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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 is considering a "public-private option" for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a transition team official said Wednesday.
"We think we have to have kind of a ... public-private option because some vets love the VA ... some vets want to go to the VA," a senior transition official told reporters, according to pool reports.
"So, the idea is to come up with a solution that solves the problem. And it's not the easiest thing in the world because you've got all these little kingdoms out there, which is hard," the senior official continued.
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"You know, in the federal government it's hard to break things up and start over. So, those are the types of things that people are talking about."
Trump spoke often about veterans and reforming the VA during his campaign.
In October, he outlined a plan to allow competition between VA facilities and non-VA hospitals, saying he would allow any veteran to see a doctor that accepts Medicare and receive care.
The senior official said Wednesday that the public-private idea is "one of the options on the table."
"Definitely an option on the table to have a system where potentially vets can choose either/or, or all private," the official said.
The senior official also said the president-elect is considering setting up an advisory committee to "help us navigate through what's a very complicated process, providing healthcare to veterans."
But the official said nothing has been formalized yet. |
Yesterday we witnessed another article appearing in the mainstream media to tell people who are not fairly represented in the mainstream media to stop complaining that they’re not fairly represented in the mainstream media, because the mainstream media is quite properly doing its job of not fairly representing people outside the media mainstream. And can I get a guest slot on Scotland 2016 now please?
The article was of course a defence of the BBC against the criticisms of independence supporters that our public service broadcaster isn’t properly serving the public of Scotland. 50 years ago there were many British institutions, the great nationalised companies such as British Coal, British Steel, British Rail, and British Telecom, but one by one they were broken up and sold off into private hands. It shouldn’t be a great surprise to anyone that as the institutions and organisations that belonged to the people of Britain as a whole were sold off and broken up by the British establishment that a sense of Britishness and a British identity has grown weaker. Now the apart from the UK parliament itself, the only remaining British institutions are the monarchy, the armed forces, and the BBC.
I’m sure that somewhere in a philosophy class someone will be asking whether it’s possible for an organisation whose goal and aim is foster a sense of a British identity and present it to the world can accurately represent the large segment of the Scottish population which doesn’t want to be a part of the British state. It’s all the more difficult to achieve when the organisation in question is the last civil institution self-consciously maintaining a British identity in an increasingly diverse UK. Asking whether the BBC can fairly represent the Scottish independence movement is a bit like asking whether a religious publication can fairly represent a group which its religion considers to be heretics, and indeed if you look at some coverage of the independence campaign on the BBC you could be forgiven for believing that we sacrifice chickens to the god Alicsammin.
Because the viewpoint of the BBC is that Britishness is the established norm, and independence is the deviation from that norm, the BBC is unable to distinguish between the mainstream independence movement, and fringe groups. This results in the spectacle of the BBC sending a reporter to sit in on a court case involving the antics of a small group of protesters in an independence camp outside Holyrood, and the episode occupying a significant proportion of an episode of Reporting Scotland. It was an invitation from the BBC for us all to ridicule the independence movement as a whole. The BBC would never conflate the fringe activities of pro-Unionist groups like those behind the violence that erupted in George Square in the aftermath of the 2014 referendum vote with mainstream Unionism, yet it regularly conflates fringe nationalism with mainstream Scottish nationalism. The reason it does so is because the BBC starts off from a British perspective.
The media in general in this country is overwhelmingly biased against the Scottish independence movement. It’s also overwhelmingly biased against left wing politics as supporters of Jeremy Corbyn have been discovering. In the absence of laws demanding media diversity and subsidies for newspapers affiliated to particular parties, such as you get in some other European countries, the British media is viciously right wing and grossly unrepresentative of the political views of the population. That’s true in Scotland too, where despite having the sustained support of a good half of the population, all but one daily and one Sunday newspaper in Scotland are opposed to independence. Lacking its own investigative reporting, the BBC typically follows the agenda of the print media, compounding the sense that the organisation is also biased.
This means that certain stories are likely to be chosen as newsworthy, whereas other stories are not given the same prominence or are overlooked entirely. A good recent example of this is the supposed Spanish veto threat against an independent Scotland which is constantly a feature of reports in the Unionist media about Scotland’s potential accession to the EU as an independent state. Last week, as reported in this blog and in my column in the National, there was a major new development when the Spanish foreign minister stated that he expects Scotland to become independent within a few years and put a second indyref into the context of a UK being dragged out of the EU under the influence of the political extremists of UKIP. There was no whiff or suggestion of any Spanish veto. Yet there was silence from the Unionist media and likewise from the BBC. It was a perfect example of bias by omission.
Bias isn’t a conspiracy. It’s not a group of men and women in business suits sitting in a room and plotting, then sending down secret instructions from on high. Bias is a point of view, a perspective. Bias is subjectivity and as such we are all biased. Bias in an institution like the BBC is knowing what stories your bosses are going to prefer, and working accordingly. It means ignoring other stories that they won’t like so much. If the BBC reporter has a choice between a story praising the royals and a story attacking them, it doesn’t take a genius to know which of the two that management is going to prefer.
The difference is that the BBC has a legal obligation to be neutral, and we all have to pay for it. It’s one thing to thole the bias of the print media, but we are not obliged to pay an annual tax with threats of criminal prosecution in order to financially support it. That’s why the perceived bias of the BBC sticks in the craw in a way that newspaper bias, or even bias from the other broadcasters, does not. If you don’t like the bias of the Daily Record, you don’t buy the Daily Record. Not buying the Daily Record does not bring with it the threat of criminal prosecution. Not paying for the BBC does.
All this occurs in the context of a BBC which fails to serve Scotland across the board, not merely failing to represent the breadth of Scottish political views. Scotland contributes over £300 million a year in licence fees, but only a small fraction of that is returned to Scotland for Scottish programming, and the proportion spent on Scottish programming has been declining in recent years. This is despite the fact that Scotland has its own parliament, its own legal system, its own educational system, and its own distinctive political traditions, its own language and culture. None of these are fairly represented in a BBC which is more concerned with portraying a fictive Britishness which is increasingly seen by Scots as an imposition.
The Unionist establishment continually tells us that Scotland has the most powerful devolved parliament in the world, but Scotland remains without a public service broadcaster of its own. The reason for that is because the British state intends to use the BBC as a means to shore up its crumbling rule in Scotland. The Scottish independence movement is not only justified in its criticisms of the BBC, it is imperative that we continue to keep making them and holding our public self-serving broadcaster to account.
Audio link to this blog post, courtesy of @lumi_1984 https://soundcloud.com/occamshaver/scotlands-public-self-serving-broadcaster-wee-ginger-dug
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I’m now taking advance orders for Volumes 3 and 4 of the Collected Yaps. For the special price of £21 for both volumes plus £4 P&P you can get signed copies of the new books if you order before publication, scheduled for mid-July. Covering the immediate aftermath of the independence referendum until the Yes campaign’s destruction of the Labour party in the 2015 General Election, it’s a snarling chronicle of Scottish history.
To reserve your copies, just send an email to [email protected] giving your name and your postal address and how many copies you wish to order. You can also order signed copies of all four volumes for the special price of £40 plus £4 P&P.
Signed copies of the Collected Yaps of the Wee Ginger Dug volumes 1 and 2 are available by emailing me at [email protected]. Price just £21.90 the pair plus P&P. Copies of Barking Up the Right Tree are available from my publisher Vagabond Voices at http://vagabondvoices.co.uk/?page_id=1993 price just £7.95 plus P&P. The E-book of Barking Up the Right Tree is available for Kindle for just £4. Click here to purchase. |
Having topped the polls in last year’s European Election, Marine Le Pen’s National Front is set to become the biggest party in France with the French Prime Minister accusing the party of wanting to “kidnap France” at this month’s regional elections.
The latest polling data, which comes after it was revealed French Jews are increasingly turning to the right wing party, puts the National Front on 29 per cent, four points clear of the opposition UMP and creating a significant gap between them and the socialists on 21 per cent, The Local reports.
The country votes on March 22nd and 29th to elect representatives in each of the country’s 101 counties.
Nonna Mayer, a political scientist from Sciences Po said the party “are on the rise.”
“In the last presidential election Le Pen got 18 percent of the vote, they got 25 percent in the Euro elections and now they could get as much as between 30 and 33 percent of the vote in the départemental elections.”
And she said even though it was for local, rather than national elections, the results are “vital” for the charismatic leader who has moved the party away from the anti-Semitic line her father took. For her party to have elected representation “gives the party much more credibility and visibility,” says Mayer.
“She knows if you want to succeed in politics, it’s not only about the leadership, but you need a party behind it. That means the presence of the National Front in all layers of democracy in France.
“It’s a long term strategy. They have been attracting new activists since 2011, including more young people and women,” she said.
In May last year the party secured 24 MEPs in the European Parliament, although they sit in the Non Attached group making it more difficult for them to have access to information and structure which other multi national groups benefit from. UKIP leader Nigel Farage refused to align himself with the party, although some people say that decision was more based on the reaction from the UK media since his current group, the EFDD, does not have any other French members.
But like the UKIP leader, Marine Le Pen has a struggle to convince voters and commentators alike that the party is not just about her – the respectable, polished figurehead. They have been hindered by disreputable candidates and still carry the mill stone of Jean-Marie and his distasteful views on Jews as well as being seen as a Vichy supporter.
Mme Mayer said the party is “trying to convince new activists to be candidates” as they will want to have representation across the country. “But,” she added, “some of them are not really appropriate.”
“Le Pen needs to show they are not racist or anti-Semitic but some of these candidates are not, shall we say, respectable,” she added. |
SACRAMENTO – A Perris man was sentenced Tuesday to more than six years in federal prison and ordered to pay about $6.5 million in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service after fires he lighted at a marijuana growing site sparked a 1,600-acre wildfire.
Edgardo Fournier, who also goes by Edgardo Fournier-Nigaglioni, pleaded guilty in April to conspiring to distribute marijuana and setting timber afire July 11 in the Sequoia National Forest. He was sentenced to six years and 10 months in prison.
The Nicolls fire started in the Kiavah Wilderness Area just southeast of Onyx in Kern County and destroyed 1,680 acres of forest, causing more than $6.5 million in damage.
Fournier was watering and tending to 2,090 marijuana plants at a large-scale growing operation in the Smith Canyon area of the Sequoia National Forest, according to court documents.
Read the full story at Los Angeles Times |
Ridley Scott's Prometheus crashed into theaters in 2012 and divided hardcore Alien fans somewhere down the middle. Some loved it. Others despised it.
As the hype machine built up to a massive crescendo with the movie's release, many loyalists didn't know exactly what to make of the feature. Scott had said the film was not a direct prequel but existed in the same universe as our favorite space heroine, Ellen Ripley. The strange construct of the movie's plot was torn to shreds by people on both sides of the aisle. Even apologists take issue with a narrative that allows extremely smart people to make really bad decisions repeatedly. As beautiful as the visual elements are, many flaws were apparent and the internet became a wretched place where a battle was fought over Scott's way of adding newer, more underhanded religious tones to a series that was always about action and the horrifying acid bleeding xenomorph. Did audiences need more questions answered? And did Prometheus open up too many new doors that would lead to nowhere? One of the most problematic things about the feature was the failure to close those gaps.
Having recently seen Alien:Covenant, Prometheus becomes a more succinct chapter in the Alien saga. Scott's creative directives become more clear and it also seems likelier that he had a major shift in focus between the two entries. Fans were not happy. So, Scott would try to satisfy them in any way he could, even going as far as to apologize for the movie. Where Prometheus shows his struggle to start anew with a broader spectrum that would entangle the Engineers and a creationist plot into the long game, Covenant seems like Scott was more or less trying to please the fans with another prequel that would satiate their thirst for their long lost acid bleeding friend. While I'm not here to review the latest entry, I'd be amiss in not stating that Prometheus is for all intents and purposes, the far better film. It looks better. It sounds better. And the script actually takes chances. In time, more people will begin to revere the dynamic changes that were made to take focus off the past and place it more firmly on the movie at hand.
Remembered the Jello shots
but forgot the fishing rod. Damn it.
Time to destroy some humans.
Upon a recent viewing, it became clearer. Despite the poorly written motives of many crew members and the poor decision making that goes on, Prometheus simply doesn't get the respect it deserves. With this prequel, the mythology was getting a denser, much more populated background that was based more in the sci fi expedition elements than the darker horror of his original Alien. Within the confines of the story, Scott pushes many different narratives that not only concentrate on the coldness of space, but show us the corporate structure that would use and abuse any major find of alien life. We're given another solid female hero that selflessly offers herself to a mission as a crew of poor decision makers continue to poke the hornet's nest of doom.
It seems that our expectations are possibly skewed when going into a movie like Prometheus or the upcoming Covenant. The original Alien remains a classic, one which will never be matched. Perhaps, we as viewers should temper the way we enter prequels that come decades later. There will never be another first for this franchise and to expect anything to live up to that level of originality is completely unwarranted. In an age where everything has been done already, Ridley Scott won't be able to out perform himself but at least he has the balls to try, knowing that internet trolls and vitriolic fanboys are going to light him up at every turn.
So, is Prometheus the horrible movie that many remember? Absolutely not. While I've never been a detractor, the problems have always been glaring but still excusable. Watching it again, Scott's vision is much more concise than first thought. The elements of the universe are there but he meticulously originates a brand new mythos within the confines of the macrocosm he'd already visited back in 1979. The dots begin to connect without breaking up or changing too much of what existed before. With Noomi Rapace at the helm, the strong female protagonist remains a focal point without walking on Ripley's legacy. Shaw is at the polar opposite end of the spectrum. Where Ripley was a warrant officer aboard the Nostromo, Elizabeth is a scientist in search for answers. The characters have some minor similarities but both remain potent representations of women in extreme situations that handle themselves against all odds.
Yes, they have Redtube aboard this vessel.
I shall enjoy this each day of my boring android life.
Prometheus succeeds on its visual merits alone. Withstanding a script that definitely struggles to maintain focus on the prize, Scott and his team still deliver a worthwhile addition to the Alien storyline that establishes history to fall back on. Will this ever be considered the best? Absolutely not. But it's way better than the thrashing it got from fans and critics. Again, it's a matter of balancing expectations. There are not many cases of a sequel/prequel living up to the overzealous hype of marketing and fan's unrealistic hopes for the second coming of the xenomorph. Prometheus is just about the best we're going to get when revisiting the well for the fifth time. Covenant may try, but having seen the film I can say that many will be disappointed.
Think what you may. I won't discount your opinion. We're all entitled. But I think Prometheus is a great sci fi spectacle that has an excellent score, great acting, and is stunning to look at.
-CG |
Abstract: In this piece, we list 19 Bitcoin consensus rule changes (or 18 as an accidental one “failed”), which represents what we believe to be almost every significant such event in Bitcoin’s history. At least three of these incidents resulted in an identifiable chainsplit, lasting approximately 51, 24, and six blocks, in 2010, 2013 and 2015, respectively.
(Source: gryb25)
Please click here to download the PDF version of this report
Terminology
Term Definition Chainsplit A split in the blockchain, resulting in two separate chains, with a common ancestor. This can be caused by either a hardfork, a softfork, or neither. Consensus rule changes Hardfork A loosening of the consensus rules on block validity, such that some blocks previously considered as invalid are now considered valid. Existing nodes are required to upgrade to follow the new hardforked chain. Softfork A tightening of the consensus rules on block validity, such that some blocks previously considered as valid are now considered invalid. Existing nodes do not necessarily need to upgrade to follow the new softforked chain.
Note: These terms are believed to have originated in April 2012 and formalized in BIP99 and BIP123.
List of Bitcoin consensus forks
Date Activation Block Number BIP Number or Software Version Description Type Outcome 28 July 2010 n/a1 0.3.5 OP_RETURN disabled, fixing a critical bug which enabled anyone to spend any Bitcoin. Softfork No evidence of any issues during this upgrade. 31 July 2010 n/a1 0.3.6 OP_VER and OP_VERIF disabled.3 Softfork Some users had trouble upgrading and it was recommended that nodes should be shut down if they could not be upgraded.2 The addition of the OP_NOP functions, although perhaps there was no usage of OP_NOP prior to this point. Hardfork 1 Aug 2010 n/a1 0.3.7 Separation of the evaluation of the scriptSig and scriptPubKey. Fixing a critical bug which enabled anyone to spend any Bitcoin Potentially a non-deterministic hardfork No evidence of any issues during this upgrade 15 Aug 2010 74,638 0.3.10 Output-value-overflow bug fix following a 184.5-billion Bitcoin spend incident. The 0.5 BTC that was the input to the transaction remains unspent to this day. Softfork A chainsplit occurred. Around five hours after the incident, a fix was released, client 0.3.10. It is believed that 51 blocks were generated on the “bad chain” before the “good” chain retook the PoW lead. Disabling OP_CAT, which removed a DoS vector, along with the disabling of 14 other functions. Softfork 7 Sept 2010 n/a1 0.3.12 Adding the 20,000-signature operation limit in an incorrect way. This incorrect limit still exists. Softfork No evidence of any issues during this upgrade. 12 Sept 2010 79,400 n/a Adding the 1MB blocksize limit. The “MAX_BLOCK_SIZE = 1000000” commit occurred on 15 July 2010, which was released in the 0.3.1 rc1 version of the software on 19 July 2010. The commit enforcing the 1MB rule occurred on 7 September 2010, activating at block 79,400. On 20 September 2010, Satoshi removed this activation logic, but kept the 1MB limit. Softfork No evidence of any issues during this upgrade. 15 March 2012 171,193 BIP30 Disallow transactions with the same TXID, unless the older one was fully spent. In September 2012, the rule was applied to all blocks, apart from 91,842 and 91,880, which violate the rule. Softfork This was a flag-day softfork. There is no evidence of any issues. 1 April 2012 173,805 BIP16 Pay-to-script hash (P2SH) allows transactions to be sent to a script hash (address starting with 3) instead of a public-key hash (addresses starting with 1). Softfork 55% activation threshold, over blocks in the seven days prior to 1 February 2012. Miners did not upgrade fast enough, so the evaluation point was delayed until 15 March. Users running 0.6.0 rc1 who did not upgrade for the delay activated the softfork early and got stuck on block 170,060 when an invalid transaction, according to their nodes, was mined. After activation, problems were caused as the remaining 45% of miners produced invalid blocks for several months after the softfork 24 Mar 2013 227,835 BIP34 Requires the coinbase transaction to include the block height. Softfork 95% activation threshold. A successful rollout occurred. 11 Mar 2013 225,430 0.8.0 This was an unplanned hardfork caused by the migration from Berkeley DB to LevelDB, which accidentally removed an unknown 10,000-BDB database lock limit. This caused a chainsplit on 11 March 2013, although the software which caused the error was released 20 days earlier on 20 February 2013. The change was reverted as the Bitcoin economy and miners switched back to 0.7.2 rules. No change in the consensus rules A chainsplit of at least 24 blocks occurred, with the 0.8.0 chain having a maximum lead of 13 blocks. A successful double spend also occurred. The original rules chain eventually re-took the PoW lead. 18 Mar 2013 n/a1 0.8.1 This was a temporary softfork, introducing a new rule requiring that no more than 4,500 TXIDs are referenced by inputs in a block. This rule is stricter than the 10,000-BDB lock limit. The rule expired on 15 May 2013, a flag-day hardfork. Softfork There is no evidence of any issues. 15 May 2013 or 16 Aug 2013 252,451 or earlier BIP50 In August 2013, a block may have been produced that violated the original 10,000-BDB lock limit rule, which was relaxed on 15 May 2013. Hardfork There is no evidence of any issues. 4 July 2015 363,731 BIP66 Strict DER signature upgrade means Bitcoin is no longer dependent on OpenSSL’s signature parsing. Softfork 95% threshold over a 1,000-block period. A chainsplit occurred, lasting six blocks, as some miners signaled support for BIP66 but had not upgraded and were SPY mining. The new softfork rules chain eventually took the lead. 14 Dec 2015 388,380 BIP65 Check Lock Time Verify enables funds to be locked until a specific time in the future. This is Bitcoin’s first new function. Softfork Successful rollout using a 95% threshold. 4 July 2016 419,328 BIP68
BIP112
BIP113 Relative lock-time enables a transaction output to be banned for a relative amount of time after the transaction. CheckSequenceVerify. Median time-past removes the incentive for a miner to use a future block timestamp to grab more transaction fees. Softfork Successful rollout using 95% versionbits signaling. 23 July 2017 477,800 BIP91 This temporary softfork makes signaling for the SegWit upgrade mandatory. Softfork Softfork successfully activated with an 80% miner threshold over a 336-block period, although only a tiny minority of users enforced BIP91 rules, which have since expired. Therefore, the risk of a chainsplit was elevated in this period. 01 Aug 2017 478,479 BIP148 This temporary softfork makes signaling for the SegWit upgrade mandatory for a two week period following 1 August 2017. Softfork Flag-day softfork appeared to succeed with no issues, although only a minority of users enforced BIP148 rules, which have since expired. Therefore, the risk of a chainsplit was elevated in this period. 24 Aug 2017 481,824 BIP141
BIP143
BIP147 The segregated-witness (SegWit) upgrade. Softfork Rollout using 95% versionbits signaling. The year 2262 13,440,000 BIP42 Fixed a 21 million coin supply cap bug. The software was upgraded in April 2014 to fix this bug, but the new rule does not apply until the 23rd century. Softfork The softfork is not applicable yet.
(Sources: BitMEX Research, GitHub, Bitcoin blockchain)
Notes
With the exception of the 1MB blocksize limit, prior to the 2012 BIP16 softfork, there was no activation methodology, so if the fork occurred smoothly without a chainsplit, there is not necessarily a specific block height or date on which the consensus fork occurred. “If you can’t upgrade to 0.3.6 right away, it’s best to shut down your Bitcoin node until you do.” — Satoshi Nakamoto Prior to the removal of OP_VER, each software upgrade could potentially be considered a non-deterministic hardfork and these have been excluded from this list. If the definition of hardforks does include this, then it’s a somewhat pedantic definition. There are no consistent definitions used in the above table because, for example, a different definition of the date on which the fork occurred may be more relevant in each incident, depending on the circumstances. Others have mentioned that changes to the P2P protocol can also be considered hardforks if they make previous software releases unusable, since they can no longer connect to the network. Strictly speaking, however, these do not relax the rules on block validity and one could sync old nodes by setting up a relay of intermediary versions of the software. These changes are excluded from the above list. Some consider BIP90 a hardfork, but since it only relaxed rules related to softfork activations that happened in the past, it does not share many of the characteristics or risks normally associated with consensus forks. Using the same logic, the block checkpoint scheme can also be considered as softforks. In July 2010, the chain selection rule was altered to shift to most accumulated work from the number of blocks. Technically, this is not a change to block validity rules; however, this change does share some of the risks associated with consensus rule changes.
Was the 2013 incident a hardfork?
In our view, on balance, the increase in the BDB lock limit a few months after the 11 March 2013 chainsplit was a hardfork. The rule in question was a 10,000-BDB lock limit, which was increased. The rule was relaxed on 15 May 2013 in software version 0.8.1, which was released on 18 March 2013. A block exceeding this limit may finally have been produced on 16 August 2013 so one can define the date of the hardfork to be either 15 May 2013 or 16 August 2013. Some have argued that this may not have been a hardfork for a variety of reasons, including that this rule was “quasi-non-deterministic” or that one could manually change the BDB config settings. Indeed, due to the non-deterministic nature of the lock limit, perhaps it is theoretically possible one could have a local system set up such that the old BDB lock limit has never been breached. Therefore, one could declare that there has “never been a hardfork” in Bitcoin, following a strict definition that requires a hardfork to be deterministic or perhaps even directly related to Bitcoin data such as transactions or the block header. When discussing this incident, Bitcoin developer Gregory Maxwell said:
Sort of a mixed bag there, you can actually take a pre BIP-50 node and fully sync the blockchain, I last did this with 0.3.24 a few months ago. It just will not reliably handle reorgs involving large blocks unless you change the BDB config too. So it’s debatable if this is a hard fork either, since it’s quasi-non-deterministic. There were prior bugs fixed where older versions would get stuck and stop syncing the chain before that too… So I think by a really strong definition of creating a blockchain which violates the rules mandated by prior versions we have never had a hardfork.
Chainsplit incident of July 2015
In the list of consensus rules changes above, there are three incidents that caused identifiable chainsplits. The most recent of these occurred on 4 July 2015, during the BIP66 softfork upgrade.
Immediately after the activation of BIP66, there was a six-block orphan chain created because a miner produced an invalid block that was not recognised as invalid by some other mining pools, because they were not validating new blocks.
In this case, some miners signalled support for the BIP66 softfork but hadn’t actually upgraded their nodes to validate; one could say miners were “false flagging”. If the miners had been validating blocks, they would have discovered the block was invalid and rejected it. Instead, some miners built on top of the invalid block and a chainsplit occurred.
A diagram illustrating these six blocks and the chainfork is displayed below.
Graphical illustration of the July 2015 chainsplit. (Source: Blockchain.info http://archive.is/WqGRp and http://archive.is/LHlF7)
Note: After the publication of this piece, an alternative list of consensus versions was published on the Bitcoin Wiki.
Disclaimer
Whilst many claims made in this piece are cited, we do not guarantee accuracy. We may have made errors or accidentally omitted consensus rule changes from the list. We welcome corrections. |
According to a report from MSNBC Wednesday, Donald Trump told Dr. Oz in a pre-taped interview how much he loves kissing his daughter Ivanka Trump.
Reports of what happened during the taping began leaking out after journalists quizzed audience members. “Dr. Oz said when Ivanka Trump came on stage, ‘It’s nice to see a dad kiss his daughter,'” reported NBC’s Peter Alexander. “Trump responded that he kisses her every chance he gets.”
That would normally be just an endearing comment from a father, but Trump also has a history of making, uh, interesting comments about Ivanka. “She’s really something, and what a beauty, that one. If I weren’t happily married and, ya know, her father…” he told GQ last year.
Before that, Trump told the women of The View, “I’ve said if Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.” Even earlier than that, he told Howard Stern, “You know who’s one of the great beauties of the world, according to everybody? And I helped create her. Ivanka. My daughter, Ivanka. She’s 6 feet tall, she’s got the best body.”
[Image via Shutterstock/s_bukley]
——
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Have a tip we should know? [email protected] |
A campaign against homeless people is being waged in Britain’s cities, according to a new survey that claims “street cleansing” tactics are being employed by planners, businesses and security companies to stop people resting or sleeping outdoors.
Interviewed by the national homelessness charity Crisis, rough sleepers reported being hosed with water by security guards to make them move on, and an increase in the use of other “deterrent” measures.
More than 450 people were surveyed in homelessness services across England and Wales. Six in 10 reported an increase over the past year in “defensive architecture” to keep homeless people away, making sitting or lying down impossible – including spikes and railings, curved or segregated benches and gated doorways. Others said they had experienced deliberate noise pollution, such as loud music or recorded birdsong and traffic sounds, making it hard or impossible to sleep. Almost two-thirds of respondents said there had been an increase in the number of wardens and security guards in public spaces, who were regularly moving people on in the middle of the night, sometimes by washing down spaces where people were attempting to rest or sleep. Others reported noise being played over loudspeakers in tunnels and outside buildings.
Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes said he had been shocked by the findings. “It’s dehumanising people,” he said. “If people have chosen the safest, driest spot they can find, your moving them along is making life more dangerous.
“If it’s somewhere you live or run a business, I understand you want the immediate environs to be nice. If we’re talking about antisocial behaviour, you don’t want that in your doorway. But don’t make the homeless the victims. The planners have a responsibility to plan in a way that’s not hurting people.
“The rise of hostile measures is a sad indictment of how we treat the most vulnerable in our society. Having to sleep rough is devastating enough, and we need to acknowledge that homelessness is rising and work together to end it. We should be helping people off the streets to rebuild their lives – not just hurting them or throwing water on them.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Spikes prevent people lying on them. Photograph: Jeff Hubbard/Crisis
Working for Crisis, photographer Jeff Hubbard captured dozens of images of anti-homeless measures throughout London. He spent time sleeping rough himself in 2007. “Bus stops were my big bugbear back then – the seats had been taken away and there was just a perch. You suddenly realised the city had its defence mechanisms against you. It was tough.
“Now, just strolling around I saw it everywhere. This is insidious, and if we are complacent about it it will become the norm. Not just spikes, but park benches absolutely not designed so you can lie down. Now you can’t even lie under them, as they have little bars. They’re deliberately designed against people with nowhere else to go.”
Andrew, 44, who has been homeless for 15 years, and is currently in an Emmaus programme, said the impact of “hostile” design was demoralising. “Sometimes it’s subtle – you think its just part of the architecture,” he said. “Then you realise it was planned into the building, and it’s aimed at you.
“The hosedowns often will happen late at night – they know you’ll shift to get dry. People sleep in different places for different reasons. I like to be tucked away because I know a guy who had his head split open while he was asleep by a pair of affluent guys who just wanted to beat up a homeless person. It’s not good. But then if you’re tucked away, you don’t get anyone dropping money.
“Putting out spikes and things is mean-minded. In history that’s going to look bad, when people look back and see we did these things to homeless people.”
Iain Borde, professor of architecture and urban culture at University College London, said the anti-homeless measures were part of a general shift in attitudes towards public space. “It has really intensified,” he said. “Public space is becoming a Lakeside or Bluewater mall where everything is homogenised and regulated down to the toilets being cleaned every 10 minutes. That’s fine for a shopping mall, but not for public space, especially when there are preventative measures in place to stop people sitting or lying down, or skateboarding.
“ A hostile environment to a homeless person is hostile to all of us if it’s trying to control what we can and cannot do. It’s not the architects doing this – it’s the planners and managers.” |
hat all shifted after the injury on Nov. 1, when the popular assumption became that Smith couldn't possibly allow the final moment of his playing career to be him clutching his head in his hands, at the nexus of a circle of doctors and trainers trying to soothe him, and with a stunned Harbaugh trying to think of what to say."Everybody says they knew it -- I'm glad they did, because I didn't," Smith said in April of this year. "When you make a decision that you're no longer going to play, I question whether that was the right decision. When I got hurt, I questioned, was it because I said I wasn't going to play? Is this God trying to tell me,? I had to decipher what was going on. I had to figure out what it meant."Smith was highly emotional in the locker room after he was hurt. Following the game, Harbaugh told Smith he thought he could come back to play again, and then he said the same publicly. But it was quarterback Joe Flacco who made the biggest impact on Smith in the minutes after his teammates learned of the severity of his injury. "Joe walked over to me and said, 'There is nothing you need to be ashamed of. The impact you've made on us in a short amount of time has taken people years to do. You make me better. Whatever you decide, you need to be proud of that.' " Smith recalled. "That broke me down."Belying his fiery on-field persona, Smith is deeply introspective and thoughtful. When he thought he was going to retire, he talked one day about how much he was looking forward to watching his son, Peyton, play college soccer. There would be carpooling and sports with his other children (he and Angie have four kids: Peyton, Baylee, Boston and Steve Jr.). He coached Boston in flag football, drawing up plays on a dry-erase board. He emphasized proper hydration and wearing mouthpieces and not celebrating. He had a stack of books he wanted to read -- histories, financial advice, travel and spiritual guidance.Harbaugh said that he was surprised when he realized Smith was depressed after he was hurt, but that after three or four weeks, Smith was growing fiery again. That is when Harbaugh started to suspect Smith would try to return -- but only, Harbaugh says now, if Smith believes he can play like he used to. Immediately after he was injured, but before he decided to come back, Smith contemplated why older athletes struggle with injury and fail to get back on the field."When you are younger, there's no cautiousness with you," Smith said. "You just do it. When you're older, you're methodical. You think about everything. Do you know how many times I told my doctors I could feel every fiber of my Achilles that was repaired, because I just know my body to the point of I can overthink things? I think that's one of the things that can be counterproductive for older players who get injured."If he had finished out the 2015 season, Smith says now, he probably would have gone ahead with retirement. He has regrets in his career -- in October, he said punching his former Panthers teammate Ken Lucas during a 2008 training-camp fight is one of them. Smith knows that that incident continues to define him to some people, mostly those who don't know him and don't know about his charitable work. His foundation -- in partnership with a nonprofit called Project 658 that seeks to assist refugees, international families, and low-income individuals in Charlotte -- is helping to build and operate a wellness center that will provide free medical and counseling services. He long ago stopped trying to change opinions of him held by those who clearly don't want to change. But he is tantalizingly close to significant receiving milestones -- just 39 receptions short of 1,000, and 68 yards short of 14,000 -- and that was part of what drove him to reconsider. Just before the new year, he made his return official."You never want to end on a miss if you're shooting hoops," Smith said. "That's why. And there are some things I want to accomplish. I never thought I would be able to get to 1,000 receptions, 14,000 yards. Some of those things are very close that I would like to achieve. I teach my kids,Someone told me that if you go down a road, you will hit some bumps. If there are no bumps, it means it's not really a road. We all as parents preach to our kids. Will we be one of those parents who say, 'Do as I say, not as I do?' This is adversity." |
George Washington was a role model when he said “I cannot tell a lie.” Furthermore, he portrayed honesty during eight years as our first president. Washington set the standard for presidents to come, including Honest Abe.
However, half-truths and downright fabrications have recently invaded America’s presidency. Some presidents either lived in a bubble or were so narcissistic they believed the rules of candor didn’t apply to them.
Witness these faux pas moments:
• Dwight Eisenhower denied we had U2 spy planes flying over the Soviet Union; one was shot down provoking an international incident.
• John Kennedy stated in 1961”The United States plans no military intervention in Cuba.” We invaded Cuba, the Bay of Pigs debacle strengthened Castro, Soviet Union built bases in Cuba and a missile crisis occurred.
• Lyndon Johnson declared in August 1964 an unprovoked attack occurred in Vietman’s Gulf of Tonkin. In 1965 Johnson admitted “it was a lie.”
• Richard Nixon: Watergate and “I am not a crook” says it all.
• Ronald Reagan: The Iran-Contra affair started in 1985. When details of missile exchanges leaked in 1986, Reagan said “We did not, I repeat, did not trade weapons or anything else for hostages, nor will we.” Later Reagan said: “I lied.”
• George H.W. Bush: “Read my lips. No new taxes.” Truth: new taxes.
• Bill Clinton’s “I did not have sexual relations with that woman,” which led to “it was wrong. I misled people.”
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• George W. Bush’s near treason statement that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction lead to 6,845 deceased American soldiers and 900,000 injured.
• Barack Obama pushed the Affordable Healthcare Act and promised “if you like the plan you have, you can keep it.” Not true.
Trump’s significant presidential competitor, Hillary Clinton, claimed she landed in Bosnia under sniper fire in 1996; false.
With our 45th president we now have, in his own words, “truthful hyperbole, an innocent form of exaggeration” (The art of the deal, 1987).
• Trump does not have onesie-twosie misstatements of fact. PolitiFact, an independent fact-checking organization, examined 356 claims by Mr. Trump, finding two-thirds of them were “mostly false or false” and 62 were “pants on fire” false.
During our 45th president’s first week in office, the Washington Post documented 24 false or misleading statements.
Steve Schmidt, manager of Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, reflected on the cascade of Mr. Trump’s fabrications of truth by saying they were “a direct assault on the very idea of representative democracy.”
Peggy Noonan, a conservative writer for the Wall Street Journal may have summarized the situation we are in with our 45th president the best: “A friend called a new word to my attention. It speaks of the moment we’re in. It is kakistocracy, from the Greek. It means government by the worse people, by the least qualified or most unprincipled. We’re on our way there, aren’t we? We’re going to have to make our way through it together.”
• Mr. President: your post-truth, double talk, cover up and alternative fact statements have become a standard of your administration. They must come to an end. Americans and our allies deserve and demand an honest president; otherwise there’s no credibility, integrity or trust. Please contemplate the words, so apropos today, of the novelist from your Mother’s native Scotland, Walter Scott: “Oh! What a tangled web we weave, when we first practice to deceive.”
• Steve Corbin, emeritus professor of marketing at the University of Northern Iowa, is one of 12 district leaders in Iowa for the non-partisan and not-for-profit group No Labels. More information: www.NoLabels.org. Comments: [email protected] |
But does it really matter if you feel connected in your community, as long as you have relationships and connectedness somewhere? (Like, on the Internet?)
Rare among studies of its kind, Kim and colleagues controlled for social connectedness at the individual level. "We also controlled for dispositional factors,” he said, “thinking that perhaps optimistic people might think that they are more socially connected.” The survey included measures of optimism, and the analysis also accounted for things like age, race, income, marital status, education, mental health, and known risk factors for heart attacks like diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.
"Are you saying that people should get out and meet their neighbors and join community groups?" I asked.
"I don't think there's enough evidence for that,” Kim said, like a rock. “This is only a correlation; we didn't really isolate causation. But I really don't see how that could hurt."
I immediately thought of several ways. But it's more fun to envision it going well.
“Hey, I’m your neighbor from downstairs.”
“Oh, hi. I hear you singing sometimes.”
“Cool, I hear you dancing.”
“Oh, I wish I could dance! Will you teach me?”
“No. I’m a professional dancer, so that would just be too much for me.”
“I understand! Work-life balance. I just wanted to introduce myself because I heard it’s good for my health to know my neighbors.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, come in, then. I was going to go to the gym, but let’s just talk instead.”
“Perfect. We’ll both decrease our risk of future heart attacks.”
“Lovely.”
“My name is Adam, by the way.”
“I’m Evelyn. But my friends call me Eve. Nice to meet you, Adam.”
“Nice to meet you, Eve. Nice to finally meet you.”
Well, I don’t know if the Adam and Eve bit makes sense. What if it was John Lennon and Paul McCartney? No. Then we’re just dealing less with allegory and more with factual error. The point is, serendipity, talk to people.
Kim suggests that the cardiac prosperity he documented may come through people checking in on one another and noticing health problems, sharing health-related information, lending money and sharing resources, and “eyes on the street”—sociologist Jane Jacobs’ famous sociological principle that people protect people. "Since I'm a psychologist,” Kim said, “I also really believe in how helpful emotional support can be in buffering against the toxic effects of stress."
The field of psychology has since the beginning, primarily focused on dysfunction. Researchers who identify as positive psychologists like Kim—a set that broke ground with eminent University of Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman’s 2002 bestseller Authentic Happiness: Using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment—look at benefits of things like optimism and a sense of purpose in life. Kim and colleagues have specifically looked at the effects of “positive” dispositions on health.
"We're finding things like that increased optimism is associated with reduced risk of heart failure and stroke,” Kim said. |
Parents often find themselves trying to determine if their little tomboy will end up loving the ladies, or if their Little Lord Fauntleroy will like boy-on-boy. They probably will, say scientists. What are some other signs your offspring is queer?
According to this rundown by (gay) psychologist Jesse Bering, recent studies indicate that "gender-variant behavior" (i.e. girls who play with trucks and boys who play with dolls) is a good predictor of whether or not a child will turn out to be a practicing homosexual. Bering, who works at Queen's University (seriously) in Belfast, says that not all children who take up the stereotypical behavior of members of the opposite sex will end up wanting to go to bed with members of the same sex, but it is a good indicator.
All this talk of "pre-homosexuals" and "sexed-type behavior" is way too scientific and complicated, so we're going to break it down for you. If your young one exhibits any of the following behaviors, he or she is going to grow up to wave the rainbow flag. But don't worry! You can look forward to having someone to go shopping with you, or help you fix your leaky roof.
When your son is done taking a bath, he drapes a yellow towel over his head, runs his hands through his beautiful blond hair, and informs you he'll only answer to the name "Charisse."
Your daughter spends more time in ballet class trying to make sure the bar is properly affixed to the wall than learning first position.
At your son's first tee ball practice, he asked all his teammates if they are pitchers or catchers.
The first thing on your daughter's Christmas list is flannel shirts. The second is a bond for college tuition. (Smith is expensive!)
No matter what your gay party planner friends tell you, a boy asking for Broadway legend Betty Buckley to perform at his ninth birthday party is not common at all.
Your daughter insists on sleeping on top of her Dora the Explorer bed spread, not under it.
When your daughter plays "House," she pretends to be an annoying doctor with a pill-addiction and a limp.
Even though it's football, if your son has an obsession with either Tom Brady or Mark Sanchez, then he's totally a 'mo. Same goes for your daughter.
Your son tells you he wants to dress up for Halloween like his idol, Entertainment Tonight's Mary Hart.
If you buy your daughter the overalls she's been asking for, you might as well just buy her the Meshell Ndegeocello CD to match.
Finding your son wearing his mother's high heels doesn't mean he's gay. Finding your son wearing his mother's "fiercest" high heels does.
Months ago, your daughter caught 5 minutes of Mad Men while you were watching it and she still asks about her "friend" Sally Draper.
Your kid requests a Justin Bieber haircut. This is true for children of both sexes.
Lacrosse is totally gay. Just sayin'.
If you ever voted for a homophobic Republican political candidate, your child is gay. Karma is a bitch like that.
Your turn! What have you seen that clearly signified a child was gay?
[Images via Shutterstock] |
NEW DELHI: Gujarat police has told the Supreme Court that social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand had used 2002 riot victims as “poster boys” to raise Rs 6-7 crore but indulged in a colossal fraud, using most of the money for their personal expenses.The state police said that as trustees of the two NGOs — Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace ( CJP )—Teesta and her husband misappropriated the funds for consumption of liquor, wining and dinning at expensive restaurants, purchase of personal items and even on an expensive hairdo at Rome and in Pakistan.Police have alleged that Teesta claimed Rs 5,000 as reimbursements for the hairdo in Rome and another Rs 3,800 for the one in Pakistan. The expenses were put under the “secular education or legal aid expenses” head.“In spite of using the Gulbarg Society and its members’ plight as poster boys for the collection of funds, no financial support was ever disbursed, no rent was reimbursed and absolutely no funds were received for rehabilitation of the affected persons. No steps were taken for the reconstruction of the houses of the inhabitants of Gulbarg society, nor the society was converted into museum,” the Gujarat cops said as they opposed the anticipatory bail granted by the Supreme Court to Teesta and her husband.Police contended that only a minuscule part of the big amount raised for the welfare of the riots victims and for construction of ‘Gulbarg Society Museum of Resistance’ was spent for the stated purpose, the bulk of it being cornered by Teesta and her husband.The affidavit alleges that Teesta and Javed, who have no source of income, have been dependent on the funds raised for the riot victims for their “livelihood”.“Having raised funds in the name of riot victims during the said period amounting to between Rs 6-7 crore, the petitioners by diverse means, both audaciously and by blatant and subtle camouflage, dishonestly misappropriated or converted to their own use funds meant for the riot victims and other charitable purposes,” police said.The affidavit said Teesta drew an annual salary ranging from Rs 1,79,400 in 2008 to Rs 8,75,800 in 2013 and similarly remuneration drawn by her husband increased at a compounded annual rate of 53% from Rs 2,40,000 in 2008 to Rs 8,61,000 in 2013.“It is to be noted that 45% of the total funds received in 2008-13 by the Sabrang Trust have found their way to the petitioners either directly or through Sabrang Communication Pvt Limited (SCPPL) which was fully owned by them,” the affidavit said. |
UPDATE: 9:57 a.m. September 19 – Teagyne was found safe in Victoria September 18.
Previous coverage:
19-year-old Teagyne McFarlane has only been living in Surrey for about two weeks, but she disappeared on Monday and has not been heard from since.
Her family is very worried about her.
She was last seen at Guildford Town Centre and her aunt said she received a text message from her and her grandfather received a phone call from her at about 3 p.m. that day.
McFarlane is from Vancouver Island and is not known to have any contacts in the Lower Mainland, except her family. Her cell phone has been turned off.
Physical Description:
Height: 5’00” (152 cm)
Weight: 106 pounds (48 kg)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black with red bangs
If you see her contact the Surrey RCMP at 604 599‐0502 and quote file # 2013‐116571. |
A possible meteor grounded planes fighting the Springer fire near Lake George in the Pike National Forest this afternoon, according to spokespeople for the fire-fighting team.
A Pueblo air-dispatch center began receiving reports of “balls of fire or something in the air” this afternoon, and officials grounded flights to make sure no aircraft were hit , fire team spokesman Ron Roth said.
Planes were allowed to resume flights about 90 minutes later.
“We don’t have to determine what it is, just that it’s safe to fly at this point,” he said.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command based at Peterson Air Force Base in El Paso County doesn’t think whatever fell was man-made.
“We have no indication anything manmade entered that area.” said NORAD spokesman John Cornelia, adding, “We have no information as to what this might have been.”
The incident near the fire was first reported near Badger Mountain, a 11,294-foot peak in Park County along U.S. 24, about 40 miles west of Colorado Springs.
Ron Davis, who lives part-time in Lake City, said by e-mail that he was hiking on Redcloud Peak in Hinsdale County when he saw what he thought was silvery “space junk” burning across the eastern sky, traveling from north to south with a white tail. He had just turned off his iPhone and few minutes before and couldn’t snap a picture or video, he said.
“It was an amazing sight,” he said of the spectacle that last two to three seconds before it disappeared close to Earth.
Chris Peterson, a research associate at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, said today was not a “shower” but a single meteor.
“It was unusual because meteors are seldom bright enough to be noticed during the day, although they occur as often in the day as at night,” he said in an e-mail.
The museum operates meteor cameras across the state, but they are turned off during the day.
“All the information we currently have is from witness reports,” he said. He said he had received more than a dozen reports, from as far northeast as Limon.
If any meteorites were produced, they would have fallen in northeast Colorado, Peterson said.
While a meteor in a wildfire zone is unusual, meteors visible from the high plain over Colorado are common, though they are usually best viewed at night.
Because of the fire, officials have not investigated where the meteors landed.
Almost 400 firefighters are battling the Springer fire, currently at, 1,145 acres and 23 percent contained. The fire started Sunday. The cause is under investigation.
According to the most recent update on the fire from the U.S. Forest Service, the fire is being fought by five helicopters, with two heavy air tankers and three single-engine air tankers “available as needed.”
Staff writer Peter Dettmann contributed to this story.
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or [email protected] |
TSA agent pulls down dress to expose the breasts of 17-year-old niece of Congressman during airport pat-down as he demands federal investigation
Rep Ralph Hall of Texas says TSA 'badly mistreated' his gran-niece and wants officer fired from at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport Georgia
The girl was part of a group traveling to Australia from Southwest Christian school two years ago
A U.S. Congressman has instigated a federal investigation of the TSA today after his teenage niece had her breasts exposed during a security pat-down.
Representative Ralph Hall of Texas said his gran-niece, 17, was 'badly mistreated' when she had her dress pulled down during security screening at an airport.
The young woman was part of a group of pupils traveling from Southwest Christian School, Texas to Australia.
Close: Young women are patted down by the TSA at Orlando International Airport (stock image). A U.S. congressman has expressed outrage over his niece's treatment by the TSA after her breasts were exposed
Scrutiny: Hartsfield-Jackson Airport where the 17-year-old had her breasts exposed while going through security
The Congressman wants the agent who touched his niece fired from Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.
In a statement to MailOnline today, the TSA said: 'We regret that the incident of more than two years ago was one that caused embarrassment to the young lady, however, an investigation concluded that the event was accidental.'
MailOnline was awaiting a response from Mr Hall's press office in D.C.
The senator for Georgia, Saxby Chambliss, has also contacted the TSA in his state about 'potentially invasive screenings'.
The incident involving Mr Hall's gran-niece happened two years ago but has just come to light under the Freedom of Information Act after it was caught on CCTV.
A Transportation Security Administration report said ' during the pat-down of her stomach area' the straps of the girl's dress slipped and her breasts were exposed, according to wsbtv .
The agency, which is continually criticized for increased numbers of pat-downs, said the officer was given more training and apologized.
Solange Knowles tweeted her outrage last week after claiming that TSA officers at Miami airport searched her afro for explosives.
Outrage: Rep Ralph Hall of Texas wants a federal investigation into the TSA after his niece, 17 had her breasts exposed during pat-down
Intrusive: There have been thousands of complaints made to the TSA over their airport search procedures
The DJ wrote 'I kid you not. This just happened to me', and posted a link to a news article about a woman who was left humiliated after a hair pat-down at the Hartsfield-Jackson International airport in Atlanta, last year.
Ms Knowles, Beyoncé's sister, later said: 'Discrim-FRO-nation... My hair is not a storage drawer... Lets play a little game called: What did TSA find in Solange's Fro?'
FLYING IN THE FACE OF DIGNITY? THE TSA AIRPORT RULES
According to the TSA, there is a strict process regarding pat-downs. The close body search occurs if passengers cannot or choose not to go through imaging technology or metal detector. The rules state:
Pat-downs must be carried out by an officer of same gender
Travelers can ask to be screened in private and this should be offered if the search involves sensitive body areas
At least two TSA employees must be present during private screening and the passenger can bring a companion
A seat should be available if a passenger needs
The passenger should let the TSA know if there are painful areas on their body and thus be treated with according sensitivity. They should not be asked to remove clothing from this area
The passenger Ms Knowles was referring to was hairdresser Isis Brantley.
She was stopped at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport last year after she had passed a scanning device.
As she travelled down an escalator, she claims she heard someone yell: 'Hey you, hey you, ma'am, stop. Stop - the lady with the hair, you.’
Two TSA agents told her she could not go any further until they checked her hair for explosives, said Miss Brantley, of Dallas, Texas.
Reluctantly she allowed them to do it and the TSA staff patted her hair down right there instead of asking to return to a private area for screening.
‘And so she started patting my hair, and I was in tears at that point,’ Miss Brantley told NBC News. ‘And she was digging in my scalp.’
In a separate incident last month, a Boston woman claimed TSA agents walked off with thousands of dollars’ worth of jewellery from her luggage.
Terri Ivester said an agent at Logan International Airport, who stopped her at a security checkpoint, took the bag, and returned it with the jewellery missing.
Offended: Solange Knowles tweeted that her afro was searched by TSA officers last week in Miami |
No official federal policy change toward marijuana has been made — yet.
Under the specter of a potential crackdown, officials in recreational marijuana states have been proactive in recent days, including Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman inviting Department of Justice head Jeff Sessions to take a firsthand look at America’s longest-operating recreational market, and Oregon lawmakers introducing a bill to protect consumers’ privacy.
What’s the next step for the feds? The Cannabist talked with several law and drug policy experts, industry observers and state officials about what changes in federal enforcement could look like — from the threat of raids on cannabis businesses and seizure of state-collected pot taxes to court issues and the ways Colorado regulations have developed.
Marijuana in the age of Trump: A special report from sister publication The Cannabist
Part 1 | ‘Something’s going to have to give’: An untenable conflict between feds, states
Part 3 | How does the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause fit in?
If the Justice Department wanted to send a message that the federal prohibition of marijuana is going to be enforced, raids are an option, but all the agency has to do is write letters, said Jonathan Caulkins, professor of operations research and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and former co-director of RAND’s Drug Policy Research Center.
Putting ink to paper and telling operators in recreational marijuana that they have to shut down within 30 days or face criminal prosecution and asset seizure, could be viewed as a credible enough threat that the government could effectively shut down the industry without many arrests and little to no incarceration, he said.
“It’s very hard to shut down a black market,” Caulkins said. “It’s easy to shut down a legal company with a fixed address and fixed assets.”
It’s practically a “slam-dunk,” he said.
Such a tactic was employed in 2011-12 in a federal crackdown in California that led to the closure of hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries.
The door would be open for the feds to seize money collected by state and local governments in their oversight of legal marijuana operations, said Zachary Bolitho, a former federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee and now a professor at the Campbell University School of Law in Raleigh, N.C.
“Technically speaking, the money that is being derived from (marijuana regulatory systems) is criminal proceeds,” he said. “And, technically speaking, there’s an argument that’s forfeitable.”
What may be a legal possibility could be different from a political reality.
The actuality of the federal government disgorging Colorado of funds that since have been allocated elsewhere is not likely, he said.
Who will prosecute pot cases?
Others suggest that some limited, concerted actions could be more than enough to stifle a bustling industry.
Seeing a sledgehammer can drastically affect people’s behavior, said Sam Kamin, the Vicente Sederberg professor of marijuana law and policy at the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law.
“Can they arrest every person? Of course not,” Kamin said. “Can they make life very unpleasant for a few high-profile actors? Would it have a chilling effect? Yes.”
Given the industry’s rapid development in just a few years and legalization’s increasing popularity among the public as a whole, attacking the marijuana industry “would seem like an odd fight to pick at this particular political moment,” Kamin said.
In making direct enforcement actions, the federal government could be wading into uncharted territory, he said, noting that the the Justice Department likely would have to do so without the full cooperation of state and local law enforcement.
If those prosecutions occur and come to trial, the chances of success may be lower, Bolitho said. They would go before a jury pool in locales where public opinion weighed heavily in favor of legalization, he said.
And then there’s the matter of immediately finding willing U.S. attorneys to initiate those prosecutions, said Robert Mikos, a Vanderbilt Law School professor who specializes in the topics of federalism and drug law.
The Trump administration has not yet replaced the U.S. attorneys from the 94 different districts across the nation, he said.
For the time being, there are holdovers — mostly from the prior administration — who may not share Sessions’ antipathy toward marijuana and be resistant toward any edicts from his office, Mikos said. Attorneys who clamp down on marijuana in their state might not be too popular when their turn in office is over, he added.
It’s possible that the Department of Justice could have a new marijuana policy in place by summer, newly appointed U.S. attorneys by fall, and then initiate prosecutions, which could be months-long processes, Mikos speculated.
“And all the industry has to do is keep those actions going for a few months,” he said.
There would be a high practical cost to enforcement, Mikos said, adding that the actions would consume a lot of resources from an agency without a wealth of them. And there’s the question of delineating between medical marijuana and recreational and where that would leave a state such as Colorado, where those operations are often intertwined, he said.
“All it may ultimately succeed in doing is driving the industry underground for a short time until we get a new president or until we get a new Congress in less than two years,” he said.
“A tightening” of Obama-era guidelines
Bolitho suggested that the Trump administration might not be entirely heavy-handed.
“I don’t think you’re going to see a return to the aggressive enforcement that existed prior to (President Barack) Obama,” he said. “My suspicion, or guess, is you’re going to see a modification of the Obama administration’s policy — a tightening.”
In 2013, the Justice Department set forth eight guidelines – a.k.a. the Cole Memo – to address voter-approved legalization of adult-use marijuana in Colorado and Washington and prioritize federal enforcement in the following areas:
Prevent distribution of marijuana to minors;
Prevent marijuana revenue from funding criminal enterprises, gangs or cartels;
Prevent marijuana from moving out of states where it is legal;
Prevent use of state-legal marijuana sales as a cover for illegal activity;
Prevent violence and use of firearms in growing or distributing marijuana;
Prevent drugged driving or exacerbation of other adverse public health consequences associated with marijuana use;
Prevent growing marijuana on public lands;
Prevent marijuana possession or use on federal property.
Following the recent statements by White House spokesman Sean Spicer and Sessions regarding recreational marijuana, industry groups and politicians alike shot out a flurry of prepared statements and press releases supporting regulated legal marijuana. Amid that fray were voices of dissension.
“We’re hopeful that the Trump administration will pursue a smart approach to enforcement that prioritizes public health and safety over political ideology,” Kevin Sabet of Smart Approaches to Marijuana said in a statement.
Officials for the Centennial Institute, a conservative think tank overseen by Colorado Christian University, expressed their support for greater enforcement on recreational marijuana. Calling for the Trump administration to use “every federal resource available to limit the spread of recreational marijuana,” the organization made six recommendations:
Use federal agencies to stop the black-market cultivation and sale of recreational marijuana in Colorado and the illegal transfer of marijuana to other states;
Increase penalties for illegal marijuana operations on federal land;
Fund public anti-marijuana awareness campaigns along the lines of anti-smoking campaigns to reduce marijuana use especially among youth;
Fund federal research on the impact of marijuana especially as it relates to psychological and prenatal development;
Maintain DEA classification of marijuana as a Schedule I substance and prohibit banks and credit unions from taking marijuana money;
Withhold federal education money from schools with drug use above the national average.
Those actions would allow the government to act within the bounds of current state laws, as the “recriminalization” of recreational marijuana is a states’ rights issue that ultimately rests with the citizens of Colorado, Centennial Institute director Jeff Hunt told The Cannabist.
The Centennial Institute cited data from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area that showed highway patrol seizures of marijuana from Colorado increased 37 percent to 394 in 2015 from 288 in 2013.
“We wanted to make sure that the Trump administration saw that there was support from people in Colorado” for enforcement of federal law, he said, and later added: “You’re going to see the Centennial Institute take a far more proactive role in highlighting what’s happening with Colorado in the legalization of recreational marijuana.”
Coffman, Colorado’s top law official who has previously stated she would uphold her state’s marijuana laws, said she believes that the Trump administration is still figuring out its approach to legal marijuana.
Her gleaning of Sessions’ marijuana-related statements was that the state would see increased federal enforcement at its borders to prevent diversion out of state, Colorado Public Radio reported.
Colorado regulation evolution
Coffman, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Mark Bolton, marijuana adviser to Hickenlooper, have said their state’s first-of-its-kind regulations could withstand federal action.
“The primary safeguard I think we have is a strong regulatory system,” Bolton told The Cannabist. “I think we recognize that the federal government can come in and enforce the Controlled Substances Act — to the extent they have the resources.”
The state’s priorities have been to build a regulatory system that protects public safety, protects public health, keeps marijuana out of the hands of children, and supports law enforcement in its resources and efforts, Bolton said. The system was created to both align with the Cole Memo, and also serve as an example for and beyond those 2013 federal guidelines for marijuana enforcement, he added.
Bolton was quick to remind that Colorado has been creating guidance, boundaries and rules for something that had never been regulated before. Where there have been shortcomings, the state has tried to quickly adjust, he said.
“We’re sort of building this airplane as we’re flying it…” he said, quoting former Colorado marijuana czar Andrew Freedman. “There have been challenges that have come up throughout this process, and I think we’ve had to respond. We’ve been reactive and we’ve done that.”
Colorado officials want to collaborate with the federal government to address any concerns, Bolton said.
“We’re hopeful that we can continue this experiment,” he said, noting U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis’ remarks in 1932 that states are the “laboratories of democracy.”
“We think the time and effort and work into building this system is paying off,” Bolton said.
This article was first published at TheCannabist.co. |
(Hello—a quick note up top to explain the presence of this story on Tobacco Road Blues, of all places. I’ve been working on a golf book for the past year and a half—Slaying the Tiger: A Year Inside the Ropes on the New PGA Tour is scheduled to hit stores this May, and can be pre-ordered now—and after finishing the first draft of the manuscript in December, I became acquainted with a strange phenomenon: When you finish a book, you have to wait months before it’s published. Which is fine, unless you’ve done any investigative reporting, in which case you have to sit on your hands anxiously and pray that nobody re-creates your legwork and publishes the results in a more flexible medium before the book hits. In the case of my work on Patrick Reed, those prayers went unanswered, which is no surprise, given his notoriety and his success. As it happens, a big story on Reed is coming out in a major outlet soon, and since it proved impossible to publish anywhere else on such short notice, I’m showcasing it here before that story hits. This is not an official book excerpt. Instead, think of it as a sample of my work from the past year—a few vignettes on a common theme. It’s a long read, but it might be interesting. —Shane Ryan)
THE VILLAIN
Q: Do you think the media’s making you out to be a villain? A: Yeah. For sure. —Reed
Patrick Reed: Twenty-four years old, built like Babe Ruth—short, heavy, barrel-chested, with a build that makes you think “stocky” and “powerful” rather than “fat”—quick to anger even by pro golf standards, and a born winner.
Those are the descriptions that come to mind when you study Reed’s résumé and watch him on the course. With his win earlier this month at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, he became just the fourth player in the last two decades to win four times on the PGA Tour before his 25th birthday. The other three are Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Sergio Garcia—names that demonstrate the lofty company he keeps.
With Reed, though, success is never simple. There has always been something a little off-key brewing beneath the surface of his story—a swirl of rumors dating back to his college days, when he lasted a year at Georgia before transferring to Augusta State and winning two national championships, the second of them against the school that had kicked him out. There’s much to be said about his professional life, and that story is ongoing. This is a story about his past—the triumphs and the stumbles.
*
The more Reed won on Tour, the more inevitable it became that his complicated history would return to haunt him. Finally, after the biggest win of his career at the Cadillac Championship last March, ESPN’s Ian O’Connor dragged some of the skeletons from the closet in a Masters-week story called “Patrick Reed’s Turbulent Rise.” O’Connor’s research, spanning courthouses and coaches and parents and former college and high school teammates, lifted the veil, at least slightly, on Reed’s youth. The story made it clear that his peers had never really liked him, especially at the college level. A new picture of Reed emerged: Brash, arrogant, abrasive, unapologetic, winner. He turned potential friends against him, and he never seemed to care about the consequences—at least not enough to change.
In terms of the nitty-gritty details, though, O’Connor couldn’t quite pierce the wall of silence put up by the very same people who despised Reed. A citation in an Athens courthouse revealed that Reed had been arrested for intoxication his freshman season, but if that was the standard for a villain, half of the country would be doomed (as O’Connor admitted). The reason why Georgia coach Chris Haack had kicked Reed off the team remained a mystery, as did the ensuing troubles at Augusta State, which head coach Josh Gregory and Reed’s former teammates kept close to the vest.
“It’s certainly no secret to us, but I’m not going to be the first one to blab about it,” Georgia alum Brian Harman told me, summing up the prevailing philosophy among nearly everyone inside the loop.
Whatever the reason for the silence, it was clear that the ESPN story had only struck a glancing blow—the truth went far deeper than a mere drunken night, and the real story was left unresolved. As another media member put it to me, “that was as close as anyone ever got, and they didn’t get that close.”
*
From the start of my travels in a year on Tour, I found Reed to be one of the most compelling young golfers around, and I began trying to arrange an interview with him as early as January. He proved an elusive figure, even with a cooperative agent, but I finally sat down with him and Justine—his wife and former caddie, who had just given birth to their first child—at the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia in early July. I held off on his college years as long as I could, but eventually I broached the topic, which led to an awkward exchange:
Me: Did you read Ian O’Connor’s article?
Patrick: No.
Me: I mean, a lot of people want to know-
Patrick: I talked to him about it.
Me: You did talk to him?
Patrick: I think so, yeah.
Justine: Yeah, I read it.
Patrick: Yeah. Yeah no, it was at…
Justine: You read it.
Patrick: We were at Augusta, huh? He talked to me before he wrote it.
Me: But you didn’t read it?
Justine: I think he read it.
Patrick: I think so, I don’t know. There’s so many articles…it’s so hard…
Justine: There’s so many stories. But I do recall that story.
From Reed’s body language after I said O’Connor’s name, I got the sense that he knew exactly what I was talking about. I believe that he lied, and I don’t say that with any judgment—I learned early on that lying is a critical part of the process with PGA Tour players and their representatives, and it serves a purpose. It’s not incumbent upon them to provide unfavorable information about themselves, either from their past or their Tour lives, and in fact being honest can, at times, have a detrimental effect. There was no reason for Reed to do my work for me.
But I was curious to see his reaction to the story, and the fact that he had feigned ignorance until his wife essentially called him out was telling—it had hit home, and it was something he worried about. Before moving on, I brought up the idea that when you really looked at the story, there was nothing too damning beyond the kind of alcohol infraction experienced by hordes of college students every year—including myself.
Me: But see, the interesting thing for me was…I mean, I’m someone who got arrested in college for shooting off a fire extinguisher. It feels like everyone I know does, so it felt like whatever he wrote wasn’t everything. It was like, ‘oh, that’s it?”
Justine: It was everything.
Patrick: No, the article he wrote was everything. I mean, it’s…
Justine: There’s nothing else out there.
Those responses came quickly, and reminded me of an old trope: The cop standing in front of a grisly car wreck, saying, “move along, nothing to see here!” Again, they said what they had to say. And again, they were lying.
*
From the time he was very young, Reed brought an unusual focus to the sport, right down to the smallest details. When he was ten, he stopped wearing shorts on the golf course, both in competitive tournaments and range rounds, because he saw that the pros had to wear pants. In the brutal heat of midsummer, he’d be the only kid at a tournament in khakis, and even when he came close to passing out, he’d never succumb.
Two of Patrick’s dominant personality traits emerged early, and both worried his parents, Bill and Jeannette. The first was his incredible capacity for rage. He expected so much of himself that when he went into a slump, he’d transform into a sullen powder keg of frustration and anger, to the point that his parents wondered whether or not he was truly enjoying the sport. Reed always told them he was, but his emotional explosions painted a different picture.
The other problem was his outward shows of confidence, which crossed over into a cocky, arrogant tone too often for Bill’s liking. He knew his son’s success somewhat depended on this self-assurance, but when Patrick introduced himself to strangers by saying things like, “I’m Patrick Reed, and I’ll kick the shit out of you at golf any time you want,” Bill also knew he had a problem. The issue was that Patrick’s obsession was all-consuming—he had no other interests, and though it made him one of the best juniors in the country, it also meant that his self-worth was entirely wrapped up in the game. Combined with a natural arrogance and a snarly demeanor, he had a knack for bad first impressions.
But what was the solution? The difficulty, according to his parents, was that while they tried to keep him humble, everyone around them was telling Patrick how great he was. They were right, too—he was a natural—but the constant praise made it difficult to regulate his behavior outside the home. Still, their fears that he would burn out never came to pass, and they watched as other top-ranked junior golfers dropped out or peaked too early while Patrick surpassed them all.
Success followed success, and after a chance visit to Athens, GA on the way home from a summer tournament, Reed reversed a prior commitment to Texas and pledged his college years to Georgia. He won the Louisiana state championship as a junior, and because he already had enough credits to play Division-1 golf, Georgia coach Chris Haack encouraged him to come to school a year early. The class above Reed was full of unknown quantities, and Haack thought he might need Patrick sooner than expected.
As it turned out, those unknown quantities were Russell Henley, Harris English, and Hudson Swafford, all of whom panned out in a big way. It was too late for Reed to reverse course, though, and when he finally came to Georgia, he found himself as a cog in a stacked roster that included the three super sophomores and senior star Brian Harman.
Haack had a rule that any player who made the semifinals of the U.S. amateur in the summer wouldn’t have to qualify for the first college tournament in the fall, and when Reed advanced to the final weekend, losing to Danny Lee in the semis, he was exempt for the start of his college career. This, along with his penchant for boasting, somewhat isolated the 17-year-old Reed when he arrived on campus. It didn’t help that whenever he qualified for a tournament, he was knocking out a veteran, and Reed wasn’t the kind of kid who was equipped to handle the delicate situation with the requisite tact. If anything, it was reminiscent of another Georgia player who ran afoul of his teammates and coach in a year with an unusual amount of talent. Like Bubba Watson, Reed quickly drifted outside the Bulldogs’ tight inner circle.
When he explained to me what went wrong in his freshman season, Reed chalked it up to being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people in such a small area, leading him to seek out a more comfortable environment.
The truth isn’t quite so simple. The full story, from sources who prefer to remain anonymous, shines a light on a golfer who veered completely out of control in his one year at Georgia. Everything O’Connor said about his personality quirks was true—he alienated his teammates immediately with displays of arrogance, and he had an unapologetic way of practicing and playing apart from the team. If that were the only issue, though, he might have merely remained an irksome presence. It wasn’t, he didn’t, and the situation grew much worse.
During a qualifying round prior to a tournament, according to sources, Reed hit a ball far into the rough. When he approached the spot, he found another ball sitting closer to the fairway, and was preparing to hit it when several of his teammates confronted him. Reed pled ignorance, but the other Georgia players were convinced he had been caught red-handed trying to cheat. That same fall, several items went missing from the Georgia locker room, including a watch, a Scotty Cameron putter, and $400 cash. When Reed showed up the next day with a large wad of cash, sources say a teammate confronted him and asked how he’d come by the money. Reed said he’d played golf with a professor at the school and hustled him out of the cash. The player in question took this claim to the professor, who had no idea what he was talking about—it had been weeks since the man had played with Reed.
Again, no action was taken, but as far as his teammates were concerned, Reed was guilty of cheating and thieving. Even now, on Tour, a source told me that there’s a private joke among certain players when Reed enters a locker room: “Hide your things,” they tell each other. “Patrick’s here.”
In addition, the arrest for intoxication—when Reed was found drunk at 2:30 a.m. on campus—was only the first of two alcohol violations. The second came hot on the heels of the first, during the week of a Georgia football game. That day, Reed and a friend had loaded up on alcohol before leaving for the game. (To Bill and Jeannette, the drinking was a new side of Reed—he had never had much of a social life at all in high school, and though he had the odd girlfriend here and there, drinking was never part of his agenda. Their theory today is that Patrick was trying to fit in on a college campus where he felt desperately alone.) Later that night, near Atlanta, he was arrested again on a second alcohol charge.
This time, the Reeds hired a lawyer, and were able to keep word from reaching the team after a judge threw out the case. By February, though, Chris Haack found out, and he scheduled a meeting with Patrick. According to the sources, Reed came in for the meeting with his mother Jeannette, who was visiting. When Haack brought up the second arrest, Jeannette reacted with surprise:
“We thought no one knew,” she said.
At that point, sources say, Haack realized there had been a cover-up, and he couldn’t trust anything that came from Reed or anybody else in the family. Combined with the personal and ethical problems Patrick presented, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Haack began the process of severing ties between Reed and the golf team. Reed kept his access to all facilities for the rest of the academic year, along with academic tutoring, but in terms of Georgia golf, the relationship was over. It was understood that Reed would transfer for his sophomore season.
*
The choice came down to Florida, Wake Forest and Augusta State, and considering that his parents now lived in Augusta, he didn’t brood over the decision for long. Head coach Josh Gregory sold him on the idea that he’d already tried the big schools, and it was time to see how he’d function in a smaller environment. Reed could see the wisdom in that, so he chose to spend the next two years at Augusta State, living at home the second year.
Gregory’s program was an interesting anomaly in the sport—golf was the school’s only Division 1 program, and the college itself had none of the allure of the surrounding SEC and ACC schools, with their huge student populations, top level football programs, sprawling campuses, and the student-centric milieu that included vibrant small cities, Greek life, and—since we’re talking about teenage males—beautiful young women everywhere. When Reed was in high school, Gregory didn’t even bother recruiting him; as he told me, “Augusta State doesn’t get the Patrick Reeds of the world.”
Recruiting against schools like Georgia and Georgia Tech was a pipe dream—no student would visit both places and come away with an urgent desire to make Augusta his college home. Instead, Gregory would look for mid-level talents in the southeast that had some of the competitive drive he coveted—guys he could mold into great players. He also recruited internationally, where the reputation of his competitors didn’t carry quite as much weight. And, when fate dealt him a lucky hand, he’d take the odd cast-off; the stud like Reed who, for whatever reason, couldn’t cut it at his original school.
Gregory had been a lifelong underdog himself, a college golfer under Hank Haney at SMU who never won a tournament, and he knew almost from the minute he turned pro that he lacked the mental game to succeed. When he looked around at his friends who were succeeding at the highest levels, he saw players who believed they were twice as good as they actually were. Gregory was the opposite—he never thought he was half as good as he really was—and the sport made him miserable. But the analytical brain that spoiled his playing career made him an ideal coach. He knew exactly who to look for, and he became an expert not only at finding diamonds in the rough, but training them to take down the high-profile players in whose shadow they had spent their entire lives.
Reed, though, represented a new challenge entirely. Gregory understood that he needed a player of Reed’s caliber to put a very good Augusta State team over the top, and he also knew that Reed wasn’t squeaky-clean. But he had no idea how bad things would get, and how fast. Once again, Reed made a terrible first impression, angering his teammates and making life difficult for his coach. He talked too much about himself, refused to listen to advice, and came off as someone with deep insecurities who was trying to project an infallible image.
(Gregory laughed at the fact that despite all the troubles, if you put Reed in a room full of adults, he’d be totally at ease and totally charming. I found the same to be true—the angry tyrant I had watched on the course was never in evidence in a one-on-one setting. I enjoyed my time in West Virginia with him and Justine more than most of my interviews with Tour players, and despite the moments when his account departed from the truth, I thought of him as a good storyteller with more personal charisma than I’d expected.)
When I asked Gregory what form Reed’s behavior took, he described a player who was so intent on proving that he was the best golfer—motivated by an intense fear of failure—that he couldn’t turn it off and have normal social interactions with his teammates. Even though adults liked him, he had a one-track mind around people his own age, and his relationships with golfers became antagonistic and tense. He would openly tell his teammates that he was better than they were, that he was going to beat them, and etc. They didn’t enjoy having him around, and Reed could sense—and was hurt by—their dislike, which only exacerbated his need to prove his value on the golf course, and to identify completely with the idea of Patrick Reed the golfer. The self-defeating cycle perpetuated itself, driving an enormous wedge between Reed and the rest of the team.
On one memorable night—one of the few times he hung out with his teammates in a social setting—sources say he became so belligerent at one of his teammates that he earned a punch in the face. He also got suspended for the start of the season for reasons that remained shrouded in mystery for the longest time, kept secret by golf’s omerta.
The news trickled around the Georgia golf community, though, and the cause of the suspension—confirmed by multiple sources—didn’t surprise the teammates who knew him back in Athens: Cheating in a qualifying event.
*
The suspension cost him the first two tournaments of the season, and Gregory told him that unless he grew up, and grew up quickly, he’d never make it either in college or on the PGA Tour. Gregory also placed a phone call to Haack, angry at just how difficult his player had proven to be, and Reed’s teammates held several meetings that year deciding what to do about the black sheep. In addition, a source close to the scene told me that Reed would often have tense phone conversations with his father after events he didn’t win, and that these would often become accusatory and angry, devolving into intense shouting matches before Reed hung up. The exact nature of the relationship wasn’t well known, but the sense among the team was that Bill was unreasonably tough on his son.
It’s tempting now to paint a story of redemption—a path upward from the darkest hours. With Reed, though, there was never a seismic personality shift in college. In 2011, he stopped hanging out with his teammates off the golf course completely. He also stopped cheating, and he was slightly more cordial with his teammates, but when I asked multiple sources whether this meant they actually liked him, the response was unanimous: Hell no.
*
In fact, something odd began to take shape with those Augusta State teams. Where most coaches preach team chemistry, what developed between Reed and his teammates was the opposite. They so despised each other that the environment became abnormally competitive—particularly between Reed and Henrik Norlander, two alpha dogs who wanted to beat each other so badly that they played with a desperate intensity even in practice rounds. It’s not the textbook way to build a team, much less one that any coach would recommend, but for Augusta State, it created a hard edge among the players that served them well in NCAA match play. The idea of being intimidated by some unknown opponent was laughable—they had to deal with Patrick Reed every day.
Everyone I spoke with agreed on one thing—if it wasn’t for Josh Gregory’s guidance and belief in Reed, he would have gone off the rails and been out of NCAA golf within a matter of months. The fact that he showed any improvement, or at least kept himself out of trouble, was due entirely to the standard Gregory set, and the artful way he dealt with a player who didn’t respond well to authority.
Still, his teammates’ attitude never changed. Before the last round of his college career, in the national championship against Harris English, a group of Reed’s Augusta State teammates approached English—one of the most well-liked, easygoing players in the sport—with an emphatic message:
“We want to win the national title, but we hope you kick the shit out of Patrick Reed.”
*
The trouble for them was that nobody kicked the shit out of Patrick Reed, especially in match play. In a one-on-one situation, he could escape his head completely and focus on beating a single opponent. During his sophomore season, after riding out the suspension, Reed proved that he was a valuable addition to the team, quickly forming a strong 1-2 attack with Norlander.
In June, at the NCAA Championships at the Honors Course in Ooltewah, TN, the Jaguars shot well enough to secure the sixth position after the three stroke play rounds ended. A year earlier, the championship format had changed; where it used to be purely a stroke play event, now the top eight teams after the medal rounds would face off in a match play bracket. That meant Augusta State, the 6-seed, would face Georgia Tech, the 3-seed, with five players from each team squaring off against each other in a best-of-five contest.
Reed drew Chesson Hadley that day, the Yellow Jacket who would go on to become PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2014. Neither player ever established more than a one hole lead, but coming down the 18th hole, Reed, who had proven his match play chops at the U.S. amateur the summer before he came to Georgia, was 1-up. They needed his win, as Tech led 2-1 in matches completed. Hadley’s approach was mediocre, landing more than 30 feet from the pin, and Reed, sensing blood, put his 12 feet away. Barring a miracle, a two-putt would win. Incredibly, though, Hadley holed his long birdie attempt. The pressure was squarely on Reed, and he responded, sinking his own birdie and letting out a primal shout when it fell.
Henrik Norlander won the deciding match on the 18th hole, and Augusta State pulled off the upset to advance to the semifinals. There, they handled the Florida State Seminoles, with Reed winning again, and it was on to the championship, where they’d face their stiffest challenge yet in top-ranked Oklahoma State. The Cowboys featured future pros like Morgan Hoffmann, Kevin Tway, and Peter Uihlein—son of Wally Uihlein, CEO of the Acushnet Company and the man who runs Footjoy and Titleist, which makes him one of the most powerful people in golf.
Uihlein is as close as anyone comes to golf royalty, and Reed, with his combative nature and the giant chip on his shoulder, seemed to take a special pleasure in playing against him. They were drawn against one another, and after Uihlein took the first hole, Reed won the next three. That led to the seventh hole, where Uihlein conceded a short par putt to Reed, and Reed refused to return the favor when Uihlein’s birdie attempt rolled up next to the hole. Uihlein, annoyed, stood over his putt and missed. The annoyance turned to rage as he swatted the ball into the nearby water, and Reed, now 4-up, knew he’d won the mental game. He coasted from there, and the match ended 4&2 in Reed’s favor. Henrik Norlander and Mitch Krywulycz came through in their matches, and Augusta State’s motley crew of underdogs had its first national title.
Afterward, Reed approached Gregory with tears in his eyes and thanked him for sticking by his side. He knew how close he’d been to losing his second team in two years, and how it would have made him poison to every other college program. He had nearly sabotaged himself out of both a national title and the stable foundation he desperately needed before launching his professional career, and only Gregory’s forbearance had saved him.
*
The 2011 national championship was held in Karsten Creek, Oklahoma State’s home course, and when the hosts won their quarterfinal match and Augusta State—now the 7-seed—topped Georgia Tech for the second straight year, a revenge narrative took shape. The bitter Oklahoma State players had made comments the year before to the effect that the best team had lost, and they were eager for another crack at the upstarts who had left a sour taste in their mouths.
Thousands of Oklahoma State fans lined the course for the semifinal, and the way they’d erupt when one of their players hit an approach to 30 feet, yet stay completely silent if an Augusta State player stuck one inside five feet, reminded Josh Gregory of the Ryder Cup. The coach walked with Henrik Norlander during his match against Kevin Tway, and they were on their way to the 13th tee when he decided to stir the pot.
“Tough crowd out here today,” he said loudly, giving Norlander a fist bump.
“Shut up, asshole,” came the response from a voice in the crowd.
Gregory loved it, and the atmosphere was right up Reed’s alley as well. He was set to go last in the running order, and he knew the match could come down to him, which was just fine—he wanted the pressure on his shoulders, and hadn’t enjoyed a year earlier when he finished his match in the championship round too quickly, and had to watch his teammates fight to the end. When the draw came out, and he saw that he’d be facing Peter Uihlein for the second straight year, he thought, “even better.”
(After telling me how happy he was when he realized who his opponent would be, Reed was quick to add that Uihlein was his “good friend”— a typical verbal maneuver for Reed, and one which I might even have believed if he didn’t keep using it in reference to certain golfers, like Harris English, who I knew definitively were not his friend.
Later in the year, when I told Henrik Stenson that Reed had included him in the “good friends” list, he laughed, and responded with his unique brand of dry, Swedish humor.
“I wouldn’t say that we go way back,” he deadpanned. “I played one practice round with him at Wells Fargo a couple years ago. And…well, it’s nice if he thinks that everyone he knows a little bit is one of his friends. That’s obviously a way to look at it. But if I’m going to express myself politically, I guess he’s an interesting character.”
Later, when I asked why he kept to himself on the range, I got a truer version from Justine: “Really, he has few good friends out here, but he’s not worried about being the most popular guy.” I looked to Reed, who nodded. “She basically nailed it.”)
Uihlein was now the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, and had played in the Masters in April—a rare honor for a college student—but the accolades only seemed to stoke the flames of Reed’s competitive fire. Uihlein, from the start, never had a chance.
Reed birdied six of the first 11 holes, and as he walked up the 10th, Uihlein looked at him something like disbelief. “Every time I play you, it’s like I run into a buzzsaw,” he said. “You just cut me down.” Reed won the match by the gaudy score of 8&7—he had faced the top amateur in the world, and the player the Wall Street Journal had called “the next great champion” just two months earlier, and humiliated him on his home course.
Norlander won again, and in a dramatic match that went extra holes, Carter Newman—a senior, and the team’s fifth-best player—saved himself from disaster by holing lengthy putts on 17 and 18 before beating Sean Einhaus in extra holes and sending Augusta State to the championship round for the second straight year.
Waiting for them, on the other side of the bracket, were the Georgia Bulldogs.
*
Gregory worried that Reed would be too amped up for his match, considering the circumstances, and he tried to emphasize that focusing on the opponent wouldn’t help. It had limited effect—Reed wanted the win worse than he ever had before, and nothing Gregory could say would calm him down.
Reed’s teammates delivered their message of support to Harris English, and the match was on. This time, Reed fished his wish—Russell Henley beat Norlander, Hudson Swafford lost, and the teams split the other two matches, leaving Reed and English as the last men on the course. Their point would decide the national championship.
“If you were to go back in history and ask Harris if there’s one match that he wanted to win,” Chris Haack told me later, “that was the match. Not only did it mean winning the national championship, which was ultimately what we all wanted, but just a lot of the…oh, gosh, I don’t know, the way that things always transpired with Patrick…it just wasn’t a very…”
Here he trailed off, before concluding, “I want to take the high road here.”
Reed held a 1-up lead early, and though English squared the match before the turn, Reed won the 10th and 13th holes to go 2-up. He held the same lead heading into the 17th, and needed only a half to win the match. Neither player hit a great drive, but when English hit his approach into the water, the match was down to its dying embers. Reed made a mess of the hole, but still left himself with two putts from six feet to win. His first crawled up to bare inches away, the second was conceded, and just like that, Reed had finished off the greatest underdog act in college golf history. Josh Gregory and Augusta State had won back-to-back national championships, and they did it in style, beating two of the sport’s biggest juggernauts.
For Reed, it was the end of a short but brilliant career, and the cherry on top of a 6-0 match play record at the NCAA championships. He kept his emotions in check—deep down, he knew Haack wasn’t wrong to let him go, and as badly as he wanted to win, there was a bittersweet feeling knowing his college career was over.
To the Georgia players and coaches, though—and even to some of Reed’s teammates—the win represented the opposite of a fairy-tale ending. Reed and English had deserved different fates in their final match, they thought, and everything about it felt deeply unfair. One of O’Connor’s sources, in the ESPN story, called it “the death of karma.”
*
“I’m hoping one day he’ll come out and have the honesty to talk about his past. It would really be a great cleansing process for him, but I don’t know if he’ll ever do that. I wish he would, because unfortunately he’s going to get always get questions about his past. Always questions about what happened at Georgia, what happened at Augusta State, what happened with his parents. I wish he would get it off his chest at some point in life, because I think it would help him become a better person.” —Josh Gregory
It’s hard to know whether a troubled athlete ever truly changes, and the ubiquity of high-paid experts dedicated to crafting their player’s image casts a cynical light on the concept of personal growth. Which changes are sincere, goes the unanswerable question, and which are mere PR window-dressing and stagecraft, designed to lure a gullible writer?
Even if he never changes, reasonable people can still see shades of gray, and forgiveness isn’t out of the question.
“He has a big heart,” said Bill Reed. “It’s hard for him to show it in certain circumstances, because he needs to be on guard. He’s so driven, and to him he thinks it’s a sign of weakness. And you have to understand too, he’s still only 24 years old, and he’s been in the adult world a lot sooner than children his age should be and need to be.”
Brian Harman put it more bluntly.
“You have to remember that he was 17 years old,” he said, of Reed’s freshman year at Georgia. “We all do a lot of stupid shit when we’re 17.”
Reed’s story since his last college match has been one of success—he got his first PGA Tour win by out-dueling Jordan Spieth at the Wyndham Championship in 2013, and then won twice more in 2014, prompting the infamous “top-5” comment that brought him his first real dose of public notoriety.
His temperament, on the other hand, hadn’t really evolved. Throughout the 2014 season, I watched Reed blow off reporters in anger after his bad rounds, including at the Congressional in June, where after doing his requisite two questions with tv—nobody says no to tv—he wouldn’t offer more than a terse “nope” when a Tour official asked him to meet with the writers. Later, though, starting at the British Open, he began to face the music. He obviously still hated the process, but he’d endure a question or two without storming off, like the rest of his fellow pros.
Did this represent real maturity? It’s always hard to know for certain, and as Reed himself told me in our interview, the media will never get to know the “real” him. He also believes the broader forces are trying to make him a villain, so the relationship is tainted from the beginning—both sides are mostly fine with assuming the worst about the other.
In any case, it’s safe to assume that Reed’s anger runs a few degrees hotter than the average golfer—in Shanghai, at the WGC event in November, he was caught on camera chastising himself with the kind of language that goes beyond the usual self-loathing. “Nice fucking three-putt, you fucking faggot,” he said. “Go fucking hang yourself.” (In a bizarre postscript to the fallout, he decided to seek “guidance” from Bubba Watson, of all people.)
Reed also became estranged from his family after graduating from Augusta State and leaving home in November 2011—an estrangement that has lasted to the present. Neither his mother or father were invited to his wedding in December 2012, and contextual clues indicate that the relationship worsened from there.
When the Augusta Chronicle, ignorant of the longstanding rift, ran a tame video interview with Bill, Jeannette, and Patrick’s younger sister Hannah after his win at the Wyndham Championship, sources told me that the Legacy Agency, which represented Reed at the time, requested that the video be taken down. The matter died when the Chronicle refused to capitulate, but the gesture shows how strained the relationship must be. In 2014, at several tournaments, independent sources told me that Justine hired at least one bodyguard to “protect” her from Bill and Jeannette.
For their part, the Reeds didn’t want to speak on the record about the divide—“As a parent, no matter how much pain you’re going through, our philosophy on it is we’re never going to throw one of our own children under the bus,” Bill said. “No matter how much our children hurt us, I’m not going to hang them out to dry in a national setting.”—but Bill is on Twitter, with a profile picture showing him and Patrick at a golf tournament, and a tweet from Dec. 2012 seems to make a pointed statement about his relationship with his son:
“You can love someone with all your heart but there is no promise they are going to love you back. The ladies in my life are best!”
(Note: After this piece was published, a national golf writer pointed out to me that the preceding tweet was written on Reed’s wedding day.)
His mother Jeannette also has a social media presence, and her Twitter feed is dense with vague messages that hint at a relationship gone sour, and alternate between bitterness, sadness, and the hope of reconciliation. The latest instance came in December, when she wrote, “One would imagine the pure joy of Christmas past would touch a person’s heart in some way #miracle #hope.”
“If a person does not know where they started from, they sure as heck do not know where they are going….,” she tweeted on April 30, not long after the 2014 Masters, and the oblique references go back to the start of her timeline in 2013, with messages like, “Sometimes you have to move on without certain people. If they are meant to be, they will catch up…..”
One message in particular seems to be a reference to Justine: “There are doers, givers & takers in the world. You do & give it your all out of love & support, the takers step in & take what is not theirs.”
The vagueness of the tweets clarified this month, when Bill Reed became angry that his son hadn’t been in touch for their daughter Hannah’s birthday.
“Very sad and heart breaking at #PatrickReed did not wish his little sister happy birthday God has a plan wish we could see it,” he wrote, and both Jeannette and Hannah responded in kind.
The family relations, though, are too complex to be untangled from a few words on social media. For now, it’s enough to say that Patrick Reed is fighting a battle on two fronts. On the golf course, he’s winning in style, and may be the toughest young American in a generation loaded with talent. Off the course, he’s been painted into a corner by a complicated past and the questionable choices of the present.
In a culture that loathes gray area, Reed has been typecast before his 25th birthday. He is golf’s remorseless villain, and stands as a rare exception to the old proverb—not everybody, it seems, loves a winner.
*** |
It’s simple. It’s effective. It’s “Bernie vs. Hillary”: the meme. Boosted on Tumblr, on Twitter, and in “Bernie Sanders’ Dank Meme Stash”—a Facebook group with 160,000 members and counting—it riffs on a typical election year poster: “Bernie or Hillary? Be informed. Compare them on the issues that really matter.” The issues that really matter, in this telling, include the candidates’ preferred gaming consoles and philosophies on sneaking soda in the free water cup. Invariably, Bernie Sanders’ response is passionate and charming while Hillary Clinton’s is insufferable and cloying. As one Facebook contributor spelled it out: “The meme is supposed to show that Bernie [knows] what he’s talking about and is relatable while Hillary is out of touch and flip flops.”
In the Olive Garden one, Hillary regurgitates corporate lines while Bernie gives it to you straight:
Then there’s the Radiohead version, in which Hillary gets overexcited about the band’s mainstream hit while Bernie wheels competently through the band’s catalogue:
And who could forget the lizard iteration, in which Bernie projects authentic enthusiasm, while Hillary hates fun:
important issues for me pic.twitter.com/LYbEwIXovk — LIZARD WARNING (@Spurksploodge) January 28, 2016
The meme recalls “Barack Obama Is Your New Bicycle,” a single-serving site created by the journalist Mat Honan almost exactly eight years ago. The difference here isn’t just that Clinton is not your new bicycle. (Man, she probably doesn’t even know how to ride a bicycle.) It’s that while Honan’s site bestowed Clinton’s challenger with universally pleasing attributes—“Barack Obama gave you a puppy,” “Barack Obama fixed your car,” “Barack Obama escorted your grammy across the street”—the Bernie vs. Hillary meme hinges on cultural identifications that are at least somewhat arcane. The point is that Hillary tries, and fails, to project fluency with the pop product in question.
The meme’s portrait of Clinton as overeager to relate to the cool kids reads as a backlash to her campaign’s own strategic approach to youth and Internet culture. Clinton has signaled a gameness to engage with fluff, politely fielding garbage questions like, “Would you rather be the president or Beyoncé?” even when what comes out are stilted lines like: “I mean, she sings, she’s up, she’s down. It’s just amazing.” The meme’s vision of Sanders rapturously nerding out, though, doesn’t jibe with his typical response to a softball: dismissal and hostility.
When the New York Times Magazine’s Ana Marie Cox asked Sanders to comment on his iconic hairdo, he shut her down, saying: “OK, Ana, I don’t mean to be rude here. I am running for president of the United States on serious issues, OK? Do you have serious questions?” This no-nonsense attitude is part of his charm. The joke at the heart of this meme is the translation of Sanders’ passion and expertise in discussions of economic inequality to a meaningless cultural dispute he’d never actually address. But even the staunchest Sanders supporter can recognize that Clinton is a policy nerd who stumps with what the New York Times calls “a wonkish intensity.” So the meme doesn’t exactly fight fair: It compares how Clinton fields soft questions with how Sanders replies to hard ones.
But whatever. A successful meme doesn’t stick to facts. It riffs off a vibe. Bernie registers as passionate and authentic, Hillary comes across as pandering and robotic, and those assessments are very sticky. When New York magazine’s Rembert Browne asked Sanders to name his favorite David Bowie song at Fusion’s January Brown and Black Democratic Presidential Forum, Sanders replied, “I know he passed away, and the answer is that I wasn’t much of a follower of his.” Weeks later, Bernie closed an Iowa speech to the tune of “Starman,” and Newsweek raved that the choice “felt sincere.” Close readers of Bernie’s musical tastes know it was as calculated as any other candidate’s pandering playlist, but it “feels” sincere because Bernie feels sincere.
Meanwhile, as Sady Doyle has chronicled for Slate, Hillary’s reputation as a pandering fake is informed by 20 years of being skewered as either “bitchy, crazy, dangerous” or “cold, robotic, calculating” by critics on both the left and right. If she seems to try too hard, it’s because she does have to work harder to succeed.
Which brings us back to that nuclear critique of Bernie supporters: Some of them, sometimes, may just be a little bit sexist. Though there are some notable exceptions—Bernie has better eyeliner!—the meme overwhelmingly situates Bernie’s dominance in masculine subcultures and products: anime, Tony Hawk, Star Wars, Pokemon, PlayStation, gaming, first-person shooters. Hillary, meanwhile, doesn’t understand football (actually, she doesn’t know what any sports even are); confuses Star Trek with Star Wars; and is, of course, unfamiliar with dank memes themselves.
As Houston Press writer Jef Rouner points out, the Bernie vs. Hillary meme looks an awful lot like the old “Idiot Nerd Girl” meme, which posited that “women are interested in traditional nerdy things like Star Wars or video games simply because they are now trendy, and that their interest is superficial.” So similar are the two memes that they can make the exact same joke, and it works both ways.
Images via QuickMeme and Tumblr. Composite by Slate.
The Bernie vs. Hillary memes “are just the latest expression of this idea, utilizing arguably the most famous woman in America right now as its sexist punch line,” Rouner argues. “Don’t think for a second the jokes in these memes have nothing to do with the fact that a woman is in serious contention for a job that has always been held by a man.”
It doesn’t help that one popular strain of the meme sounds just like a rewarmed Fox News talking point from 2008. “When Barack Obama speaks, men hear, ‘Take off for the future!’ ” Marc Rudov said on the network after Obama’s Iowa win in 2008. “When Hillary Clinton speaks, men hear, ‘Take out the garbage!’ ”
But while 2008 Hillary reminded men of “their nagging wives,” as Fox put it, the joke about 2016 Hillary is that she reminds kids of their nagging moms. The Hillary of the meme is simultaneously a prim hall monitor, a teacher’s pet, a strict schoolmarm, and a mean mommy who won’t let you stop at McDonald’s for a snack and makes you eat healthy cereal. (By the way, calling the meme sexist is, according to the meme, a very Hillary thing to do.) She’s also—why not?—a racist who says stuff like “#AllLivesMatter” and “I have a black friend.” Some iterations of the meme are just excuses for a ba-dump-ching punchline about Hillary’s husband cheating on her. Point is: Bernie good, Hillary bad. Or, to express that in meme form:
Michael Walton/Facebook
The laziest iterations of the meme reduce the choice between the two candidates to capitalist brand identification: Bernie and Hillary are Coke vs. Pepsi, Apple vs. Android, MAC makeup vs. a drugstore brand, Cinnamon Toast Crunch vs. Kix, TurboTax vs. H&R Block, and McDonald’s vs. Burger King. Sanders, the democratic socialist, is often aligned with the more expensive product.
In a way, the memeing of the presidential race helps keep the campaign focused on substantive stuff: Now, issues of pop cultural identification have been outsourced to the supporters themselves. Unsurprisingly, as the meme has strayed further and further from any relevant political observation, the debate about the candidates has devolved into a fight over the meme itself. On the dank memes Facebook page, long threads unfurl where Sanders supporters debate, for instance, whether Bernie would play the Xbox One or the PS4. To the most exacting meme-ers, Bernie vs. Hillary has already evolved into such an undank meme that it’s been shoved into the Hillary column. It’s yet another fun thing ruined by overeager latecomers who like it for all the wrong reasons. |
IN A CASE of square peg, round hole syndrome, the national research officer of Australian Christian political party FamilyVoice Australia has defended herself against a press release that has left people scratching their heads across the country.
Ros Phillips sent a press release yesterday claiming the recent change to same-sex marriage laws in the ACT would confuse tradies including plumbers, electricians and carpenters.
The release included a diagram depicting appliances and plumbing equipment being joined together - like male and female sex organs.
"As any tradie can tell you, marriage has always been a joining of two opposites. You cannot properly unite two of the same," Mrs Phillips said.
"By definition, marriage is a complementary, male-female union. Only that union has the potential to create and raise children with both male and female role models.
"It is not 'equality' to disregard reality. A same-sex couple will always be different from an opposite sex couple.
"Let's not confuse apprentice electricians, plumbers and carpenters in the ACT - lest the lights go out, the drains leak and the chairs collapse in the Legislative Assembly!"
Today, Ms Phillips told news.com.au the release was a "lighthearted way of pointing out the reality that marriage was always between a male and female".
"That's the only reason governments have any interest in registering marriages, because of their potential to create and raise the next generation."
ACT marriage law is a nonsense: ask any tradie #actpol... http://t.co/9bh2XZWsfJ — SaveMarriageACT (@SaveMarriageACT) October 23, 2013
She also criticised the gay community for changing its stance in the last two decades on the issue of gay marriage.
"Just a couple of decades ago, the homosexual lobby wasn't interested in marriage, they said 'why would we be interested in such an archaic tradition?'
"Now they've changed and decided it's suddenly a good thing. Underneath it all they don't want marriage, they want to change it."
She scoffed at the idea the press release could be seen by some as offensive.
"Since most people have taken it as a lighthearted press release, no I don't think it could be seen as offensive.
"It's true, electricians and plumbers use male and female parts to make joints, it's been around for a very long time."
This week, a decision to legalise same-sex marriage in Canberra was approved by the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The Abbott Government has already lodged legal proceedings in the High Court to challenge the decision, but the ACT has confirmed it will fight for the law to be upheld.
"No one can be confident about what the High Court will decide, but I'm very confident that our Act is soundly based and has the potential to give us strong legal arguments to put to the court," ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell said.
The commonwealth believes the ACT Marriage Equality (Same-Sex) Act 2013 is directly inconsistent with the Commonwealth Marriage Act 1961.
"We will also continue to work with the ACT government to ensure its law is as robust as possible, which may involve further amendments," said Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome.
Continue the conversation via Twitter @the_mattyoung | @SaveMarriageACT |
Steve Benson/Creators Syndicate
Politico has an article today looking at the "wonks versus pols" divide in the GOP, how Republican strategists and egg heads are urging the party to expand its focus from spending-cut monomania, advice actual office holders are ignoring. It makes good points about what ails the GOP but actually understates the party's problem: It's not simply that Republicans haven't changed their (Reagan-era) policy prescriptions in the wake Mitt Romney's 2012 flop—in fact the party is preparing to double down on them.
Politico's Jonathan Martin writes today:
Almost daily, there is a fresh op-ed or magazine piece from the class of commentators and policy intellectuals urging Republicans to show a little intellectual leg and offer some daring and innovation beyond the old standbys of cutting income taxes and spending. It's not that the eggheads are urging moderation — it's more like relevance. The standard plea: The GOP will rebound only when it communicates to working-class and middle-class voters how its ideas will improve their lives.
But there is virtually no evidence that these impassioned appeals for change are being listened to by the audience that matters — Republican elected officials. With few exceptions, most of the GOP leadership in Washington is following a business-as-usual strategy. The language and tactics being used in this winter's battles with President Barack Obama are tried-and-true Republican maxims that date back to the Reagan era or before. And that, say the wonks, spells political danger and more electoral decline.
J-Mart goes on to quote a whole host of unelected conservative thinkers from Michael Gerson to Newt Gingrich to Peggy Noonan and so on urging the GOP to broaden its policy horizons. He quotes National Review editor Rich Lowry in a recent Politico column: "The problem with the deficit as an issue is that people care about economic growth more, and the problem with spending cuts is that people like them more in the abstract than in reality. At times, it seems as if ‘we have a $16 trillion debt' is the sum total of the party's argumentation."
But not only are House Republicans ignoring the advice from the cheap seats, they're doing so in dramatic—if puzzling—style. As the Washington Post's Ezra Klein wrote yesterday:
... if you look beyond the rhetoric and focus on the policy, House Republicans are proposing much harsher spending cuts this year than they did last year. On fiscal issues, the party has moved far to the right since the election.
...
[House Budget Committee Chairman Paul] Ryan was, of course, on the ticket in the 2012 election, and many Republicans interpreted the loss as a message that the GOP's monomaniacal focus on government spending wasn't helping the party. But while that might be a convincing political diagnosis, the reality is that the members of the House Republican Conference remain monomaniacally focused on spending cuts, and they're forcing the GOP even further to the right on the issue.
That means that even as the party's national tacticians try to move away from being the party of spending cuts, they'll [h]ave even harsher and more dramatic spending cuts to answer for.
It's worth thinking through the political logic here. The GOP ran on a tax and spending cuts platform, including putting Ryan—the very face of austerity—on their ticket. They lost in a race that wasn't close: President Obama achieved re-election by four percentage points and five million votes and he was the first president since Dwight Eisenhower to crack 51 percent two elections in a row; Democrats gained seats in the House and Senate and got a million more votes for their House candidates than the GOP did (Republicans held the House in no small part because of gerrymandering and Democrats' habit of packing into cities). The GOP's national approval rating is at or near historic lows, depending on which polls you read.
So how does the party react to this? By dramatically doubling down on the policy agenda which only months ago was roundly rejected by the voters. Why? I see three interrelated reasons.
First some conservatives haven't accepted the election results as a legitimate expression of popular will. I think there's an element of: It's not that the country has shifted, it's just that Obama turned out more of his voters. You could see this attitude in the defenses of the proposals to gerrymander the Electoral College (too many city folks are voting so rural voters need to have their votes augmented). You could hear it in the January assertion by GOP megadonor Foster Friess that "the American people gave the Republicans a mandate in the last election" which was only "masked by the fact that on the presidential level, the capability and the competence and the power of the Democratic organization Obama put together overshadowed that." Friess went on to argue at the time that when considering political mandates, the votes of "center cities"—where the president ran up his tally—should not be taken into account.
Second while thinkers on the right might yearn for policy creativity, the GOP is at the moment confined by the purity and reductio ad absurdum logic of its base. They don't want creative conservative government, they want minimal government. Hence the 1980s-style cut-cut-cut (taxes, spending, regulation) box in which the GOP finds itself.
Finally, the party has a base problem. There's a growing divide between the swing voters who carry national elections and the electorate that controls Republican primaries, especially the Tea Party activists. You can see it on questions of how to solve the deficit problem, whether to compromise in general, the minimum wage, and so on. On the question of austerity versus broader policy creativity, the conservative thinkers Politico quotes are out of sync with the base because they're more focused on swing voters and national politics while the base remains enamored of spending cuts. President Obama is determined to drive his agenda right through that gap, forcing Republicans to take sides on broadly popular measures that their base hates. It's a win-win for him: Either he gets policy wins or his party has political issues which they can use in the 2014 midterms.
In a sense the GOP's success in the last round of redistricting—creating what the Cook Political Report sees as over 200 safe GOP districts—is proving Pyrrhic. If you're a Republican member of Congress your greatest existential threat comes from primary challenges, so that's what shapes your agenda, even if it comes at the cost of national political viability.
Read Leslie Marshall: The Real Scandal in Arne Duncan's Sequestration Pink Slip Statement
Read Jamie Chandler: Sequestration Crisis Is Thomas Jefferson's Debt Fears Realized
Check out U.S. News Weekly, now available on iPad. |
Forthcoming movie Arthur and the Minimoys features Bowie's voice
Bowie lends his voice to a character called Lord Royal Highness for an episode of the sea bed-set series to be shown next year.
"At last. I've hit the Holy Grail of animation gigs," said the 59-year-old wrote on his website.
He has appeared in BBC sitcom Extras, as well as films including Labyrinth and Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence.
On recording for SpongeBob SquarePants, Bowie said: "We, the family, are thrilled.
"Nothing else need happen this year, well, this week anyway."
SpongeBob SquarePants has been a worldwide hit with children and built up a cult following among adults since its 1999 debut on children's channel Nickelodeon.
Celebrity fans include Austin Powers actor Mike Myers, Oasis's Noel Gallagher and pop stars Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. |
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Two of controversial preacher Zakir Naik's aides — Arshi Qureshi and Rizwan Khan — have been booked by the Mumbai police for forceful conversion and radicalisation, reported The Indian Express. They are currently under the Kerala police custody.
This comes a day after the Home Ministry issued an inspection notice to Naik's Islamic Research Foundation for alleged violations under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), according to The Hindu. Reports suggest that the police will soon widen the net and probe people associated with Naik's foundation.
Hindustan Times reported that police action was taken after Mumbai Central resident Abdul Majid Abdul Kader filed a complaint against Arshid Qureshi, a guest representative officer with IRF and Rizwan Khan, who has also been linked to the foundation.
Reacting to the Home Ministry's proposal to ban the Mumbai-based organisation and term it illegal, IRF issued a statement, "IRF has taken a note of certain media reports citing the law ministry's attempt to ban the foundation under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). This is truly shocking. There is no evidence to show that Dr Naik ever promoted terrorism or indulged in any unlawful activity. If the government registers a case under UAPA, it will be gross misuse of the draconian Act," reported DNA.
Qureshi and Khan were jointly arrested by a police team from Kerala and Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) from Mumbai on a complaint filed by Ebin Jacob, brother of Merin alias Mariyam that she was radicalised by her husband Yahiya with the help of Qureshi. Later, the two were brought to Kochi. The Kerala police have even confirmed Islamic State links of Qureshi.
Naik, a city-based televangelist who also runs Peace TV, has been under the scanner of various agencies after one of the attackers involved in the Dhaka terror strike posted that he had been influenced by the preacher.
With inputs from agencies
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Marvel
Hollywood has been teasing an adaptation of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series for years, but now the rubber is finally hitting the road. According to Deadline, Sony has just locked down Nikolaj Arcel (best known for A Royal Affair and the Swedish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo adaptation) to direct the film. He will team up with Anders Thomas Jensen on the latest version of the script, which may or may not build upon a former treatment by Fringe writers Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner.
The Dark Tower series tells the story of Roland Deschain, the last of the Gunslingers, as he journeys through a mysterious land that crosses elements of the old west with Arthurian fantasy. His goal is to reach the Dark Tower, a magical structure that acts as a portal and anchor to infinite universes. As the story progresses, the separation between universes begins to fall apart, sending Roland into numerous alternate realities.
If all goes according to the current plan, not only will The Dark Tower launch a new movie franchise, but a companion television show, as well. And with the way Stephen King wrote the series and tied it into several of his other popular books, there’s hopes that an entire shared universe à la Marvel may end up developing out of all this.
Step one, though, is making a Dark Tower movie that doesn’t suck. And with Sony picking smart filmmakers like Nikolaj Arcel and Anders Thomas Jensen, they’re off to a good start.
(via Deadline) |
This article centers around Red Coat, the leader of the A-Team. For another version check out "A", the single entity .
“ She's everywhere and she's nowhere. ” — Mona about Red Coat
Red Coat is the secondary antagonist on Pretty Little Liars. Red Coat is considered to be the person who took over "A", and the "A-Team" from Mona Vanderwaal.
UnmAsked
Mona talking to Red Coat (hallucination) Added by Added by GuessWho91
At the end of this episode, when Mona is sitting in her bed at the Radley Sanitarium, she receives a visit from someone wearing a red trench coat similar to Vivian Darkbloom's. It is implied that the person in the red coat is the leader of the 'A-Team' due to Mona saying 'I did everything you asked me to'. However, it has been confirmed that Mona was hallucinating this encounter with Red Coat, although Red Coat did visit Mona in Radley.
Blood Is The New Black
Added by Added by AisforAlison
We see Red Coat once more wearing a red hoodie. She is seen buying black hoodies and gloves for her workers. The store owner says to Red Coat: "So, are you buying this for a team?."
The Lady Killer
It is revealed that Toby is the second "A," and is also part of the A-Team. The dramatic irony is that the Liars don't seem to understand that both Mona, and the New A, are simply workers for the Red Coat. In the same episode, we also see Mona, (most likely) talking to Red Coat on the phone since Mona learns from the other person that there is a "change of plans". Since Red Coat is usually the one planning out all of the "A" schemes, it seems as if it really was her.
Misery Loves Company
Added by Added by GabrielPelareja
When Hanna goes to the boutique, she sees in the window reflection a blond girl wearing a red coat (the same color as Vivian's jacket) across the street, watching her. When Hanna turns around, the girl walks off.
In the same episode, we see Mona and Toby talking in A's lair. Mona refers to someone by saying: "They need to understand she's in charge."
Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Inferno
Red Coat is seen in the "A" lair using a blowtorch to burn a doll representing Hanna. The girl was seen wearing a red jacket and has red nail polish on.
Dead to Me
Added by Added by GuessWho91
Emily remembers more of what happened "That Night". She remembers seeing Red Coat while being attacked by a member of the A-Team. She remembers that Red Coat had blonde hair. Emily says that she (Red Coat) is the one in charge.
Hot Water
Added by Added by AisforAlison
Spencer sees Red Coat after her date with Wren. She manages to get away before Spencer can catch up to her.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Red Coat appears to Emily for a second time while she is in her car waiting to meet up with Toby. However she quickly vanishes after Emily catches a glimpse of her entering Toby's workplace. It is presumed that Red Coat lured Emily by using Toby's phone.
I'm Your Puppet
Aria sees Red Coat while she, Hanna and Emily are in the morgue posing as candy strippers. Aria follows her, almost catching her before she slips into an elevator.
A DAngerous GAme
Ali in the Red Coat Added by Added by Harryhogwarts
In "A DAngerous GAme," It is revealed that neither Mona or Toby know who Red Coat's identity. We see that Alison is the one in the Red Coat. Many fans believe this is the A-Team leader while others do not.
" 'A' is for A-l-i-v-e"
A later theory is supported by a quote Mona makes in the Season 4 promo, "I need to find out who Red Coat is. She tried to kill us all.".
Added by Added by Harryhogwarts
In "TrAde-Off", Red Coat is briefly seen leaving after Lucas Gottesman recieves a phone call.
Appearances (10)
Season 2 (1/25)
Pretty Dirty Secrets (2/8)
Season 3 (8/24)
Season 4 (TBA/24)
Notes
It's highly possible Red Coat will return as the major antagonist for Season 4.
It's possible Red Coat is leading The Alliance.
Suspects
Brightened picture of Red Coat in the cemetery Added by Added by A.Darkbloom
There have been 4-5 main suspects to who is behind Big A. The following people have been suspected by the Liars: CeCe Drake (seen with a Red Coat in luggage) Alison DiLaurentis (due to Ali wearing a trench coat when hiding from A
The following people have been suspected by the fans: Jenna Marshall (Being against the girls for blinding her) Aria Montgomery (She "ssshhhs" in the opening sequence)
Others suggest that Alison's twin sister, Courtney is the one leading the A-Team. It is highly untrue because in this books she is dead and the writers are not planning on putting her into the show.
Theories
Theory 1
This theory is about the real Alison DiLaurentis wearing a mask. Well we might suggest that Ali wore a mask to throw people off because. If Ali would wear a mask people would think "It's not Ali, it was just a mask" but it was actually Ali wearing a Mask.
Theory 2
This theory is about Two Red Coats. It is impossible Alison is alive because there was a body found but maybe the body found was her twin. When Ali became Red Coat for revenge somebody knew this was gonna happen so somebody asked a mask sculptor to make an Ali Mask and this person became the Good Red Coat.
Theory 3
This theory is also about 3 Red Coats (Ali, Courtney and a member). One Red Coat is leading the Bad A-Team and One the Good A-Team but another is just a member wearing a Red Coat to throw people using a mask so the Leader wont be revealed (you guys decide if the member is Good or Bad)
Theory 4
This theory is also about two Red Coats. The first one is Alison (or Courtney, though I don't believe the theory that Ali has a twin). The second is the actual one who torments the liars while Ali is caring for them. I believe that the person who helped Alison (if it is actually Alison) in that last flashback of Season 3 is the person behind this all.
Theory 5
Add your theory here..... |
The original idea for this episode was for each song to be from a solo act. From there I said “No! It should be all acoustic!” Now, to be fair, I didn’t make sure that they are all exactly acoustic songs, but they mostly are, so, you know, here’s a (mostly?) acoustic set of ska songs for you all to unplug and unwind to.
00:00 – Chris Murray – Rock Steady (4-Track Adventures ’96)
02:52 – Deal’s Gone Bad – Run From Me (Sweet Serenade ’09)
07:31 – Dan Potthast – 8 Eyes (Eyeballs ’99)
09:41 – Half Past Two – Heather (Heather ’14)
11:20 – Drewvis – Short Measures (Disposable Pleasures & Meaningful Pursuits ’11)
13:57 – Matt Wixson – Oh Starcia (Head Above Water ’11)
16:50 – Beng Beng Cocktail – Dying in Honor (Choices ’12)
20:05 – Reel Big Fish – Scott’s a Dork (Skacoustic ’10)
Show support for the band by clicking on those links and checking out their websites and music! Show support for the podcast by finding & liking 23min of Ska on facebook as well as follow on twitter. Also, feel free to download this episode if you wanna keep it forever. Another way to support the podcast is to buy some records from our partners in crime over at Grandpa’s Casino Recordings, they carry some great vinyl ska records! |
Lawmakers are determined to reinstate one of the most draconian laws in the world
Uganda’s anti-gay law could be returning as soon as next week.
A group of lawmakers have announced they will call for a motion, to reinstate the law, be passed in parliament on Tuesday (12 August).
The 165 members of parliament who have signed the petition are hoping a swift vote will undo a ruling last week by Uganda’s Constitutional Court that invalidated the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
The law punished homosexuality and the promotion of homosexuality with life in jail.
Lawmaker Latif Ssebaggala said: ‘We want to ensure everybody that we have not backtracked. We are still on course and in fact we are more energized that our culture, our norms, our religious norms are protected.’
The MPs believe they have a waiver that could allow the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to reduce the number of days it takes to pass laws. Normally it would take at least 45, they want it done in three.
They claim it is in their right to demand that laws be passed without following proper procedure, and that the Anti-Homosexuality Act should be reinstated immediately.
But there are several hoops these lawmakers are going to have jump through before it can officially return.
It must be signed once again by President Yoweri Museveni, who may choose to delay the bill by forcing it to face the financial committee.
Other lawmakers may wish to amend the bill, forcing another delay. Nabila Naggayi has said she wishes to ban all anal sex – even between straight married couples – as she believes it is against Ugandan culture.
The Speaker may also refuse to allow the motion to pass. In their ruling, the Constitutional Court had said Kadaga had acted ‘illegally’ by allowing the anti-gay law to pass without quorum.
But gay rights activists have warned that parliament, under pressure from religious influences and public, could do anything to ensure the law gets reinstated as soon as possible.
Edwin Sesange, Ugandan gay rights advocate, told Gay Star News: ‘I call on the LGBT community in Uganda and human rights defenders all over the world and to be prepared for the worst because it looks like people are so determined to promote their hatred.
‘We have to be prepared as much as we can.’ |
Reluctantly, the Republican establishment is coming to terms with the shortcomings that Donald Trump’s insurgent campaign has laid bare.
What to do about them, however, remains as mystifying as ever.
On one hand, Mr. Trump embodies the “happy warrior.” For a party that has been caricatured as dour malcontents determined to say “no” to anything and everything, Trump’s success in casting himself as a can-do, fix-it man who dares to “Make America Great Again” constitutes a rebuke.
Yet, at the same time, Trump also embodies the headlong race toward the politics of fear, most clearly with his proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States.
There is little doubt that those politics can win votes. Yet there is also a growing sense that those politics, repeated during the recent past, have played no small part in bringing the Republican Party to where it is today – with considerable power, but desperately holding on to a tiger’s tail of voter anger.
In its broadest terms, the question posed by the rise of Trump is how to move past the politics of anger and reclaim the mantle of Ronald Reagan – someone who “made people happy to vote for him.”
House Speaker Paul Ryan has already attempted to stake out this ground, and a new generation of conservative thinkers is laying out a vision of a Republican Party that embraces issues of poverty, reaches out to new voters, and shows compassion.
The lessons aren’t new. A post mortem of Mitt Romney’s decisive loss to President Obama in 2012 came to the same conclusions. Exit polls showed that most voters did not think Mr. Romney “cares about people like me.” But Trump’s ascendance has created a fresh urgency, painting a stark picture of a party potentially on the brink of major losses in Washington.
“Ronald Reagan won in 1980 because he was the happier candidate, he was the candidate with the bigger heart, he made people happy to vote for him,” said Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a Washington think tank, at gathering of conservative activists last week. “How many conservative leaders today have that?”
'This isn't about Trump'
For many GOP activists, the serial controversies of the Trump campaign revive tribal memories of the 1964 blowout defeat of conservative Barry Goldwater, whose views came to be viewed as too harsh and extreme for general election voters.
In 2016, it’s not just the White House that’s at risk but also the GOP’s hard-won control of the Senate.
But attacks by GOP leaders only appear to drive Trump’s poll ratings higher, confirming the low esteem that voters have for the current Republican establishment. After a report last week that GOP officials had met to secretly prepare for the possibility of a brokered convention that could deny Trump the nomination, his poll ratings hit a record high at 38 percent of registered Republican-leaning voters.
“This isn’t about Trump,” Mr. Ryan told The New York Times on Friday. “This is about do we run on substance or do we run on personality? If we run on personality, we lose those elections.”
In a signature speech last week, Ryan laid out his plans to turn the GOP into a party of positive ideas.
It is a vision that harks back to former Rep. Jack Kemp of New York, whose ideas on how to create jobs, lift people out of poverty, and grow a more inclusive party helped define the Reagan Revolution and inspired a generation of Republican activists, including Ryan, who calls Mr. Kemp his mentor.
Robert Harbison/The Christian Science Monitor/File Vice President nominee Jack Kemp (c.) waves at the 1996 GOP convention.
And Ryan isn’t the only conservative seeking to resuscitate the “happy warrior” pioneered by Kemp.
“People see us as grim, grumpy, and unhappy, and that’s got to stop,” said Mr. Brooks last Wednesday.
“Conservatives have the right stuff to lift up the poor and vulnerable – but have been generally terrible at winning people’s hearts,” he adds in his latest book, “The Conservative Heart: How to build a fairer, happier, and more prosperous America.”
“Effective conservatives are not people who fight only for people who support them but also for people who need them” – especially groups that generally vote against Republicans, such as Latinos, African Americans, single women, Millennials, and the poor, he writes.
This has not been the course of the Republican Party in recent years, though there have been signs of a shift. Ryan and Sen. Rand Paul (R) of Kentucky, in particular, have stepped beyond the traditional white, male, middle- and working-class base to address issues of poverty.
But the call is broadening. Last Wednesday’s event for conservative activists was held at the headquarters of Americans for Tax Reform, the group that pioneered the taxpayer protection pledge in 1986 to put politicians on record in opposition to raising taxes. Over time, however, that approach came to be viewed as supporting mainly the top 1 percent.
Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist left no doubt that that is not the Republican Party he wants.
“Conservatives need to talk to people who don’t see free market economics as solving problems,” he said last week. “That’s particularly where you need to be a happy warrior, a conservative with heart.”
Trump has some of that confident, outgoing style, but little of the policy, Norquist added. “He keeps saying, ‘I can fix it’ and ‘I will fix it.’ I’d be more comfortable with more specific policy suggestions.”
The birth of the 'Reformicon'
Just as security-focused conservative “neocons” emerged after 9/11, a new breed of conservative “reformicon” is emerging in the wake of the Great Recession, with policies aimed at helping middle-class workers, students, and the poor.
“Reformicon” proposals include empowering investors to pay a student’s tuition in return for a percentage of future earnings, requiring colleges and universities to pay a percentage of student loans in cases of default, and establishing a new Homestead Act to give tax breaks and income-support to encourage worker mobility to areas with better job prospects.
“In the conservative intellectual community, there’s a real effort to come up with ways of dealing with low wages, providing assistance to people to find jobs, keep jobs, give a decent living,” says Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar at AEI. “But none of the presidential candidates are talking about these things and not very many members of Congress.”
And that is the issue.
“As much as the [GOP] establishment wants to reassert an optimistic view, that line of thinking does not appear to be what is pushing the front-runners up in the polls,” says GOP strategist John Ullyot, managing director of High Lantern Group in Washington.
“The Republican electorate seems to be responding much more this cycle to a harsher rhetorical line, and that’s probably not good for the party in the long term, but there’s not much that can be done about that for the time being,” he adds.
In the aftermath of Mr. Romney’s 2012 loss, the No. 1 recommendation by a blue-ribbon report from the Republican National Committee opened with a reference to Kemp: “Jack Kemp used to say, No one cares what you know until they know you care."
But little changed in the GOP, and while Trump has his own vision of the promise of the future, he is also cashing in on fear. The latest polls suggest his support is surging in the wake of recent terrorist attacks.
Trump is “channeling anger felt by a certain sector of the electorate that’s no different from what’s felt in Europe among the white working class,” says Henry Olsen, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington and a leading Reformicon.
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“It would be nice to think that the way to appeal to the Trump constituency is to actually address their concerns, which is that they are losing ground under the current economic regime,” he adds. “That suggests that a party that focuses on gutting entitlements and taxes for the top 1 percent is not meeting their needs.”
“You can smile all you want, but that dog won’t hunt,” he says. |
EstebanVerde managed to grab these official photos from Chevy site before these were removed.
Press release:
The 2016 Camaro is the only convertible in the segment to offer all of the following:
Fully automatic operation with latches that automatically release and secure the top
Capability of opening or closing at speeds up to 30 mph
Remote opening with the key fob
A hard tonneau cover that deploys automatically, providing a more refined, finished appearance when the top is lowered and stowed.
The electro-hydraulic power roof system features multilayer construction – including acoustic and thermal barriers – designed for a comfortable, quiet driving experience in all seasons. The top emulates the sleek silhouette of the Camaro coupe.
“The 2016 Camaro coupe will set the benchmark for the segment in terms of technology, performance and design,” said Todd Christensen, Camaro marketing manager. “Adding the most sophisticated top in the segment brings another level of refinement – and driving enjoyment – to the Camaro convertible.”
The new Camaro convertible arrives in early 2016.
Like the Camaro coupe, the convertible benefits from a stiffer, lighter structure that helps reduce total vehicle weight by at least 200 pounds compared to the model it replaces. Consequently, the Camaro convertible retains the coupe’s sharp chassis tuning and nimble reflexes.
“From the beginning, the Camaro’s architecture was developed to incorporate a convertible with uncompromised driving dynamics,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “Customers will appreciate what they don’t feel: quivers, cowl shake or an under-damped chassis typically found in a four-seat convertible.”
The architecture also enables the Camaro convertible’s sleek design, allowing the top to fold down completely beneath the belt line. The hard tonneau cover automatically covers the folded top, creating a finished appearance.
“With many convertibles, you have to affix a tonneau cover manually – if it’s done at all,” said Tom Peters, design director. “The Camaro convertible’s automatically deploying hard tonneau not only makes it easier to enjoy convertible driving when the inspiration hits, it ensures the car always looks its best.” |
Cook County prosecutors' first-ever terrorism case collapsed Friday when jurors instead found three men who built Molotov cocktails in the days before the 2012 NATO summit guilty of mob action charges and explosives counts that could carry hefty prison sentences.
Prosecutors alleged that the so-called NATO 3 had plotted attacks on police stations, President Barack Obama's campaign headquarters and Mayor Rahm Emanuel's home. But defense attorneys, bolstered by undercover police recordings that prosecutors played in court, argued that the three were “goofs” who talked big and were goaded on by two undercover police officers.
After deliberating nearly eight hours, jurors rejected the two most serious counts of the indictment – providing material support for terrorism and conspiracy to commit terrorism. Instead they convicted the men of two counts of misdemeanor mob action and two felony counts of possessing an incendiary device. They acquitted them on two other counts of possessing an incendiary device and one count of solicitation of arson.
The felony convictions carry the potential for prison sentences ranging from four to 30 years for Brian Church, 22, Jared Chase, 29, and Brent Betterly, 25, who have all been held in custody since their arrests in May 2012.
Not surprisingly, both sides declared victory.
Attorney Thomas Anthony Durkin, who represented Chase, praised the jury for seeing that prosecutors had overreached with the terrorism charges.
Durkin contended that the charges were motivated in part by the extensive costs of security for the world leaders attending the NATO summit in Chicago.
“This was a political prosecution in every sense of the word,” he told reporters following the verdict. “That's the slippery slope we start sliding down with charges like this.”
“When we start to trivialize terrorism and charge protesters with terrorism, then we are threatening all kinds of rights to protest and to speak out,” said Church's attorney, Michael Deutsch.
But State's Attorney Anita Alvarez staunchly defended the decision to bring the terrorism charges as four of her assistants who handled the prosecution looked on as if shell-shocked.
“We felt very strongly that the evidence and the facts supported the charges, and I would bring them again tomorrow with no apologies and no second-guessing,” Alvarez angrily told reporters.
“How is this a defeat? This is not a defeat. These three gentlemen have been found — I shouldn't call them gentlemen — these three men have been found guilty of felonies.”
“I would bring these charges again because you know what we did, we saved people from being hurt. OK? Do we have to wait for a Chicago police officer to be set on fire? I don't think so. Do we have to wait for that neighborhood bank to go up in flames? I don't think so. You know what, my job is public safety. And that's exactly what we did. Have we forgotten about Boston here? Have we forgotten about homemade bombs in backpacks?”
The trial was seen as the first test of a state terrorism law enacted in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. By that standard, it was a blow for Alvarez as jurors decided the defendants' conduct constituted mob action and not terrorism.
The heart of the case came down to two undercover Chicago police officers who infiltrated the group by posing as activists and secretly recording their conversations. Both testified as dozens of the undercover recordings were played for jurors.
It was unclear what the seven-man, five-woman jury thought about the evidence. At first, court officials had announced some jurors would speak to reporters but then said they had decided against that. While a media liaison for Judge Thaddeus Wilson had promised to release the names of jurors after the verdict, the judge instead said he sealed the names at the request of jurors.
Defense attorneys played up the men's incompetence, painting them as having “delusions of protesting grandeur.” But they were frequently drunk, high and unable to complete simple tasks, once missing out on a protest because Church had to wait for his pot dealer.
One of the undercover officers told an apologetic Church that he needed to make a to-do list in the morning before smoking pot.
Church also said he wanted to attack four police stations but didn't want to Google the locations of two of them. Chase advocated attacking Obama's re-election campaign headquarters with a slingshot and marbles.
Church declined when Nadia Chikko, one of the undercover officers, asked Church if he wanted to try out one of the Molotovs they'd built with four empty beer bottles, some gasoline and a cut-up bandana from Mehmet Uygun, the other undercover officer.
“I'm too (expletive) cold to be going anywhere. I want to wrap up in my blanket and sleep,” he said.
The defense argued that the recordings and a Facebook post showed that the men's intentions were not sinister at all but rather outlandish.
But prosecutors couldn't have disagreed more, contending the three had been plotting to commit terrorist acts since before they drove to Chicago from Florida. They argued that it was intent that mattered, not how well-executed or feasible their plans were.
Prosecutors repeatedly played up the most damaging moments of the recordings, most prominently Church's question to an undercover officer as the Molotovs were being built on the back porch of a Bridgeport neighborhood three-flat where the three out-of-town defendants were staying: “Ready to see a police officer on fire?”
In closing arguments Thursday, Assistant State's Attorney Jack Blakey accused the three of trying to conceal their violent plans “behind the legacy of nonviolent protest.”
“Martin Luther King? Gandhi? Mother Teresa? I don't see them in court,” he said.
The NATO 3's fate will rest in the hands of Judge Wilson, who presided over the trial. At an earlier hearing at which defense lawyers had asked him to throw out the terrorism charges before the case went to jurors, Wilson, required at that stage to view the evidence in the light most favorable for prosecutors, had offered that if the men's attacks had been successful, “that's terror.”
“This is America, and that is terror,” he said.
[email protected] |
WASHINGTON — President Obama will sign an executive order on Labor Day providing paid sick leave to 300,000 employees of federal contractors.
“Hardworking people should not have to choose between taking care of themselves or a loved one . . . and a day’s pay,” Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett told reporters Sunday on a conference call in advance of the Monday action.
Some contractors already provide sick leave, so the order would extend the benefit of up to seven paid sick days per year to an additional 300,000 workers, according to Washington estimates.
The administration said there would be no cost to the federal government and that the companies would actually gain from the requirement through reduced attrition and a healthier workforce.
“The cost of implementing this rule is offset by the efficiencies that come with reduced attrition, increased loyalty — all of those things that have been documented in a number of studies,” Labor Secretary Tom Perez told reporters.
Obama also will call on Congress to pass legislation expanding paid leave for all working Americans and to require paid maternity leave.
When the administration leaked the idea of the contractor requirement early last month, a US Chamber of Commerce official blasted it as executive overreach. Obama had called for legislation for paid sick leave for federal contractors’ workers in his State of the Union address. |
Image caption France and Germany want the new agreement to be concluded as soon as possible
Downing Street says Britain will be "fully engaged" in talks to decide what should be in a new eurozone fiscal pact - despite deciding to stay out of it.
David Cameron argued it was not in UK interests to join, but officials will take part in "technical discussions".
A spokesman said the PM wants the pact to succeed and to "engage constructively" with the process.
Labour said he was "being forced to backtrack on his damaging decision to flounce out of the room".
Mr Cameron vetoed the prospect of an EU-wide treaty change which would have included Britain last week - arguing there were not sufficient safeguards for the UK.
'Given up seat'
Instead all EU states apart from Britain are considering signing up to a new agreement which aims to introduce closer fiscal integration in the eurozone with tougher rules on debts and deficits.
He faced criticism from Labour's Ed Miliband that by doing so he had "given up our seat at the table" and with it, the chance to secure the best deal for Britain.
We will be fully engaged Downing Street Q&A: Cameron and the EU
But Downing Street said on Friday it had been invited to join technical discussions about what will go into the intergovernmental accord - which EU leaders hope will be drawn up by February.
Following reports the UK officials would have "observer status" - Downing Street said they have been invited to join as "equal participants".
"We will be fully engaged," she said.
Whether the EU Commission and other EU-wide bodies can be used to enforce and monitor rules applying to the new grouping is likely to be one of the most controversial points up for discussion.
Tax policies
However the UK will not have a vote and BBC Brussels correspondent Matthew Price said it was unlikely that the UK would be present at future meetings of the grouping, once the text of the fiscal pact was agreed.
While the Czechs and Hungarians are negotiating hard from a position of strength, David Cameron has deliberately chosen to sit on the sidelines Douglas Alexander, Shadow foreign secretary
Although all other EU states apart from the UK agreed to consider signing up to a new intergovernmental treaty - some doubts have been expressed by some non-eurozone states.
It is not yet known what will be in the new accord - France and Germany have floated ambitious proposals for a common eurozone corporate tax base and financial transactions tax, which were not in the text of the agreement at last week's Brussels summit.
The Czech and Hungarian leaders said they would not sign anything that would force them to give up independent tax policies.
Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said: "David Cameron is already being forced to backtrack on his damaging decision to flounce out of the room last week.
"But accepting limited participation in technical discussions will not give us any leverage where it really matters.
"While the Czechs and Hungarians are negotiating hard from a position of strength, David Cameron has deliberately chosen to sit on the sidelines, forced to lobby others to do his work for him."
Mr Cameron has denied claims that relations with French President Nicolas Sarkozy have been strained by his refusal to sign up to the EU-wide treaty last week.
'Simply unacceptable'
France has been warned by US credit ratings agency Standard and Poor that it could be downgraded over the eurozone crisis.
On Thursday, the chairman of the French central bank, Christian Noyer, suggested that any downgrade should instead start with the UK "which has more deficits, as much debt, more inflation, less growth than us". French PM Francois Fillon also made similar comments on a trip to Brazil.
Deputy PM Nick Clegg - who has also been critical of the outcome of last week's summit - spoke to Mr Fillon by phone on Friday. Mr Clegg's office said the French PM had made clear he had not intended to question the UK's rating but to make a point about ratings agencies.
"The deputy prime minister accepted his explanation but made the point that recent remarks from members of the French government about the UK economy were simply unacceptable and that steps should be taken to calm the rhetoric," his office said.
Downing Street downplayed the remarks, saying: "We have put in place a credible plan for dealing with our deficit and the credibility of that plan can be seen in what has happened to bond yields in this country." |
Forget partying the night away in a club.
Keri Washington celebrated her 39th birthday with the people who mean the most to her - her boyfriend and young children.
The actress celebrated over a quiet dinner at Vinegar Hill House with Matthew Rhys and her two children, Willa, three, and River, seven, in New York City.
Scroll down for video
Birthday girl: Keri Russell arrived to Vinegar Hill House holding her daughter Willa's hand in New York on Monday
Time to celebrate: Matthew Rhys showed up to Vinegar Hill House with Keri's son River
For the occasion at the quaint eatery, the birthday girl slipped into a soft cream sweater that draped loosely over her slender frame.
She offset the relaxed top with dark jeans, slouchy ankle boots, and added a splash of colour with a light pink rose tucked against her ear.
The Felicity star looked every bit the doting parent as she held her daughter's hand, who was dressed in a playful white ballerina dress, leggings, and grey sweater.
Tiny dancer! Keri's daughter Willa was outfitted in a white ballerina dress and black leggings
Floral fun: Keri propped a light pink flower behind her ear, while her daughter carried a single rose bud in her hand
Her The Americans co-star Matthew, who she has been dating for a year, arrived at the restaurant in the company of Keri's son, River.
Willa and River are Keri's children from her six year marriage to carpenter Shane Deary.
A few months after the former couple announced the split in 2013, it emerged Keri and Matthew began dating.
They matched! Both Matthew and River arrived sporting coordinating blue jackets and dark jeans
Tuckered out: The birthday girl hoisted her daughter in her arms after a meal at the quaint restaurant
On screen, the actors play masters of disguise Philip and Elizabeth Jennings in the hit FX series The Americans, now into its third season.
The pair are undercover operatives working as part of the shadowy Russian spy circle, Directorate S, yet living as Americans in plain sight.
The show, set in the 1980s at the height of the cold war between the US and the USSR, has steadily grown a solid fan base with Rolling Stone asking last month: 'Is The Americans TV's best drama?'
Radiant: Russell looked incredible with just a slick of ruby red lipstick and a light touch of eyeshadow
Despite its critical acclaim, The Americans is yet to win any awards during its two year run.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last month, Matthew joked about the perceived snubs.
'We haven’t been sleeping with the right people,'
Before adding: 'We’re very happy with the critical acclaim it’s received, and it's justification and celebration enough.'
She's a hands-on mom! Keri was practically inseparable from her little girl that evening |
ESPN NFL Insider Matt Williamson put together a list ranking the league’s true No. 1 receivers , and what’s interesting is the Chicago Bears are the only team considered to have two top targets with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery.
Here is a list of Williamson’s criteria for a true No. 1 receiver:
They need to have the ability to separate from man coverage, understand how to find the soft spots in zones and have very strong athletic traits.
They need to be strong, fast and play big, which often -- but not always -- can eliminate shorter wide receivers from this equation.
They must be productive, even when opposing defenses are scheming to take them out of the equation; No. 1 receivers can be uncoverable and never come off the field.
They must display the above traits with consistency.
Certainly Marshall and Jeffery possess all the above attributes, which is why Chicago should finish among the top 10 in offense in 2014.
Williamson lists Jeffery in the category of "Freaks of nature, but a step below Calvin Johnson" and ranks him No. 9, below A.J. Green at No. 4, Dez Bryant, Julio Jones, Josh Gordon and Demaryius Thomas.
Williamson writes: Jeffery didn't eclipse 51 receiving yards in Chicago's first three games and also had three other outings in which he had fewer than 60 yards receiving, but he was utterly dominant against the Saints and Vikings. Still a little up-and-down, the 24-year-old has rare size and body control for such a big man. He also has very strong hands. Only Gordon and Calvin Johnson averaged more yards per catch than Jeffery in 2013. Jeffrey was the Bears' most feared receiver by the end of his second NFL season.
As for Marshall, Williamson lists him among the “Oldies but still very goodies” at No. 10 on the list.
Williamson writes: Drops were a problem for Marshall in 2013, which has been a recurring theme throughout his career, but he caught 100 passes (for the fifth time in his career) and scored 12 touchdowns. Marshall attacks the football in the air and is a very aggressive ball carrier once it is secured. Marshall just turned 30 years old, but his style of game should translate for some time, and he is showing zero signs of slowing down.
What’s even more encouraging about Marshall is he’s participating fully in a conditioning program right now after finishing the season pretty much injury free. If you remember last offseason, Marshall was recovering from arthroscopic hip surgery. Without the hip being a hindrance to training now, Marshall should come back an even better player in 2014. |
The matchup that everyone expected all season has finally arrived, as No. 2 Stanford will take on No. 1 USC in the NCAA women’s water polo national championship game tomorrow.
In order to win its third straight national championship, the Cardinal (29-2) will have to beat the Women of Troy (26-1) in the fourth meeting between the teams this season. After the teams split their two regular-season matchups, USC defeated Stanford 11-7 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) final. Stanford and USC have been the top two teams in the national rankings all season and neither team lost to any other squad all year.
Stanford, the two-time defending champions, advanced to the title game by knocking off No. 3 UCLA 5-3 in the semifinals.
Goalkeeper Kate Baldoni anchored a tremendous defensive effort by the Cardinal. The reigning NCAA tournament MVP made 12 saves to shut down the powerful Bruins attack, which came into the game averaging 10.7 goals per game.
“I have to give it all to the defense, they had some great shot blocks. Mel [Seidemann] had one, Kaley [Dodson] had one, I honestly don’t remember touching the ball the whole first half,” Baldoni said of the defensive effort. “We were well-prepared, we knew where their shooters were and we just did a very good job defending.”
The Cardinal was unable to capitalize on its stifling defense as UCLA goalkeeper Sami Hill matched Baldoni save for save at the other end. The redshirt sophomore made 11 stops, but ultimately, the Cardinal was able to put just enough by her to take the win.
“[UCLA] really packed it in, tried to rely on Sami and she did a great job.”said Stanford head coach John Tanner. “We kept our composure as the game was close and unfolding and did not allow our missed opportunities to frustrate us. I couldn’t be prouder of my team, anchored by Kate who was sensational tonight.”
Stanford senior Jillian Garton scored twice in what could have been her final meaningful game in the Cardinal cap. The captain began the scoring with a tally 5:46 into the game. After the Bruins tied it 30 seconds later, Stanford freshman Maggie Steffens sparked a three-goal second period with a goal two minutes into the second quarter. Senior Melissa Seidemann put away a skip shot to double the lead before Steffens capped off the half with her second tally to give the Cardinal a 4-1 lead at halftime.
The low-scoring affair continued after halftime as both teams were held scoreless until UCLA sophomore Emily Donohoe pulled the Bruins within two with 40 seconds left in the third quarter.
Garton added her second goal with 6:39 remaining in the game to give the Cardinal a three-score cushion, and that was all Baldoni and the Cardinal defense needed to ride out the win. Donohoe added a meaningless goal in the final minute to make the final score 5-3.
Stanford will now face the top-ranked Women of Troy in the final, which will take place tomorrow at 2:15 p.m. PST. The game will be a rematch of last year’s final, which the Cardinal won 6-4. Fans can watch live at NCAA.com.
Stanford’s athletics program has won at least one NCAA title every academic year since 1976-77. The Cardinal has yet to win one in 2012-13 — the synchronized swimming national title was in U.S. Collegiate competition — and many followers of the program believe that the women’s water polo team is the last one with a legitimate chance to bring an NCAA championship to the Farm this year.
“JT’s done a really good job preparing us for [USC],” Baldoni said. “We’ve played them three times so far this year and tomorrow’s going to be really fun. I’m excited to go out there and play some stellar defense.”
Contact Jana Persky at jpersky ‘at’ stanford.edu. |
Publicidad
Alrededor de las 17:35 horas de este miércoles un fuerte sismo de 4.8 grados en la escala de Richter se dejó sentir en la Zona Metropolitana de Guadalajara, lo que provocó el desalojo de edificios públicos como medida preventiva y revisiones por parte de autoridades.
Pse a la baja intensidad, en algunos puntos de la ciudad se reportaron fallas en líneas telefónicas y algunos semáforos apagados, además se suspendió el Servicio de Tren Ligero con el fin de evaluar daños, mismo que fue reanudado minutos después.
El epicentro fue en Jardines de Nuevo México, en Zapopan, Jalisco. En esta misma zona se registraron sismos de menor intensidad en diciembre pasado.
Luis Felipe Puente, coordinador Nacional de Protección Civil de la Secretaría de Gobernación, detalló en su cuenta de Twitter: “Por el sismo estamos en monitoreo con autoridades del estado de Jalisco al momento no se registran daños solo evacuaciónes preventivas”.
Protección Civil Jalisco informó que realiza monitoreo de posibles daños. Hasta el momento, el saldo es blanco pero se sigue revisando.
Sismicidad en Jalisco
Los sismos más recientes en la región ocurrieron en diciembre de 2015, el de mayor magnitud el día 15 y fue sentido en Guadalajara y en otras localidades del estado, aunque sólo tuvo intensidad de 4.4 grados.
Los movimientos telúricos se sienten con mayor intensidad en la costa de Colima-Jalisco como consecuencia de la subducción de las placas Rivera y Cocos por debajo de la placa de Norteamérica.
Los más devastadores fueron los del 3 de junio de 1932 con magnitud de 8.2 grados seguido por uno
de 7.8 el 18 de junio del mismo año.
El 9 de octubre de 1995, se registró uno de 8 grados cerca de los límites entre Jalisco y Colima, seguido por un tsunami de 5 metros de alto. Dos meses después, el 11 de diciembre
se registró otro sismo de 6.4. (Con información de El Informador) |
Human beings are capable of so much beauty. We have created wonders of industry, art and architecture. We have overcome the most extreme conditions on the planet, and built our homes and temples everywhere around the globe. And sometimes, despite all of our hard work, we move on – leaving our creations behind.
And while our cities and monuments are certainly impressive when in their prime, there is a haunting kind of beauty that is unique to those places that have been deserted, and left to the elements.
Nowhere is this melancholy beauty more evident than in these, the 10 most incredible abandoned places in the world:
10. Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California
Built in 1850, Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first U.S. naval base on the Pacific ocean. The base was closed in 1996, leaving acres of barracks and bunkers, homes, offices, warehouses and factories standing empty and abandoned. Today, parts of Mare Island are undergoing renovations, but most of the base is still desolate, and open to tourists and site seers. Besides dilapidated buildings, there is also a museum, parks and walking trails, a nature preserve, and the oldest military cemetery on the west coast.
9. Miranda Castle, Belgium
This once gorgeous castle was built in 1866, near the city Celles, Belgium. It was the home of the Liedekerke-Beaufort family, aristocrats exiled from France during the revolution. It was taken over by the National Railway Company of Belgium after World War II, and was used as an orphanage until 1980. It has stood empty since 1991, and has become a favorite destination for tourists and photographers, drawn by the sad and crumbling beauty of this once magnificent estate.
8. Hashima Island
Often called Gunkanjima, or “battleship island,” for it’s resemblance to a Japanese battleship, Hashima Island was built as a coal mining facility in 1887. It was once a thriving community of more than 5,000 people, but the entire population left upon the closing of the mine in 1974. Now the island is empty, the apartment buildings and concrete walls slowly collapsing. The site has been featured on programs such as Life After People and Forgotten Planet, and also inspired the abandoned island complex in the 2012 James Bond film, Skyfall.
7. Teotihuacan, Mexico
Built between 100 BC – 250 AD, the ruins of this ancient Mesoamerican city are located about 25 miles northeast of Mexico City. It is thought that Teotihuacan was home to as many as 150,000 people in it’s prime, but in the 6th century it fell into decline due to droughts, famine, war and unrest. By the 9th century AD, all that remained of the once great city were the ruins of it’s mighty temples and pyramids. But even the crumbling remnants of Teotihuacan inspire awe in all who see them, and the site draws thousands of tourists and archaeologists every year.
6. Ross Island
Ross Island is part of the Andaman island chain, located between India and Myanmar. In the 18th – 19th century, it was the administrative headquarters of the British empire in the islands. But the island was devastated by an earthquake in 1941, occupied by the Japanese in 1942, taken back by Allied forces in 1945 and finally abandoned. Now the island hosts a small Indian naval base, but the old colonial British buildings remain, in various states of disrepair.
5. Nara Dreamland, Japan
Inspired by Disneyland in California, this amusement park was built in 1961, near the town of Nara, Japan. It was closed permanently in 2006, due to low attendance. Now the grounds are abandoned and forgotten, except by daring urban explorers and lovers of decaying ruins. It is a haunting and desolate scene, with all the old rides covered with rust, and weeds growing unchecked between the rails.
4. Plymouth, Montserrat, West Indies
Plymouth was once the capital city of the island of Montserrat, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the West Indies. It was the center of commerce and government, with a population of 4,000 people, and the only sea port on the island. In 1995, a volcanic eruption forced the evacuation of the entire town. Much of the city was burned or covered in ash. Today, the remaining buildings stand empty and half submerged by mud and lava flows, and the whole southern half of the island is considered off-limits due to continuing volcanic activity.
3. Craco, Italy
First settled by Greeks in the 8th century, the town of Craco, Italy boasted a population of 2,500 in the middle of the 16th century. It was built upon a steep hillside for defensive reasons, alongside a sheer cliff that overlooks the Cavonne River valley. The town was abandoned after a series of natural disasters: a landslide in 1963, a flood in 1972, and finally an earthquake in 1980. It has been empty ever since, except for the occasional film or television crew that decides to shoot on the location.
2. Pripyat, Ukraine
Built around the ill-fated Chernobyl plant in 1970, the city of Pripyat was once home to 50,000 people. But the nuclear meltdown of the power plant in 1986 blanketed the region with fatal levels of radiation and forced the evacuation of the entire city. Radiation levels have since fallen to relatively safe levels, but Pripyat and the surrounding area is still considered an “exclusion zone.” Today the streets are crumbling, the schools and hospitals, shopping malls and high-rises stand deserted, as Mother Nature slowly but surely reclaims the town.
1. Machu Picchu, Peru
Located 8,000 feet above sea level, Machu Picchu means “old peak” in the native Quechua tongue. Built by the Inca in the 15th century, the site was abandoned soon after due to the invasion of the Spanish conquistadors. It was virtually unknown to the world at large until 1911, when it was discovered by American historian Hiram Bingham. Since then it has undergone extensive restoration, and become the region’s most popular tourist destination. |
High School failed me. As a high school dropout, I knew I was taking a risk by rejecting the ‘normal route’ and knew I always wanted to be in the business world. During one assignment in my computer class, I did not show up in a suit and tie for the presentation. The teacher docked me for not ‘dressing proper’, which I found puzzling. After all, this class was about desktop publishing – why should this be an issue? It should be about the substance of my work and not some preconceived, superficial notion about how I looked. For me, it has always been about the substance and not the suit.
The good news is that federal aid for colleges has reached its high-water mark. The bad news is that millions of young adults feel they have no choice but to enroll in a four-year University, something that brings with it an inordinate amount of debt for many students.
I recently had lunch with Patrick Bryant and his son, Pate. Patrick is a serial entrepreneur, while Pate is a rising high school senior and AP student with enough college-level credits to graduate a semester early. He’s also a perfect example of a student who learned code through a third party school, JRS Coding School. The twelve week 9-to-5 school is positioned for adults learning code to enter the workplace, and Pate took the code class during the summer of his Junior year, becoming highly proficient at JavaScript.
“We were mixed on Pate’s need to attend college. He knows he wants to code and is focused on being a tech entrepreneur,” said Patrick. “Of course, college offers other experiences and a social network that are important to his development, but we are proud of his choice to skip college and go directly into the workforce. He’s already an accomplished member of the development team at work, and within four years, when his peers are first joining the workforce, he should already be much further along in seniority, experience and income.”
“I already have the knowledge and capability to write code that you’d pay someone who went to four years of college to write,” said Pate. “I love to solve problems, which is why I love coding. Going to college would be a waste of time for a computer science degree. Many of the peers I work with are self-taught. It would make sense for other degrees like law or medical.”
Harvard Business Professor Clayton Christensen offered a startling prediction last year when he stated that “as many as half of American universities would close or go bankrupt within 10 to 15 years.” Between online education and the emerging tech/coding industry, he sees technology undercutting the traditional four-year college model. I, for one, welcome this much needed tidal wave of change in how we develop and nurture the next generation of our workforce.
Thankfully, young adults have caught on to the failure of the status quo. In 2017, the think tank New America published a survey revealing that just 13 percent of millennials agree or strongly agree with the statement that “higher education today is fine how it is, while 79 percent said they disagree or strongly disagree with that sentiment.” If nearly 80 percent of young adults entering college classrooms view the system as failing, why are we continuing down this path?
I have spoken before about the benefit of seeking talent in unconventional places and the lack of soft-skills possessed by this younger generation. From the kitchen to the valet stand, talent is all around us and the static CV is dead. All that is needed is for employers to jump off the hamster wheel as it relates to recruitment and open up to the idea, however unconventional it may seem, that a degree does not necessarily mean the right fit for a position. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the world of coding.
Coders have been outliers in this trend to reject the traditional college degree, and there is data to back this up. An important 2015 Developer Survey by Stackoverflow revealed that nearly half of the 26,000 developers who responded did not have a computer science degree. What also caught my eye is that only 25 percent of developers worldwide have more than 10 years coding experience. This is a young person’s field, and combined with the high percentage of non-traditional schooling, it creates an environment of risk-taking and contrarian thinking — requisite skills for coding.
So, my advice to high schools is very simple. Encourage your gifted coders to seek careers now and not just when they secure a college degree. If these young adults develop the proper coding skills, companies will open their doors to interview them right out of the classroom. Coding is a zero sum game. If they possess the proper skills, they will succeed. From the large tech companies to the many emerging startups, the job boards are ripe with positions that are difficult to fill.
Via Forbes |
The Victoria St Linear Park has been saved from the clutches of Auckland Transport.
You may recall that we’ve been concerned about ATs plans for the future of many of the streets in the city centre for some time. In particular we were concerned that many of ATs emerging plans seemed to completely ignore the Council’s publicly consulted City Centre Master Plan (CCMP), and even their own strategic plans. This included denuding one of the CCMPs flagship projects, the Victoria St Linear park which would become an essential urban space linking the city centre’s two largest green spaces, Albert and Victoria Parks. It would see Victoria St narrowed down from six to just two lanes, with the rest of the space dedicated to people.
The Linear Park, at least in this central section, is actually more of an enhanced urban space or a plaza than a park and among other things, is needed to help distribute the thousands that will stream out of the new Aotea station and likely a future Light Rail station on Queen St. The route was also previously identified as one of the key routes in the government’s Urban Cycleway Programme requiring it to have dedicated bike infrastructure.
We thought our minds had finally been put to rest back in late March when the council reaffirmed their support for the City Centre Master Plan, including specifically calling out the Victoria St Linear Park. We thought this would be enough of a message to make AT think twice about scaling back the Linear Park. However, just days later, AT announced consultation for a plan which had a preferred option that not only killed the Linear Park but would also make it harder to use buses. What’s more, it appeared that part of the reason for this was a closed door deal done between AT and the University who don’t want buses past their premises, or even on the same side of the city as they are.
We later learnt that ATs own business case for the project didn’t support their preferred option. It showed, thanks to some poor redacting, that the preferred option was so bad for buses it had a negative benefit cost ratio while cheaper and more logical options performed well.
We, Generation Zero, Bike Auckland, Spinoff, and others encouraged people to submit to help save the Linear Park.
Late last week we finally learnt the outcome of the consultation with AT stating that they received more than 2,200 submissions, an impressive effort. Most importantly, as a result of the submissions, which they say showed “overwhelming public support for a more green and cycle/pedestrian-friendly city centre“, AT have abandoned their plans for buses on Victoria St and therefore the Linear Park is still alive.
More than 2200 submissions were received on the bus route options and the clear message from Aucklanders was that they wanted bus routes that also balanced the opportunities for a pedestrian and bike friendly city. In particular, this feedback sought that buses were not required to use Victoria Street, thereby enabling greater quality space for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as green space. Mark Lambert, Chief AT Metro Officer says public transport is working for many Aucklanders. “In March for the first time more people entered the city centre using public transport than came in by car. “The challenge is to provide more, reliable and faster public transport without compromising the quality of city space. We have re-examined the proposal and come up with the ‘cross over’ which we believe offers the best of both worlds.”
Retaining the Linear Park is a fantastic outcome so thank you to everyone who helped us in pushing for this outcome, although it is a situation that never should have arisen in the first place.
While AT are no longer planning on using Victoria St for buses, it seems they haven’t fallen back on one of the options also consulted on and have instead come up with a completely new option. Unfortunately there’s not a lot of detail on just what this entails but here’s what AT have said.
The new option, which was not part of the initial consultation, removes the need for buses on Victoria Street by swapping some major bus route groups within the city centre and developing a new bus facility in Grafton Gully. This option is still at feasibility stage and AT intends to further investigate, in particular assessing the operational requirements to ensure the proposal can work and will develop up the design of this option – in conjunction with Auckland Council investigating design options for Victoria Street – and bring this for further public consultation next year. In September, Auckland Transport will present these emerging investigations as part of a cross-Council reporting to the Planning Committee on progress on the City Centre Masterplan.
Based on what they’ve said it’s hard to speculate on just what AT have cooked up now for buses in this area and whether it is once again just another option to get them out from doing the job properly. We’ll certainly be keeping an eye on things and it looks like we won’t have too long to wait to find out.
Once again thank you to everyone who helped us save the Linear Park, it will look fantastic emerging from Te Ara Tomo (the tunnels under Albert Park).
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HOUSTON - HPD homicide detectives spent hours combing an apartment complex in southwest Houston looking for evidence in a shooting that took the life of one young man and wounded another.
Investigators said shortly before 5 p.m. Thursday evening the two victims were in a breezeway at the Waterfall Park Apartments in the 7500 block of Corporate Drive near Beltway 8 and Bellaire when witnesses heard five or six shots.
According to police, two suspects got out of a vehicle in the parking lot and approached the victims, when one of the suspects opened fire.
One of the victims was hit multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene. The second victim was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
One person who lives here told Channel 2 he looked outside, saw the two males wounded on the ground, and a group of people running. He's not sure if they were involved in the shooting or simply running for cover.
"We're going to be here for a while speaking to people here," said homicide Detective Ivan Ulloa. "See if they saw anything or heard anything."
Police said it appears one of the victims lived at the apartment complex but the other did not. Investigators believe the victims are in their late teens to early 20s. Their identities have not been released.
They have no suspects or motive at this time.
Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Copyright 2016 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved. |
CLOSE Dan Elmer, a college standout at Augustana University, explains why he decided to stay in South Dakota and manage the state's pension fund instead of taking a job on Wall Street. By Sam Caravana / Argus Leader Sam Caravana / Argus Leader
Buy Photo Zach Nipp, a native South Dakotan, explains why he decided to stay in the state and work as a portfolio manager for the South Dakota Investment Council. The Council, which manages the state's financial assets, attempts to stop brain drain by recruiting top performers from South Dakota's colleges and universities. (Photo: Sam Caravana / Argus Leader)Buy Photo
They have options.
The state's top finance students could trade on Wall Street, hold down investing jobs in Chicago or Minneapolis or make tens of thousands of dollars more each year playing the market elsewhere.
Instead, they manage stock and bond portfolios for the state of South Dakota from a tucked-away office in southwest Sioux Falls.
Why? Because they have family ties in the state and a desire to create a stable retirement for parents, teachers and police officers.
An effort to prevent brain drain by offering top investing jobs has paid off for pensioners and the young people filling those jobs, said State Investment Officer Matt Clark.
More: Falls Angel Fund announces $175,000 investment in Sioux Falls company
The South Dakota Investment Council manages the state's trust funds and retirement system. Year after year it outperforms market benchmarks, growing the state's pension fund. Its consistent success has made South Dakota one of just a few states to keep its retirement system fully funded, and at times, overfunded.
Part of that success comes from selecting the best and brightest from the University of South Dakota, Northern State University and Augustana University, Clark said.
He picks the top finance students from around the state and offers them internships. If they can make it through the grueling tryout, they often get a job offer.
That pitch comes with a salary a fraction of what they could make on Wall Street, he said, about $49,000 out of the gate. So he emphasizes heavily the potential to give back to the state.
“It’s my job to turn the guilt up to full blast,” Clark joked. “I tell them, 'Grandma would be disappointed if they don't do it or their favorite teacher would be sad.'"
More: South Dakota insurance rate hikes add fuel to renewed ACA repeal debate
Besides working to make sure their own pension fund will be in good shape when they retire, the state's investors guard the pensions of the state's teachers, firefighters, policemen and state employees.
And that's something that drives a stronger sense of purpose in their investing, they said.
“Knowing that we’re creating this great retirement for people that worked really hard all their lives and really deserve it, that’s really nice to be a part of,” said Anne Cipperley, 30, a high-yield portfolio manager.
Buy Photo Dan Elmer, a portfolio manager at the South Dakota Investment Council, monitors his portfolio on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. The Council, which manages the state's financial assets, attempts to stop brain drain by recruiting top performers from South Dakota's colleges and universities. (Photo: Sam Caravana / Argus Leader)
Cipperley's mother was a teacher and is now retired, she said, and she enjoys working to ensure that her mother's retirement funds are kept safe.
While she knows she could find work elsewhere, Cipperley said she was glad to work in a place that encourages long-term investment strategies and that has a track record of success.
“Maybe there aren’t as many perks as at other places, or the pay isn’t as high, but at the end of the day it’s kind of like we’re on a team that keeps winning and it’s nice to be a part of something that’s been successful and you want to keep it successful,” she said.
More: See who graduated from Zeal Center's business incubator on Thursday
Zach Nipp interned in Washington, D.C., while in college. He said he considered working and living out east but ultimately opted to work at the council because it is close to home and he could have a bigger impact on his family.
“There were thoughts of going out and doing the big city thing," the 25-year-old portfolio manager said. “But my family is all here, my dad is a superintendent, my sister is an English teacher. And now they ask me how their pensions are doing."
And compared to Langford, the town of 326 where he grew up, Sioux Falls is a big city.
"To me, Sioux Falls is just a metropolis," he said as he brewed a pot of Folgers coffee. "I have more than enough urban development compared to where I grew up."
Buy Photo Matthew Carey (left) and Dan Elmer (right), both portfolio managers at the South Dakota Investment Council, monitor their portfolios. Both Elmer and Carey attended universities in South Dakota where they were recruited to work for the Council. The Council, which manages the state's financial assets, attempts to stop brain drain by recruiting top performers from South Dakota's colleges and universities. (Photo: Sam Caravana / Argus Leader)
For Jarrod Edelen, 37, the connection to the investment council was also personal. His mother was a legislator who voted to set up the council in 1971 and his grandmother was a university professor who drew from the state pension fund.
“Money management typically is not a very personal job, you manage that big pool of money and you don’t know who the owners of that are, but in South Dakota you see them every day. It’s our parents, our teachers, our friends,” Edelen said.
Edelen and Darci Haug, 37, manage stock portfolios and help coach younger managers Matthew Carey, 24, and Daniel Elmer, 24, to do the same.
More: Startup Weekend a chance for entrepreneurs to pitch ideas
Picking out young talent to keep the council strong can be difficult Edelen and Haug said, as managers need to assess whether those just starting out could be in it for the long haul.
“You’re just trying to really guess when you’re 21 years old whether this person is going to stay for ten years," Haug said. "They are little investments."
Edelen agreed, saying, "We're planting those seeds in these guys, so that in 20 years they’ll be a big strong oak tree."
Buy Photo Matthew Carey, a portfolio manager at the South Dakota Investment Council, checks on the investments in his portfolio. Carey, who grew up in South Dakota, attended University of South Dakota, before accepting a job with the Council. The Council, which manages the state's financial assets, attempts to stop brain drain by recruiting top performers from South Dakota's colleges and universities. (Photo: Sam Caravana / Argus Leader)
Nearly all the council's employees came up through the internship process, Clark said, and many began right out of college, himself included.
And while investors try not to think about every teacher, firefighter or policeman each time they decide to buy or sell, that mission drives them to succeed, he said.
“If you’re fighting for people you care about, that’s going to come through,” Clark said.
Follow Dana Ferguson on Twitter @bydanaferguson, call 605-370-2493 or email [email protected]
Read or Share this story: http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2017/09/24/states-top-talent-skips-wall-street-help-grow-s-d-pension-fund/658069001/ |
To secure acquiescence to the idea that circumcision actually does anything to prevent HIV transmission.
"AIDS Prevention Inspires Ways to Make Circumcisions Easier,"
reads the headline.
Already, the author is assuring his readers that yes, circumcision does in fact, prevents AIDS. No actual analysis of the "evidence" is needed, readers should just believe that this is a foregone conclusion.
Reads the caption under the picture of the "new" invention:
"‘LIKE A FINGERNAIL’ One new product, PrePex, uses a ring to block blood flow. After a week, the dead foreskin falls off or can be clipped."
"So donors are pinning their hopes on several devices now being tested to speed things up."
Or, rather, using WHO endorsement of male genital mutilation as HIV prevention, circumcision device manufactures have managed to secure a piece of the circumcision/HIV pie.
Continuing:
"Dr. Stefano Bertozzi, director of H.I.V. for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said it had its eyes on two, named PrePex and the Shang Ring, and was supporting efforts by the World Health Organization to evaluate them."
(And look who is doing the evaluating! None other than happens to be an inventor of various circumcision devices himself, namely the Evaluate? Or endorse?(And look who is doing the evaluating! None other than David R. Tomlinson , the "chief expert on circumcision" at the WHO, who also justto be an inventor of various circumcision devices himself, namely the AccuCirc device.)
Are Bill and Melinda Gates really interested in humanity? Or is this merely a PR endeavor?
The clincher:
"Circumcision is believe[d] to protect heterosexual men because the foreskin has many Langerhans cells, which pick up viruses and “present” them to the immune system — which H.I.V. attacks."
Here we see the New York Times, yet again, trying to merge science with quackery.
HIV most definitely attacks the immune system; this is an observable phenomenon that anyone can see and confirm for themselves. But there is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the Langerhans cells in the foreskin "picks up" viruses and "presents" them to the immune system.
Actually, scientific evidence proves quite the opposite: Not only do the Langerhans cells act as a natural barrier for HIV, they actually secrete Langerin, which destroys HIV on contact.
The claim that the Langerhans cells facilitate HIV transmission is categorically false.
The New York Times is "picking up" and "presenting" deliberate scientific falsehoods to the American public.
Let it be clear:
The idea that circumcision prevents male heterosexual HIV transmission is a belief; a belief that cannot be scientifically demonstrated. A "decrease" in HIV transmission can be "observed" in three hopelessly flawed, heavily skewed "studies" that fail to correlate with real world empirical evidence. That this "decrease" was indeed caused by circumcision, however, is a far-fetched belief that "researchers" have yet to substantiate. "Researchers" are trying to frame their cherished beliefs and traditions in "research," and that's not science.
The article continues:
"PrePex, invented in 2009 by four Israelis after one of them, a urologist, heard an appeal for doctors to do circumcisions in Africa, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration three weeks ago. The W.H.O. will make a decision on it soon, said Mitchell Warren, an AIDS-prevention expert who closely follows the process."
The inventors of the PrePex device are of Israeli origin which brings into question their true motives. The Jerusalem AIDS Project (JAIP) created Operation Abraham , which is an organization whose sole purpose is to promote circumcision any which way it can. They too have used the WHO's endorsement to travel all over the world to promote circumcision. Are they truly interested in public health? Or are they interested in safeguarding and promoting a religious ritual which is ever under scrutiny? Or is this purely an endeavor to cash in on the opportunity?
"From the initial safety studies done so far, PrePex is clearly faster, less painful and more bloodless than any of its current rivals. And it relies on the simplest and least-threatening technology — a rubber band. The PrePex plug piece continues:
The band compresses the foreskin against a plastic ring slipped inside it; the foreskin dies within hours for lack of blood and, after a week, falls off or can be clipped off “like a fingernail,” said Tzameret Fuerst, the company’s chief executive officer, who compared the process to the stump of an umbilical cord’s shriveling up and dropping off a few days after it is clamped."
Again, this is hardly innovative; the PrePex is nothing but a glorified tourniquet device. A number of other devices use the exact same principle of cutting off blood circulation to the foreskin, including the TaraKlamp , the Smartklamp , the Ismail Clamp , the Zhenxi Ring and the Shang-ring before it.
Focus on PrePex
I'd like to zero in on this Tzameret Fuerst woman. Who is she? Why is she so enthusiastic about circumcision? Particularly this new "PrePex" device? And why does it seem like she's more excited about getting millions circumcised, than she is about HIV prevention? Why is the fact that, even if "studies" were correct, circumcision is not "100% effective" an afterthought?
It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it.
~Upton Sinclair
Continues the PrePex ad:
It is done with topical anesthetic cream, and there is usually no bleeding. And PrePex can be put in place and removed by nurses with about three days’ training.
All really irrelevant afterthoughts... If there is no scientific proof that circumcision prevents HIV, and even given the "evidence" condoms still do a far better job, what does the minimalization and the simplicity of the procedure even matter...
The rings come in five sizes, A through E, Ms. Fuerst said, “and you won’t believe how high-tech the rubber band is.”
She's right! I don't!
"Each size must apply just enough pressure to cut off blood flow without being tight enough to cause pain"
Fuerst, does PrePex have an AIDS prevention method that DOESN'T involve cutting off part of my penis, please?
Continuing...
"The W.H.O., Mr. Warren said, is also evaluating the Shang Ring, a plastic two-ring clamp developed in China to treat conditions in which the foreskin becomes so tight that it cuts off urination."
And here we see the injection of a condition which necessitates circumcision, and another device that facilitates it. Are we even going to be given a scientific explanation as to what these "conditions" are? If they actually cut off urination, and they actually need circumcision viz Shang Ring?
What is the name of the condition where the foreskin becomes so tight it cuts off urination? What causes it? Is circumcision the only option? More gratuitous promulgation of non-science.
Moving forward:
"However, it requires cutting off the excess foreskin beyond the clamp, which means the circumciser must inject anesthetics directly into the penis and groin, wait for them to take effect, create a sterile surgical field and be trained in minor surgery."
“The Shang is not as fast, but it’s faster than full-fledged surgery,” Mr. Warren said. “And it hasn’t submitted as much safety data."
"In a safety study presented at an AIDS conference last month, scientists from Rwanda’s health ministry said they had used PrePex to circumcise 590 men. Only two had “moderate” complications; one was fixed with a single suture, and one required a new band in a different spot."
All useless information that draws attention more and more away from whether or not circumcision actually prevents anything... I'm sure with just the right amount of "research" one could invent a device that facilitates the extraction of the labia with only "moderate" complications...
Or better yet, come up with an actual solution that doesn't involve genital mutilation...
Continuing on:
"According to Dr. Jason Reed, an epidemiologist in the global AIDS division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 of 590, or 0.34 percent, is a tenth the typical complication rate of surgical circumcision."
More statistics to blind the reader with. That's 2 out of 590 in a controlled study. What does that look like for the rest of Africa outside of the scientific environment? And what does this figure look like at 20,000,000 men? One in 295 men will suffer complications. Over 20,000,000 men that these people plan to circumcise, that's about 67,800 men who will suffer complications.
And that's *if* the people writing these "studies" were writing the truth. Remember, they're trying to MARKET their device.
I'm also being kind in assuming that all 20,000,000 African men will have undergone circumcision using the PrePex device; surgery will still be used, and, given the WHO green light, tribes will continue to circumcise youth and men traditionally. The number of complications is going to exceed 70,000, as will the number of iatrogenic HIV transmission. (In Africa, visiting a health center in and of itself is a risk for HIV. Is Daniel McNeil Jr. not aware of this fact?)
All of this, when HIV can already be easily and effectively prevented via education and condoms???
There is another lie that Jason Reed is trying to slip by here; that 0.34 percent is a "tenth" of the typical complication rate of surgical circumcision.
What kind of circumcision could Jason Reed possibly be referring to? Adult circumcision? Child circumcision? What is being counted as a "complication?"
There are reasons to believe that CDC statistics on circumcision in the United States is flawed, namely that they report "zero deaths" when intactivists have a long list of deaths documented. They report an infinitesimally small number of "complications," when we have reports that botched circumcisions have been on the rise for the past few years. Is the CDC telling the truth? Or are they circumcising it?
Instead of investigating, the New York Times takes Reed's presentation of CDC statistics at face value. Let's hear it for American journalism!
Continuing:
"None of the men became infected."
That's great! Does circumcision prevent HIV? Is it even relevant in light of HIV prevention methods which already supersede it?
Continuing:
"On the 10-point pain scale, they reported [a]n average [of] only about 1 when the ring was placed and only 3 when it was removed (about the same level of pain caused by erections during the week they wore it).
By the end of the study, the two-nurse teams could do a procedure in three minutes.
By contrast, Dr. Reed said, the best surgical “assembly lines” — a practice being pioneered in Africa with American taxpayer support — can get down to seven minutes per patient, but only by getting six nurses and a surgeon into a tight harmony."
"Looking busy" is but a distraction from the main points:
Does circumcision prevent HIV? Even if it did, even if the science were correct, is it even worth it in light of less invasive, more effective methods of prevention that already exist? Is it ethical to promote deliberate genital mutilation in the name of "research" and "public health?" Would we ever promote female circumcision if we had the same "research" to support it? What if it could be made "painless" or "bloodless?" What if we could make it so it doesn't decrease a woman's sexuality? Would we consider female circumcision then?
Continuing:
"In theory, he said, breaking that into three two-nurse PrePex teams could mean circumcising around 400 men a day, rather than the 60 to 80 a busy team now does. And the surgeon could go do something more important."
Continuing:
"In fact, Dr. Reed said, American AIDS dollars for circumcisions often go toward an operating room with lights and an instrument sterilizer. Instead of circumcisions, hospitals are more likely to use it for procedures like saving women in obstructed labor"
"Which is understandable — of course that takes precedence,” he said. “But then the circumcisions don’t get done."
Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
It doesn't make any sense to be spending millions on genital mutilation, when, even if the science is correct, would fail to live up to a condom. It doesn't make sense that there are other, more important issues to address; healthcare in general, mother-to-child HIV transmission, food, water, etc., and "experts" like Reed are more concerned that money isn't wastefully being spent on circumcision, for which there is already cheaper, less invasive, more effective ways to prevent HIV.
What is this all about? Is this about healthcare? HIV prevention?
Or is this purely about circumcision?
Some "experts" need to get their priorities straight.
Continuing:
"Robert C. Bailey, an epidemiologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago who helped design Kenya’s circumcision efforts, opposes timesaving devices because training nurses in minor surgery has other benefits, he said. A trained nurse could close a wound or take out an appendix, for example. And the time-consuming parts of the process are counseling and H.I.V. testing, Dr. Bailey said, so 'doing it in five minutes instead of 20 is trivial.'
"But he conceded, 'If PrePex really doesn’t require anesthesia, that’s truly an advance.'"
This part of the article is a bit confusing, and I'm not sure I understand it myself.
First off, am I to understand that nurses are being trained in surgery OTHER than circumcision? But furthermore, am I to understand that circumcision is being used as an "opportunity" for counseling and HIV testing? Couldn't circumcision simply be skipped and men could be given counseling and HIV testing directly? Or are intact men simply incapable of receiving these things?
Imagine, for a moment, a dentist using a total tooth extraction as a pretext to hand people information on oral hygiene and dental care. But his patients still have to use false dentures.
Imagine the converse. What if we started offering circumcision to the women so that doctors can then “take the opportunity” to tell them about better hygiene practices and sex education?
The million dollar question is, since when does a man need surgery to learn how to wash his penis and use a condom properly? Does not being circumcised somehow impede a man’s learning of these concepts? Does not being circumcised somehow nullify the protective effect of condoms?
The article continues:
"Rwanda is training 150 two-nurse teams; it is a small country, but it serves as a bellwether for Africa because its health care system is well organized, government corruption scandals are rare, and it is heavily supported by donor funds."
Rwanda is also a country where HIV has been shown to be more prevalent amongst the CIRCUMCISED. According to a demographic health survey taken in 2005 , the ratio of circumcised vs. intact men who contracted HIV was 3.8% vs 2.1%.
"[Washington D.C.'s] rates are higher than West Africa... they're on par with Uganda and some parts of Kenya." Hader once led the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's work in Zimbabwe. And, incidentally, according to a 2010 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine , rates of HIV among adults in Washington, D.C. exceed 1 in 30; rates higher than those reported in Rwanda. (In America, 80% of the male population is circumcised from birth.) The Washington D.C. district report on HIV and AIDS reported an increase of 22% from 2006 in 2009. According to Shannon L. Hader, HIV/AIDS Administration, Washington D.C., March 15, 2009,Hader once led the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's work in Zimbabwe.
Somehow, though, something tells me that the New York Times is not going to publish this part of the story.
The PrePex ad continues:
"Other, rival devices are not far along in safety testing or are failing it."
Hint hint... it's the PrePex, everyone!
"The Tara KLamp, manufactured in Malaysia since the 1990s, has created controversy in South Africa. It is a hinged plastic bracket the size of a small drinking cup. A plastic tube goes over the head of the penis, and the foreskin is pulled up it and painfully crushed by the bracket. Then the whole contraption must be worn at least five days. A 2005 clinical trial in South Africa was stopped early after the device caused far more injuries and infections than surgery did."
It is essentially the same exact contraption as the PrePex, and follows the exact same mechanism and principle of cutting off circulation to the foreskin, thereby facilitating its excision. Rest assured, though readers, the PrePex is the better design.
But again, a man needs a PrePex likes a fish needs a bicycle.
Continuing:
"The national health ministry has banned it in most of South Africa, but it is still used heavily in KwaZulu-Natal Province, which has the country’s highest AIDS rate and where the Zulu king, Goodwill Zwelithini, reversing 200 years of tradition, ordered that all Zulu men circumcised.
The W.H.O. knows about the stopped trial and is not considering the KLamp, Mr. Warren said."
Oh thank heavens! They don't seem to be too concerned that non-authorized devices and circumcision methods are being used in their name, though.
One must wonder as to the relevance of the Zulu king anecdote; is the author more concerned with HIV prevention, or with "reversing 200 years of tradition?" This really shows you where his heart actually is.
Reed continues:
"Dr. Reed said he had heard that another device, Ali’s Klamp, was being tested in Kenya under protocols that seemed to match W.H.O. requirements. According to Circlist.com, a circumcision information Web site, it is a Turkish device dating to 2007, and works on principles similar to those of the Tara KLamp and another device, the SmartKlamp, approved by the F.D.A. in 2004."
For all intents and purposes, all of these devices are essentially the same. They all function under the exact same principle of cutting circulation off to the foreskin. The PrePex is simply a different design.
Now, I'd like to take the time to correct a horrific error that this article commits, and that is present circlist.com as a mere "cirumcision web site."
What is Circlist? What do they do?
The fact that Circlist is being used as a reference in this piece, even though it doesn't rely on them for any facts, demonstrates how uninterested the New York Times is in logic and ethics. The site’s inclusion with a direct link to it is absolutely shameful. What a sick, disgusting shame that Daniel McNeil Jr. of the New York Times has decided to quote them as any kind of reliable resource.
Circlist is a circumfetishist organization. A circumfetishist is someone who has a sexual fixation for the circumcised penis, and/or derives sexual gratification from the act of circumcision itself. The Circlist organization has a website and discussion group for men who sexually fantasize about performing and receiving circumcisions, often on small children. Circlist members openly admit to a morbid fascination with circumcision, to the point of being a sado-masochistic fetish. Circlist has been long known to intactivists as a meeting place for circumfetishists, where they discuss the erotic thrill they experience from watching other males being circumcised, swap fiction and non-fictional stories about it, and trade in videotapes of actual circumcisions. They are a fetishistic organization comparable to NAMBLA, and yet, here they are, being given credibility on the New York Times.The fact that Circlist is being used as a reference in this piece, even though it doesn't rely on them for any facts, demonstrates how uninterested the New York Times is in logic and ethics. The site’s inclusion with a direct link to it is absolutely shameful. What a sick, disgusting shame that Daniel McNeil Jr. of the New York Times has decided to quote them as any kind of reliable resource.
SHAME on you, Daniel McNeil Jr. for daring to give publicity to this sick, disgusting group in the New York Times.
On to the end:
"PrePex was cleared by the F.D.A. because it was judged “substantially equivalent” to the SmartKlamp, Ms. Fuerst said. Proving equivalence in safety to an approved device is the fastest way to get approval, she said..."
Which seems to be her actual main concern...
"...although the technology is quite different."
No, the technology is the same, and it's rather old.
And finally:
PrePex’s ultimate cost is still being negotiated with donor agencies and foundations, Ms. Fuerst said, but may end up in the $15-to-$20 range, about the same as a surgical circumcision kit.
Even IF we lent any credibility to the latest twaddle some people dare to call "science," we have got to ask, why is the solution always circumcision?
Is there any reason why the so-called "researchers" aren't looking for ways to deactivate Langerhans cells, as opposed to cutting them off?
Is there any reason why PrePex is not looking for non-destructive ways to prevent HIV transmission, and instead facilitating male circumcision which just happens to be a cherished tradition in their own country of origin?
How is it conscionable to be spending millions of dollars on the promotion of an alternative to the most conclusively effective mode of HIV prevention known to us?
Why aren't the WHO, PEPFAR, PrePex etc. worried at all that the promotion of male circumcision is going to result in the grossest of violation of the most basic of human rights?
Genital mutilation, whither it be wrapped in culture, religion or "research" is still genital mutilation.
It's all happened before. And it's all happening again. But this time, it happened in New York.Yes, it seems, that since the WHO used three dubious "studies" to endorse male genital mutilation as HIV prevention, circumcision advocates, each with their own different interests, have been looking for ways to promote so-called "mass circumcision campaigns" full speed ahead. PEPFAR and Bill Gates are in Africa bankrolling so-called "mass circumcision campaigns." These have started a race to come up with an efficient gadget that will speed up circumcision. Eager circumcision advocates are trying to use the WHO judgement to get medical organizations around the world to endorse the practice of infant circumcision, and to recuperate public funding which once paid for it. In Australia, circumcision enthusiast Brian Morris can't seem to keep quiet about getting the Royal Australian College of Physicians to endorse "mandatory circumcision" for all boys. In America, Arleen Leibowitz laments the fact that 17 states have stopped Medicaid funding for infant circumcision.All of this hullabaloo surrounding an eminent "scale-up" of circumcision seems to be focused on one concentrated purpose:In recent months, a number of news outlets have run what appears to be an infomercial for a circumcision device, namely the PrePex device, developed by Israeli inventors.A video version of the PrePex infomercial was published on the BBC , which wasn't even viewable to Britons. Perhaps the BBC knew that if Brits saw this ridiculous excuse for journalism there would be an outcry demanding an explanation. A few days later, a more dumbed down version of the infomercial was published on the Washington Post in news article form. The message and the purpose remained the same; to move the audience past the evidence (or lack thereof), and focus attention on "mass circumcision campaigns," and how the new PrePex device is the answer.The PrePex company has managed to get the New York Times to publish an infomercial for them, masquerading as a news article. This article goes a step further than its predecessors, however, as it is actually now calling circumcision, an amputative procedure, an actual "VACCINE."I am going to go through the entire article and highlight all the deliberate misinformation that the New York Times tries to pass off as fact.Hardly innovative, the PrePex is nothing more than a glorified tourniquet device. A number of other devices use the exact same principle of cutting off blood circulation to the foreskin, including the TaraKlamp , the Smartklamp , the Ismail Clamp , the Zhenxi Ring and the Shang-ring before it."Like a fingernail" is an attempt to trivialize the foreskin. Tie offpart of the body and it will shrivel up and die. Reader, ask yourself; when was the last time you had to cut off circulation in your fingernails before you had to cut them off?Let's continue with the article:This seems more like wishful thinking on the part of the author, and the circumcision advocates he is writing the plug piece for. In actuality, "assembly-line circumcision" has been going on in the US for a few decades now. And actually, as per the CDC , the practice is in decline. This, I believe, is the real cause for concern for advocates of circumcision in the so-called name of disease prevention.Moving on:A deliberate lie, mashed together with a half-truth. "Studies" have shown no such thing.Let us begin with this half-assed quantification of circumcision as a "vaccine." It needs to be made clear:It may be true that health "experts" (Experts? WHAT experts? Who are they?) are scrambling to find ways to spread circumcision, but there is absolutely no "study" in the world that can demonstrate that circumcision functions anything like a vaccine.The worn 60% figure is never addressed. 60% of what? What did the supposed "studies" actually show?The "studies" supposedly involved 10,908 men, 5,411 of which were circumcised, and 5,497 which were left intact as a "control" group. By the end of the studies, 201 men contracted HIV. The famous 60% figure we hear repeated over and over comes from the comparison of 137 intact men vs. 64 circumcised men who contracted HIV. This figure quickly shrinks to an insignificant 1.37% however, when we factor in the rest of the 10,707 men who didn't get HIV. Circumcision is being heavily promoted using a ridiculously inflated number, but the New York Times etc. are touting it as gospel truth.No, even if the "research" were correct, circumcision could not hold a candle to condoms.Additionally, real world empirical evidence fails to correlate with the WHO's select studies.Let's continue...Which raises a few questions. The WHO endorsed these "studies" since 2006, and campaigns such as Soka Uncobe have been blasting the message in Africa for at least a year now. "Those foreskins are flying," assured Robert Bailey in a past article on the very New York Times. If the programs are being so "successful," how is it that there are efforts to "streamline" circumcision? Have organizers thought of the possibility that they may never even reach one or two million men, let alone 20? That despite all of the "science" and "research" thrown at them, the men may not be interested in having part of their penis cut off? Have they thought of plan B? Have they envisioned a future where HIV might be prevented WITHOUT surgery? Why does it seem like organizers in Africa are more concerned about spreading circumcision, than they are about spreading HIV awareness, and education in the use of condoms, which, even according to "research" would far supersede it?Continuing:And why on earth would you need RELIGIOUS practitioners of circumcision? What is this effort ACTUALLY about? Aren't circumcision advocates even going to try to conceal their ulterior motives anymore?The questions continue. KNOWING that surgeons and doctors are in short supply, and that healthcare is needed elsewhere, how is it circumcision advocates insist on exhausting this limited supply? How is it they're not looking for less invasive methods of HIV prevention that are as effective, if not even more so than circumcision?The article continues:"Like a fingernail" is an attempt to trivialize the foreskin. Any part of the body will shrivel up and die if you cut off circulation to it. Unlike the foreskin, or any other part of the body, fingernails are a dead part of the body, and don't need to be tied off to cut off circulation before trimming them. The umbilical cord does not need to be tied off either, as it too is a dead part of the body which will eventually shrivel up and fall off on its own.If my presumptions are correct, she is the wife of Oren Fuerst, co-inventor of this device. Millions of men circumcised means that millions of PrePex devices will be bought and used. She's cashing in on the HIV gravy train, and that's why she's so enthused.Let's see, at 20,000,000 men, that's $300,000,000 at minimum, and $4,000,000,000 at most.For a useless, extraneous device looking for a purpose, not bad.Not bad at all.The "science" behind this massive effort to stuff circumcision down African people's throats is horrendously flawed. Why news outlets simply publish lies without questioning their validity is perplexing. A question that I keep encountering on the blogosphere is "Whatever happened to actual journalism?" But that's a different discussion for another blog post.Contrary to what is published here in the New York Times, there is actually no demonstrable scientific proof that the Langerhans cells "pick up viruses and "present" them to the immune system." But let's just assume just for a moment, that the claims were true. Let's just assume for a moment, that the Langergans cells, as they claim, "presents HIV to the immune system."Let's ask other questions. Assuming the Langerhans cells behave the way circumcision advocates claim, is there a reason why "researchers," PREPEX etc. aren't looking into FEMALE CIRCUMCISION? It is irrefutable scientific fact that Langerhans cells are found in the genital mucosa in BOTH sexes. If the Langerhans cells "facilitate" HIV transmission for men, then it would also do so for women. Circumcision, would only be offering "benefit" to men; women would still be vulnerable to the viral load in semen.Which raises the question:The foreskin is not a birth defect. Neither is it a congenital deformity or genetic anomaly akin to a 6th finger or a cleft. Neither is it a medical condition like a ruptured appendix or diseased gall bladder. Neither is it a dead part of the body, like the umbilical cord, hair, or fingernails. The foreskin is normal, natural, healthy tissue with which all boys are born.Unless there is a medical or clinical indication, the circumcision of healthy, non-consenting individuals is a deliberate wound; it is the destruction of normal, healthy tissue, the permanent disfigurement of normal, healthy organs, and by very definition, infant genital mutilation, and a violation of the most basic of human rights.Consider this: There would never be enough "science" or "research" to endorse the promotion of female circumcision to prevent ANYTHING.It wouldn't matter if female circumcision were made "painless," "bloodless," and it didn't affect a girl's sexuality. It wouldn't matter if female circumcision were performed in the clean environment of the hospital, by a trained professional, using pain killers and the most pristine, and most "advanced" utensils. Why do "researchers" grope for reasons to promote male circumcision?The day will come when anyone whoever endorsed this despicable human rights violation will be too embarrassed to ever admit that they did.May god have mercy on their souls. |
shadow
Caro Direttore, la vicenda natalizia del signor Bianchi merita una riflessione sulle falle che il nostro sistema sanitario talvolta presenta anche nei suoi punti di eccellenza. 24 dicembre 2014 - una banale caduta in casa, un dolore all’anca sempre più acuto. Il signor Bianchi si fa portare al pronto soccorso del maggiore ospedale ortopedico della città. Una solerte infermiera lo invita a non lamentarsi troppo: «Se fosse una frattura del femore, il piede sarebbe storto»; e così dicendo storce il piede, facendo impazzire dal dolore il titolare. La radiografia smentisce l’infermiera: frattura del collo del femore. Occorre un intervento chirurgico: ricovero immediato.
La prima notte passata con dolori fortissimi «Ma - avverte subito il medico di guardia rivolto all’infortunato - lei ha scelto il giorno sbagliato per rompersi il femore: domani è Natale, poi c’è Santo Stefano, poi c’è il sabato e domenica, insomma l’operazione si può fare solo lunedì 29. Però non si preoccupi: la sua non è di quelle fratture per le quali occorra proprio intervenire entro quarantott’ore, altrimenti apriremmo la sala operatoria anche di Natale. La sua non è un’urgenza e l’intervento può senz’altro attendere cinque giorni». E il sig. Bianchi viene sistemato nel suo letto, con la prospettiva di restare lì in attesa per tutto il lungo ponte. «Non sarà un’urgenza - dice il paziente all’infermiera che lo assiste in reparto, a notte inoltrata -, ma a me la gamba fa molto, molto male. E questo Toradol che mi avete iniettato mi sembra acqua fresca». «Eh, il primo giorno le fratture del femore fanno sempre molto male - risponde lei, pur gentile e premurosa - bisogna avere pazienza. A me è stata data solo questa prescrizione per il dolore, non posso proprio darle nient’altro». «Allora, per favore, chiami il medico di guardia, che mi prescriva qualche cosa di più efficace. Io così non resisto». «Lo chiamo subito, vediamo se può darle la morfina . Però guardi che non potrà venire molto presto, perché è la notte di Natale ed è solo».
Il dolore fisico dei pazienti viene comunemente considerato quasi irrilevante Passano le ore, viene ripetuta la flebo di Toradol, il sig. Bianchi si macera nel suo dolore insopportabile. E alle prime luci dell’alba decide che altri quattro giorni così non è il caso di passarli. Neppure se il dolore dovesse ridursi un po’: aspettare non ha senso. Cerca un amico medico e gli chiede di aiutarlo a trovare altrove un’équipe chirurgica disposta a operarlo e una sala operatoria aperta nonostante il ponte. La vicenda - integralmente vera, anche nei dettagli - è molto significativa di come il dolore fisico dei pazienti viene comunemente considerato nei nostri ospedali. Irrilevante lo considera l’infermiera del pronto soccorso, compiendo senza alcuna necessità la «manovra diagnostica» che abbiamo visto. Irrilevante lo considera l’organizzazione sanitaria del grande istituto ortopedico, il cui protocollo non contempla, nell’attesa dell’intervento chirurgico, una terapia del dolore adeguata. Ma - e questo è l’aspetto più sconcertante dell’intera vicenda - irrilevante è considerato il dolore di una persona anche dal collettivo dei dirigenti, medici, paramedici e loro rappresentanti quando stabiliscono che nel grande istituto ortopedico tra Natale e Capodanno, se non è proprio in gioco la vita del paziente, le sale operatorie devono rimanere chiuse per cinque giorni di fila.
Una vicenda su cui riflettere Nel grande istituto che è teatro di questo racconto arrivano da ogni parte d’Italia circa mille fratture di femore all’anno: mediamente tre al giorno. Oltre al signor Bianchi c’è dunque presumibilmente un’altra decina di persone, femore più femore meno, che hanno «sbagliato giorno» per infortunarsi. Non sono considerate «un’urgenza»: se non hanno la possibilità di andare a farsi curare altrove, stiano pure lì a macerarsi nella loro sofferenza per due o tre giorni in più; non si muore per così poco. Quest’ultimo è - a ben vedere - il risvolto più grave della vicenda. Perché nei giorni tra Natale e Capodanno i treni e gli aerei vanno ininterrottamente, i ristoranti servono pasti, sono aperti i cinema e le sale da concerto. Dunque si ritiene che far godere le feste alla generalità delle persone sia «un’urgenza» sufficiente per giustificare il sacrificio delle feste stesse per alcune di esse. Non è invece considerata «un’urgenza» di pari rango l’esigenza di togliere una persona dall’alternativa tra un dolore lancinante e continuo e la morfina che sospende la vita di dodici ore in dodici ore. Per lo meno, non la considerano tale gli estensori dei regolamenti e contratti che regolano il lavoro nell’istituto ortopedico metropolitano d’eccellenza. Una cosa è certa: l’eccellenza sanitaria dovrebbe misurarsi non solo sul successo nel procurare la guarigione, ma anche sui tempi e modi in cui ci si prende cura del puro e semplice dolore del malato. |
OTTAWA — Marijuana is a "dangerous drug," Conservative leadership hopeful Kellie Leitch said Tuesday as she promised to undo the Liberal government's efforts to legalize it, should she become her party's leader and eventually prime minister.
There are too many public health and safety concerns surrounding marijuana for it to be legal, Leitch told The Canadian Press as the government prepares to table legislation later this week to legalize and regulate its sale.
Political Ottawa has been buzzing for weeks about what will be in the bill, expected Thursday. One key task-force recommendation that the government could act on is imposing an age limit of 18 on those who seek to buy it.
"Look, I will be reviewing it, but I'm a pediatric orthopedic surgeon — I have personal views on this that I feel very strongly about," Leitch said in a roundtable interview.
Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch says marijuana is a "dangerous drug" that should not be legalized due to public health and safety concerns. (Photo: The Canadian Press)
"I don't think that we should be legalizing this drug; this is a dangerous drug and I don't want it in the hands of children."
Scientific evidence shows the drug can have damaging effects on the brains of those under the age of 25 and should only be available from pharmacies for patients with prescriptions, Leitch added.
"I have young people come to me as a physician and say 'You know, I don't understand, Dr. Leitch — I'm told not to do drugs, but can I do this drug now?" she said. "These are the kinds of messages Canadian parents do not want portrayed to their kids."
In an August submission to the federally appointed task force on marijuana, the Canadian Medical Association recommended a minimum age of 21, as well as limits on quantities and potency for those aged 21-25 to discourage use and sharing among underage friends.
The driving purpose of the Liberal government's plan is to address Canada's "very high rates" of cannabis use among young people —among the highest rates in the world, Health Minister Jane Philpott said Tuesday.
Criminalizing cannabis has not deterred its use by young people, Philpott said in an interview. Other products known to be harmful, including alcohol and tobacco, are available with restrictions for legal consumption, she added.
"As we legalize cannabis and make a decision about what age it can be accessed, we know that regardless of the age of the person consuming, that it is a product that has potential risk associated with it," Philpott said.
"That's why we are taking a public health approach with a strong focus on public education."
One of the current challenges is a shortage of information on products like cannabis, she added, insisting that legalization should in no way be taken as a signal that pot can be used with impunity and without an understanding of the potential risks.
"I'm a pediatric orthopedic surgeon — I have personal views on this that I feel very strongly about."
— Kellie Leitch
"This is a way of responding to the reality of the fact that rates of use are extremely high in young people and we need to take an approach that acknowledges public health, acknowledges the approach of criminalization has not deterred young people from using it," Philpott said.
Benedikt Fischer, a University of Toronto psychiatry professor and senior scientist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, said there are clear risks and harms associated with cannabis, but a strong upside to legalization from a public health perspective.
Trying to restrict its use to people aged 25 and up will only drive young people to the black market, he added.
"What will those people under 25 do if they are not allowed legal access?"
Also on HuffPost |
It is a Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh. The Pirates and Reds are preparing for the teams’ most anticipated series in more than two decades. Playoff spots are at stake. Brandon Phillips, the Reds’ All-Star second baseman, is relaxing at his locker. I am standing beside him. We are talking about swag.
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Wait. That description is insufficient. Let’s try again: Phillips is delivering a virtuoso performance, even by his voluble standards. Our conversation lasts 30 minutes. He pillories sabermetrics – “all this stat crap,” as he calls it – for removing passion from the sport. He praises the stylish and boisterous Dominican team that won this year’s World Baseball Classic, hinting that he’d love for his Reds to play more like that. He says the major league product isn’t exciting enough. “That’s exactly why African-Americans don’t play baseball,” he tells me. “(There’s) no passion in the game. You’ve got to be like a robot. Look at basketball. Look at football. When you make an exciting play, you can let everybody know. … If you get hype, get some swag, turn up, your team can feed off that.”
Swag, I come to understand, is serious business. It could help a team win next month’s World Series. It is essential to the growth of our national pastime, insofar as it makes baseball more appealing to kids. It must be held in check – sometimes. “You can get a little overboard with it,” Phillips says. “You can. It’s all about how you do it. If you’re trying to show up (an opposing) player, then it’s totally different. If you hit a home run and you pimp it too much, then it’s too much.”
Phillips grows more animated with each sentence, and I find myself nodding in agreement. Around the 15-minute mark, I realize this is no mere interview. This is a master class on the state of swag in Major League Baseball.
Enrollment: me.
“Baseball swag, to me, is a guy that goes out there and plays with emotion, plays with the passion of the game, not caring what anybody else thinks of them,” Phillips says. “He doesn’t play for himself. He plays for the fans. He plays for the city. And when he goes out there and he does his job, he lets everybody know: ‘I’m here. I’m doing this for y’all. I’m doing this for this team. I don’t care what anybody else thinks.’ That’s baseball swag to me.”
Phillips gives examples: Andrew McCutchen has “professional” swag – understated most of the time, but “he’ll let you know” after a big home run or game-saving catch. Yasiel Puig? “Outrageous swag.” Adrian Gonzalez? “Undercover swag.” In basketball, the dependable Tim Duncan has “no swag” – which, Phillips allows, is a sort of swag unto itself.
Entire teams can have it.
“The way the Red Sox play is swaggalicious,” Phillips says. “I love it. Them and the A’s – swaggalicious. Ain’t nothing but swag on those teams. When everybody has swag, and everybody joins the movement, you become a team. You feed off that energy. Swag brings energy. That’s what it does. It brings a lot of energy. All that boring crap, that don’t bring energy.”
At this point, I ask Phillips to name his All-Swag Team. He doesn’t disappoint. He picks a manager (Ron Washington) and designated hitter (David Ortiz) along with this starting nine:
Pitcher: Felix Hernandez, Mariners. “One pitcher with a lot of swag is King Felix,” Phillips says. “King Felix has nothing but swag. I love his swag.”
Catcher: Yadier Molina, Cardinals. This one caught me off guard. Weren’t Phillips and Molina the principal antagonists in that benches-clearing brawl a couple years ago? Turns out, swag transcends rivalries. “Yadi has swag,” Phillips insists. “I respect guys. I respect Yadi to the fullest. Great player, man. He has swag. I love it. A lot of swag.”
First baseman: Prince Fielder, Tigers. “Prince Fielder has nothing but swag at first base.”
Second baseman: Do I even have to ask? “Myself,” Phillips says, in a fashion that suggests this is like questioning whether Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer of all time. The answer is self-evident. “Do I think I’m a showboat?” he asks at one point. “No. I’m an entertainer. I play with passion. I play with flair. And the fans love it. My teammates love it.”
Third baseman: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers. “King of swag,” Phillips calls him.
Shortstop: This is a tough one. “I would say Jimmy (Rollins), but he’s starting to play like a different Jimmy,” Phillips says, teasing his good friend. “I don’t like the way Jimmy’s been playing. Jimmy’s playing like he’s worrying about what people are saying. I like Tulo. Tulo has some swag when he hits a home run and the way he throws the ball to first base – that’s a lot of swag. (J.J.) Hardy, that’s called ‘no swag.’ But I love watching him play.” For a moment, Phillips is satisfied with the answer of Troy Tulowitzki. Then he changes course. “I’d take Hanley Ramirez’s swag over Tulo’s swag,” he decides. “Hanley’s swag is off the chain.”
Left fielder: He doesn’t hesitate. It’s Carlos Gonzalez of the Rockies. “Oooooohhhh,” Phillips says, shaking his head. “He has nothing but swag. Wow! I love his swag.”
Center fielder: “Kind of hard,” Phillips says, and he’s right. He mentions Mike Trout. He’s already praised McCutchen at length. But he settles on Orioles star Adam Jones, one of his teammates on Team USA at the World Baseball Classic. “My boy AJ has swag in center field,” Phillips says. Although this is only my first class in swag-ology, I’m inclined to agree. Jones is one of my favorite players in the sport, and I’m not afraid to admit it. I contend that the quintessential Jones play involves chasing down a ball in the gap while blowing a bubble with his gum. Phillips agrees. “Tryin’ to tell you,” he says.
Right fielder: Another difficult one. Phillips scans the team logos affixed to the clubhouse walls, looking for ideas. “J-Hey, no swag,” he says of Atlanta’s Jason Heyward. “He needs some swag. Torii (Hunter) has swag. When he hits a home run, he throws his bat to the dugout.” But Phillips is still thinking.
Of course, Puig’s swag is undeniable. Phillips is a fan. “He plays hard, he plays with a lot of passion, but he plays with a lot of extra … extra … he plays with a lot of extra,” Phillips says, laughing. “I don’t know what he plays with, but I love it. I love watching him play. When I see him play, I just laugh. I think he’s funny. He’s a funny player to watch.” Still, Phillips isn’t sure Puig has been around long enough to make the All-Swag Team. (Take note: Tenure is a component of swag.)
Phillips mentions that Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton has swag – especially after switching his name from Mike to Giancarlo. But in the end, Phillips’ choice is unconventional: San Francisco’s Hunter Pence, whose on-deck routine is, in Phillips’ words, “the most funked-up stuff I’ve ever seen.”
“I love his swag,” Phillips says admiringly. “He has swag. Nobody else plays the game like him. His swag is hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle. … He’s unique. I call him the unicorn, (because) you’ll never see another guy swing like him. You’ll never see nobody else play like him. David Eckstein used to be one of my favorite players. He was totally different. I like people that are different. Those guys can change a whole game by their teammates feeding off their swag.”
Phillips saw that firsthand last October. Pence did more than change a game. He changed an entire postseason, by sparking the Giants’ comeback from a 2-0 first-round deficit against Phillips’ Reds. Then Pence helped the Giants topple a more talented foe in the World Series – just as Eckstein did for the Angels and Cardinals years ago.
Swag, it seems, is the new market inefficiency.
Phillips and I agree that there is a connection between the postseason we’re about to witness and how the year in baseball began – with the Dominican Republic dazzling its way to the WBC title. In some respects, the Dominicans didn’t play that differently from the ’12 Giants or ’11 Cardinals – the sound defense, the airtight bullpen, the skillfully manufactured runs, the visible team unity. Even from across the field, Phillips can tell Ramirez has brought the Dominican bravura into the Dodgers’ clubhouse.
“I feel like Hanley learned a lot from the WBC,” Phillips says. “The way they play with the Dodgers, it’s like he’s still playing for Team Dominican. They get so crunk and so amped up and so hype over there, it’s the type of player he is. And he has more guys over there who (are) like him. When you’re the only guy like that, it’s hard to go out and play to your best potential. For him to play with those guys over there – Puig and Carl Crawford and Gonzalez – I love people who play like that.”
So there you have it: If you’re picking a World Series winner, find the team with the greatest and most numerous practitioners of swag. Phillips believes his Reds can improve in this regard. “We don’t have that kind of swag over here,” he says. “We only have just me.” Then he corrects himself: The Reds also have rookie thunderbolt Billy Hamilton, now 13-for-14 in stolen bases.
“When he gets in the game,” Phillips says, eyebrows raised, “we know it’s swag time.”
Hamilton told me recently that he could tie Usain Bolt in a footrace. If he manages to do it, he will earn global acclaim – and an automatic berth on the 2014 Brandon Phillips All-Swag Team. |
umckaloabo® and its origin - the roots of the pelargonium (arco)
Non-governmental Swiss group Berne Declaration is helping a South African community challenge two European patents concerning use of its local plants in medicines.
German pharmaceutical company Dr Willmar Schwabe, which holds the patents and makes the highly successful umckaloabo® product based on the plants, has denied any wrongdoing.
The dispute, before the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany, involves two species of pelargonium - a type of geranium native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
Extracts have been in use in Europe for more than 100 years. Dr Willmar Schwabe markets umckaloabo® for coughs and respiratory complaints.
The two patent challenges – on the extraction method used and the exclusive use of pelargonium in Aids treatments - are being brought by the community of Alice with the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB).
ACB director Mariam Mayat told swissinfo that the community believed that the patents were unlawful and undermined its rights. She was speaking at a media conference in Zurich on Thursday.
"The community has since time immemorial had access to these plants and have used the roots to treat in a traditional way various ailments, in humans and animals," she said, adding that the plant was suffering over exploitation.
For her, Schwabe's activities were in contravention of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - on the protection, sustainable usage and sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources.
As signatories, the Swiss, German and South African governments should intervene, said Mayat.
Traditional knowledge
The community wants the patents to be withdrawn. It's also calling for compensation and for the species to be protected locally.
"Our community wants to stop companies from claiming that they have invented this medication because they are behaving like thieves taking away our traditional knowledge," spokeswoman Nomthunzi Sizani said.
Also supporting the action, along with several German NGOs, is Basel University patent specialist Fritz Dolder.
Dolder told swissinfo that there was no basis for the extraction patent because the process was not novel or inventive.
The use of pelargonium for Aids could not be monopolised because the plants had already been used traditionally for treating Aids-related illnesses, he added.
Umckaloabo® has been permitted in Switzerland since 2007. According to the Berne Declaration, Swiss sales amounted to around SFr6 million ($5.75 million), with those in Germany around SFr40 million.
"We are opposing the patents because it is clear that it is also the fault of developed countries such as Switzerland that these biopiracy cases still exist," the group's François Meienberg told swissinfo, adding that patent law should be tightened.
Company reaction
The extraction patent challenge was filed in March, with the other due at the end of May.
In reaction to the first patent challenge, Traugott Ullrich, director of marketing and sales at Spitzner Pharmaceuticals, a Schwabe subsidiary, said that the Schwabe product could not be measured by the CBD.
"The use of pelargonium extracts not only has a long tradition in Africa, it now has a more than 100 years old tradition of medicinal use in Europe as well... after 50-60 years of use all over Europe in different preparations and different indications, we acquired the product and developed it further," he told swissinfo.
Ullrich denied that the company had taken traditional knowledge, saying that the company's end product was very different. Harvesting was sustainable, he added.
"We now have a very complex, very sophisticated extraction procedure which was developed by our own knowledge and investment into research and those things cannot be compared," he said.
swissinfo, Isobel Leybold-Johnson in Zurich
Bonn meeting The patent challenges come ahead of the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9) on the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in Bonn, Germany. It takes place from May 19 to 30, 2008.
COP 9 will also coincide with the International Biodiversity Day, on May 22.
The CBD is one of the three agreements under international law that were passed at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
The CBD is not a traditional convention on the protection of species. It covers the entire area of protection and sustainable use of biological diversity with regard to habitats, species and genes. The political focus is in particular on the protection and sustainable use of forests and marine eco-systems. end of infobox
Biopiracy Biopiracy is described as the practice of commercially exploiting naturally occurring biochemical or natural material, especially by obtaining patents which restrict its future use, while failing to pay compensation to the community from which is originates.
One famous case was the Neem tree in India, whose medicinal properties have been recognised for thousands of years.
Patents on the use of Neem have been taken out by international companies, one of which was at the centre of a ten-year court battle. Fritz Dolder was also involved in this case.
The case, put before the European Patent Office, claimed it was not possible to patent ancient knowledge, and called it biopiracy. The patent was later revoked. end of infobox
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The governments of Canada and British Columbia and the Capital Regional District (CRD) have announced funding for the construction of a new wastewater treatment system for the region. This project will reduce marine pollution by improving the quality of municipal wastewater discharged into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The new system, known as the Core Area Wastewater Treatment Program (CAWTP), will consist of three projects: the construction of the McLoughlin Wastewater Treatment Plant and Marine Outfall, a biosolids energy centre, and conveyance system upgrades. The total capital cost of the CAWTP is estimated to be $782.7 million. The total proposed federal contribution will be up to $253.4 million, the total provincial contribution is a maximum of $248 million, and the CRD will provide the balance, estimated at close to $281.3 million. The Biosolids Energy Centre portion of the Program will be delivered through a public-private partnership (P3), with support from the P3 Canada Fund. As a P3, the CRD will be able to harness private sector innovation and ensure the best possible value for taxpayers’ money.
Once completed, the CAWTP will improve the level of wastewater treatment, as well as reduce the volume and incidents of untreated wastewater discharge as a result of sewer overflows. The new facilities will be designed to satisfy British Columbia’s Wastewater Regulation and the proposed federal Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations.
Federal funding for McLoughlin Wastewater Treatment Plant and Marine Outfall, and Conveyance System Upgrades is conditional on Treasury Board approval and the signing of the contribution agreements. The project must also meet all the terms and conditions of federal infrastructure programs, as well as respect any applicable legal obligations, including those related to aboriginal consultation and environmental assessment. The Biosolids Energy Centre meets the Terms and Conditions of the P3 Canada Fund and is eligible under the wastewater infrastructure category.
RELATED ARTICLE: “Sea Change,” November/December 2010
Photo: Hélene Cyr |
If you're like me, you've spent countless hours surfing IkeaHackers, where Ikea fans send in their mods and hacks. You've also probably spent money at Ikea thanks to the site, which has inspired a DIY fervor among its fans. Which is why Ikea shutting down IkeaHackers this weekend over trademark claims is beyond boneheaded.
IkeaHackers began eight years ago, when a Kuala Lumpur-based Ikea fan who goes by the pseudonym Jules Yap began posting interesting examples of Ikea customers who assembled their furniture in new ways, hacks of existing products that turned them into new and exciting pieces. Since then, the site has blossomed into a booming community of fans, growing to the point that Yap began to sell small ads to support what had become a huge job maintaining the site. That's where the trouble began. Ikea recently sent Yap a cease and desist letter over her use of the trademarked Ikea name. As a result, Yap is giving up her eight-year-old website, as she explained in a blog post.
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The LEGO dining table.
This is a huge mistake for Ikea, a company that prospers from the devotion of its fans. It's hard to find a person who doesn't foster a little kernel of Ikea love in their heart, like a Swedish meatball warming on a metal rack. IkeaHackers is a place to talk about that love and share creative ideas about it. It's harmless fun, a burgeoning community of fans who are excited about Ikea and the hidden genius of its products. And what's more, it gets more people excited about the company (and into its stores).
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The Expedit Bar.
Now, Ikea is sending a message that there's only one way to put together its products, and it's written in pictograms on the paper they come with. It's petty and tone deaf, a rare misstep for a company that has a knack for good PR. Instead of encouraging a blogger who has spent years creating what amounts to free publicity for Ikea—and helping people find more reasons to buy products they may otherwise have overlooked—the company is bullying her over a tiny amount of advertising revenue.
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What's even worse is that Ikea's maneuvering might not even hold water, legally speaking, as Cory Doctorow explained yesterday:
Ikea's C&D is, as a matter of law, steaming bullshit... The fact that money changes hands on Ikeahackers (which Ikea's lawyers seem most upset about) has no bearing on the trademark analysis. There is no chance of confusion or dilution from Ikeahackers' use of the mark. This is pure bullying, an attempt at censorship.
Yap also has a good counter-argument: The Laches defense, which deals with plaintiffs who unreasonably delay making their claims. Eight years is definitely an unreasonable amount of time to wait to enforce an IP claim.
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But beyond legal issues,"I was a just crazy fan," says Yap. "In retrospect, a naive one too." Come on, Ikea. You're better than this. Luckily, Yap has plans to recreate the website under a different name, TBD. And wherever she sets up shop, scores of Ikea fans will be right behind.
Update: Ikea has released a statement about its decision, reiterating that IkeaHackers can continue to operate as long as Yap doesn't sell any advertising:
We very much appreciate the interest in our products and the fact that there are people around the world that love our products as much as we do. At the same time we have a great responsibility for our customers, they should always be able to trust the IKEA brand. High quality and good service are essential elements of this. Another important aspect is that the many people want to know what really is connected to IKEA – and what is not. For that reason the IKEA name and brand must be used correctly. When other companies use the IKEA name for economic gain, it creates confusion and rights are lost. Therefore we are happy for the agreement between Inter IKEA Systems and IKEA Hackers. IKEA Hackers may continue as a fan-based blog/webpage without commercial elements, just like it started some years ago.
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By injecting embryonic stem (ES) cells from a wood mouse into the early embryo of a house mouse, an international team of scientists has produced normal healthy animals made up of a mixture of cells from each of the two distantly related species. This is the first time that stem cells from one mammalian species have been shown to contribute extensively to development when introduced into the embryo of another, very different species.
Although both are rodents, the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) and the house mouse (Mus musculus) have evolved separately for up to 20 million years. Their genes differ by as much as 18 percent, about 12 times the difference between human and chimpanzee.
In an advanced online posting on Oct. 3, 2007, in the journal Human Molecular Genetics, scientists from the University of Chicago, Sun Yat-sen University, China, and the University of Liverpool, U.K., describe how they produced a viable "chimera"--a single organism with traits from two different species.
Before now, scientists have used ES cells to make chimeras within the same species or with closely related species. "There are surprisingly high degrees of conservation in developmental programs between at least some distantly related mammalian species," said study co-author Bruce Lahn, a Howard Hughes investigator and professor of human genetics at Chicago. "When early embryonic cells from two divergent species are mixed together, they can communicate with each other properly and develop into one seamless, functional organism."
"These results demonstrate the feasibility of differentiating ES cells into a wide range of cell types in vivo by introducing them into an evolutionary divergent host," the authors wrote. "This interspecies approach may be the only way to study ES cells of some species, such as human ES cells, in an in vivo context."
The scientists extracted wood mouse ES cells and introduced a gene that produced a fluorescent protein, which enabled them to visually track the descendents of the stem cells in the chimeric organisms. They then injected about 15 wood mouse ES cells into each of the 1,250 house mouse blastocysts and transferred the viable embryos into 44 surrogate house mouse mothers.
From these, 220 pups were born, 16 of them (7.3 percent) showed chimerism based on their appearance. In those 16 chimeras, up to 40 percent of the cells in some organs were wood mouse cells. These cells were integrated into all of the tissues at various levels.
The chimeras appeared healthy and had no apparent defects. They did demonstrate some behavioral differences. They were less "jumpy" than a typical wood mouse but more so than a typical, much tamer, house mouse.
Although genetically different (the wood mouse has 48 chromosomes, the house mouse, 40), both of these species have similar developmental schedules. The gestation period for a wood mouse is 23 days; the gestation time for a house mouse is 19 days. They also have approximately the same body size.
The chimeras varied in terms of how much and where the injected ES cells generated tissue. "It's completely random where the cells will develop and grow tissue," Lahn said, adding that more studies are planned.
"We're going to continue with these animals for a while to see if we can understand the developmental cues and learn how to manipulate the system," Lahn said. "For example, could injected wood mouse embryonic stem cells contribute more extensively to the liver in a house mouse that carries a genetic defect that prevents it from growing its own liver? Or, could we alter the stem cells in ways that could prevent them from contributing brain tissue?"
The researchers also plan to merge mouse and rat, which have vastly different body sizes, as well as 20 percent genetic difference.
Key Scientific and Technological Projects of Guangdong Province and of Guangzhou, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China funded this project.
Other authors of the paper are: Jaehyun Lee, Donghyun Park, Eric Vallender, Tammy Vallender and Li Zhang, of the University of Chicago; Shu-Nong Li, Wei-Qiang Li, Bao-Feng Ma, Tao Wang, Xin-Bing Yu and Xiu-Ming Zhang, of Sun Yat-sen University in Gaungzhou, China; Lahn, Frank Fuxiang Mao and Andy Peng Xiang, affiliated with both institutions; and John Waters of the University of Liverpool, U.K. |
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You may think that watching baby tigers frolicking around in the zoo would be cute enough.
But this video capturing the moment when a beautiful orangutan starts monkeying around with a trio of cubs is almost too adorable.
The film, which at just over 30 seconds is nowhere near long enough, shows the orangutan playing with the three baby tigers, picking one up and letting him sit on her shoulder.
(Image: AnimalsMedia.com / YouTube)
She then starts to kiss and cuddle one of the cubs before she feeds him with a bottle of milk while sat under a tree.
You'll be demanding the zoo sets up a live stream so you can watch the cubs and their adopted mother all the time.
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Mathematical models are used to predict just about everything from traffic and weather to plant metabolism and industrial biotechnology.
However, while they are valuable tools in a broad range of fields, predictive models are still plagued by uncertainties, or errors, and a great deal of effort is directed at determining the extent and effects of these errors.
Now, a team of researchers led by the University of Delaware's Dion Vlachos has developed a framework to address this issue by looking at the effects of correlated parameters.
Their work appears in a paper published in Nature Chemistry.
Vlachos explains that all mathematical models comprise a number of measures, known as parameters. Weather forecast models, for example, include dozens of parameters from temperature and precipitation to wind speed and lightning.
Slight errors in any one of these measures can cause model predictions to veer off course -- which is why meteorologists are not sure whether an approaching storm will become a blizzard in the Mid-Atlantic region or swing out to sea just north of the Carolinas and leave kids in Delaware disappointed that they didn't get a snow day.
In evaluating the effects of such errors, researchers have traditionally assessed each of them separately and then "added them up," which, as it turns out, can lead to overestimation.
Vlachos uses a simple analogy to explain why.
"If you and a friend each have four reasons for wanting to live in the city, that might sound like a total of eight reasons," he says. "But if three of your reasons overlap, the list ends up with only five items, not eight."
"It's the same with model parameters," he continues. "When we looked at correlations among parameters and their dependence on each other, we realized that the errors were not nearly as large as we thought they were."
The paper documents the team's work on predicting the collective behavior of reaction networks, with the goal of improving chemical transformations in catalysis.
However, the approach has applications in fields ranging from catalysis and combustion to environmental sciences and biology.
"Models are more robust and reliable than we thought they were," says Vlachos. "It makes sense that the parameters are interdependent and that you can't change one without affecting the others, whether you're talking about global warming or wastewater treatment." |
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Hockey's ‘personal comfort in life has robbed him of charity, and, I might say, judgment’, says Labor leader
Joe Hockey is an "arrogant, cigar-chomping" federal treasurer whose charmed life has "robbed him of charity", the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, says.
The Labor leader made the comments in a strongly worded speech to the party's NSW conference on Sunday.
"This arrogant, cigar-chomping treasurer – his hopeless story [biography] reveals that it took Tony Abbott to block him from deeper, harder cuts," Shorten said in Sydney's Town Hall.
"Seriously. If it's up to Tony Abbott to tell you that you've gone too far, you've well and truly gone too far."
Hockey and finance minister Mathias Cormann were filmed smoking cigars outside Parliament House shortly before the government's budget was delivered in May. Their critics seized on the footage, saying it showed the government was out of touch with everyday Australians facing deep budget cuts.
In his speech, Shorten said the government was "unravelling from the centre and rotting from the top".
"This is a budget brought to you by a conservative prime minister who doesn't see it as his duty to care for everyone," he said. "By a conservative treasurer whose personal comfort in life has robbed him of charity, and, I might say, judgment."
Much of Shorten's speech focused on Labor's support for Medicare amid Tony Abbott's plan to impose a $7 Medicare co-payment.
He said it was "madness" for Australia to adopt a United States-style health system, just when Americans were "finally making a long and exhausting U-turn".
On party reform, Shorten urged Labor to "rebuild as a party of members, not factions".
The opposition leader has been calling on the ALP to change its rules so that party members no longer be required also to be union members.
On Saturday, the conference supported a plan to give ordinary members a 50% say on who becomes state Labor leader. But a plan from party elder John Faulkner calling for direct elections for upper house candidates was rejected. |
A demonstrator runs to hurl a firebomb towards riot police officers during clashes in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, May 1, 2015. Clashes erupted between police and May Day demonstrators in Istanbul on Friday as crowds determined to defy a government ban tried to march to the city's iconic Taksim Square. Security forces pushed back demonstrators with a water cannon and tear gas. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) The Associated Press
HAVANA (AP) — Left-wing groups, governments and trade unions were staging rallies around the world Friday to mark International Workers Day.
Most events were peaceful protests for workers' rights and world peace. But May 1 regularly sees clashes between police and militant groups in some cities.
International Workers Day originates in the United States. American unions first called for the introduction of an eight-hour working day in the second half of the 19th century. A general strike was declared to press these demands, starting May 1, 1886. The idea spread to other countries and since then workers around the world have held protests on May 1 every year, although the U.S. celebrates Labor Day on the first Monday in September.
Here's a look at some of the May Day events around the world:
TURKEY
Police and May Day demonstrators clashed in Istanbul as crowds determined to defy a government ban tried to march to the city's iconic Taksim Square.
Security forces pushed back demonstrators using water cannons and tear gas. Protesters retaliated by throwing stones and hurling firecrackers at police.
Authorities have blocked the square that is symbolic as the center of protests in which 34 people were killed in 1977.
Turkish newswires say that 10,000 police officers were stationed around the square Friday.
The demonstrations are the first large-scale protests since the government passed a security bill this year giving police expanded powers to crack down on protesters.
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CUBA
Thousands of people converged on Havana's Plaza of the Revolution for the traditional May Day march, led this year by President Raul Castro and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. After attending Cuba's celebration, Maduro was to fly back to Caracas to attend the May Day observances in his own country.
The parade featured a group of doctors who were sent to Africa to help in the fight against Ebola. Marchers waved little red, white and blue Cuban flags as well as posters with photos of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, his brother Raul, and the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.
Additional marches were held in major cities around the island, including Santiago and Holguin in the east.
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SOUTH KOREA
Thousands of people marched in the capital Seoul on Friday for a third week to protest government labor policies and the handling of a ferry disaster that killed more than 300 people a year ago.
Demonstrators occupied several downtown streets and sporadically clashed with police officers. Protesters tried to move buses used to block their progress. Police responded by spraying tear gas. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
South Korean labor groups have been denouncing a series of government policies they believe will reduce wages, job security and retirement benefits for state employees.
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PHILIPPINES
More than 10,000 workers and activists marched in Manila and burned an effigy of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III to protest low wages and a law allowing employers to hire laborers for less than six months to avoid giving benefits received by regular workers.
Workers in metropolitan Manila now receive 481 pesos ($10.80) in daily minimum wage after a 15 peso ($0.34) increase in March.
Although it is the highest rate in the country, it is still "a far cry from being decent," says Lito Ustarez, vice chairman of the left-wing May One Movement.
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GREECE
In financially struggling Greece, an estimated 13,000 people took part in three separate May Day marches in Athens, carrying banners and shouting anti-austerity slogans. Minor clashes broke out at the end of the peaceful marches, when a handful of hooded youths threw a petrol bomb at riot police. No injuries or arrests were reported.
Earlier, ministers from the governing radical left Syriza party joined protesters gathering for the marches, including Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis — who was mobbed by media and admirers — and the ministers of labor and energy.
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GERMANY
Police in Berlin say the traditional 'Walpurgis Night' protest marking the eve of May 1 was calmer than previous years.
Several thousand people took part in anti-capitalist street parties in the north of the city. Fireworks and stones were thrown at police, injuring one officer. Fifteen people were detained. Elsewhere in the German capital revelers partied "extremely peacefully," police noted on Friday morning.
At noon, Green Party activists unveiled a statue at Alexanderplatz in central Berlin of Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, considered heroes by many on the left for leaking secret U.S. intelligence and military documents. The statue, called "Anything to say," depicts the three standing on chairs and is scheduled to go on tour around the world, according to the website http://www.anythingtosay.com/.
In the central German city of Weimar far-right extremists attacked a union event. Police said 15 people were injured and 29 were arrested.
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RUSSIA
In Moscow, tens of thousands of workers braved chilly rain to march across Red Square. Instead of the red flags with the Communist hammer and sickle used in Soviet times, they waved the blue flags of the dominant Kremlin party and the Russian tricolor.
Despite an economic crisis that is squeezing the working class, there was little if any criticism of President Vladimir Putin or his government.
The Communist Party later held a separate march under the slogan "against fascism and in support of Donbass," with participants calling for greater support for the separatists fighting the Ukrainian army in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine.
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ITALY
In Milan, police released water from hydrants against hundreds of demonstrators, many of them scrawling graffiti on walls or holding smoky flares during a march in the city, where the Italian premier and other VIPs were inaugurating Expo, a world's fair that runs for six months.
An hour into the march, protesters set at least one parked car on fire, smashed store windows, tossed bottles and chopped up pavement.
Italian labor confederation leaders held their main rally in a Sicilian town, Pozzallo, where thousands of migrants from Africa, the Middle East and Asia have arrived in recent weeks after being rescued at sea from smugglers boats. Hoping to settle for the most part in northern Europe, the migrants are fleeing poverty as well as persecution or violent conflicts in their homelands.
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SPAIN
Around 10,000 protesters gathered under sunny skies in Madrid to take part in a May Day march under a banner saying "This is not the way to come out of the financial crisis."
Spain's economy is slowly emerging from the double-dip recession it hit at the end of 2013, but the country is still saddled with a staggering 23.8 percent unemployment rate.
"There should be many more of us here," said demonstrator Leandro Pulido Arroyo, 60. "There are six million people unemployed in Spain, and many others who are semi-unemployed, who although they may be working don't earn enough to pay for decent food."
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POLAND
Rallies in Warsaw were muted this year after Poland's weakened left wing opposition held no May Day parade.
Only a few hundred supporters of the Democratic Left Alliance, or SLD, and of its ally, the All-Poland Trade Union, gathered for a downtown rally Friday to demand more jobs and job security.
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BRAZIL
President Dilma Rousseff skipped her traditional televised May Day address, instead releasing a brief video calling attention to gains for workers under her leadership.
In the video, Rousseff says the minimum wage grew nearly 15 percent above the rate of inflation from 2010-2014. Her office said the choice to roll out several short videos via social media Friday was aimed at reaching a younger public.
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AP reporters from across Europe, Asia and Latin America contributed to this report. |
SJW stronghold Reddit has decided to "quarantine" /r/European, its sub formed in reaction to /r/Europe's censorship of stories that go against The Narrative. Quarantine means that users must opt-in and people who are not logged in cannot see the content. It also keeps content from the sub in showing up in other modes of viewing the site.While Reddit is clearly a bad actor that censors non-Leftist (and other) content, /r/European had a problem: getting outside of the /r/Europe mental ghetto invited in all the Stormfront types, who promptly had a field day writing what they usually do, in addition to posting memes. Because of its "free speech" roots, /r/European refused to censor them, which essentially killed much discussion because the angry hive of a different sort would quickly arrive. Most of these Stormfronters, ironically, appeared to be simply Leftists who dislike Jews and immigration. In other words: typical Reddit content, with a twist of angry racial resentment.The moderators of /r/European have taken their activity to Voat , where they have freedom but a much smaller audience. The retreat from social media is not a victory; it allows Reddit to continue to present its "safe space" as a free discussion forum. However, it also makes clear that free speech is not actually wanted on Reddit, so perhaps this pyrrhic self-immolation will bring good yet. |
Change is afoot in southeast San Francisco. With real estate prices in the stratosphere elsewhere around town, it's no surprise that formerly development-free areas in the southeastern quadrant of the city are starting to come alive with new development. Better transit connections, new residential buildings as well as improved parks and schools are sure to change the face of Bayview Hunters-Point and Visitacion Valley in the coming years, assuming the plans in the pipeline come to fruition. Today's map takes a holistic look at blossoming southeast San Francisco and is, as always, chock full of details and renderings. Think we should have included a project that doesn't appear in today's feature? Comment below or drop us a line. Now, without further ado, a map of 20 southeastern neighborhood game-changers. |
Former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara Bush, left. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
Friday started as it usually does: an early wake up call, an interview with the next president of the United States and a hateful personal attack from Donald Trump. Such is life during these dog days of August in a nasty presidential campaign not even near its ugly end.
These days, a rudely out-of-bounds Trump attack surprises Mika and me about as much as a puppy relieving himself on a living room rug. We’ve figured out by now that it does no good to lose your cool with the puppy or Donald Trump, since neither have and control over their bladder or mouth.
As Aristotle famously said, “It is what it is.”
Donald Trump was once seen as being a little too cozy with "Morning Joe" hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. The Fix's Callum Borchers explains how the relationship went downhill. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)
Fortunately, things became a bit more interesting by the time we rolled into Kennebunkport for a speech on the 2016 campaign and made our way to Walker’s Point to visit President Bush and Barbara. Pulitzer Prize winning historian and Bush biographer Jon Meacham was already inside the family home along with Nicolle Wallace when we arrived. Bush chief of staff Jean Becker joked when we joined the conversation that “all we need is Barnicle to complete the Morning Joe set!”
George and Barbara Bush were the same gracious and welcoming hosts Friday night that they had been when my family last visited Kennebunkport five years earlier. Mrs. Bush even asked about my youngest children, who she remembered remarkably well considering the countless guests that have streamed through their world since that summer’s day in 2011. But her human touch is the kind of thing the family always seems to manage with ease. They make others around them feel special despite the fact that they have lived the most remarkable of lives, serving in Congress, running the Republican National Committee, heading up the CIA, being the UN Ambassador as well as the US Ambassador to China, serving as Ronald Reagan’s vice president and then leading America as the 41st president of the United States.
But good luck getting George or Barbara Bush talking about themselves. They just don’t do it and they never will. First of all, their parents didn’t allow it. And besides, that kind of thing wasn’t done in the world from which they came. It is just one small way that the ethos of Walker’s Point is so radically different from the mindset that infects Donald Trump’s garish corner office high above 5th Avenue in Trump Towers.
As Meacham and I walked down the driveway after saying goodbye to the Bushes, Jon lamented the fact that the same Republican Party that nominated a man like Bush, who rarely spoke about himself, would a quarter century later select a reality TV showman who obsessively talked about little else. Meacham paraphrased Henry Adams in saying that the historical devolvement from Bush to Trump proves that Darwin’s theory of evolution was less compelling when applied to American politics.
We soon drove away from Walker’s Point and into the night knowing that the world we had just departed would soon be fading as fast as the dying sunset over that rocky Maine coast. |
Apple already sold millions of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus units, but launch weekend estimates fell short of what’s expected from typical iPhone launches. It’s not that the iPhone is losing its appeal all of a sudden, but this year isn’t a usual one for Apple. The best iPhone of 2017 hasn’t even launched yet, as the iPhone X won’t be released until early November, which is why many buyers skipped the iPhone 8 models.
But the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are still great phones. In fact, we called the 8 Plus the best smartphone in the world right now, boring though it may be. The testers over at Consumer Reports don’t agree though, and they believe that old Samsung phones are better than the iPhone 8.
The organization ranked the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus as the top two devices when it comes to performance, Yonhap News reports. The iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 8 were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, with Samsung’s 2016 Galaxy S7 sitting in the third position. That’s right, Consumer Reports thinks the 18-month-old Galaxy S7 is a better phone than either new iPhone 8 model.
It’s not all good news for Samsung, whose Galaxy Note 8 only comes in sixth, after the two iPhone 8 models. Apparently, weak durability and weight affected the Note 8’s review. The LG V30, which is an iPhone 8 and Galaxy Note 8 rival, has not been included in Consumer Reports’ ranking as it wasn’t yet launched in the US while the site was testing.
It’ll be interesting to see how the iPhone X will fare in the same performance and user experience tests. After all, the iPhone X has almost the same internal components as the 8 and 8 Plus. That said, the iPhone X does have plenty of unique features that may affect the overall experience, including an all-screen design, no home button, a new dual-lens rear camera, a bigger battery, and Face ID that replaces Touch ID. |
With apologies to Derrick Rose, the Bulls' MVP has been a ferocious D—designed by their rookie coach, a former chucker—that has left opponents feeling suffocated
On the night of March 22 the Bulls filed cheerfully into the visitors' locker room at Philips Arena in Atlanta, having played what appeared to be another perfect game. They had beaten the Hawks by 33 points one day after they clobbered the Kings by 40, and their record was the best in the East. They waited for their coach, Tom Thibodeau, to cough up some praise. But Thibodeau was incensed over a single line in the box score: Jeff Teague, the Hawks' backup point guard, had finished with 20 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter. Thibodeau predicted then that the Bulls would draw Atlanta in the playoffs and that Teague would haunt them because of the confidence they had allowed to grow. The players stifled eye rolls. Teague had been averaging 4.5 points. He erupted only because Chicago's lead was so overwhelming that its starters sat out the final quarter.
Six weeks later the Bulls did draw the Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Atlanta's starting point guard Kirk Hinrich strained his hamstring, and Teague nearly capsized the Bulls with three 21-point outbursts. Chicago advanced in six games but not without a lesson learned. "Thibs can be a pain in the ass," says Bulls center Joakim Noah. "But he's always right."
How Chicago became the premier team in the NBA, after .500 records and first-round losses in each of the past two years, is largely a testament to MVP point guard Derrick Rose. But Rose has been around since 2008. The difference this season is Thibodeau, a fastidious 53-year-old rookie head coach, who has spent most of his adult life devising ways to keep balls out of baskets. Thibodeau's tightfisted defense is a rugged and rigorous ballet, demanding for those who play it and suffocating for those who encounter it. The Heat, still defined by three individuals, was obliterated by the Chicago Mob in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals 103--82 on Sunday. The way the Bulls swarmed LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on the catch and smothered them on the drive made it look as if Chicago had eight players on the court. "This series," says Bulls swingman Kyle Korver, "is what this defense is made for."
The day before the game Thibodeau attempted to deconstruct his system. "Our defense really starts on offense," he says, with a shot taken when the Bulls are well spaced, so three players can rush back to curb a fast break while two crash the boards, then follow closely behind. When the defense is set, as many as four players have a foot in the paint to deter a drive. The defender on the ball angles his body to funnel the driver toward the baseline. The defenders in the post wrestle for inside position as if they're in a jujitsu match. A center or power forward, usually Noah, hollers descriptions of the screens being set in front of him.
The Bulls look as if they are always trapping, but often they are "corralling," bringing over a help defender who stays close enough to home that he can scramble back to his man after a pass. Chicago wants the ball handler, when he glances up, to see a human wall. The aim is for every possession to end in a contested two-point jump shot. The Bulls can run an above-average outside shooter off the three-point line because they are certain help is behind them. The entire scheme is based on a series of synchronized rotations, each player leaving his man to pick up one closer to the ball. Guards are quick enough to make the rotations look easy. Centers have to be just as swift. Thibodeau asks big men to show on a screen at one elbow and then be able to recover to the other by the time a pass can reach his man. "I've heard guys tell him it's impossible," says Bulls reserve forward Brian Scalabrine. "Then he asks them if they could do it for an NBA championship."
The Bulls have the appropriate personnel—muscular guards like Rose and Keith Bogans, long-armed wings like Luol Deng and Ronnie Brewer, hyperactive bigs like Noah and Omer Asik—with the ideal attitude. The principles of the defense, including relentless ball pressure followed by hard close-outs and reliable rebounding, are in no way unique. "What is unique," says one Eastern Conference assistant, "is their energy and intensity. They're the hardest-working team in the NBA by far. They never relax." They are a manifestation of their coach, who is married only to game tape and has no children or outside interests. (He once claimed to have a collection of rare stamps—an obvious lie.) Thibodeau only collects coverages, which he bellows from the bench in his gravelly baritone while crouched in his own defensive stance. "I look at him when he's screaming at the top of his lungs," Noah says, "and I think, This is a hungry dude."
Thibodeau's professional identity is an irony. "Tommy was the worst defensive player I ever coached," says Don Doucette, who coached hundreds of players at six colleges, including Thibodeau at Salem (Mass.) State. "He never bought into the importance of defense. He just wanted to outscore everybody." Thibodeau disputes this depiction—"You have a bad source," he says with a smile—though a different source who refereed his intramural games claims, "If he went to the basket and didn't get a foul call, he'd just hang around and argue until the ball came back across half-court, and then he'd be in position to score."
One of Thibodeau's teammates on the Vikings was Bill Killilea, son of former Celtics assistant coach John Killilea, who coordinated Boston's defense under Tommy Heinsohn in the 1970s. Thibodeau watched NCAA tournament games one night in '80 with the Killileas at a hotel, and John was so impressed by his curiosity that he gave him a copy of "the Bible"—a 200-plus page book outlining his theories on defense, including a radical concept at the time, that ball handlers should be funneled toward the baseline even though more help is available in the middle.
Salem State made Thibodeau its coach when he was 26, and despite a Division III budget and a dearth of video technology, he covered the locker room chalkboard with pro-style scouting reports. "We knew everybody's favorite moves, the plays they ran, the adjustments they were likely to make," says Nate Bryant, a former Viking who played for Thibodeau. "Defense was a science for him. There were never surprises."
Thibodeau left for Harvard after one season, to be an assistant under childhood friend Peter Roby, and he gained access to New England's hoop intelligentsia: Gary Williams at Boston College, Jim Calhoun at Northeastern and Rick Pitino at Providence. By 31 he was in the NBA, an assistant for the expansion Timberwolves under Bill Musselman, who was famous for running 100 different plays, putting his team through 90-minute shootarounds and employing a help defense that tied all five players together like puppets on a string. Thibodeau was on the rise and was so versatile that in 1996 Jeff Van Gundy, then the Knicks' coach, hired him for his offensive insights. "One day I asked him about individual defense, and he started breaking down the stance on the ball, where your hand position should be, how far you should retreat after a jab step," says Van Gundy, now an ESPN analyst. "He gave me a doctoral paper on it. He made me feel bad about my own level of knowledge."
Van Gundy expanded Thibodeau's role to include defense, and in 2000--01 the Knicks set an NBA shot-clock-era record by holding 33 consecutive opponents to fewer than 100 points. But whenever top jobs opened, Thibodeau was ignored. He interviewed three times in 20 years. "It's like politics," says Roby, who became the director of Northeastern's Sport in Society center and is now the Northeastern athletic director. "Teams want to make a splash and win the press conference with a former player or head coach. The grinder, the worker, may not be as charismatic or conducive to the one-liner."
Thibodeau is not part of the Armani coaching tree. Doucette visited him in apartments around the country decorated with nothing but cardboard boxes and game tapes. "Tommy, there are only so many ways to defend a pick-and-roll," Doucette would say, and Thibodeau would go searching for one more. He returned to Boston in 2007, to be defensive coordinator for Doc Rivers, just as Killilea was for Heinsohn. In his first training camp he grabbed a couple of Celtics by the jersey to show them where they needed to be in a drill. The fear of many general managers, that Thibodeau would alienate NBA players with his direct style, proved to be unfounded. Boston became the best defensive team in the league, and last summer Thibodeau was finally rewarded with offers from the Hornets and the Nets.
"You've waited so long," Van Gundy advised him. "Just take one." Thibodeau scouted each organization as if it were an opposing offense. He worried about the unsettled ownership situation in New Orleans (the team was later sold to the league) and the future of president Rod Thorn in New Jersey (he bolted to the 76ers). Thibodeau held out for the Bulls, who offered him the job the day after they interviewed him. A few weeks later, as general manager Gar Forman sat in his office at the team's practice facility, he heard the lights flick on over the court behind him. It became the sound track of the summer.
Thibodeau led his players through a procession of exhausting individual workouts, many twice a day, some late at night. "I'd hide from him, and he'd still find me," Noah says. "I'd tell him, 'Thibs, I can't do it again, I'm tired, it's summertime, it's Friday, let's take it easy, let's chill.' He didn't go for that." Thibodeau flew to Las Vegas for Team USA's training camp, just so he could talk to Rose after practices, and even though Thibodeau did not travel to Turkey for the world championships, he and Rose chatted on the phone after games. Forman suggested that Thibodeau forget about buying a house in Chicago and simply build a third story on top of the facility.
The Bulls were initially wary of their Belichickian leader, who gave them scouting reports as thick as suburban phone books and put them through shootarounds that always started at 10 a.m. and ended at exactly 11:15. Noah needled him about the interminable mornings—"Thibs, we have a game today, let us get off our feet"—to which Thibodeau responded, "Do you like to win?"
The Bulls led the NBA in defensive efficiency, rebounding differential, opponents' field goal percentage, opponents' three-point percentage and, according to hoopdata.com, opponents' field goal percentage from three to nine feet. They demolished inside and out. Miami forward Chris Bosh went 1 for 18 in a game against the Bulls, the worst shooting percentage by a player with that many attempts in 38 years. Jazz point guard Deron Williams grew so frustrated against the Chicago D that he changed a play ordered by coach Jerry Sloan, an audible that precipitated Sloan's resignation and Williams's trade to the Nets. The Pacers scored 17 points in the fourth quarter of a January game against the Bulls, and the next day coach Jim O'Brien was fired. De-fense chants, a staple of every NBA arena, echoed a little louder at the United Center.
"How often did you watch us this year and think, They didn't play hard tonight?" Deng asks. "That's because of Thibs. We see how much he pours into it." The Bulls eye their Coach of the Year on charter flights, face illuminated by his laptop, scribbling notes. Thibodeau studies the Bulls and their upcoming opponents, of course, but also the patterns of individual players around the league. "He figures out what guys do to get themselves going, and then he tries to take that away through adjustments," Scalabrine says. "It's psychological warfare." Scalabrine is not referring simply to the sweet spots on the floor where players go for their shots but also to the different ways they ease themselves into games. Some, like Hawks guard Jamal Crawford, want to immediately free up for open threes. Others, like James, prefer to hand out a few assists before even thinking about scoring. Thibodeau aims to break their rhythm and limit their confidence, which is why he was so irritated about Teague.
Chicago's defense is constantly changing based on all the accumulated intelligence. "When you're dealing with special players, you have special rules," Thibodeau says. In Game 1 against the Heat, the Bulls did not double James early and thus took away openings for the highlight passes he craves. They did, however, corral him with a help defender. For all its quickness and length Chicago can still be susceptible to teams that swing the ball around the perimeter, but the Heat continued to isolate James and Wade. That's why the Bulls are so well-suited to win this series and reach the Finals for the first time since the Jordan era. James and Wade may be two of the best one-on-one basketball players in the world, but they are going one-on-five now, dribbling headlong into the teeth of some very hungry dudes.
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"HOW OFTEN DID YOU WATCH US AND THINK, THEY DIDN'T PLAY HARD?" ASKS DENG. "THAT'S BECAUSE OF THIBS. WE SEE HOW MUCH HE POURS INTO IT."
PHOTO Photograph by GREG NELSON GLASS ACT Thibodeau (above) stresses limiting opponents' second chances, which Noah and the Bulls did in Game 1, holding the Heat to six offensive boards.
PHOTO HEINZ KLUETMEIER [See caption above]
PHOTO HEINZ KLUETMEIER (JAMES) O.K., CORRAL Chicago swarmed Miami's one-on-one aces on Sunday: Rose (1), with some help, cut off Wade's drives, while Kyle Korver (far left) and Deng kept James bottled up.
PHOTO GREG NELSON (WADE) [See caption above] |
by
The failure of Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff to capture the vacant House seat left in a suburban Atlanta district by the Trump nomination of Republican Rep. Tom Price as Secretary of Health and Human Services shows the disastrous state of the Democratic Party.
So beholden is that party to corporate interests that it cannot put up or support any candidate who is willing to challenge its neoliberal paradigm. The 30-year-old Ossoff tried to win by appealing to the so called “moderate middle” of voters, offering vague promises of economic growth and challenges to President Trump’s policies — for example his attack on the Obama administration’s so-called Affordable Care Act. It was a stupid campaign approach, especially for a special election, when voter turnouts are typically very low and voter enthusiasm is the key. No matter: despite polls showing overwhelming American support for a Canadian-style single-payer “Medicare for All” health care system, Ossoff did not call for such a change. Nor did he mention at all the need to slash US military spending — the single biggest reason, because it lays claim to some 54% of all federal tax dollars each year, why the US is approaching Third World status by most measures such as life-expectancy, infant mortality, infrastructure, education, etc.
The question now for progressives is: What is to be done?
Clearly to be a viable and genuine opposition party to the ruling Republicans, the Democratic Party would have to be thoroughly deconstructed and rebuilt. The millionaire-packed Democratic National Committee leadership — the lobbyists, the elected officials and the well-heeled donors — would have to be tossed out entirely, and replaced by genuine progressives, labor activists, environmentalists, representatives of various minority groups and (gasp!) socialists. It would need a platform that was unequivocal and unflinching in its call for expanded and more generous Social Security benefits, for a well funded Medicare for All program, for a new National Labor Relations Act that routinizes the forming of labor unions and that safeguards, through severe penalties on recalcitrant employers, the right to bargain for contracts. It would have to stand foursquare for an emergency mobilization against climate change, and it would have to renounce the debunked neoliberal approach of coddling the rich and tossing crumbs to the poor, by standing for much higher taxes on the former and well-funded programs to help the latter. And finally, it would have to call for dramatic cuts in the military (not defense!) budget, and an end to US imperialism and militarism abroad.
This is essentially what Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters in the British Labour Party have done, but I have hard time, particularly after watching the overt and underhanded subversion of the Bernie Sanders primary campaign last year, and the inability of progressive Democrats to challenge and replace an the ossified and thoroughly discredited party leadership, imagining that this can happen here in the US with the Democratic Party, which internally is clearly anything but democratic.
An alternative would be to construct a new opposition party that could quickly move beyond just serving as convenient haven for protest votes to becoming a genuine opposition force. But as the Green Party and various socialist parties over the years have painfully learned, restrictive ballot and media access laws at the federal, state and local level, and a total lack of rules limiting corporate funding of campaigns, put in place by the two big parties, effectively give those two parties a lock on national elections, consigning third parties to the sidelines.
The only alternative then, it seems to me, is the one that the Civil Rights and the subsequent anti-Vietnam War movements used when confronted similarly with a Democratic Party that had no interest in supporting their interests and demands. That alternative is to build a movement on the streets and in local communities that presents the political establishment with the untenable prospect of ongoing mass militant opposition to which it has to respond. I would argue that the demands of such a movement this time could and must be broad and inclusive — not single-issue based as in the past. It needs to be built around demands that virtually all Americans, or at least a solid majority, can agree with. As a first pass, I would suggest the following:
* A Medicare for All health care system modeled on what they have in Canada
* An end to US militarism abroad and at home, the closing of most if not all foreign bases, an end to all US wars and arms sales to conflict zones, and a reduction in the US military budget by 50%. As well, a call for the US to return to negotiations with all nuclear nations to eliminate these weapons of mass destruction.
* A fair, non-racist immigration policy that is generous in accepting political refugees, that doesn’t threaten with deportation those young people brought illegally into the US not by their own choice, that, while securing borders to prevent illegal crossings, is humane and follows constitutional norms in dealing with those who sneak into the country seeking work, and that, finally, recognizes and works to end the role that US economic and foreign policy plays in creating economic problems in neighboring countries that compel people to try and enter the US seeking work.
* A crash program to reduce US carbon emissions, and to help other countries do so, particularly those developing countries that have limited resources and that are being most impacted already by global warming.
* A program to shift funding for education away from its current reliance on local property taxes to federal funding on a per-student basis in order to equalize access to good public schools — an approach taken by most European countries — and a program of free college education to all who qualify for admission at public institutions of higher education.
* A jobs program modeled on the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration, to create jobs for the jobless in needed areas like infrastructure repair, parks maintenance, environmental clean-up, school safety monitoring and the like.
* A living federal minimum wage.
* A break-up of the too-big-to-fail banks, re-passage of the Glass-Steagal Act separating banks and investment banks, and a reinvigoration of antitrust law to prevent the creation of monopolies or oligopolies, and undo those that already exist.
* Elimination of the cap on income subject to the Social Security (FICA) payroll tax, and addition of a 0.25% transaction tax on all stock and bond trades except in tax-advantaged retirement plans, a much higher capital gains tax and a restoration of the inheritance tax to apply to all inherited wealth above $100,000. All these new revenues would be used to raise Social Security benefits sufficiently to ensure for the first time a decent income for all Americans in retirement.
I believe that a such national movement, which must be grass-roots, democratic and locally based, if it organized frequent mass actions both in Washington and in the states and municipalities, swarming of Congressional offices both in the capital and in home districts, and pressing candidates during election years, would compel at least the Democratic Party, and perhaps even many Republican office-holders, to act, even if they hold antithetical political views.
The key is to avoid being co-opted by the Democratic Party, and to remain an independent movement. |
In the North American publishing world, comics are comics and novels are novels. But if you peek into the manga section of your local bookstore, you might find a “light novel,” which, according to Leyla Aker, v-p publishing at Viz Media, “possesses elements of YA and genre fiction, combined with the uniquely Japanese element of the manga/anime connection.”
Light novels are Japanese prose works illustrated with manga-style drawings and are often adapted into manga and anime properties. While a few U.S. manga publishers dabbled in the books in the early 2000s, the category never quite took off. Now, Yen Press, Hachette Book Group’s graphic novel and manga line, has launched Yen On, a light novel imprint that will release at least 24 titles in 2015, and has plans to publish many more. Yen Press has already released several light novels, according to its publishing director Kurt Hassler, and, while its prose push is still young, he reported that results are promising.
“Our original plan with Yen On was to publish 24 titles in 2015, so two per month,” Hassler said. “However, our initial success and our confidence in this material has already prompted us to take a more aggressive approach. We will definitely be increasing our output well over 24 light novels next year.” Yen On is releasing its novels as trade paperbacks, with most priced at $13.
The term “light novels” was coined in Japan in the 1990s, but illustrated novels have been hot sellers with a devoted audience since the 1970s. The books are meant to be light entertainment: fast-paced serialized stories offered as inexpensive paperbacks. According to Japan’s Publishing Science Institute, light novels accounted for approximately 23.5% of the country’s general paperback sales in 2011. “Light novels are huge in Japan these days, and also in most countries in Asia,” observed Ju Youn Lee, senior editor at Yen Press. “In Korea, I think I would say that it’s even bigger than the manga market nowadays.”
For anime fans, gamers, and manga readers, light novels are the source material for many favorite series. Before they were anime, manga, or games, hit series like Sword Art Online, Haruhi Suzumiya, Spice, and Wolf and Durarara!! were bestselling light novels.
Among the light novels Yen On will publish in 2015 are Log Horizon by Mamare Touno (March 2015), illustrated by Kazuhiro Hara, in which 30,000 Japanese gamers are stuck in an online sword and sorcery realm fighting monsters; Pandora Hearts: Caucus Race by Shinobu Wakamiya (original story & illustration by Jun Mochizuki), short stories from the world of the bestselling manga/anime series; No Game No Life by Yuu Kamiya (April 2015), in which siblings Sora and Shiro, losers in the real life but unbeatable superstars in online gaming, are whisked away to a world where wars are decided by the outcome of games; and The Devil Is a Part-Timer! by Satoshi Wagahara (April 2015), illustrated by 029 (Oniku), in which the demon lord Satan is forced to retreat to a land—Tokyo!—where his powers are nullified and he’s forced to get a day job at a fast-food joint.
While Yen Press’s Yen On imprint is new, companies that have dipped their toes into the light novel waters to varying degrees of success include TokyoPop, Seven Seas Entertainment, Del Rey Manga, Viz Media, Dark Horse, and Digital Manga Publishing. Adam Arnold, managing editor at Seven Seas, said, “We began publishing light novels in 2006, but it wasn’t the time for it. Some of our titles, like Strawberry Panic, did really well for us. But we’ve just been cautious since then. It has to be the right book and the right market.”
Some manga publishers, like Viz Media and Seven Seas, have added a few carefully selected titles to their 2014–2015 lineups. Vampire Knight: Fleeting Dreams, a collection of short stories by Matsuri Hino and Ayuna Fujisaki, is due out in late 2014 from Viz Media’s Shojo Beat imprint. Meanwhile, Seven Seas is publishing Alice in the Country of Diamond: Bet on My Heart, a light novel set in Alice’s Wonderland and created by visual novel developer QuinRose.
Hassler is not discouraged by light novels’ checkered U.S. sales history to date, citing results of Sword Art Online: Aincrad which has sold over 30,000 copies since its release in April. Publishing light novels comes with its own set of challenges. The books have more words per page than traditional prose novels, which means higher translation costs, and getting booksellers and librarians on board will be difficult for a format that overlaps with, but doesn’t quite fit within, the manga or YA novel categories.
“Anything new can be met with a certain degree of skepticism,” said Hassler. “Ten to 14 years ago, though, manga was no different. Because of the preexisting awareness built in with the manga fans and the fact that there are often companion manga series to so many of these light novel titles, we’re advising stores to shelve the books with their manga for now, and that seems to be working quite well. I don’t think it’s a stretch to imagine that in the not too distant future light novels could command their own sections in stores.” |
Traffic from users to your servers isn't a steady stream, it waxes and wanes over the day and week. The peak-to-mean ratio is your primary tool to avoid outages or unnecessary costs due to this.
Users aren't constantly glued to their screens, they have to go to work, go home and go to sleep. Users for most applications are also spread across multiple time-zones. The result of all this is peaks and troughs in your traffic, which can easily lead to a 3-4X difference between minimum and maximum load over the day.
Failing to account for this can lead to under-provisioning and outages. For example if you're expecting 10 million requests per day, that's an average of about 115 requests per second. If you only build out capacity for 115 requests per second, you're going to have a bad time at the next peak.
This can also lead to over-provisioning, which wastes resources. If you've a peak of 115 requests per second each of which needs 1MB to be stored, 10TB would be too much as you don't have to store as many requests in the troughs.
The peak-to-mean ratio is the key number you need to know, as it lets you safely convert from peak traffic to average traffic. To calculate yours, simply divide your peak traffic per second by your average traffic per second over a day or week. For a globally distributed user base somewhere in the range of 1.6 to 1.7 is typical.
Let's look at the above examples again. 10M / 86400 * 1.7 is almost 200 requests per second - a big difference in how many servers you'll need to build out. Similarly 115 / 1.7 * 86400 * 1MB is about 6TB, a significant storage saving.
Know that you know how, always apply the peak-to-mean ratio when going from per second/minute peak traffic to and from per day/week/month traffic. This will give you the correct result, saving money and reducing outages!
(Aside: While there's there are 100,000 seconds in a day when doing rough numbers at the design stage, it pays to be a little more precise for provisioning and capacity planning). |
The Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association voted, for the first time, to endorse a presidential candidate.
Donald Trump won overwhelmingly.
The results came down early Saturday morning with 216 members voting for Trump and just 68 in favor of Hillary Clinton.
The President of the CPPA says local police don’t feel protected or respected by President Obama and Hillary Clinton, while the President of the Black Shield Police Association says there should not have been an official endorsement, and if there had to be, it shouldn’t be for Trump.
Officer Lynn Hampton has spent 23 years with Cleveland Police. He’s the President of the Black Shield, a police association that promotes the interests of black officers in Cleveland. He and other members are troubled by the results of the CPPA vote. He says Donald Trump has views and supports tactics that could harm members of the Cleveland community. For one, Hampton specifically cited Trump’s push for “stop and frisk.”
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“I don’t want to put that much power into the hands of police officers. I don’t think we’re ready for that responsibility right now,” said Hampton.
Steve Loomis, CPPA President and also a police officer for 23 years, was not surprised by the vote’s outcome. He says - point blank - law enforcement is under attack by President Obama and Hillary Clinton.
“It’s a very dangerous world out there right now and it’s more dangerous every day for the police officers who are out there trying to do their job,” said Loomis.
He says the democrats have bought into promoting the Black Lives Matter movement above all else and paid little or no attention to other important things in Cleveland and similar communities like quality education, addressing poverty, creating jobs and other issues.
“There’s a problem with black on black crime in every city in the country,” Loomis told us. “He’s at least acknowledged that there’s a problem,” Loomis said referring to Trump.
Hampton says the vote is essentially political suicide. With more than half of Cleveland’s population African American, he doesn’t think it’s a good idea for the police to back a presidential candidate who many may perceive is against them.
“If you don’t have their trust and you don’t build up that trust… then we got some problems,” said Hampton.
Loomis says race has nothing to do with it. For him it’s a police issue: protecting them so they can protect us.
“I will not tolerate anyone trying to paint me or this police department with a racist brush,” Loomis said.
Hampton doesn’t believe the Black Shield will be officially endorsing anyone for President, but he said his personal choice if anyone would be Hillary Clinton.
Donald Trump. |
Life32 by Johan Bontes
Conway's Game of Life freeware for Windows9x/NT/2000/XP
Version 2.15, last updated August 10, 2002.
There is a European mirror of this page in Holland:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~jbontes
Please send questions and comments on Life32 to
Download Life32 version 2.15
... from an FTP site in Wisconsin: zip file
... from an FTP site in Atlanta: zip file
... from a web-site in Holland: zip file
The self-installing .exe uses InstallShield to make installation a breeze. The .zip file is provided because of the size difference, and because there really is nothing tricky in the installation.
If you just want to give Life32 a try, the installshield is recommended because it has an easy uninstall feature.
If you don't have a program to handle zip files, have a look at Winzip (shareware) or UltimateZip (freeware).
Downloaded the thing and still have questions?
Read the FAQ
What does Life32 do?
Life32 is a player for Conway's game of life and related cellular automa.
If that does not ring a bell, look here
Life32 is the fastest life player in the world, it is very powerfull and extremely easy to use.
Here is a screenshot:
In short, Life32 is the best, fastest, and most user-friendly life player around. But if you need more convincing, here is a list of Features:
Universe size is 1 million x 1 million.
Fastest Windows Life player anywhere; adjustable speed using 1 millisec accurate timer.
Reads and writes patterns written in Xlife 2.0, Life 1.05/1.06, ProLife, MCell, dbLife and even bitmap file formats (.bmp and gif).
Reads and writes patterns written in Xlife 2.0, Life 1.05/1.06, ProLife, MCell, dbLife and even bitmap file formats (.bmp and gif). Uses Microsoft DirectX to accelerate drawing, with seamless non-DirectX support (albeit that the latter is a lot slower).
Support for multiple universes, so you can have multiple files open at a time.
Support for multiple universes, so you can have multiple files open at a time. Adjustable frame dropping increases speed at the cost of smooth animation.
Make a "snapshot" and revert to it later in one button press. Advanced snapshot list maintenance.
"Skip to..." lets you skip to a specific generation fast, both forward and backward.
"Torus..." enables you to play patterns that require a toriod or otherwise bounded universe.
"Torus..." enables you to play patterns that require a toriod or otherwise bounded universe. Unlimited playback. Life32 uses the most recent snapshot to recalculate the previous generation.
Change rules using standard text format (23/3, etc.), or check boxes, or a list of interesting rules with descriptions.
Support for Hexagonal, Moore and VonNeumann neighborhoods.
Support for Hexagonal, Moore and VonNeumann neighborhoods. Advanced editing features: cut and paste, drag and drop, etc. Cut and paste to and from text editors -- good for e-mailing patterns.
Scrapbook support where building blocks can be stored and recalled with a single keypress.
Scrapbook support where building blocks can be stored and recalled with a single keypress. Zoom from 10 pixels per cell down to 1/256 sub-pixel. Zoom cursor for selective zooming. Zoom to fit.
Scroll bars and keyboard shortcuts for moving around easily; hand cursor for scrolling in all directions.
"Move to..." lets you jump to any location in the universe, the edges of the pattern, or the center of the pattern.
View and edit pattern descriptions: shows a description to you in the "Open" window before you even open a pattern. View the description again with one click on the "i" button in the tool bar. Edit it in the "Settings" window or in the "Save As..." window.
Lexicon for looking up life jargon.
External programming interface using Automation, write macro's for Life32 from most Win32 programming platforms, e.g. MS Office, VB, C++, Delphi.
External programming interface using Automation, write macro's for Life32 from most Win32 programming platforms, e.g. MS Office, VB, C++, Delphi. Extensive on-line help.
Get DirectX!
Life32 works best when used with Microsoft's DirectX. If you have Windows '98, Me, 2000 or XP, you already have it, guaranteed. But if you have Windows 95 or NT, then you might not have it. You can check by trying to set "Enabled DirectX" in Life32's "Settings" dialog, in the "Speed" tab.
"Works best" is a vast understatement. Life32 is very efficient, which makes the Windows API a serious performance problem. DirectX is Microsoft's solution to such problems.
For Windows '95: You can download the lastest version of DirectX for users from http://www.microsoft.com/directx
For Windows '98/Me: Silly you, DirectX is part of Windows '98/Me. You should have skipped to the next section already.
For Windows NT 4.0: DirectX 3.0 comes in Service Pack 3. Download it from http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/nts/downloads/archive/nt4svcpk3/default.asp
For Windows 2000/XP: DirectX is a standard component, just like in Windows '98.
To find out more about DirectX, visit http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/productinfo/overview/faq.asp
Get pattern files
In order to make the most of Life, here are some pattern collections to get you started.
Alan Hensel's great LifeP.zip collection. (205K)
David Bell's huge dblifelib-2.tgz collection (312K), featuring many patterns in all kinds of evolution rules.
If you are a real gun enthusiast (glider guns, that is), here is Dieter and Peter's collection Guns.zip (282K) of smallest guns with periods 100 < p < 1000 and their collection Guns2.zip (424K) of smallest guns with periods 1000 < p < 10,000. Note that these gun collections are in Dieter and Peter's ProLife format, so if you intend to use them with another Life program, you may have to convert them using Life32.
Jason Summers has made an unofficial update to Dieter & Peter's collection. His site contains a lot of other worthwhile pattern collections as well.
New! Dieter and Peter have each put together a small collection of their own favourite patterns.
All of the above files can be unzipped with WinZip.
Other Life links
Recommended links
For news concerning anything digital, look at http://slashdot.org
If you are more interested in AI, http://www.generation5.org might be your thing, they occasionally have a newsflash on CA too.
For CA fans, see what's cooking at the primordial soup kitchen (http://psoup.math.wisc.edu/)
Delphi Links
As you may (or may not know) Life32 is written in Delphi. I hope you agree Delphi is a great tool to easily write nice looking programs. Go and have a look at:
Borland, these guys know how to write great compilers;
Borland recently released the free (as in beer) Kylix (read: Delphi for Linux) compiler with which you can write Open Source ('Free' as in GPL) programs (of course you can also buy the regular package and make 'closed source' programs).
If you are looking for components, I recommend the Delphi Super Page;
DirectX & Delphi |
NOBEL laureate Brian Schmidt says he will place a $10,000 bet on the table after senior business figure Maurice Newman yesterday challenged scientific predictions that global temperatures are warming.
Writing in The Australian today, Professor Schmidt, who won the 2011 Nobel prize for physics, says: "Despite myself also not being a climate scientist, I do have considerable knowledge of the science at hand.
"I would be delighted to take him up on his implicit wager (and bet) in 20 years' time the Earth will be warmer."
Read Next
Professor Schmidt was responding to an article in The Australian yesterday in which Mr Newman said American scientist Richard Lindzen was "willing to take bets that global average temperatures in 20 years will in fact be lower than they are now". "Any takers?" wrote Mr Newman, who is the chairman of the Prime Minister's Business Council.
Professor Schmidt said Mr Newman "can believe whatever he wants". "But he's thrown a challenge out there and, as a scientist, I'm prepared to take up that challenge. I mean no disrespect to him at all but I'm prepared to use my knowledge of the science and, quite frankly, make an easy buck," he said.
"I do feel like I am taking advantage of the situation, though. You see, in addition to the hundreds of studies that Mr Newman doesn't quote in his piece, I know that Richard Lindzen's models still indicate sufficient warming (so) I have a high probability of winning this bet, even if he is right, and everyone else is wrong."
In his article Mr Newman said political will in addressing climate change was waning as the International Panel on Climate Change's science and reputation was coming under increasing scrutiny. "What we now see is the unravelling of years of shoddy science and sloppy journalism."
Professor Schmidt agreed the IPCC was "less than perfect".
"You can find faults but it doesn't mean that the science is wrong," he said. |
Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans
Friday, February 8th, 2013 2:45AM CST
57,903
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Some of the images have been hosted here for your ease of viewing. To see the full gallery, click
Front cover:
Kreo combiners:
Optimus and Bumblebee role play masks: (Optimus doesn't have a face plate, seems his face * is * being redesigned.)
Cyberverse Prowl:
Deluxe Riplclaw:
Voyagers Predaking and Shockwave:
Shockwave:
Abominus line art:
Back cover:
So, now we have our first image of Shockwave, and much like Smokescreen, his "armor" is removable leaving you with a rather show accurate figure.
Tell us what you think, and keep your optics tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest news and updates! Credit(s): vic2293 We have news regarding the Voyager Shockwave Toy, Cyberverse Soundwave toy, and some history on the creation of Predacon.Some of the images have been hosted here for your ease of viewing. To see the full gallery, click here Front cover:Kreo combiners:Optimus and Bumblebee role play masks: (Optimus doesn't have a face plate, seems his face ** being redesigned.)Cyberverse Prowl:Deluxe Riplclaw:Voyagers Predaking and Shockwave:Shockwave:Abominus line art:Back cover:So, now we have our first image of Shockwave, and much like Smokescreen, his "armor" is removable leaving you with a rather show accurate figure.Tell us what you think, and keep your optics tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest news and updates!
Search Got Transformers News? Let us know here!
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461868)
Posted by
Shockwave! What have they done to you? Posted by CBratetron on February 8th, 2013 @ 3:03am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461870)
Posted by
my god thats horrible, makes DOTM shockwave look like a masterpiece. Posted by Megatron Wolf on February 8th, 2013 @ 3:06am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461872)
Posted by
Will wait for a better image, but what is shown doesn't look promising. Hmmm... I might be cancelling my Shockwave pre-orderWill wait for a better image, but what is shown doesn't look promising. Posted by Arctorro on February 8th, 2013 @ 3:07am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461873)
Posted by
Shockwave actually looks OK to me, assuming all of the orange bits are the detachable armor (which I believe they are).
I noticed something interesting about Abominus. He seems to have proper feet that attach at the bottom of the leg limb-bots. That should improve the looks of him substantially. Posted by xyl360 on February 8th, 2013 @ 3:13am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461874)
Posted by
The orange armor pieces on Shockwave ARE removable. The robot/tank you see underneath is what you're actually getting. Posted by Autobot032 on February 8th, 2013 @ 3:14am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461883)
Posted by
Can't quite tell if Shockwave is some kind of animal on all four's (slight resemblance to movie-verse Ravage) or a quad tank (similar to his TF Animated alt mode.)
At any rate, I'm sure all that orange kibble comes off, similar to Smokescreen's beast armor (or whatever its called)
Abominus... where are your hands and feet? Do we get nothing but dangling heads and limbs instead of actual appendages?
And why is Hun-Gurrr (yup, 3 r's) your foot? Come to think of it... no one is where they are supposed to be. Ah well - new continuity, new combination, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed you can 'scramble' all the limbs around.
Final thought - repaint/retool deluxe Smokescreen to match that cyberverse Prowl, please Posted by dedcat on February 8th, 2013 @ 3:51am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461887)
Posted by
Please tell me they are joking. Third parties are gonna slaughter Hasbro. Voyager Shockwave had so much riding on it and that is what they made. Don't worry, the recent 3rd Party Masterpiece Shockwave will be down scaled to voyager size next year. Why can't Hasbro do a combiner anymore? I hope to god the Dinobots don't end up like that, should they appear. The toy designs make me afraid for the show. I don't think I could continue watching the show if they look like this. Posted by Trikeboy on February 8th, 2013 @ 4:04am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461888)
Posted by
This, I admit, is not quite what I was expecting. I'll wait for clearer images (at Toy Fair, perhaps?) and reserve judgment. I'm not going to cancel my preorder, because it's still a voyager Shockwave, and having one of those overrides any complaints I might have about the mold itself, especially since that garish orange armor is removable.
I'm a bit disappointed, but I suspect I'll get over it when I have the figure in hand. Posted by Henry921 on February 8th, 2013 @ 4:10am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461891)
Posted by
As for the contents of the book itself, some interesting insights:
The Predacons appear to all be cloned from VNA, basically a la Jurassic Park
A couple new Predacons listed: Grim Wing, Skystalker (previously seen in the Battle Net Bumblebee Kreo set), and Scourge (shares Lazerback's body form, but their tail weapons are on opposite sides and he has a new beast head)
Continuing the Jurassic Park concept, the Predacon clones seem by and large to have gone rogue, with most hating both 'bots and 'cons equally
Varying capacities for intelligence
Abominus is a mindless killing machine
Two-headed beasts were an attempt at making them more intelligent
Grim Wing has a mysterious partner called Blackbeak who is "cannot be trusted"
There's probably more information to be garnered but it's 5:30 AM as I'm typing this. I'll analyze more tomorrow, if nobody else has. Well, Shockwave looks like he'll be a dead ringer for his show model once the orange bits are removed. I'll hold out for some better pictures, in the meantime.As for the contents of the book itself, some interesting insights:There's probably more information to be garnered but it's 5:30 AM as I'm typing this. I'll analyze more tomorrow, if nobody else has. Posted by King Kuuga on February 8th, 2013 @ 4:27am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461894)
Posted by
So Shockwave's transformation is really just him getting down on all fours. Disappointing. Posted by Mykltron on February 8th, 2013 @ 4:34am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461895)
Posted by
I noticed something interesting about Abominus. He seems to have proper feet that attach at the bottom of the leg limb-bots. That should improve the looks of him substantially.
Seems more like he's standing on a round platform. I doubt the figure set will come with that. Perhaps a cardboard insert.
Can't quite tell if Shockwave is some kind of animal on all four's (slight resemblance to movie-verse Ravage) or a quad tank (similar to his TF Animated alt mode.)
The text is hard to make out, but reads Cybertronian Tank. So indeed a H tank similar to Animated Shocky and DotM Thunderhead. The orange beast armor sure looks like a fanged cat's face though.
And why is Hun-Gurrr (yup, 3 r's) your foot? Come to think of it... no one is where they are supposed to be. Ah well - new continuity, new combination, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed you can 'scramble' all the limbs around.
He's not an arm, Twinstrike is. The parts are mislabeled. This drawing matches the lay-out as seen on the previous picture. Perhaps the limbs can be swapped for a G1 lay-out.
The Predacons appear to all be cloned from VNA, basically a la Jurassic Park
A very interesting potential for the series storyline. Can't wait to see this play out in the show. Seems more like he's standing on a round platform. I doubt the figure set will come with that. Perhaps a cardboard insert.The text is hard to make out, but reads Cybertronian Tank. So indeed a H tank similar to Animated Shocky and DotM Thunderhead. The orange beast armor sure looks like a fanged cat's face though.He's not an arm, Twinstrike is. The parts are mislabeled. This drawing matches the lay-out as seen on the previous picture. Perhaps the limbs can be swapped for a G1 lay-out.A very interesting potential for the series storyline. Can't wait to see this play out in the show. Posted by Rushie on February 8th, 2013 @ 4:40am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461897)
Posted by
Rushie wrote: I noticed something interesting about Abominus. He seems to have proper feet that attach at the bottom of the leg limb-bots. That should improve the looks of him substantially.
Seems more like he's standing on a round platform. I doubt the figure set will come with that. Perhaps a cardboard insert. Seems more like he's standing on a round platform. I doubt the figure set will come with that. Perhaps a cardboard insert. Ah, right you are. I took a second (closer) look at it. Too bad, those bits would have made cool feet . Oh well, I'm still getting him/them. Ah, right you are. I took a second (closer) look at it. Too bad, those bits would have made cool feet. Oh well, I'm still getting him/them. Posted by xyl360 on February 8th, 2013 @ 4:44am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461907)
Posted by
That Bot wrote: Well, Shockwave looks like he'll be a dead ringer for his show model once the orange bits are removed. I'll hold out for some better pictures, in the meantime.
As for the contents of the book itself, some interesting insights:
The Predacons appear to all be cloned from VNA, basically a la Jurassic Park
A couple new Predacons listed: Grim Wing, Skystalker (previously seen in the Battle Net Bumblebee Kreo set), and Scourge (shares Lazerback's body form, but their tail weapons are on opposite sides and he has a new beast head)
Continuing the Jurassic Park concept, the Predacon clones seem by and large to have gone rogue, with most hating both 'bots and 'cons equally
Varying capacities for intelligence
Abominus is a mindless killing machine
Two-headed beasts were an attempt at making them more intelligent
Grim Wing has a mysterious partner called Blackbeak who is "cannot be trusted"
There's probably more information to be garnered but it's 5:30 AM as I'm typing this. I'll analyze more tomorrow, if nobody else has. Well, Shockwave looks like he'll be a dead ringer for his show model once the orange bits are removed. I'll hold out for some better pictures, in the meantime.As for the contents of the book itself, some interesting insights:There's probably more information to be garnered but it's 5:30 AM as I'm typing this. I'll analyze more tomorrow, if nobody else has.
Even money that we get a redeco of Lazerback as Scourge somewhere down the line.
I get the sense that with the exception of Predaking, Hasbro's hedging their bets by making redecos/retools of their Predacons in a rainbow of colors. Even money that we get a redeco of Lazerback as Scourge somewhere down the line.I get the sense that with the exception of Predaking, Hasbro's hedging their bets by making redecos/retools of their Predacons in a rainbow of colors. Posted by Henry921 on February 8th, 2013 @ 5:23am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461911)
Posted by
Henry921 wrote: Even money that we get a redeco of Lazerback as Scourge somewhere down the line.
Hopefully a retool/redeco, because that new head has a cool underbite going on, but yeah, it seems like a pretty safe bet. Redecoes are becoming more prominent. This suggests that development costs are going up, so they need to really capitalize on their existing molds as much as possible, and to facilitate that they're deliberately establishing multiple characters with the same body shape at the outset. This prevents more cases like what we got in 2012 where there were non-show redecoes and several show characters without toys. Hopefully a retool/redeco, because that new head has a cool underbite going on, but yeah, it seems like a pretty safe bet. Redecoes are becoming more prominent. This suggests that development costs are going up, so they need to really capitalize on their existing molds as much as possible, and to facilitate that they're deliberately establishing multiple characters with the same body shape at the outset. This prevents more cases like what we got in 2012 where there were non-show redecoes and several show characters without toys. Posted by King Kuuga on February 8th, 2013 @ 5:48am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461912)
Posted by
I think Shockwave's a keeper. His orange bits are removable, and underneath he looks just as he did in the season two episode he appeared in. "Artillery mode" looks decent.
I just hope he's large enough to scale in with the rest of my MP Decepticons, because he's going to be my neo-G1 Shockwave. Posted by SKYWARPED_128 on February 8th, 2013 @ 5:49am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461913)
Posted by
Shocky's looking pretty boss. I'm happy the armor is removable. I can chunk it like I'm going to with Smokescreen. Posted by Mindmaster on February 8th, 2013 @ 6:06am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461914)
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horrible. but i feel better after seeing abominus. that thing looks awesome Posted by griftimus prime on February 8th, 2013 @ 6:10am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461916)
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Shockwave looks great! Can't wait to see more of his purple mono-eyed goodness! Posted by RAcast on February 8th, 2013 @ 6:27am CST
Re: Beast Hunters Voyager Shockwave Toy Image, Plus Beast Hunters Guide Book Scans (1461919)
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I actually like Shockwave's beast armor. The orange goes well with the purple, and the way the armor gives the tank mode a "face" and "claws" is pretty neat. Posted by bluecatcinema on February 8th, 2013 @ 7:03am CST |
You’ve probably read about a lot of issues with the Apple Watch Series 3 on this site over the past few weeks. But after owning the Watch Series 3 for three weeks and being able to use it whether connected to the iPhone through Bluetooth or just through an LTE connection, this author can finally give the new Apple Watch a confident thumbs up.
In terms of design, there isn’t much of a difference between the Series 3 and Series 2. The important upgrades are inside. And the most important one allows the watch to operate on a cellular connection. This was tough to get working at first, but after the kinks were worked out with Apple and T-Mobile, it’s safe to say that the $10 extra each month for the cellular connection (first three months are fee) is worth it.
A perfect example of how useful the LTE connection could be is when this author went to go work at a television studio that didn’t allow any smartphones, which were collected and held by security. However, there isn’t a ban on smartwatches from any studio yet, so important text messages and phone calls can be received during work hours. Remember — the Apple Watch, even when it is operated on LTE, takes on the number of your iPhone. So you can make and receive text messages as well as phone calls on your smartwatch.
There is also sense of freedom when you go for a walk and don’t feel like lugging your iPhone with. Some argue that $10 a month just isn’t worth something that seems like such a minor benefit. However, if these naysayers would use the new Watch for just a couple days, they would understand that the benefits are more than minor.
Naysayers will be won over by using the new Apple Watch. [Image by Daryl Deino]
Another thing that differentiates the new Watch from previous versions is speed. The Apple Watch Series 2 was no slouch, but the Series 3 makes it possible to alternate between multiple apps without any hiccups. Some sites have reported the dreaded “spinning icon” when trying to enter some apps, but this author hasn’t seen this once since purchasing the Watch three weeks ago.
Then, there is the battery life. Sites such as BetaNews and others have complained about this, but one wonders if they were trying to use three apps at once and making 30 LTE phone calls in an hour. Considering the new Apple Watch is small and uses LTE, the battery life is very good. In some cases, it is excellent. One has to remember that the Watch still isn’t intended for use as a solo device; it’s still a companion to your iPhone. However, the LTE connection allows you freedom from the few times you are not around your iPhone. If you use it sparingly as you should, you can still get two days of use with your Watch before having to recharge it. Even in the very rare situation you forget your iPhone for the day, your Watch can last at least 12 hours on LTE.
One year ago, many were saying that the FitBit series is better for exercise tracking than the Apple Watch. This is no longer the case with the Series 3, which offers the best and most consumer-friendly exercise tracking features on the market. For one thing, the heart rate monitor is very accurate, and you’ll find that when you or your doctor physically takes your heart rate, it will be the same (minus or plus one beat per minute) as your Watch reads. The new heartbeat monitor is more advanced in that it also records your daily resting heart rate.
Perhaps the most shocking thing about the Series 3 is the fact that the phone call quality through the speaker is actually pretty decent. You shouldn’t use your Watch as your primary device to make and receive calls. But if you do, you’ll find that you have very few problems talking or listening to the person on the other end. When using Bluetooth headphones, the call quality is as good as it is on the iPhone.
It’s been hard for Apple to convince consumers how useful the Apple Watch actually is. The first version was useful, but the Series 3 version should be a must-have. If you are not convinced, you can always buy the Watch knowing that it can be returned within 14 days. But even if you plan on returning the device at first, you’ll find that you can’t quite give it back after using it for a week. The Apple Watch Series 3 is just as groundbreaking as any of Apple’s other products.
[Featured Image by Daryl Deino] |
Hatem Ben Arfa hopes to open talks on a new long-term contract next week, The Journal can reveal.
Despite a week of a chaotic developments at St James’ Park – and the mispronunciation of his name by new director of football Joe Kinnear – Ben Arfa remains steadfastly committed to Newcastle and has “no interest” in moves to either Monaco or Liverpool, which have been mooted.
Indeed, The Journal understands talks over a new five-year contract could even begin as early as next week as Newcastle’s new hierarchy begin to put plans for next season into place.
The resignation of Derek Llambias has left a void, but it is understood that Lee Charnley and finance director John Irving will step in on important issues like contract re-negotiations and transfer issues in the interim.
And Ben Arfa’s new contract – which has been recommended by Kinnear and Alan Pardew – could be the first bit of business.
It would be a popular move with Newcastle supporters, who see Ben Arfa as a key man moving forward. The good news for them is that despite everything that has happened this week, he feels the same.
The Journal understands that Ben Arfa took a pay-cut to come to United from Marseille. Now he would like his long-term future secured amid interest from Ligue 1 club Monaco, who have
made discreet enquiries about his availability.
“Hatem doesn’t want to go to Monaco or Paris Saint Germain, he wants to play in front of a stadium full of Newcastle fans who feel the same way about him as he does about them,” a source close to the player said.
After a devastating week at United there was a sense of the dust settling at St James’ Park yesterday.
The Journal understands that Kinnear regrets giving the now-infamous Talksport interview that has made for such an uncomfortable first week in his new role. He spoke to the radio station because of his personal connection to Bobby Gould, but accepts now that he should have stepped back following Sunday’s surprise announcement.
He is unlikely to give any more live interviews and will take a brief, pre-planned holiday before the start of the season. Initial talks with Pardew were said to be “promising”.
Although it had been speculated that Carr would walk out, the chief scout’s relationship with Ashley meant that was always unlikely as he has the trust and support of the owner.
Clarification has most certainly been sought on his remit in the wake of Kinnear’s appointment, but he is ready to push on in the hunt for new overseas talent.
Carr’s relationship with Pardew is not beyond repair either, with the pair having spoken regularly since the season ended. As recently as Monday they were in contact to talk club business, which suggests there is a willingness to move on.
The question now is whether Newcastle will train their focus on the domestic market – which is something Pardew has been pushing for several years.
The Journal understands there has already been contact between the United manager and striker target Darren Bent, while he has also recommended West Ham defender James Tomkins as a centre-back target.
United pulled out of a move for FC Twente defender Douglas earlier in the week but he was not a cast-iron recommendation of Carr’s. He began to watch him again at the end of the season – after Newcastle were alerted to his availability on a free transfer – and he impressed with his performances.
Newcastle do not expect to move forward on recruitment until the early part of July.
Meanwhile, reports in Portugal have claimed United will be heading to a training camp near Porto. There are also claims that the Magpies will line up against FC Arouca on July 23. |
On April 8, the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center stepped into the debate about antibiotic use in animal agriculture. Under the guidance of physicians and foodservice staff alike, UCSF’s Academic Senate unanimously approved a resolution to phase out the procurement of meat raised with non-therapeutic antibiotics and urged all ten University of California campuses to do the same. This resolution is not just a symbolic decision – serving over 650,000 meals per year to patients, staff, and the community, and with a food budget of close to $7 million, UCSF and its food purchasing choices have the power to send a strong message to the market and to policymakers.
“There is overwhelming scientific consensus that overuse of antibiotics in livestock is a health hazard to people,” said Dr. Thomas Newman, a member of the Academic Senate who spearheaded the resolution with the help of the non-profit San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility. He is in good company. Independent experts ranging from the World Health Organization to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences agree that the routine use of antibiotics in animal agriculture cultivates antibiotic-resistant bacteria, threatening the long-term efficacy of antibiotics for human use.
Two-thirds of the drugs that animals in our food supply get in their feed and water, from penicillins to macrolides, might sound familiar to anyone who has been to the hospital recently. In fact, eighty percent of all of the antibiotics sold in the U.S., almost 30 million pounds on an annual basis, are used for meat production. The majority are given to otherwise healthy animals in order to promote faster growth and to compensate for unsanitary and overcrowded living conditions.
“We believe that health care is best positioned to lead our society away from its addiction to antibiotics in animal agriculture,” said Gary Cohen, President of the non-profit organization Health Care Without Harm. He added: “Hospitals have both the mission-critical rationale and the economic clout.” Health Care Without Harm works to leverage both health care’s healing mission and purchasing power on a range of sustainable food issues, from organic production to local food purchasing. UCSF is one of over 440 hospitals across the country that have signed Health Care Without Harm’s Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge, which states that healthy food must come from a food system that is ecologically-sustainable, economically-viable, and socially-just.
However, hospitals attempting to purchase sustainable food face serious supply chain challenges. In the case of meat produced with non-therapeutic antibiotics, the market to date has been small in the U.S., making these products costly. For now, UCSF is taking a two-pronged approach to procurement. “We have reduced the amount of red meat being served,” stated Jack Henderson, Associate Director of Nutrition and Food Services at UCSF, “And secondly, we are pursuing a source of beef that is grass-fed, raised without non-therapeutic antibiotics, and that still fits within our budget. It is a complex maneuver, but we believe it is the right thing to do for our patients, our staff, and our visitors.”
Health Care Without Harm is working with nearly 100 other hospitals nationwide that have committed to this “less meat, better meat” approach. Leading the pack is Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vermont which created a long-term antibiotics reduction plan in 2005. Currently, close to 100 percent of Fletcher Allen’s beef has been raised without non-therapeutic antibiotics, and the hospital hopes that all of its chicken will soon meet this standard. Fletcher Allen estimates that its food service budget rose by $75,000 when it switched to a line of chicken products raised without the routine use of antibiotics. The cost of treating a patient infected with a resistant bacterial infection like MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus), however, is not far off.
While purchasing initiatives by hospitals can generate much-needed market demand, smarter shopping alone cannot solve agriculture’s role in the antibiotic resistance crisis. A true and comprehensive solution will only come when federal policy bans the routine, non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in livestock production. Unfortunately, there have been minimal public policy gains in this arena. The only policy in place is a 2012 guidance document from the Food and Drug Administration that asks the livestock and pharmaceutical industries to voluntarily reduce the consumption and sales of antibiotics in favor of more “prudent” use.
The most comprehensive policy under consideration is the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA). PAMTA would ban eight classes of medically-important antibiotics from non-therapeutic use in animal agriculture. Along with Health Care Without Harm, more than 300 organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association, stand behind the bill. However, due to lobbying pressure from pharmaceutical companies and agribusiness, keen on continuing the injudicious use of antibiotics to speed up the pace of meat production and earn profits, PAMTA has failed to pass in Congress three times since 2007.
As hospitals like UCSF push for change in the market, demanding that we put public health ahead of profit, Congress and the FDA should take note and act, before medicine’s wonder drugs become a thing of the past. |
Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani waves as he leaves Trump Tower in New York on Nov. 22. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Rudolph W. Giuliani, a former New York mayor and an early backer of Donald Trump, has withdrawn his name for consideration for a Trump administration job. Giuliani was on the president-elect’s shortlist for secretary of state.
[What happened to ‘America’s Mayor’? How Rudy Giuliani became Trump’s attack dog.]
In a statement, the Trump transition team said Giuliani informed Trump of his withdrawal at a Nov. 29 meeting. Giuliani delivered a letter to Trump, who declined to accept it at that meeting. On Friday, Giuliani again asked Trump to withdraw his name, and he accepted, according to a senior transition official.
Giuliani said in a statement that the decision was “not about me.”
“It is about what is best for the country and the new administration,” he said. “Before I joined the campaign I was very involved and fulfilled by my work with my law firm and consulting firm, and I will continue that work with even more enthusiasm.”
“From the vantage point of the private sector, I look forward to helping the President-elect in any way he deems necessary and appropriate,” he added.
In a statement, Trump called Giuliani a “close personal friend” whom he would continue to call upon for advice while in office.
“Rudy would have been an outstanding member of the Cabinet in several roles, but I fully respect and understand his reasons for remaining in the private sector,” Trump added.
The drawn-out search for a secretary of state has left two names near the top of the list: former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and Exxon Mobil chief executive Rex Tillerson.
Both men are valued by Trump for their experience in dealmaking around the world in their capacities as business executives. But Romney has faced a public revolt from Trump loyalists who believed that his comments during the campaign denouncing Trump went too far.
[From enemies to potential allies: How the Trump-Romney divide began to heal]
Giuliani was backed by the loyal political outsiders within Trump’s inner circle. But his candidacy faced challenges, including questions about potential conflicts raised by the work his consulting business did on behalf of foreign governments.
However, Trump’s incoming chief of staff, Reince Priebus, pointedly sought to address speculation that conflicts might have imperiled Giuliani’s path to Senate confirmation.
Giuliani “was vetted by our team for any possible conflicts and passed with flying colors,” Priebus said. “The team appreciates Rudy’s contributions to the victory and considers him a close friend and adviser.” |
Old Glory is almost certainly the most honored flag in the world.
The late political scientist Samuel Huntington marveled at its place in our national life: We pledge allegiance to it. The national anthem celebrates it. An incredibly elaborate code stipulates how it’s displayed, handled and maintained. It even has its own holiday.
“Since the Civil War,” Huntington wrote, “Americans have been a flag-oriented people. The Stars and Stripes has the status of a religious icon and is a more central symbol of national identity for Americans than their flags are for peoples of other nations.”
The NFL players who kneel during the national anthem — a phenomenon that increased exponentially after President Trump colorfully demanded they stand — are disrespecting the most potent and enduring national symbol of the most patriotic nation on Earth.
Not only are they wrong to do so, they aren’t delivering the devastating rebuke to Trump they may imagine.
The power of national — or imperial — symbols isn’t new. The Romans couldn’t abide the collective disgrace of losing their standards to the enemy in battle, and would undertake decades-long campaigns to win them back.
The American flag is layered with history and meaning. As Tim Marshall recounts in his book, “A Flag Worth Dying For,” its roots probably reach back prior to the country’s independence. It may owe its red and white stripes to the flag of the Sons of Liberty, the revolutionary agitators who carried out the Boston Tea Party.
The “rebellious stripes” of that flag, lacking a field of stars, don’t look like much. In 1777, the Continental Congress added the stars.
The flag took time to catch on. The Civil War, which tested the integrity of the flag, represented a watershed. It came to be known as Old Glory at this time, courtesy of a cussed merchant seaman named William Driver, who demonstrated a characteristic American attitude to the Stars and Stripes.
Driver had retired to Nashville, Tenn., with his flag still in his possession. When local Confederates demanded he hand it over, he replied that they were welcome to take it — over his dead body. Secreted in a bed quilt, the flag was eventually handed over to Union forces, and the legend of Old Glory spread.
After the war, Union veterans advocated for the display of the flag and for its veneration. The National Flag Conference of 1923 — yes, there was a national flag conference — set out the code subsequently adopted by Congress.
Per the code, “the flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing.” It states that “no disrespect should be shown to the flag,” and when taken down, it should be placed into “waiting hands and arms.”
Some of the code is honored in the breach — it urges against using the flag on clothing or in advertisements — but it captures America’s passion for its flag. At times of crisis, the phrase “rallying around the flag” isn’t just a figure of speech. In one survey after the 9/11 attacks, 80 percent of Americans reported that they were displaying it.
This is why the NFL kneelers are cutting against the American cultural grain, besides picking the wrong target on the merits.
The American flag isn’t a Confederate monument, indeed the opposite. Our military fights under it. The flag drapes the caskets of the fallen and is folded in a solemn ceremony at military funerals, with practically every movement fraught with religious and patriotic meaning. It’s not to be trifled with — unless you intend to insult the country for which it stands.
When William Driver transferred control of his flag to Union troops, he is reported to have spoken “triumphantly, with tears in his eyes.”
So many years later, Old Glory still elicits the same heartfelt sentiment. May it always. |
I don't know about you, but when I think of a heist, I'm picturing Fort Knox, a casino or a bank vault. Maybe an art gallery. One of my more pop culture-aware co-writers or readers can no doubt correct me on this, but I don't recall ever encountering a plot in comic books, movies or television that involved making off with millions of dollars in maple syrup. But here we are in 2012 and it's happened. In real life. Someone (possibly wearing super villain gear, although that's pure speculation on my part until they're apprehended) broke through security at the Global Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve in Quebec and made off with $30 million worth of Canada's sweetest export.
I live in southwestern Ontario, where maple syrup is pretty much taken for granted. It's offered for sale at roadside stands, in sugar bushes, at grocery stores. There are even mini amusement parks of a sort — although they tend to feature rust, sharp edges, dangerously steep slopes and "nostalgia" for times before safety regulations hit the world of playground equipment — built around the spring maple syrup harvest. We've taken the kids to a local place a few times and it's always interesting and delicious.
It never crossed my mind that maple syrup was a strategic commodity. Gold, I can understand. Oil makes sense. Fresh water, yeah gotta have that. But maple syrup?
Canada is the global leader in production of this seasonal treat, churning out somewhere in the neighborhood of three quarters of the world's supply. According to the documentation I was able to dig up, the Global Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve was created in order to establish stockpiles of syrup that would be used to stabilize supply and prevent price fluctuations during poor harvests (something that may become more frequent as a result of climatic conditions). Although they don't emphasize this point, presumably the reverse would also be true — letting producers stockpile surplus production during good harvests to prevent the price from falling too dramatically.
An article in Ontario Farmer from earlier this year (pre-heist), described a new facility in Quebec that was opened as part of the Strategic Reserve:
"The new Laurierville factory warehouse will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology which will help with efficient syrup pasteurization, minimizing stock loss and optimizing barrel handling. The same rigorous quality controls and perfect traceability from maple grove to buyer will be in place as normal."
In retrospect, it seems that all of the facilities should have been equipped with those measures to minimize stock loss and traceability. No "strategic reserve" of anything should be so poorly secured that someone could waltz in and make off with enough of the stuff housed within to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool one and a half times over (or 7.5 million bottles on the shelves of grocery stores). Even if they didn't have the kind of budget to spring for Fort Knox-caliber security, some cameras, a basic alarm system, a guard or two, or maybe even some RFID ships on the syrup barrels would have helped prevent this calamity and/or made for a fast recovery of the $30 million in stolen goods.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Canada, a gang of thieves is high-fiving, probably coming down from the sugar high of the century and trying to figure out the next phase of their get-rich-quick scheme: how to fence nearly a million gallons of "hot" maple syrup. This is likely to be the most challenging Canadian proceeds of crime disposal case since Ricky, Julian and Bubbles had to get rid of a massive plastic ball full of loonies and toonies in Trailer Park Boys - The Movie.*
So if the syrup for your pancakes is more expensive than you remember in coming months, or you're filled with misgivings while shopping — is that bottle really "pure Canadian maple syrup," or is it bootlegged stuff from the maple mafia? — blame Canada*
*Parental Warning: even the Wikipedia link for the South Park song Blame Canada (the mildest of the bunch) may contain text which is not appropriate for young children. And it goes without saying that Trailer Park Boys — while hilarious — is also far from kid-friendly viewing material. |
Essendon midfielder David Myers will be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a finger injury.
Myers had enjoyed an injury-free pre-season and picked up eight possessions in less than three quarters against Collingwood last week.
But after pulling up well, the 27 year old damaged a tendon in his finger at training this morning and will undergo surgery.
“David Myers got his finger caught in someone’s jumper, he’s ruptured his tendon in that finger and he’ll be in for surgery today,” High Performance Manager Justin Crow said.
“It means six weeks in a splint and then two weeks getting his touch back normally to then play football.
“The good news is it’s his right hand so he’ll be able to continue to guide the ball with his left hand and keep running over that period and maintain the really good training base he’s been able to get this pre-season.”
Myers has played just two games in the last two years after a shoulder injury and then a knee to the back derailed his 2015 campaign.
He played 38 games in his most consistent run across the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Myers is entering his tenth AFL season. He’s played 85 games and has recorded more than ten games in a season on three occasions. |
State in Northern India
State in India
Haryana ( IPA: [ɦərɪˈjaːɳaː]), carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 November 1966 on linguistic as well as on cultural basis, is one of the 29 states in India. Situated in North India with less than 1.4% (44,212 km2 (17,070 sq mi)) of India's land area, it is ranked 22nd in terms of area.[8][1] Chandigarh is the state capital, Faridabad in National Capital Region is the most populous city of the state and Gurugram is a leading financial hub of NCR with major Fortune 500 companies located in it.[9] Haryana has 6 administrative divisions, 22 districts, 72 sub-divisions, 93 revenue tehsils, 50 sub-tehsils, 140 community development blocks, 154 cities and towns, 6,848 villages and 6222 villages panchayats.[8]
As the largest recipient of investment per capita since 2000 in India,[11] and among one of the wealthiest and most economically developed regions in South Asia,[12] Haryana has the fifth highest per capita income among Indian states and union territories at ₹180,174 (US$2,500) against the national average of ₹112,432 (US$1,600) for year 2016–17.[13] Haryana's 2017-18 estimated state GSDP of US$95 billion (52% services, 34% industries and 14% agriculture) is growing at 12.96% 2012-17 CAGR and placed on the 13th position behind only much bigger states, is also boosted by 30 SEZs (mainly along DMIC, ADKIC and DWPE in NCR), 7% national agricultural exports, 65% of national Basmati rice export, 67% cars, 60% motorbikes, 50% tractors and 50% refrigerators produced in India.[8][8][14] Faridabad has been described as eighth fastest growing city in the world and third most in India by City Mayors Foundation survey.[15] In services, Gurugram ranks number 1 in India in IT growth rate and existing technology infrastructure, and number 2 in startup ecosystem, innovation and livability (Nov 2016).[16]
Among the world's oldest and largest ancient civilizations, the Indus Valley Civilization sites at Rakhigarhi village in Hisar district and Bhirrana in Fatehabad district are 9,000 years old.[17] Rich in history, monuments, heritage, flora and fauna, human resources and tourism with well developed economy, national highways and state roads, it is bordered by Himachal Pradesh to the north-east, by river Yamuna along its eastern border with Uttar Pradesh, by Rajasthan to the west and south, and Ghaggar-Hakra River flows along its northern border with Punjab. Since Haryana surrounds the country's capital Delhi on three sides (north, west and south), consequently a large area of Haryana is included in the economically-important National Capital Region for the purposes of planning and development.
Etymology
The name Haryana is found in the works of the 12th-century AD Apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar (VS 1189–1230).[18] The name Haryana has been derived from the Sanskrit words Hari (the Hindu god Vishnu) and ayana (home), meaning "the Abode of God".[19] However, scholars such as Muni Lal, Murli Chand Sharma, HA Phadke and Sukhdev Singh Chib believe that the name comes from a compound of the words Hari (Sanskrit Harit, "green") and Aranya (forest).[20]
History
Pre-history
The Vedic state of Brahmavarta is claimed to be located in south Haryana, where the initial Vedic scriptures were composed after the great floods some 10,000 years ago.[21]
Rakhigarhi village in Hisar district and Bhirrana in Fatehabad district are home to the largest and one of the world's oldest ancient Indus Valley Civilization sites, dated at over 9,000 years old. Evidence of paved roads, a drainage system, a large-scale rainwater collection storage system, terracotta brick and statue production, and skilled metal working (in both bronze and precious metals) have been uncovered. According to archaeologists, Rakhigarhi may be the origin of Harappan civilisation, which arose in the Ghaggar basin in Haryana and gradually and slowly moved to the Indus valley.[17][22]
Medieval
Ancient bronze and stone idols of Jain Tirthankara were found in archaeological expeditions in Badli, Bhiwani (Ranila, Charkhi Dadri and Badhra), Dadri, Gurgaon (Ferozepur Jhirka), Hansi, Hisar (Agroha), Kasan, Nahad, Narnaul, Pehowa, Rewari, Rohad, Rohtak (Asthal Bohar) and Sonepat in Haryana.
After the sack of Bhatner fort during the Timurid conquests of India in 1398, Timur attacked and sacked the cities of Sirsa, Fatehabad, Sunam, Kaithal and Panipat. When he reached the town of Sarsuti, the residents, who were mostly non-Muslims, fled and were chased by a detachment of Timur's troops, with thousands of them being killed and looted by the troops. From there he travelled to Fatehabad, whose residents fled and a large number of those remaining in the town were massacred. The Ahirs resisted him at Ahruni but were defeated, with thousands being killed and many being taken prisoners while the town was burnt to ashes. From there he travelled to Tohana, whose Jat inhabitants were stated to be robbers according to Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi. They tried to resist but were defeated and fled. Timur's army pursued and killed 200 Jats, while taking many more as prisoners. He then sent a detachment to chase the fleeing Jats and killed 2,000 of them while their wives and children were enslaved and their property plundered. Timur proceeded to Kaithal whose residents were massacred and plundered, destroying all villages along the way. On the next day, he came to Assandh whose residents were "fire-worshippers" according to Yazdi, and had fled to Delhi. Next he travelled to and subdued Tughlaqpur fort and Salwan before reaching Panipat whose residents had already fled. He then marched on to Loni fort.[24][25]
The area that is now Haryana has been ruled by some of the major empires of India. Panipat is known for three seminal battles in the history of India. In the First Battle of Panipat (1526), Babur defeated the Lodis. In the Second Battle of Panipat (1556), Akbar defeated the local Haryanvi Hindu Emperor of Delhi, who belonged to Rewari. Hem Chandra Vikramaditya had earlier won 22 battles across India from Punjab to Bengal, defeating Mughals and Afghans. Hemu had defeated Akbar's forces twice at Agra and the Battle of Delhi in 1556 to become the last Hindu Emperor of India with a formal coronation at Purana Quila in Delhi on 7 October 1556. In the Third Battle of Panipat (1761), the Afghan king Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas.[26]
Formation
Haryana as a state came into existence on 1 November 1966 the Punjab Reorganisation Act (1966). The Indian government set up the Shah Commission under the chairmanship of Justice JC Shah on 23 April 1966 to divide the existing state of Punjab and determine the boundaries of the new state of Haryana after consideration of the languages spoken by the people. The commission delivered its report on 31 May 1966 whereby the then-districts of Hisar, Mahendragarh, Gurgaon, Rohtak and Karnal were to be a part of the new state of Haryana. Further, the tehsils of Jind and Narwana in the Sangrur district — along with Naraingarh, Ambala and Jagadhri — were to be included.[27]
The commission recommended that the tehsil of Kharad, which includes Chandigarh, the state capital of Punjab, should be a part of Haryana. However, only a small portion of Kharad was given to Haryana.[28] The city of Chandigarh was made a union territory, serving as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana.[29]
Bhagwat Dayal Sharma became the first Chief Minister of Haryana.[30]
Demographics
Religion
According to the 2011 census, of total 25,350,000 population of Haryana, Hindus (87.46%) constitute the majority of the state's population with Muslims (7.03%) (mainly Meos) and Sikhs (4.91%) being the largest minorities.[31]
Muslims are mainly found in the Mewat or Nuh district. Haryana has the second largest Sikh population in India after Punjab, and they mostly live in the districts adjoining Punjab, such as Sirsa, Jind, Fatehabad, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and Panchkula.[32][33]
Languages
Languages of Haryana (2001)[34] Hindi (87.31%) Punjabi (10.57%) Urdu (1.23%) Bengali (0.19%) Nepali (0.10%) Others (0.60%)
Hindi was the sole official language of Haryana until 2010 and it is spoken by the majority of the population (87.31%).[34] Haryana has 70% rural population who primarily speak Haryanvi dialect of Hindi,[35] as well as other related dialects, such as Bagri[36] and Mewati.[38][39] Significant minority languages spoken in Haryana are Punjabi (10.57%), Urdu (1.23%), Bengali (0.19%) and Nepali (0.10%). Additionally 0.6% of the state population speak other minority languages.[34] Punjabi is the second official language of Haryana for government and administrative purposes.[3]
Culture
Haryana has its own unique traditional folk music, folk dances, saang (folk theater),[40] cinema,[41] belief system such as Jathera (ancestral worship),[42][43] and arts such as Phulkari and Shisha embroidery.[43]
Folk theater and dances
Folk music and dances of Haryana are based on satisfying cultural needs of primarily agrarian and martial natures of Haryanavi tribes.[44]
Haryanvi musical folk theater main types are Saang, Rasa lila and Ragini. The Saang and Ragini form of theater was popularised by Lakhmi Chand.[44]
Haryanvi folk dances and music have fast energetic movements. Three popular categories of dance are: festive-seasonal, devotional, and ceremonial-recreational. The festive-seasonal dances and songs are Gogaji/Gugga, Holi, Phaag, Sawan, Teej. The devotional dances and songs are Chaupaiya, Holi, Manjira, Ras Leela, Raginis). The ceremonial-recreational dances and songs are of following types: legendary bravery (Kissa and Ragini of male warriors and female Satis), love and romance (Been and its variant Nāginī dance, and Ragini), ceremonial (Dhamal Dance, Ghoomar, Jhoomar (male), Khoria, Loor, and Ragini).[42]
Folk music and songs
Haryanvi folk music is based on day to day themes and injecting earthly humor enlivens the feel of the songs.[42] Haryanvi music takes two main forms: "Classical folk music" and "Desi Folk music" (Country Music of Haryana),[45] and sung in the form of ballads and love, valor and bravery, harvest, happiness and pangs of parting of lovers.[44][45][46]
Classical Haryanvi folk music
Classical Haryanvi folk music is based on Indian classical music.[45] Hindustani classical ragas, learnt in gharana parampara of guru–shishya tradition, are used to sing songs of heroic bravery (such as Alha-Khand (1663-1202 CE) about bravery of Alha and Udal, Jaimal Fatta of Maharana Udai Singh II), Brahmas worship and festive seasonal songs (such as Teej, Holi and Phaag songs of Phalgun month near Holi).[45][46] Bravery songs are sung in high pitch.[44]
Desi Haryanvi folk music
Desi Haryanvi folk music (Haryanvi country folk music) The country-side or desi (native) form of Haryanvi music is based on Raag Bhairvi, Raag Bhairav, Raag Kafi, Raag Jaijaivanti, Raag Jhinjhoti and Raag Pahadi and used for celebrating community bonhomie to sing seasonal songs, ballads, ceremonial songs (wedding, etc.) and related religious legendary tales such as Puran Bhagat.[45][46] Relationship and songs celebrating love and life are sung in medium pitch. Ceremonial and religious songs are sung in low pitch.[44] Young girls and women usually sing entertaining and fast seasonal, love, relationship and friendship related songs such as Phagan (song for eponymous season/month), Katak (songs for the eponymous season/month), Samman (songs for the eponymous season/month), bande-bandi (male-female duet songs), sathne (songs of sharing heartfelt feelings among female friends).[44] Older women usually sing devotional Mangal Geet (auspicious songs) and ceremonial songs such as Bhajan, Bhat (wedding gift to the mother of bride or groom by her brother), Sagai, Ban (Hindu wedding ritual where pre-wedding festivities starts), Kuan-Poojan (a custom that is performed to welcome the birth of a child by worshiping the well or source of drinking water), Sanjhi and Holi festival.[44]
Socially normative-cohesive impact
Music and dance for Haryanvi people is a great way of demolishing societal differences as folk singers are highly esteemed and they are sought after and invited for the events, ceremonies and special occasions regardless of their caste or status. These inter-caste songs are fluid in nature, and never personalized for any specific caste, and they are sung collectively by women from different strata, castes, dialects. These songs do transform fluidly in dialect, style, words, etc. This adoptive style can be seen from the adoption of tunes of Bollywood movie songs into Haryanvi songs. Despite this continuous fluid transforming nature, Haryanvi songs have a distinct style of their own as explained above.[44]
Cuisine
81% people of Haryana are vegetarian,[47] and cuisine of Haryana is based on fresh, earthy and wholesome ethos of its agrarian culture, where staples are roti, saag, vegetarian sabzi and abundance of milk products such as homemade nooni or tindi ghee, ghee (clarified butter), milk, lassi, kheer.[48]
Geography
Haryana is a landlocked state in northern India. It is between 27°39' to 30°35' N latitude and between 74°28' and 77°36' E longitude. The total geographical area of the state is 4.42 m ha, which is 1.4% of the geographical area of the country.[50] The altitude of Haryana varies between 700 and 3600 ft (200 metres to 1200 metres) above sea level.[51] Haryana has only 4% (compared to national 21.85%) area under forests.[8] Karoh Peak, a 1,467-metre (4,813 ft) tall mountain peak in the Sivalik Hills range of the greater Himalayas range located near Morni Hills area of Panchkula district, is highest point in Haryana.[52][53][54][55]
Plains and mountains
Haryana has four main geographical features.
Hydrography
Yamuna River near the Haryana Border
The Yamuna, tributary of Ganges, flows along the state's eastern boundary.[57]
Northern Haryana has several north-east to south-west flowing rivers originating from the Sivalik Hills of Himalayas, such as Ghaggar-Hakra (palaeochannel of vedic Sarasvati river),[58] Chautang (paleochannel of vedic Drishadvati river, tributary of Ghagghar),[59][60] Tangri river (tributary of Ghagghar),[59][60] Kaushalya river (tributary of Ghagghar),[61][62] Markanda River (tributary of Ghagghar),[59][60] Sarsuti,[59][60] Dangri,[59][60] Somb river.[63] Haryana's main seasonal river, the Ghaggar-Hakra, known as Ghaggar before the Ottu barrage and as the Hakra downstream of the barrage,[58] rises in the outer Himalayas, between the Yamuna and the Satluj and enters the state near Pinjore in the Panchkula district, passes through Ambala and Sirsa, it reaches Bikaner in Rajasthan and runs for 460 km (290 mi) before disappearing into the deserts of Rajasthan.[64] The seasonal Markanda River, known as the Aruna in ancient times, originates from the lower Shivalik Hills and enters Haryana west of Ambala, and swells into a raging torrent during monsoon is notorious for its devastating power, carries its surplus water on to the Sanisa Lake where the Markanda joins the Sarasuti and later the Ghaggar.[64]
Southern Haryana has several south-east to north-west flowing seasonal rivulets originating from the Aravalli Range in and around the hills in Mewat region, including Sahibi River[65][66][67][68] (called Najafgarh drain in Delhi),[69][70][71][72][73] Dohan river (tributary of Sahibi, originates at Mandoli village near Neem Ka Thana in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan and then disappears in Mahendragarh district),[66][68] Krishnavati river (former tributary of Sahibi river, originates near Dariba and disappears in Mahendragarh district much before reaching Sahibi river)[66][68] and Indori river (longest tributary of Sahibi River, originates in Sikar district of Rajasthan and flows to Rewari district of Haryana), these once were tributaries of the Drishadwati/Saraswati river.[74][75][76]
Major canals are Western Yamuna Canal,[77] [78][79] Sutlej Yamuna link canal (from Sutlej river tributary of Indus), [78][79] and Indira Gandhi Canal.[80]
Major dams are Kaushalya Dam in Panchkula district,[81] Hathnikund Barrage[77][82] and Tajewala Barrage on Yamuna in Yamunanagar district,[77][83][84] Pathrala barrage on Somb river in Yamunanagar district,[77][84] ancient Anagpur Dam near Surajkund in Faridabad district,[85][86] and Ottu barrage on Ghaggar-Hakra River in Sirsa district.[87][88][89]
Major lakes are Dighal Wetland, Basai Wetland, Badkhal Lake in Faridabad,[90][91][92] holy Brahma Sarovar[93][94] and Sannihit Sarovar in Kurukshetra,[95] Blue Bird Lake in Hisar,[96][97] Damdama Lake at Sohna in Gurgram district,[98][99] Hathni Kund in Yamunanagar district,[77][82] Karna Lake at Karnal,[100] ancient Surajkund in Faridabad,[85][101][102] and Tilyar Lake in Rohtak.[103][104][105]
The Haryana State Waterbody Management Board is responsible for rejuvenation of 14,000 Johads of Haryana and up to 60 lakes in National Capital Region falling within the Haryana state.[106][107]
Only hot spring of Haryana is the Sohna Sulphur Hot Spring at Sohna in Gurugram district.[108][109] Tosham Hill range has several sacred sulphur pond of religious significance that are revered for the healing impact of sulfur, such as Pandu Teerth Kund, Surya Kund, Kukkar Kund, Gyarasia Kund or Vyas Kund.[110]
Seasonal waterfalls include Tikkar Taal twin lakes at Morni hiills, Dhosi Hill in Mahendragarh district and Pali village on outskirts of Faridabad.
Climate
Haryana is extremely hot in summer at around 45 °C (113 °F) and mild in winter. The hottest months are May and June and the coldest December and January.[74] The climate is arid to semi-arid with average rainfall of 354.5 mm. Around 29% of rainfall is received during the months from July to September, and the remaining rainfall is received during the period from December to February.[50]
Flora and fauna
State symbols of Haryana Formation day 1 November (Day of
separation from Punjab) State mammal Black buck[111] State bird Black francolin State tree Peepal[111] State flower Lotus[111]
Forests
Forest Cover in the state in 2013 was 3.59% (1586 km2) and the Tree Cover in the state was 2.90% (1282 km2), giving a total forest and tree Cover of 6.49%.[112] In 2016-17, 18,412 hectares were brought under tree cover by planting 14.1 million seedlings.[8] Thorny, dry, deciduous forest and thorny shrubs can be found all over the state. During the monsoon, a carpet of grass covers the hills. Mulberry, eucalyptus, pine, kikar, shisham and babul are some of the trees found here. The species of fauna found in the state of Haryana include black buck, nilgai, panther, fox, mongoose, jackal and wild dog. More than 450 species of birds are found here.[113][114][115]
Wildlife
Haryana has two national parks, eight wildlife sanctuaries, two wildlife conservation areas, four animal and bird breeding centers, one deer park and three zoos, all of which are managed by the Haryana Forest Department of the Government of Haryana.[116][117]
Environmental and ecological issues
Haryana Environment Protection Council is the advisory committee and |Department of Environment, Haryana]] is the department responsible for administration of environment. Areas of Haryana surrounding Delhi NCR are most polluted. During smog of November 2017, Air quality index of Gurugram and Faridabad showed that the density of Fine particulates (2.5 PM diameter) was an average of 400 PM and monthly average of Haryana was 60 PM. Other sources of pollution are exhaust gases from old vehicles, stone crushers and brick kiln. Haryana has 75 lakh (7,500,000) old vehicles, of which 40% are old more polluting vehicles, besides 500,000 new vehicles are added every year. Other majorly polluted cities are Bhiwani, Bahadurgarh, Dharuhera, Hisar and Yamunanagar.[118]
Administration
Divisions
The state is divided into 6 revenue divisions, 5 Police Ranges and 3 Police Commissionerates (c. January 2017).[119][120][121][122] Six revenue divisions are: Ambala, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Hisar, Karnal and Faridabad.[119] Haryana has 10 municipal corporations (Gurugram, Faridabad, Ambala, Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Rohtak, Hisar, Panipat, Karnal and Sonepat), 18 municipal councils and 52 municipalities (c. Jan 2018).[123]
Within these there are 22 districts, 72 sub-divisions, 93 tehsils, 50 sub-tehsils, 140 blocks, 154 cities and towns, 6,841 villages, 6212 villages panchayats and numerous smaller dhanis.
Districts
Law and order
Haryana Police force is the law enforcement agency of Haryana. Five Police Ranges are Ambala, Hissar, Karnal, Rewari and Rohtak.[124] Three Police Commissionerates are Faridabad, Gurgaon and Panchkula.[119] Cybercrime investigation cell is based in Gurgaon's Sector 51.[125]
The highest judicial authority in the state is the Punjab and Haryana High Court, with next higher right of appeal to Supreme Court of India. Haryana uses e-filing facility.[126]
Governance and e-governance
The Common Service Centres (CSCs) have been upgraded in all districts to offer hundreds of e-services to citizens, including application of new water connection, sewer connection, electricity bill collection, ration card member registration, result of HBSE, admit cards for board examinations, online admission form for government colleges, long route booking of buses, admission forms for Kurukshetra University and HUDA plots status inquiry.[127] Haryana has become the first state to implement Aadhaar-enabled birth registration in all the districts.[127] Thousands of all traditional offline state and central government services are also available 24/7 online through single unified UMANG app and portal as part of Digital India initiative.[128][129]
Economy
Haryana's 14th placed 12.96% 2012-17 CAGR[14] estimated 2017-18 GSDP of US$95 billion[8] is split in to 52% services, 30% industries and 18% agriculture.[8]
Services sector is split across 45% in real estate and financial & professional services, 26% trade and hospitality, 15% state and central govt employees, and 14% transport and logistics & warehousing.[8] In IT services, Gurugram ranks number 1 in India in growth rate and existing technology infrastructure, and number 2 in startup ecosystem, innovation and livability (Nov 2016).[16]
Industries sector is split across 69% manufacturing, 28% construction, 2% utilities and 1% mining.[8] In industrial manufacturing, Haryana produces India's 67% of passenger cars, 60% of motorcycles, 50% of tractors and 50% of the refrigerators.[8]
Services and industrial sectors are boosted by 7 operational SEZs and additional 23 formally approved SEZs (20 already notified and 3 in-principal approval) that are mostly spread along the Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Amritsar Delhi Kolkata Industrial Corridor and Delhi Western Peripheral Expressway in NCR).[8]
Agriculture sector is split across 93% crops and livestock, 4% commercial forestry and logging, and 2% fisheries.[8] Agriculture sector of Haryana, with only less than 1.4% area of India, contributes 15% food grains to the central food security public distribution system,[8] and 7% of total national agricultural exports including 60% of total national Basmati rice export.[8]
Agriculture
Crops
Haryana is traditionally an agrarian society of zamindars (owner-cultivator farmers). The Green Revolution in Haryana of 1960s[130] combined with completion of Bhakra Dam in 1963[131] and Western Yamuna Command Network canal system in 1970s resulted in the significantly increased food grain production.[130]
In 2015-2016, Haryana produced the following principal crops: 13,352,000 tonne wheat, 4,145,000 tonne rice, 7,169,000 tonne sugarcane, 993,000 tonne cotton and 855,000 tonne oilseeds (mustard seed, sunflower, etc.).
Fruits, vegetables and spices
Vegetable production was: Potato 853,806 tonnes, Onion 705,795 tonnes, Tomato 675,384 tonnes, Cauliflower 578,953 tonnes, Leafy Vegetables 370,646 tonnes, Brinjal 331,169 tonnes, guard 307,793 tonnes, Peas 111,081 tonnes and others 269,993 tonnes.[8]
Fruits production was: Citrus 301,764 tonnes, Guava 152,184 tonnes, Mango 89,965 tonnes, Chikoo 16,022 tonnes, Aonla 12,056 tonnes and other fruits 25,848 tonnes.[8]
Spices production was: Garlic 40,497 tonnes, Fenugreek 9,348 tonnes, Ginger 4,304 tonnes and others 840 tonnes.[8]
Flowers and medicinal plants
Cut flowers production was: Marigold 61,830 tonnes, Gladiolus 24,486,200 lakh, Rose 18,611,600 lakh and other 6,913,000 lakh.[8]
Medicinal plants production was: Aloe vera 1403 tonnes and Stevia 13 tonnes.[8]
Livestock
Haryana is well known for its high-yield Murrah buffalo.[132][133][134][135] Other breeds of cattle native to Haryana are Haryanvi, Mewati, Sahiwal and Nili-Ravi.[136]
Research
To support its agrarian economy, both central government (Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Central Sheep Breeding Farm, National Research Centre on Equines, Central Institute of Fisheries, National Dairy Research Institute, Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research and National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources) and state government (CCS HAU, LUVAS, Government Livestock Farm, Regional Fodder Station and Northern Region Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute) have opened several institutes for research and education.[137][138][139]
Industrial sector
Manufacturing
The headquarters of DLF Limited , India's largest real estate company, in Gurgaon, Haryana.
Utilities
Haryana State has always given high priority to the expansion of electricity infrastructure, as it is one of the most important inputs for the development of the state. Haryana was the first state in the country to achieve 100% rural electrification in 1970 as well as the first in the country to link all villages with all-weather roads and provide safe drinking water facilities throughout the state.[158][better source needed]
Power in the state are:
Services sector
Transport
Admin map of Haryana with RTO codes
Roads and Highways
Haryana has a total road length of 26,062 kilometres (16,194 mi), including 2,482 kilometres (1,542 mi) 29 national highways,[163] 1,801 kilometres (1,119 mi) state highways,[164] 1,395 kilometres (867 mi) Major District Roads (MDR) and 20,344 kilometres (12,641 mi) Other District Roads (ODR) (c. December 2017).[165] A fleet of 3,864 Haryana Roadways buses covers a distance of 1.15 million km per day, and it was the first state in the country to introduce luxury video coaches.[166]
Ancient Delhi Multan Road and Grand Trunk Road, South Asia's oldest and longest major roads, pass through Haryana. GT Road passes through the districts of Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Ambala in north Haryana where it enters Delhi and subsequently the industrial town of Faridabad on its way. The 135.6 kilometres (84.3 mi) Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway(KMP) will provide a high-speed link to northern Haryana with its southern districts such as Sonipat, Gurgaon, and Faridabad.[167]
The Delhi-Agra Expressway (NH-2) that passes through Faridabad is being widened to six lanes from current four lanes.[168] It will further boost Faridabad's connectivity with Delhi.
Railway
Rail network in Haryana is covered by 5 rail divisions under 3 rail zones. Diamond Quadrilateral High-speed rail network,[169] Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (72 km)[170] and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (177 km)[171] pass through Haryana.
Bikaner railway division of North Western Railway zone manages rail network in western and southern Haryana covering Bhatinda-Dabwali-Hanumangarh line, Rewari-Bhiwani-Hisar-Bathinda line, Hisar-Sadulpur line and Rewari-Loharu-Sadulpur line.[172][173] Jaipur railway division of North Western Railway zone manages rail network in south-west Haryana covering Rewari-Reengas-Jaipur line, Delhi-Alwar-Jaipur line and Loharu-Sikar line.[174]
Delhi railway division of Northern Railway zone manages rail network in north and east and central Haryana covering Delhi-Panipat-Ambala line, Delhi-Rohtak-Tohana line, Rewari–Rohtak line, Jind-Sonepat line and Delhi-Rewari line.[175][176][177][178][179] Agra railway division of North Central Railway zone manages another very small part of network in south-east Haryana covering Palwal-Mathura line only.[180][181]
Ambala railway division of Northern Railway zone manages small part of rail network in north-east Haryana covering Ambala-Yamunanagar line, Ambala-Kurukshetra line and UNESCO World Heritage Kalka–Shimla Railway.[182]
Metro
Delhi Metro connects the national capital Delhi with NCR cities such as Faridabad, Gurugram and Bahadurgarh. Faridabad has the longest metro network in the NCR Region consisting of 9 stations and track length being 14 km.[183]
Sky Way
The Haryana and Delhi governments have constructed the 4.5-kilometre (2.8 mi) international standard Delhi Faridabad Skyway, the first of its kind in North India, to connect Delhi and Faridabad.[184]
Communication and media
Haryana has a statewide network of telecommunication facilities. Haryana Government has its own statewide area network by which all government offices of 22 districts and 126 blocks across the state are connected with each other thus making it the first SWAN of the country.[185][186][187] Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and most of the leading private sector players (such as Reliance Infocom, Tata Teleservices, Bharti Telecom, Idea Vodafone Essar, Aircel, Uninor and Videocon) have operations in the state. Two biggest cities of Haryana, Faridabad and Gurgaon which are part of National Capital Region come under the local Delhi Mobile Telecommunication System. The rest of the cities of Haryana comes under Haryana Telecommunication System.
Electronic media channels include, MTV, 9XM, Star Group, SET Max, News Time, NDTV 24x7 and Zee Group. The radio stations include All India Radio and other FM stations.
The major newspapers of Haryana include Dainik Bhaskar, Punjab Kesari, Jag Bani, Dainik Jagran, The Tribune, Amar Ujala, Hindustan Times, Dainik Tribune, The Times of India and Hari-Bhumi.
Healthcare
The Total Fertility Rate of Haryana is 2.3. The Infant Mortality Rate is 41 (SRS 2013) and Maternal Mortality Ratio is 146 (SRS 2010–2012).[188]
Education
Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS Rohtak
Literacy
Literacy rate in Haryana has seen an upward trend and is 76.64 percent as per 2011 population census. Male literacy stands at 85.38 percent, while female literacy is at 66.67 percent. In 2001, the literacy rate in Haryana stood at 67.91 percent of which male and female were 78.49 percent and 55.73 percent literate respectively.[189] As of 2013 , Gurgaon city had the highest literacy rate in Haryana at 86.30% followed by Panchkula at 81.9 per cent and Ambala at 81.7 percent.[190] In terms of districts, as of 2012 Rewari had the highest literacy rate in Haryana at 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy was 79%, and female 67%.[191]
Schools
Haryana Board of School Education, established in September 1969 and shifted to Bhiwani in 1981, conducts public examinations at middle, matriculation, and senior secondary levels twice a year. Over seven lakh candidates attend annual examinations in February and March; 150,000 attend supplementary examinations each November. The Board also conducts examinations for Haryana Open School at senior and senior secondary levels twice a year.[192] The Haryana government provides free education to women up to the bachelor's degree level.
In 2015-2016, there were nearly 20,000 schools, including 10,100 state government schools (36 Aarohi Schools, 11 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, 21 Model Sanskriti Schools, 8744 government primary school, 3386 government middle school, 1284 government high school and 1967 government senior secondary schools),[193] 7,635 private schools (200 aided,[194] 6612 recognized unaided,[195] and 821 unrecognied unaided private schools.[196])and several hundred other central government and private schools such as Kendriya Vidyalaya, Indian Army Public Schools, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and DAV schools affiliated to central government's CBSE and ICSE school boards.
Universities and higher education
Haryana has 29 universities and 299 colleges, including 115 government colleges, 88 govt-aided colleges and 96 self-finance colleges (c. Jan 2018).[197] Hisar has three universities: Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University - Asia's largest agricultural university,[198] Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences); several national agricultural and veterinary research centres (National Research Centre on Equines),[199] Central Sheep Breeding Farm,[200] National Institute on Pig Breeding and Research,[201] Northern Region Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute[202] and Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB);[203] and more than 20 colleges including Maharaja Agrasen Medical College, Agroha.[204]
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad announced on 27 February 2016 that National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) would be set up in Kurukshetra to provide computer training to youth and a Software Technology Park of India (STPI) would be set up in Panchkula's existing HSIIDC IT Park in Sector 23.[205] Hindi and English are compulsory languages in schools whereas Punjabi, Sanskrit and Urdu are chosen as optional languages.[206]
Sports
In the 2010 Commonwealth Games at Delhi, 22 out of 38 gold medals that India won came from Haryana.[207] During the 33rd National Games held in Assam in 2007, Haryana stood first in the nation[208] with a medal tally of 80, including 30 gold, 22 silver and 28 bronze medals.
The 1983 World-Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev is from Haryana. Nahar Singh Stadium was built in Faridabad in the year 1981 for international cricket. This ground has the capacity to hold around 25,000 people as spectators.[209] Tejli Sports Complex is an Ultra-Modern sports complex in Yamuna Nagar. Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Gurgaon is a multi-sport complex.[210]
Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar announced the "Haryana Sports and Physical Fitness Policy", a policy to support 26 Olympic sports, on 12 January 2015 with the words "We will develop Haryana as the sports hub of the country."[211]
Haryana is home to Haryana Gold, one of India's eight professional basketball teams which compete in the country's UBA Pro Basketball League.
See also
Notes
References
Government
General information |
The California State Assembly’s approval of Senate Bill 687 on Friday may prevent the closure of the Alta Bates Medical Center on Ashby Avenue, which contains Berkeley’s only emergency room.
State Senator Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, first introduced the bill into the senate in February to address the lack of emergency care in California. The bill also passed in the State Senate in the spring and will now go to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk. If signed into law, nonprofit hospitals statewide — Alta Bates included — will be required to receive the state attorney general’s approval before closing emergency departments.
“Right now, there’s nothing in California law that protects you and I from nonprofit hospitals closing either the whole hospital or the emergency room,” Skinner said. “There’s nothing to provide any kind of consumer protection.”
America’s Emergency Care Environment gave the state a grade of “F” in the Access to Emergency Care category in its 2014 EM Report Card. According to the report, California has the lowest number of emergency departments per capita in any U.S. state.
SB 687 received only 36 favorable votes in the assembly Thursday night — five short of the 41 votes needed for approval — before being reconsidered and ultimately passed by 46 assembly members Friday.
According to Skinner, the current law requires the attorney general’s review and consent for any sale of nonprofit hospitals. SB 687, however, would extend the attorney general’s approval to the closure of emergency rooms, such as Alta Bates.
Sutter Health intends to close the Alta Bates location in Berkeley and relocate acute care services to its Summit Campus in Oakland by 2030. The organization cited financial difficulties in its efforts to comply with seismic regulations as the reason for the proposed closure of the Berkeley emergency center.
State Assemblymember Catharine Baker, R-Dublin, who voted against SB 687, expressed concern in an emailed statement about the increased political influence on hospital closures, stating that “these decisions should stay local to the communities most affected.”
Jan Emerson-Shea, vice president of external affairs for the California Hospital Association, said she believes the bill will only add “another layer of bureaucratic oversight” without addressing the underlying reasons behind emergency department closures.
She added that many hospitals do not receive the amount of money needed from the state to retrofit their facilities to comply with the state’s seismic requirements, and she also pointed to low reimbursement rates from Medi-Cal as a primary cause of hospital closures in California.
“No one ever wants to close a hospital, but unfortunately there are circumstances when there are no other options,” Emerson-Shea said. “It almost always comes down to money.”
In response to financial concerns, Skinner said the attorney general will take into account the financial state of an emergency room when assessing a proposed closure.
“Clearly, if an emergency room is just not financially viable, then the attorney general is not going to interfere with the closure,” Skinner said. “But if the closure is going to seriously impact a community’s access to essential health care services and financial viability is not the real reason for the closure, then the intent is the attorney general will intervene.”
California State Assemblymember Marc Levine, D-Marin County, said he voted in favor of the bill because he believes emergency care to be critical to health in any community.
“There is concern that some hospitals may close emergency departments in favor of other services that bring in greater revenue,” Levine said. “This bill is in response to those concerns.”
Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín said the potential closure of the Alta Bates Medical Center in Berkeley would limit access to emergency care for thousands of Berkeley residents — as well as students, faculty and staff on the UC Berkeley campus — because it contains Berkeley’s only acute care hospital room.
Arreguín said the city is willing to work with Sutter Health to resolve issues and to ensure basic emergency care will be provided for all residents.
“I strongly support SB 687 because currently, local jurisdictions have no voice in the closure of hospitals,” Arreguín said. “(Alta Bates’ closure) will have a huge impact on the residents of Berkeley and the East Bay to get access to emergency care. It will put people’s lives at risk.”
Contact Danielle Kaye at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @danielledkaye. |
"Climate change is already decimating ice-dependent seals," the 'X-Files' star and longtime animal rights advocate urged the Canadian prime minister in a letter.
Gillian Anderson wants to save baby seals from the annual hunt on Canada's east coast.
The X-Files star on Wednesday wrote Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to call for an end to the nation's annual commercial seal hunt. Anderson, who has shot TV series in the country over 20 years, told the Canadian leader that the impact of environmental change was already curtailing the nation's annual cull of harp seals.
"Climate change is already decimating ice-dependent seals. It has resulted in less ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Without ice, baby seals drown," the Hollywood actress, who is a longtime supporter of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), told Trudeau in the letter obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
Pamela Anderson (Baywatch), Sarah McLachlan and Kelly Osborne have taken part in previous PETA campaigns to save seals from annual commercial hunts. Though their own seal hunt is distinct from those on the Atlantic east coast, Canada's indigenous Inuit community counters that seal harvesting provides crucial jobs and food for villagers in isolated northern communities in Canada.
"I hope to hear that you, as a leader who has been progressive on many issues, will lift the dark cloud tarnishing Canada's reputation and proud history," Anderson wrote Trudeau. |
David Moyes has made no secret of his admiration for Marouane Fellaini but is apparently yet to make a move
If Sir Alex Ferguson had suddenly got sight in his blind spot last summer and brought in Marouane Fellaini, there would have been wild rejoicing on the streets of Manchester (insert your own joke here). Six years after buying the increasingly unqualified success that is Michael Carrick and five years after getting his fingers burned with Owen Hargreaves, Ferguson would have basked in baking-hot praise for finally bringing physicality, energy, height, experience and goal threat to United's central midfield. Especially if he had made his move after Fellaini had beasted Tom Cleverley in the opening game of the season.
A year on and there's a sniffiness about the same player possibly joining David Moyes' United, despite that player easily outscoring any of United's midfielders in the Premier League last season. Yes, he played in a more advanced role for Everton, but the fact that he also out-tackled any of United's midfielders suggests that he was not simply standing behind Nikica Jelavic waiting to get his big fluffy head on Leighton Baines' diagonal balls.
Fellaini is on a very short list of central midfielders in the Premier League who a) are realistically available to United and b) would significantly improve them. We would argue that list is just three or four names long: Fellaini, Tottenham's Sandro/Mousa Dembele and Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye. The Spurs pair would cost £40m each with added Levy tax while Cabaye's 2012/13 season could be filed under 'underwhelming'. There are no such caveats for Fellaini, who is available for a reported £23.5m, even after a phenomenal season which he finished as the Toffees' top scorer.
The transfer of a combative, goalscoring midfielder for a reasonable price sounds like a no-brainer and yet there has been collective sighing and tutting from United fans who see any potential move for the Belgian as a cop-out from Moyes. After failing with moves for Thiago and Cesc Fabregas, the Scot will have merely done what we all suspected all along - gone back to his old club and bought their best player. Too easy. Too obvious. Presumably the sighing and tutting fans think Moyes should ignore the best available central midfielder outside the Premier League's top five on the grounds that he was the manager who made him the best available central midfielder outside the Premier League's top five.
At 25, Fellaini is the same age as Anderson and just two years older than Cleverley. Neither of those players - the current candidates to partner Carrick in United's midfield - are in his class. Fellaini may have played behind a lone striker for Moyes at Everton but the Belgian himself explained that change in May: "I'm happy with my season, although I didn't play in my best position. I'm not a No10. David Moyes predicts my future as a defensive midfielder, but due to a lack of offensive power, he plays me up front." At United, Moyes could play him in a withdrawn role but have the option of pushing him further forward if a more direct style was required. His height offers a versatility not found in alternatives like Sami Khedira or Lars Bender.
It has been argued before that Moyes cannot be blamed for missing out on a player given the option of joining his former coach at the European champions and, should Barcelona refuse to sell Fabregas, that failure can hardly be laid at Moyes' door either. If his reaction to those disappointments is to turn to Fellaini - one of the better options available across Europe - he should at least be judged on the same criteria as his predecessor. What would have been an intelligent signing a year ago cannot become a cop-out just because Moyes used to manage Fellaini.
In an ideal world, Moyes would presumably prefer to make more of a statement of intent in the transfer market but if he begins next season with Fellaini and Baines as his only significant summer signings then he will have still significantly improved a squad that has just won the Premier League. Wasn't that his brief at the beginning of the window?
This article first appeared on Football365 |
One woman in five over the age of 45 doesn’t have children, but often it’s not through infertility or choice but because the man in her life isn’t keen
According to the Office for National Statistics, one woman in five today is childless at the age of 45, compared with only one in nine women born in 1940 (file picture)
They’d been together for 18 years. They were photographed with arms entwined on many a red carpet and gushingly described each other as the love of their life.
Then – bam! – in September this year Mad Men star Jon Hamm and his partner Jennifer Westfeldt announced they had split.
Now 44 and newly single, Jon is reportedly thinking of having children – and no doubt a string of bright young women will happily volunteer to help him achieve this ambition. However, for Jennifer, 45, things are very different.
For her, motherhood is now unlikely. Not a problem?
Perhaps. But there are signs that at some point during their nearly two-decades-long relationship, she hoped that Jon might be the father of her children.
In 2011, aged 41, she said, ‘It’s funny – we’re certainly not opposed [to the idea],’ when asked in an interview about whether the couple had any plans for a family.
One year later, she confessed rather poignantly to the New York Times, ‘I never thought I’d be this age and not have kids.’
It’s a phrase that rings bitterly in Sarah’s ears. At 53, she is single, having divorced her husband Ed in 2006 after 15 years of marriage. The reason? She was unable to get over his refusal to have children with her.
Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt were together for 18 years together before their split. He is reportedly thinking of having children
‘We married when we were in our 20s, so when he told me he wasn’t ready for children “yet”, it seemed fair enough.
'Then he said he’d think about it when he was 35,then when he’d been promoted and so on, until I was nearly 40.
'At that point he told me that he’d changed his mind and didn’t want children at all. I felt utterly betrayed.’
Women such as Sarah, and perhaps Jennifer, too, are the childless ones we rarely hear about. Childlessness is on the increase.
According to the Office for National Statistics, one woman in five today is childless at the age of 45, compared with only one in nine women born in 1940.
Yet it’s not always a case of ‘didn’t want’ or ‘couldn’t have’, explains Jody Day, founder of Gateway Women, an international support network for involuntarily childless women, and author of Rocking The Life Unexpected.
Many of these women are, as she puts it, ‘childless by relationship’.
These women don’t have harrowing stories of infertility or IVF, they didn’t put their pursuit of a pay rise ahead of parenthood, and neither are they perennial singletons who ‘never found the right man’.
Instead they are often fiercely maternal women in relationships that they firmly expected would lead to babies, only to find themselves with men who can’t or won’t have children with them.
‘Women who are childless by relationship have usually done everything right,’ says Day.
‘They are the honourable ones who waited to be in a committed relationship, always took the pill and never cheated a man into pregnancy.
'Then the relationship finishes and they end up being treated like an idiot for being so careful and seen – as childless women so often are – as selfish, career-oriented and unloving.’
Sinitta dated Simon Cowell on and off for almost 20 years, from her teens to her mid-30s, even terminating his baby after accidentally becoming pregnant in the 1980s
Relate counsellor Peter Saddington agrees that childlessness by relationship is a common problem.
‘I see both men and women who want children when their partner either doesn’t, or doesn’t want them yet,’ he says.
‘The difference is that women run out of time much earlier.’
When men in their 40s and 50s split from a long-term partner, they can go on to have children with a younger woman.
In 2013, the singer Sinitta, now 52, had an emotional Twitter meltdown on discovering that her former boyfriend Simon Cowell, then 53, was expecting an unplanned baby with his 36-year-old girlfriend Lauren Silverman.
Sinitta had dated Cowell on and off for almost 20 years, from her teens to her mid-30s, even terminating his baby after accidentally becoming pregnant in the 1980s.
She confessed to a newspaper, ‘I wanted to marry him and have children with him. I think he thought he didn’t want children and he never would.’
She confessed to feeling ‘betrayed’ when she heard the news, saying, ‘There was a certain amount of comfort in my not having a child with Simon as he never wanted to have children. That’s who he was, so you accepted it.
'Then, to discover that he is going to have a child, only with someone else and they’re building this life together…’
Sinitta was widely ridiculed for her outburst, but Day describes her feelings as ‘grief – it’s really that powerful. Women in this position are grieving. Yet it’s rarely taken seriously. It’s seen as their own fault.’
Sinitta spent her fertile years with Cowell, then, when that relationship ended, struggled to conceive with her now ex-husband Andy Willner and eventually adopted two children. Saddington believes that many women tend to blame themselves.
‘Part of the problem is that because of their choices in the past, such as staying with a man despite his not wanting children, they can feel enormous regret’.
Some struggle to come to terms with childlessness; others pin their hopes on adoption, knowing that their chances are slim.
As Day says, ‘Adoption as a single working woman is particularly difficult.’
Simon last year with new partner Lauren Silverman and their son Eric. Sinitta confessed to feeling ‘betrayed’ when she heard the news of his impending fatherhood
Unlike Cate Blanchett and Sandra Bullock, who adopted babies in the U.S., in the UK you are more likely to be offered an older child from a troubled background. Day warns that this may not fill the emotional void that biological childlessness leaves.
‘It’s possible to adopt a child and then find that although everyone now thinks you’re a mother, you still feel childless – and guilty about feeling this way.’
Women who are childless by relationship, says Day, are often motivated by self-sacrifice: ‘For example, some chose partners with addiction or mental health issues that took up both of their lives until it was too late.’
Sadly, many don’t realise that getting well or sober is no guarantee that babies will follow.
Online forums are full of poignant comments from the abandoned wives of former alcoholics.
One says, ‘He told me he had to find himself and that I was too good for him. I’d supported him for many years, and now I feel very bitter.’
In fact, a quarter of marriages break up within a year of one partner joining Alcoholics Anonymous, according to research conducted by Barbara McCrady, former clinical director of the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies.
It may be no coincidence, therefore, that Jon Hamm went into rehab for alcoholism just months before his split with Jennifer. Single fathers aren’t the solution they might seem either.
Many don’t want more children – especially if they’re worried about the effect on the ones they already have.
‘Women fantasise that by becoming stepmothers they are acquiring children, but being a childless stepmother can be hell.
'You end up with all the responsibility and constraints of parenting, but with none of the natural authority or unconditional love of biological motherhood,’ Day points out.
Paula, 41, a teacher, is in that position.
‘My partner of four years has two teenage boys who are pretty demanding. I thought I’d been quite clear that I wanted children and he never led me to doubt that we would have them, but whenever I raised the subject, he would gloss over it.
'When I turned 40, I started pushing hard and he admitted he never wanted more children.
'He told me that actually what he wants is time for himself. We still love each other deeply and although it does – and will – cause issues and resentment, I’ve decided to stay with him. It’s not as if I could meet someone else and have children now anyway.
'But it’s hard. Although I know I won’t have kids, part of me still cannot accept it.’
Sarah feels betrayed by her ex-husband’s change of mind. Paula believes her partner was deliberately vague about children.
Day says she’s heard of men who’d had vasectomies and lied that they wanted children – even pretended to try for them. So how can men be so cruel to the women they profess to love?
‘A change of mind is upsetting, but it’s unusual that it’s deliberately deceitful,’ says Relate counsellor Arabella Russell.
‘We change a lot in relationships and, while we hope to grow together, sometimes we grow apart.
'Indecision about children can indicate doubts over the future of the relationship. But it could also indicate a fear that a child could be destructive to the romantic relationship.’
Such worries could be rooted in an unhappy childhood.
In 2008, Jon Hamm, whose parents were divorced, said, ‘I think when people come from a stable family having children becomes a celebration and I’m not sure it would be that way for me.’
Saddington says that sometimes what appears to be a betrayal comes down to a simple, if catastrophic, misunderstanding.
He says, ‘A woman might have been under the impression he’s agreed to have children when he’s 35, only for him to turn round and say, “No, I said I’d think about it when I’m 35.”’
Russell says false assumptions can arise from intense feelings at the initial stage of a love affair.
‘You are so completely enmeshed you feel like one person,’ she says.
‘In this state you can convince yourself, with little or no evidence, that your partner wants what you want.’
You might think that discussing whether – and when – to have children would automatically precede a couple moving in together, let alone getting married, but this isn’t always so.
The high cost of living and the erosion of social stigma means that couples can slide into living together out of economic necessity rather than a true desire for commitment.
Women can find themselves quasi-married, without ever having discussed anything more profound than whether to buy a new sofa.
They may then find raising the topic of children excruciatingly difficult. ‘Women hate to appear pushy or needy,’ says Day.
‘We are brought up to put other people’s needs ahead of our own, so if we sense reluctance, instead of insisting on a frank discussion, we may just drop hints.
'Women are particularly wary of being called a “bunny boiler” if they tell a man that their time is running out. But this isn’t desperation or being uncool; it’s simply being honest about biological facts.’
So if you want children and you aren’t sure your partner feels the same way, when should you raise the subject, and how?
The key time, says Russell, is ‘when you become aware that your relationship is long-term; when you discuss your hopes and dreams and it’s clear you’re going to have a future together.
'This is a good time to raise the subject of children to see if you have similar views.’
And if he’s reluctant to discuss it?
‘If there is any sense that a subject can’t be talked about, it really needs to be,’ says Russell.
It won’t necessarily be easy and, of course, you may not get the answers you want.
‘Counselling can help if you can’t find a resolution.’
But, says Saddington, ‘If you know you want to be a parent, you must have that conversation. Open up the debate sooner rather than later.
'Bear in mind your age and your and your mother’s medical histories.
'Don’t wait until you don’t have enough time.’
For more information and support, visit relate.org.uk and gateway-women.com
MISSED OUT ON MOTHERHOOD?
Nicole Scherzinger, 37, and Lewis Hamilton, 30, have had an on/off relationship since they met in 2007. After their latest split in February, Nicole was interviewed by American TV host Wendy Williams who warned her, ‘[Men] can have babies whenever they want. Those are seven years you can never get back.’ Nicole has confirmed that she wants children: ‘I will definitely get married and have kids. It’s just who I am inside’
Actress Kate Walsh, 48, star of Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy, always thought she would marry ‘and have three or four kids’. However, in 2008 she split from her husband, film executive Alex Young, and has since said, ‘I feel like a loser for not having kids. I would definitely love to be a parent. But I definitely don’t think I want to do it on my own’
Actress Kristen Wiig, 42, was married to actor Hayes Hargrove for four years before the pair divorced in 2009. She then dated The Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti, splitting in 2013. Kristen has said, ‘I’d like to have a family. I would love to have kids’ |
Peter Harvey denies a charge of attempted murder in July 2009 A science teacher beat a pupil around the head with a dumbbell while shouting "die, die, die", a court heard. Peter Harvey, 50, hit the 14-year-old boy with a 3kg weight at All Saints' Roman Catholic School, Mansfield, a jury heard. He denies attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, but has admitted a charge of GBH. Nottingham Crown Court was told students were filmed calling Mr Harvey a "psycho" moments before the attack. Another pupil was filming as Mr Harvey tried to restore discipline. The injured schoolboy, whom Mr Harvey confronted for misbehaving in class, suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. At the time the blows were being struck Mr Harvey was only heard to say one thing... 'die, die, die'
Stuart Rafferty QC Stuart Rafferty QC, prosecuting, said Mr Harvey was sent home from the school in December 2008 after telling an education adviser he might harm somebody. He returned to the classroom in April 2009. Mr Harvey was "happy" and "positive" on the morning of the attack, the court heard. But, after a girl with behavioural difficulties started being disruptive it was alleged he kicked her, Mr Rafferty said. He added: "She left the classroom in a state of tears and some of the class took exception to the way she had been treated and started calling him a psycho. "He didn't seem to respond to that and told the class to get on with their work." 'Chased round classroom' The schoolboy victim then started waving a wooden metre rule and a metal Bunsen burner about in "high jinks" before he was attacked, the court heard. Mr Harvey chased him round the classroom and the boy swore at him, the jury was told. Mr Rafferty said: "That seems to have lit the blue touch paper because Mr Harvey grabbed him by his collar and started dragging him out of the classroom. "He threw him to the ground and armed himself with a 3kg dumbbell and began to hit the boy about the head with it. "He struck at least two blows to the head which caused serious injury, really serious injury. "At the time the blows were being struck Mr Harvey was only heard to say one thing. "What he was saying was 'die, die, die'." 'Felt no emotion' The court heard that one pupil tried to drag Mr Harvey off the boy, who was lying on his back looking "frightened and confused". The teacher was kneeling above him, raising the dumbbell to shoulder height for each of the blows. Mr Rafferty said: "No-one can say for one moment what happened to this boy was deserved or justified. "What he [Mr Harvey] did was grossly disproportionate to the wrong inflicted on him by the boy or other members of the class." The court heard that Mr Harvey later told police he felt like he was watching himself on television. He said he was not feeling any emotion and "couldn't think at all". 'Mental breakdown' The jury was told one 15-year-old girl, who was in the class when the attack happened, claimed she confronted Harvey about his behaviour moments before the attack. In an interview given to police, she said: "I said to him, 'Sir, I think you are having a mental breakdown' because people were scared of him. He started murmuring something about killing me." Describing the attack, the girl added: "He grabbed him by the neck and forced him out into the corridor. The class ran out and he got him to the floor. "By this time he was doing something to him. He grabbed a weight and hit him on the head constantly. He didn't stop and blood was everywhere. "Everyone was screaming and then two people went and got teachers." The trial continues.
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Metal Gear turns 25 next year, and Hideo Kojima is planning something - but don't expect to see it at this year's E3.
In July of 1987, Konami released a top-down "stealth-based" action game for the MSX2 computer system called Metal Gear, a game which would eventually see release on the NES. Eleven years later, in 1998, Metal Gear Solid for the PlayStation brought the series to a new level of popularity, officially making it one of the biggest names in gaming.
July of 2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the Metal Gear series, and creator Hideo Kojima has something big planned to celebrate. At least, that's the news from a very quick yes-or-no Q&A session in the latest Kojima Productions podcast, according to Andriasang. There is no word on anything related to the 25th anniversary celebration other than that.
However, Kojima's many "no" answers were as illuminating as his "yes" ones. According to Kojima, he will not be appearing at Microsoft's E3 press conference, he will not be announcing a Metal Gear Solid 5, they will not be showing the multiplayer of MGS: Rising, and there are no plans to port MGS4 to Sony's NGP, tech demonstrations notwithstanding.
On the other hand, Kojima did confirm that the 3DS remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - also known as the best game in the franchise and one of the best games ever made - will be seeing a release by the end of the year. That's something, anyway.
I would be very surprised if Kojima did announce MGS5, seeing as how Peace Walker was already supposed to be MGS5.
(Andriasang, via Eurogamer) |
(bonchan / Shutterstock)
A recent episode of This American Life explored the theme of Doppelgangers, and by far the most sensational segment hinged on a report that pig rectum was being sold as imitation calamari. A reporter for the show, Ben Calhoun, got a tip about a farmer "with some standing in the pork industry" who is in charge of "a pork producing operation that spans several states." One fine day this farmer was visiting a pork processing plant in Oklahoma, and noticed boxes stacked on the floor labeled "artificial calamari." Asked what that meant, the plant's manager, his friend, replied, "Bung. It's hog rectum." For clarity, Calhoun adds, "Rectum that would be sliced into rings, deep fried, and boom, there you have it."
Mmmmm, rectum. "It's payback for our blissful ignorance about where our food comes from," Calhoun theorizes, and in the course of his fascinating report, he spoke with the farmer, who confirmed the story but declined to go on record about the incident—because his girlfriend warned him about his name being linked to pig rectum in Google searches. Smart man. But the plant's manager, Ron Meek, did agree to speak on record. He claimed he never personally saw the label "artificial calamari" but that's what he was told by the people he worked for. And in an interview, his bosses backed the assertion that pig rectum was being sold for use as imitation calamari. They just couldn't say where.
Bung, by the way, is the industry term for the product, which This American Life describes in nauseating detail. But if you eat sausages, you shouldn't be too grossed out, because chances are you've enjoyed bung, among other things, on more than one occasion. As for the calamari question, the plant manager wouldn't say what happened to the bung once it got out the door—they ship a lot of it to Asia. Obviously it would be illegal in America to serve pork rectum and call it calamari, and the USDA says they've never heard of anyone trying to pass pork bung as squid.
But there's all sorts of shady things that go on with seafood, as we've learned again and again. And it's worth noting that "cleaned hog bung" goes for half the price of squid. One food industry attorney tells This American Life, "The regulation we have is not designed to catch an offense like this. It's aimed mostly at sanitation and food safety. If someone wanted to do it, chances are they'd get away with it."
In the end, Calboun was unable to find anyone who would admit to any knowledge of pork rectum being passed off as calamari, but many people in the restaurant industry told him, essentially, anything's possible. After listening to the whole segment, which we highly recommend, we're desperately trying to forget the last time we had calamari. And moving forward, we have a hunch our disgust for pig rectum is going to override our desire for calamari. But be sure to listen all the way to the end, because Calhoun goes all the way with this thing—"eating our way to the truth"—to see if rectum can indeed pass the calamari taste test. On second thought, maybe you really don't want to know. |
Just how livable can a 135-square-foot micro-house really be? That’s what an interdisciplinary group of students, faculty and alumni at Savannah College of Art and Design set out to learn with ‘SCADpad,’ an experiment that has turned a parking garage into a village of tiny houses.
The larger question that the team wanted to answer was, how can design change the world? SCADpad is an example of transforming an uninhabitable space into sustainable and efficient housing using the millions of parking spaces in the United States that are typically vacant at any given time.
Each of the three SCADpad units has its own theme and visual identity reflecting the college’s global footprint, with a common green space fostering a sense of community. It took 10 months to design and develop the project, from its architectural footprint down to the remote home controls.
Artists from SCAD helped design and decorate the interiors, including large-scale paintings, making these tiny houses visually dazzling, but it’s clear that they’re pretty practical, as well.
Students, faculty and special guests lived in the SCADpads from April through June of 2014, documenting the experience on Instagram. |
GSM handsets use high-power amplifiers to achieve maximum communication distance to the base station. These amplifiers consume large currents bursting at relatively low frequency rates that can interfere with the typical operation of a handset, resulting in what the human ear commonly hears as an objectionable repeated humming noise.
This phenomenon can often be heard as a handset is placed in close proximity to a speaker phone or other electronic device.
Problem description
How often have you been in your company’s conference room and placed your handset near a speakerphone and have later heard heard an intrusive, repeated humming sound – sometimes even when the handset is turned on but not being used? Move the phone further away from the speakerphone and the problem is reduced.
echo do_shortcode('[inread_parallax slot="DFP-EW-InRead2-Mobile" width="300"]'); ?
echo do_shortcode('[inread_parallax slot="DFP-EW-InRead2-Mobile" width="300"]'); ?
A similar situation can be observed when placing a GSM handset near an AM or even FM radio. This unpleasant repeated humming sound is often referred to by handset design engineers as “GSM buzz”.
The problem can occur within a handset completely by itself, especially if the RF power amplifier chip is at its maximum output level.
Handsets contain efficient batteries that must provide on-demand power to the RF power amplifier chip.
Power amplifier chips deliver large amounts of RF energy within the 850MHz to 950MHz or 1800MHz to 1900MHz GSM bands.
The +33dBm GSM power is delivered within these bands at 217Hz modulated bursting intervals. Figure 1 (above right) illustrates the burst content within the audio range typical in a GSM phone.
Creating audio buzz
The 217Hz bursting results in large power excursions from the handset battery. These excursions are typically one to two amperes, depending on the efficiency of the power amplifier.
Because of these large current transients, slight amounts of resistance and inductance result in 217Hz voltage transients throughout the entire cell phone. Figure 2 (above) illustrates a typical voltage transient resulting from the 217 RF power transients. It illustrates the power at an audio chip.
It is interesting to note that both the power supply rail and the ground reference have shifted. This suggests there is impedance in each of the nodes. The 217 in effect square-wave envelope may also contain harmonics that exist well into the audio band.
This parasitic resistance and inductance can be identified in numerous places within a handset. These are often found in within the battery itself, within PCB inter layer vias, traces resistance and even connectors.
Bypass and decoupling
The first, most logical, solution is to implement both bypass and decoupling capacitors adjacent to the power amplifier chip, and then also to the audio components themselves supporting audio paths. It is good practice to focus first on the power amplifier and then retest after these components have been added.
Because of the large currents, the size of the decoupling capacitor adjacent to the RF power chip often needs to be very large. Size and cost limitations mean the size of this capacitor must be reduced, resulting in greater-than-normal voltage excursions.
Bypass capacitors (0.01µF typical) should also be used because the edge rates of the power transients can well exceed the bandwidth of a decoupling capacitor. These capacitors must be placed close to the PA chip.
A large decoupling cap may be placed in parallel with the battery to reduce the transients from the internal resistance of the battery. However, the drops associated with the PCB and flex circuit still exist, and the possibility for GSM buzz remains.
Power amplifier chip
The PA chip must have large, low inductance and low-resistance ground and power paths. This includes connectors, flex circuits, printed circuit boards and solder pads.
The routing must be as direct as possible, with minimum excursions. Ideally, both power and ground are designed as planes through to the PA device.
However, this is often not the case because of space limitations. It is also important to not run a power path to the PA chip directly over audio paths. Modulated power rails can easily couple into audio circuits and be amplified.
Via utilisation
Poor power and grounding through vias remain the biggest contributor to difficult GSM buzz problems. If possible, route traces through PCBs, flex circuits and connects to minimise via utilisation. If vias must be used, it is good practice to double up or use quadruple vias all in parallel, and ensure that both power and ground paths contain adequate protection.
High resistance points
More expensive multi-meters precisely measure resistance using four-wire measurement. This technique uses four wires and normally four terminals of the meter, called source and sense, to effectively remove the resistance of the meter leads, leaving only the measured resistance.
Voltage drops
Knowing that the transient currents can be 1-2A, a resistance of only 50mohm can result in a voltage drop of 100mV in each path, both ground and power. It is important to recognise that sometimes the drop may be in a power path, but not a ground path. |
Blade Runner it's considered one of the top science fictions movies ever made and the father of the future noir movie genre. Almost 31 years after its release, rumours about a sequel or prequel are still hot, besides the fact we probably won't see Harrison Ford as Deckard again, let's wish for the best.
Enough talking, here are some amazing collection of artworks inspired by this classic movie. Just in case you don't know what Blade Runner is about, here's the Wikia. All images and authors on this post are linked to the original source, I'm not owner so If you got interested just click right on the image.
Dani Blázquez
Vlad Rodriguez
artificialdesign
Grzegorz Domaradzki
Kako
AlexAmezcua
guang2222
Lisatz
AnnaWieszczyk
Ent4ry
mygrimmbrother
revans239
Rockomics
Smolb
Mag3llan
JacobCharlesDietz
alicexz
AshcanAllstars
Harnois75
Laggyzaki |
Steven Monjeza leaves Tiwonge Chimbalanga for a woman a week after the couple were freed from jail in Malawi
They became an international cause celebre after being sentenced to 14 years in prison under Malawi's draconian laws against homosexuality.
But today the story of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, the first same sex couple to seek marriage in Malawi, took a further twist when it emerged that they had separated and one of the men now has a female partner.
Outrage over their convictions for gross indecency and unnatural acts last month gave way to relief when the country's president, Bingu wa Mutharika, freed them on "humanitarian grounds".
Their separation was called as a "tragedy" by one campaigner who blamed it on homophobic threats and abuse. Monjeza, 26, has begun a relationship with Dorothy Gulo, a 24-year-old from Blantyre.
Monjeza, who faced family hostility towards his previous relationship with Chimbalanga, said he no longer wanted to be associated with homosexuality.
"I have had enough," he said. "I was forced into the whole drama and I regret the whole episode. I want to live a normal life ... not a life where I would be watched by everyone, booed and teased."
Chimbalanga, 20, said Monjeza had found a female lover "to hurt" him. "But I am not worried. You cannot force love, and nobody forced him when we did our symbolic wedding in December."
He insisted that he did not resent Monjeza's decision. "I will also marry because there are lots of good men around. I will remain a gay," he told the Guardian.
Monjeza, who lives in Kameza, a village six miles from Blantyre, has been pressurised by relatives to leave and seek a heterosexual relationship instead. His uncle, Khuliwa Dennis Monjeza, has expressed determination to prevent the two men reuniting. Others warned Chimbalanga not to set foot in the village, threatening that they would "deal with him".
George Thindwa, director of a local human rights group, said he saw the split coming. "Monjeza was always a reluctant person in this partnership, but they managed to get the waters tested and they have seen the waters are rough," he said.
The former political prisoner, who represents the Association for Secular Humanism, said it was now up to other gay men and women – who largely keep their sexuality private for fear of stigma and imprisonment – to pick up the baton and fight for their rights. "Malawi will never be the same on the gay issue," he said. "The couple have opened a can of worms."
Others paid tribute to the men's courage. Peter Tatchell, of the gay rights group Outrage!, said: "It is a tragedy that homophobic threats and abuse have forced this couple apart. They were deeply in love. The pressure has got to Steven. Very understandably, he wants a quiet, safe life. This would not be possible if he remained with Tiwonge. They would both be at risk of violent attack."
Tatchell, who was in communication with the couple for more than four months via prison visitors he arranged, added: "Tiwonge and Steven never set out to be political, but they have done more for gay and transgender rights in Malawi than anyone else.
"I salute them. They are lions of Africa. They have helped continue the unfinished African liberation struggle by seeking freedom for gay, bisexual and transgender Africans." |
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Gujarat police said they had made the single biggest seizure of gold smuggled into India on Tuesday after arresting six people leaving an airport with 60 kg of the precious metal flown in from Dubai.
Police officials pack seized gold bars in a bag after they displayed it at a police station in Ahmedabad February 24, 2015. REUTERS/Amit Dave
The arrest is likely to strengthen pressure on Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to cut the gold import duty from a record-high 10 percent in his budget on Saturday.
India is the world’s top buyer of gold, and the high duty has made illegal shipments profitable. The World Gold Council estimates that 175 tonnes of gold were smuggled into the country last year.
“Smuggling is happening because of high customs duty on gold,” said Prithviraj Kothari, executive director of the India Bullion & Jewellers’ Association, adding that smuggling may rise in 2015 if import duties remain high.
“If we want smuggling to become unattractive, the government should bring down duty to 2-4 percent.”
Five men and one woman were arrested outside the airport in Ahmedabad, police said.
Of the six, three had arrived on an Emirates flight from Dubai while the others waited outside the airport, in Gujarat state.
Acting on a tip-off, police caught them as they were loading bags containing gold into a car, senior police officer A.K. Sharma told Reuters.
The gold in the bags was worth more than $2.57 million, Sharma said.
The suspects told police that traders pay them up to $1,600 for one trip on top of free air tickets, food and hotel costs.
In India, smugglers risk a jail term of up to seven years, although such a penalty is rare and the main deterrent is confiscation of the gold.
When the country first started stifling gold imports in 2013 to tackle a widening trade deficit, smugglers went to the extent of getting human mules to swallow nuggets or hiding gold bars in dead cows.
($1 = 62.1900 Indian rupees) |
UPDATED: we now have the confirmed list of those appearing at this years Only Fools and Horses Convention 2014. The confirmed line-up are
Steven Woodcock – Jevon
Philip Pope – Tony Angelino
Nabil Elouahabi – Garrrrrry
John Challis – Boycie
Gwyneth Strong – Cassandra
Tessa Peake-Jones – Raquel
Michael Fenton Stevens – Alan Perkins
Paul Barber – Denzil
Sarah Duncan – Lady Victoria
Sue Holderness – Marlene
Jeff Stevenson – PC Parker and Stag Night Comedian
The Only Fools and Horses Convention 2014 is is now being planned. It’s in its 17th year and going stronger than ever. Below are some FAQ’s regarding the Only Fools and Horses Convention 2014 …
Is there an Only Fools and Horses 2014 convention ?
Yes there is! The convention is now in it’s 17th year an still as popular as ever. Buy your tickets online here at our shop Take a look at the previous convention here
What is the line up for the 2014 convention ?
To be confirmed, but as in previous years, many of the usual cast will be there.
When is the Only Fools and Horses convention 2014 ?
So when is the next only fools and horses convention. Well, Perry has just informed me to put Sunday October 26th 2014 in your diary.
Where is Only Fools convention 2014 ?
Watford Leisure Centre Woodside, Horseshoe Lane, Garston, Watford WD25 7HH So don’t forget to book your tickets now and have a great family day out on October 26th 2014 Buy online here at our shop |
An advocate of creationism who recently sat on the Texas State Board of Education panel that decided which science textbooks to use in Texas schools has attempted to stop the Houston Museum of Natural Science from offering rental space to area atheist and humanist groups to discuss the scientific basis for evolution.
David Shormann, a Houston-area author who holds a Ph.D. in aquatic science and has self-published a book dedicated to the thesis that evolution is a “lie,” called the Houston Atheists group “religiously intolerant” and condemned what he termed the group’s “bigotry” in demanding that the museum refuse to rent space to the group for today’s event, “Answers In Science: What On Earth Do We Know?”
“It is un-American to support such religious intolerance and false claims that Christians are ‘anti-science,’” wrote Shormann on his personal blog. Some of the topics on the agenda for the event, according to it co-sponsor Humanists of Houston, include, “a scientific counterpoint to some of the radical, pseudo-scientific claims that are out there (e.g. that the universe is less than 7,000 years old, and that dinosaurs co-existed with humanity).”
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On his blog, Shormann compared the group’s advocacy of these views to the advocacy of, “scientific” findings that Jewish people were inferior and Hitler was right about wanting to kill them all.”
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The Museum declined to cancel the event, posting a statement in the comments section of Shormann’s blog which asserted, “we do not have a position on any religion, politics or other topics of that nature. We rent space to a variety of groups, and, at times, it’s possible that their objectives may conflict.”
In 2011 Shormann was appointed to a state textbook review panel. He objected to a science textbook from publisher Holt MacDougal which Shormann said contained eight “errors” with regard to the theory of evolution. However, scientists and the publisher reviewed Shormann’s claims and found that the supposedly erroneous factual assertions were in fact correct.
Sources: Texas Freedom Network (1), Texas Freedom Network (2), David Shormann Blog, Politifact, Amazon.com
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Posted July 26th at 1:00pm.
Ah, the quarterback. It’s the only position in football where even the most casual of fan forms an opinion. Whether it’s Peyton Manning who could apparently do no wrong, or Jay Cutler who could, well, he was sort of the opposite of that, QBs are the most recognized players in football. Just like in the NFL, a solid QB is the foundation of Madden offensive success. Here, we take a look at the top five signal callers in Madden NFL 18.
1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots Wait, do you hear that? That’s the silence of Brady’s critics. He’s the G.O.A.T. You get to be named that after winning five Super Bowl rings, the most recent of which was won after the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. For that, he’s earned his spot in the coveted Club 99. Inside sources here at EA say that this was Brady’s biggest goal all along. I’m basing that on a complete lack of inside sources though, and have zero evidence to support that theory.
2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers If Brady is in Club 99, then Rodgers is the first guy in line outside, wondering if he dressed right for the occasion. You could argue that Rodgers has the greatest set of intangibles at the QB position. There just isn’t a single throw he can’t make. To prove it, his Throw on the Run rating is an outstanding 97, the best in the game. With Rodgers at the helm, your offense is scoring. It’s just that simple.
3. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons Brady might be the G.O.A.T., but Matt Ryan was the best QB of 2016. He led the league in most passing stats. and starts the year with a 96 OVR. Which isn’t bad when you consider he started last year at, let’s see here, at 84! Ryan performed so well that he climbed that high in just a year. He earned his spot among the Madden elite.
4. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints Brees has been among the top Madden QBs for years. He’s a methodical pocket passer and it shows in his ratings. His Awareness is 99, the only QB besides Brady to score that high. He moves well in the pocket, too, with a Juke rating of 70, which should come in handy whether it’s running for a gain or shaking past an edge rusher.
5. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers With a 91 OVR, Big Ben rounds out Madden 18’s top five signal callers. Roethlisberger is a tough QB to bring down. For that, his Strength rating is 82, strongest among QBs and providing some second chances on offense if pass rushers can’t bring him down. With a 93 Throw on the Run rating, he’s second only to Rodgers. Whether it’s after the line collapses and you’re extending the play, or throwing with his feet set, few in Madden are better than Roethlisberger.
Honorable Mentions The last two QBs rated 90 or above are Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck, but let’s talk about some guys that could be on the rise once the season starts. Cam Newton is starting this year at 88 OVR. Last year was one to forget for Super Cam. Look for him to climb back into the 90s quickly. Historically, the Carolina Panthers’ offense doesn’t throw to running backs very often. They clearly look to change that up by drafting Christian McCaffrey.
The Dallas Cowboys’ new signal caller is doing everything he can to avoid a sophomore slump. One thing to consider, Dez Bryant. Prescott and Bryant didn’t have much chemistry last season. With an offseason to work on their game, look for Prescott and Bryant to establish themselves early in the season and for their ratings to climb. -Daniel Williams |
Bet you didn't know that in addition to being America's arbiter of America's morality, Bill O'Reilly is a prophet. At least that's what he thinks now that a judge has ruled that Utah's laws governing non-legal polygamy (cohabitation) are unconstitutional (In other words, Bill Hendrickson's "Big Love" thing would now be fine). While the judge's decision has absolutely no connection to same sex marriage, Bill is patting himself on the back (must be quite the indentation there) over how his prediction, that gay marriage would lead to polygamy, has no come to pass. And now, resting securely on his delusional laurels, Bill is making another prediction. Last night, Bill, who is "looking out for the country," warned that same sex marriage will destroy the institution of marriage. Wonder if he still thinks that same sex marriage will lead to inter-species marriage? But it's funny because Bill's marriage came to a rather nasty end and I don't think it had *anything to do with gay marriage!
Judge Andrew Napolitano described the court decision which he supports. The judge articulated the libertarian view, that "it's none of the government's business who you live with, who you marry, and what your relationship is to them." He noted that for libertarians, "it's a good thing," but not so much for people like Bill who "think it's bad." O'Reilly said that because Napolitano is a libertarian he wants libertarian things. He added that "I don't do that, as you know." (WTF?) After the judge said "I want personal liberty," (not for abortion you don't!), Bill pontificated that he is "above" the judge because he views this from the perspective of "what's best for the country." O'Reilly, who is not a sociologist or a clinician but plays them on TV, opined that he doesn't think "chaos in the home is best for the country."
When the judge asked if gay marriage causes chaos in the home, O'Reilly responded that gay marriage doesn't but polygamy does. He cited a hypothetical polygamous situation to suggest that this causes family chaos as well as - wait for it - increased welfare payments. He accused Napolitano and Stossel of wanting people to do "anything they want." Bill alluded to - wait for it- "the dissolution of the African-American family, when 71% of African-American babies are born out of wedlock." (Can't resist slut shaming black women, can ya, Bill!) Napolitano responded that this is because of dependence on federal government. (Way to say that blacks are stupid and lazy, right Judge?)
America's patriarch said that "you have seen the chaos from the lack of a man, a father and a mother in the home." (Did Bill's kids "suffer" when their mother finally moved out of Bill's mansion?) His voice getting louder, Bill said that "society is adding more chaos on top of the dissolution of the traditional family and you libertarians are swell with this." Napolitano informed Bill that if the children are harmed, the state has the right to intervene. Bill's voice dripped with sarcasm as he said "it's too late then."
Bill closed in for the coup de resistance: "We went down this road of marriage equality, that's the euphemism...and what it is going to lead to is a fundamental dissolution of marriage in this country." To the judge's question of whether the government should tell us who we should live with, Bill pontificated, "all I am doing is looking out for the country...and I'm right and you're wrong as usual."
In addition to pulling, as Senator Al Franken used to say, facts from his ass, Bill O'Reilly is no pulling predictions from his pompous posterior. The great commonwealth of Massachusetts approved same sex marriage in 2004 and it still has the lowest rate of divorce. Now that same sex marriage has been legalized, gay couples are getting married (Your humble correspondent was a witness at a wonderful summer gay marriage!) and that means more marriages. If the marriage rate is going down, it is a result of many factors none of which relate to gay marriage or polygamy.
Bill O'Reilly really believes that he knows better than anybody what's best for America. In reality, he is a legend only in his mind. In reality, he has become a caricature of himself, the TV version of the old man yelling at kids to get off his lawn. Sad, actually...
*Could falafal have been a factor? |
Italian former PM's parties shocked me, says Imane Fadil adding that she was later warned to keep quiet by a 'mysterious' man
A model testifying at Silvio Berlusconi's trial for paying for underage sex has given dramatic evidence of young women dressed as nuns and footballers stripping at the former prime minister's parties, and has claimed she was warned not to speak about what she had seen.
Moroccan Imane Fadil, 27, told the court she watched as two young women donned black habits and crucifixes to perform a pole dance before stripping to their underwear. At another party, a Brazilian model wearing a mask of the footballer Ronaldinho and an AC Milan shirt stripped to her G-string.
Fadil is one of at least three women who have come forward to deny Berlusconi's claims that his "bunga bunga" parties at his mansion outside Milan in 2010 were more than just "elegant dinners".
Shocked at what she saw at her first party, Fadil said Berlusconi took her into his office and handed her a watch, earrings and €2,000 (£1,650) in an envelope, stating: "Don't be offended, but I know you women are always in need."
Fadil said she declined to stay the night, and claimed the women who did were paid more for sex. "The girls complained they were afraid of diseases," she said. "But they all competed to stay because whoever stayed earned a lot more."
The nights, she said, were arranged by Nicole Minetti, a former TV showgirl now regional councillor for Berlusconi's party – who was one of those allegedly dressed as a nun – and Emilio Fede, a former newscaster on one of his TV channels.
Both are separately standing trial for procuring prostitutes for Berlusconi, who stepped down as prime minister in November. They deny the charges.
Berlusconi's trial, which started last April, centres on his relationship with Moroccan runaway Karima el-Mahroug, known as Ruby the Heart Stealer, who attended parties aged 17. Mahroug denies working as a prostitute and has said she never had sex with the former prime minister. Paying a prostitute under 18 is illegal in Italy. Berlusconi is also charged with pressuring police to hush up the case.
He has said large sums of money he gave to Mahroug were to prevent her straying into prostitution, while he has also claimed he believed she was a relative of former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak.
Fadil, who is also a Moroccan national, said that on one occasion a fellow party guest had told her Mahroug had "extremely compromising" photos and videos of the parties.
After news of Berlusconi's parties emerged, Fadil said she was repeatedly contacted by a "mysterious" blond, blue-eyed man who invited her to a meeting at Berlusconi's mansion and gave her an untraceable mobile phone to stay in touch.
She told the court: "That person threatened me and told me, 'If you say something about our meeting, it's your business.'" Asked by Berlusconi's lawyers why she had not spoken before of the meetings, Fadil replied: "I was scared, and I am scared today to walk out of this courtroom."
After refusing to meet Berlusconi. Fadil said she was contacted by Fede. "He made me understand that I should not talk about what I had seen," she said.
• This article was amended on 17 and 18 April 2012. It was originally amended to reflect that Karima el-Mahroug denies working as a prostitute. The footnote has been corrected to show that the original was not wrong to say Berlusconi is standing trial for paying an underage prostitute. |
FCC Fines Company Caught Blocking Wi-Fi To Force Visitors On To Their Own, Absurdly-Priced Services
from the packet-shenanigans dept
"It is unacceptable for any company to charge consumers exorbitant fees to access the Internet while at the same time blocking them from using their own personal Wi-Fi hotspots to access the Internet,” said Travis LeBlanc, Chief of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau. “All companies who seek to use technologies that block FCC-approved Wi-Fi connections are on notice that such practices are patently unlawful."
"As recommended by the Department of Commerce and Department of Defense, we have occasionally used technologies made available by major equipment manufacturers to prevent wireless devices from significantly interfering with and disrupting the operations of neighboring exhibitors on our convention floors. This activity resulted in significantly less than one percent (1%) of all devices being deauthenticated and these same technologies are widely used by major convention centers across the globe as well as many federal agencies."
"While we have strong legal arguments, we’ve determined that mounting a vigorous defense would ultimately prove too costly and too great a distraction for our leadership team. As a result, we’ve chosen to work cooperatively with the FCC, and we are pleased to have resolved this matter. We are eager to return our energies to providing leadership to our industry and delivering world-class services to our clients."
The FCC has fined yet another company for blocking user Wi-Fi access in order to drive customers to the company's own, ridiculously-expensive Wi-Fi options. According to an FCC announcement , regulators have fined Smart City Holdings, LLC $750,000 for blocking user access to Wi-Fi at a number of convention centers served by the company. More specifically, Smart City was caught using common technology that sends de-authorization packets to user devices, kicking them off of their own personal hotspots or tethered smartphones while in Smart City business locations.This was done, says the FCC, so that users would have to use Smart City's own service, which according to this brochure for the Charlotte convention center (pdf), is provided at pricing that's downright comical. Smart City offers convention center exhibitors access to 24 hours of blisteringly-fast (1.5 Mbps) Wi-Fi for $80, three days of Wi-Fi for $160, or five days for $360. If you're just a conference center visitor your options get even slower, with the company providing 768 kbps Wi-Fi service for $13 per 24 hours.Obviously most users would rather just use their own phone as a hotspot to avoid these charges, and the FCC reminds everyone that acting like a jackass and preventing this from happening to make additional money simply isn't ok:This is the second time the FCC has had to step in and slap some wrists. The company fined Marriott $600,000 last year for the same thing, though Marriott was blocking local Wi-Fi to drive users to even more expensive,Wi-Fi service. Marriott originally tried to fight the agency by arguing this was all done to protect the safety and security of their customers, but sheepishly backed off of the practice once they realized the court of public opinion was very clearly not on its side.Like Marriott, Smart City apparently couldn't help itself, and felt it necessary to issue a bullshit statement pretending the practice was about network security:So yeah, uh, we weren't being anti-competitive asses, we were simply worried about network security (the irrelevant DOD reference is a nice touch though). Fortunately, Smart City's statement also makes it clear they see the futility of fighting the FCC on this issue:Yeah, it's probably a good idea to get back to what you do best: charging outrageous pricing for pathetically-slow Wi-Fi service.
Filed Under: blocking, conferences, fcc, fine, wifi
Companies: smart city |
Last month, Google’s Chairman Eric Schmidt appeared before the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee to answer questions about whether the company’s practices were anti-competitive. Schmidt hedged many of his answers with qualifications, but two points jumped out.
The two most interesting things he said indicated plainly that he did not believe that Apple was a competitive threat and that he admitted that Google was a dominant force in the search market.
Now, the committee has released a full list of the written answers to their additional questions posed to Schmidt and he has changed his tune on both of those points.
In relation to Apple as a competitor, Schmidt calls Siri a “significant development” and that its effectiveness as a search tool somewhat blindsided Google. “Google has many strong competitors and we sometimes fail to anticipate the competitive threat posed by new methods of accessing information.”
Additionally, in the written answers, Schmidt states that Google is, in fact, not dominant in search and said that the company has ‘worked very hard’ to be where it is and has also been ‘blessed with some good luck’.
“I am confident that Google competes vigorously with a broad range of companies that go well beyond just Microsoft’s Bing and Yahoo,” said Schmidt, “and that Google has none of the characteristics that I associate with market power.”
It would appear from the way that Schmidt has changed his tune about both competitors and specifically Apple, that he believes that Siri poses a significant competitive threat to Google’s current search business.
Many of the questions issued during the initial hearing revolved around whether the ‘instant results’ of stock quotes, mapped directions and other items that Google returned effectively before other results on its search pages constituted competition.
Now Google is faced with a similar competitive strategy on Apple’s platform, with Siri. When you ask Siri a question, it searches the web only as a last resort and bypasses Google for anything that it can retrieve from partner deals with Wolfram Alpha and Yelp.
Apple is effectively out-Googling Google, and Schmidt sees this as a threat. Or, at the very least, he wants the Senate Subcommittee to think that he does.
Read next: Windows Phone is one of the big three, whether you like it or not |
MELBOURNE forward Jesse Hogan has hit back at criticism of his goalkicking, saying he “found it quite funny”.
Former Demons goalkicker David Schwarz this week labelled Hogan’s kicking as “shocking” and “a disgrace”, with the young gun admitting that he has managed to find the lighter side of the lashing.
He said it was simply “a bit of an off day”, and thinks Schwarz can keep his views to himself.
“Last year I was pretty accurate. I found it quite funny to be honest, but hopefully I’ll switch on for Round 1 and kick a bit straighter,” he said.
“I got tagged on Twitter in something last night. His accuracy was about 58 per cent or something and mine’s 69 (per cent).
“I don’t think I’ll be going to him for advice — he can just keep his headlines on the radio and stay over there to be entirely honest.”
Schwarz responded to Hogan’s comments soon after on radio, saying that is his opinion and he’s sticking to it.
“We can’t honestly look at his goalkicking and say it can be conducive to a successful career going forward,” he said on SEN after hearing the comments.
“It’s just like any footballer - they’ve got to work on the area they’ve got a deficiency in.
“That was the exact point.
“I’m not the bloke to teach him. There are a lot of goalkicking coaches out there. The observation was made by me and many.”
Hogan said while it’s hard to believe given the Etihad Stadium roof was closed, wind played a factor in his poor showing from set shots.
“You’re probably not going to believe me because we were at Etihad, but as I was running in there was a bit of wind,” he laughed.
“I tried to kick it that hard and got absolutely none of it and then got about five more kicks for the day. It wasn’t ideal.”
He said defensive teammate Tom McDonald “did a bit of a fist-pump” when Giants forward Jeremy Cameron was rubbed out of the sides’ Round 1 meeting, and said while “you don’t like to see any player miss ... it is handy.” |
Reporting from Toronto — There are occasions in baseball that define players beyond their salaries or statistics, moments that are about emotions and not numbers.
For one night, Vernon Wells could escape the constant reminders of how low his batting average is, or how high his salary is. On this night, he had the happiest of homecomings.
"It's something I'll be able to tell my kids about," Wells said, "when they forget I played this game."
First game back in Toronto, after 12 years with the Blue Jays. First at-bat. First pitch.
Home run.
Wells put the Angels ahead for good, in a 5-1 victory for which more credit went to Ervin Santana than to Wells. Santana pitched his third complete game in four starts, closing within two outs of a shutout until Eric Thames homered in the ninth inning.
In his last five starts, he is 5-0 with a 1.29 earned-run average, those three complete games and a no-hitter. He has not lost since June 21. |
The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland: Raymond le Gros’ fort at Baginbun.
In the second wave of the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, Raymond le Gros and his small force landed at the promontory fort at Baginbun in Wexford in May 1170, and awaited the arrival of Strongbow and his army.
Google Earth image of the promontory fort at Baginbun.
The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland commenced with the landing of Robert fitz Stephen and Maurice de Prendergast at Bannow Bay in May 1169. The second wave of Anglo-Normans, lead by Raymond le Gros, landed about the 1st of May 1170 at Baginbun south of Fethard-on-Sea on the Hook Head peninsula in Wexford. Le Gross, who had 10 men at arms and 70 archers, was joined by Hervey de Montmorency with a few more, and established a defended camp at Baginbun constructed of banks and ditches with a palisade. Le Gros and his men were attacked at Baginbun by a combined force of 3,000 Norsemen drawn from the City of Waterford and their Irish allies. Although outnumbered the Normans managed to drive off the attackers and take prisoners. Le Gross remained at Baginbun until Strongbow, Richard fitz Gilbert de Clare, landed near Waterford on the 23rd of August with an army of 1,200 and their combined forces took the City of Waterford on the 25th of August.
Plan of the promontory fort at Baginbun after Westrop 1906.
It was not until 1898 that the location of Baginbun was identified in a paper read by Goddard Orpen to the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. Orpen, on the basis of historical, literary, placename, folklore and topographical evidence identified the promontory fort of Dundonnell in Ramstown townland as the site of Baginbun.
Baginbun consists of two lines of fortifications. An outer perimeter 230m long that cuts off the main part of the headland, an area of 22 acres, with a high bank, a berm or fosse and a higher external bank. The inner and possibly earlier defences cut off the small promontory that juts out to the north-east. These defences consist of a deep ditch with high banks on the internal and external sides with a causewayed entrance.
Further Reading
Goddard H. Orpen 1898. Notes on certain promontory forts in the Counties of Waterford and Wexford. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 5th series, Vol. 8, No. 2, 155-60.
T. J. Westrop 1906. Site of Raymond’s fort, Dundunnolf, Baginbun. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 5th series, Vol. 8, No. 3, 239-58
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One fun aspect of Festivals is that, while roaming the areas, you might stumble upon something you are not familiar with.. Or, if you are lucky, something obscure, a hidden gem of sorts. Last month there was a yearly held comic festival, where I ended up buying the small graphic story collection, ”Becoming an Ex-Mormon” (2016) by Cajsa Nordlund. The format she uses is called a fanzine (a non-professional and non-official form of publishing produced by enthusiast in a certain sub-culture or community for fellow members, in Ms. Nordlund´s case Ex-Mormons and people interested in the phenomenon of de-conversion) which entailed a related collection of drawings with dialog.
Cajsa Nordlund is a Swedish artist who is also a former Mormon. It is hard to find much information on her, but according to her instragram account @tossaniska she´s a painter and graphic story artist, who, in addition to this volume, has just published another comic-based collection, ”Lite Mycket Begärt” (”A Bit Much of a Request”, roughly). In the graphic volumes back cover there is a short biographical explanatory text, where it is informed that Ms. Nordlund was a Mormon for six years, and married whilst a believer and member of the church. At the age of 27 she left the church and got a divorce. The comic collection, ”Becoming an Ex-Mormon”, is, according to the volume, based on real experiences from Nordlund and other Ex-Mormons.
The Mormon church was founded in America and is still predominately an American religion, but due to their global missionary program (in which young men travel abroad to convert others) they have been able to create a substantial following in other countries. Mormonism has been present in Sweden since 1850. Today Sweden has about 9000 Mormons (a fairly notable number, when you take the countries size and famous lack of religious people into account). Missionaries are common in Stockholm, in fact my Chinese significant other had more than one encounter with young Mormon men who approached him using Mandarin as an “in” to begin the missionary moment. A Mormon church also exists in Finland, with about 5,000 members according to the CLDS own reckoning . Finland’s first contact with the Church came from Swedish emigrants baptized in the early 1870s and Swedish missionary brothers who preached in Vaasa. In 1876, the first converts in Finland were baptized, and by 1886, 25 people had been baptized among the Swedish-speaking Finns. My first ever encounter with Mormons was that of a Finnish woman who had converted and was married to an American man, both residing in Finland. (For those who want, check the star below the review for more History of Mormons in Finland*).
The sketches in ”Becoming an Ex-Mormon” are short, pithy, insightful and, probably needless to say, humorous in nature. There is no singular directive story, just the revolution around the denunciation of peoples commitment to the Mormon religion. The sketches are separated into three sections: ”Benefits of Becoming an Ex-Mormon”, ”Downsides of Becoming an Ex-mormon” and ”Before & After”. These three sections work very much to the comic structure benefiting from sharp and short narratives which cleverly embody both the thoughts and feelings of former believers and fleshing out the experience of leaving the calming steadfastness of the Mormon belief and the more generalized condition of loss as Nordlund and others tumble from their former community. In a minimized format of the comic formulation Nordlund is able to give a big and nuanced perspective on a life changing event, both as vast philosophical rupture and the loss of the safety of the social. While self-discovery often is empowering, it also does comes with a vanished connection to both thought and emotion, and Nordlund is not shy of facing this uncertainty doing so, in her work, with passion, humor, and sassiness. While ”Becoming an Ex-Mormon” does ultimately state that leaving the church is an empowering moment to face the many and ambiguous truths of the world, it also never shirks the reality and downsides to leaving a very tight community and wade into the realities of persistent doubts, open bouts of loneliness and the existential fears this entails.
In the Benefits section, the stories move around the newly found freedom and advantages of not being Mormon. Many of the advantages the stories talk about are quite Mormon specific, like finally being able to drink coffee, whilst others are more generally applicable to a number of different religions (like being able to skip inconvenient, and constant, praying). Some of the enclosed graphic stories in the volume are difficult to understand unless one has at least a passing knowledge of Mormonism, as, for instance, Nordland comments on the relief of being able to laugh loudly after leaving the church. Despite this the reader will never feel abandoned to the mysteries of religion in this compendiums graphic tales as, in the unfolding of the total work, the reader is almost invisibly explained the customs in the Mormon church (such as the pressure to storage food for the latter days, the strict dress codes, and the pressure to marry) while not bogging down the narrative flow which rests instead on the ex-believers journey.
Nordlund´s stories also touch upon the gender dynamics in the church, bringing up a number of a feminist issues in the tales, for instance with the collection critiquing the notion embodied in church doctrine that the fundamental role of womanhood entails primarily their functioning as mothers. Because of this the ideological community of the Mormon dictates strict rules regarding women´s bodies (a universal critic of religious communities) and their functioning visibility in the social. Nordlund underlines this uneasy genetic behavioral doctrine, and her adamant rejection of its biological determinism, with a strong sketch panel where we find a naked woman smiling with her arms spread out, and a text pronouncing: “Now my body is mine and No One can tell me what to do with it”.
While Nordlund´s comic is a critic of the Latter Day Saints Church, her sketches are also critical regarding gender roles and expectations inside of overall society; she´s able to play with this dynamic masterfully through her illustrations. For instance, in one segment, the comic notes that one of the supreme benefits young heterosexual couples have in communities (and familial structures) is that people withhold asking them, verses single members/ dating couples of society, when they will get married. Followed by the constant query of when they will have children. A woman in the strip notes, after the later advantage is discussed, that it is useless as: “Just kidding. Pretty much everyone everywhere assume all people want kids”.
The Downsides segment is a laugh inducing and poignant examination of more unfortunate sides of losing one’s religion. This section of the graphic stories revolves around the issues of confronting the existential dilemmas of understanding and thought, and the penultimate responsibility for the future (since it is no longer the latter days of the saints of the church Ex-Mormons looks to for morality) in which the individual must generate and embody themselves and their ideas in living. Choices are now the choices made and lived by each of us in the community, and there are no straight-forward answers (give to us by others) in which we can hide from the responsibilities of our decisions. Outside of the rigid theist setting of rules and actions, Nordlund, (as all humans in the field of thought, belief and acts) battles with the questions, not the least the existentialist, of life.
The last section, “Before & After” differs from the previous two sections in that the situations the individuals find themselves in are explored in two panels, while the previous sections explored themes in one panel. “Before & After” deals with many different experiences with the theme being anxiety and shame before, and peaceful relief afterwards. The sketches deal with topics such as LGBT+, disability**, body issues etc. The issues confronted in this section regard the often, almost subliminal, feelings of shame, nonconformity, abnormality and guilt due to the incongruence between the norms of the church and the (in actuality) normal actions of being an individual. Neverr reductionistic, the group of insights here show that after leaving the church, the journey of exploring who you are, and learning to accept this ambiguous and messy self its founded on a freedom (not only in the lack of pressure to conform to a narrow model of the human) based on the emancipatory realization of the self beyond simple boundaries and contradictory foundations. While less funny, many of these sketches are very moving and show the complexities of becoming human in the greatest sense.
“Becoming an Ex-Mormon” is an easy (I read it in an hour and a half), enlightening, and read, and is without a doubt worth re-reading as well. The illustrations are straight-forward and simple, yet appeasing nuanced in their declarations. Well worth checking out!
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* In 1903, Apostle Elder Francis M. Lyman visited Finland. The Finnish Mission was organized in 1947, when there were only 129 members in Finland. During the next seven years, the Church gained legal status and the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, a companion scripture to the Bible, was translated into Finnish. The Helsinki Stake was organized in October 1977 with 3,642 members. Ten years later, Church membership was 4,100. The main Chruch for latter day saints today resides in Helsinki.
** While many religious people are supportive of disability rights, there are parts of religious texts and beliefs which hold very ableist opinions. This side of religion/superstition is rarely discussed inside of narrative media, and it was great to see it presented in this collection. |
The move is expected to ease the labour law burden on most of the existing factories by freeing them from complying with the numerous provisions of the Act that relate to safety. (Source: Reuters)
More than half the factories across the country may be exempt from the restrictive provisions applicable under the current legislative framework, with the Factories Amendment Bill, 2014 proposing to revise the definition of a factory by effectively doubling the threshold of the number of workers employed in such a unit.
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The move is expected to ease the labour law burden on most of the existing factories by freeing them from complying with the numerous provisions of the Act that relate to safety, working conditions and welfare of the employees, as well as filing lengthy compliance reports to the government.
The original Act identifies a factory based on the number of workers employed. At present, units where power is used for manufacturing must employ 10 workers or more in a year to be identified as a factory, while units that do not use power must employ at least 20 workers in a year.
Under the amendment, the minimum number of workers in a factory is sought to be doubled to 20 for units with power and 40 for non-power units. State governments will be empowered to prescribe the number of workers up to this limit that a unit must employ to be defined as a factory.
Data from the Annual Survey of Industries — the most comprehensive official exercise on the industrial sector — reveals that about 1 lakh, or 58 per cent, of the 1,75,710 factories reported to be operating in the country in 2011-12 employed up to 30 workers. While 63,568 units employed 0-14 workers, another 18,763 factories employed 15-19 workers and 20,541 units had 20-29 workers on their payrolls (see chart).
This is backed by the Labour Ministry’s data based on returns submitted by factories under the Factories Act, 1948. The statistics reveals that in 2010, of the 67,508 factories that submitted returns (except from Orissa), 52.5 per cent, or 35,208 units, had employed less than 20 workers. However, the number of workers employed by these units was just 3,78,970 workers, as compared to the total 44.96 lakh workforce in factories.
But trade unions as well as experts have opposed the amendment, arguing that it could lead to greater violations by factories. “There have to be more discussions with the Labour Ministry on the proposed amendments to the Factories Act. In effect, these factories will be out of the purview of the government and working conditions will not be regulated,” said A K Padmanabhan, president CITU.
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Michael Dias, secretary, Employers’ Association of Delhi, and a member of the Council of Indian Employers, concurred with the view, while arguing that there also has to be some modicum of control. “This will bring out smaller units from the purview of the Act, though most violations are done by them. It will also lead to unhealthy competition amongst small manufacturers while not helping out bigger factories,” he said. |
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has declared Monday "Talk Like Shakespeare Day."
Yep, thou doth hearest us right.
In honor of Shakespeare's 448th birthday, Emanuel proclaimed April 23, 2012, a day when "all citizens are encouraged to express themselves through the incorporation of Shakespearean language and dialect."
The proclamation is in coordination with the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, but it's totally legit. Read the proclamation here, in which our mayor urges "all Chicagoans to experience this truly spectacular event."
PHOTOS: Rahm's Chicago
That means locals are encouraged to use "thou" for "you," "mistress" for ladies and "canker-blossom" for choice words tossed at cabbies. Rhymed couplets are encouraged, as are the inclusion of "methinks" and "wherefore."
This isn't Chicago's first foray into Shakespeare speak. The Chicago Shakespeare Theater has celebrated the day for the past three years.
"We are reminded of Shakespeare's indelible influence, through timeless works and a contribution of over 1,700 words and innumerable phrases to the English language, including but not limited to 'lackluster,' 'eyeball' and 'brevity is the soul of wit,'" Emanuel's proclamation reads.
See, you're already already ahead of the curve for Monday. |
In July of 2014, the official Twitter account for Bad Robot, J.J. Abrams’ production company tweeted a shot of an IMAX camera preparing to film a scene in 70mm for Star Wars: The Force Awakens . This was part of a planned showstopper chase sequence where Rey, Finn, and BB-8 find themselves at the controls of the Millennium Falcon as they evade a group of TIE fighters. The hashtag accompanying the tweet noted IMAX was the #bestformatever. But, if you want to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens and that special IMAX sequence, in the “best format ever,” you may be out of luck. Only 18 theaters in the United States and Canada are actually projecting The Force Awakens in 70mm IMAX, less than 1% of the total theater count.
Right now, if you live in New York City and want to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 70mm IMAX, you’d have to drive two hours to Philadelphia. If you live in Chicago, you’d have to drive three hours to Indianapolis. If you live in Austin, you’d have to drive 10 hours to Branson, Missouri.
Currently only 11 states in the U.S. (not including Washington, D.C.) and one Canadian province are slated to show Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 70mm IMAX, most with only one theater per state. To give that number context, consider this: Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar opened in 70mm IMAX just one year ago in almost four times as many theaters.
Earlier this year The Hollywood Reporter claimed The Force Awakens was expected to open on 375 to 400 IMAX screens. An impressive number, but those ~400 theaters are Digital IMAX theaters. Because actual 70mm projectors and screens are costly to install, many theaters simply retrofitted existing theaters with a digital IMAX projector, which means you’re paying for IMAX, but watching a film on a smaller screen with a lower resolution (aka, “LieMAX”). This can be confusing (perhaps even deliberately so), but this Star Wars frame comparison gives you an idea what you see on Digital IMAX standard widescreen versus the 70mm IMAX format:
Lucasfilm
The major issue here is that many theaters who traditionally show 70mm IMAX movies, like Chicago’s Navy Pier IMAX for example, are instead showing Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Digital IMAX, leading to confusion among moviegoers. Many fans thought they were buying tickets for the #bestformatever, even imploring fellow fans to make sure they were buying tickets at the right locations, only to now find out they are instead getting an inferior projection.
This is normally sage advice, except in this case it turned out to not exactly be true. Same for theaters in Chicago, Texas, Montreal, Houston, Phoenix and more, all theaters that were, one year ago, showing Interstellar in 15/70 film projection, yet won’t be doing the same for Star Wars.
So, how do three of the biggest cities in the United States not have a true IMAX theater for the biggest movie of the year, if not the decade? AMC’s Loews Lincoln Square theater in New York City has a 70mm IMAX theater, but recently removed its film projector to make way for the installation of something called “ IMAX with laser ,” IMAX’s “next-generation” cinema projection system that uses two side-by-side 4K projectors. That would be great (potentially even an improvement over 70mm) except the setup won’t be complete until mid-January, when Star Wars ’ one-month exclusive run ends. In the meantime, the Loews Lincoln Square will use its digital projector, which means moviegoers will be watching a widescreen image that won’t fill the massive 76’ x 97’ screen.
That explains one theater, but what about the others? Going back to the Interstellar comparison, he biggest difference between that film and Star Wars: The Force Awakens is 3D. Interstellar was not presented in 3D, so IMAX theaters had no choice but to run its 70mm print. Star Wars: The Force Awakens , on the other hand, i s available in post-converted 3D, with no 3D 70mm option (except for theaters equipped with IMAX with Laser, of which there are only 6 in the U.S.). When given the choice between the two, most theaters opted for 3D over 70mm for a very simple reason: money.
At theaters where Star Wars: The Force Awakens is screening in 15/70 IMAX 2D, the average ticket cost was $15. The average ticket cost to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the digital “IMAX 3D Experience” was $20. Keep in mind, that The Force Awakens was not shot in 3D, but a portion of it was shot in 70mm. Theaters are actually charging you more money to see a movie in wrong format.
Another issue, according to sources, is that Disney didn’t plan to strike nearly enough 70mm prints comparable to the demand. 70mm film prints are much more expensive than traditional 35mm and certainly more expensive than shipping a digital print on a hard drive. We reached out to representatives at Disney and Lucasfilm who, besides saying they were looking into the matter, had no official statement at this time.
Representatives at IMAX’s corporate office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
J.J. Abrams told Variety back in 2014, “The opportunity to have an action sequence for [ Star Wars: The Force Awakens ] done in IMAX’s natural format was too delicious an idea to pass up. As a filmgoer, it’s something I want to see.” Sadly, it’s something you as a filmgoer may never get to see.
To make absolutely sure you’re getting exactly what want, and what you think you’ve paid for, here’s the full list of theaters showing The Force Awakens in either 70mm IMAX or IMAX with Laser.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens in IMAX 3D in IMAX with Laser
California
TCL Chinese Theatres IMAX – Hollywood
AMC Metreon 16 & IMAX – San Francisco
AMC Universal CityWalk Stadium 19 & IMAX – Universal City
Massachusetts
Sunbrella IMAX 3D Theatre, Jordan’s Furniture Reading – Reading
Ontario
Scotiabank Toronto & IMAX – Toronto
Virginia
Airbus IMAX, Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center – Chantilly
Washington
Boeing IMAX, Pacific Science Center – Seattle
Star Wars: The Force Awakens in IMAX 2D on IMAX 15/70mm Film Projection
Alabama
McWane Center IMAX Dome Theatre – Birmingham
IMAX, U.S. Space & Rocket Center – Huntsville
California
Hackworth IMAX Dome, The Tech Museum – San Jose
Florida
Museum of Discovery & Science AutoNation IMAX – Ft. Lauderdale
IMAX Dome, Museum of Science & Industry – Tampa
Indiana
IMAX, Indiana State Museum - Indianapolis
Iowa
Blank IMAX Dome, Science Center of Iowa – Des Moines
Missouri
Branson’s IMAX, Entertainment Complex – Branson
St. Louis Science Center OMNIMAX Theatre – St. Louis
Pennsylvania
Tuttleman IMAX, The Franklin Institute– Philadelphia
Washington, DC
Lockheed Martin IMAX, National Air & Space Museum
A Visual History of All the Official Star Wars Posters |
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