watermill on the site which in the 19th century was converted to a paper mill. In 1905 a fire broke out in the facility and as a result, on 13 October 1905, its then owners sold to Alberto Lenz. In 1906 Lenz converted the mill to a factory named Fábrica de Papel de Loreto y Peña Pobre after which the current plaza is named.[8]
In the 1980s, another fire destroyed most of the facilities and operations were transferred to the state of Tlaxcala. This led to the Grupo Carso undertaking an urban conversion of the ruins to turn it into what is now the site of the museum - officially founded in 1994.[9] In 1996 the museum received heritage recognition from ICOMOS. The museum building featured four distinct rooms each of which had a specific theme: European & Mexican landscape; The age of Rodin; Mexican calendars; temporary exhibitions.[9] In 2014, on the occasion of its 19th anniversary, it hosted the exhibition European Landscapes, showing 50 works by Pierre-Antoine Demachy, Klaes Molenaer and Joost Carhelisz. 24 of these were new acquisitions.[10]
Plaza Carso [ edit ]
Plaza Carso
In 2011 the main collection moved to a new 16,000-square-metre (170,000 sq ft) building, constructed in the north of the city in Plaza Carso.[11]
Construction [ edit ]
The building is a 46-metre (151 ft) high six-story building covered by 16,000 hexagonal aluminum tiles.[6][7] The aluminium used in the project was supplied by a company that is also owned by Carlos Slim. The new building was designed by the Mexican architect Fernando Romero, who is married to a daughter of Carlos Slim,[6][11] engineered with Ove Arup and Frank Gehry.[12] and cost $70 million to build. The museum has a narrow entrance that opens into a large white gallery.[6] The top floor of the building is opened so that it is illuminated by sunlight during the daytime. In addition to the art galleries, the new building contains a library, restaurant, and a 350-seat auditorium.[11]
The new Museo Soumaya building under construction in September 2010.
Slim and Romero discussed the design of the building extensively, even going over details of the planned construction during family gatherings. Before being selected as project architect Romero had won several international architecture awards.[6][7] Each of the six floors of the museum are distinctly shaped.[6] The weight of the building is held by an exoskeleton of 28 vertical curved steel columns and seven beams encircling the structure built by a Slim-owned company that manufactures offshore oil rigs.[13] In addition, the roof is kept stable through its suspension from a cantilever.[11] The floors are made of high quality marble that was imported from Greece.[4]
The new location of the Museo Soumaya was officially inaugurated on February 28, 2011 that culminated in a ceremonial ribbon cutting. Notable guests that participated in the ribbon cutting included Felipe Calderón, Gabriel García Márquez, Evelyn Robert de Rothschild, and Larry King. The new building opened to the public on March 28, 2011. Admission to the museum is now free of charge and the operating costs are covered by Slim's fortune, which was the world's largest at the time the new location opened.[6]
The museum is located in a large mixed-use development, Plaza Carso in Nuevo Polanco. This project was also built by Carlos Slim and features many of his companies, as well as a luxury hotel and several apartment buildings. The entire development cost almost $800 million to build.[6][7]
Rooms [ edit ]
panoramic photograph of the entrance floor in Museo Soumaya.
Critical reception [ edit ]
Mexican president Felipe Calderón praised the museum as a place where "Mexicans can learn about the great masters of all time".[6] Slim himself described the museum as his attempt to increase the "humanistic capital" of Mexico City.[6] He has noted that since many Mexicans cannot afford to travel to Europe to view art collections there, it was important to house a prestigious collection of European art in Mexico itself. Some commentators, including Larry King, have predicted that the museum will cause an increase in the number of tourists from the United States who visit Mexico City.[7]
Headlines such as "Carlos Slim's Xanadu?: Reactions to the World's Richest Man's Overweening New Museo Soumaya", "Emperor's New Museum", and "Photos: World's Richest Man Opens World's Flashiest Museum" reflect criticisms of Carlos Slim as a business man, the quality of the work exhibited, and the quality of the building.[14]
Gallery [ edit ]
15th to 16th century [ edit ]
From Ancient Mexico to Modern [ edit ]
From Impressionism to the Avant-garde [ edit ] |
A provincial appeal board that looks into the firing of teachers has found the Edmonton Public School Board "did not act fairly" when they suspended and then fired Lynden Dorval, who broke school policy by giving zeros to his students.
"Sometimes standing up for something has an effect. It actually works," Dorval said Friday. "It was just something that was the right thing to do."
Dorval, a physics teacher at Ross Sheppard High School, was suspended in May 2012 for awarding zeros for work that wasn’t handed in or tests not taken, which went against the school’s policy.
Four months later, Dorval received a notice that he had been fired. He appealed the dismissal to the Board of Reference, which found earlier this month that he "was treated unfairly in his dismissal."
"This board finds no evidence of deliberate misconduct by the teacher, and certainly no evidence of deliberate repeated misconduct," the decision states.
The board ordered a full repayment of pay from the date of dismissal as well as a top-up of his pension.
Dorval is now retired, so the board did not order that he be reinstated.
The board also found Dorval’s original suspension in May was not justified and that he "was not permitted full opportunity" to respond to the allegations.
"The basis for the suspension appeared to be that the principal viewed any form of dissent as insubordination which was not to be tolerated, despite repeated efforts by teachers to explain why the directive interfered with their professional judgment and could result in illegitimate outcomes," the decision reads.
Edmonton Public School Board spokeswoman Lisa Austin said the ruling was disappointing and that the board would appeal.
She says the board made the decision after getting an opinion from outside legal counsel.
"They informed us that there was several grounds upon which we could appeal the decision," she said.
The school board has 30 days to file the appeal. |
Historian James Holland tells the story of the battle for the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta, one of the most vicious and violent episodes of the Second World War.
Historian James Holland presents a fresh analysis of the World War Two battle for the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta.
The Battle for Malta is one of the most vicious and violent episodes of the Second World War. The tiny Mediterranean island is smaller than the Isle of Wight, yet between 1940 and 1942 more bombs fell on Malta than fell on Britain during the entire Blitz. As Axis forces threw all they had at the island, those on Malta were forced to endure a sustained attack from the air and a rapidly deteriorating condition on the ground. Beyond any form of austerity that we might understand, little Malta was close to starving. The struggle of the Maltese people against oppression was recognised personally by King George VI, who awarded the George Cross to the entire island. Yet the Siege of Malta is only half of the story.
In this documentary, Holland argues that the real importance of Malta's position was its offensive role, which has been largely undervalued.
Caught in the crosshairs of a massive struggle between Britain and Germany to control the shipping waters of the Mediterranean, by 1942 Malta had become the most bombed place on Earth. Whilst the level of brutal attacks may seem out of all proportion to the islands size it actually only serves to underline its importance - for Malta held the key to the entire war in the Mediterranean and North Africa. |
In the last few years, water ice and salts capable of melting this ice and producing liquid saline water (brine) have been detected on Mars. Moreover, indirect evidence for brine has been found in multiple areas of the planet. Here, we simulate full diurnal cycles of temperature and atmospheric water vapor content at the Phoenix landing site for the first time and show experimentally that, in spite of the low Mars-like chamber temperature, brine forms minutes after the ground temperature exceeds the eutectic temperature of salts in contact with water ice. Moreover, we show that the brine stays liquid for most of the diurnal cycle when enough water ice is available to compensate for evaporation. This is predicted to occur seasonally in areas of the polar region where the temperature exceeds the eutectic value and frost or snow is deposited on saline soils, or where water ice and salts coexist in the shallow subsurface. This is important because the existence of liquid water is a key requirement for habitability. Key Words: Mars—Ice—Perchlorates—Brine—Water—Raman spectroscopy. Astrobiology 16, 937–948.
1. Introduction
The discovery of water ice and perchlorates at the surface and in the shallow subsurface of Mars is interesting because they could produce liquid saline water (brine) under Mars' present-day environmental conditions. Water ice was discovered in the shallow subsurface of polar and midlatitude regions (Boynton et al., 2002; Feldman et al., 2002; Mitrofanov et al., 2002; Byrne et al., 2009; Smith et al., 2009). Salts capable of melting this ice at Mars' present-day environmental conditions and producing brine were discovered in the polar and equatorial regions (Hecht et al., 2009; Glavin et al., 2013; Ming et al., 2014), suggesting that they are distributed globally. Evidence for salt hydrates and brine has been found in regions ranging from polar to equatorial latitudes (Rennó et al., 2009; Cull et al., 2010a; McEwen et al., 2011; Martín-Torres et al., 2015; Ojha et al., 2015), in spite of the martian air (Lewis et al., 1999) and top regolith (Meslin et al., 2013) being extremely dry and bulk deliquescence (brine formation by absorption of water vapor only) at Mars' low temperatures being too slow to explain the observed phenomena (Fischer et al., 2014).
We studied experimentally the formation and the persistence of brine throughout the diurnal cycle at the Phoenix landing site using Raman scattering spectroscopy and imaging. A previous study suggests that brine formation from water ice is the most likely mechanism to produce liquid water within the diurnal cycle (Fischer et al., 2014). We focus on the formation of brine by the contact of either surface or subsurface water ice with Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 because this salt is likely present at the Phoenix landing site (Hecht et al., 2009; Kounaves et al., 2014) and at Gale Crater (Glavin et al., 2013), suggesting that it is ubiquitous on Mars (Kounaves et al., 2014). Furthermore, the eutectic temperature of Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 is extremely low (T E ∼ 199 K) (Marion et al., 2010), and it changes phases at similar environmental conditions as a salt mixture closely matching the individual cation/anion concentrations found in the regolith of the Phoenix landing site on Mars' polar region (Nuding et al., 2015). Finally, we focus on Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 because liquid solutions of other perchlorate salts have already been studied in detail (Chevrier et al., 2009). It is likely that perchlorates have been deposited at the Phoenix landing site by atmospheric processes and concentrated into patches at the surface and in the shallow subsurface by freeze-thaw cycles (Rennó et al., 2009; Cull et al., 2014). Our study focuses on the simplest process, the interaction of salts with water ice. This is the first step for the full understanding of brine formation on Mars. In the future, we plan to study the formation of brine by the interaction of saline soils with water ice.
Results of four comprehensive laboratory experiments are discussed in this article. The first three experiments were designed to investigate the formation of bulk brine on the surface of Mars' polar region, such as in the material exposed in a shallow trench (Dodo-Goldilocks) excavated by the Phoenix robotic arm on Sols 18–19 of the mission (Smith et al., 2009). The fourth experiment investigates the evolution of Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 salt subjected to a lower-amplitude diurnal temperature cycle like that expected on the struts of the Phoenix lander where surface/shallow-subsurface material was splashed and formed spheroids (Rennó et al., 2009).
The Michigan Mars Environmental Chamber (MMEC) (Fischer et al., 2014) is used to simulate the environmental conditions throughout the full diurnal cycle of each experiment reported in this article. Sol 19 of the Phoenix mission is chosen as the baseline because ice was unveiled at a depth of ∼5 cm and removed with little effort around this sol (Smith et al., 2009), suggesting that it was likely frozen brine (Rennó et al., 2009; Cull et al., 2010a), which is much softer than freshwater ice.
2. Experimental Setup
All experiments reported in this study were conducted in the MMEC, a cylindrical chamber with internal diameter of 64 cm and length of 160 cm. The MMEC is capable of simulating temperatures ranging from 145 to 500 K, CO 2 pressures ranging from 10 to 105 Pa, and the entire range of relative humidity at the Phoenix landing site (Fischer et al., 2014).
The first experiment was designed to study the formation of brine when salt is placed in contact with water ice, as it occurs when frost or snow are deposited on salty soil crusts. Distilled water was placed in a 0.3 cm3 cylindrical sample holder at laboratory ambient conditions, and the temperature of the sample holder was lowered to ∼190 K, about 9 K below the eutectic temperature of Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 , to freeze the sample. Then, a thin (<2 mm) layer of salt crystals with typical particle diameters <300 μm was placed on the top of the ice. Particles of this size can move easily, accumulate in low topographical features, and then be buried because they are the most easily transported by saltation (Kok and Rennó, 2009). In addition, layers of salt this thin were used because this thickness is within the penetration depth of the laser; thus the onset of the formation of brine anywhere in the sample can be detected. Our results are not sensitive to particle size because melting starts in the interface between salt crystals and ice, and Raman spectroscopy is capable of detecting its onset on the surfaces of the salt crystals. Next, the chamber pressure was reduced to 800 Pa, the chamber's Earth air atmosphere was replaced by dry CO 2 , and then the sample temperature and the frost point temperature (of the MMEC's atmosphere) were continuously adjusted to follow those of the martian diurnal cycle starting at midnight.
The ground temperature and frost point temperature at the Phoenix landing site on Sol 19 (Fig. 1) were obtained by a combination of numerical modeling and measurements (see the Supplementary Material for details, available online at www.liebertonline.com/ast). The experimentally (MMEC) simulated ground temperature (red crosses) closely matches values inferred from the Phoenix measurements (black curve), while the frost point temperature simulated by the MMEC (blue crosses) is higher than the values estimated (gray line) between 05:15 and 16:00 LTST (hereafter time always refers to local true solar time, LTST). This difference is caused by the fact that water ice and brine are significant sources of water vapor. Indeed, evaporation increases the frost point temperature as soon as brine forms. However, since the air around salt crystals in contact with the ice is always close to the saturation value, this difference does not affect our results significantly (Fischer et al., 2014). In particular, frost points simulated experimentally and modeled numerically start to diverge at 05:15, about 45 min after the first visual evidence for the formation of brine (details in Section 3). At that time, the flow of water vapor into the chamber was stopped, while the flow of dry CO 2 was increased to mitigate the increase in frost point temperature. Still, evaporation from the brine and sublimation from the remaining water ice continued to increase the frost point until ∼08:00.
FIG. 1. Environmental conditions on Sol 19, when “soft ice” was unveiled by the Phoenix robotic arm in the Dodo-Goldilocks trench. The black and gray lines represent values from numerical simulations of the ground temperature and frost point of the surrounding air at the Phoenix landing site, while red and blue crosses represent the temperature and frost point measured inside the MMEC. The ground temperature first exceeds the Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 eutectic value (199 K) at 04:32, about 5 min before the first visual evidence for the formation of brine in the MMEC. Detailed calculations of the environmental conditions on this sol are provided in the Supplementary Material.
To investigate the sensitivity of the results of this first experiment to the initial conditions (e.g., sample state, local time), two additional experiments were conducted. In particular, the second experiment started with liquid brine, while the third experiment started with frozen brine. In the second experiment, Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 was mixed with distilled water at ambient conditions until the salt had been completely dissolved (the salt amount and sample characteristics were similar to those in the first experiment). The resulting solution was placed in the sample holder, the chamber pressure was adjusted to 800 Pa, and the chamber air was replaced by CO 2 . Then, the temperature of the sample holder and the MMEC frost point temperature were adjusted continuously to follow those of the martian diurnal cycle between 13:45 and 06:30 shown in Fig. 2.
FIG. 2. As in Fig. 1, but for the second experiment. To ensure similar sample conditions as in the first experiment, the second experiment started with brine at the beginning of crust formation at 13:45. The experiment ended at 06:30 of the next sol, about 2 h after the sample temperature exceeded the eutectic value.
The third and fourth experiments started with frozen brine as the initial condition. In the third experiment, brine was produced as in the second experiment. Then, the temperature of the solution was lowered rapidly to values <150 K to freeze the brine and mitigate evaporation. Then, the chamber pressure was adjusted to 800 Pa, and the chamber air was replaced by CO 2 . The temperature was kept below 150 K for at least 3.5 h to ensure freezing of the sample. Then, the simulation of the diurnal cycle started, following the temperature and frost point values shown in Fig. 3. In the fourth experiment, the MMEC atmosphere was kept saturated by the MMEC control system throughout the experiment to simulate the humidity above the ground ice exposed underneath the Phoenix lander. In this experiment, the temperature of the sample was forced to follow that corresponding to the diurnal cycle on the strut shown in Fig. 4.
FIG. 3. As in Fig. 1, but starting with a mix of water ice and calcium perchlorate at 04:00. Similar to the first experiment, the MMEC closely simulates the temperature in the trench (red crosses), but it overshoots the frost point temperature values inferred from the Phoenix measurements between 06:00 and 15:00 (blue crosses).
FIG. 4. Sol 19 temperature at 0.5 m above the ground (the height of place on the Phoenix strut where spheroids were observed) at the Phoenix landing site. The black curve represents the diurnal evolution of the temperature (0.5 m above the surface), while red crosses represent the temperature experimentally simulated in the MMEC. The frost point temperature was not simulated in this experiment. The diurnal temperature cycle at 0.5 m height has lower amplitude than at the ground, with higher minimum and lower maximum temperatures. This causes the brine to stay liquid for most of the diurnal cycle.
In all experiments, the temperature of the sample holder was adjusted in 1 K increments to force it to follow the martian diurnal cycle. The sample temperature, the chamber pressure, and the chamber frost point temperature were recorded at 1 Hz. Raman spectra of the sample and color images were acquired every 10 min. Gaussian decomposition of each spectrum was conducted during the entire diurnal cycles to search for changes in the phase of the samples. The wavenumber and full width half maximum (FWHM) of various spectral peaks are used to determine the phase of the samples by comparing them with reference values for crystalline perchlorate (salt), water ice, and liquid water (Zhang and Chan, 2003; Fischer et al., 2014).
Since our study focuses on the formation of bulk quantities of brine, images in the visible range of the spectrum (color images) are used as supporting evidence for the detection of the liquid phase. This is necessary because when brine starts to form the sample is heterogeneous, containing brine, crystalline salt, and water ice. Thus, spectral features of one particular component of the mixture might dominate the Raman spectrum because the diameter of the sample holder (∼10 mm) is larger than that of the laser beam (∼3 mm) of the Raman spectrometer.
3. Results
3.1. First experiment: diurnal cycle of salt deposited on ice at martian polar surface conditions
In the first experiment, the Gaussian decomposition of the Raman spectra taken at 00:10 (Figs. 5 and 6), when the temperature is below the eutectic value (Fig. 1), contains spectral peaks that indicate the presence of crystalline Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 hydrates and water ice (Table 1). At 05:15, the spectral peaks of crystalline Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 hydrates are still present, but the signal from water ice is stronger than at 00:10, with the 3068 cm−1 spectral peak of ice appearing and the other spectral peaks of ice intensifying (Fig. 5 and Table 1). At this time, spectral peaks indicating the presence of liquid water are not observed, even though the first visual evidence (color image) for the formation of brine occurs at 04:37, about 5 min after the temperature exceeds the eutectic value for Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 (Fig. 1). This occurs because, when ice starts to melt, Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 hydrates absorb meltwater (Fig. 7b) and become more translucent, increasing the signal of the ice below the salt. The heterogeneity of the sample in combination with the fixed position of the Raman laser may also lead to slight variations in the time when the liquid water peaks start to appear. At 08:00, the decomposition of the spectrum indicates the presence of brine; in particular, the 3578 cm−1 spectral peak (Table 1) indicates the presence of brine unambiguously, which is consistent with the shift in the perchlorate peak from 954 to 936 cm−1 (Gough et al., 2011) (Fig. 6). The 3129 cm−1 peak at 08:00 indicates that ice (Table 1) is also present. No signal of crystalline Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 hydrates exists at this time, which is consistent with the lack of salt crystals in the image of the sample (Fig. 7c). By 11:00, all water ice peaks have disappeared, and the entire sample is liquid (Fig. 7d). As the temperature rises, water evaporation increases the concentration of the solution. At 13:45, a thin salt crust formed on the top of the sample, indicating that the brine solution became at least partially salt-saturated (Fig. 7e). The Gaussian decomposition of the spectrum taken at this time contains only the spectral peaks indicative of brine because the signal from the thin crust is insignificant. As the experiment progresses, evaporation continues and the salt crust thickens. The Gaussian decomposition of the spectrum taken at 23:55, when the temperature is already below the eutectic value (Fig. 1), indicates the presence of a salt crust and frozen brine below it (Table 1). At this time, the sample was composed almost entirely of crystalline salt hydrates because most of the bulk water originally in the sample had been lost by sublimation and evaporation (Fig. 7f). Any remaining solution below was saturated.
FIG. 5. Raman spectra in the O-H stretching band throughout the full diurnal cycle shown in Fig. 1 (first experiment). The wavenumber and FWHM of the Gaussian components of each spectrum are shown in Table 1. The appearance of the broad peak at 3578 cm−1 in the spectrum taken at 08:00 clearly indicates the presence of liquid solution.
FIG. 6. As in Fig. 5, but for the perchlorate vibration band. In the spectrum taken at 08:00, the ∼954 cm−1 peak of crystalline Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 ·4H 2 O shifted toward ∼936 cm−1, consistent with the presence of liquid solution. After the sample dries out at the end of the experiment, this peak does not shift back, indicating that it is not an unambiguous indicator for the presence of liquid brine.
FIG. 7. Images of the sample color-coded according to the spectra shown in Figs. 5 and 6. (a) Salt on top of ice at the start of the experiment at 00:10 when the temperature is below the eutectic value. (b) Evidence for brine at 05:15, shortly after the eutectic temperature is exceeded. (c) Salt has completely dissolved, but water ice is still present at 08:00. (d) Only brine is present at 11:00. (e) Evidence for the presence of a salt crust at 13:45. The salt crust can be distinguished from the liquid by its different reflective properties. (f) Mainly crystalline salt hydrates with frozen brine below it at end of the diurnal cycle at 23:55.
Table 1. Gaussian Components of the O-H Stretching Band of the Reference Raman Spectra of Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 ·4H 2 O, Water Ice, and Liquid Water (Left) (Zhang and Chan,2003; Fischer et al., 2014), As Well As of the Raman Spectra Shown inFigure 5(Right)
3.2. Second experiment: effect of a subsequent diurnal cycle
To investigate the sensitivity of the results of the experiments to initial conditions (sample state) and to investigate what happens in successive diurnal cycles, a second experiment was performed starting with brine at 13:45 (Fig. 2), the time that the salt crust started to form in the first experiment, and ending on the next sol at 06:30. As explained next, evaporation of the initial brine during the afternoon hours caused the sample to dry substantially and to become mostly crystalline salt hydrates by midnight. The Raman spectrum of the O-H region (Fig. 8) shows this change by the transformation of the smooth curve representing salt-saturated brine at 13:45 to the narrow peaks indicating the presence of crystalline salt by midnight (Table 2). The perchlorate peak of the spectrum does not change considerably throughout this transformation (Fig. 9), indicating that the O-H spectrum is a better indicator for phase changes of the sample. Continued cooling of the sample below the eutectic temperature in this second experiment resulted in whitish solid material (Figs. 10b–10d), similar to the material found by the Phoenix lander in a shallow trench (Rennó et al., 2009; Cull et al., 2010a). Brine was not detected when the temperature exceeded the eutectic value on the next sol (Table 2; Figs. 10e–10f), indicating that the sample had extremely low water content.
FIG. 8. Raman spectra in the O-H stretching band throughout the partial diurnal cycle shown in Fig. 2 (second experiment). Gaussian components of each spectrum are shown in Table 2. A change from the smooth curve representing salt-saturated brine (black) to the narrow peaks indicating crystalline salt is observed.
FIG. 9. As in Fig. 8, but for the perchlorate vibration band. This experiment starts with brine and ends with hydrated calcium perchlorate. The perchlorate peak remains at 936 cm−1 during the entire experiment.
FIG. 10. Images of the sample color-coded according to spectra shown in Figs. 8 and 9. (a) Evaporation of water causes a salt crust to start to form at 13:45. (b) Mainly crystalline perchlorate hydrates at the end of the diurnal cycle at 23:55. (c) The frozen brine starts to become white at 02:05. (d) Whitish frozen brine at 03:25, similar to the material found in the Dodo-Goldilocks trench. (e) The sample becomes translucent again after the eutectic temperature is exceeded at 04:25 and the remaining ice partially melts. (f) Wet calcium perchlorate hydrates at 06:40, with no evidence for brine. The fact that brine is not observed even 2 h after the eutectic temperature has been exceeded indicates that the sample lacks bulk water (frozen brine at 03:25 is whitish because it is nearly salt-saturated and therefore lacks bulk water).
Table 2. As inTable 1, but for the Second Experiment
3.3. Third experiment: diurnal cycle of initially frozen brine at martian polar surface conditions
To further analyze the impact of the initial state of the sample on the results, a third experiment starting with frozen brine instead of salt on top of ice (first experiment) or brine (second experiment) was conducted. This experiment covered the portion of the Sol 19 diurnal cycle between 04:00 and 15:30 (Fig. 3). This third experiment with frozen brine as the initial sample might be indicative of the evolution of the material unveiled at the Dodo-Goldilocks trench, while the first experiment with salt on top of ice as the initial sample represents the evolution of a soil salt crust covered by snow (Whiteway et al., 2009) or frost (Smith et al., 2009). The evolution of the sample throughout diurnal cycles is similar in the first and third experiments (Fig. 11 and Table 3). However, a significant difference between them is that, at the beginning of the third experiment, when the temperature was still below the eutectic value and brine (liquid) was not present in the sample, the perchlorate peak is now located at 936 cm−1, suggesting a different hydration state (Fig. 12). Consequently, in this case, the perchlorate peak in the Raman spectrum at 936 cm−1 is the result of the presence of only crystalline salt hydrates, indicating that this peak is an ambiguous indicator of the presence of brine. Throughout the diurnal cycle, the sample underwent similar changes as those observed in the first experiment: the frozen brine melted when the eutectic temperature was exceeded, and evaporation of water from the brine produced a salt crust on the top of the sample (Fig. 13). However, both brine and the salt crust formed about 45 min later in the third experiment than in the first.
FIG. 11. Raman spectra in the O-H stretching band throughout the partial diurnal cycle shown in Fig. 3 (third experiment). Gaussian components of each spectrum are shown in Table 3.
FIG. 12. As in Fig. 11, but for the perchlorate vibration band. The perchlorate peak at 936 cm−1 is at a similar location for both, the mix of water ice and salt (frozen brine) (black curve) and brine (green and cyan curves), indicating that it is not an unambiguous indicator of brine.
FIG. 13. Images of the sample color-coded according to the spectra shown in Figs. 11 and 12. (a) Frozen mix of water ice and perchlorate salt at 04:00 at 195 K after preparing the sample at 150 K. The darker color compared to the whitish frozen brine in the second experiment shown in Fig. 10d is likely due to a larger water content in the frozen mix, consistent with the observation of brine later in the diurnal cycle when the eutectic temperature is exceeded. (b) Brine forms at 05:30, after the temperature exceeds the eutectic value. (c) Brine on top of frozen brine at 07:00. (d) Brine only at 11:45. (e) Start of crust formation at 14:30.
Table 3. As inTable 1, but for the Third Experiment
3.4. Fourth experiment: diurnal cycle of initially frozen brine at the environmental conditions of the Phoenix strut
A fourth experiment was conducted to simulate the full Sol 19 diurnal cycle on the Phoenix strut at about 0.5 m above the ground (Figs. 14–16 and Table 4), where spheroids were observed. This fourth experiment started at midnight (Fig. 4) with frozen brine that we hypothesize to be representative of the material splashed on the Phoenix lander strut during landing. The decomposition of the Raman spectrum of frozen brine at 12:15 (Fig. 14), when the temperature was still below the eutectic point, indicates the presence of ice and salt peaks (Table 4). Similar to the peak observed in the third experiment and shown in Fig. 12, the perchlorate peak for the frozen brine is at 936 cm−1 (Fig. 15). The first visual evidence of melting occurs at 01:35 (Fig. 16b), 5 min after the eutectic temperature is exceeded. However, changes in the Raman spectrum appear only after ∼04:30, when the ice peak at ∼3120 cm−1 starts to disappear as shown in Fig. 14. This might be the result of a lower rate of temperature increase (Fig. 4) in this experiment than in the previous experiments (Fig. 2). The ice peaks are completely gone by 12:35, with only the liquid water peaks remaining. The spectrum does not change from 17:15 until the end of the experiment (Table 4), with the sample remaining liquid until midnight, despite the sample temperature being below the eutectic value during the last ∼30 min of the experiment (Fig. 4). Brine persisted longer than in the previous experiments because the temperature at the strut at 0.5 m above the surface was below the eutectic value for only ∼3 h, compared to ∼7 h at the ground (Fig. 1). In addition, the lower maximum temperature reduced loss of water by evaporation.
FIG. 14. Raman spectra in the O-H stretching band throughout the diurnal cycle shown in Fig. 4 (fourth experiment). Gaussian components of each spectrum are shown in Table 4.
FIG. 15. As in Fig. 14, but for the perchlorate vibration band. The perchlorate peak is at 936 cm−1 for both, the mix of water ice and salt and brine, similar to the peak shown in Fig. 12.
FIG. 16. Images of the sample (a–e) and of a spheroid of the same composition (f–j), similar to those observed on the Phoenix strut, color-coded to represent the times when the Raman spectra were taken (Figs. 14 and 15). (a) Frozen mix of water ice and perchlorate salt at 01:15. Translucent areas in the sample compared to the completely whitish frozen brine in Fig. 10d are likely because of the larger water content of the frozen mix. (b) Onset of liquefaction at 01:35 after the temperature exceeds the eutectic value. (c) Brine and ice at 04:25, with the Raman signal indicating only the presence of ice (Table 4). (d–e) Only brine remains between 12:35 and 17:15. (f) Frozen spheroid at 01:15. (g) No clear sign of melting is observed at 01:35, after the eutectic temperature is exceeded. (h) Melting of the spheroid is indicated by bubble formation and movement. (i) Crust formation on the spheroid at 12:35. This indicates higher evaporation on the spheroid than on the sample holder likely because of the spheroid's larger surface-area-to-volume ratio. (j) Dry spheroid at 17:15.
Table 4. As inTable 1, but for the Fourth Experiment
4. Discussion
Our results show that, when water ice is in contact with Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 salt, either unmixed or as in a frozen brine, (liquid) brine forms within a few minutes in the unmixed case and within ∼45 min in the case of frozen brine of the eutectic temperature being exceeded. Then, as the temperature increases during the diurnal cycle, evaporation increases the concentration of the solution, causing a salt crust to form on the top of the sample. Due to the limited penetration depth of the Raman laser, the exact time when a liquid phase ceases to exist in the sample cannot be measured unambiguously. Taking the first experiment as an example, this occurs because the position of the liquid water peak at 3555 cm−1 does not change abruptly between 13:45 and the end of the experiment (Fig. 5; Table 1). Electrical conductivity or permittivity measurements may be able to determine the exact time that brine forms (Zandonadi et al., 2015; Heinz et al., 2016). As evaporation thickens the salt crust, the 3555 cm−1 spectral peak indicating the presence of liquid water transitions smoothly into nearby peaks at 3543 and 3546 cm−1 indicating the presence of crystalline Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 hydrates. However, our results suggest that, while the temperature was above the eutectic value for about 17 h on Sol 19 (Fig. 1), brine could have formed and persisted in the Dodo-Goldilocks trench as long as enough water ice was present to compensate for evaporation. Our analysis also indicated that brine formed at about 04:37 (i.e., minutes after the ground temperature exceeded the eutectic value) and froze at about 22:20 (when the ground temperature decreased below the eutectic value).
Results of experiments with a soil-salt-ice mixture indicate that the presence of a soil causes a delay in brine formation. Results of these experiments will be the subject of a future article because of the added complexity to the observed Raman spectra.
Brine formation could also occur between polar and midlatitude regions, where frost and snow are seasonally deposited on saline soils (Whiteway et al., 2009; Martínez et al., 2012); water ice is seasonally present in the shallow subsurface (Cull et al., 2010b); and temperatures exceed the eutectic value during a significant fraction of the sol (from minutes to hours depending on the location and time of the year) (Möhlmann, 2011; Fischer et al., 2014; Nuding et al., 2014). Therefore, our results suggest that brine could form in the martian polar region on seasonal timescales and persist for as long as the temperature remains above the eutectic value during diurnal cycles because the melting of water ice could compensate for evaporation.
Water ice is unlikely to be present in the shallow subsurface of midlatitudes and equatorial regions because it is not thermodynamically stable in these places (Mitrofanov et al., 2002; Schorghofer and Aharonson, 2005). However, frozen brine could be stable in the shallow subsurface of midlatitude regions, and brine could form temporally if the temperature exceeds the eutectic value. In addition, thin layers of frost are possible on polar-facing slopes of those regions throughout the day (Vincendon et al., 2010), as well as on flat terrains at night (Wall, 1981; Möhlmann, 2008). Under these conditions, frost in contact with Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 salt could produce brine, but only in the short time interval during which the ground temperature is above the eutectic value and the frost has not completely sublimated away.
Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 salt was detected at the Mars Science Laboratory landing site at Gale Crater (Glavin et al., 2013), where evidence for nighttime formation of frost a few tenths of a micrometer thick (Martínez et al., 2015; Savijärvi et al., 2015) has been reported. However, frost can form at Gale only between 04:00 and 06:00, when the ground temperature is below the eutectic point. This thin layer of frost would have likely sublimated away by ∼07:00, when the ground temperature first exceeds the eutectic value on the sols when frost is predicted (Martínez et al., 2015). In addition, the solubility of Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 salts in ice of a thickness of a few tenths of a micrometer is not known. This indicates that brine is unlikely to form at the surface of Gale Crater.
5. Conclusion
The Phoenix lander discovered water ice (Smith et al., 2009) and salts such as Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 with a eutectic temperature lower than the maximum diurnal ground temperature at its landing site (Hecht et al., 2009). In addition, Phoenix found indirect evidence for frozen brine in a shallow trench excavated by the Phoenix robotic arm on Sols 18–19 (Rennó et al., 2009; Cull et al., 2010a). Here, we show that, at Phoenix landing site environmental conditions, brine forms minutes after the eutectic temperature is exceeded and stays liquid for ∼18 h while the temperature is above the eutectic value if enough water ice is present to compensate for some of the water loss by evaporation. Furthermore, our experiments' results indicate that the spheroids observed on a strut of the Phoenix lander early in the mission might have remained liquid for most of the diurnal cycle (∼22 h) if the melting of frozen brine splashed during the landing formed them. Thus, the martian polar region may temporarily have one of the essential ingredients to be a habitat for microorganisms that thrive in brine (Boetius and Joye, 2009).
Acknowledgments
Funding for this project was provided by the NASA Astrobiology Program: Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology Award #09-EXOB09-0050. Our experimental data are available upon request.
Disclosure Statement
No competing financial interests exist. |
Share. Not a penny of Zenny. Not a penny of Zenny.
Capcom has announced two updates for Street Fighter V coming next week, bringing bug fixes, the Fight Shop, Challenge mode, the game's first DLC character, Alex and free costumes for players. However real-money transactions are still not ready, meaning all players will get Alex on a free trial until they're implemented.
The in-game fight shop should include Capcom's real-money currency, Zenny, but that feature has not yet been implemented. As this would have meant that Alex would only be available to those with enough earned Fight Money or a Season Pass, Capcom will give the DLC character to all players as a free trial until Zenny is implemented.
Any cosmetic items bought for Alex during this time will remain on players' accounts. Any further DLC characters that emerge before Zenny is implemented will also be free trials.
Exit Theatre Mode
Below is a full list of changes and additions:
March 28
Challenge Mode (Tutorials for all levels of players, and combo trials for all characters)
Online Rematch options (2 out of 3 sets in Ranked and Casual matches)
Battle Lounge improvements (8 person lobbies and match spectating)
General bug fixes and balancing
March 30
DLC character, Alex (with story content)
In-Game Fight shop where you can purchase additional game content such as characters and costumes using your Fight Money
Season Pass owners will be the only players who can access premium costumes for DLC characters until Zenny is implemented. Capcom also announced a new, free stage for Season Pass owners, but did not specify when that would be released, or what it might be.
Finally Capcom is giving all players the Ryu and Chun-Li story mode costumes - worth 80,000 Fight Money - on March 30, as an apology for the game's continued troubles.
Regarding calls for Capcom to introduce punishments for rage-quitters, there's still no definitive answer. The statement reads: "support for other pressing issues like rage quitters are in the works and we hope to have more information to share soon."
In our review, we said that Street Fighter V was a "first-rate competitive fighting game, but disappointingly thin".
Joe Skrebels is IGN's UK News Editor and he's punched a car before. Follow him on Twitter. |
Obama administration efforts to train laid-off coal miners and their spouses for the “jobs of the future” are turning out to be somewhat of a double-edged sword.
A new report by the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank found some coal miners have successfully gotten jobs in other industries, but the report also hints that those re-employed miners are making way less than before.
The Cleveland Fed reported an electrical lineman program at Hazard Community and Technical College had successfully retrained 124 laid-off miners by fall 2015. That program had a job placement rate of 90 percent, but it had a couple drawbacks.
“Many graduates travel outside the region for work during the week and return on the weekends. Demand for the electrical lineman program is high (there is a two-semester waiting list) because students exiting the program earn, on average, $20 per hour,” the Cleveland Fed reported.
A $20 an hour wage comes out to a $41,600 annual salary. That’s a little over half the average $72,000 a year salary of Kentucky coal miners.
The U.S. Labor Department has spent $14 million to the Hiring Our Miners Everyday, or HOME, program in Eastern Kentucky where thousands of coal miners have lost their jobs, in part, due to increasing federal energy regulations.
It’s part of President Barack Obama’s plan to revitalize dying coal communities. Obama promised $35 million to help “communities and workers successfully adapt to changes in the coal industry and power sector.” Obama administration regulations have been blamed for many of the job losses across Kentucky and the rest of coal country.
Kentucky has been one of the hardest hit areas by the downturn in coal mining, losing 1,500 jobs in the first three months of 2016. That’s a 17 percent decline in coal employment.
Kentucky lost 5,188 coal jobs during from 2008 to 2013 — a 31 percent reduction in the state’s coal mine workforce.
So far the HOME program has “enrolled more than 3,000 laid-off coal miners and their spouses,” and 1,449 of them have gotten program support while undergoing retraining.
“More than 1,100 have obtained new employment, while 90 participated in internships through the HOME program,” the Cleveland Fed reported. “Feedback from employers who are hiring workers who have been through the HOME program has been positive, too; EKCEP staff have heard ‘universally rave reviews about coal industry workers.’”
Miners who have underwent jobs programs in Colorado also had to take jobs that paid less than the coal industry.
Colorado’s Labor Department recently gave a company $400,000 to retrain coal workers for solar industry jobs. The program is called Solar Ready Colorado, and it aims to “to train unemployed miners, veterans and workers in the oil and gas industry,” the Colorado Springs Gazette reported.
But again, the program is a double-edged sword. Some miners will likely find work, but they will have to take a huge pay cut.
Stuart Sanderson, president of the Colorado Mining Association, told the Gazette the “average mining job in Colorado paid $91,000 in 2015.” That’s compared to the up to $25 an hour, or $50,000, a year solar panel installers get paid.
Solar Energy International, which gets government grants to train solar workers, told The Denver Post in 2015 that installers get a “living wage” that ranges from $15 to $25 an hour — between $31,200 and $52,000 a year.
“It’s not the same as what you’re making in the coal mines, but there’s good opportunity for growth and other benefits,” SEI Executive Director Kathy Swartz told the Post. “And it’s a good job. Solar jobs aren’t going anywhere.”
Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton plans to vastly expand green energy job training programs. She’s pledged $30 billion to coal country for economic revitalization and job training.
“But we can’t ignore the impact this transition is already having on mining communities, or the threat it poses to the healthcare and retirement security of coalfield workers and their families,” according to Clinton’s plan.
“This is particularly true in Appalachia, where production has been declining for decades, but impacts are beginning to be felt in the Illinois Basin and Western coalfields as well,” according to the plan.
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These Pokémon has been designed and drawn by me, please do not use without my permission, thank you.
(See? This time I have a good title)Anyways, I wanted to remake my chestnut-based Fakemon, so I did just that. Enjoy!-LV.30->-LV.45->***Welcome to today's lecture about the wonderful creatures of this world known as Pokémon! My name is Professor L0kiice, and today we are going to look at the evolutionary family of the Shelled Pokémon, Chinquell!Chinquell are born without eyes and are thus, unsurprisingly, completely blind. And much like the more violent dragon Deino, these Pokémon use their mouths to compensate for their lack of eyesight. However, unlike randomly biting things, Chinquell utilizes a more delicate manner of finding their way around. With their tongues protuding out of their mouths, Chinquells find their way around by their delicate sense of taste, thus they are excellent for tracking things, assuming that they know the special "taste" of what they are supposed to be tracking first. But since they lack limbs, a Chinquell in the wild never travels far from its birthplace before evolution. Because of their inability to move very well, they are quite often sitting ducks, something that makes their fully evolved form, Dracastan, one of the more protective parents of the Pokémon world.As Chinquell evolves and becomes Castemisa, they gain a set of eyes as well as legs. And even though they have a new sense to fully explore, Castemisas still use their tongues more than their eyes. Having legs gives you the benefit of being able to wander pretty much everywhere you like as well as to get away from attackers. But seeing as Castemisas have to carry around a heavy shell, they aren't going to outrun many things. That is what said shell is actually for, protection. With sharp spikes on both sides of its body, Castemisa is one tough nut that no-one in their right mind would attempt to crack, at least not with their mouth.But what does Chinquell and the other's of its evolutionary family eat? It depends, as the Pokémon reaches its higher stages of evolution, its food-intake becomes more varied. Since Chinquell mainly stays in its nest, it is usually fed by its mother or father, who usually brings home the game of the day that they have hunted. As Chinquell becomes Castemisa, it gets a bit more experimental, searching for different things which it likes the taste of. This can range from any kind of vegetables/fruits to most types of meat. Though Castemisa's diet usually consists of plants as they lack arms and are much too clumsy to really hunt properly. But ones it evolves for the final time into Dracastan, hoo boy.Dracastan is a firece Pokémon that despite its hard exterior has a very soft core. It is extremely caring and protective of those they care about and they are known to often treat their trainers as they would treat their own children. This has led to the common saying of "Papa or Mama Dracastan" to describe protective parents. Dracastan eats almost everything it can get its claws on. While mainly using its giant claws to pile-drive most prey into submission, it is also precise when it comes to attacking with its tongue. But since it can be quite hard to hold something when your forelegs are massive claws, Dracastan's legs work as a replacement. The feet of this Dragon-type are shaped very much like hands, and when they are not carrying the Pokémon forward, are exactly used as that.I hope that this has been an informative lesson on some of the wonderful creatures of this world that we call Pokémon; I'll see you next time!*** |
Houzz, the fast-growing home-remodeling site, today announced that it has raised a $165 million Series D round led by Sequoia Capital, one of its early backers. Existing investors Oren Zeev, New Enterprise Associates, GGV Capital and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers also participated in this massive round, as well as new investors DST Global and T. Rowe Price.
As Houzz co-founder and CEO Adi Tatarko told me earlier this week, the plan is to use this new injection of funding to accelerate the company’s global expansion plans. Houzz, which launched in 2009, already has already opened offices in Berlin, London and — most recently — Sydney. “Houzz is really meant to be a global platform,” Tatarko told me. More than a third of the company’s now 25 million monthly unique users already come from outside the U.S., she told me.
As part of today’s news, the company also announced the beta launch of its newest revenue channel, the Houzz Marketplace, which will allow users to directly buy some of the products they see when they browse the site. The service currently features over one million products from a large variety of sellers. As Tatarko told me, many businesses actually came to the company to participate in this — and some of them didn’t even have an online presence before this.
“But most importantly, we did this because our users really wanted this,” she noted. “They wanted to be able to complete everything on Houzz.” This is a marketplace, so while Houzz handles the payment in the background, fulfillment and customer service are handled by the sellers.
In addition, the company is also using this moment to announce its redesign, which already started rolling out to some users over the last few days. The idea here is to simplify the experience and create a better flow between the three parts of the site: inspiration, finding pros and the marketplace. The redesign also features improved search with better filters, as well as new ways for its users — and especially professionals — to personalize their profiles.
As for the funding round, Tatarko noted that she sees it as a huge vote of confidence in the company. “They saw that Houzz became the ultimate leader in its industry in the U.S. and wanted to support our initiative to bring it to the rest of the world, too,” she said.
Sequoia partner and Houzz board member Alfred Lin echoed this sentiment. “It’s rare for a company to be able to achieve this level of hyper-growth and establish such a substantial business with three different revenue streams,” he said. “We’re thrilled to invest again and to continue to help the team disrupt a massive global industry.”
The company didn’t disclose its valuation, but according to documents that disclosed at least some of this round earlier this year, the company was raising at a post-money valuation of over $2.3 billion. |
“I depart, but the State shall always remain” - King Louis XIV on his deathbed
King Louis XIV de Bourbon,following in the political footsteps of Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin, is strengthening the power of the monarchy to the detriment of the feudal aristocracy.
The Thirty Years’ War’s end – won over an exhausted Holy Roman Empire – has not brought a stable peace. Spain is still acting aggressively against France’s interests and many German and Dutch princedoms are starting to fear France’s unmatched military power.
But despite all the enemies he is facing, internal and external, Louis XIV is strongly inclined to make the Kingdom of France the Arbiter of Europe. Like a Sun determining the orbits of the other minor celestial bodies around it.
Le Grand Siècle- the "Great Century” – has begun!
Pike and Shot: Campaigns has been updated! This new version is dedicated to the great military modernization of the French Army - with which the Roi Soleil desired to sustain his absolutism – the matching military advances of the other European powers, as well as several other great improvements!
More specifically :
Added “Le Roi Soleil” skirmish module, covering European armies from 1649 to 1698. This adds 37 new army lists and many new unit types to the game.
Added these new army lists to the Pike and Shot Campaign to allow it to cover any European conflict from 1494 to 1698.
Added new Late Pike and Shot models for Austrian units in Great Turkish War campaign.
Used new models for Royalist Edgehill mostly-pike and mostly-musket units.
Descriptions added to MP scenarios.
Campaigns: Significantly increased chance of defending army fighting either open battle or defending field fortifications rather than retreating when province is invaded. If they fight an open battle against a superior invading force there is a chance they will engage the invader before all his troops have arrived.
Campaigns: Improved auto resolution algorithm for defensive (field fortification) battles.
Campaigns: Corrected bug in reporting of supply limits for provinces with enemy armies in them. Now correctly reports supply limit that will apply for player armies when the enemy field army has been driven from the province.
Corrected sound effect for Szeklers and Lancer Banners shooting.
Corrected troop description of Veteran Late Pike & Shot and LG.
You can download the update from here
Get more information about Pike and Shot: Campaigns from its official Product Page |
The month of August is upon us and a wealth of activities in Jávea are ready to be enjoyed. We can pretty much guarantee sunshine and above 30degrees every day, but that shouldnt stop you from leaving the beaches of Jávea if only for a few nights and participate in some of the exciting things to do in Javea in August.
Activities on the Javea Beaches
August is the perfect month to spend some time on the excellent beaches of Jávea.
The Cinema On The Beach, Cine Vora La Mar, is showing a new film every Tuesday evening of August. All films start at 22.00 (10pm) at the outdoor beach cinema located right on the Arenal Beach.
The films at the beach cinema in August are: John Carter (7th of August), Jack & Jill (14th of August), Puss In Boots (21th of August) and Real Steel (28th of August). The films are dubbed into Spanish with English subtitles, but its still a wondrous experience to sit on the beach and enjoying the action on the big screen as the Mediterranean lands gently waves on the beach.
On August 12th the monthly Serendipity Fun Day on the beach is happening from 5pm. Its a free social event right on the arenal beach, which features a picnic style meet up for all ages to chat, make new friends and enjoy a few snacks. Couples, singles and families of all ages welcome for an afternoon of hanging out with new friends, playing chess or bridge in the sand, volleyball, football or having a little swim in the sea. For more information about the Serendipity Fun Days contact Amanda O´Shea on Facebook or call Serendipity Holistic Services on 646 816 625.
Javea Jazz Festival – XII Festival Internacional Javea Jazz
The Costa Blanca beach resort Jávea hosts an International Jazz festival by the Mediterranean featuring upcoming stars on the jazz scene.
The Javea Jazz Festival 2012 line up: Omer Avital Quintet (4th of August), Richard Galliano Tangaria Quartet (5th of August) and Andrea Motis & Joan Chamorro Group (6th of August).
All concerts starts at 22.30 (10.30pm) in Plaza De La Constitucion in Jávea old town. Entry is 15euros per concert or 40euros for all 3.
Read all about the Javea Jazz Festival here.
A New Formula Champion? Fiesta 03730 – Go Kart competition
The Javea go cart track – Carting Javea – hosts the prestigous annual Go Kart Championship on August 13th from 8pm.
Minimum of 2 heats per driver (max 8 drivers per heat) of 12 laps each heat (2 stroke racing karts). Plus grand final for top 6 drivers in upgraded super racing karts. Medals for top 3 racers. Trophy for overall winner. The price for the karting is 40€ per person which guarantees every driver at least 2 heats of 12 laps (24 total), finalists all receive the extra final laps included in the price (normal price at the track is 50€ for 2 heats or 85€ 2 heats plus the final laps in the upgraded karts!).
After the celebrations of the new Jávea carting champion theres live music by the Jools Cooper ‘Pink Floyd Show’ live from 10pm in the new American Diner at the course
There is a maximum of 16 drivers so strictly 1st come 1st serve basis (once paid you have confirmed your place). Contact John Migan on Facebook to secure your seat in the race!
Javea Old Town – Open By Night
On Wednesday 8th of August the Xábia old town will come to life after dark with an Open By Night event seeing all shops and restaurants open till well past midnight.
The Open By Night in Jávea old town features music in the streets by Bunpada batukada, an exhibition of classic motorbikes and a special tapas tour through town for those fancying some traditional Spanish cuisine to complement the shopping and entertainment.
Javea Fiestas in August
Famous for its fiestas, of course August features a few opportunities for partying the Spanish way in Jávea.
On 11th and 12th of August the Portitxol Fiesta is happening. Its one of the smaller local fiestas of Javea and will probably mainly have your interest if youre spending your holiday in Spain looking exploring the culture more in depth than most tourists do. The fiesta features a parada, traditional dancing, community dinners and live music. You can see the program and more info on the facebook page Festes Del Portitxol (yes, its in Valenciano).
The port fiesta is a more grand celebration spanning 2 weeks. As the name suggests it is centered round the port of Javea with daily activities including the bulls to the sea, bous al mar, fireworks, parades, a variety of sporting events and much more.
Activities For Kids in Jávea
Plenty of activities for kids are running through the month of August.
The Rob Jone Summer Football Camp will be busy practicing, playing and having fun. The Benitatxell Summer Activity Club has a full menu of all-day activities for the kids from drama to sports. A Junior Fishing Competition is happening on the Jávea Port as part of the port fiesta on August 25th from 10am.
You can read more about the Activities For Kids in Jávea here
Live Music in Javea in August
On the music scene several live events are happening in August, not least in Javea old town, that not only hosts the international jazz festival but classical concerts, music in the streets and smaller gigs too.
In the beach bars, the lovely chirinquitos between the port and the arenal beach, you can have your feet almost in the Mediterranean sea whilst being entertained by live performers. Mintt for instance has the Duo Vacilin playing cuban and latin music, whilst DJ Marcelo takes the crowd back to the 80s every Thursday from 7pm.
The Spanish supergroup Hot Legs are playing live at La Hacienda on Montgo, the road out towards Cabo De San Antoni, on Saturday 4th of August in the Cactus club. The tickets are 10euros in advance or 12euros at the door, but hurry up – last years Hot Legs concert sold out.
In addition several of the Arenal Bars and Restaurants such as Kandhala, An Shebeen, Quo Vadis and many more feature coversbands and party music more or less every weekend night.
Dog Rescue BBQ and Live Music
The local Jávea dog rescue APASA hosts a BBQ and Open Night on Friday 17th August from 6.30pm till late.
Visiting animal lovers should consider heading over to the APASA dog kennel in Jávea for a pleasant evening out at with meat on the grill, a chance to say hello to the dogs and the volunteers who do a cracking job looking after them plus live music by Barry Peters “The Swingman”.
The event is held at the APASA shelter, Cami de les Sorts, Jávea.
Enjoy August – Its Gonna Be Busy and HOT!
As always, August is gonna be hot Hot HOT in Jávea. You may mainly fancy laying on the beach but have a look at some of the events above – something is bound to catch your interest. |
I remember when I first picked up a controller. It was back in the early 90s; I was around 6 years old and I was sitting in front of my friend’s Nintendo Entertainment System. “Wanna see something cool?” he asked me. How could I possibly refuse? He loaded up the cartridge for Super Mario Bros. and , to my dismay, all I saw was a blank screen. With a look of confusion, I silently stared at the console while my friend blew on the cartridge. After a few tries, I saw what I could only describe then as the most fascinating thing I ever experienced on a screen. I pushed a button on my controller, and a little 8-bit sprite moved. This, dear reader, is the moment I was introduced to a new dimension of entertainment.
For many of you, I could safely assume that your first experience in gaming was similar. For some of the gamers born after the mid-90s, however, the sentiment may be a little more difficult to relate to. In fact, one could postulate that a small subset of gamers browsing our little corner of the internet only ever played games by touching a screen on a mobile phone.
It doesn’t matter. We’re all united. We are all gamers.
It is for this very reason that I think that we should protect each other. We come from different backgrounds, have different political leanings, and prefer different types of games. Some of you may be irreconcilably different from me in such a way that in other areas of discussion we’d be at each other’s throats. This isn’t the time for fighting, though. We know better than that. The one thing that we find in common is games. If someone attacks them instead of discussing them in an intellectually honest matter, it’s a fair bet to say that this person will stir plenty of ire from people who actually play the games they are spewing nonsense about.
It’s important that while we’re enduring the massive pile of whatever the hell this is, we also don’t lose sight of the younger gamers who are completely unacquainted with the culture that we’ve had for decades. In the past, you bought a game and played it, period. End of story. You waited until the next game came out and played that, too. Then, multiplayer came along and we were finally able to compete in a fully open arena full of hormone-induced slurs and all of the other flack we throw at each other. With the birth of digital content and games that were installed on hard drives (as opposed to swappable cartridges), developers and artists worked together to broaden our experiences with expansion packs.
To some extent, all of these things are positive. On the other hand, we have publishers that put their hands a tad too far in the cookie jar at best. At worst, they demand half your cookie jar for what amounts to a whole lot of nothing. This is troubling because some game developers are breeding an army of new gamers who are complacent to pay-to-win games, microtransactions, and DLCs that really don’t add to the spirit and essence of the game. What’s even more troubling, perhaps, is the misrepresentation of games that have poor mechanics and lack the “soul” that makes them bona fide titles. We’re living in an era where games that play like public service announcements receive near-perfect scores in all major reviewers.
In a way, this is a call for us to extend olive branches to all of the gamers who are new to the whole ordeal and guide them to become more intelligent consumers. There will always be people attacking us because potato. The latest tactic is to try to divide us. We must not let this happen. As consumers, we have to stand together, support those who side with us, and ignore (i.e. not harrass) those who insult us.
Each insult is the beginning of a new level. The boss will always throw insults when defeated.
Share Have a tip for us? Awesome! Shoot us an email at [email protected] and we'll take a look!
Miguel Leiva-Gomez With a reputation for writing suit-and-tie articles, Miguel Leiva-Gomez needed a place to relax and let loose. Aside from deciphering the workings behind the most complex business systems, he also takes time off throughout the day to play some vidya. Ever since the early 90s when he first got his Sega Genesis, Gomez has been pressing himself to win every game he played. It was this virtually lifelong fascination with games that made him become a gaming journalist. Outside of writing, Gomez also specializes in application development using C++, C, LUA, and Python. He's also a fan of the Oxford comma and wants you to deal with it. |
Moreton Bay Regional Council may stop fluoridation of drinking water after a councillor described fluoride as 'poisonous''.
At Tuesday's co-ordination committee meeting, Cr James Houghton (Division 5) said the council should opt out ``because we were never given the choice to opt in''.
``I've seen so much evidence about the (dangers of) fluoride they put in our water,'' Cr Houghton said.
He won the support of his colleagues to have a report on fluoridation presented to a councillors' workshop.
Cr David Dwyer wanted the report broadened to include other additives to the water supply.
``We don't need to treat all the water to such a standard,'' Cr Dwyer said.
After the meeting, Cr Houghton told the Times he did not want to go into detail until the matter came back to the council when he would produce ``a lot of evidence'' as to why water should not be fluoridated.
He said people could choose to take tablets or use fluoride in another form.
Asked why the former State Government made fluoridation mandatory if there were real health concerns, he said: ``I believe they've been misled.''
Cr Houghton said his information had come from the public, a ``naturalist'' medical practitioner and the internet.
On the other hand the US Government's Center for Disease Control and Prevention said water fluoridation was one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.
Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council said fluoride at levels for prevention of cavities had little effect on fracture risk and no clear association with cancer.
The Australian Dental Association said toxicity was related to the dose and that many substances, such as chlorine, iodine, fluoride, iron, salt and vitamins A and D, could be dangerous at high levels, but essential at low levels.
Do you think council should remove fluoride from water? Write a comment below or vote in our poll. |
Food and Fuel Control Act Other short titles Lever Food Act Long title An Act to provide further for the national security and defense by encouraging the production, conserving the supply, and controlling the distribution of food products and fuel. Nicknames Lever Act Enacted by the 65th United States Congress Effective August 10, 1917 Citations Public law 65-41 Statutes at Large 40 Stat. 276 Legislative history Introduced in the House as H.R. 4961 by Asbury Lever (D-SC) on June 23, 1917
H.R. 4961 Asbury Lever (D-SC) June 23, 1917 Passed the House on July 21, 1917 (81-6)
July 21, 1917 (81-6) Passed the Senate on July 23, 1917 (51-8)
July 23, 1917 (51-8) Reported by the joint conference committee on August 2, 1917; agreed to by the House on August 3, 1917 (360-0) and by the Senate on August 8, 1917 (66-7)
August 2, 1917; August 3, 1917 (360-0) August 8, 1917 (66-7) Signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on August 10, 1917
The Food and Fuel Control Act, Pub.L. 65–41, 40 Stat. 276, enacted August 10, 1917, also called the Lever Act or the Lever Food Act was a World War I era US law that among other things created the United States Food Administration and the Federal Fuel Administration.
Legislative history [ edit ]
The act was a very controversial piece of legislation. The act was sponsored by Rep. Asbury F. Lever, a Democrat from South Carolina. President Wilson urged its passage as a wartime emergency measure. Some opposed the authority that would rest in the person of the "Food Administrator." Others opposed language that empowered the president to limit or prohibit the use of agricultural products in the production of alcoholic beverages, thereby establishing a form of national prohibition. Senators proposed alternatives, including a prohibition on the production of whiskey alone for the duration of the war. Republican Senator Henry Cabot Lodge objected to the language that authorized the president to "use any agency or agencies, to accept the services of any person without compensation, to cooperate with any person or persons in relation to the processes, methods, activities of and for the production manufacture, procurement, storage, distribution, sale, marketing, pledging, financing, and consumption of necessaries which are declared to be affected with a public interest."[1] Wilson also had to fight off the proposal of Massachusetts Republican Senator John W. Weeks to establish instead a Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War.[2]
Its official name was "An Act to Provide Further for the National Security and Defense by Encouraging the Production, Conserving the Supply, and Controlling the Distribution of Food Products and Fuel" and became law on August 10, 1917. It banned the production of "distilled spirits" from any produce that was used for food.[3]
In 1918, faced with complaints from farmers that the Food Administration created under the Act had set the minimum price of wheat too low, Congress passed an amendment increasing that level from $2.20 to $2.40 per bushel. The President's veto out of concerns about inflation and the impact on the British, is credited with producing disastrous results for Democrats in the 1918 elections in the states of the grain belt.[4]
On August 18, 1919, after the end of hostilities, President Wilson asked Congress to extend the life of the Act to allow his administration to address widespread and dramatic increases in the prices of commodities. He requested amendments to include clothing and to set increased penalties for profiteering. Opponents delayed passage for months while berating the administration for its failure to control prices and then granted the authority the President requested in October. In the House of Representatives, the President's chief critic complained of the administration's priorities: "Where there is one man in a thousand who cares a rap about the League of Nations, there are nine hundred and ninety-nine who are vitally and distressingly concerned about the high cost of living." The Department of Justice launched 179 prosecutions under the amended Act in the first two months following its passage.[5]
Implementation [ edit ]
"Food will win the war"
United States Food Administration poster
The Act, an emergency wartime measure, was designed to expire at the end of World War I or shortly thereafter. It created two agencies, the Food Administration and the Fuel Administration.
To head the Food Administration, the President named Herbert Hoover who had handled Belgian relief at the beginning of the war and had coordinating food and fuel supplies since May 1917 on Wilson's personal authority.[2] As United States Food Administrator he had the authority to fix food prices, license distributors, coordinate purchases, oversee exports, act against hoarding and profiteering, and encourage farmers to grow more crops. He emphasized the needs of America's allies, both those under arms and the civilian populations, for American produce. He encouraged American households to consume less meat and bread.
Wilson issued a proclamation in January 1918 calling upon Americans to demonstrate their patriotism by following Hoover's guidelines. There were voluntary "meatless Tuesdays" and "sweetless Saturdays." Tuesdays and Saturdays were "porkless." Both Mondays and Wednesday would be "wheatless." Compliance was voluntary, though the baking industry, including hotels and restaurants, was limited to the production of war bread and rolls called "victory bread." Initially it was made from at least 5% of grains other than wheat and that amount increased to 20% by February 24. His agency asked households to pledge their support and some 13 million of 18 million did so. Hoover's call for the conservation of the nation's produce emphasized voluntary compliance:[6]
The effectiveness of these rules is dependent solely upon the goodwill of, and the willingness to sacrifice by, the American people. In the last analysis, the success or failure of any plan such as that here outlined rests with the people. We are dependent upon the cooperation of the trades. We have but one police force – the American woman – and we depend upon her to organize in co-operation with our State and local Food Administrators to see that these rules are obeyed by that small minority who may fail. Part of the rules will be enforced under the Lever Food act; other parts are voluntary, and will depend for their success upon public sentiment. Our experience hitherto has shown a willingness of the vast majority of consumers, and a full co-operation of the trades, to undergo the self-sacrifice necessary to render such measures effective. The small minority who refuse to cooperate should not be allowed to defeat the nation's necessities.
Children were organized into the "United States School Garden Army." When eating apples, Boy Scouts were urged to be "patriotic to the core." Citizens were encouraged to grow "victory gardens" of vegetables in their backyards and vacant lots. Slogans like "By all means, save the beans" became popular. The Food Administration also fixed the price of a bushel of wheat, the price floor being $2 a bushel and the ceiling at $2.20. One of its posters said: "FOOD WILL WIN THE WAR; DON’T WASTE IT." By the end of 1918, about one-fourth of all American production was diverted to the war effort.
January 1918 editorial cartoon by Oscar Cesare showing the U.S. Capitol boarded up and signs reading, "Closed; no fuel; all business conducted at White House."
The Fuel Administration under Harry Garfield, the President of Williams College, directed efforts to save coal. Nonessential factories were closed, and the Federal government had complete control over all aspects of the coal industry including production, pricing, sale, shipment, and distribution. Although the Act also included oil and natural gas, it gave the government less authority over those energy sources and no ability to control the price of oil and gas. Copying the methods of the Food Administration, citizens were encouraged to save fuel with "gasless Sundays," "heatless Mondays," and "lightless nights."
Garfield's most dramatic action was an attempt to speed fuel to eastern ports where ships were idled for lack of fuel. On January 17, 1918, he order the closing of all factories east of the Mississippi. That accomplished his goal, but exposed the Wilson administration to criticism both from its usual opponents and members of the President's own party.[7]
On February 4, 1918, Garfield announced rules to govern the distribution of fuel oil that defined priority classes starting with railroads, then exports to the American armed forces, exports to America's allies in the war, hospitals, and several other classes.[8]
Controversies [ edit ]
In November 1919, Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer sought and won an injunction against a strike in the coal industry under the Act. He claimed the President authorized the action, following a meeting with the severely ill President Wilson in the presence of his doctor.[9] Samuel Gompers, President of the American Federation of Labor, protested that President and members of his Cabinet had provided assurances when the Act was passed that it would not be used to prevent strikes by labor unions. He provided detailed accounts of his negotiations with representatives of the administration, especially Secretary of Labor William B. Wilson. He also argued that the end of hostilities, even in the absence of a signed treaty, should have invalidated any attempts to enforce the Act's provisions.[10]
At one point Palmer asserted that the entire Cabinet had backed his request for an injunction. That infuriated Secretary of Labor Wilson who had opposed Palmer's plan and supported Gompers' view of the President's promises when the Act was under consideration. The rift between the Attorney General and the Secretary of Labor was never healed, which had consequences the next year when Palmer's attempts to deport radicals were frustrated by the Department of Labor.[11]
Palmer used the Act again in April 1919 against 38 of the leaders of a walkout by railroad workers.[12]
The amended Act's attempt to limit profits was found unconstitutional in February 1920 by a federal court that found its language "vague, indefinite, and uncertain."[13] The Supreme Court struck down the provisions of the Act that allowed the Food Administrator to set maximum prices and fine those who violated the levels he set in 1921. That same year, the Supreme Court upheld the Act's imposition of rent control in the District of Columbia, which had not been repealed along with the bulk of the Act.[14]
Repeal [ edit ]
The work of the Fuel Administration ended in May 1919. The activities of the Food Administration declined quickly after the Armistice of 11 November 1918 and all but disappeared by July 1920.[15]
The Act of August 10, 1917, as amended, was repealed along with a number of other authorized-for-wartime measures in a joint resolution of Congress on March 3, 1921 by effectively declaring the wartime emergency still in effect at the time as formally over.[16][17]
Court cases brought under the Act, both before and after its repeal, continued to work their way through the courts.
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
William C. Mullendore, History of the United States Food Administration (Stanford, 1941) |
General Motors is zooming back into the S&P 500.
S&P said Monday that the automaker will replace H.J. Heinz Co. (HNZ) in its index after the close of trading on Thursday. Heinz is set to go private after announcing earlier this year that it had agreed to be purchased for $28 billion by a consortium including Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) and private equity firm 3G Capital.
The automaker was bounced from the S&P 500 around the time of its 2009 bankruptcy filing and $50 billion government bailout. It returned to the New York Stock Exchange in 2010 and reported $1.1 billion in first-quarter earnings last month.
S&P's announcement is likely to be welcomed by the Treasury Department, which is in the process of selling off the GM shares it acquired as part of the bailout. As a result of Monday's news, managers of index funds tied to the S&P 500 will have to buy GM shares, a development likely to boost their price.
Related: Best deals on cars
General Motors (GM) shares rose 3.2% in after-hours trading Monday.
The government still owned 16.4% of GM as of April 1, according to the company's most recent proxy statement, down from a high of 61%. Taxpayers are unlikely to recoup a profit from the rescue overall, though the Center for Automotive Research has estimated that the bailouts of GM and smaller rival Chrysler saved 1.5 million jobs. |
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The federal government is giving the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority two final weeks to reopen Public Square to buses.
The Federal Transit Administration will give RTA until March 7 to allow buses on Superior Avenue through the square before it will enforce a $12-million fee.
In a Feb. 17 letter to RTA CEO Joe Calabrese, Robert Tuccillo, associate administrator for budget and policy for the FTA, writes, "The FTA will grant a final extension of 14 days, to March 7, 2017, for GCRTA to provide a written response to FTA's Dec. 20, 2016 debt letter, or the debt will be considered delinquent and trigger debt collection actions. The FTA looks forward to bringing this matter to a close soon."
The FTA originally gave RTA until Jan. 19 to reopen Public Square to buses, but granted a 30-day extension until Feb. 21.
Calabrese on Feb. 16 requested an extension beyond the Feb. 21 deadline so that RTA could implement "safety and traffic control physical changes that may need to be made if Public Square is to be opened."
The city of Cleveland and RTA are reviewing the traffic and safety studies that have been completed on the square and need more time to put into place safety and security measures that address concerns outlined in the studies, Calabrese explained.
In his letter, the FTA's Tuccillo said the original extension was granted "to allow the FTA and GCRTA to discuss the basis for FTA's calculation of debt."
During a Feb. 9 meeting of the two parties, the FTA explained that it could have forced RTA to repay $142.8 million in grants over the closing of Superior Avenue through Public Square. That would have been the full amount of a 2004 funding deal RTA made with the Federal Transit Administration for the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project.
Tuccillo's Feb. 17 letter warns, "Please be advised that the FTA will not grant any additional requests for an extension."
What's been happening
Public Square has been closed to buses since early 2015 while the square was under renovation. However, it was scheduled to reopen Aug. 1, 2016.
At that time, Mayor Frank Jackson chose to ban buses in favor of a unified Public Square. Jackson has said he would reopen the square to bus traffic if there were no way to keep it closed without harming RTA's operations or bottom line, and if RTA addresses the city's safety concerns.
RTA is on the clock from the FTA to either reopen Superior Avenue through the square to buses or to repay $12 million in federal grants it received for the the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project.
Because the city will not permit buses to cross Public Square, RTA is not upholding its end of the funding deal it made for the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project, the FTA asserts. The Euclid Corridor Transportation Project established the HealthLine, which runs down Euclid Avenue and ends in Public Square.
Jackson has said RTA has not been acting in good faith about Public Square and, ultimately, has slowed down the process of reopening the square. |
MADRID (AP) — Spain’s maritime rescue service says it has rescued 224 migrants from five different boats trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea.
The rescue service says it reached two boats, carrying 66 and 77 migrants, in the Strait of Gibraltar overnight. A third boat with nine migrants was intercepted around daybreak Saturday in the same waters.
A few hours later, a Portuguese plane with the European Union Frontex border patrols spotted two more boats to the east, carrying 35 and 37 migrants each.
The rescue service says the migrants were from North and sub-Saharan Africa.
Tens of thousands of people cross the Mediterranean Sea each year, trying to reach Europe from North Africa, the vast majority in unreliable smugglers’ boats. Over 1,800 people have died in the Mediterranean so far this year. |
In October 2011, the Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis received an unusual email. "I'm the president of a videogame company," it began. The message was from the head of Valve Software, the influential video game design firm behind such industry-defining titles as the sci-fi shooter Half-Life and the first-person puzzle adventure Portal.
Varoufakis, who teaches economic theory at the University of Athens and also has a post at the University of Texas at Austin, had spent years working on game theory—the strategic and decision making processes that economists study, not the theory behind computer games. He also examined the complexities of linking multiple distinct economies. During the height of the Euro crisis in Greece, Varoufakis was often seen in the media explaining the meltdown and describing what might happen next in the currency-integrated Eurozone. Now Valve Software chief Gabe Newell was asking him to apply the same insights to the interlinked virtual economies of Valve Software's games.
After meeting Newell and other Valve staffers in Seattle, Varoufakis agreed to become the company's first official in-house economist. From early 2012 through the middle of 2013, he studied Valve's games, occasionally sharing his insights on the company blog in lengthy posts with wonky titles. (Sample: "Arbitrage and Equilibrium in the Team Fortress 2 Economy.") His work for Valve led to more media attention, including articles and interviews in The Washington Post, The Financial Times, and National Public Radio.
In February, Varoufakis spoke with Senior Editor Peter Suderman about what he learned as a video game economist, the failings of his chosen academic profession, and how computer games and virtual online worlds might be the future of macroeconomics.
reason: What does a video game company want with an economist?
Yanis Varoufakis: The moment that video game companies shifted from single-player to multiplayer games, without realizing it, they created a social economy. People interacting through the game have the opportunity not only to kill one another, but also to exchange stuff. Stuff that was valuable-or scarce, as an economist would say-within the virtual world.
In almost no time that sort of economy started creating, within the game, a lot of value, and also distributing it. If you have a kind of community involving millions of people who trade with one another, who engage with one another, and who can even create value through production processes-for instance, designing some shield or some garden and sending it through the store of the community to other players-all of a sudden, these video game companies realized that they have an economy in their hands.
reason: So the interest for economists is that you have a confined space to learn about how people behave within economies. And the interest from gaming companies is that they inadvertently created economies that they needed some expertise on.
Varoufakis: A multiplayer game environment is a dream come true for an economist. Because here you have an economy where you don't need statistics. And elaborate statistics is what you use when you don't know everything, you're not omniscient, and you need to use something in order to gain feeling as to what is happening to prices, what is happening to quantities, what's happening to investments, and so on and so forth. But in a video game world, all the data are there. It's like being God, who has access to everything and to what every member of the social economy is doing.
reason: You have the perfect knowledge that every central banker wishes he or she had.
Varoufakis: Indeed. Every congressman, every senator, every regulator, every banker, every Treasury official. It's equivalent to being omniscient, being able to see and know everything that goes on in the economy. And that's amazing.
reason: You've said that you were not really a gamer before working with Valve. What did you learn about video game worlds? What surprised you?
Varoufakis: The most poignant observation was the speed with which these economies evolve. Within a year, you have an evolutionary process that can replicate what happened out there in the outlying economies, in terms of creating a complex web of exchanges and sound economic systems. And the outlying economy took centuries. I didn't expect to see institutions spontaneously generating within these social economies so fast and so furiously, and therefore creating a growth rate that the real world would love to replicate.
I also learned something else which I'm very grateful for. We economists are very much disposed toward our models, and our models assume that economic choices converge very quickly toward some kind of equilibrium where demand equals supply and where prices tend to their natural level and so on and so forth. Well, that's not how the real world works. We should have known that.
In the video game world it's quite astonishing to watch. Quickly, collective aggregate behavior converges at equilibrium and then disequilibrates itself. Then some other equilibrium comes and then goes away. It's the speed and the irregularity of behavior around some equilibrium and the speed with which new equilibria are being formed.
reason: So is there a real world lesson that you can draw out from having seen this irregularity pop up in virtual economies?
Varoufakis: Absolutely. Let me put it very brutally and very bluntly: Our best economic models-from the Federal Reserve or the U.S. Treasury or the International Monetary Fund or the Organization for Economic Development-are really not worth the trouble of putting together. Because they are presuming a kind of equilibrium stability and convergence toward equilibrium, because it makes our models look better. It is not something that is replicated in the real world.
reason: You once wrote that because of its heavy reliance on statistics and on this sort of simple modeling, economics can resemble "computerized astrology." That's pretty harsh. Could you talk a little bit more about that judgment and whether you think that studying economics in a virtual world-where you're not just looking at a model, you're looking at real behaviors and real interactions amongst thousands or millions of people-offers a way out of an economics stuck in a model-bound world? |
Advertisement Uproar continues over possible lion sighting in Milwaukee Share Shares Copy Link Copy
The talk was almost impossible to miss Tuesday -- a possible lion sighting in the city of Milwaukee. The big cat even has a Twitter handle: #MKElion. But the question remains, is it a lion or just a big house cat? View the video report on mobileThe big cat was caught on camera roaming through backyards near Palmer Street and Garfield Avenue on Monday. “It was the neighbors saying, ‘Hey, Kelly, there's a large animal in your backyard, and it looks like a lion,’” said Kelly Brooks, whose yard the animal was seen in.Brooks was surprised to hear there could be a lion moving through his property near Palmer and Garfield on Milwaukee’s north side on Monday.“So I said, ‘Well, I'll just go tell that lion to get out of my backyard,” Brooks said.WISN 12 News reporter showed video of the big cat to the curator of conservation and animal care at the Racine Zoo.“Definitely a large cat I would say. To me, it looks pretty much like a mountain lion or a cougar to me,” Theresa Donarski said.Donarski said it is possible it’s a lion but hard to confirm.“It's got a very muscular body, and it walks and is walking just like I see our lions walking and things like that,” she said.VIDEO: Couple reports 'lion' sightingShe said the lion in the video has similar characteristics and movements to the African lions they have at the zoo.Mobile users, click here to see video of big cat“These are animals that don't enjoy being around people. They're going to be coming out in the evening hours, hunting in the night time,” Donarski said.Brooks said the Department of Natural Resources has been to his house twice checking paw prints.The DNR told Brooks the cat could have jumped his 6-foot fence but would not comment to WISN 12 News.Milwaukee police said Tuesday night that "the 'lion' remains at large," but said if anyone sees the big cat to call 911. The DNR said there have been 169 reports of possible sightings of mountain lions or cougars since 2011. Only eight of them were confirmed.The most recent sighting was last year, when trail cameras spotted cougars in Lincoln and Marinette counties in northern Wisconsin.View Twitter's best #MKELion tweets |
Attack on Titan is one of those rare anime/manga things I can say is really good and not as a guilty pleasure. A strange hybrid between the usual humans-take-on-monsters-using-amazing-powers (in this case, technology) and a horror story in which lots of people die extremely bloodily, it scratches an itch I didn’t quite know I had.
In Attack on Titan world, all known humanity exists in cities within three massive circular walls, the reason being that the horrific Titans lurk outside those walls. Titans are massive human-like monsters with no genitalia, limited intelligence, incredible regenerative abilities, nigh-immunity to firearms, and seemingly no desire or reason to exist except to devour humans. Considering they’re borderline invincible and capable of swatting a house into rubble with a single clumsy swing of a palm, it’s perhaps no surprise that people have opted for the relative safety of the walls.
Things take a turn for the worse when a strange Titan appears and smashes through the outermost wall, allowing Titans to pour in, and massively cutting off the amount of land available to humanity. Suddenly there’s less space, less food, and more refugees.
The one weakness of a Titan is to hack out the nape of its neck, which is obviously easier said than done when you’re talking about a twenty-metre beast that’s trying to grab you and eat you. As such, swords with replaceable blade and omnidirectional movement gear that grapples onto points and then boosts you towards them are key to staying alive and getting to the necks.
In short, it’s a great concept for a game, and what little I’ve played of Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom seems to indicate that it’s actually been handled pretty well. But has the PC port managed to pass basic training, or should it be left out for the Titans? Hmm.
First up, launching the game gave me this slightly bizarre message:
I’ve never seen anything like this before – or at least, not on a Steam game. I’ve occasionally seen similar in low-budget indie Japanese titles, but that’s about it. I clicked “Yes” and it worked fine; I have no idea if Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom will have any issues should you dare to click “No”, but accepting compatibility mode seemed like a safe bet.
Initial impressions are actually positive, insofar as the menus have all the proper keyboard buttons listed instead of gamepad buttons. This is a Good Sign. There are also a wealth of graphical options, although they’re definitely not as in-depth as I’d like.
First up are the Graphics Settings, which bizarrely defaults to Full Screen off. No Borderless Windowed or anything: you’ve got Full Screen or Windowed, and that’s basically your lot. Then there’s resolution, which appears to go from 640×480 up to 1920×1080. It doesn’t look like it goes any higher than that – it’s possible that it’s simply not showing me options my monitor won’t display, but that seems a tad unlikely for a port job like this. Unfortunately, there’s no real way for me to check. I also have literally no idea what Movie Playback is, but I’m guessing it lets you opt out of the cutscenes. You can skip them anyway, mind, so…
Next up, Quality Settings, which is where the meat of the visual tweakables are lurking. These are pretty much all just On/Off toggles, with the exception of Texture Filtering and Shadows, which have High/Medium/Low and High/Low/Off respectively. Nothing overly impressive, although hey, at least there are 10 different tweakables. Not only that, but they include regular annoyances like Motion Blur, Depth of Field, and AO, which I’m assuming is Ambient Occlusion. Good stuff.
There is a pretty big difference in visual quality between having everything turned on and everything turned off, too. Play spot the difference, with everything at full at the top, and everything turned off below that:
The most obvious change is the complete lack of shadows, but its not too hard to spot a bunch of other differences in those shots. Considering the game runs silky smooth with everything on full (i7-3820, 16GB RAM, GeForce GTX 970) I’m afraid I can’t talk about how much of an impact these options will have on your framerate. It doesn’t feel like the world’s most intensive game and my system hasn’t struggled with it at all, but depending on how the port is coded, it might require more grunt than it appears. I wish I could be more definite about this, but that’s really the problem with doing a technical test on a single computer.
Audio and Gameplay options are basically what you’d expect, in terms of “do you want subtitles”, “do you want gore”, and “how loud do you want things to be.” As far as I can tell there’s absolutely no English dub for the game, which I’m slightly grateful for. As I didn’t see an English/Japanese toggle I was initially worried it was going to force me to play with an English voice cast, but nope, it’s all Japanese unless I’ve really missed something. This does make the subtitle option a little redundant, though, unless you really don’t like understanding what’s happening, or you just want to take pretty screenshots without text cluttering them up. If there is a downside, it’s that not everything is subtitled; little combat barks and lines that NPCs say when you’re wandering around hub areas go completely ignored by the translation fairy.
Then we get to Controls, and things dive faster than someone whose Manoeuvre Gear just ran out of fuel.
Short version: there is no mouse support at all. Long version: not only is there no mouse support at all, but the keys are mapped in such a way that you will require more hands than the average human being possesses to play. It’s the usual “map the sticks to WASD and the arrow keys, and then map the buttons to JIKL and some other random shit” that requires you to have 30 fingers. Not only that, but WASD defaults to the camera control rather than the movement.
You do appear to be able to rebind this shit, but seriously, I would not recommend playing this on keyboard. Not unless you are actually an octopus, anyway, and if that’s the case then well done on learning to read this website, and congratulations on having the taste to be interested in Attack on Titan. As a member of a species with opposable thumbs, I’m proud of you.
The game itself looks fairly nice and swoops along at 60FPS, so that’s a plus. It’s got the usual pseudo-cel-shaded anime-in-3D look which works nicely, and effort has even gone into the cutscenes, with all of them being redone in the game’s 3D engine rather than just copy/pasting bits of the anime directly into the game. While the anime arguably does them better, this does mean things are cut down nicely and kept fairly short and to the point. I can’t decide what framerate the cutscenes run at, though: they appear to be pre-recorded stuff that’s running at 30FPS, but FRAPS tells me that it’s still hopping along at 60FPS. It might be going at 60 but be slowed down a little from the game engine, or it may be that it’s a 30FPS movie while the game is still clocking along at 60. Either way, I don’t think it’s going to impinge your enjoyment anyway.
On the downside, there is some horrific tearing. At least, I think it’s tearing, but it feels more like the refresh rate isn’t quite right, almost as though scan lines are appearing partway down the screen for some reason. Mercifully, this mostly hit me in the hub areas rather than in actual gameplay, but be forewarned. I’ll be carrying on playing the game for awhile so if this gets worse or vanishes, I’ll update you.
Loading times are also pretty good, even without doing my usual ritual of defragging the game folder after installation. Any initial load-up took around 15 seconds, but once it had everything nicely cached, future loads took about three. I could go back to the main menu and switch to a different game mode and it still loaded stupidly fast. So hey, that’s pretty great.
Less great is that it’s crashed once already in just under two hours of play time. I’m sort of hoping that’s an outlier rather than an indication of things to come, but be warned.
Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom, basically, is a pretty bare-bones but functional port. There are keyboard controls that are utterly cursory and nobody should ever, ever, ever use them; there are graphical options that make a difference but aren’t particularly in-depth; it runs at 60FPS and 1920×1080 resolution; it has a weird hatred of all operating systems past Windows 7 but that hasn’t caused any notable problems.
I am, however, enjoying the game itself; considering it’s all about aerial control and swooping towards big targets that can kill you with incredible ease, Attack on Titan seems to have managed to balance ease of use with some depth to the control mastery.
Movement is mostly handled by tapping X to shunk out your manoeuvre gear anchors and swing yourself through the sky, and this is definitely based more on direction than it is on actual physics. Tapping A lets you boost through the air to move a little bit faster. Simple but elegant.
Things get more complex when you get close to a Titan, at which point you tap a button to enter Combat Mode and lock onto it. Depending on the size of the Titan, you can lock onto individual limbs or the nape of its neck, and then anchor yourself to it, swoop in, and attempt to hack off a limb or cut out its neck. You ideally need to whittle them down – take out a leg to stop them running around, knock out an arm to stop them flailing at you, then hack out the nape to kill it off – but you need to manage direction, speed, and timing to ensure you don’t sail towards its neck and thump into its face. Early on, this stuff is easy, but I suspect it’s going to get drastically more difficult as multiple Titans crop up at once.
You’ve also got allies to whom you can give basic orders (defend a mission-critical target, focus on the same Titan, or fan out and attack separate Titans), and you need to manage your supply of gas and blades to make sure you don’t run short at a bad moment. Maps are big Dynasty Warriors-style affairs, with smoke beacons offering up side-quests and logisticians hanging around ready to offer you extra supplies when you run out, but there’s a definite joy to simply swooping through the skies and hacking limbs off Titans.
Other than Attack Mode, which follows the story of Attack on Titan (I’m assuming only up to the end of season one, but…) there’s Expedition Mode, which has you foray out with the Scouts into missions that definitely aren’t based on the anime. These offer up extra experience to level up your characters and extra materials to research and purchase superior gear, letting you inflict more damage with swords or lock onto Titans from a greater range, or whatever. As a full-fledged bonus mode that lets you take on a bunch of extra missions, I approve. The big question is whether the swooping and stabbing remain fun a few hours in, because it’s starting to get a little messy already, and it can be a pain to target particular foes and deal with some aspects of the camera.
This isn’t a review of the game, but regardless, I’m not sure whether I’d recommend Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom at its frankly ludicrous £49.99 price, or even £41.99 with the launch discount. For a PC game that’s a huge investment, and while I’m probably going to keep playing it, I don’t know that it does quite enough to justify Koei Tecmo’s pricing. The price is hardly a surprise – Koei Tecmo are hardly the best in terms of making really solid PC ports that are priced appropriately for the system – but it still rankles.
The port’s okay, the game (based on an hour) seems reasonably entertaining, but even if you have a gamepad and really love some Attack on Titan, I’d be a bit leery of dropping £50 on this considering you can likely grab two recent-ish titles for around the same price. Steam’s refunds at least let you try it out for two hours to see if it’s worth the price, but right now I’d definitely urge caution. |
MANKATO, Minn. — Jared Allen has always appreciated the honor of being selected to the Pro Bowl and spending the week with his peers in Hawaii.
The Minnesota Vikings’ five-time Pro Bowl defensive end said one of his best NFL memories was his first Pro Bowl in 2007 and last year he waited out surgery on his left shoulder and right knee to appear in the game. As one of the perennial Pro Bowlers in the league, Allen is against the changes to the game that the league announced this week.
“I’m disappointed that it’s come to this and that we’re always trying to find some way to create new ratings or create a new fan experience,” Allen said Friday. “At some point it’s got to be about the players. This is our honor and they should at least talk to us before they make this change.”
Article continues below ...
The league made several radical changes to the Pro Bowl which will take place starting at the end of this season. Changes include the elimination of kickoffs and the elimination of the return spot in lieu of an extra defensive back, a change which has come under fire from some players. Return specialists will no longer be eligible to be selected and could lose money in regards to Pro Bowl incentives in their contracts.
The league announced the changes this week, stating they were made in conjunction with Dominique Foxworth, the president of the league’s players association. The league is also doing away with the traditional AFC vs. NFC format and will include a fantasy football-type televised draft in which players will be selected with the help of Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders.
Eliminating the kickoffs, teams will start each quarter with possession on the 25-yard line. Other changes include a new two-minute warning at the end of the first and third quarters with the ball changing hands at the end of the quarter.
Voting will also change with rosters that will consist of 43 players per team, with selection no longer reserved for AFC and NFC squad. Defenses will also have the ability to play Cover-2 or press coverage as opposed to strict man coverages as in the past.
“These new rules I hear about are disappointing,” Allen said. “I think there wasn’t anything wrong with it as far as AFC-NFC and sometimes we try to change tradition, I don’t know why. I guess I can see if you’re going to take the best six at each position or whatever it is, all the new rules. Eliminating kickoff, that’s part of this game.
“At some point how many rules of the game do you change and you don’t have football anymore. Football is football at its purest form, and kickoff and kickoff return, and not to mention now you’re taking a Pro Bowl spot away from a Josh Cribbs. (Former Vikings returner) Percy Harvin made his first Pro Bowl as a return guy. So for me, I think you’re cheating the players. I’m personally not for it. We don’t have a say in it.”
Allen was one of seven players for the Vikings to participate last season and even waited on surgery. He was joined in Hawaii by running back Adrian Peterson, fullback Jerome Felton, left tackle Matt Kalil, linebacker Chad Greenway, kicker Blair Walsh and tight end Kyle Rudolph, who won the MVP award.
“You respect the fact that your peers voted you into the game,” Allen said of delaying surgery. “Your peers, the coaching staff and the fans thought you were an All-Star and that you got honored for that body of work that year. It still means something. It really does. From the way I understand it, you still have the voting process, it’s not just the NFC-AFC and then you’re going to have the whole draft and that kind of thing. Now a two-minute drill at the end of the game, we might as well have 7-on-7, sign some autographs and hang out by the pool, I guess.”
Follow Brian Hall on Twitter |
Thus far, from all the soap/cream makers I’ve ordered from and sampled, Al’s has been the first to contact me out of the blue asking for feedback on how I liked “the Bomb”, so named after the nuclear explosion they have on their labels. So, here goes. 🙂 First off, here’s what Al has to say about this particular scent:
Imagine a gathering of a family at a barbershop. Goodfellas starts with citrus notes of different calibers that blend beautifully with a mild and delicate floral sweetness. These notes evolve and dominate the scent as it develops creating a very classic scent reminiscent of old times gone by.
The scent is something I quite like. The description of the strong citrus scents, with a bit of florals tossed in the mix certainly seems accurate, although I’m not entirely sure I agree that it’s all that reminiscent of old times gone by, or a classic barbershop. It’s a complex scent that seems rather modern to me, sweet and tart and fruity and flowery, while at the same time remaining rather masculine.
Strength wise, it was just about spot on, the scent filling the bathroom from the moment you lathered up, without fading all that much while you shaved.
It provided quite a good shave, with loads of cushion and glide. You will want to re-whip up the lather between passes, and don’t be shy with the water either.
9/10 Scent Pleasantness
10/10 Scent Strength
8/10 Quality of Lather (reflects new scoring as outlined here)
Overall, I would highly recommend giving this one a try. 9/10.
Cost: A 4 oz tub goes for 20 dollars, or you can try this scent in the $20 7 day sampler pack, with each 1/4 oz sample giving me enough for a bit more than 2 days worth of 3 pass shaves. Edit: See comments section below. If I had done things right, the sample likely would have given a good 5+ shaves worth.
Gear used:
Ingredients: No ingredient listing was provided, nor was I able to find one on-line. Al did however have this to say: “The forumula of Al’s Shaving Cream is Triethanolamine and preservative (parabens) free and only contains sodium and potassium salts of fatty acids (stearic, oleic, linoleic, palmitic, myristic and lauric) in addition to water and botanicals. These botanicals include essential oils that are unique for each scent.”
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Samsung SmartTV transmits data to a third party, be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information.
We have discussed several times about the privacy and security issues related to the Internet of Things devices, Smart meters and Smart TV are intelligent devices that could be exploited by hackers to collect our sensitive information.
Today we will speak about SmartTv, in particular of the last models produced by giant Samsung, this new generation of the device is able to watch and listen us to receive commands.
The downside is that our images and audio could be transferred to third parties, but unfortunately the majority of end-users ignore it because every time makes a purchase never reads the booklet of instructions and information provided by manufacturers.
Imagine, you are watching TV on your Samsung SmartTV talking with your girl or friend, or you are watching stock news from your office with your client, while the Smart TV is collecting audio and video to improve your experience by sending your words to third parties.
On Reddit news website was started a few days ago an interesting discussion titled “Samsung SmartTV Privacy Policy: “Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition.”
The users were commenting the privacy policy that Samsung share with its customers for the use of the Voice Recognition system.
Under the Voice Recognition section of the policy is reported:
“If you enable Voice Recognition, you can interact with your Smart TV using your voice. To provide you the Voice Recognition feature, some voice commands may be transmitted (along with information about your device, including device identifiers) to a third-party service that converts speech to text or to the extent necessary to provide the Voice Recognition features to you. In addition, Samsung may collect and your device may capture voice commands and associated texts so that we can provide you with Voice Recognition features and evaluate and improve the features. Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition. If you do not enable Voice Recognition, you will not be able to use interactive voice recognition features, although you may be able to control your TV using certain predefined voice commands. While Samsung will not collect your spoken word, Samsung may still collect associated texts and other usage data so that we can evaluate the performance of the feature and improve it.”
Samsung admits that its Voice Recognition, Gesture Controls and Facial Recognition technology, is collecting user’s voice data and images and it is sending it to a third party to improve its system.
Don’t worry, Samsung gives users the right to opt out of these features, because it takes care of our privacy. The owner of Samsung SmartTV can disable these features at any time.
Who are the third parties mentioned by Samsung and how they manage the collected data? Which are the respective Privacy Policy?
I stop here .. we can discuss for hours, but for situations like this the Samsung SmartTV we will find a thousand in the year to come. We have also to consider that hackers could exploit these features to hack our domestic network with serious consequences.
Let’s pay more attention to our privacy and the way the technology of the devices around us is using our data.
Pierluigi Paganini
(Security Affairs – Samsung SmartTV, privacy)
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I am sure that there are Bear’s fans of all ages reading this article right now and I am sure that these Bears fans will have a special hatred for the Dolphins. Why? This isn’t a strong rivalry like the Bears versus the Packers or the Bears versus the Vikings so why make such a big deal about games played between these two teams?
It’s simple.
In both the 1985 and 2006 NFL seasons, the Dolphins have been the team to stop the Bears from continuing forward with an undefeated season. It’s ironic because the Dolphins are the only team in NFL history to go undefeated (their 1972 season) and they managed to be the team to knock the Bears twice.
So what happened in those two games that forced the Bears to lose and miss the chance to go undefeated? Why was it the Dolphins who knocked the Bears out? Let’s find out by looking at those two games and those four teams as we get ready for the Bears versus the Dolphins on Thursday Night Football this week.
The famed Monday Night game took place on December 2, 1985 in Miami. The Bears came into this game undefeated and had been sporting the famed “46” defense, the brainchild of former Bear’s defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan. The defense had been giving teams big problems all season long and no one could seem to stop them. That is until they came to Miami.
The Bears came into this game shutting down opponents with that defense and playing some of the best football in NFL history. Could Miami figure out how to beat this defense and send the Bears back to Chicago with their first loss of the season?
There was one other factor built into this game for the Dolphins. In attendance at this game were several members of that 1972 Dolphins team and they didn’t want to see their “grand” lone achievement all of a sudden be accomplished by someone else. Although it may not have been spoken so much on the sidelines, you can tell that those 1972 Dolphins wanted those 1985 Dolphins to stop the streak.
The Dolphins ended up beating the Bears 38-24 in a game that can best be described as a shootout. The Bears defense, so good in every other game that season, could not solve the Dolphin’s offense in this game. What did Miami do that was so special to beat the Bear’s tough defense?
First, they had an offensive line that could protect quarterback Dan Marino very well. They hadn’t allowed him to be sacked much that season and since the Bear’s 46 defense was built on pressure, if they could stop the pressure they could stop the Bears defense. Quarterbacks that were under pressure (by the Bears defense) would either get sacked or would throw the ball into a bad area where it could be intercepted or fall incomplete. With pass protection, this wouldn’t happen as much.
Another thing that helped Miami is the way that the Bears rushed the passer. Almost each time they rushed, they would bring eight men and even though most quarterbacks would have thrown the ball in a hurry, Marino could hold onto the ball longer.
The Dolphins used a mix of short passes to force the Bears to commit a blitzing safety to cover receivers running those short routes. This would take out the extra blitzing player in the 46 defense.
So both teams battled hard during this game and in the end, the Dolphins triumphed and took the Bears down a notch. As we know, Chicago went on to play in and win the Super Bowl and left the Dolphins as the only team to beat them in 1985.
These two teams played each other in 2006 when the Bears were driving to the Super Bowl once again. Chicago came into the game undefeated (their record was 7-0 at the time) and didn’t expect to have too much of a hard time against the Dolphins.
The Bears were “ambushed” so to speak in this game. The Dolphins ran the ball all over the Bears vaunted defense (to the tune of almost 160 yards) and ended up turning the ball over allowing the Dolphin’s offense to score.
The Dolphins beat the Bears 31-13 in that game.
That was the last time the Dolphins played the Bears. |
Andy Burnham’s campaign has ensured he remains the current favourite to be the next Labour leader. Part of his nascent leadership campaign is an online army of fans who are promoting his cause and attacking his opponents. Twitter and Facebook are going to be key battlegrounds for each of the contenders — offering an easy way to spread a message without the filter of the media.
Naturally, Burnham’s campaign has an official Twitter account: @Andy4Leader. As far as I can see, this is the only official account associated with Burnham’s campaign. The account has 1,421 and mostly retweets favourable news from others about Burnham. On May 13, it posted this video of Burnham announcing he was running:
Watch why @andyburnhammp is running for Leader of the Labour Party https://t.co/hREK6rKRuk Volunteer / donate here http://t.co/ZdnRTuJPYN — Andy for Leader (@Andy4Leader) May 13, 2015
That account aside, there are at least four other accounts promoting Burnham’s cause using variations on Andy for Leader. The smallest is @AndyforLeader, whch has just 60 followers. This account specialises in tweeting odd pictures of Burnham with various slogans, such as:
Then we have @Andy4Leader2015, which has 889 followers and specializes in more aggressive ranting messages, attacking the’‘Tory press and media’:
Tory press and media are at it AGAIN! Doing what they do best – LYING. They just don't like Andy – do they! I wonder why! — TeamBurnham2015 (@Andy4Leader2015) May 25, 2015
@AB4LabLeader has 2,433 followers — more than the official Burnham campaign account. As well as tweeting about #HeartofLabour, this account points out that Burnham is the favourite in the polls:
And finally we have @LabourAndy, which has managed to garner whopping 10,500 followers in a short space of time. Easily the most aggressive of the Burnham-supporting accounts, whoever runs it enjoys attacking the ‘Murdoch press’
Fact that The Sun thinks it is a failure of Andy Burnham's to be a proud Evertonian shows how out of touch they are pic.twitter.com/iO3oIiZUIM — Andy For Leader (@LabourAndy) May 24, 2015
For those of you who are aware of the infamous Labour activist Dr Éoin Clarke, you might see some similarities between @LabourAndy and @LabourEoin. Guido reckons that he might be behind this account. They both tweet similar things:
In case you missed it, today was the day Rupert Murdoch's Papers went after Andy Burnham for being an Everton Fan pic.twitter.com/SZili95J0c — Dr Éoin Clarke (@LabourEoin) May 24, 2015
Related to these two are Clarke’s ‘think tank’, Labour Left which has 24.9k followers. It claims to be ‘Labour’s largest think tank’ but I’ve not heard of anyone in Westminster who has been to a LabourLeft event, nor heard of any particular influence it has within the party. There are no offices or details listed on the site. That aside, it’s clear that this group are backing Burnham:
We really do need to remind certain newspapers of the truth regarding Andy Burnham. pic.twitter.com/U9kCS5UXuT — Labour Left (@LabourLeft) May 25, 2015
There are also several profiles on Facebook backing Burnham’s campaign. Given that none have a blue tick of authentication, it’s difficult to say which is the official campaign but these are the ones I have found:
Why does any of this matter, you might ask? Social media is going to play an important role in the Labour leadership contest — for mobilising the party’s grassroots and spreading the message. Labour activists in particular are very prominent on Twitter — George Aylett for example, who has 234k followers — and will be naturally keen to use their presence on Twitter and Facebook to help their chosen candidate.
Given some of the unconventional messages coming from these accounts, Burnham’s team need to think carefully about how they differentiate between what counts as official campaign communications and what comes from grassroots supporters. Although the campaigns are still in the very early days, much of what happens now will set the tone for the next few months — on and off line.
UPDATE: The mystery of how @LabourAndy has so many followers is solved. Some folks on Twitter have pointed out that the account was previously known as @EvidenceUK, before being rebadged for Burnham’s leadership campaign. According to Éoin Clarke’s LinkedIn page, he is the founder of EvidenceUK: |
The story in the paragraph below is false. Fiction. Urban legend. Made up — just not by me.
In 1848, California and Mexico were at war. A group of Californian settlers managed to hold their ground against a larger, better armed band of Mexican attackers, and went to hoist the flag of California above their successfully defended fort. Unfortunately, none had been created yet. The captain, Jebidiah Bartlett (whom the lead character in The West Wing is named for), forcefully made a suggestion. He wanted to pay homage to the area’s rich agricultural givings, specifically to the pear industry. (It may have had something to do with the fact that Bartlett had helped create the pear variety of the same name and was a titan of local ag industry.) The group sent instructions to a local painter to put together a flag featuring a pear in the center. Unfortunately, the painter misread the instructions, and painted a bear instead. The flag of California has looked like this –one bear, no pears — ever since.
Again, that story is complete nonsense (except that the flag of California does in fact look like this). Like many tall tales, that story has been emailed around by unsuspecting victims of the ruse for years. And like many urban legends, the Internet’s foremost debunker of myths, Snopes.com, has an entry about it.
Except this time, it’s different. Snopes claims the story is true.
Snopes, officially titled “the Urban Legends Reference Pages,” was founded in 1995 by Barbara and David Mikkleson, a California couple with an interest in folklore who were early users of Internet newsgroups. With millions of visitors each month, their websites have become the go-to place to find out if that shocking story (or virus warning) which just hit your email inbox is, indeed, true. And in general, their information is reliable — it has to be, otherwise it wouldn’t be worth much as the reference it strives to be.
But they also want to drive their mission home. Snopes is predicated on the idea that what one reads online should be taken with a grain of salt. (Although, to be fair, that’s true offline, too.) That rule of thumb, they believe, applies to them as well — “common sense dictates that you should never fully rely upon someone else to do the fact checking for you,” one page reads. So they concocted a section called “The Repository of Lost Legends” (“TROLL”), consisting of nine stories made up by the Snopes duo, five of which they flagged as “True.” Here is the “pear flag” story, and there is also one about how Mississippi removed fractions and decimals from the school curriculum, and three other stories which are just believable enough — but are fake. Clicking the “additional information” link at the bottom of the page takes the reader to this one, which explains the ruse and its purpose.
Unfortunately, not everyone knows about Snopes’ intentionally false articles. One victim, directly or otherwise, was a television show titled Mostly True Stories: Urban Legends Revealed, which aired on TLC in the United States from 2002 to 2004. In one episode, according to Wikipedia, the show declared that the nursery rhyme “Sing a Song of Sixpence” was actually a coded pirate recruitment song. That urban legend, which TLC declared to be true, is one of the five fake “trues” in Snopes’ Repository of Lost Legends — and, like the pear flag story, is complete fiction.
Bonus fact : If you read the Snopes article about the Flag of California, it says that the man who created the Bear Flag (by drawing the bear) was William Todd, who happened to be the nephew of Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. That part is true, according to the “Great Bear Almanac” written in 1996. Ostensibly, William Todd was a painter, but the “Great Bear Almanac” did not think too highly of his work. The book states that “Todd was a poor artist and the bear better resembled a pig.” The book’s judgment is probably right.
From the Archives: The First American Flag Was Very British Looking: 100% true. 0% pears. 0% bears, too.
Related: “Encyclopedia of Urban Legends” by Jan Harold Brunvand. 4.2 stars on 11 reviews. |
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A man was found dead in his home after having sex with a scarecrow that he had dressed up in a wig, lipstick and strap-on sex toy.
The rotting remains of Jose Alberto were discovered in his home after neighbours reported a foul smell coming from the building.
Police forced their way into the home in San Jose de Balcare, eastern Argentina, and were stunned to discover the 58-year-old shepherd lying dead.
Next to him lay a scarecrow that had been dressed up as a woman - but wearing a strap-on sex toy.
Rodolfo Moure, a spokesman for the prosecutor, said: "I initially thought there were two bodies but then I realised one was a scarecrow wearing lipstick and a long-haired wig.
"It was lying next to the deceased and had a six-inch strap-on penis.
"There were no signs of violence and we are working on the assumption that the man died during sex with the scarecrow.
"Straw had been stuffed inside the old clothes that had been sewn together to make the scarecrow.
"We are now waiting the results of an autopsy.”
Neighbours said the man, who was known to live alone and had no mobile phone, was often seen as a loner. |
While there are some couples who can pull off weddings that are undeniably enjoyable — Friends! Open bars! Dancing! — it's no secret that, more often than not, being a wedding guest is a total pain in the ass. The amount of money that you have to sink into someone else's nuptials, what with the cost of travel and a wedding gift, can be ridiculously huge — and now with the most recent trend in wedding photography, the smuggest of newlyweds are assaulting our eyes as well our wallets. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present the horrifying world of morning-after photography.
Turns out that couples (well, the worst couples) have begun to hire photographers to document the posed/pseudo-sexy times that occur on the morning following the wedding. But why? So they can prove their love on Facebook, of course. Remember, it's not important that you experience true happiness and the intimacy of a moment so long as it looks like you're experiencing true happiness and the intimacy of the moment to other people. Your love is meaningless until it has at least 15 Facebook likes. And what about your memories of your earliest moments as a spouse? Fuhgeddaboudit. You have dumb posed photographs from a less-fun-than-you-thought-it-would-be photo shoot instead — photographs that will allow you to celebrate a fake memory and experience a false sense of nostalgia for years and years to come.
You know the old adage: "A picture's worth a thousand words/just make a fucking sex tape like normal people."
'Morning-After' Photos Capture Sexier Side of Wedded Bliss [GMA] |
The organization American Muslims for Palestine is expanding its nationwide ad campaign calling to end U.S. aid to Israel to the nation’s capital. A press release from the organization says it is a perfect time given the country’s dire financial situation:
It is a fitting time. The federal government may shut down Tuesday because it cannot afford to pay its bills yet we are still sending Israel billions of dollars in military aid, loan guarantees, other grants and free or reduced cost weaponry every year. Also today, Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu visited President Barack Obama in the Oval Office today to discuss Iran, Syria and the “peace process.”
“It is inexcusable that we continue to fund Israel’s military when our own government can’t pay its employees or fund important social services,” said AMP national board member Dr. Osama Abu Irshaid. “Our unconditional support of Israel hurts our image throughout the world and weakens our national security. It is time to keep this money here at home to help Americans who desperately need it.” |
S. Africa ruling party wants to pull out of ICC
South Africa’s ruling party says it wants the country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, saying the court has lost direction and no longer fulfills its mandate.
The decision comes after a spat with The Hague-based court over South Africa’s failure to arrest Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir when he arrived in the country in June to attend an African Union summit.
“The National General Council has just resolved that South Africa should withdraw from the international court. However, only after we have followed certain processes,” says Obed Bapela, who heads the ANC party’s international relations commission.
The resolution comes out of an ANC policy meeting where leaders are reviewing the party’s policies ahead of the country’s municipal elections in 2016.
The ANC says it still believes in the founding principles of the ICC, such as prevention of genocide and stopping the violations of human rights, and that such principles led the country to become a signatory to the Rome Statute that governs the court.
— AFP |
We showed you video courtesy of TMZ earlier of Jahlil Okafor apparently getting in an altercation outside a Boston bar on Wednesday night, effectively knocking out somebody.
Tonight, former porn star, and the not-a-pimp of Michael Del Zotto, Lisa Ann, went to Twitter to voice her opinion of the video, which, according to the story, portrays that someone else instigated the whole thing. That certainly could have been for another purpose other than just being a Boston jackass. Ann explains:
I have been doing my fair share of reading on this @JahlilOkafor story as well as everyone's comments.. All I can think is this.. — Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) November 27, 2015
None of us can say we never did stupid shit when we were 19. We also weren't on camera every second we were out, people are aggressive — Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) November 27, 2015
I think we all should stop and realize it's a lot of pressure and adjustment for a 19 year old. Imagine not being able to do stupid shit ?? — Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) November 27, 2015
I also, myself, have witnesses players getting harassed with intent to incite a fight and later sue "said" player. It's a lot to manage.. — Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) November 27, 2015
It's a bummer, it's not a great way to start a career, the emotional factor of the way the season is going, all at 19 years old, intense . — Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) November 27, 2015
@tonyvincentsr at 19 years old, no matter how much money is on the line, you just don't understand yet. I feel for the kid. A young ego. — Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) November 27, 2015
@drbwhit23 YOU and me both!! Thank you for commenting. 19 is really young.. Just the amount of weed I carried at 19 was insane lol — Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) November 27, 2015
Wait… weed!? Oh, Lisa.
We need a Dr. Lisa Ann show. It’d be a ratings bonanza.
She continued:
@JayBee_EZ it has to be awful to be harassed for your teams record everywhere you go. No 19 year old ego can yet manage that. Impossible — Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) November 27, 2015
@Ghostbks1 I agree, and I am sure if there was a veteran on the 76ers that would help? I just wish the best for him. — Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) November 27, 2015 |
Ok so after some excited communication from my gifter, I was excited to come home from work to find a package waiting for me!
I tore it open and read the awesome letter that Pand0raR0x sent with the gift, and was BLOWN AWAY. Seriously, we entered so much of the same stuff in our exchange questionnaire. Booyah. Match made in heaven.
What did I get?
Well, knowing I LOOOOVE Fallout, and she loved it too, she silk screened two awesome tanks for me. (I LOVE TANK TOPS)
I am a know it all when it comes to medicine and anatomy and crap. I even act the mob doctor to my friends when they don't want to go to the hospital. Luckily I now get a +5 to my medicine skills thanks to my custom Vault Boy Medicine Perk Tank. Bam!
Not only that, I have gained entry to the ranks of the Brotherhood of Steel thanks to my custom recruit's tank. Hell it is sooo sweet! Because 'Everyone knows how to make another human being, but not everyone knows how to make another plasma rifle'.
You rock gifter, YOU ROCK! |
OSAKA, Japan / PALO ALTO, Calif. — Panasonic Corporation and Tesla Motors today announced that the two companies have reached an agreement in which Panasonic will expand its supply of automotive-grade lithium-ion battery cells to Tesla. With this agreement, the two companies update and expand their 2011 arrangement to now supply nearly 2 billion cells over the course of four years. The lithium-ion battery cells purchased from Panasonic will be used to power the award winning Model S as well as Model X, a performance utility vehicle that is scheduled to go into production by the end of 2014.
This agreement builds upon a multi-year collaboration between Panasonic and Tesla to develop next-generation automotive-grade battery cells and accelerate the market expansion of electric vehicles. Panasonic’s cells combined with Tesla’s proven EV battery expertise have already enabled more than 130 million customer miles driven in Tesla Roadsters and Model S.
“This expanded agreement with Panasonic is important to Tesla as we continue to increase the pace of production,” said Tesla Co-Founder and CEO Elon Musk. “We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Panasonic, and I’m confident that this partnership will continue to be an integral part of Tesla’s success for years to come.”
Together, Panasonic and Tesla have developed a next-generation battery cell technology that provides the highest energy density and best performance cells in the market. Panasonic’s cylindrical cell is a customized technology designed specifically for optimizing electric vehicle quality and life. These cells are integrated by Tesla into the battery pack in a way that enables an industry-leading range of approximately 265 miles for the Model S.
“We are extremely proud to be a strategic partner of Tesla,” said Yoshihiko Yamada, president of the Automotive & Industrial Systems Company, an internal company of Panasonic. “Panasonic will increase its production capacity of lithium-ion battery cells to supply Tesla’s growing needs as it expands its production of EVs.”
ABOUT PANASONIC
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and engineering of electronic technologies and solutions for customers in residential, non-residential, mobility and personal applications. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates over 500 consolidated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.30 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2013. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company strives to create a better life and a better world for its customers. For more information about Panasonic, please visit the company’s website at panasonic.net
ABOUT TESLA
Tesla Motors’ (NASDAQ: TSLA) goal is to accelerate the world’s transition to electric mobility with a full range of increasingly affordable electric cars. California-based Tesla designs and manufactures EVs, as well as EV powertrain components for industry partners. Tesla has delivered over 15,000 electric vehicles to customers in 31 countries.
Media Contacts Panasonic Corporation Tokyo Public Relations Office Tel: +81-(0)3-3574-5664 Fax: +81-(0)3-3574-5699
Panasonic News Bureau Tel: +81-(0)3-3542-6205 Fax: +81-(0)3-3542-9018
Tesla Motors [email protected] Tel: 650-681-5250/650-681-5113
Interested in keeping up with Tesla Motors? For more information on Tesla Motors and its products, please visit: teslamotors.com For more information for Tesla Motors investors, please visit: ir.teslamotors.com For the latest information from Tesla Motors, including press releases and the Tesla blog, please visit:teslamotors.com/press |
Oak Brook officials are hopeful that the 2018 move of McDonald's corporate offices to Chicago provides the perfect fit for e-commerce giant Amazon's search for a 50,000-job second headquarters.
Oak Brook is throwing its hat in the ring to be part of an official bid to Amazon officials looking to add another headquarters outside of their Seattle site.
"I really think we have a good chance of getting this, or at least getting to talk with Amazon," said Valentina Tomov, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce. "We are very close to a major urban center with great access on highways, are close to the airport and have very friendly business policies with low taxes and no municipal property taxes."
Village President Gopal Lalmalani said this is a great opportunity for Oak Brook and for Amazon.
"Having a company like Amazon come to Oak Brook would be a huge economic boom for this entire area, and we believe we have a perfect situation for Amazon to come here, with McDonald's getting ready to move," Lalmalani said.
Tomov said McDonald's representatives are interested in working with local officials in an effort to sell the company's Oak Brook property to Amazon. McDonald's did not reply to a request for comment.
Oak Brook is working with Choose DuPage and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in bid. Any financial incentives the state agrees to for Amazon would apply to any Illinois municipality that lands the bid, Tomov said.
She said Oak Brook's proposal would be submitted to Choose DuPage, which will select two or three from the county to pass on to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. From there, an unknown number of proposals will be sent to Amazon by Oct. 19 for consideration.
"I don't see much of a competition around us," Tomov said. "One of our biggest challenges is to get the word out. You hear a lot about Chicago with this, but we really believe Oak Brook offers the advantage of being so close to the city, but also some benefits Chicago does not have."
One of Oak Brook's selling points is the green space that would be in the area after Amazon moved in.
"Amazon has said it wants green space, and we have that, especially with the Sports Core which is very close to the McDonald's campus," Tomov said.
[email protected]
Twitter @chuckwriting |
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) and Chevron Corp (CVX.N) paid no tax in Australia in the 2016 financial year, the third year in a row, despite reporting billions of dollars in income from operations in the country, a report from the tax office showed on Thursday.
FILE PHOTO: An Exxon sign is seen at a gas station in the Chicago suburb of Norridge, Illinois, U.S., October 27, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Young/File Photo
Exxon Mobil, which has oil and gas production in the Bass Strait and a stake in the giant Gorgon LNG project among other assets in Australia, reported A$6.7 billion ($5.0 billion) in income, but it reported a loss for taxable income and paid no tax, similar to the previous two years.
Exxon said it had no taxable income as it has invested nearly A$18 billion over the past few years on major projects including Gorgon and the Kipper Tuna Turrum field.
“As these multi-billion investments were completed in 2017 and have started production, the amount of tax paid by ExxonMobil Australia is anticipated to increase significantly,” said Travis Parnaby, a spokesman for the oil major.
Chevron reported A$2.1 billion in income for 2016 and paid no tax, while Shell Energy Holdings Australia - a unit of Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) - reported A$4.2 billion in income and A$97 million in taxable income, but paid no tax.
Chevron, operator of the Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG projects, said it expects to pay significant taxes once those projects are running at full tilt. Shell is also a partner in Gorgon LNG.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) started requiring big companies to disclose their tax payments two years ago in a push to curb alleged tax avoidance.
Top global miners BHP Billiton (BHP.AX)BLT.L and Rio Tinto (RIO.AX)(RIO.L) and the oil and gas giants have all been accused of shifting income to countries like the Netherlands and Singapore where tax rates are lower.
A probe by the Australian Senate into corporate tax avoidance that began in 2014 was extended this week, and is now due to issue a final report by the end of May 2018.
In New Zealand, the new Labour government on Thursday proposed legislation to prevent multinationals from shifting profits out of the country. Its tax office estimated the measures could raise about NZ$200 million ($137 million) a year.
“Multinational companies are a welcome part of our economy but they must abide by the rules. They must pay their fair share of tax,” New Zealand Revenue Minister Stuart Nash said in a statement.
Australia’s and New Zealand’s company tax rates are 30 percent and 28 percent respectively. The Netherlands has a 25 percent rate.
BHP Chief Executive Andrew Mackenzie defended the company’s tax payments this week, after Australian Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan was quoted in The Australian newspaper saying the ATO might take BHP and Rio Tinto to court to resolve questions about marketing hubs in Singapore, where the miners pay minimal tax.
Mackenzie said the fight with the tax office related to about 1 or 2 percent of BHP’s total tax payable in Australia.
Slideshow (2 Images)
“We pay our fair share,” Mackenzie told the Melbourne Mining Club on Tuesday.
The tax office won a landmark case against Chevron earlier this year over a disputed A$340 million tax bill stemming from an intercompany loan with an exorbitantly high interest rate.
“On the back of solid growth in company profits and higher commodity prices, we are seeing a strong increase in company tax collections in 2016-17 which will be reflected in the data next year,” Australia’s Deputy Tax Commissioner Jeremy Hirschhorn said in a statement released with the tax data. |
A 42-year-old pastor, Chidiebere Ikpa, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly raping his 14-year-old stepdaughter in the Surulere area of the state.
The unidentified victim, a Senior Secondary 2 student who reported the incident to the police, insisted she was raped by the pastor on several occasions.
However, on his part, Ikpa denied the allegation, disclosing that it was a neighbour, whom he identified only as Richard, that defiled the 14-year-old girl, but he decided not to report the matter to the police because he (Ikpa) had a forgiving character.
Narrating the incidence to The Punch, the victim said she told her mother about it every time the pastor had canal knowledge of her. She added that whenever she told her mother about it, she usually shouted her down, and refused to take any action on the matter.
The accused, who hails from the Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, was arrested by policemen from the Isokoko division, while the victim was taken for medical examination at the Mirabel Centre, Ikeja.
The test reportedly confirmed that the girl’s private parts had been tampered with.
A police source disclosed that the victim reported that Ikpa had allegedly been sleeping with her since she was ten years old and was the one who ‘deflowered’ her.
According to the source, “The victim claimed that the suspect deflowered her when she was 10 years. He had allegedly been sexually molesting the girl since that time.
“The victim’s mother is culpable because she knew about the abuses. The girl said it was when her mother failed to take concrete steps that she came to the police.”
Meanwhile, the pastor, on denying the allegation, said he flogged the girl last Thursday and she disappeared from the house, not knowing she came to the police to lie against him.
Ikpa said, “The girl started living with me when she was 12 or thereabout. That was around 2012. It is not true that I raped her. I flogged her on Thursday for being rude and she did not return home after school. We did not see her until Friday. She had been with the police.
“The girl has a boyfriend; his name is Richard. He is the manager of a hotel on Rasak Balogun Street. If the medical result shows someone has been sleeping with her, then it is Richard, not me.
“It is a mystery to me that the girl is claiming that I slept with her. When we caught Richard and confronted him sometime last year, he started begging. The mistake I made was that I did not report to the police.
“My wife got furious and said we must report the matter to the police, but the man started begging, sending text messages to me. I forgave him. I am a pastor,” Ikpa added.
“I was working under a church, but since I moved to this area, I have not pastored any church.”
The victim said Ikpa was lying and he had slept with her on several occasions.
She said, “The first time that he would rape me was about five years ago. My mother sent me to give food to him in his own house. I was then staying in my father’s house. That was when he took advantage of me and raped me.
“The man he mentioned is not my boyfriend. Richard was the man I reported to when I told my mother about the rape and she did not believe me. Richard advised me to leave everything to God.
“Sometimes, when everyone was sleeping, he would come to the room where I was with my other sisters and he would rape me. I would be hitting my sisters trying to wake them, but they did not wake at such times.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the pastor’s arrest.
“The pastor’s arrest is confirmed. He was transferred from FESTAC to the Isokoko division for further action,” the PPRO confirmed. |
Defending champion Matt Neal is itching to get back on-track when the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship returns at Snetterton next weekend.
Neal heads Honda Yuasa Racing teammate Gordon Shedden by the smallest of margins in the title fight, just one point separating the pair, with Jason Plato 29 points behind in third.
With four wins in the opening half of the season, and five further appearances on the podium, the 45-year-old entered the break in the best possible position for his title defence. But he is anticipating a tough battle to keep hold of the championship lead.
“The first half has gone amazingly well, no one can deny that,” the three-time champion told theCheckeredFlag.co.uk, “especially considering all the restrictions they are heaping on our Civics to slow us down.
“But it's only half way and we're now heading in to the half of the season where the gloves get taken off. So I just need to keep focused, get my head down and try to keep notching some results up. But no doubt it'll go down to the last round.”
One year ago, the debut of the new '300' layout at Snetterton, Neal and Plato came to blows within seconds of the first race, contact sending the Honda spinning at more than 100mph.
Plato, then in a Chevrolet Cruze, qualified pole and won the opening race but this time, with Honda's increasingly impressive new NGTC package at his disposal, Neal believes the combination of long straights and a tight infield means Snetterton is anyone's guess- and the same applies to the battle within the Yuasa team as well.
“Between me and Flash it's swung backwards and forwards,” he says, the two racking up ten wins from 15 between them. “He had the upper hand at a few meetings and then I've managed to swing it back my way for the last two, it could literally go either way.
“As for Jason, who knows? He'll be there because he always is and the MG has pace, he's the one who has the potential to spoil our party for sure.”
The Civics turned a corner in their development in a test at Pembrey before Oulton Park, where they won all three races, and Neal feels going into the second half of the season they will continue to be the car to beat.
“I think at the beginning S2000s had the edge,” he explains, “but now that edge has passed to NGTC cars for both outright speed and durability – [NGTC's] definitely the way forward for any team wanting to challenge consistently at the front.
“Implementation of the new regulations has been challenging but where we've got to with understanding it, I think the guys at Honda Racing are definitely one step in front of the others.” |
If you want to know what’s going on in Cairo, just look at the walls. Over the last two years, as clashes and political conflict were raging on the streets of Cairo, another war was being fought on Egypt’s walls with paint brushes and spray cans.
The graffiti scene barely existed prior to the revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak. But as the uprising and protests gained momentum, murals have become the way for artists to dare to dream for something better for their country.
Mos'ab Elshamy A child on a bike who had come to inspect the wall was photographed by the artists and added on the final painting.
A political dance has emerged between graffiti artists and the authorities that seek to paint over the prismatic walls. The cycle has ensued for almost two years–the graffiti goes up, the authorities paint over it, then something even bolder is portrayed on top. And so it continues.
The back-and-forth between artists and the authorities has captivated many–and as a photographer, Cairo’s wall’s present rich material for me. I have been able to document the progression from the birth of modern political graffiti to the current struggle between art and regime.
Mos'ab Elshamy An onlooker watches graffiti artists.
Though the political tones are always prominent, it is not the only theme to shine through. Cairo’s walls have played host to anti-sexual harassment graffiti and calls for gender equality. Female artists have also played a considerable role in reclaiming public spaces with stenciled icons encouraging female empowerment.
Most Egyptian graffiti artists remain anonymous but are still widely known by their nicknames like Ganzeer (which means “bicycle chain”), Keizer, and Sad Panda.
Mos'ab Elshamy During the presidential election, graffiti which originally showed half faces of Hosni Mubarak and SCAF leader, Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, was modified to include faces of candidates Ahmed Shafik and Amr Moussa
Perhaps the strongest messages delivered by graffiti are those painted on walls originally meant to barricade protesters. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) walled off access to Tahrir Square in November 2011 after deadly clashes erupted and killed many civilian protesters. More than four walls were erected last year (and two last week), turning downtown Cairo into a maze. Egyptian graffiti artists arranged “No Walls Protests,” painting the barricades away with trompe l’œil murals that commemorate the dead.
The Sheikh Rihan eye-deceiving, (trompe-l’œil) mural, painted during a “No Walls Protest.”
A few months after Mohammed Morsi was sworn in as president, Cairo’s authorities moved in to erase some of the most iconic and popular graffiti on Mohammed Mahmoud Street near Tahrir Square. Recently, protests have started again over Morsi’s expanded authority, and the graffiti rebels rose to the occasion to redecorate Cairo. Artists took to the street and, within a few days, murals and political statements were painted afresh on the new canvases.
Mos'ab Elshamy A graffiti artist painting graffiti on a wall near Tahrir square.
All images by Mos’ab Elshamy. Follow him on Twitter: @mosaaberizing |
Google has just released an HTML 5 optimized iOS web app for its Google Music cloud service.
Now you can play your tunes on any iDevice from the browser.
If you visit music.google.com on any iDevice, you’ll be shown the new web app in all of its dark, minimal glory. The app is only for playback, so you can’t upload or browse music catalogs.
Google lets you store 25MB of music on your device in cache. Content is streamed from your uploaded collection. When you initially open the app, you can choose what you want to listen to and then you are taken to the “Now Playing” window.
Google Music is still an invite-only service, and it’s currently being offered for free to beta testers.
(via The Next Web) |
How come Christians don’t talk about Genesis 38 the same way they cite the chapters before and after it?
YouTuber DarkMatter2525 opens his latest video by pointing to several books that just skip over that section like it was the 13th floor of a skyscraper. They pretend it doesn’t exist.
And then we learn why.
As usual, you may want to follow along with the actual verses just to convince yourself he’s not making this stuff up.
I never knew a retelling of a Bible story could include these words from God:
I had to look. And it’s biblically accurate. Even the part about splooging on the floor. (There are people online who say this verse condemns masturbation. However, many Christians call that a misinterpretation of what the Bible says.)
In any case, this chapter must make for one hell of a Sunday School class. |
The number of illegal drug samples containing fentanyl has doubled every year in Canada since dealers began smuggling a black market version of the prescription painkiller into the country, new figures show.
The figures, based on samples seized by police and analyzed by Health Canada's Drug Analysis Service, provide the first national snapshot of how rapidly illicit fentanyl has moved east from British Columbia.
Amid a dearth of national surveillance data on Canada's deadly opioid crisis, the lab results provide fresh evidence of a booming underground market in fentanyl. A Globe and Mail investigation last year revealed how China's chemicals industry has helped foster a market for illicit fentanyl in Canada.
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Read more: Fentanyl's deadly path: How the powerful drug gets across Canada's border and into the hands of users
Read more: A Killer High: How Canada got addicted to fentanyl
Read more: On Cheque Day, a toxic mix of money and drugs in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside
As the death toll from illicit drugs climbs, more communities are sounding the alarm. Mayors of Canada's biggest cities plan to meet on Friday with federal ministers to discuss a "co-ordinated response to an unprecedented rash of opioid overdoses and deaths."
Unlike the United States, Canada does not have national systems tracking the number of overdose deaths or visits to hospital emergency departments – a gap federal Health Minister Jane Philpott has pledged to fill.
"In the absence of real-time monitoring, we are looking to seizure data, [emergency] calls and on-the-ground reports," said Michael Parkinson, a community engagement co-ordinator with the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.
Laboratories operated by Health Canada detected fentanyl in 3,721 illegal drug samples in 2016, compared with just 231 in 2012, according to statistics obtained by The Globe.
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While fentanyl accounted for a tiny portion of all drug samples, it is growing at a faster rate than other categories. Benoit Archambault, national director of the Drug Analysis Service, said the labs received 120,000 samples in 2016, up 2 per cent to 3 per cent a year.
British Columbia, the centre of the opioid crisis, accounted for half of all samples containing fentanyl in 2016 and saw its numbers triple from 2015, the statistics show. But every province and territory has been exposed to the powerful opioid.
The number of samples containing fentanyl doubled between 2015 and 2016 in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Alberta bucked the trend, with a 27-per-cent rise in 2016.
The drugs analyzed by the labs do not indicate how much fentanyl is available on the street – a sample can range from a couple of pills to several kilograms, Mr. Archambault said. Nor do the samples represent all seizures by police.
Illicit fentanyl first appeared in Canada after the prescription painkiller OxyContin was pulled from the market in 2012. OxyContin was popular not only with people who became addicted after their doctors prescribed it but also with heroin users because they could easily snort it like cocaine or inject it like heroin for a quick high.
The Globe investigation found that demand for a replacement for OxyContin gave rise to a counterfeit version of the drug. Illicit fentanyl powder is smuggled into Canada from China and processed for street sale in clandestine labs, which typically put the powder through a pill press machine and dye the tablets green to mimic the 80-milligram OxyContin pills favoured by opioid abusers.
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Health-care workers and police say a sharp spike in the number of samples containing fentanyl in Ontario reflects what they are seeing in their local communities. There were 903 samples containing fentanyl in the province in 2016, an eight-fold increase since 2012. Anecdotal evidence also points to the growing presence of fentanyl in several communities in Ontario, the country's biggest per capita user of prescription painkillers.
Police in Ottawa arrested a dozen people last week believed to be trafficking counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. The amount of illicit fentanyl in Ottawa has "grown in leaps and bounds" over the past year, said Staff Sergeant Rick Carey of the Ottawa Police Service's drug unit.
Michelle Klaiman, an addiction medicine doctor in Toronto, said fentanyl began showing up in the urine tests for many of her patients last summer. "We never saw fentanyl before and now we're seeing a lot more," she said.
Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital, where Dr. Klaiman works in the emergency department, expects ED doctors to use 30 per cent more of the antidote naloxone on overdose patients this year over last year, she said.
In Kingston, tests done recently on patients who use needle exchange programs and those being assessed for addiction treatment showed that eight out of 10 had unknowingly used drugs laced with fentanyl, said Kieran Michael Moore, associate medical officer of health for KFL&A Public Health, an agency representing Kingston and neighbouring communities.
British Columbia publishes the number of fatal overdoses linked to illicit opioids every month and Alberta is planning to release data on deaths linked to fentanyl every six weeks.
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By comparison, the most recent opioid-overdose death figures for Ontario are from the end of 2015. However, as of April 1, hospitals in Ontario will be required to disclose the number of patients they treat in emergency for opioid overdoses, said Health Ministry spokesman David Jensen. The initiative is part of Health Minister Eric Hoskins's response to the opioid crisis.
But medical experts said much more needs to be done on the surveillance front. Dr. Moore is calling on Health Canada to publicize results of its drug testing, information he said is vital to help communities respond to the problem. "We are in an outbreak," he said. "We have to be more accountable."
Health Canada spokeswoman Rebecca Gilman said that "whenever potent substances are encountered for the first time in a community," the department shares those results with provincial and territorial health agencies.
"Given the ongoing opioid crisis," Ms. Gilman said, the department is "exploring opportunities" to share more information. |
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