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If you play a musical instrument, then you know how important tuning is in making sure your sound is right. Airyware Tuner is a top-notch tuning app for Windows Phone (7.x and 8.x) that lets you tune your gear wherever and whenever. Airyware Tuner is normally $4.99 but starting today, they have hooked up with myAppFree to drop the price down to zero. If you have ever needed a tuner, today is your day, as once you lock in that license for the app, it is yours forever at that price, including updates!
The developer describes Airyware thusly:
"Airyware Tuner is a top rated app for tuning musical instruments and it is recognized as a professional tool among musicians. The app brings the ultra-fast pitch detection with scientific accuracy in the wide 9 octave tuning range, utilizing the most advanced signal processing algorithms available. Airyware Tuner has presets for more than 400 instruments and 900+ alternative tunings. Even if you do not play music, you may find it entertaining to use this app to see oscillograms of ambient sound around you."
Indeed, the app is neat to play with, even if you do not need to tune up (although obviously musicians get the most value out of it). Airyware should be free for the next 36 hours after which it reverts to its regular price of $4.99, so best to go get it now! Download Airyware Tune for Windows Phone; Free |
Three weeks ago, the Denver Broncos looked like an easy choice for the NFL’s best team after back-to-back impressive wins: a 42-17 thumping of the San Francisco 49ers (then the third-ranked team in our Elo ratings), followed by a 35-21 victory over the then-seventh-ranked San Diego Chargers. Since then, however, Denver has arguably been the coldest team in the league. Or at least, nobody has shed more points off of their Elo rating since the end of Week 8 than the Broncos (although the Carolina Panthers certainly seem to be trying their best to match Denver’s skid).
Denver’s record over that span — one win, two losses — hasn’t necessarily been its entire undoing. Unlike some of the other more frigid teams across the league, the Broncos have at least won a game in November. (Not to pick on Carolina again, but the Panthers haven’t won since the first week of October.) But the Broncos were also expected to win more — the pregame Elo ratings generated an expectation of 2.1 wins over their past three games. Our Elo point spreads figured Denver would take care of its November opponents by a collective 19.5 points; instead, the team has posted a -13 point differential.
The most damaging game of the Broncos’ season thus far was their most recent one, when they were upset by the St. Louis Rams. Losing 22-7 despite being favored by 6.5 points, the defeat cost Denver 43 points of Elo rating, the fifth-most Elo points any team has relinquished in a single game so far this season. (If you’re curious, the Cleveland Browns’ win over the Cincinnati Bengals ranks first in that department.) It also dropped the Broncos to fourth place in the current rankings, the lowest they’ve sat since right after they were shellacked by the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl in February.
But all is not lost for the Broncos — in fact, from a making-the-playoffs perspective, hardly anything was lost. Although the losses to the New England Patriots and St. Louis were costly to the team’s chances of locking up one of the AFC’s top two seeds (and therefore a first-round playoff bye) and even of winning the AFC West (the Kansas City Chiefs are in hot pursuit), they were not particularly damaging to its postseason probability. The Broncos’ chances of making the playoffs have only declined from a practical certainty (96 percent) to a matter of high likelihood (85 percent) during the skid. And Denver still has the league’s third-best chance of winning the Super Bowl. So, despite the team’s recent lapses, fans can probably R-E-L-A-X.
The bigger playoff concerns belong to Denver’s Super Bowl opponents a season ago: the Seahawks.
Before Week 8, we said the league’s defending champions were suddenly underdogs to return to the postseason … upon which the Seahawks promptly rattled off three consecutive victories, increasing their playoff odds to 61 percent. But on the heels of a loss in Kansas City, here we are again; our Elo simulations say the Seahawks have only a 47 percent probability of returning to the playoffs.
The 49ers, who bested the New York Giants last week, were clear beneficiaries of Seattle’s loss, tacking 14 percentage points onto their playoff probability as the Seahawks lost precisely the same amount from theirs. It was a fitting zero-sum transaction for last year’s NFC Championship Game contestants. At the start of the season, the NFC West was supposed to go to the Seahawks or the 49ers, with the runner-up at least being favorites to grab a wild card berth. But nobody counted on the Arizona Cardinals building on their surprising 2013 success and emerging as the division front-runners, the reality of which could leave either Seattle or San Francisco (or both?) out of the playoffs.
As Arizona increasingly runs away with the West (Elo gives the Cardinals an 80 percent chance of winning the division, granting that it doesn’t take Carson Palmer’s injury into account), it has become apparent that the Seahawks’ and 49ers’ only path to the playoffs might lead through one of the NFC’s two wild card slots. While our simulations say there’s a 72 percent probability that at least one NFC West team earns a wild card berth, there’s only a 32 percent chance that both wild cards emerge from the division. Most likely, one of the West runners-up will be left out — a fate that befalls Seattle in a slightly higher proportion of simulations than it does San Francisco.
Elo point spreads
Record against point spread: 76-72-3 (6-5 in Week 11)
Straight-up record: 111-49-1 (8-6 in Week 11)
The Elo ratings again had a winning record against the gambling lines last week, but as we caution in every edition of this column, don’t take these numbers to Vegas and use them to place bets. Even in a lucky year, Elo hasn’t done well enough to turn a profit after the bookies take their vigorish.
At any rate, Elo seems to have a difference of opinion than Vegas when it comes to the aforementioned NFC West race. The consensus spread on this weekend’s big Arizona-Seattle tilt has Seattle favored by 6.5 points, while Elo only considers the Seahawks two-point favorites. Much of this probably stems from Seattle’s formidable home-field advantage, which is several points per game greater than the generic 2.6-point edge Elo gives home teams. But Vegas also rates Arizona much lower than Elo does — and that was true even before Palmer’s injury. The bookmakers are probably accounting for the Cardinals’ relatively unimpressive peripheral indicators, figuring their performance will come back down to earth.
Vegas also seems to devalue San Francisco relative to its Elo rating. Elo ranks the 49ers fifth, but their implied rating from the betting lines places them 11th in the league. This explains why, against a dreadful Washington team, San Francisco is favored by nine points instead of the two-touchdown edge Elo would predict.
Meanwhile, Vegas holds the Green Bay Packers in much higher regard than Elo does. While Elo ranks the Packers sixth in the NFL and has boosted their standing more over the past three weeks than all but three teams, the oddsmakers list them as 9.5-point road favorites against the Minnesota Vikings this week. Elo gives them a four-point advantage. That 5.5-point discrepancy is the biggest for any spread in Week 12, so it will be interesting to see whether the relatively high “K-factor” Vegas seems to be assigning to Green Bay’s recent dominance (to put it in Elo-equation terms) is appropriate. |
Take a lil’ bit of Lil B’s eccentricity, mix in some flesh from the decaying corpse of witch house, a carefree approach to fidelity and toss in a cartoon character that made celebrities look stupid. Voila! Spaceghostpurrp. Spaceghostpurrp, aka Muney Jordan, hails from Miami and doesn’t sound much like anyone rapping, despite all of those ingredients/influences I just mentioned. It’s definitely raw. Distortion throughout the material that adds character to the whole. Let’s replace that meme with Spaceghostpurrp’s “Friday”. HAVE AN OPEN MIND! THIS IS RARE AND SECRETE! I LOVE YOU ALL!!
Stream “Friday” below and hit the skip to download.
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Download: Spaceghostpurrp – “Friday” [Right Click Save-As] |
Article by Tilen Nikiforov (Slovenia)
Astrology is a dividing topic among many people. Some put total faith in it, while some are vigorously opposing it. Just recently I spoke to a colleague of mine, who mentioned his total dread of astrology. “Why are you afraid of astrology?” I asked him with a slight amazement. “Because I don’t want the stars to determine me. I want to be a free man, with my own decisions”, he replied.
His response made me realize that this viewpoint is not uncommon. I would dare to say, that many times this view dominates. Interesting thing is that many feel fear and not nihilism as one might expect. And fear comes out of doubt. We are doubting what happens if astrology actually does work? If it does, we will be forced to renounce a whole set of beliefs about human beings and ask ourselves if existence precedes essence, as Sartre claims. This forces us to re-evaluate our convictions about the existence of metaphysical.
It is convenient to believe that astrology doesn’t have a meaning since in the opposite case we would have to renounce our ego and admit there are forces in our universe which are stronger than us.
History tells us that many tried to explain the metaphysical by using astrology. Christianity is a good example, where around 17th century a rabbi named Bachai ‘drew the condemnation of the Christian world for placing the Son of God under the influence of the stars. He innocently worked out Jesus’ horoscope, thus bringing thousands of innocent erudite men and women to burn at the stake’.
In the ‘modern age’ where we live now, I find the fear of astrology unnecessary and its functionality can be easily showed through the allegory of wheatear forecast. Wheatear forecast serves us well since it can warn us of a coming rain, so we can prepare an umbrella. It can suggest we wear sunglasses since the sun will be ruling the sky. Whatever the case, it can help us get prepared for any type of wheatear conditions. Similarly, astrology should be looked as a wheatear forecast. Bad transits don’t necessarily mean we have to ‘give up’ and let the depressive and negative attitude rule. On the contrary, it can be a helpful tool to prepare. If we know rain is going to come, we will take an umbrella. If we know bad transits are coming our way, making us less energetic, more sensitive and general circumstances are looking more negative we know that there are astrological influences to blame. This knowledge provides us with a comfort that negative astrological influences will pass. We can still maintain our state of positivity and accept all as a learning experience and not give in the negative cycle.
Believing in astrology doesn’t exclude free will. It is still up to us what we will do with negative and positive astrological transits. The decision is ultimately ours and fear is unfounded.
Article by Tilen Nikiforov
Tilen is explorer of life; has devoted himself to theory and practice of life. Has already lived around the world – from Africa to Portugal, Poland, Russia, Belgium and Poland. He has seen many faces and many cultures, and finds the basic ‘human inprint’ the same wherever her goes. Although working currently in the business world, he is looking to expand his spiritual practice to more creative fields, striving to make that his life mission in the future. |
Back in 1995, Jim Fiscus and Lisa Fiscus were unaware that their experimentation with the nascent art of photography combined with digital imaging would result in producing award-winning advertisements. Although Jim, the photographer and Lisa the lead digital artist at Jester Image Works are married to each other, their Atlanta based companies are separate entities. Their shared desire to create multi-layered images that are photographically real has had Jim and Lisa collaborating on a myriad of projects. "In the beginning," says Jim, "our images were really simple with only a couple of digital elements. Now our final images consist of many layers: some of which are photographed on location with others shot in studio and then composed."
More then a decade of three-dimensional thinking has certainly paid off, culminating in a number of awards, IE the One Show, PDN-PIX and Show South. In August of 2001, PDN recognized Jim and Lisa's work in a series of ads for World Championship Wrestling and again in February 2002 for RJ Reynolds.
Whether it's Jim's use of bright or desaturated color, unusual characters or a specific digital effect, one is immediately intrigued by his images. To create that visually compelling impact, Jim is involved with every facet of the production. Extensive pre-production is especially vital. Before arriving on location, Jim, collaborating with Lisa, determines how the layers will be shot. The choices of lenses and lighting used for each layer are contingent on the placement and effect of each layer. "If you shoot a picture that requires fifteen pieces and you have light coming from incorrect angles, it's going to look fake," says Jim. To further support the creation of a complex image, Jim will develop storyboards, depicting each layer of the final image. As the photo shoot progresses, a Polaroid of each layer is posted on the board for the client.
Both Jim and Lisa embrace the same simple philosophy: "Enjoy it when it's fun, focus when it's difficult." Perhaps that's why their client list includes Anheuser Busch, Coors, Phillip Morris, Coca Cola, ESPN, American Airlines, Sun MicroSystems and RJ Reynolds. Commenting on their success, Jim says "We've been fortunate to work with some very talented people." Especially each other.
Photographer: Jim Fiscu
Sourse: http://www.fiscusphoto.com
http://altpick.com |
President Donald Trump says he is not considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller, but he’s plenty upset about the way the Russia probe investigator obtained and is using thousands of emails sent and received by senior Trump transition officials.
Despite the fact that Trump never got the chance to delete the emails as did then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton deleted 33,000 work related e-mails on her private server. When asked why she did that in one of the debates by then candidate Trump she replied she had “made a mistake”.
The president says of the emails, “I can’t imagine there’s anything on ’em, frankly. Because, as we said, there’s no collusion” with Russia during last year’s campaign. But he said the way Mueller got them was “not looking good; it’s quite sad.”
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Trump was asked about the emails Sunday after the disclosure that Mueller’s team had obtained them from the General Services Administration, a federal agency that stored the material, rather than requesting them from Trump’s presidential transition organization.
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The GSA improperly provided the records, asserted Kory Langhofer, general counsel of Trump’s still-existing transition group, Trump for America. Special counsel Mueller’s team has been “actively using” the emails in its investigation, Langhofer said.
Trump himself has been harshly critical of Mueller’s probe of Russian activities during the 2016 campaign. But when asked if he was planning to fire the former FBI director, Trump said, “I’m not.”
Mueller’s spokesman, Peter Carr, said the special counsel’s office has followed the law when it has obtained documents during its investigation.
“When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner’s consent or appropriate criminal process,” Carr said.
In a statement, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, dismissed the transition’s arguments that GSA shouldn’t have turned over the records.
The media site Axios first reported on the transfer of the emails to Mueller’s team.
President Trump is being extremely patient in not firing the special counsel. The Mueller investigation has now cost American taxpayers (illegals paying nothing for it) over 7.5 million dollars. And they have nothing to show for it with the exception of a procedural charge on General Flynn. The emails in question from the Trump transition team were obtained illegally and in the end will prove nothing. Meanwhile Hillary Clinton deleted 33,000 emails and gets a pass by saying “I made a mistake.”
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Related post First charges in Russian probe, will Clinton’s get the prison cell they deserve
Related post Something is wrong with House minority leader Pelosi and it’s not that shes a liberal |
Dr. Kevin Folta
University of Florida Professor Kevin Folta has filed a defamation suit against the New York Times and its reporter Eric Lipton, claiming his academic reputation was unfairly tarnished, his health harmed and his personal safety jeopardized by a scandalous article published Sept. 6, 2015.
Folta, an avid science educator and chairman of the University of Florida horticultural sciences department, contends that Lipton and the NYT intentionally misrepresented him as a covertly paid operative of Monsanto in order to further their own anti-GMO agenda. The NYT article had identified him, for example, as an aggressive biotech proponent with financial ties to Monsanto, a claim Folta strongly refutes.
Folta, reached at a conference in Belgium, told the Alliance for Science that he filed the lawsuit both to stop the spiral of silence that such reporting creates among other academics and also to regain his reputation.
When you re portrayed as trading lobbying for grant money, that s the kiss of death, Folta said. You realize that you re the walking dead in your career.
Folta said other scientists have told him they are now reluctant to speak up publicly on the controversy around GMOs because they feared the harm that could come to them from similar adverse coverage. This is wrong and it has got to stop, he added.
The lawsuit contends: Defendant Lipton not only smeared Dr. Folta, but has almost single-handedly silenced the scientific community from teaching scientists how to communicate.
Lipton s article was based on a series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests initiated by the anti-GMO group US Right to Know (USRTK) against 40 scientists working in biotechnology at public universities. The defamation suit contends that Lipton used emails collected under the FOIA requests to help spread the organic industries false narrative about genetic engineering in agriculture.
In a Sept. 16, 2015 radio interview on the Kojo Nnamdi Show, Lipton further contended that Folta was not a minor part in Monsanto s lobbying efforts. Lipton also acknowledged that he was tipped to the story by USRTK and given emails the group had collected before filing his own FOIA requests. USRTK is heavily funded by the Organic Consumers Association.
Lipton did not offer a comment for this story. But he did provide this statement from the NYT public relations office: “Our story was carefully researched and the documents underlying the story were posted online to give readers the opportunity to see for themselves the research we developed and relied upon. We will defend the lawsuit vigorously.”
Folta s complaint also contends that even though the NYT also reported on how the organics industry was funneling money into universities, it treated Folta much more harshly than Charles Benbrook, a former Washington State University whose academic research was almost entirely funded by the organic industry.
Folta s complaint goes on to claim that Lipton and the NYT not only consciously disregarded the truth in writing the story, but amplified the damage to Folta’s reputation through their choice of headlines, photographs and placement above the front-page fold on a Sunday, when the NYT has its greatest readership.
The complaint also contends that Lipton defamed Folta and his work by using such terms as powerful player, supposedly unbiased research and ivory tower elites to create a false narrative of corporate villains and their academic puppets.
I got into this [GMO] discussion because I’m a teacher, Folta told the Alliance for Science. I jump at any chance to talk about science and ag, across many topics. The topic of GE crops is one where the public wants to know more, so that’s why I spent so much time there. I’m not “defending GMOs” as he [Lipton] says. I teach about technology, strengths and weaknesses. Always did.
One of Eric Lipton’s now-deleted Tweets.
Folta s academic reputation was not the only casualty of Lipton s article, the complaint contends. The Defendants article, laden with falsehoods, improper inferences and innuendoes, and knowingly wrong false-light presentations of Dr. Folta, caused tremendous damage to him and his family.
Folta has received numerous death threats, prompting his university to change his office phone number and remove his name from his lab. The FBI Domestic Terrorism Task Force even got involved at one stage to ensure the safety of Dr. Folta and his laboratory, the complaint reveals.
According to Folta, other universities cancelled his speaking engagements and seminars, he was excluded from academic events and discussions, and hundreds of false, career-damaging articles citing the NYT as their source began to appear on the internet.
The complaint contends that Lipton later continued his malicious campaign against Folta on Twitter, while blocking Folta from seeing Lipton s own Twitter feed. The Tweets have since been deleted.
As a result of the defendants actions, the complaint alleges, Dr. Folta has also experienced various severe physical manifestations of his fear, anxiety and concern, including but not limited to, insomnia, nausea, weight loss, cardiac events and extreme anxiety.
Folta is seeking financial damages in an amount that will effectively punish the defendants for their conduct and deter them and others similarly situated from similar acts in the future. |
A few days ago, the Giants lost Hunter Pence to the disabled list, weakening an already thin outfield, and making it likely that the team will have to start looking to the trade market to fill the hole at some point this summer. Then, Marlon Byrd got suspended for using PEDs, taking an outfielder off an Indians roster that was already weak in the outfield, forcing Cleveland GM Chris Antonetti to admit that they’ll probably start surveying the trade market for outfield help.
The problem, though, is that they’re going to join a pretty large number of contenders looking for outfielders. The Nationals are likely to be looking for an OF this summer, as Michael Taylor and Jayson Werth haven’t exactly inspired much confidence to this point. The Cubs could be in the market for an outfielder if Jorge Soler doesn’t start hitting fairly soon. The Red Sox probably won’t go with Blake Swihart or Brock Holt as their regular left fielder down the stretch, so they could be in the market for an outfielder as well. The Mariners probably wouldn’t mind a better option than Nori Aoki if they could find one. The White Sox could pick up an outfielder and move Melky Cabrera to DH, or move Austin Jackson to a fourth outfielder role if they found an upgrade in center field. The Orioles seem to not trust Hyun-Soo Kim, so when he cools off, he might get displaced as well.
Point being, there are a lot of potential buyers for outfield upgrades this summer. But the list of available outfielders, right now, looks pretty short.
The Brewers would move Ryan Braun, but first he has to prove he can stay in the line-up on a regular basis, which has been a problem lately. The contract, age, and PED history will likely scare off a number of buyers as well. Carlos Gonzalez should be available, but the Rockies have declined to move him the last few times he should been available too, so who knows what they’re going to do.
Jay Bruce is out there, but he’s a DH at this point of his career, and shouldn’t interest any team that cares about their pitchers. Ditto Matt Kemp, who is also running a .250 OBP and owed a crazy amount of money. Maybe the Braves would move Nick Markakis, except he’s not very good, and also overpaid. On the buy low side of things, the Rays could probably be talked out of Desmond Jennings, but he hasn’t hit in a couple of years now, and injuries seem to have sapped him of some of his athleticism.
Josh Reddick would probably be the best available outfield option for most teams, but he’s currently hurt. He should be back in time to serve as a decent July trade chip, but there’s also only one of him to go around, and certainly more than one team in the market for outfield help.
Given the lack of supply and the abundance of demand, it will probably make sense for teams on the bubble of contending to listen to offers for their productive outfielders. This could be the ideal time for the Yankees to get maximum value for Brett Gardner, for instance, or for the Rockies to put Charlie Blackmon on the block. With the current state of weak outfields on contending teams and not a great crop of outfielders available in trade, there may be an opportunity for a team to get a nice package for any kind of decent outfielder. There just don’t look like there are that many decent outfielders out there to be had right now. |
In this April 20, 2015, file photo, Robert Gentile is brought into the federal courthouse in a wheelchair for a continuation of a hearing.
There will be no deathbed confession from a Connecticut mobster suspected by the FBI of having information about the whereabouts of $500 million worth of masterworks stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum decades ago, his lawyer said.
The family of 80-year-old Robert Gentile, who is in federal custody awaiting trial on gun charges, was warned Wednesday by the US Marshals Service to “prepare to make end of life arrangements” because he is in critical condition, his lawyer said in a telephone interview.
Hartford attorney A. Ryan McGuigan said he rushed to a South Carolina hospital where Gentile is near death Friday and told him, “If at any time there was a critical moment to give up an old secret for the possibility of seeing your loved ones one more time, this was it.”
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He suggested authorities would probably let Gentile die at home in Manchester, Conn., surrounded by his family if he gave up the artwork. However, McGuigan said, a teary-eyed Gentile responded, “But there’s no paintings.”
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“Deathbed confessions are not uncommon,” said McGuigan, adding that even though his client has always insisted he has no information about the stolen paintings, he felt it would have been reckless not to explore the possibility that Gentile was ready to talk.
“The importance of the artwork to humanity has never escaped me,” McGuigan said. “And so with a glimmer of hope I went down to see if there was a possibility that there would be a miracle.”
The attorney said he called Gentile’s wife, who is also in failing health, and his son from the hospital room and handed the phone to the old mobster, who said his goodbyes and told them he loved them.
McGuigan declined to provide specifics about Gentile’s illness but said he was barely conscious during the nine hours he spent with him at the hospital Friday and “his systems are shutting down.”
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However, he said his client, who had been on life support the day before, was better Friday and breathing on his own.
Gentile is one of a handful of low-level criminals who were identified by the FBI as persons of interest in the heist, and most of the others are dead.
Kristen Setera, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s Boston office, declined to comment on Gentile’s condition or what effect it might have on the ongoing investigation.
Anthony Amore, the Gardner museum’s security director who is working with the FBI to recover the stolen artwork, said, “We’re not sitting around waiting for deathbed confessions, we’re actively working every day.”
Two men disguised as police officers talked their way into the museum on Boston’s Fenway in the early hours of March 18, 1990, tied up two guards, and disappeared with 13 masterworks. They include three Rembrandts — including his only seascape, “Storm on the Sea of Galilee” — and a Vermeer.
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The theft remains unsolved, despite a $5 million reward and promises of immunity. In 2013, the FBI announced it was confident it had identified the two thieves, both now deceased, but declined to name them. Authorities said they believed some of the artwork changed hands through organized crime circles, and moved from Boston to Connecticut and Philadelphia, where the trail went cold.
The FBI began focusing on Gentile in 2009 when the wife of Robert Guarente, another person of interest in the theft, told agents that before his death in 2004, he gave two of the stolen paintings to Gentile.
A federal prosecutor revealed in court earlier this year that Gentile last year offered to sell the paintings for $500,000 each to an undercover FBI agent. He also flunked a polygraph exam when he denied that he knew about plans to rob the Gardner museum beforehand and when he denied that he had the paintings or knew where they were, the prosecutor said.
But Gentile’s lawyer said his client was “just pretending” to have the paintings; and he disputed the reliability of the polygraph results.
Gentile was slated to stand trial in federal court in Hartford this month on gun charges, but it was postponed indefinitely after his health deteriorated and his lawyer sought a psychological examination to determine his mental competency.
Shelley Murphy can be reached at [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter @shelleymurph |
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RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond lost one of its most prolific artists this week when painter Bill Fisher died April 24. Fisher was 59.
Fisher was an "internationally celebrated painter and a dedicated instructor at VCU who was loved by his colleagues," according to his obituary.
Born in Buffalo, New York, Fisher moved to Central Virginia as a teenager. After high school, he attended Virginia Commonwealth University.
"He worked for the city pools as a life guard, a job that not only took him all over the city, but filled his life with community," his son Miguel Carter-Fisher reflected. "One of his favorite joys was teaching children how to swim."
His other joy was the arts. A passion that blossomed as a graduate student at Radford University.
"[There] he found his true voice as an artist and for the first time recognition of his brilliance as a painter," Miguel said. "He embarked on a career that would take him from Richmond to New York, Boston, Santa Fe, Calgary, Korea, Germany, and countless other places."
Miguel said the diligence and resilience his father showed during his career as an artist was also applied to the fight he waged against addictions that ultimately took his life.
"No matter how much my father struggled, he always got back up again and continued to fight," Miguel said. "He has left the world an amazing legacy of paintings, but also an example of how never to give up. I hope that from his life we as a community in Richmond can learn to destigmatize addiction and mental illness, and that his memory will leave a legacy of compassion, love, and forgiveness."
Artist and VCU Associate Professor Javier Tapia said Bill Fisher's dedication and attitude towards producing art always involved in 'finding' through a form of struggle.
"Bill lived through his works, always testing and pushing and engaged by what he cared about. His surfaces are the result of intense explorations filled with passion and always engaged in extending himself through these acts. He was an avid believer in the power left behind through brushstrokes , his color, his relentless scrapping and his adding of layers and layers of paint," Tapia said. "This intensity was always a part of his persona, and his paintings were absolutely an extension of his personality and his difficult questioning ...about everything.
Life was his subject ... nothing less."
Fisher's family will receive friends on Monday, May 1, at Bliley’s Central Chapel 3801 Augusta Ave, Richmond, VA 23230.
The public viewing will begin at 5 p.m., followed by a remembrance at 8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked mourners to make a donation to Art180. |
A wise old man once told me that real pistols only came in one configuration: blued steel and walnut grips. The very same man bandied about phrases like “nickel plated sissy pistol” and believed that the .45 ACP was the alpha and omega. When “combat tupperware” started to become en vogue he thought it was a sign of the apocalypse. When Ruger released their polymer framed LCR revolver, he let loose a string of epithets that would have even made Howard Stern blush. Revolvers were made from metal, end of story. While I always took what he said with a grain of salt, I tended to agree with him on this point. Sorry. I should have said “agreed” . . .
The Ruger LCR .357 is a beefed-up version of the original .38 Special LCR. It features a monolithic frame made of 4000 series blackened stainless steel that completely encloses the 1.875” barrel. Attached to the monolithic frame is the piece that has the purists up in arms and holds all the parts that make the LCR go bang: the polymer fire control housing. Ruger reckons the polymer housing cuts down on weight and soaks up recoil. The second key innovation is the trigger. Ruger redesigned the DAO trigger with a friction reducing cam mechanism; which, according to Ruger’s literature, results in a “smooth, non-stacking trigger pull.”
Unlike its .38 special precursor or a Scandium S&W J frame (in the same caliber), Ruger’s 17.1 ounce LCR is no featherweight . But it’s no porker, either. AS you hold the LCR in your hand, the weight seems to disappear into a near perfect blend of balance and point-ability. The recoil-reducing Hogue Tamer grips add to the comfort and, thus, confidence. The thought of lighting off some full house magnum loads in the LCR isn’t quite as intimidating as it is forother small frame .357s.
The LCR’s sights are typical for this class of small-frame revolver. The rear sight consists of a notch and shallow trough through which you line up your front sight. Our T&E model sported a red fiber optic front sight. You can also get it with a typical ramped front or an XS Big Dot, an ideal choice for a stubbornly novice self-defense shooter.
Ruger’s revolutionary trigger has a relatively short pull with an easy smooth pull back. Dry firing revealed no stacking, no grit, no nothing; the cylinder rotated into place with Swiss precision. Milliseconds later I encountered the cleanest break I ever felt on a revolver. An affront to Smith & Wesson fans? Hyperbole? There was only way to find out: take her out for a proper date at the Timberline Creek Rod & Gun Club (aka my mother in law’s back 40).
I brought a variety of ammo, ranging from 158 gr JSP .357 to 125 gr Hornady Critical Defense to Wally World’s Winchester white box (WWB). Loading up my first cylinder of .357, I apprehensively brought the pistol up to bear on the steel target 15 yards away and eased the trigger back. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t flinch a little. While there’s no doubt the LCR dishes out some stout recoil, it’s not the curse word-inducing sensation created by other manufacturers’ lightweight magnum snubbies. I made it through the whole cylinder without wanting to switch to .38 special loads and turn in my Man Card.
One-hundred-fifty rounds later I’d run out of .357 ammo. I switched over to the .38 special, where I found highly manageable recoil. Thirty short minutes later, I’d run out of ammo – and realized I had yet to take any pictures or shoot any video. I was having so much fun shooting this little concealed carry revolver – and hitting what I was aiming at – that I’d completely neglected my journalistic duties.
I came back the next day with a box of both .357 and .38 special and the explicit intent to do some serious shooting with lots of pictures and videos. That intent was short lived; my cameraman/sister in law and I started running some defensive drills from 15 yards all the way in and with each satisfying ping of steel or hole through the noggin of a Birchwood Casey Darkotic Zombie Target the fun factor grew exponentially.
Suffice to say we didn’t end up taking any video until the very end when we finally settled down and captured some media. First off was rapid fire of 158 gr JSP .357 at 7 yards, going for center of mass on the Birchwood Casey Darkotic Splattering Zombie Target.
As you can see, the results are pretty good. All five shots found paper and three of them managed to land within an inch of each other.
Then I loaded up a cylinder of WWB .38 Special, fully expecting the results to be better due to the reduced recoil.
I was a little shocked when I walked up to the target. While four out of five shots were on paper and on target, I had thrown one completely off the paper. The grouping was much larger than with the .357. I don’t have a logical or even scientific explanation for this phenomenon and frankly don’t know if I need one. The bottom line is, if you do your part, this revolver is going to put rounds on target accurately and quickly.
I’ve never called a small-framed snubbie fun before; I’ve sold every one I’ve ever owned. They were all so punishing in .357 or inaccurate in .38 special that I gave up after a few weeks. The Ruger LCR .357 is fun. It’s a relatively lightweight yet accurate revolver with a trigger that beats the snot out of any other double action revolver I’ve ever sampled. It’s easily concealed in all manner of OWB or IWB holsters and rests comfortably therein. And it’s earned a place in the “handguns I’ll never sell” section of my gun safe.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Caliber: .357 Magnum/.38 Special
Barrel Length: 1.875”
Overall Length: 6.50”
Weight: 17.10 oz.
Capacity: 5
Finish: Blackened Stainless
Price: $ 575 MSRP
RATINGS (out of five)
Style * * * *
The Glock of revolvers. Made to do a job, not look pretty.
Ergonomics * * * * *
Feels great in the hands and sports a very comfortable recoil reducing grip.
Reliability * * * * *
Went through over 300 rounds without a hiccup or a cleaning.
Customizable * *
Three grip options, three front sight options and . . . that’s all folks!
Carry * * * * *
Its diminutive size makes it easily concealable. Disappears under t-shirts with impunity.
Overall Rating * * * * *
I learned my lesson about doubting new designs and found a pint-sized powerhouse that’s spending a lot of time on my hip.
[TTAG’s targets are supplied by Birchwood Casey] |
Pliny the Elder, brewed by Russian River and named for a Roman scholar, is renowned as one of the best American IPA's!
Russian River brews this famous beer in small batches and the distribution is limited.
It is also meant to be consumed as fresh as possible.
The odds of getting a Pliny of the Elder are difficult, under the best of circumstances. But, it
's pretty much impossible to get a bottle of this beer on the east coast.
I was thrilled to near death when I managed to get my hop loving hands on a bottle of Russian River's flagship brew.
The label is simple and understated. Not that it matters. It's what's inside the bottle that matters.
Pliny the Elder (8% ABV) pours a bright clear liquid gold. Even with a moderately gentle pour it built up a big poofy head that left behind remarkable lacing on the glass.
The aroma is ripe with hops. Citrus, resin and floral aromas tease the senses.
The taste is at first mildly sweet. Then the bitterness washes through - a tantalizing combination of citrus, pine and earthy hops. In classic double IPA style, there is a clear malt presence that balances out the abundance of hops.
The finish is crisp and bitter with a lingering essence of pine.
The mouth feel is light to medium with nice effervescence. This is a smooth drinking beer.
I liked Pliny the Elder a lot. Even my stout loving husband thought it was tasty. I was wishing I didn't have to share but was happy to enjoy it with someone who appreciated it as much as I did. Well, maybe not as much, but at least it wasn't wasted.
Here's the big question. Do I think Pliny the Elder is one of the best IPA's that I've ever had? To be honest, it is up there but I've had others I've liked better. I am willing to concede that it had to travel a great distance to get to me, not necessarily under optimal conditions, and it was undoubtedly not as fresh as preferable.
Overall: excellent
Cheers! |
On campus, Princeton has Hobey Baker Rink, which opened in 1922 and is the second-oldest college hockey venue still in use. It was also a three-year home for the hoops Tigers in the 1940s.Every year, the Tigers play in Philadelphia at The Palestra, which opened five years after Baker Rink and which Princeton helped mark its 90th birthday this past season.In November, Princeton will revisit another historic building from that era when the Tigers meet Butler in 89-year-old Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Princeton's second trip to the venue under Indiana native. Princeton's leading returning scorer is also a Hoosier native in junior-to-be, who averaged 13.4 points per game last season.The Sunday, Nov. 12 game will be Princeton's fourth all-time visit to Hinkle, which hosted Princeton in 1955, 1961 and more recently in 2013. It'll also be a meeting between two 2017 NCAA Tournament teams, with Princeton winning the Ivy League's automatic bid at the end of 19-game winning streak and Butler earning an at-large berth out of the Big East. Princeton, a 12 seed, went on to take another Indiana school, Notre Dame, to the final possession in the first round while Butler, a fourth seed, defeated Winthrop and Middle Tennessee before falling to eventual national champion North Carolina in the Round of 16.The Bulldogs are able to return three of the six players who started at least 20 games this past season including leading scorer Kelan Martin, who averaged 16.0 points per game along with a team-best 5.8 rebounds per game.The Butler game joins the Hoophall Miami Invitational, Dec. 2 against Miami (Fla.), and the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, Dec. 22-25 in Honolulu, as games announced as part of the 2017-18 Princeton schedule. |
Lucy Allan, the Conservative candidate for Telford, has been caught out after adding a ‘death threat’ to the end of an email she received from a constituent.
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Adam Watling, 27, who was writing using the pseudonym ‘Rusty Shackleford’, emailed Mrs Allan regarding the vote to bomb Syria.
Mrs Allan posted an excerpt of the email to Facebook, but Shackleford claims that she deliberately doctored the post to include the words ‘unless you die’ at the end to make it appear as if he had sent her a death threat.
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After being confronted online, Mrs Allan deleted the post and then claimed that the three extra words were from another email and the post was an ‘example’ of the comments she had received.
Mr Watling, in an interview with The Daily Mail, said:
Despite changing my Facebook name, I am a genuine Telford constituent and I have lived here all my life. And just because I emailed under a different name, why does that make it OK to add a death threat to my email? I would never say the words she attributed to my initial email. I do not understand why she would take the comments she may or may not have received from someone else and add them to my email when she put it on her Facebook.
I just don’t understand why that gives her the right to add three words to my email. This is not selective editing, this is adding things I did not say
Mr Waitling, an audio producer from Telford, also called for Mrs Allan to ‘resign’, adding:
it is a serious thing for an MP to do to someone, to misrepresent an email from a constituent so grossly
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EvolvePolitics has repeatedly contacted Lucy Allan for comment, but she is yet to respond.
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Exascale computing refers to computing systems capable of at least one exaFLOPS, or a billion billion (i.e. a quintillion) calculations per second. Such capacity represents a thousandfold increase over the first petascale computer that came into operation in 2008.[1] (One exaflop is a thousand petaflops or a quintillion, 1018, floating point operations per second.) At a supercomputing conference in 2009, Computerworld projected exascale implementation by 2018.[2] This proved accurate, as Oak Ridge National Laboratory performed a 1.8×1018 flop calculation on the Summit OLCF-4 Supercomputer while analyzing genomic information in 2018.[3] They were Gordon Bell Finalists at Supercomputing 2018.
Exascale computing would be considered to be a significant achievement in computer engineering, for it is estimated to be the order of processing power of the human brain at neural level[4] (functional might be lower). It is, for instance, the target power of the Human Brain Project.
Development [ edit ]
As of October 2018, China has two of the four fastest supercomputers in the world.[5] China's first exascale supercomputer will enter service by 2020 according to the head of the school of computing at the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT). According to the national plan for the next generation of high performance computers, China will develop an exascale computer during the 13th Five-Year-Plan period (2016–2020). The government of Tianjin Binhai New Area, NUDT and the National Supercomputing Center in Tianjin are working on the project. The exascale supercomputer is planned to be named Tianhe-3.[6]
In 2008, two United States of America governmental organisations within the US Department of Energy, the Office of Science and the National Nuclear Security Administration, provided funding to the Institute for Advanced Architectures for the development of an exascale supercomputer; Sandia National Laboratory and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory were also to collaborate on exascale designs.[7] The technology was expected to be applied in various computation-intensive research areas, including basic research, engineering, earth science, biology, materials science, energy issues, and national security.[8]
In January 2012, Intel purchased the InfiniBand product line from QLogic for US $125 million in order to fulfill its promise of developing exascale technology by 2018.[9]
By 2012, the United States had allotted $126 million for exascale computing development.[10]
In February 2013,[11] the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity started Cryogenic Computer Complexity (C3) program which envisions a new generation of superconducting supercomputers that operate at exascale speeds based on Superconducting logic. In December 2014 it announced a multi-year contract with International Business Machines, Raytheon BBN Technologies and Northrop Grumman to develop the technologies for C3 program.[12]
On 29 July 2015, President Obama signed an executive order creating a National Strategic Computing Initiative calling for the accelerated development of an exascale system and funding research into post-semiconductor computing.[13] The Exascale Computing Project hopes to build an exascale computer by 2021.[14]
Taiwan, as the largest global center for the research and development of industrial and electronics technology as well as the center of manufacturing for at least 80% of all computer hardware technology in the world[citation needed], has initiated extensive efforts by Taiwan's various scientific organizations, both government and private industries, to design and build exascale supercomputers, most recently in collaboration with Taiwan's Ministry of Science and Technology and Nvidia Corporation,[15] with the focus on complex artificial intelligence applications in addition to modeling and scientific research for the advancement of simulating weather patterns, Taiwanese nuclear weapons testing,[16][17][18][19] physics, chemistry and biomedical science among many other potential applications of such powerful exascale supercomputers.[20][21][22][23][24] In June 2017, Taiwan's National Center for High-Performance Computing initiated the effort towards designing and building the first Taiwanese exascale supercomputer by funding construction of a new intermediary supercomputer based on a full technology transfer from Fujitsu corporation of Japan, which is currently building the fastest and most powerful A.I. based supercomputer in Japan.[25][26][27][28][29] Additionally, numerous other independent Taiwanese efforts have been made in Taiwan with the focus on the rapid development of exascale supercomputing technology, such as the Taiwanese Foxconn Corporation which recently designed and built the largest and fastest supercomputer in all of Taiwan. This new Foxconn supercomputer is designed to serve as a stepping stone in research and development towards the design and building of a state of the art Taiwanese exascale supercomputer.[30][31][32][33]
In 2011, several projects aiming at developing technologies and software for exascale computing were started in the EU. The CRESTA project (Collaborative Research into Exascale Systemware, Tools and Applications),[34] the DEEP project (Dynamical ExaScale Entry Platform),[35] and the project Mont-Blanc.[36] A major European project based on exascale transition is the MaX (Materials at the Exascale) project.[37]
In 2015, the Scalable, Energy-Efficient, Resilient and Transparent Software Adaptation (SERT) project, a major research project between the University of Manchester and the STFC Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire, was awarded c. £1million from the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. The SERT project was due to start in March 2015. It will be funded by EPSRC under the Software for the Future II programme, and the project will partner with the Numerical Analysis Group (NAG), Cluster Vision and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).[38]
On 28 September 2018, The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) was formally established by the European Council. The EuroHPC JU aims to build an exascale supercomputer by 2022/2023. The EuroHPC JU will be jointly funded by its public members with a budget of around €1 billion. The EU's financial contribution is €486 million.[39][40]
In Japan, in 2013, the RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science began planning an exascale system for 2020, intended to consume less than 30 megawatts.[41] In 2014 Fujitsu was awarded a contract by RIKEN to develop a next-generation supercomputer to succeed the K computer.[42] In 2015, Fujitsu announced at the International Supercomputing Conference that this supercomputer will use processors implementing the ARMv8 architecture with extensions it was co-designing with ARM Limited.[43]
In 2012, the Indian Government has proposed to commit 2.5 billion USD to supercomputing research during the 12th five-year plan period (2012–2017). The project will be handled by Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.[44][45] Additionally, it was later revealed that India plans to develop a supercomputer with processing power in the exaflop range.[46] It will be developed by C-DAC within the subsequent 5 years of approval.[47]
Technological challenges [ edit ]
It has been recognized that enabling applications to fully exploit capabilities of Exascale computing systems is not straightforward.[48][49] In June 2014, the stagnation of the Top500 supercomputer list had observers question the possibility of exascale systems by 2020.[50]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Sources [ edit ] |
2015.08.30: Trinity Desktop Environment R14.0.1 Released!
The Trinity Desktop Environment (TDE) development team is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the new TDE R14.0.1 release. The Trinity Desktop Environment is a complete software desktop environment designed for Unix-like operating systems, intended for computer users preferring a traditional desktop model, and is free/libre software.R14.0.1 is the first maintenance release of the R14.0 series, and is the result of several months of ongoing effort by the TDE development team. Maintenance releases are intended to promptly bring bug fixes to users, while preserving overall stability through the avoidance of both new features and major codebase re-factoring.You can read the release notes of the original R14.0.0 release, on which R14.0.1 is based, here This section highlights some of the most important fixes introduced by this release* Added support for Ubuntu Vivid 15.04* Added initial support for FreeBSD* Added support for ARM64 and PowerPC64le* Konqueror file filtering now works correctly* TDE session manager crashes should no longer be experienced* KHelpcenter incorrectly displayed content is now visualized correctly* Incorrect window transparency with TDE Compton has been eliminated* Incorrect circular dependency in Debian/Ubuntu packages has been resolved* TDEFileReplace no longer hangs/crashes when circular links are encountered* TDENetworkManager no longer crashes if an interace is removed* TDENetworkManager no longer hangs on point-to-point connections* TDevelop cmake template projects now builds correctly* Digikam slideshow no longer hangs* Several qt3/tqt3 security alerts have been fixed* Several FTBFS has been addressed* KDesktop no longer hangs on startup* KMail no longer crashes if closed in offline mode* KSquirrel can load codecs - works againThe complete list of bugs fixed in this release is available here A detailed commit change log is also available here TDE now has basic support for FreeBSD! Additional developers are always welcome to help port over the remaining features and applications.Installation instructions and binary packages are immediately available for Debian and Ubuntu . Packages for RedHat/CentOs OpenSUSE , and PCLinuxOS are being built by their respective maintainers and will be made available at a later date.Live CDs with TDE R14.0.1 preinstalled are available on the LiveCDs page Feedback from our users is an integral part of a large, user-experience oriented project such TDE. Whether you want to report a bug, suggest an improvement, or simply let us know your opinion of TDE, please feel free to contact us. Two good places to start communication are the project's mailing lists and bug tracker The TDE development team is small but friendly. If you wish to participate in the TDE development process, please visit the Get involved page for additional information.Creating TDE requires significant computing resources and bandwidth. Please consider helping to keep us online with a donation on our donations page . Without your financial assistance, TDE would not be possible!Project Founder/Administrator: Timothy Pearson, [email protected] |
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Donald Trump is a brave pro-Putin political maverick who would end U.S. foreign wars and perhaps lift sanctions on Moscow. Hillary Clinton, however, is a warmonger beholden to the military-industrial complex.
Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to the media during a news conference at the construction site of the Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office Building in Washington, March 21, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Bourg
Russian state TV, which hews closely to the Kremlin’s world view, leaves little doubt about who Moscow supports in November’s U.S. presidential election: “The Donald.”
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman took brief exception this month to a Trump attack video which showed Putin laughing at the prospect of Clinton defending America. But officials and analysts say the Kremlin still sees Trump as the best candidate by a mile.
Putin has hailed Trump as “very talented”. The head of the Russian parliament’s foreign affairs committee said he’d be a worthy winner of the 2015 “man of the year” title in the United States.
And Dmitry Kiselyov, presenter of Russia’s main weekly TV news show “Vesti Nedeli,” claimed this month that the Republican party elite had struck a secret deal with the Democrats to derail Trump, in part because of his sympathy for Russia.
“Trump doesn’t suit the Republican party,” Kiselyov told viewers. “They usually divide up the state budget (among themselves) by frightening people about Russia. But Trump is ready to find a common language with Putin. That’s why they don’t need Trump and even regard him as dangerous.”
Kiselyov has been one of the chief proponents of state television’s strongly anti-American tone, once saying Moscow could turn the United States into radioactive ash.
Some experts say Trump appeals to Moscow because Putin believes a Trump presidency would be isolationist and leave Russia with a free hand.
“The Kremlin can’t believe its luck,” said Konstantin von Eggert, an independent Moscow-based political analyst who believes the Obama administration has not been forceful in countering Russia.
“President Obama and (Secretary of State) John Kerry were a dream team for them, but now they have an even better option; someone who thinks that America should have nothing to do with the rest of the world.”
RT, the Kremlin’s English-language TV channel formerly known as Russia Today, says it does not back any U.S. candidates. But it has described Trump as “idiosyncratic and raw,” and suggested he represents the popular will of U.S. voters, which a sinister U.S. establishment is trying to subvert.
“Can America’s elections be truly called democratic if the political establishment aligns itself against the popular will?” lamented Peter Lavelle, the American host of RT’s flagship talk “CrossTalk” show. “As things stand now millions of voters could be disenfranchised.”
‘THANK GOD FOR TRUMP’
Trump has received advice from Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, a former U.S. military intelligence chief who advocates better ties with Russia, and who shared a dinner table in Moscow with Putin in December to celebrate RT’s 10th anniversary.
Trump has won friends in Moscow with statements praising Putin as a strong leader that he could probably get along with. His support for Russian air strikes in Syria was welcomed.
In January, after a British judge ruled that Putin had “probably” authorized the murder of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London, Trump said he saw “no evidence” the Russian president was guilty.
“First of all, he says he didn’t do it. Many people say it wasn’t him. So who knows who did it?” Trump said.
This week, Trump said the United States should reduce funding for NATO. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said his comments showed the alliance was in crisis.
“For the last two years all we heard from Western newspapers and TV was very critical of Russia,” Victoria Zhuravleva, a Moscow-based expert on U.S.-Russia relations, told Reuters.
“So when you hear something that is not so critical and even more friendly towards your country it’s like: ‘Thank God, There’s one person we can talk to: Donald Trump’”
Trump and Putin were similar, she said: “They are both open-minded, pragmatic, and say what they think.”
‘THE OLD BRIGAND’
The mutual appreciation between Trump and Putin has invited comparisons to the Russian leader’s friendship with another billionaire-turned-politician, Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi, who outraged Ukrainians and irked EU leaders last year by visiting Russian-annexed Crimea with Putin. They toured a Crimean winery and drank a priceless 240-year-old bottle from its cellar.
By contrast, Hillary Clinton, who is well known to the Kremlin because of her 2009-2013 stint as U.S. Secretary of State, is clearly not to Moscow’s taste.
“We really don’t want Hillary,” said one Russian official, who spoke anonymously because of the subject’s sensitivity. “She’s no friend of Russia’s.”
State media coverage has focused on what it has cast as her wacky promise to declassify UFO files and on the pressure she has faced for using her personal email account for government business and over her response to the fatal 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya.
Pro-Kremlin bloggers, corralled by a Putin supporter who used to represent the ruling party in parliament, are enthused by the prospect of agitating on behalf of Trump.
“Trump is the first member of the American elite in 20 years who compliments Russia. Trump will smash America as we know it, we’ve got nothing to lose,” Konstantin Rykov told his followers on social media.
“Do we want the grandmother Hillary? No. Maybe it’s time to help the old brigand.” |
1,894 Bracketeers voted in Batch 2, and 7.94m votes have now been cast.
Visual results are here and today’s results are:
Dismember defeats Sun’s Bounty with 96.18% of the vote
Hedron Crab defeats Jeskai Windscout with 93.05% of the vote
Propaganda defeats Embersmith with 90.75% of the vote
Jalira, Master Polymorphist defeats Vigorous Charge with 90.35% of the vote
Crackleburr defeats Tattered Haunter with 86.32% of the vote
Curious Homunculus defeats Pegasus Refuge with 84.79% of the vote
Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter defeats Dampening Pulse with 83.04% of the vote
Cabal Coffers defeats Bad Moon with 81.47% of the vote
Treachery defeats Punish Ignorance with 80.29% of the vote
Gaea’s Skyfolk defeats Flowstone Channeler with 79.93% of the vote
White Knight defeats Eye of Nowhere with 79.68% of the vote
Vexing Shusher defeats Grinning Demon with 79.05% of the vote
Razia, Boros Archangel defeats Primitive Justice with 78.78% of the vote
Inkmoth Nexus defeats Careful Consideration with 78.18% of the vote
Hoarding Dragon defeats Nylea’s Presence with 75.59% of the vote
Ixidor, Reality Sculptor defeats Blood-Chin Rager with 75.01% of the vote
Liliana, Heretical Healer defeats Price of Glory with 74.50% of the vote
Searing Blaze defeats Ascended Lawmage with 74.18% of the vote
Wydwen, the Biting Gale defeats Etherium Astrolabe with 73.04% of the vote
Infernal Spawn of Evil defeats Pride Guardian with 68.11% of the vote
Gaea’s Balance defeats Quillmane Baku with 65.92% of the vote
Celestial Gatekeeper defeats Halls of Mist with 63.88% of the vote
Blazing Specter defeats Loyal Sentry with 63.73% of the vote
Mystic Speculation defeats Brighthearth Banneret with 63.50% of the vote
Living Wish defeats From Beyond with 61.13% of the vote
Thistledown Liege defeats Wound Reflection with 57.90% of the vote
Grasslands defeats Star Compass with 55.67% of the vote
Ebony Owl Netsuke defeats Intellectual Offering with 54.71% of the vote
Stream of Acid defeats Hindering Touch with 53.75% of the vote
Ghostly Touch defeats Stonewood Invoker with 53.36% of the vote
Unburden defeats Squallmonger with 52.56% of the vote
Mausoleum Wanderer defeats Serendib Efreet with 51.90% of the vote
Full results to date can be seen here. |
FILE PHOTO: A company logo is pictured outside an ASDA supermarket near Manchester, Britain, April 7, 2016. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
LONDON (Reuters) - Asda, the British supermarket arm of Wal-Mart Stores (WMT.N), is considering a 4.4 billion pounds ($5.7 billion) takeover of B&M European Value Retail (BMEB.L), the discount retailer run by the billionaire Arora brothers, The Sunday Times reported.
The newspaper said Asda, which trails market leader Tesco (TSCO.L) and Sainsbury’s (SBRY.L) in annual sales, is in the early stages of assessing a bid for B&M, which is chaired by Terry Leahy, the former chief executive of Tesco.
It said Asda has commissioned external research on B&M and cited an unidentified industry source as saying that buying B&M would reduce Asda’s reliance on food sales and provide it with a network to stock its George clothing range.
Last year Sainsbury’s bought Argos-owner Home Retail for 1.1 billion pounds, while in January Tesco agreed on a 3.7 billion pounds takeover of wholesaler Booker BOK.L, a deal which is currently being probed by competition regulators.
Of Britain’s big four supermarket players, which also includes Morrisons (MRW.L), Asda was hurt the most by the rise of German discounters Aldi and Lidl. It has reported eleven straight quarters of underlying sales decline.
B&M trades from over 540 UK stores, selling products ranging from bedding to barbecues to food. Its shares listed at 270 pence in 2014. They closed Friday at 340 pence, valuing the business at 3.4 billion pounds.
The Sunday Times said applying a normal takeover premium would take its price to at least 4.4 billion pounds.
A spokesman for Asda declined to comment. B&M could not be immediately reached for comment.($1 = 0.7697 pounds) |
As Israel enters yet another round of peace negotiations with Palestinians, the fundamental concern that will guide its decision-making is security. And that's one issue that creates a quandary unique to this moment in history.
Israel has arguably never been safer than today. At the same time, the country's strategic position beyond this moment looks hazier than ever.
Israel's enemies have, for the moment, set aside the obsessive attention they normally expend on the Jewish state and have focused on more urgent matters of revolution and civil war. For its foes, Israel is a secondary issue right now. That provides a measure of security, however temporary.
Today, the Arab Middle East, Israel's neighborhood, is in turmoil, distracted from its anti-Israel sentiment. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its principal allies, Syria and Hezbollah, coming under enormous pressure. but Hamas is weaker than ever. Syria is self-destructing. The Muslim Brotherhood is on its heels. As a result, Israel is the quietest, most stable, safest country in the region. But in the region more broadly, the only certainty is change.
The extent of Israel's willingness to compromise with Palestinians will be determined in part by how its leaders perceive the state's strategic position in the midst of this paradox. If Israel is safer than ever, and they believe this is a relatively long term condition, the idea of withdrawing Israeli forces from the West Bank and letting the territory come under the control of a new country, the not particularly friendly or strong Arab country of Palestine, will seem a more tolerable risk. If, on the other hand, Israeli leaders view the country as encircled by an increasingly threatening maelstrom, they and the Israeli population -- which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises will have a vote on any deal -- will become more resistant to risky withdrawals. |
It’s December! With the holidays and the end of the year, the XD team is delivering one last release for 2017 with more of the features that you’ve been asking for, including improvements to working with type (like underline text) and the ability to edit graphics in Photoshop from the CC Libraries window.
Want to see these updates in action? Check out AdobeLive from Dec. 12-14 to see top UX designers using the latest features in Adobe XD.
Design enhancements.
Underline text.
With over a thousand votes in User Voice and feedback from many customers that text underline was a must from day one, we have been working hard to provide this feature. Though it seems like it would be a small task, we had overcome a few hurdles but we are thrilled to deliver a high-quality experience. While other tools simply draw a line under text, XD’s text underline feature leaves space for descenders. This creates a beautiful result for both script and non-script typefaces.
Underline any text elements or sub ranges of text elements using a button in the Text section of the property inspector or using the shortcut, CMD+U/CTRL+U. |
Here is the video and slide set from my presentation at the Ancestral Health Symposium, August 9, 2014, in Berkeley, California. I enjoyed meeting many of you who were at the conference. I’d recommend watching the video first, and perhaps follow along with the uploaded slide set in a separate window, since it is more convenient for viewing references and other details.
(Note: You’ll notice some minor differences in the video and slide versions, as the AV team inadvertently projected an earlier draft rather then the final slides I had provided).
Video:
Slides:
(Click on image below and allow 30-60 seconds for slideshow to upload)
Overview of the talk. For ease of reference, here is slide-by-slide “table-of-contents” summary of the presentation. People are always asking to provide a detailed explanation of exactly what steps to take to improve their vision. You’ll find this bottom line “practical advice” in Slides 23-36
Title: Myopia: a modern yet reversible disease My story: I wore glasses from Grade 10 until 15 years ago. I don’t wear glasses any more! To reverse myopia, we need to first understand the causes. Myopia defined. Myopia can lead to serious problems like cataracts and macular degeneration The prevalence of myopia has increased by 50-100% since 1970, across all age groups in the U.S. There is evidence for both genetic and environmental causes. An 1883 study of military recruits found myopia was much higher in students and merchants than farmers A 1969 study of Eskimos found that myopia had increased dramatically since Western schooling was introduced A 2012 study of German students found more than 50% of university graduates had myopia vs. 25% for dropouts In countries like Singapore and Taiwan, myopia is common among even young school children There is evidence that certain genes predispose to severe myopia. Copper deficiency induces myopia due to increased scleral wall elasticity. Cordain found that a high carbohydrate diet and deficiency of EFAs and minerals promote myopia It appears that a myopiagenic environment (near work) is needed to activate genetic predisposition to myopia What is the biological mechanism? The normal lens changes shape to focus Myopia progresses in two stages: (1) near work induces lens spasm, causing pseudo-myopia; (2) use of minus lenses temporarily improves distance vision, but leads to eye elongation and axial myopia. The result of elongation is a need to prescribe stronger minus lenses, in a vicious cycle of ever stronger lenses. Eye elongation is explained by the incremental retinal defocus theory. Retinal defocus causes release of neuromodulators that lead to decreased scleral tissue integrity, and axial growth The IRD theory has been proven empirically in chicks, monkeys and humans using optical reflectometry How can myopia be reversed? First, it is useful to understand the framework of hormesis — the beneficial response to low dose stress Weight lifting is a good example of hormesis and the principle of Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand What if gyms had the same business model as optometrists? They would prescribe exoskeletons to help us walk, but these “crutches” would make us weaker, not stronger. Lenses are crutches To reverse myopia with hormesis, we need to use active focus. That means print pushing and plus lenses while reading, and progressively weaker minus lenses and image fusing for distance activities To embark on this journey, you must first determine how myopic you are, using a Snellen chart For print pushing, you need plus lenses only if your myopia is less than -2D. Otherwise use your naked eye Find the distance (D1) where print is at the edge of focus and (D2) where it starts to blur. Read between D1 and D2 Move back from your computer or book to stay between D1 and D2. Do this for 2-4 hours a day, taking frequent breaks. Graduate to stronger plus lenses when you drop below 2D, and continue until you achieve 20/20 vision! For distance (walking, TV, movies, meetings) buy glasses with a 0.5D reduced prescription Once your vision gets better, you may notice “double vision” or ghosting. This is a good sign and something you can use to improve your vision! Find distant objects with sharp contrasting edges: telephone wires, tree branches, edges of buildings or signs Focus on the darker of the double image and away from the fainter image. With time, the darker image will become darker, and the fainter image will fade away Eventually the double image with fuse into a single crisp image — very exciting! Most people have a weak eye and a stronger eye with less myopia. The stronger eye will dominate, so strengthen the weaker eye by patching, shielding or winking shut the stronger eye…until the two eyes are roughly even. Frequently asked questions How much time should I spend on print pushing? Spend 2-4 hours a day while doing routine computer work or reading. This is not a separate exercise, but something you build into daily activity How long before my vision improves? Be patient — it’s like exercise or diet and won’t work overnight. Expect some improvement within a few weeks, but it may take a year or more to clear your vision Is this the same as the Bates method? Bates had some incorrect ideas about focusing, but his relaxation techniques can help reduce ciliary strain on the lens (pseduomyopia). However, his method does not help if you have axial myopia and spend a lot of time at the computer or reading. Print pushing specifically helps with that. Does active focus really work? Check out my blog and forum for success stories And for the skeptical, here is a page of references on the epidemiology and causation of myopia And more references on methods and websites that provide a similar approach to mine Your eyes are adaptive organs which allowed them to become myopic, but you can use that same adaptability to reverse the process using active focus for both near and far activities Rediscover your natural vision — make it fun, make it a habit, make it a game. You only have your glasses to lose!
Also be sure to check out these related posts and discussions:
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If you thought Peter Jackson showed you the most hard-core orcs there is to find with Lord of the Rings, then you’re mistaken – at least to Warcraft actor Clancy Brown. While LOTR has been the epitome of epic fantasy films since its release, Brown thinks Warcraft orcs would beat Lord of the Rings anytime.
The 57-year-old actor, who plays the chief orc Blackhand in Warcraft, recently spoke to IGN and explained why he thought so.
They’re similar to the Lord of the Rings orcs, except tougher and better looking and smarter and in every way better than the Lord of the Rings guys.
This statement might seem a little far-fetched, although I can agree that “smarter” is spot on. We saw that in this Warcraft trailer where the orcs appear to be negotiating with their “enemies” to come up with a peaceful option to solve their problems.
Other than “smarter,” I can’t really say I can compare LOTR and Warcraft orcs.
I loved Peter Jackson’s take on the Lord of the Rings novels. While the books have remained a classic in fantasy stories, the film trilogy shed a new light on fantasy films. If anything, it made people appreciate the world of fantasy even more.
Normally, I would side with Jackson, but to be subjective, I think the two films orcs’ each serve a different function and universe which explains the way they look. In addition, Tolkien’s orcs aren’t “better looking” because they’re not supposed to be. As for tougher, I’ll have to see the film first before I can make an appropriate verdict.
Do you think Brown is right? Are Warcraft orcs better than Lord of the Rings orcs? |
St. Paul police are asking for the public’s help to find a man who stole a cellphone out of a 9-year-old girl’s hand this week.
It happened as she waited for her younger sister to get off a school bus in Frogtown on Tuesday about 3:25 p.m., said Steve Linders, a police spokesman. The child was uninjured, he said.
The man grabbed the phone, valued at $100, from the girl on the southeast corner of Grotto Street and Edmund Avenue and said, “Ah-ha, I got your phone,” according to Linders. He then ran away with it.
“Stealing a person’s cellphone is bad enough, but grabbing a phone out of the hands of a 9-year-old is absolutely despicable,” Linders said.
A nearby surveillance camera recorded the thief, and police posted a screengrab on Facebook on Wednesday, asking anyone with information about his identity to call the case investigator at 651-266-5416.
The suspect is described as black, in his mid-to-late 20s, 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a medium to stocky build. He had a beard and glasses and was wearing a black knit hat, a Carhartt-style jacket and dark-colored jeans.
Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at 651-228-5262. Follow her at twitter.com/MaraGottfried. |
This superbly preserved fossil provides an insight into the way that fishes recovered from the catastrophe that killed the dinosaurs. Dr Darla Zelenitsky / University of Calgary
Even in the most intense pitched battles, moments of cooperation can occur. A prominent Alberta creationist found an outstanding fossil, and while he disagrees with scientists on its age by quite a few million years they've cooperated to safely retrieve and clean the discovery.
Edgar Nernberg's faith that the world is only a few thousand years old may be in contradiction to most of what we know about geology, biology and astronomy but he does the hard yards, looking out for fossils as he helps to dig basements while working for a Calgary excavation company. He writes frequently to the Calgary Sun, in which he is described as “the greatest promoter of creationism in Alberta”.
Most of Nernberg's finds have been fairly standard, including “clams, snails, leaf impressions and wood remains,” but recently he came across one that paleontologist Dr Darla Zelenitsky of the University of Calgary described as “10 out of 10 for significance.”
“Because complete fossils are relatively rare from this time period in Alberta, any such discoveries are significant as they shed light on the nature and diversity of animals that lived not long after the extinction of the dinosaurs,” says Zelenitsky. “These fossil fish are important because they are very primitive representatives of a large group of bony fish known today.”
The find led to four more at the same site. Alberta is rich in dinosaur fossils but has few rocks dating from the period shortly after their extinction, which could reveal the process of recovery, enhancing the value of these.
One of the other fossilized fish found at the site of Nernberg's discovery. Credit: Dr Darla Zelenitsky, University of Calgary.
Law relating to removing fossils varies by nation, state and province. “Picking fossils up from the ground surface, or surface collection, is allowed in Alberta only with landowner permission,” says Zelenitsky. “However, removing or excavation of fossils from the ground can only be done by a professional paleontologist with a permit.” Albertan fossils belong to the province, so finders cannot sell them to the highest bidder.
Nernberg's discoveries will go to the Royal Tyrrell Museum for cleaning and display. It is here that things get tricky. The Museum intends to include a plaque identifying the fish as 60 million years old, and placing them in the osteichthye family tree. Nernberg is on the board of the Big Valley Creationist Museum, which claims that dinosaurs co-inhabited the Earth with humans, and the fossils he found could not be more than 6000 years old.
Nernberg has expressed the hope that the Tyrrell Museum will provide a second plaque, giving his account of the find's origins, in keeping with his efforts to get creationism on the school curriculum. However, he is living up to Canadian stereotypes with the good-humored way he is going about it, laughing at the irony that his find will be used by the paleontologists with whom he argues to consolidate their evolutionary understanding,
The scientific side is being equally generous, with Zelenitsky telling the Calgary Sun, “Most people would have overlooked these – when these were uncovered, Edgar right away recognized them.” |
The National Archives building in Washington, D.C. houses some of the United States’ most foundational texts, including the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. These three documents are collectively known as the Charters of Freedom, and could be the most closely guarded pieces of paper on the planet.
During the day these important texts are available for public viewing under bulletproof glass and constant guard. But every night (and at the press of a button, should the need arise) a special elevator pulls them underground into a custom-built armored vault.
The original vault was built in 1953 by the Mosler Safe Company. The firm was the logical choice, having previously taken on notable achievements like the gold bullion vault at Fort Knox, and a bank vault in Hiroshima that survived an atomic bomb.
The original, 55-ton Mosler Vault was the size of walk-in closet and employed a 20-foot scissor jack to raise and lower the Charters of Freedom. A 1953 documentary shows the lift in operation here. The Mosler Vault was replaced in the early 2000s as the National Archive underwent a major $110 million renovation. The current vault, designed by Diebold, is still shrouded in secrecy. |
Patriots Point Hosts ‘Pay What You Can’ Weekend January 5-6
asmith
Jan 01, 2013
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum kicked the New Year off with a bang and hosted the popular ‘Pay What You Can’ Weekend January 5-6. During this special weekend, normal parking and admission fees were waived and visitors were invited to explore the museum for any price they could afford.
“We recognize that times are tough for many Americans – especially after the holiday season,” said Patriots Point Executive Director Mac Burdette. “Some families may not be able to afford to pay anything while others may have a limited amount they can dedicate to this purpose. That’s fine with us. ’Pay What You Can’ Weekend is our way to provide everyone with an opportunity to visit our museum regardless of their financial situation.”
Last year, Patriots Point hosted the first ‘Pay What You Can’ Weekend for South Carolina residents. This year, the museum expended on the offer and invited any and every one to visit regardless of where they call home.
Every ticket to the museum included the opportunity to explore three of the nation’s most historic vessels, 28 aircraft, the Medal of Honor Museum, Vietnam Naval Support Base and much, much more. Regular admission rates are $18 for adults and a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. As always, military in uniform and children under 6 are free.
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HP's IaaS/PaaS Helion Public venture turns private. Microsoft, with its burgeoning Azure Cloud, announces serious container substrate in the form of its Nano Server, Docker compatibility and additional equivalents.
Helion, Helioff. It's not as bad as that at all, but the effort made to compete with AWS is over, for now. HP is backing away from the pubic cloud and going for perhaps a safer, and more lucrative, future in the private cloud. It's my guess that inevitably, HP will make a better return on assets this way. The changes will be frustrating to planners, perhaps, but the cloud-on-the-hoof turf war is largely over.
Face it: It's brutal out there. Commodity infrastructure portends that margins will be slim. Amazon knows know to make microprofits. HP is a machine that needs more revenue per SKU. There's nothing like not making money and making up for it in volume. HP's Helion isn't dead by any means, rather, it's becoming focused infrastructure, in my opinion.
[ Now read 20 hot jobs ambitious IT pros should shoot for. ]
You could smell the scent in the breeze. HP buys Eucalyptus, an AWS-enabler. Serial entrepreneur Marten Mickos, of MySQL and Eucalyptus fame, goes on comparative waivers. Amazon chugs along. Rackspace was rumored to be for sale, something I find hard to believe (in fact, the company said in September that "it has ended its evaluation of alternatives that would result in Rackspace being acquired" and was planning to go forward independently). OpenStack languishes because it's too tough for many people to get their heads around. The market size seems smaller than everyone had dreamed.
But these are infrastructure ploys. Unless you're an expert at microprofits, you can be toasted, quickly, at high rates of speed. Microsoft dropped its traditional pre-announcement of an ought-to-be-available in a hoped-for future release, Docker on Windows, and their own competitor to skinny operating systems, the Windows 2016 Nano Server, a seemingly impossible sort of substrate for the new rage of containers.
Why impossible? Since when has Microsoft made a skinny operating system? Maybe long ago, as Xenix. Sure, you can get non-GUI flavors of Microsoft servers, seemingly surgically deployed as 2008/2012 Rsomething, with but a handful of the fatuous menu of pulled-from-retirement API sets, and given character to your favorite deployment by adding "roles" whose dependencies-from-hell-itself suddenly cause bloat and obesity.
But listen up: consider that the operating system of the future may indeed just become a collection of best-of-breed containers. Think about it. Baremetal hardware and a thin layer of hypervisory. Let's not argue whose, for now. Instead, let's argue: what.
The what becomes a Darwinian mixture of compute, storage, communications, security, apps like web or database, or some mixture in a container. This is evolving today, as I write this, as docker, rkt, lxc, and other container mixtures become commodified.
You're going to buy functionality in the form of containers. Then choose where to host these things. Your desktop? Notebook? Tablet? Cloud instance? Watch? Need one? Need a thousand? Click here, please.
Update 3:00 p.m. 4/9/2015: This article was updated to reflect Rackspace's announcement that it is no longer considering acquisition. |
Piquet Jr has continually struggled to impress in Formula 1 for Renault
Nelson Piquet Jr has been told by Renault he will not continue driving for them in Formula 1 this season. The 23-year-old has had 28 races in F1 without recording a win and has not won a point in his 10 races this season. "I have received notice from Renault of its intention to stop me from driving for them in the current F1 season," read a statement on his website. Piquet described this season as "the worst period of my career" and has criticised team boss Flavio Briatore. "I believe without doubt in my talent and my performance," said the Brazilian, who finished second to current F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton in the 2006 GP2 championship. A manager is supposed to encourage you, support you, and provide you with opportunities... Flavio Briatore was my executioner
Nelson Piquet Jr "I didn't get this far by getting bad results. Anyone who knows my history knows the results I am having in F1 do not match my CV and my ability. "The conditions I have had to deal with during the last two years have been very strange to say the least - there are incidents that I can hardly believe occurred myself. "If I now need to give explanations, I am certain it is because of the unfair situation I have been in in the past two years. "I always believed that having a manager was being a part of a team and having a partner. "A manager is supposed to encourage you, support you, and provide you with opportunities. In my case it was the opposite - Flavio Briatore was my executioner." He added: "I am a team player and there are dozens of people I have worked with in my career who would vouch for my character and talent, except unfortunately the person that has had the most influence on my career in F1." 606: DEBATE Piquet Jr is a mediocre driver. He's OK for F1, but is never going to trouble the top...
JimClark07 Piquet also accused the Italian of behaving unfairly towards him during his time driving alongside two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. "On numerous occasions, 15 minutes before qualifying and races, my manager and team boss would threaten me, telling me if I didn't get a good result, he had another driver ready to put in my place." Piquet Jr - whose father Nelson Piquet was F1 world champion in 1981, 1983 and 1987 - vowed to remain in motorsport but did not specify whether he would stay racing within F1. "I feel a sense of relief for the end of the worst period of my career, and the possibility that I can now move on and put my career back on the right track and try to recover my reputation of a fast, winning driver," he said. Piquet Jr's replacement is unknown as yet though Renault test driver Romain Grosjean is expected to be in contention.
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This case is about password sharing. People frequently share their passwords, notwithstanding the fact that websites and employers have policies prohibiting it. In my view, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”) does not make the millions of people who engage in this ubiquitous, useful, and generally harmless conduct into unwitting federal criminals. Whatever other liability, criminal or civil, Nosal may have incurred in his improper attempt to compete with his former employer, he has not violated the CFAA. — Judge Stephen Reinhardt, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Earlier this month a federal appeals court decided that an employee "acted without authorization" after he used a former co-worker's password login without their permission, in order to gain access to a collection of their data. Concerning the case The United States of America v. David Nosal , this has led to a decision by the court to rule that password sharing is a federal crime under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, meaning that sharing your login among friends and family for accounts like Netflix and HBO Go could now be an illegal act (via TechCrunch ).Judge McKeown, who is close to the case and wrote its opinion, admitted that more innocent forms of password sharing "bears little resemblance" to the circumstances presented in the lawsuit that ignited the ruling. McKeown urged future judges and courts to consider how important "facts and context" are to each case, and craft rulings surrounding password-sharing lawsuits and their legality from there.While the daily sharing of passwords has yet to be designated as a violation of federal law, some do see the new ruling as a slippery slope to a future where giving a friend your HBO Go login could land you in a heap of trouble. Judge Reinhardt took the dissenting opinion on the case, commenting that while David Nosal may have gotten into "criminal or civil" liabilities while logging into his co-worker's accounts, "he has not violated the CFAA."An act so widely perpetrated is far less likely to incur major legal repercussions, even if it does become enacted on more of a wider scale, but there is still a possibility for the federal appeals court's decision to let companies decide on their own whether password sharing should be more strictly reprimanded or not. Comments by Netflix earlier this year at CES suggest the company won't be heading in that direction any time soon, as CEO Reed Hastings saw the expansive sharing of their services as "a positive thing." |
Was Donald Trump’s water malfunction proof he has been replaced with AI or an Alien? An investigation:
Abraham Woodliff Blocked Unblock Follow Following Nov 16, 2017
Donald Trump is the best at everything! So what gives?
Everyone can pretty much agree that the way Donald Trump drank from that bottle of Fiji water was pretty bizarre. But that may just be scratching the surface! Has Donald Trump been replaced with an A.I. robot? Is there some sort of shape shifting alien impostor that has taken on the image of Donald Trump? Is Hillary Clinton behind this? Was this funded by the Clinton Foundation? Has Black Lives Matter (who are the same as the KKK) assassinated President Trump? Where’s George Soros? These all are completely rational questions to have, and we’re going to get to the bottom of them!
Since we all know that Donald Trump is truly terrific at everything, and billions and billions times better than the average homo sapien, how could it be possible that he would struggle to bring a bottle of Fiji water (the most tremendous water) to his lips? Are you telling me the guy who wrote The Art of The Deal can’t deal with H20? Not so fast, you libtarded cuck!
A DEMOCRAT MAKING AN ALLIANCE WITH A ROBOT TO STUMP THE TRUMP?
Let’s get back to A.I. During a speech back in 2014, Elon Musk said “Robots are fuckin’ crazy, yo! They’re gonna do everything better than us! They’re gonna build hella shit, and kill you, and fuck your wife! It’s all around the corner! I’m serious my ni**a… What? I’m from South Africa!” Does this not irrefutably prove that A.I. is possibly replacing Donald Trump? I think it certainly begs the question! We all know the deep state is after Trump! Like many, many people have said that.
OBAMA’S TRUE FORM!
Now onto another completely plausible scenario: There is solid evidence Barack Obama was a shape shifting reptilian. We have even had very credible reports that he smells like sulfur, as does Hillary Clinton, which as many highly educated people know is proof that they’re reptiles. So is the Obama shifter shifting into a Trump shifter to swiftly shift the balance in their favor? I think it could be possible! But does Adam Schiff investigate? No! He’s too busy blaming Russia for everything! SAD!
PICTURE OF A LOSER
There’s no need to discuss the Clintons, because we know they have something to do with this water fiasco, we’re just not sure what! But we’ve sent a group of private investigators down to Hell (one of the Clinton’s favorite reptilian vacation spots,) and they’re finding AMAZING THINGS!
Another potential reason for the A.I. is that Trump may have been secretly killed by Black Lives Matter, a group of TERRORIST SCUM who have the audacity to ask for white privilege when they’re black, have on many occasions advocated for the assassination of President Trump. Is it not entirely impossible that Republicans, as a last ditch effort, found a robot that has been programmed to study all of the world’s greatest leaders, while simultaneously memorizing every episode of NBC’s The Apprentice, but didn’t have time to program the robot to eat or drink like a normal human? It’s just impossible to know!
THIS IS HOW MAD I AM!
And where the hell is George Soros? The American people need answers, god dammit! AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW |
Gattuso: ‘Pirlo made me want to quit’
By Football Italia staff
Gennaro Gattuso says watching Milan teammate Andrea Pirlo made him want to “change profession”.
The pair played together for Carlo Ancelotti’s Rossoneri, with Ringhio doing the leg work while his more creative teammate supplied the fantasy.
Following the latter’s retirement yesterday, Gattuso was asked on Radio 24 whether his work had made Pirlo better, and he scoffed at the suggestion.
“Don’t talk nonsense, let’s not confuse Nutella with ****,” the Milan Primavera boss replied.
“When I saw him play it made me think I had to change profession. Nobody knows that better than me, because I started playing with him at Italy Under-15 level and then all the youth teams after that.
“It wasn’t only about his quality, but he was an animal covering 1000 metres, he had this athletic quality which is why he played until this age [38].
“He was someone who ran so much.
“I played with him for about 20 years when you consider the national youth teams, in difficult moments I just gave it to him, I always felt assured when I was next to him.
“I understood what I had to do, and he was taking care of the rest. He helped me much more in my career than I did him.
“In the dressing room? He’s a big son of a… with all due respect to his mother! He teased me for months, he was very funny. I punched him more times than Bud Spencer did Terrence Hill!”
Pirlo left the Rossoneri for Juventus in 2011, something some Milanisti have never forgiven him for.
“He was incredibly lucky to find a Juventus who weren’t in Europe and worked so hard with [Antonio] Conte.
“You know how Conte is, he’s a bad guy for a week but after that you start to feel good. He [Pirlo] needed that, this work but strength in his legs and he got that desire back.
“In my opinion that was the secret.” |
Canyon Bridge, an equity firm backed by Chinese fund Yitai Capital, on Friday announced an agreement to acquire British chipmaker, and soon-to-be-former Apple partner, Imagination Technologies.
According to a report from the Financial Times, the Canyon Bridge deal is valued at about 550 million pounds ($742 million) and is contingent on the completion of a separate sale involving MIPS, Imagination's U.S. unit.Imagination decided to sell off MIPS and intellectual property licensing business Ensigma in May as it struggled to stay afloat after Apple announced plans to stop using the company's intellectual property within two years.As Imagination's largest customer and one of its biggest shareholders, Apple's decision to ditch the firm's GPU technology for its own in-house designs came as a shock to shareholders. Without the promise of Apple royalty payments, which came in at $75.8 million for the 2015-2016 financial year and rose to approximately $81 million for fiscal 2017, Imagination's future was uncertain.Flailing to stay alive, the British company entered a " dispute resolution process" with Apple, accusing the iPhone maker of "unauthorized use of Imagination's confidential information and Imagination's intellectual property rights." In a bit of back-and-forth, Apple later claimed it stopped accepting new IP from Imagination in 2015 , adding that the firm only decided to apprise its shareholders of the situation after Apple invoked a contract clause to pay lower royalty rates.The chipmaker ultimately sought to sell itself in June "Imagination has made excellent progress both operationally and financially over the last 18 months until Apple's unsubstantiated assertions and the subsequent dispute forced us to change course," said Imagination Technologies CEO Andrew Heath. "The acquisition will ensure that Imagination — with its strong growth prospects — remains an independent IP licensing business, based in the UK, but operating around the world."Prior to iPhone 8's A11 Bionic chip, Apple used Imagination's PowerVR technology in its handsets. PowerVR is still present in current iPads, Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple TV 4K. The release of A11 Bionic suggests all mobile products coming out of Cupertino will integrate in-house GPU designs free of Imagination IP within the estimated two year window. |
TOM Mitchell continues to soar in his first season as a Hawk, with the prolific midfielder now holding a monumental statistical record.
Among those to have played at least 50 games since weekly statistics were first recorded in 1965, Mitchell now boasts the highest disposal average.
The former Swan's career average has rocketed to 26.96, edging past Brisbane Lions counterpart Tom Rockliff (26.93).
Admittedly it's a fluid situation, and Mitchell could also come under immediate threat from the likes of Collingwood star and fellow 24-year-old Adam Treloar (26.86) and Swans skipper Josh Kennedy (26.50).
But given his relative youth, Mitchell's career is expected to remain on the upswing for some time to come.
Highest disposals average - 1965-2017
Average Player Career Span Games 26.96 Tom Mitchell (Haw/Syd) 2013- 79 26.93 Tom Rockliff (BL) 2009- 146 26.88 Greg Williams (Geel/Syd/Carl) 1984-1997 250 26.86 Adam Treloar (GWS/Coll) 2012- 114 26.85 Dane Swan (Coll) 2003-2016 258 26.62 Bob Skilton (SM) 1956-1971 98 26.50 Josh Kennedy (Syd) 2008- 197 26.43 Scott Pendlebury (Coll) 2006- 250 26.41 Sam Mitchell (Haw/WC) 2002- 350 26.24 Matt Priddis (WC) 2006- 232
* source: AFL Tables
In a mind-boggling debut year in the brown and gold, the left-footer has already amassed 496 possessions at an average of 35.43 – well clear of his nearest rival, Gold Coast champion Gary Ablett (32.33).
If he maintains this astronomical rate, Mitchell will set a new home-and-away record of 779 disposals. The current record is 748, by Collingwood star Wayne Richardson in 1971.
In the round nine loss to Collingwood, Mitchell also accumulated a club-record 50 possessions – equal-fifth overall in the past 52 years.
He is yet to produce a sub-par performance this year, and has dropped below 30 disposals just once – and that was a 27-touch effort back in round three against Gold Coast.
And Mitchell – who would be both a runaway leader in Hawthorn's club award and easily the recruit of the year to date – has done it under great pressure to perform after the Hawks released premiership midfielders Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis; and with limited help from boom recruit Jaeger O'Meara.
Mitchell's father Barry – the former Sydney, Collingwood and Carlton midfielder – was a fine player who averaged 24.1 touches and more than a goal a game over 221 appearances, but his son might enjoy a better career.
Others to break records this season include Sam Mitchell (clearances) and Eagles teammate Matt Priddis (tackles), while Fremantle giant Aaron Sandilands (hitouts) and St Kilda champ Nick Riewoldt (contested marks) were already chart-toppers.
Sam Mitchell is also within 58 of Bulldogs great Scott West's all-time handball record, while Gold Coast champ Gary Ablett needs just 46 more contested possessions to pass the mark set by Brisbane Lions great Simon Black. |
When I moved to Boston in 2011, I took public transportation to work. A couple years later, a friend lent me his car while he was out of town, and for the first time in my life I became a guy who drove to the office. Parking in the employee lot came naturally enough; so did listening to “Morning Edition” and balancing my coffee in the cup-holder. Actually navigating the streets of Cambridge and Boston, however — that part was less intuitive.
So I did what any rational, 21st-century person would do in my situation: punched my work address into my smartphone and listened as a GPS-powered, step-by-step guide told me exactly what to do. Turn left in 300 feet, take the second exit out of the rotary, and so on. This I could handle. Before I knew it, my destination was on my right.
After a few days, I grew confident, and one morning decided to find my own way. But as I tried frantically to remember the GPS’s instructions, I realized that despite multiple trips to and from work, I had learned exactly nothing about the city’s geography. As I sat at a red light, I didn’t have the foggiest notion of where I was relative to where I’d come from — or, more importantly, where I was trying to go.
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My first instinct was to turn the GPS back on so I could stop being lost. My second was to wonder what, exactly, its handy instructions had done to my mind. How could I have followed all those steps, and made all those turns, without retaining anything?
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How GPS affects our natural ability to navigate is a question that has, in recent years, begun to attract the attention of researchers around the world. What they are finding suggests that my experience was not just one novice commuter’s blind spot: Instead, I was one of millions of people for whom technology is disrupting something the human brain is supposed to do well. When we use GPS, the research indicates, we remember less about the places we go, and put less work into generating our own internal picture of the world.
Often referred to as mental maps, these schematics tell us where things are in relation to each other and allow us to navigate among them. They are as powerful as they are mysterious, even to specialists who have devoted their careers to studying how they work. “They are very individual,” said Julia Frankenstein, a researcher at the Center for Cognitive Science at the University of Freiburg in Germany. “The things which matter to you might be completely different to those that matter to your wife or your children.”
With the option to use GPS to do our wayfinding for us, it might seem like we don’t have much need for mental maps anymore. But according to Veronique Bohbot, a neuroscientist affiliated with McGill University and the Douglas Institute who studies spatial memory and navigation, the process of generating mental maps also plays a role in activities that have nothing to do with getting to work. Becoming overly reliant on GPS and letting that skill atrophy, she and others suggest, might actually be bad for us. “It’s important for people to take responsibility for their health — including their cognitive health,” said Bohbot. “We can’t just take the back seat.”
The research doesn’t necessarily mean we should all chuck our beloved devices out the window. But it’s a strong case for not giving up our old-fashioned maps and human-style directions — turn right at the Dunkin’ Donuts and keep the river on your left — just yet. And it may also offer us an idea for how to reengineer this immensely popular technology itself, so that instead of competing with our astonishing ability at mental mapping, our gadgets actually begin to support it.
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***
When GPS devices first started showing up in luxury cars during the mid- to late 1990s, it was like something out of science fiction. Never again would people have to make wild guesses about the next turn, or last-minute decisions about exiting the highway. Instead, a soothing voice would just tell you what to do, patiently laying it out in simple, incremental steps.
This was not just a new way to drive — it was a revolutionary advance in the way we approached the task of orienting ourselves in the world. Historically, humans always had to work hard (if largely unconsciously) at this problem, paying close attention to their surroundings and assembling pictures in their heads that were populated with an array of landmarks, roads, intersections, and boundaries that, in sum, helped them figure out how to get where they wanted to go.
One particular advantage of building these mental maps is that they allow people to be spontaneous and flexible in how they get around: “If all you know is, ‘I have to turn left at the church, then right at McDonald’s,’ then you can reproduce the route, but you are not able to very flexibly navigate from Point A to Point B,” said Frankenstein. That means you can never deviate from the route you know, look for shortcuts, or improvise if the situation calls for it.
With the arrival of personal GPS devices in cars or phones, the tough cognitive work involved in mental mapping was suddenly rendered less necessary. Gary Burnett, an associate professor in the engineering department at the University of Nottingham in England, wanted to know what effect that actually had on people’s ability to navigate. In 2005, he set up an experiment using a driving simulator in which test subjects were asked to complete a set of four routes. Half of them were given step-by-step instructions that guided them right to their destination, while the other half were given traditional paper maps. Afterward they were quizzed on what they’d seen, and asked to sketch a rough map of their route. The drivers who had merely followed instructions did significantly worse on all fronts. They even failed to recognize that they’d been led past certain places twice from different angles.
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What GPS was doing, in other words, was letting people just pass their surroundings by, instead of assembling a picture of where they’d been. Other researchers have generated results that support Burnett’s findings. A 2008 study led by University of Tokyo geographer Toru Ishikawa found that people asked to reach a destination on foot drew less accurate maps of their routes when they were assisted by GPS than when they weren’t. Two years later, Ginette Wessel, then a PhD student at the University of California, Berkeley, reported similar results at a conference on visual interfaces. More recently, a study by Stefan Münzer of the University of Mannheim in Germany found that while people following the kind of “egocentric” cues generated by GPS devices — where the map is constantly reorienting itself to put the user in the center of the universe — made fewer mistakes on the way to their destinations than people who used traditional maps, they didn’t remember as much about the landmarks they’d walked past to get there.
Ironically, one of the main reasons for this is that GPS largely prevents us from making mistakes — and when we do mess up, it patiently helps us find our way back. That means we’re never pushed to do the difficult work of recalculating for ourselves. “When you make mistakes, not only does that mean your exposure to the environment is longer — and that helps you learn more things — you also become more engaged in the task,” said Burnett. “When you miss a turn, you become more focused on analyzing what just happened and where you are and what you need to do.”
Bohbot, the McGill neuroscientist, started experimenting with navigation because of an interest in the way people’s brains change as a result of learning. Bohbot developed a method for using fMRI technology to distinguish between people who tended to find their way by going through a memorized list of step-by-step directions — what she calls “stimulus response strategy” — and those who were inclined to orient themselves by conjuring a mental map of the world around them. People who just follow directions, Bohbot found, tended to have less gray matter in their hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for encoding spatial memories.
People whose everyday work is deeply dependent on mental mapping can show brain development that is particularly distinctive. A famous study published in 2000 by British neuroscientist Eleanor Maguire showed that taxi drivers in London with years of experience navigating the city’s complex geography had more gray matter in the posterior hippocampus compared to people who were not taxi drivers. The study underscores that how our brain works is subject to use; the brain is plastic, and the more mental mapping we do, the stronger our cognitive navigation skills and the bigger the part of the brain that encodes them.
While there’s nothing inherently good about having a big hippocampus, researchers have discovered that people with smaller ones are at higher risk for a range of serious psychiatric disorders, including dementia, schizophrenia, and PTSD. And while Bohbot cautions against concluding that GPS actually puts you at risk for mental decline — there is no study that has ever shown that, she points out — she herself has given up the device.
***
According to Bohbot, mental mapping — and spatial memory more generally — helps us in more ways than we might think. When a waiter at a restaurant brings six dishes out from the kitchen, for instance, he invokes a mental map of the table to remember who ordered what. When going on a vacation, a family is likely to do a better job of packing if they map out every phase of it in their minds, imagining all the places they are likely to find themselves during the trip. “My students use spatial memory when they study for their exams,” Bohbot said. “They put pages in different places around them on the floor, and the spatial position becomes associated with the specific topic they’re studying.”
Then there are less tangible benefits. For John Huth, a physicist at Harvard and the author of a recent book about human navigation, “The Lost Art of Finding Our Way,” figuring out where you are is a process that forces you to become actively tuned into the physical world. With GPS, he said, the loss is aesthetic as much as anything else. “You’re losing this chance to have a greater awareness of your environment,” Huth said. “It’s almost like depriving yourself of music, or a conversation with another person. There’s a richness that you’re missing out on.”
For some people, the prospect of reclaiming that richness is not enticing enough to justify the pain of constantly getting lost. The good news is that the tradeoff might not be so cut and dried. According to a study conducted by one of Gary Burnett’s students, a set of step-by-step driving instructions that explains what to do in terms of real-world landmarks — the supermarket, the bridge, the river — might actually help with the construction of mental maps, rather than hurting our ability to create them. GPS could also help by allowing us to go explore our surroundings without the risk of getting seriously lost.
Sitting at my desk the day of my humbling morning commute, I studied a map of the city, absorbing what was where, and trying hard to understand what to do, rather than just memorize a list of commands. That evening, as I drove down the Pike, my window down and my phone buried deep in my pants pocket, the city snapped into shape around me. Suddenly I was not just a guy who had learned a set of moves. I was a guy who knew his way.
Leon Neyfakh is the staff writer for Ideas. E-mail [email protected] |
Quote Infernixx Quote: Originally Posted by I have to assume this means that the exclusive Conquest-only mats needed to craft the high-end gear won't be available for a month after FE goes live?
By delaying conquest, they make the HM gear more exclusive. It will also drive down the gear prices because crafters can start stockpiling gear and learn the schematics. Then the only thing driving up the prices will be the conquest mats but since everyone can do conquest on his own, he can farm the mats himself and trade them in for gear at a crafter.
I wonder how this will affect future raids since they did say they will bring new operations, and how they will handle it then if we get a new tier. I like it this way. When I read the crafting blog, I felt sad that the new HM gear is not exclusive anymore. For all previous content, when a new tier first came out, you could only get it by running the operations yourself. Then a few months later when all progression players had the gear, everyone else was able to get the gear from crafting.By delaying conquest, they make the HM gear more exclusive. It will also drive down the gear prices because crafters can start stockpiling gear and learn the schematics. Then the only thing driving up the prices will be the conquest mats but since everyone can do conquest on his own, he can farm the mats himself and trade them in for gear at a crafter.I wonder how this will affect future raids since they did say they will bring new operations, and how they will handle it then if we get a new tier. Scoundrel healer. Raid leader. Guild officer @ Tulak Hord |
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Consequentialism is the class of normative ethical theories holding that the consequences of one’s conduct are the ultimate basis for judgment about the rightness of that conduct. Thus, a morally right act (or omission from acting) is one that will produce a good outcome and is commonly summarized as “the ends justify the means.” Republicans have attempted to convince Americans that it is morally right to cut funding for domestic programs that serve the elderly, children, and the poor because it produces a good outcome of shrinking the government, and teaches them there are consequences for getting old, being poor, and working for low wages. Republicans have had a measure of success persuading their supporters that the pursuit of smaller government justifies cutting domestic programs that serve vulnerable Americans, and validate the devastating consequences of the their actions by portraying the poor, children, and seniors as moochers robbing America of its wealth.
The one thing Republicans never talk about when making devastating cuts to safety nets are the real world consequences to the people their cuts impact. No Republican stands on the floor of the House or Senate and says they need to cut billions from the food stamp program and the result will be that 48 million Americans will have significantly less food to eat and go hungry, or that not extending unemployment benefits means 1.3 million Americans lose the lifeline keeping them from falling into dire poverty. It is much easier to dehumanize the cuts as much-needed deficit reduction, or reining in the size of government to prevent it from robbing Americans’ tax dollars and preventing job creators from recording higher profits that might encourage them to hire more workers. However, there are human consequences in Republicans’ harsh austerity that is keeping Americans hungry, homeless, and sick and still, Republicans have fought tooth and nail to make deeper cuts and keep their precious sequester in place.
The sequester is directly responsible for increased hunger, homelessness, and sickness among the poor, but there is little mention of its effects that are literally killing Americans. Last month it was reported that sequester cuts were killing homeless Americans forced to live on the streets in freezing winter weather due to cuts to the Section 8 housing assistance program. Over the weekend, sequester cuts to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that assists low income households meet their home energy needs were responsible for deaths of three children in the Midwest. LIHEAP particularly helps Americans with the lowest incomes that pay a high proportion of that income for home energy, especially for heating during the winter months.
The three children lived in Hammond, Indiana where most residents were able to keep the bitter cold at bay by turning up their heat to stay warm against freezing temperatures. That was not the case for Andre Young’s family whose rented house had been without electricity, gas, and water for 6 months, and had barely survived the frigid winter weather by using a propane space heater until January 8th. At about 10:30 that night witnesses said Young ran in to his burning rented house to rescue his five children and was successful saving a two-year-old and a six-year-old before he was burned seriously and collapsed in the snow. Another man attempted to kick down a door and save three remaining children aged four, three, and seven months, but he was unsuccessful. By the time first responders arrived they found the three and four-year-old in each other’s embrace and the seven-month old nearby; all three children perished.
Mr. Young, who works in lawn care, remains hospitalized in critical condition and his wife, a Walmart worker until recently, did not earn enough money to afford rent, food, and still make their utility payments. They were forced to choose food and shelter over heat, and the consequence of their choice was three dead children and a critically-burned father. It is likely that Republicans are still patting each other on the back for successfully implementing the sequester to “rein in spending” and “cut the size of government,” and look longingly forward to nine more years of austerity cuts with no regard for the costs in human terms.
In November, the National Energy Association Directors’ Alliance (NEADA) released a report citing the sequester had cut 330,000 poor families from energy assistance heading into the winter season. The report said the outlook for poor families during the heating season was grim with colder weather, higher energy costs, and declining purchasing power due to declining incomes and low wages. NEADA reported that the number of households receiving home heating assistance declined in fiscal year 2013, and noted that the sequester cuts were on top of severe cuts to the program since 2010. All told, nearly 1.5 million households lost heating assistance, and the outlook is especially bleak since the Energy Information Administration projected the average cost of home heating increased from $922 to $977 that leaves most Americans working for poverty wages with a choice of eating or staying warm. It is a choice forced on them by cruel Republicans and their precious life-ending sequester.
In the town the Young family lives, Hammond, money provided by the federal low-income energy assistance program (LIHEAP) is administered by the North Township Trustee and can give amounts between $100 and $500 starting in October to individuals and families living in poverty if funding is available. The Indiana utility, NIPSCO, confirmed Young was on some form of assistance, though it did not specify which kind, but with five children and rent to pay, it was likely food stamps that were cut two months ago on November 1st. An average household in Indiana house spends about $530 on heat between November and March which is significantly more than the assistance provided, and experts warned that the frigid weather from the “Polar Vortex,” coupled with devastating sequester cuts that have already reduced the amount of LIHEAP assistance available will push those on heating assistance to the limits of their budgets and force them to choose feeding their families or keeping them warm.
Republicans love boasting to their inhumane followers that “reining in spending” and “cutting the size of government” justifies their cuts that are killing poor Americans struggling to survive in poverty. One might be inclined to say the Young family’s tragedy is a cautionary tale of what dire consequences result from Republican austerity, but it is a stark reality that is recurring all across America with no apparent end in sight. Republicans are well-aware of the devastation their senseless and barbaric cuts are wreaking on the most vulnerable Americans and yet they are dissatisfied the damage is not severe enough or they would not continue panting to make deeper cuts to social safety nets.
The consequences of Republican austerity are the ultimate basis for judgment about the rightness of their conduct, and in human terms, their conduct is beyond wrong, it is inhumane, immoral, and sheer evil. Their jobs as legislators, according to the U.S. Constitution, is to provide for the general welfare of the people, and yet their standard practice is inflicting pain and suffering first on the most vulnerable Americans with more of their attention being shifted to the declining middle class. It is a sad state of affairs that Republicans would withhold heating assistance, food, and adequate housing from those who need it most and never acknowledge the consequences of their actions. As their austerity drives more Americans to choose between shelter, food, and heating in inclement weather, more poor Americans will opt to feed their families and use dangerous propane stoves to keep warm and suffer the deadly consequences of Republicans’ reining in spending and cutting the size of government.
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When it comes to Android tablets with detachable keyboards, one name comes to mind: Transformer. There's no denying that ASUS has carved out a pretty specific niche in the Android tablet/laptop convertible category. HP is looking to change that with the SlateBook x2, a 10.2-inch Android tablet with a keyboard dock that essentially converts it to an Android-powered laptop. It's small enough to fall into the "netbook" category, but that's a dirty word I try to stay away from.
Here's the thing though - this feels nothing like ASUS' offerings. When I heard about the SlateBook x2, I just assumed it would be an ASUS knockoff - a copycat of an already-successful product. But it's not. It's actually kind of strange; the Transformer series has always felt like a tablet with an attachable keyboard dock, whereas the SlateBook x2 feels like a small Android laptop with a detachable tablet. I guess what I'm saying here is that where the Transformers have always felt like tablets first and foremost, the SlateBook feels more like a laptop from the ground up. Maybe this is because traditional PCs are what HP is most familiar with. Whatever the reason, it's actually much better at being an Android laptop than the Transformers have ever been.
But let's not get too complimentary right out of the gate – it's far from perfect.
Specs Display : 10.2-inch 1920x1200
: 10.2-inch 1920x1200 Processor : 1.8GHz NVIDIA Tegra 4
: 1.8GHz NVIDIA Tegra 4 RAM : 2GB
: 2GB Storage : 16GB
: 16GB Cameras : 2MP Rear shooter, 1MP front-facing camera
: 2MP Rear shooter, 1MP front-facing camera Ports : Tablet - MicroSD, headphone jack; Dock - full-size USB, HDMI, and SD card slot
: Tablet - MicroSD, headphone jack; Dock - full-size USB, HDMI, and SD card slot Wireless : 802.11 b/g/n
: 802.11 b/g/n Battery :
: OS : Android 4.2.2
: Android 4.2.2 Dimensions/Weight : Tablet - 10.16 x 7.17 x 0.38 in., 1.34 lbs.; Tablet with dock - 10.16 x 7.63 x 0.81 in. 2.8 lbs.
: Tablet - 10.16 x 7.17 x 0.38 in., 1.34 lbs.; Tablet with dock - 10.16 x 7.63 x 0.81 in. 2.8 lbs. Price : Retail – $480
: Retail – $480 Buy: HP, Amazon
The Good Blazing fast. The Tegra 4 processor is crazy-fast and the SlateBook makes good use of it. While using this tablet, there was nary a hint of lag – even when installing apps while playing a game. It's just fast. All the time.
The Tegra 4 processor is crazy-fast and the SlateBook makes good use of it. While using this tablet, there was nary a hint of lag – even when installing apps while playing a game. It's just fast. All the time. Excellent keyboard dock . I'm going to do my best to avoid saying "compared to the Transformer series" in every other sentence of this review, but the keyboard dock is one area where it's unavoidable. The SlateBook's dock is actually really comfortable (especially considering it's an undersized keyboard), and the oversized touchpad is a very nice touch. Of course, it does have its flaws, but we'll get to those in a bit.
. I'm going to do my best to avoid saying "compared to the Transformer series" in every other sentence of this review, but the keyboard dock is one area where it's unavoidable. The SlateBook's dock is actually really comfortable (especially considering it's an undersized keyboard), and the oversized touchpad is a very nice touch. Of course, it does have its flaws, but we'll get to those in a bit. Rear-mounted volume and power controls. I've seen this device get some static for this feature, but I personally think it's great. The buttons are too conveniently located for me to dislike it.
The Bad The display. This is easily the worst part of the SlateBook, which is really unfortunate. The display has a sort-of yellowish tint to it, which is particularly noticeable on light colored backgrounds. At times it can make for an incredibly unpleasant experience.
This is easily the worst part of the SlateBook, which is really unfortunate. The display has a sort-of yellowish tint to it, which is particularly noticeable on light colored backgrounds. At times it can make for an incredibly unpleasant experience. Battery life. Despite having two batteries (one in the tablet, one in the dock), the SlateBook doesn't have the battery life one would expect. The idle time is particularly terrible – sometimes the entire unit can drain completely overnight, with absolutely zero use.
Despite having two batteries (one in the tablet, one in the dock), the SlateBook doesn't have the battery life one would expect. The idle time is particularly terrible – sometimes the entire unit can drain completely overnight, with absolutely zero use. Buggy software. I get that this tablet just came out and it's only HP's second Android tablet (the first with a dock), but there are a fairly substantial amount of bugs present here. We'll get into the details in the software section below.
I get that this tablet just came out and it's only HP's second Android tablet (the first with a dock), but there are a fairly substantial amount of bugs present here. We'll get into the details in the software section below. Proprietary charger with power brick. Yeah, you read that right – the charger has its own power brick. I cannot even begin to fathom why HP not only chose to use a proprietary charger, but also to include a brick. It dramatically cuts down on the portability of this device. My laptop already has a brick, I don't need to carry one for my tablet, too.
Hardware
Build Quality, Design, and Keyboard
On the outside, the Slatebook x2 is an uninspired gray slab with a shiny silver HP logo. The plastic casing doesn't do a very good job of hiding fingerprints; in fact, it sort of highlights them. If your hands are even the slightest bit oily, expect to see every touch on the back of the unit. It may not be as bad as a glossy exterior, but it's worse than many other devices.
While we're talking about the back of the unit, let's take a looksee at those conveniently-placed volume and power buttons. Like I've already said, I read other reviews that slammed HP for putting the controls on the back, but I've grown quite fond of them. It's incredibly natural and intuitive to hit the power button while holding the tablet, and the volume controls are equally as nice. Both buttons are very easy to find by touch. I really can't find anything to dislike about the arrangement. Naturally, the 2MP rear-facing camera is also located on the back.
Continuing down to the bottom of the tablet (in landscape, without the dock attached, that is), you'll find basically everything else: the proprietary charging/dock port, microSD card slot, headphone jack, and dock anchors. The speakers are also on the front-bottom, directly below the screen on either side. The bottom of the tablet is very odd – where the rest of the edges are rounded and tapered, the bottom is flat. It's a very dramatic change from the rest of the device, and it makes it difficult to use the unit in portrait mode (not that most people use a 10-inch tablet in portrait, anyway). To add to the peculiarity of the design, all of the bottom ports are covered when the tablet is placed in the dock. Fortunately, most users who put a microSD card in their device leave it there so that's not a huge deal, and the dock features its own headphone jack. Still, the speakers are sort of covered, which was just poorly thought-out. On the upside, it doesn't affect the audio that much – it's perhaps just a tiny bit more muffled.
That brings us to one of my favorite things about the SlateBook: its dock. As I've already said, the dock is quite good – the keys are tactile and have a good amount of travel, and it's surprisingly easy to type on considering it's an undersized keyboard. It has a dedicated row of navigation keys, featuring back, search, brightness, settings, voice actions, volume, media, and radio toggle keys – the most notable of which is easily the dedicated voice action key. Hit it, and it immediately opens Google Now and starts listening. It's brilliant for anyone who uses voice commands a lot. Unfortunately, the unit is lacking GPS, so "navigate to..." functions will end up falling flat on their face.
Just below the keyboard is the oversized touchpad, which I found to be a pleasure to use for the most part. The only downsides of the touchpad are that I found myself hitting it with my thumbs while typing on occasion, and there's no way to disable it. That's probably the most serious omission on HP's part – anyone who hates the touchpad will be stuck with it on all the time (unless HP decided to push a software update with a fix). Fortunately, it's far less obtrusive than the touchpad used on all of the Transformers up to this point.
On the right side of the dock, you'll find the full-size HDMI and charging ports, as well as an SD card slot; the left side features the full-size USB port and headphone jack. All pretty standard stuff.
The tablet is incredibly easy to put in the dock. It requires no force outside of gravity; simply line it up and it slides into place. Removal is equally as easy – flip the switch and pull it out. It doesn't even require any downward force on the dock, which is nice. Once planted in the dock, the tablet is held firmly in place and won't just fall out, though there is a bit of wiggle room when shifting the angle of the display. I doubt that would cause any future problems, but it may bother the super-anal among you.
As convenient as the dock is, there's one major annoyance: it's impossible to open this thing with one hand. It's so tight, you're left with no choice but to pick the entire thing up and hold it sideways to get enough leverage to open it. It drives me crazy. Past that, though. the dock is pretty great – better than the Transformer series' docks, I'd say.
Display
HP made a vital mistake with the SlateBook's display: it used this as a means to cut costs and went with a cheaper panel. As a result, the display is bad. In fact, it's easily the weakest link in an otherwise good (but not great) tablet. The coloring is off, and everything has a yellow-ish hue to it. It's actually difficult to look at without a substantial amount of mental adjustment (read: it takes a while to get used to). Bright colors like red are far too oversaturated, grays don't look gray at all, and whites are dull and almost "smoky" in appearance. It's pretty bad, and it's noticeable almost immediately. Darker colors look OK for the most part, but considering many of the commonly used apps (Gmail, Play Store, etc.) and many web pages are mostly white, it has a dramatic impact on the experience.
SlateBook x2 vs Nexus 7 (2013)
Another cost-cutting omission on the SlateBook's display is the ambient light sensor – it simply doesn't have one. That means no automatic brightness, which could be a dealbreaker for some. To add insult to injury, the display just doesn't get very bright. Throughout the duration of my time using the SlateBook, I had to keep the brightness set at about 60%, which is pretty much equivalent to 30% on the new Nexus 7. In other words, don't expect to get any real use with this tablet outdoors.
Once you get past the subpar color reproduction, the display is actually pretty sharp. The 1920x1200 panel isn't as crisp as 2560x1600 on the Nexus 10 or even 1920x1200 on the 2013 Nexus 7, but it's still a major step up from the 1280x800 of yesteryear (and the budget tablets of today). I found it to be fine for reading, gaming, and surfing the web – you know, all the things people typically do on tablets.
Speakers
The speakers on the SlateBook are itty-bitty little things, but they get the job done without sounding awful. They're slightly tinny, but not unlistenable-y so. On the upside, they do face the front, so at least you won't have to position your hands in funky ways to "throw" the sound back at your ears.
Like mentioned above, when the tablet is in the dock, the speakers rest just below the top of the keyboard, making them slightly covered. This really doesn't affect the sound quality at all – in fact, I used the SlateBook as a metronome while playing guitar often during my testing. It worked out exceptionally well, as it was plenty loud enough for me to keep tempo with my guitar at low volume.
Camera
The SlateBook's 2MP shooter is, well, a 2MP shooter. It's awful, where "awful" means "the worst tablet camera I've ever used." Bright colors are oversaturated, and everything imaginable is grainy and terrible. The image quality is so bad, I just... actually, I'll let the images speak for themselves.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you're not going to do it right, don't do it at all. I don't expect great things from tablet cameras, but this is pathetic.
Storage and Wireless
Like so many other recent Android tablets, the SlateBook only comes with 16GB of storage (11.81GB user-accessible), which should be enough for most users since it also supports both micro and full-size SD cards (the latter of which is in the dock only). Of course, the only reason this could pose a problem is if you plan on loading it down with huge game files (which can't be transferred to the SD card), in which case it would fill up rather quickly. Something to watch out for.
In the wireless department, the SlateBook is packing Wi-Fi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth, but that's the extent of it. You won't find NFC or GPS on this puppy, so don't expect to use it as a navigation system or tap to share files with other devices.
Battery Life
Really, HP? Was a power brick really necessary?
Another area where the SlateBook could perform better is in the battery life department. Despite having a battery in both the tablet and the dock, it drains unusually fast – throughout my testing the unit sometimes died overnight due to a glitch that causes the display to turn on by itself and never time out. More details on that in the software section below.
The tablet itself doesn't make great use of its internal battery, either. I got roughly six to seven hours out of the tablet by itself, and ten or eleven with the tablet on the dock (excluding the aforementioned bug). HP claims the tablet-dock combo can keep things going for around 12.5 hours, which must be a best-case scenario, because I simply don't see that happening if you actually use the device.
Software
On the software side of things, the SlateBook basically runs stock Android 4.2 with very few changes overall. The primary tweaks that you'll find are basically in the settings menu: support for Miracast Wireless Display and an option to tweak audio profiles called DTS Sound+.
While those are basically the only modifications to the OS as a whole, HP did throw several bundled apps into the mix – some useful, others not so much. Here's a quick rundown of each of the pre-installed applications:
Box – The Dropbox competitor has founds itself a home on the SlateBook x2.
The Dropbox competitor has founds itself a home on the SlateBook x2. eBay – Because HP wants you to buy things.
– Because HP wants you to buy things. Evernote – For taking notes. This actually makes a lot of sense on a tablet/laptop hybrid device.
– For taking notes. This actually makes a lot of sense on a tablet/laptop hybrid device. Wild Tangent Games – ಠ_ಠ
– ಠ_ಠ HP Camera – HP's custom camera software, as noted above.
HP's custom camera software, as noted above. HP ePrint – Because printing is a big part of what HP wants you to do. Mostly with HP printers, of course.
Because printing is a big part of what HP wants you to do. Mostly with HP printers, of course. HP File Manager – A very decent bundled file manager. Makes it easy to take care of business without a third-party app.
– A very decent bundled file manager. Makes it easy to take care of business without a third-party app. HP Media Player – For playing local media. Just in case you hate Google Music and all other media players on the Play Store.
– For playing local media. Just in case you hate Google Music and all other media players on the Play Store. Kingston Office – Another good inclusion for an Android-powered Tabtop. After all, what good is that keyboard if you can't type something useful?
– Another good inclusion for an Android-powered Tabtop. After all, what good is that keyboard if you can't type something useful? Printer Control – Far more powerful than ePrint, this app lets you manage your HP Printer, as well as check ink supplies, scan, capture, and print directly from your tablet. Be warned, though: it's pretty ugly.
– Far more powerful than ePrint, this app lets you manage your HP Printer, as well as check ink supplies, scan, capture, and print directly from your tablet. Be warned, though: it's pretty ugly. Skitch – Evernote's photo markup and annotation app.
– Evernote's photo markup and annotation app. Splashtop – Remote access to your Windows machine.
– Remote access to your Windows machine. TegraZone – Because Tegra 4. And games.
Despite having very few software modifications, however, the SlateBook has its fair share of bugs. For example, the display sometimes turns on by itself, and then never times out. In the intro bullets, I mentioned that the entire unit would sometimes drain 100% overnight – this is the cause for that. The display sometimes runs all night (even when the lid is closed in laptop mode), thus killing the battery double-quick.
It's also extremely quirky when docking/undocking the tablet with an app in the foreground. On occasion (probably 50 percent of the time), the foreground app will force close when the tablet is either put on or removed from the dock. It's a strange (and frustrating) reaction, but something that HP definitely needs to iron out. Hopefully they're aware of these issues (and I find it hard to imagine that they're not) and a firmware update is in the works. In the meantime, continuous use of your apps through the docking/undocking process is a coin toss.
Performance
This is actually where the SlateBook really shines. The Tegra 4 really shows what it's made of here – it's blazing fast. Everything on the SlateBook is so quick and snappy, free from lag, and incredibly fluid. Simply put: if you buy this tablet, you shouldn't have to wait for anything.
Of course, the flagship Tegra 4 device is SHIELD at the moment, so comparisons are going to be drawn. I'll put it bluntly for you: SHIELD is faster. And it will probably be faster than all other Tegra 4-powered devices to hit the market, too. Why? Because it has a fan and heatsink, which allows the chip to run at maximum speed basically all the time. Airflow and cooling just isn't a concern for SHIELD, whereas it is for standard tablets and phones. That said, the SlateBook is nothing to scoff at, and during actual real-world use I noticed very little speed differences when compared to SHIELD.
For those of you who love benchmarks (and we know you're out there), here are a couple for you. I also ran some with the 2013 Nexus 7 and SHIELD for comparison purposes. Now, I shouldn't have to say this, but I will anyway: benchmarks should be taken with a grain of salt. They're just numbers and don't really mean much in real-world usage. It's interesting to see how the SlateBook scored in all of the benchmarks below, because it actually feels much faster than the benches lead on. The most interesting thing to me, however, is the decline in benchmark scores over time; when I first got the SlateBook, it scored around 925 in Geekbench 3's single-core test and 2535 in the multi-core test. Compare that to the scores you see below – they show around half of that. There were no firmware updates or any other drastic changes to the system, nor did Geekbench receive any sort of update that I'm aware of. AnTuTu had similar results, but considering the original benchmarks were run in AnTuTu 3 and the new ones in version 4, I decided to omit that comparison.
With that said, here are the scores in the system's current state.
Update: It turns out that I forgot to disable "balanced power" before running benchmarks, which explains why they're so much lower than before. I'm keeping the original scores and text intact, but have also added the updated scores alongside them down below.
Left to right: Nexus 7 (2013), SHIELD, HP Slatebook x2 (balanced power enabled), SlateBook x2 (balanced power disabled).
AnTuTu
Geekbench 3
Androbench
Usually people say "numbers don't lie!" and while I agree with the statement, I can't help but feel like the benchmarks here are providing an unfair assessment of the SlateBook. Sure, it's not as fast as SHIELD, but it definitely feels as fast – if not faster – than the 2013 Nexus 7. I use both regularly, and in the real world they are nearly indistinguishable from one another in terms of speed.
Conclusion
Conclusions are always the most difficult part of a review, because oftentimes people jump straight to the bottom to form an opinion of the device (perhaps stopping to look at the benchmarks along the way). As a result, it's incredibly important to form a conclusion that's not only fair and just to the device itself, but also provides all the important details that were just discussed throughout the review. In that respect, this may be one of the most difficult conclusions I've ever had to write, because I'm so torn by this device.
One on hand, it has some really good qualities – a great keyboard for the size, useable trackpad, and fantastic performance, just to name a few. But on the other hand, the shoddy display, buggy software, and poor battery life (which is likely a result of the aforementioned buggy software) make it hard to recommend overall; of course the latter two can be fixed with an over-the-air update, but it's never a good idea to buy a device with the hope of an OTA fixing the known bugs. Wait until that happens, then buy (if you're still interested at this point).
With everything said, I think it's probably best to wait for the new Infinity Pad to hit the scene to see how it compares if you want an Android tablet/laptop hybrid. The keyboard probably won't be as good if it's anything like past Transformers, but the 2560x1600 display will likely make up for that, and ASUS has been in the game long enough that it should be a winner right out of the box. If the company also decided to include some of the software tweaks present on the MeMO Pad 7 HD, then that sweetens the deal even more. If you simply can't wait until it's available (there still isn't a release date) though, then the SlateBook is your best bet – despite its flaws, I'd still take it over the 2013 Infinity Pad or any other device from the Transformer line. |
A recent detailed analysis of the composition of US Federal debt has made us question just how much dry powder the Fed has left to manipulate interest rates. We ignore all tangential issues such as what the end of QE will mean on MBS, and by implication 10 Year, rates, and focus purely on the structural composition of the curve, which leads us to some very troubling observations. In summary: the Treasury is running out of time in which to orchestrate a massive rush away from risky assets into the sweet spot for UST interest rates: risk-free Bill holdings. In other words, a stock market crash is long-overdue if the Treasury does not want to face a major spike in rates and drop in Treasury demand in the immediate future.
First, and this is no surprise to anyone, the US is on collision course with an unmitigated funding disaster. As the chart below demonstrates, the US has been issuing roughly $147 billion a month for the past 17 months, in a period in which total US Federal debt has increased from $10 trillion to $12.6 trillion. With recently passed healthcare reform, look for the red line indicating total debt to go increasingly exponential.
Like we said, nothing surprising here as we spend ourselves into bankruptcy. The only reason why this has not escalated yet has been the Fed's ability to keep rates low on the short end, translating into modest low long-end rates as well, despite the curve being at record wides. The progression over time of average interest rates by Bills, Notes and Bonds, as presented by Treasury Direct, is shown below. This should also not come as much of a surprise, as it has been well known that the Fed's only prerogative in the past two years has been to buy every yielding security in sight to keep rates low.
Now where it gets quite interesting is an analysis of the composition of the total components of the debt, on a relative basis. The chart below demonstrates the amount of various pieces of debt by tenor as well as the inclusion of non-marketable debt and trust funds held by the Treasury.
Recreating the chart above, but focusing exclusively on Marketable debt, yields the following chart:
We wrote recently that while China may or may not be bailing on US debt, one thing that is certain is that it is not rolling, and in fact may well be selling, its Bill exposure, i.e., short-term Treasuries that mature within a year.
Indeed, the recent scramble away from Bills is confirmed by the prior two charts which indicate that the portion of Bills as percentage of total marketable debt has fallen from 30.1% in February 2009 to just 21.8% in February 2010. The reason for this is that the Fed had been previously posturing that it is attempting to push the average debt maturity from 4 to 6 years and over. In order to do this the Fed needs to issue less net Bills. And therein lies the rub.
As rates have fallen, the average interest on Bills has dropped from 1.4% in October to essentially zero over the past several months (0.2% to be precise). In effect, the Treasury gets the benefit of holding $1.7 trillion in debt which pays no interest. Yet as its rolls out of Bills, its ability to take the implicit benefit of the Fed's ZIRP disappears. As the Fed's monetary policy impacts most of the the interest rate on Bills, with Bonds and Notes much more a function of medium- and long-term inflation/deflation expectations (and with the yield curve at record levels, the expectations see some less than smooth sailing down the line), as the Treasury rolls down its Bill holdings, as it has been doing, the Fed's ability to influence rates is getting progressively less and less. Couple this with an ever increasing record amount of total US debt, and you have a recipe for disaster, or as we call it, the curve Black Swan.
In fact this can be seen in the chart below: a comparison of average blended interest rates, and overall (accrued) implied monthly interest, demonstrates that even as the blended interest rate has dropped to an all time low of 2.57%, the actual annualized cash out on marketable debt (excluding the Trust Fund shell game), has returned to levels last seen in December 2008, of about $204 billion per month. The last time the annualized interest was this high, the actual interest rate was 3.2%, or 60 bps higher! Furthermore, even as rates have been declining, actual interest expense has been increasing consistently since May of 200 (and all this even as the actual blended interest rate is at an inflection point: it will likely trough in the mid 2.5% range as the low hanging Bill fruit has been plucked away).
The reason for this: 1) rates on Bills can only go 0.2% lower before hitting zero, and 2) nobody wants Bills anymore. China certainly has been selling Bills, and US citizens, balking at money market rates, are definitely not going to lock their money into Bills which yield the same if not less. The Treasury's natural response - bringing back the SFP 56-Day Cash Management Bills back. Today, the Treasury auctioned off the 5th $25 billion SFP chunk, on its way to filling up the $200 billion CMB tank full. Yet this is merely a stop-gap measure, and it is responsible for the slight bump higher in February Bill holdings compared to January. Alas, the Treasury will need to generate wholesale interest for Bills in some way in the near future, or else it will drown itself in the vicious cycle combination of increasing interest payments pushing rates higher, etc. And what creates a scramble for Bills better than anything?
Why a massive market crash of course.
Are we predicting one will happen? Of course not; in this market what is expected to happen is that last thing that will happen. We merely point out the logic and what the empirical evidence is demonstrating. Either the Treasury will need to expand the SFP program to far beyond the $200 billion cap, or it will need to get rates on Notes and Bills even lower at a time when the broader market is already expecting a rise in Rates. And in the meantime, it will continue issuing roughly $150-200 billion in debt each and every month to fund in increasingly bankrupt government.
What we can predict with certainty, is that the Treasury is on an inevitable collision course with insolvency, courtesy of a government run amok. And absent a major shift in capital out of risky assets into risk-free equivalents, it is going to get increasingly more difficult to control the runaway beast of rabid and uncontrollable deficit spending. |
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Disgruntled Oakland Raiders fans are making a high-profile plea for owner Al Davis to step down as the team's general manager. The group that put up the billboard says it has gathered more than 25,000 signatures for a petition asking Al Davis to step down as GM. AP Photo/Paul Sakuma
A billboard was posted on the freeway near the Oakland Coliseum this week, saying "MR. DAVIS, DO THE RIGHT THING, PLEASE HIRE A GM."
The group that put up the billboard says it has gathered more than 25,000 signatures for a petition asking Davis to step down as general manager. The petition also calls on Davis to hire a new GM, hire a Super Bowl-caliber coach and "agree to refrain from intervention in personnel or football operational matters."
The Raiders (3-8) have won three Super Bowls under Davis' leadership but appear headed to a seventh straight losing season. Oakland's 27-80 record since the start of the 2003 season is the worst in the NFL. |
We often say that the most important leg of a three-legged chair is the fourth, the missing one. Well, when it comes to the human body, the muscles composing the hamstring group (biceps femoris - long and short heads, semitendinosus and semimembranosus) are usually that fourth leg.
Quite simply, most athletes have horrendous hamstring development. This not only puts the athlete at risk of injury on the playing field, but it also significantly reduces performance potential. Why? For the following reasons:
The hamstrings are among the muscles responsible for running fast. They're involved in both knee flexion and hip extension, two important actions in the running motion. The hammies are key decelerators. In other words, the stronger your hamstrings are, the faster you can stop, then change direction and resume your progress.
Many people still believe that the quads are the most important "speed muscles" in the body. Not true. This false belief has led to many athletes short-siding their results by becoming excessively quad dominant. The true speed muscles are the hamstrings and glutes. Both play a much more important role in the running stride, especially at high velocities.
Most of the time, hamstring training is put back at the end of the line. A classic lower body training session might involve the back squat, leg press, leg extension, and leg curl. As you can see, not much emphasis on the hams! And most importantly, when they are trained, they aren't trained according to their capacities and functions. To design a proper hamstring workout, it's important to understand that:
They are knee flexors. They're also hip extensors. The hamstrings are built for speed. As a result, they tend to be more fast-twitch dominant than most muscle groups. They're heavily involved in knee stabilization.
knee flexors hip extensors
These four observations should influence program design. It means that both functions should be trained and that methods emphasizing fast twitch fiber involvement should be selected. Such methods include: accentuated eccentric training (eccentric or negative muscle action preferentially recruits fast twitch fibers), heavy lifting, and explosive lifting. Training the hamstrings isometrically is also very effective.
With that in mind, here's a very effective hamstring development program that's sure to reduce your risk of lower body injury and drastically increase your speed and agility.
Workout 1: Hip Extension
Exercise 1: Fixed Hip Extension/Heavy
Hip extension can either be fixed (meaning that both feet stay on the ground) like in a Romanian deadlift or good morning, or it can be free, like in a reverse hyper or a low-pulley hip extension.
For our heavy exercise we want to select the type of movement in which we'll be able to use the most weight: the fixed hip extension exercise. It can either be a Romanian deadlift or a good morning.
The good morning exercise
Sets: 4-6
Reps: 4-6 during an accumulation phase; 2-3 during an intensification phase
Rest Intervals: 150 to 180 seconds
Exercise 2: Fixed Hip Extension/Explosive
For the second exercise we want to use an explosive drill. The adequate ones are the simpler variations of the Olympic lifts: the power clean from blocks/hang and the power snatch from blocks/hang.
power clean from the hang.
power clean from blocks
Power snatch from blocks
Sets: 4-6
Reps: 4-6 during an accumulation phase; 2-3 during an intensification phase
Rest Intervals: 150 to 180 seconds
Exercise 3: Option 1 (better) - Reverse Hyper, 2/1 technique
This first option requires a reverse hyper machine. Sadly, not all gyms have such a piece of equipment. For those who have access to this wonderful piece of machinery, you're going to use the 2/1 technique. This means lifting explosively with two legs and lowering it slowly one leg at a time.
Sets: 2-3
Reps: 10-12 (5-6 per leg) during an accumulation phase; 4-6 (2-3 per leg) during an intensification phase
Rest Intervals: 120 to 150 seconds
Exercise 3: Option 2 (not as good) - Low-Pulley Hip Extension
This second option isn't as good as there's less eccentric accentuation, but it'll work if you don't have a reverse hyper machine. You'll want to lift the load as fast as possible while returning it in 5-6 seconds.
Sets: 2-3 per leg
Reps: 8-10/leg during an accumulation phase; 4-6 during an intensification phase
Rest Intervals: 120 to 150 seconds
Workout 2: Knee Flexion
Exercise 1: Option 1 (best) - Glute-Ham Raise
The second workout is designed to work on the knee flexion role of the hamstrings. Our first exercise is performed with heavy weights. For this we want to use the exercise in which we'll be able to lift the highest load, so we'll begin this first workout with the glute-ham raise.
This is one of the finest exercises for hamstring development. Sadly, this is another great device not found at every gym, but if you have access to one, better learn to use it!
Sets: 4-6
Reps: 4-6 during an accumulation phase; 2-3 during an intensification phase
Rest Intervals: 120 to 150 seconds
Note: hold a weight on your chest if you can perform the prescribed reps easily.
Exercise 1: Option 2 (not as good)- Leg Curls
If you don't have access to a glute-ham bench, you can substitute this first drill with regular leg curls performed with heavy weights.
Exercise 2: Knee Flexion/Accentuated Eccentrics - 2/1 Leg Curl
Hamstrings and biceps respond the best to accentuated eccentric training. This is primarily due to their fiber makeup as well as isolation function as flexors. So for our second exercise we'll use the 2/1 technique on the lying leg curl. This means lifting the load explosively with two legs, and lowering it under control with one leg only.
Sets: 2-3
Reps: 10-12 (5-6 per leg) during an accumulation phase; 4-6 (2-3 per leg) during an intensification phase
Rest Intervals: 120 to 150 sec.
Exercise 3: Knee Flexion/Pure Eccentrics - Natural GHR
To once again take advantage of the high responsiveness of the hamstrings to eccentric loading, we'll perform the eccentric-only (negative only) glute-ham raise, also called natural GHR.
The objective of the drill is to lower your body toward the ground as slowly as possible. Try to control the descent for as long as you can. You then use a slight arm push to lift yourself back to the starting position. Try to keep your back as straight as possible (no forward bending at the trunk).
Sets: 2-3
Reps: As many as possible
Rest Intervals: 120 to 150 seconds
Exercise 4: Knee Flexion/Isometrics - Isometric Leg Curl (3 positions)
Our last exercise will develop maximum isometric strength in the hamstrings. To do so, we'll use the lying leg curl and simply hold the weight in place for a certain timeframe.
Since gains from isometric training are position specific, we'll use three different positions: contracted, mid-range, and nearly extended. Note that you don't perform all three positions in a row (in the same set); perform all three sets of each position before moving on to the next.
Sets: 3 per position
Duration: 30 sec. per position (accumulation); 10 sec. per position (intensification)
Rest intervals: 90-120 sec.
Training Split
When focusing on hamstring development you'll need to devote two days per week to this muscle group. Ideally, these workouts would occur on Mondays and Thursdays. A sample schedule could look like this:
Monday: Hamstrings workout #1
Tuesday: Upper body pressing muscles
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: Hamstrings workout #2
Friday: Upper body pulling muscles
Saturday: Quad dominant workout
Sunday: OFF
If you don't want to train more than four times per week, one of these schedules would be adequate:
Monday: Hamstrings workout #1
Tuesday: Upper body
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: Hamstrings workout #2
Friday: OFF
Saturday: Quad dominant workout
Sunday: OFF
Another option:
Monday: Hamstrings workout #1
Tuesday: Upper body pressing
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: Hamstrings workout #2 and upper body pulling
Friday: OFF
Saturday: Quad dominant workout
Sunday: OFF
Supplements Recommendations
The right supplements can give you an edge that'll allow you to reap better gains. If you're a competitive athlete, this could mean the difference between fifth place and winning. Here's a sample supplement program that's sure to help you get the most out of your training:
15 minutes pre-workout
Plazma™ - 1 serving
Creatine - 5g (to make sure that the creatine stores are full)
During the session
Plazma™ - 1 serving
After the workout
Mag-10® - 1 serving
Conclusion
This training program is super effective because it targets all the functions of the hamstrings, plus it trains all types of muscle contraction (concentric, explosive, eccentric, and isometric). It's quite simply the fastest way to grow strong and powerful hams, and it's sure to drastically boost your performance and reduce the risk of injuries.
Hammies aren't fun to train; they're the least "showy" muscles of them all. However, those who train them hard will truly separate themselves from the pack! |
Fast Track to Nowhere
Don’t use newly approved drugs.
In a surprise announcement, FDA officials recently advised consumers to avoid taking any new drugs approved by the agency.
An FDA spokesman explained to reporters that drug approvals are often “fast tracked” so pharmaceutical companies can get valuable new drugs to market as soon as possible. In exchange, the companies promise to conduct trials to ensure drug safety.
The spokesman said: “This system obviously creates a giant black hole of safety hazards. That’s why we’re always a little concerned that a newly approved drug might cause serious, irreversible, or fatal side effects.
“So to be on the safe side, we’re now encouraging consumers not to use those drugs. Just hold off a couple of years – possibly three or four years, maybe five. By then the drug companies might have more studies finished up with a better look at safety issues.”
One reporter wondered if the spokesman could elaborate and give an example.
The spokesman said, “Glad you asked.”
A parade of red flags
“Victoza,” said the FDA spokesperson.
“Last month the agency approved the use of Victoza, a drug that treats type 2 diabetes. The drug appears to help control blood sugar, but safety is a huge question mark.
“In animal studies, Victoza caused thyroid tumors, and some were cancerous. In human studies patients who took Victoza developed pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) more often than patients who took other diabetes drugs.
“So you’ve got a couple of serious red flags there. In fact, half the experts on our review panel recommended we not approve the drug. But the maker of Victoza, Novo Nordisk, they really had their hearts set on FDA approval, so we said, ‘Oh, okay, whatever.’ But we hit them with some pretty stiff requirements.
“First, they have to conduct an additional study to test safety in patients at high risk of heart problems.
“Second, they have to establish a cancer registry to monitor the rate of a specific type of thyroid cancer over the next 15 years.
“Third, they have to conduct a five-year study to test risk of thyroid cancer and other cancers, as well as pancreatitis and allergic reactions.
“In other words, anyone who takes this drug within the next five years is out of his mind. But hey, that’s between you and your doctor.”
Another reporter asked this question: “Last October, a report from the Government Accountability Office indicated that the FDA hasn’t followed up on a large percentage of drugs that gained approval under the accelerated approval process. Some of those drugs have been on the market for more than 10 years without completing follow up studies required by the FDA. How do you respond to that?”
FDA spokesman: “Looks like our time is up! Thanks for coming by and we’ll see you next time!”
Back to earth
Of course, the FDA has NOT advised consumers to avoid taking newly approved drugs (even though that would be an excellent idea). And of course, the FDA spokesman quotes above are fictional.
But all the information about Victoza is accurate, as are the results of the October GAO investigation of inadequate FDA follow up in the accelerated approval program.
The FDA is fully aware of the potential dangers of Victoza. But instead of waiting for safety studies to be conducted, agency officials are only recommending that Victoza should not be used as a first-line treatment. Which is like saying: If you’ve tried all the other diabetes medications and they haven’t worked, then what the heck? Go ahead and try this potentially dangerous one.
You don’t mind being a drug company guinea pig, do you?
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Sources:
“FDA Approves New Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes” FDA press release, 1/25/10, fda.gov
“FDA Oversight of Unproven Drugs is Lacking: Government Report” About Law Suits, 10/27/09, aboutlawsuits.com
Get urgent health alerts, warnings and insights delivered straight to your inbox |
Chris Dodd became the 37th senator to commit to supporting the public insurance option as part of health care reform if the overhaul is moved through the chamber using the majority-vote procedure known as reconciliation.
Dodd was asked at a recent event by a public option advocate if he'd vote for the option under reconciliation.
"Oh, sure. I've been for it. Yeah," Dodd told Aaron Swartz in a brief video interview. Swartz is a cofounder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), which has been waging an insurgent campaign to force the public option back into the debate.
The White House has said publicly that it doesn't believe the public option has enough "political support" in the Senate to become law, but Dodd's commitment leaves it just 13 votes shy.
Several senators are known public option supporters and have yet to commit. The fate of the public option rests with a handful who have not made their intentions public. Public option backers will be watching several of them this week, including Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).
Any senator, under the rules of reconciliation, is allowed to offer an amendment.
The guerrilla nature of the campaign is evident in the video shot by PCCC's Swartz, who caught up with Dodd at an event in Boston over the weekend.
At the end of the video, Dodd poses for a photo and adds, "I put the public option in my bill." Dodd led the bill through the health committee.
House leaders are in the process of writing the legislative language for reconciliation and appear unlikely to include a public option unless a number of senators quickly sign on. That would leave the public option's last stand as a vote on an amendment on the Senate floor. |
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan points at the United Solidarity and Brotherhood rally in Gaziantep, Turkey, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch police on Monday detained a 42-year-old Dutchman of Turkish descent for alleged death threats and hate speech after the failed Turkish coup in July, which has ratcheted up tension among Turks in the Netherlands.
Turkey’s government has accused U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen and his supporters of orchestrating the July 15 attempt to overthrow Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Gulen denies this.
The arrested man is an Erdogan supporter and he is suspected of having threatened Gulen backers online and in person, a Dutch official said on condition of anonymity.
In a statement, Dutch police said they had investigated 150 complaints related to the aftermath of Turkey’s coup since mid-July, roughly half of them for threats and intimidation appearing on social media.
Investigations into the complaints resulted in the man’s arrest, the statement said. No details were provided about the suspect, but prosecutors said more arrests were likely.
Turkey’s post-coup fall-out has spilled over into Turkish immigrant neighborhoods in the Netherlands, with lists of purported Gulen supporters circulating on social media, exposing families and school children to death threats.
“We aim to de-escalate, but if necessary we will take action,” said Peter Slort, a regional police chief.
After a wave of immigration in the 1960s and 1970s, there are roughly 400-500,000 Dutch Turks. A small minority are known to be Gulen supporters. |
Firmware development, even when done not in assembler for exotic architectures but in plain C for i386/amd64, is a pretty tough job, where a single bug can cost too much - up to a major failure of the target hardware platform. So it is just vitally necessary to use various techniques to avoid errors at the earliest firmware development stages.
Unfortunately, we can only dream of formal verification or application of MISRA C in case of UEFI firmwares (on the other hand, no one feels like spending a couple of years and 50% of the project budget on firmware development), so today we will talk about static analysis - to be more exact, about the PVS-Studio static analyzer quite popular at Habrahabr. With its help, we will try to find whatever bugs we can in the open code of UEFI for Intel Galileo.
Welcome to read further to find out the analysis results.
Environment setup
As Captain Obvious reminds me, in order to carry out an analysis of some code, we'll need an analyzer, the code itself, and an appropriate build environment.
The analyzer can be downloaded from the developer's site. Once you've done it, email to the authors with a request for a temporary registration key to enable you to switch on and examine not only first-level warnings (it's the only level available in the demo version) but the other two as well. In our case, we are really better be safe than sorry.
The firmware's code is a part of Quark BSP and is based on EDK2010.SR1 just like all the other modern UEFI implementations except for Apple's products.
EDK has its own build system, so we'll use PVS-Studio Standalone version to check the code built there. To find out how to prepare the Quark_EDKII package for building, please see this document; I won't discuss the details of it here.
Running the analyzer
Run PVS-Studio Standalone and click on the Analyze your files... button. The Compiler Monitoring window will open where you need to click on the single button Start Monitoring. Now open the console in the Quark_EDKII folder and run the command quarkbuild -r32 S QuarkPlatform to build the release version of the firmware. Wait until the building process is over, watching the number of detected compiler calls growing in the Compiler Monitoring window. Once it is finished, click on the Stop Monitoring button and wait for the analysis process to finish.
Analysis results
For the current version Quark_EDKII_v1.1.0 , the analyzer outputs 96 first-level warnings, 100 second-level ones, and 63 third-level ones (under the default settings, i.e. with only the General Analysis rule-set enabled). Let's sort them by the warning number and start investigating the bugs.
Warning: V521 Such expressions using the ',' operator are dangerous. Make sure the expression is correct.
File: quarkplatformpkg\pci\dxe\pcihostbridge\pcihostbridge.c, 181, 272
Code:
for (TotalRootBridgeFound = 0, IioResourceMapEntry = 0; TotalRootBridgeFound < HostBridge->RootBridgeCount, IioResourceMapEntry < MaxIIO; IioResourceMapEntry++) { .... }
Comment: The "comma" operator is used incorrectly in the condition. As you remember, this operator has the lowest precedence and calculates both of its operands but only takes itself the value of the right one. In this case, the condition is absolutely identical to IioResourceMapEntry < MaxIIO, while the check TotalRootBridgeFound < HostBridge->RootBridgeCount, despite being executed, doesn't in any way affect the loop continuation or termination.
Suggested fix: replace the comma in the condition with &&.
Warning: V524 It is odd that the body of 'AllocateRuntimePages' function is fully equivalent to the body of 'AllocatePages' function.
File: mdepkg\library\smmmemoryallocationlib\memoryallocationlib.c, 208 and further on
Code:
/** Allocates one or more 4KB pages of type EfiBootServicesData. Allocates the number of 4KB pages of type EfiBootServicesData and returns a pointer to the allocated buffer. The buffer returned is aligned on a 4KB boundary. If Pages is 0, then NULL is returned. If there is not enough memory remaining to satisfy the request, then NULL is returned. @ param Pages The number of 4 KB pages to allocate. @return A pointer to the allocated buffer or NULL if allocation fails. **/ VOID * EFIAPI AllocatePages ( IN UINTN Pages ) { return InternalAllocatePages (EfiRuntimeServicesData, Pages); }
Comment: the code contradicts the comment and allocates memory of the EfiRuntimeServicesData type instead of the intended type EfiBootServicesData. The difference between the two is that in the latter case, memory will be automatically freed once the BDS phase is over, while in the former case, memory must be freed by explicitly calling FreeMem before the end of the BDS phase - otherwise it will forever remain inaccessible for the operating system. What we have as a result is a tiny bug which, though, may cause strange memory leaks and fragmentation of the address space available to the operating system.
Suggested fix: replace the used memory type with EfiBootServicesData in all the non-Runtime functions of this file.
Warning: V524 It is odd that the body of 'OhciSetLsThreshold' function is fully equivalent to the body of 'OhciSetPeriodicStart' function.
File: quarksocpkg\quarksouthcluster\usb\ohci\pei\ohcireg.c, 1010, 1015 and quarksocpkg\quarksouthcluster\usb\ohci\dxe\ohcireg.c, 1010, 1040
Code:
EFI_STATUS OhciSetLsThreshold ( IN USB_OHCI_HC_DEV *Ohc, IN UINT32 Value ) { EFI_STATUS Status; Status = OhciSetOperationalReg (Ohc->PciIo, HC_PERIODIC_START, &Value); return Status; }
Comment: another victim of the copy-paste technique. This time, the HC_PERIODIC_START bit is set and checked instead of HC_LS_THREASHOLD.
Suggested fix: replace the inappropriate bit with the right one.
Warning: V528 It is odd that pointer to 'char' type is compared with the '\0' value. Probably meant: *MatchLang != '\0'.
File: quarkplatformpkg\platform\dxe\smbiosmiscdxe\miscnumberofinstallablelanguagesfunction.c, 95
Code:
for (MatchLang = Languages, (*Offset) = 0; MatchLang != '\0'; (*Offset)++) { // // Seek to the end of current match language. // for (EndMatchLang = MatchLang; *EndMatchLang != '\0' && *EndMatchLang != ';'; EndMatchLang++); if ((EndMatchLang == MatchLang + CompareLength) && AsciiStrnCmp(MatchLang, BestLanguage, CompareLength) == 0) { // // Find the current best Language in the supported languages // break; } // // best language match be in the supported language. // ASSERT (*EndMatchLang == ';'); MatchLang = EndMatchLang + 1; }
Comment: the bug with a check for a non-dereferenced pointer renders the loop infinite, and the only thing that saves the code from infinite looping is the presence of break inside it.
Suggested fix: add the missing pointer dereferencing operation.
Warning: V535 The variable 'Index' is being used for this loop and for the outer loop.
File: mdemodulepkg\core\pismmcore\dispatcher.c, 1233, 1269, 1316
Code:
for (Index = 0; Index < HandleCount; Index++) { FvHandle = HandleBuffer[Index]; .... for (Index = 0; Index < sizeof (mSmmFileTypes)/sizeof (EFI_FV_FILETYPE); Index++) { .... } .... for (Index = 0; Index < AprioriEntryCount; Index++) { .... } }
Comment: this is an example of code that works well only thanks to a lucky coincidence. HandleCount in the external loop almost always equals 1; in the mSmmFileTypes array, there is also exactly one item at the moment; and AprioriEntryCount is not less than 1. Thanks to this, the external loop can terminate successfully. But it's obvious, of course, that the programmer intended quite a different behavior. Well, the copy-paste has a mind of its own.
Suggested fix: implement independent counters for each loop.
Warning: V547 Expression '(0) > (1 — Dtr1.field.tCMD)' is always false. Unsigned type value is never < 0.
File: quarksocpkg\quarknorthcluster\memoryinit\pei\meminit.c, 483, 487
Code:
#define MMAX(a,b) ((a)>(b)?(a):(b)) .... #pragma pack(1) typedef union { uint32_t raw; struct { .... uint32_t tCMD :2; /**< bit [5:4] Command transport duration */ .... } field; } RegDTR1; /**< DRAM Timing Register 1 */ #pragma pack() .... if (mrc_params->ddr_speed == DDRFREQ_800) { Dtr3.field.tXP = MMAX(0, 1 - Dtr1.field.tCMD); } else { Dtr3.field.tXP = MMAX(0, 2 - Dtr1.field.tCMD); }
Comment: a simplest macro and automatic type conversion strike back. Since tCMD is a bit field of the uint32_t type, then in the 0 > 1 — tCMD condition, both parts will be automatically cast to uint32_t, which will make it evaluate to false regardless of tCMD's value.
Suggested fix:
if (mrc_params->ddr_speed == DDRFREQ_800) { Dtr3.field.tXP = Dtr1.field.tCMD > 0 ? 0 : 1 ; } else { Dtr3.field.tXP = Dtr1.field.tCMD > 1 ? 0 : 2 - Dtr1.field.tCMD; }
Warning: V547 Expression 'PollCount >= ((1000 * 1000) / 25)' is always false. The value range of unsigned char type: [0, 255].
File: quarksocpkg\quarksouthcluster\i2c\common\i2ccommon.c, 297
Code:
UINT8 PollCount; .... do { Data = *((volatile UINT32 *) (UINTN)(Addr)); if ((Data & I2C_REG_RAW_INTR_STAT_TX_ABRT) != 0) { Status = EFI_ABORTED; break; } if ((Data & I2C_REG_RAW_INTR_STAT_TX_OVER) != 0) { Status = EFI_DEVICE_ERROR; break; } if ((Data & I2C_REG_RAW_INTR_STAT_RX_OVER) != 0) { Status = EFI_DEVICE_ERROR; break; } if ((Data & I2C_REG_RAW_INTR_STAT_STOP_DET) != 0) { Status = EFI_SUCCESS; break; } MicroSecondDelay(TI2C_POLL); PollCount++; if (PollCount >= MAX_STOP_DET_POLL_COUNT) { Status = EFI_TIMEOUT; break; } } while (TRUE);
Comment: the MAX_STOP_DET_POLL_COUNT macro is expanded into 40000, while PollCount can't be larger than 255. The result is a potential infinite loop.
Suggested fix: replace the PollCount type with UINT32.
Warning: V560 A part of conditional expression is always true: (0x00040000).
File: quarksocpkg\quarknorthcluster\library\intelqnclib\pciexpress.c, 370
Code:
if ((QNCMmPci32 (0, Bus, Device, Function, (CapOffset + PCIE_LINK_CAP_OFFSET)) && B_QNC_PCIE_LCAP_CPM) != B_QNC_PCIE_LCAP_CPM) { return; }
Comment: instead of a bitwise AND, a logical AND has slipped into the expression, rendering the check meaningless.
Suggested fix:
if ((QNCMmPci32 (0, Bus, Device, Function, (CapOffset + PCIE_LINK_CAP_OFFSET)) & B_QNC_PCIE_LCAP_CPM) != B_QNC_PCIE_LCAP_CPM) { return; }
Warning: V560 A part of conditional expression is always true: 0x0FFFFF000.
File: quarksocpkg\quarknorthcluster\library\intelqnclib\intelqnclib.c, 378
Code:
return QNCPortRead(QUARK_NC_HOST_BRIDGE_SB_PORT_ID, QUARK_NC_HOST_BRIDGE_HMBOUND_REG) && HMBOUND_MASK;
Comment: the issue is the same as in the previous case, but it's even worse this time because it is the return value that has been affected.
Suggested fix:
return QNCPortRead(QUARK_NC_HOST_BRIDGE_SB_PORT_ID, QUARK_NC_HOST_BRIDGE_HMBOUND_REG) & HMBOUND_MASK;
Warning: V560 A part of conditional expression is always true: 0x00400.
File: quarksocpkg\quarksouthcluster\usb\ohci\pei\ohcireg.c, 1065 and quarksocpkg\quarksouthcluster\usb\ohci\dxe\ohcireg.c, 1070
Code:
if (Field & (RH_DEV_REMOVABLE || RH_PORT_PWR_CTRL_MASK)) { .... }
Comment: this time, it was a bitwise OR.
Suggested fix:
if (Field & (RH_DEV_REMOVABLE | RH_PORT_PWR_CTRL_MASK)) { .... }
Warning: V649 There are two 'if' statements with identical conditional expressions. The first 'if' statement contains function return. This means that the second 'if' statement is senseless.
File: s:\quarkplatformpkg\platform\dxe\smbiosmiscdxe\miscsystemmanufacturerfunction.c, 155
Code:
SerialNumStrLen = StrLen(SerialNumberPtr); if (SerialNumStrLen > SMBIOS_STRING_MAX_LENGTH) { return EFI_UNSUPPORTED; } .... SKUNumStrLen = StrLen(SKUNumberPtr); if (SerialNumStrLen > SMBIOS_STRING_MAX_LENGTH) { return EFI_UNSUPPORTED; } .... FamilyStrLen = StrLen(FamilyPtr); if (SerialNumStrLen > SMBIOS_STRING_MAX_LENGTH) { return EFI_UNSUPPORTED; }
Comment: again this nasty copy-paste... Getting one value, checking another - the result is an odd function behavior.
Suggested fix:
SerialNumStrLen = StrLen(SerialNumberPtr); if (SerialNumStrLen > SMBIOS_STRING_MAX_LENGTH) { return EFI_UNSUPPORTED; } .... SKUNumStrLen = StrLen(SKUNumberPtr); if (SKUNumStrLen > SMBIOS_STRING_MAX_LENGTH) { return EFI_UNSUPPORTED; } .... FamilyStrLen = StrLen(FamilyPtr); if (FamilyStrLen > SMBIOS_STRING_MAX_LENGTH) { return EFI_UNSUPPORTED; }
Conclusion
I was trying to pick only obviously incorrect code fragments, ignoring such issues as dangerous use of shift operations, value reassignment to one and the same variable, converting literals and integer variables to pointers, and so on, which usually indicate a poor code quality rather than the presence of bugs in it. But even that way, my list has turned out pretty lengthy. On average, projects for desktop motherboards are 4-5 times larger than that (about 4000 compiler calls, as opposed to 800 in our case, according to the counter in the Monitoring window), and there are the same typical bugs to be found there, too.
Unfortunately, Intel still hasn't uploaded Quark_EDKII's source code to GitHub, so I haven't sent the pull requests for this project to anyone yet. Perhaps izard knows who exactly at Intel is responsible for the project and whom to throw the link at to get the bugs finally fixed.
Thank you for reading, and thanks to PVS-Studio's developers for their wonderful program and test registration key they have granted to us.
Note. The article was originally published in Russian at the Habrahabr site. Translated and republished at our site by the author's permission. |
You think you are one singular entity. Have you questioned this belief ever ?
According to you, your body from head to toe, and the mind and its’ contents together make you, you. Is this really what you think you are ? By making a statement that you (your name here) are a combination of the body and the mind, you are denying the existence of a 100 trillion cells, germs, bacterias and anti-bacterias, anti-bodies etc. Just because they do not have a mouth to speak from, allows you the right to usurp their individuality ?
Watch the below simulated medical video to see how many things live inside your own body. Your body provides the means for them to exist in the first place. It is like water allowing the means for the fishes to exist.
Have you heard of the ‘Ship of Theseus’ analogy ? It basically says, that if each part of your body is replaced by someone elses’ parts of their body, at what point do you stop being you and become the other person ? Or is something like this even possible ?
Suppose that by some medical invention, something like this is even scientifically possible, what is it that makes you, you ? Or let us not even take replacements into the equation. If you lose your hand in an accident, you do not stop being you. Same for your legs. Your kidneys and heart go bad and require a transplant. You go to the doc and get a transplant done. You have a new heart and a couple of kidneys now. Yet you are still you. Isn’t this anything short of a miracle ? Your parts have been changed. Your body is physically different, but you are still you. Then what are you ? Does it have anything to do with your biology at all ?
That is the gross nature of the illusion. Proceeding onwards, let us check this with our idea of who we think we are. This is where things get more treacherous and tricky for most, but earnestness and the power of discretion will see you through.
Many believe that they are their ideas. If you say that you are stylish, then your mind will give you a million and one reasons to believe so, by giving you fashionable advice. They may rock the fashion world, or they may be used to scrub the floor. But, you are stylish as long as you believe you are. After living a successful life as a fashion diva and having amassed millions, you might decide that you are also a great novelist. So you put pen to paper, and publish a bestselling novel. It may not even do great business at the bookstore, but you wrote a novel. That makes you a novelist in the dictionary sense of the word.
The idea of success is supremely subjective. For someone, it could simply mean having a 9 to 5 job and a loving family. For someone else, it could mean having the best financial quarter in last decade. Neither of these ideas of successes are absolute, for they are subjective. It is like the sun that shines all the time. It might be day for you, and night for me, but I cannot complain that it is night because the sun doesn’t shine for me. The sun doesn’t know day or night. It continues to shine regardless of our position on earth. This is why even the sun is relative to us, but for the sun, it is absolute to all.
Study all the ideas that you subscribe to, and see how they have evolved from when you were a kid to now. Your beliefs in things are very different now, than what they were when you were a kid. Your idea of you has changed phenomenally, and will continue to do so because such is the nature of the mind. It flutters like a butterfly and jumps around like a monkey, looking for newer things to indulge into. Sometimes, when the going gets tough, you question the manifestation of the toughness of the situation. You question if life could be possible without things getting ugly.
People who spend their whole lives suffering choose to do so out of habit by identifying with a false identity that doesn’t exist. You might argue that, why would anyone choose to suffer if there is a way out. And the answer to that is, that a vast majority do not feel the urge to question the nature of suffering, and why does it even happen in the first place. Many out of the few who do try to question it, are misled by various paths and gurus towards liberation, who all try to preach their personal version of the gospel. Truth is truth by itself. Anything else is just a version or an interpretation of this truth. Even if a realized guru wishes to help a seeker, he has to come to the level of thinking that the seeker has. Whatever lingo works for one, might not work for the other. The belief that there is a karma train everyone is on, is a misnomer at best. The cycle of karma or samsara, is true until you realize it to be untrue. There is no reincarnation or rebirth. What is it, of a person, that gets reincarnated ? Is it his identity that continues in the new birth ? Is it this so called soul ?
Mind loves philosophy and tries to indulge in such matters and manages to come up with a definition that it feels will suffice everyone he will tell to. But it doesn’t work out that way. A realized person might still have tremendous strife in his/her life. But he/she lives an unattached life. There is no attachment to the idea of joy or suffering because that person knows that both are passing and in constant flux.
Suffering for a suffering person ends in death when the person dissolves and merges into the absolute, from whence it came. What becomes of the lap if one stands up ? What becomes of the fist, if the fingers open ?
There is no past life and there is no next life. All that there is, is here and now. Liberation and bondage are both merely concepts. All concepts need to be shunned, including I-the identity, as well as liberation or moksha, and bondage itself. All psychological suffering is imagined. I don’t wish to sound morose about it for everyone who is living a life of strife, but unfortunately, or fortunately, this is how it is. Unless the identity is seen to be false, the suffering is bound to continue. The liberation is not of the identity. It is from the identity.
Psychological suffering ends when you cease to identify yourself with a singular entity with the label of your name. An unattached life is more fulfilling in nature because you do not judge yourself on the basis of your successes of failures and continue to experience every moment as a fresh one, untainted by your past experiences or future imaginations. You very well know that there is something rich about this present moment that is amiss from your past memory or future imagination of it.
Just the way there are 100 trillion living entities inside your body, is it hard to know that you might be a part of something bigger than you ?
Where do I end and you begin ?
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What if Tony Stark had been a Victorian gentleman who transformed himself into Iron Man at the turn of the 20th century? His superhero alter ego might look something like the 11-inch-high monster glued together by fanboy/sculptor Jonathan Kriscak.
"I love the idea of steampunk where everything is grittier and more 'rough cut,'" Packrat Studios boss Kuriscak told Wired.com in an e-mail. "I wanted to throw Iron Man into that time period so he looked as if he'd been created in 1910."
Kuriscak frankensteined the sculpture together with chest and upper arms from an NFL Cletus action figure. Pistons on the arms were taken from a Transformers toy, while the arms themselves come courtesy of a robotic Hulk figure.
"I also did a lot of sculpting with sheet plastic," says Kuriscak, who's selling his steampunk Iron Man on eBay. "The light feature within the chest flickers and gives off a fire-burning effect as if it's fueled by fire and steam power."
Kuriscak, who last year produced a set of Nazi Star Wars action figures, says he's already started work on the next installment of his Marvel Comics-meets-steampunk series: Thor.
See Also:- Custom Darth Vader Action Figure Leads Nazi Charge |
In a Friday sermon, a Gazan cleric brandishes a gun and declares that weapons are the only means "to establish a caliphate."
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has released a video of an imam in Gaza who was filmed during a Friday sermon while brandishing a gun and saying that weapons were the Palestinian Arabs' only means to establish a caliphate.
MEMRI noted that the cleric, Sheik Iyad Abu Funun, was released to the Palestinian Authority-assigned areas of Judea and Samaria as part of the Shalit prisoner swap deal in 2011. He was arrested again, and was sentenced to complete his 10-year term in prison.
In July 2013, after threatening to go on a hunger strike, he was released and deported to Gaza.
“The (Israelis) came to conquer the Gaza Strip. Did they succeed in doing so? No, they did not. They came to take these weapons from us,” Abu Funun said.
He then picked up his weapon and declared, “Do I still hold this weapon, or not? They came to take these weapons from us. Did they succeed?”
“They came to take our guns, but the guns remain in our hands...This war has proven that these weapons are our only means to liberate our land. These weapons are our only means to liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque. These weapons are our only means to establish the Islamic State,” said Abu Funun.
The video is just the latest example of incitement against Israel, both by Hamas as well as by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction.
Such incitement ranges from the glorification of Nazism and the lionization of Adolf Hitler, to programs on official PA television featuring heavily-stereotyped Jews as villains (and encouraging violence against them), and various TV and radio shows which literally wipe the Jewish state off the map. |
After decades of poor planning, unfulfilled promises, and political squabbling, there are no easy solutions to our transit nightmare T hanks to the civic-spirited voters of Miami-Dade County, I have two fancy new stop signs at my nearby intersection. The green bases are decorated with scrolls, topped by little green palm trees. Cost for the pair: $1990, including installation. We live on a corner in central Miami Shores, and, frankly, the old signs, with plain bases and no palms, seemed just fine to me, but not as fine as the new ones. Being a veteran (cynical?) journalist, I suspected I knew how the stop signs were financed. I called Village Hall, and finance director Holly Hugdahl told me the price and confirmed my suspicions: the transit tax paid for my upscale stop signs. You know, the half-penny sales tax here that voters overwhelmingly approved in 2002 to stop traffic nightmares because, in return, politicians promised 90 more miles of Metrorail and almost double the bus fleet. Well, Metrorail expanded 2.4 miles, an extension reaching Miami International Airport. The number of buses is about the same now as it was then. “If you have something whatsoever to do with transit in Dade, you should hide your head in a bag -- because mass transit is in crisis,” says Paul Schwiep, chairman of the board that oversees the half-penny expenditures. Boasting about the tiny rail extension to the airport? That’s “like lipstick on a pig.” It turns out my fancy Miami Shores stop signs are symbols of the long, sad history about how our political dysfunction has led to teeth-grinding traffic jams. Lately, complaints about traffic have become deafening. “We’re at the breaking point,” says Mitchell Bierman, chairman of the transportation committee for the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. “Many are spending an hour and a half on a trip that should take 30 minutes. There have been so many discussions this year, among business leaders, government leaders, the general public.... There’s no way you can keep adding lanes to I-95 to accommodate the traffic; the same with US 1.” There’s plenty of talk about new rail lines, dedicated bus lanes, and the like. Even Biscayne Times territory in northeast Dade, often ignored in transit discussions, is now sometimes included, with the idea of the proposed Tri-Rail Coastal Link near US 1 from downtown Miami to West Palm Beach. Talk -- but little action because there’s no easy money. So many voters are angry about the blown promises on the half-penny that no politician dares ask them for more. They may not need to. Huge sums -- billions -- get spent on transportation all the time in Miami-Dade, like the $2 billion for the Miami Intermodal Center near the airport. But to divert such funds to mass transit involves navigating a bewildering alphabet soup of acronyms that control transportation spending in Miami-Dade -- entities that often work at cross purposes or with completely different theories of how to solve the transit crisis. Interviews with three possible county mayoral candidates (two announced, one uncertain) reveal major contrasts in ideas. Therein lies the rub. Alice Bravo, the county’s new transit department director, has told commissioners that she came away from recent visits to Washington and Tallahassee with one underlying message: “We need a unified plan” in order to get state or federal funds. Unity in Miami-Dade? “There’s no consensus here,” says Maurice Ferré, a former City of Miami mayor and county commissioner who’s been sitting on transportation boards for decades. “We have historic decisions made by ethnicity, geography, race. We’re living in an amazingly divided county.” One example: Ferré and many other board members of the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority believe that express buses moving on the shoulders of toll roads offer the best solution, while many transit activists, business leaders, and politicians favor light-rail trains along other corridors. Still, some leaders embrace optimism. “The one thing that unites all races and generations,” says Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, “everybody is stuck in the traffic.” “If anyone wants to deal with 13 years of failure,” says county Commissioner Xavier Suarez, “it’s there. But in the past year, the stars have come into alignment. A consensus is building.”
T he county’s traffic problems have been building for decades, going back to at least the 1970s, when severe gas shortages, urban sprawl, and the ecology movement sparked civic leaders to consider a rail system. In 1976, voters were asked to approve a penny sales tax to finance rail and other transit. It was rejected by a margin of 2-1. Local officials turned to Washington, which agreed “in principle” to pay 80 percent of Metrorail’s construction costs. The feds suggested a system from Dadeland to Liberty City. Hialeah politicians howled, and their city was added. A Before the feds approved funding, they insisted Dade hold another vote to approve the new Metrorail. Pols claimed Metrorail would be carrying 202,000 daily by the mid-1980s. They promised to double the number of buses to 900. Though voters weren’t being asked to increase taxes, the 1978 victory was shockingly tight, with just 50.34 percent in favor. The measure passed because black areas, which relied heavily on buses, voted overwhelmingly for the measure. Promises quickly collapsed. In 1985, a year after the system opened, I wrote a cover story for the Herald’s Tropic magazine titled “Metrofail,” remembered mostly for its cover of white circus elephants walking in a line along an elevated track. After a year, Metrorail was carrying just 20,000 riders, one-tenth of projections. Operating costs were pushing the county deep into the red. A half-dozen academic transportation experts I talked to at the time said the county would have been better off with a vastly expanded bus system running in express lanes; rail, they maintained, didn’t fit Miami’s urban sprawl. Many noted that the ridership was far heavier on the south end, favoring the white suburbanites going downtown, and was much sparser in the blue-collar areas of black Liberty City and Hispanic Hialeah. A Harvard transportation professor called Metrorail “the laughingstock of the nation.” As deficits mounted, voters were asked three times in the 1990s to approve a penny sales tax for transit. The rejections were overwhelming. In 2002, county Mayor Alex Penelas tried again. He lowered the request to a half-penny and increased promises, not only for huge expansions of Metrorail and buses, but also for free rides for seniors on all transit and no charges for anyone on the downtown Metromover. In addition, each city in the county would get a slice of the half-penny, with allotments based on population. Sweetening the pie even further, the referendum promised the tax would finance “improving major neighborhood roads and highways.” This time the measure passed overwhelmingly. Six years later, the Herald’s Larry Lebowitz wrote that much of the half-penny had gone to relieving operating deficits, adding 1000 transit jobs, and spending $2 million for new office furniture. “At the heart of the matter,” Lebowitz wrote, “the 2002 campaign avoided any mention of chronic financial problems that had plagued the transit agency, and it promised far more improvements than the tax could possibly deliver.” Those chronic problems caused the feds to decide not to help fund a $700 million Metrorail expansion along NW 27th Avenue because the county wouldn’t have enough money to operate the extension. Ric Katz, a veteran publicist who led the half-penny’s media campaign, said recently that neither he nor Mayor Penelas were aware of underlying problems. Only after the election, he now says, did he find out that transit managers knew the promised improvements were a fiction. “After it was over, people came up to me, ‘We knew all along it was a joke, but we kept our mouths shut.’” Katz says the original idea had been to show the voters success by building one rail project, then asking them for another half-penny to develop the rest of the promises. But after the disastrous start, no politician wanted to suggest an extra tax. In 2009, during the real-estate bust, the county commission formally voted that the bulk of the half-penny would fund operations, not new projects. “Bait and switch,” complained a Herald editorial.
T hese days, weekday ridership of Metrorail is 75,000, almost four times what it was in 1985, but only a third of what was predicted. As from the beginning, two-thirds of today’s ridership is from the Dadeland suburbs to the downtown Government Center. The northern half, including Liberty City and Hialeah, accounts for a mere third. Buses, often ignored by politicians, continue to be the mainstay of county transport, with about 210,000 riders daily. Still, those southern commuters depend heavily on rail; trains during rush hour are packed. But the twin legacies linger: a transit system always short of money and voters soured by wildly inflated promises. Larry Wiggins experiences this legacy firsthand. He lives near Biscayne Boulevard and 125th Street, and works at the Wolfsonian-FIU Museum on South Beach. “After driving this route for six years,” he says, “traffic has just become more and more of a pain.” He now takes a bus down the Boulevard to the Omni, where he transfers to another bus for the journey across the MacArthur Causeway to South Beach. On a really good day, he says, if he leaves home about 7:00 a.m., the trip takes 30 minutes by car, and 40 or 50 minutes by bus. He saves on gas, and wear and tear on his car, and he’s able to enjoy the ride, using his phone for e-mails and reading articles. “When I get to work,” he adds, “I’m not nearly as frazzled.” Returning home is a different story. At about 5:00 p.m., he tries to catch an express bus at 13th Street and Washington Avenue. The large, new, accordion-style buses have helped, but even so, perhaps once a week, the first bus is full and passes him by. Sometimes the next bus may be full too. Worse, the traffic leaving South Beach is horrible. It can take him 45 minutes to move from his bus stop to the beginning of the MacArthur, a distance of 1.4 miles. Getting home can become a two-hour odyssey. He prefers the bus, he says, because he can at least relax, but he’d like to see more buses during rush hours. “And obviously,” he adds, “a light rail would be beneficial” across the causeway. For years, Chamber leaders, transit advocates, and some politicians have been pushing for Baylink, a light-rail line across the MacArthur Causeway. They’ve also been discussing an east-west corridor running along the 836 expressway west to 137th Avenue on the old CSX rail line; an extension of Metrorail from Dadeland to Homestead along US 1; and a corridor along NW 27th Avenue up to Sun Life Stadium. These last two might start as express bus corridors and switch later to light rail. A lot of talk, but “for the last few years, we’ve all been tied up in knots,” says county Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava. Recently, Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine decided not to wait for the county and began steps to build a light-rail system for South Beach that could link up with Baylink when it is developed. County Commissioner Suarez says the county may be getting closer to concrete moves on Baylink, but skeptical transit activists want to see how -- demanding, as did the defiant athlete in the movie Jerry Maguire, “Show me the money!” Last summer, looking for answers, about 50 Miami-Dade business, civic, and political leaders flew to Denver, known for having expanded its light-rail and bus systems in a tough economic climate. The group returned with several key takeaways: Commissioner Levine Cava says she was impressed that the area had a single district that consolidated all local governments’ transportation efforts, greatly simplifying decisions. For Bravo, the head of Dade transit: “Denver was able to be successful because they came to a consensus” that the corridors with highest ridership potential should be built first. Bierman, head of the Chamber’s transit efforts, took heed of Denver’s advice that “you have to get a toe in the water,” i.e., complete one project to impress the public. In Denver, that allowed transit leaders to persuade voters to approve a penny sales tax and obtain substantial federal funding.
M iami-Dade leaders haven’t yet had the courage to extend that toe. One problem: transportation decisions depend on the actions of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO, county planning); the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX, the toll takers); the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust board (CITT, overseeing the half-penny); Miami-Dade Transit; the Florida Department of Transportation; and Tri-Rail, among others. Each controls pots of money and has its own agenda. Perhaps the biggest conflicts involve MDX, which uses tolls from the county’s expressway system to fund road projects like the massive redo of the 836-826 interchange, which cost about $600 million -- more than the estimated cost of Baylink. After MDX’s revenue substantially increased with electronic tolling, county Commissioner Suarez called MDX “a cash cow” and began pushing the state legislature to give the county a slice of those tolls to fund rail expansion. There’s a hitch, though. Six of MDX’S 13 board members are appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, who is “totally opposed to mass transit,” says Ferré, a member of the MDX and MPO boards. Ferré, a Democrat, points out that the Republican Scott is spending billions across the state on expressway toll lanes so that those who can afford it zip along, while most people are stuck in traffic. What’s more, many in the MDX leadership, including Ferré, cite studies by the libertarian Cato Institute arguing that rail is an outmoded technology and that the future is best served by buses operating on designated expressway lanes. In Miami-Dade, MDX is planning to use widened shoulders on expressways to run buses. Adam Old, a former El Portal councilman who’s working with the new nonprofit TransitAlliance.Miami, agrees with many other transit advocates that running buses on the expressway shoulders is “not an equitable solution” because the shoulders are often littered with broken cars and hubcaps, and it’s not easy to get on or off such buses. Ferré notes that heavy rail like Metrorail can cost up to $400 million a mile, compared with maybe $200 million a mile for light rail and under $100 million for dedicated bus lanes. He believes that in a few years maglev (magnetic levitation) technology could be considerably cheaper than any of these by allowing transit vehicles to use a system of magnets to zoom along without touching the ground. Charles Scurr, executive director of CITT, says leaders shouldn’t be wedded to any particular technology. “Each corridor has its own unique solution,” he notes, although he and most other leaders believe an elevated system like Metrorail is too expensive for future expansion. “We’re going to need five, six, seven partners to fund each corridor,” Scurr says. Among the ideas: creating neighborhood taxing districts funded by businesses that could profit from nearby transit lines. What about using the half-penny sales tax for its original purpose of funding new projects? At present, most of its funds are already spoken for. Of the $278 million the tax is expected to generate this fiscal year, $133.4 million will go for operating and maintaining the current transit system; $72 million to pay off debt (for the 2.4-mile Metrorail extension and other projects); and $57 million to cities, to fund things like my fancy stop signs. Last year county Commissioner Suarez championed a proposal to get the half-penny back to its original purpose. Mayor Gimenez says that when he was a commissioner, he voted against using the half-penny to fund operations, but as mayor, he’s seen how the county budget came to depend on those funds; to cut them suddenly would mean dramatic reductions in service. “We have to wean ourselves off that money,” he warns. That process, says the mayor, could take about five years. The CITT board ended up passing a watered-down resolution asking that the half-penny begin to be used for development within three to five years. “We can’t wait five years” to start building rail, said Miami City Commissioner Francis Suarez at a recent MPO meeting. Many politicians are quick to suggest public-private partnerships. Katz, the publicist who has worked on many transportation projects, says such P3 deals for mass transit generally mean a developer pays much of the original construction cost, but that “it’s like mortgaging a house -- you still have to pay the developer.” Another possibility is to shift money from other transportation projects. Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez wondered out loud at the recent MPO meeting whether voters would prefer to have Baylink or spend $850 million for an improved interchange on I-395 and a “signature bridge” over Biscayne Boulevard near NE 13th Street, a project funded by state funds and MDX tolls. Ferré was quick to answer. The project was already funded, he said, and if local leaders reject the fancy bridge, the state money will go to a project elsewhere in the state. Recently there’s been talk about once again, after a long hiatus, asking the feds for help, starting with Baylink. “There may be a little funding, but not much,” says Bierman at the Chamber. The days of 80 percent funding are likely gone forever, he notes. What’s more, the federal application process can take years. Katz, the publicist, warns about the transit lesson going back to Metrorail: “Remember, you not only have to build it, you have to have the funds to keep operating it.” The larger issue is who decides to spend the money. Commissioner Levine Cava refers to Miami-Dade’s various transit boards as a “messy infrastructure.... It’s kind of bewildering, so many different entities. It’s hard to come up with important decisions.” Katz says there’s one final arbiter: “That’s the MPO’s job.” The Metropolitan Planning Organization’s governing board consists of 23 members: the 13 county commissioners, plus representatives from cities, the school board, and MDX. Too often in the past, critics say, the MPO has done little, sometimes even rubber-stamping the state’s road projects without discussion. “Historically, the MPO has not been allowed to be an aggressive entity,” acknowledges Katz. Levine, the Miami Beach mayor, complains of MPO that “nothing’s gotten done.” At present, expanding the rail or bus lanes isn’t a high priority for MPO. Its top three are improving Kendall Drive, Flagler Street, and the 27th Avenue corridor. Still, in recent months, the MPO has been exploring proposals for mass transit, and its board hopes to craft a master plan for solving traffic problems. MPO’s new executive director, Aileen Bouclé, is confident the group can make hard decisions. “We’re thinking big,” she says, “and we’re going to come to a consensus.” She isn’t certain, however, when that might happen.
The two declared candidates for the county mayoral election in August start talking about transit in the same way. Mayor Gimenez: “There is no one silver bullet.” Raquel Regalado: “There’s no magic bullet.” Gimenez is planning to announce a long-term transportation program soon, according to his spokesman, Michael Hernandez. Speaking generally in a telephone interview, Gimenez says there must be various solutions, including light rail and express buses, but it’s “not going to be Metrorail.... MDX has to be part of the mix. We need greater communications so that we have a unified voice. There are very scarce dollars.” The mayor is mindful of his main constituents: “The majority are going to be riding in cars, utilizing roadways we spent billions of dollars on. That you cannot turn a blind eye to.” Gimenez says his top priorities are Baylink and the east-west Kendall Drive corridor. He points out that in five years, after the county weans itself from using the half-penny for operating expenses, $2 billion should be available over the next 30 years to develop new transit -- a sum that can be multiplied by issuing bonds. Gimenez recently hired Alice Bravo as transit director, and she’s been working hard on initiatives, including the large accordion-style buses to serve the busiest routes, and express trains for rush hour on Metrorail. “You can’t force anyone to change their behavior” when it comes to transportation, Bravo says. “You have to make it convenient for them -- saving time and money is usually the way.” Bravo’s biggest effort is the real-time global positioning of all rail and buses. It will be available by the end of March, she says. This is a huge benefit that’s already available in many of the nation’s major transit systems. One popular use for it: Most buses (except during rush hours) run infrequently, perhaps every 30 minutes, throughout the day. With a phone app, riders can check on a bus’s location and time their arrival at the bus stop to avoid a long wait. The app is already downloadable: MDT Tracker. Meanwhile, mayoral candidate and school board member Raquel Regalado emphasizes restoring accountability to Miami-Dade Transit, whose reputation was devastated by the half-penny disaster. She also criticizes the mayor and commissioners for approving large property developments without demanding plans on how transit can be improved to accommodate the development. One question she asks: For the northwest mega-mall being planned near I-75 and the turnpike, why didn’t the county insist on a strip of land for a future rail line, even if the line is decades away? Regalado believes expressway buses may be the fastest, least expensive solution, though she doesn’t rule out rail in the future. But first, she maintains, the county must fix the existing system and have clean buses that run on time. She cites the unending complaints about Dade transit on Twitter as an indication of how bad the system is. Over time, a well-run transit system can attract more riders and build a reputation, leading to more funding. “Right now,” says Regalado, “we just have no credibility with the federal government.” She also emphasizes the need to improve car traffic, including the use of smart sensors that automatically adjust stoplights to changing conditions; keeping the seaport open around the clock and reducing tolls to reward truckers for late-night runs that keep them off the roads during rush hours; and having cops at main intersections during rush hours to control traffic flow. Commissioner Xavier Suarez, frequently mentioned as a possible mayoral candidate, is notably vocal on transit, even paying for TV ads to trumpet his plans for building four transit corridors -- Baylink; east-west along the 836; north-south along NW 27th Avenue to Sun Life Stadium; and along S. Dixie Highway from Dadeland to Homestead. He says these four can be done for under $2 billion. Suarez considers dedicated bus expressways “a temporary measure; ultimately we need an overall connector.” He has been particularly aggressive in seeking funds, demanding that the half-penny be spent on new development, seeking toll money to pay for mass transit, and asking the state to return to the county the $167 million that local drivers pay annually for auto tag renewals. None of these efforts has yet been fruitful, but Suarez continues to be adamant about the direction the county needs to take. “No more highways, no more interchanges,” he says. His push for consensus has meant that he thinks all four new transit corridors should be top priority. “No one’s going to be left behind,” he insists. Both transit director Bravo and the MPO’s Bouclé have said that priorities need to be set. Suarez counters that it’s important to avoid a political food fight. Still, he emphasizes, some positive transit developments are already happening.
One of those positives is a rail hub being built near Government Center in downtown Miami to serve All Aboard Florida and Tri-Rail. All Aboard Florida is a private effort of Florida East Coast Industries (FEC) to provide train service first to West Palm Beach (starting in 2017), then to Orlando. In some ways, it’s a real estate play, with FEC already starting construction on large projects at its planned stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. Its transit goals are ambitious: projecting 5.3 million riders annually by 2020. Tri-Rail, controlled by Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, carries about 16,000 passengers on weekdays through the three counties on a line that generally runs just west of I-95, except in Miami-Dade, where it veers westward to Hialeah and the Miami airport. “Everybody knows it was put in the wrong place,” says Katz, but when it started in the late 1980s, that was the only route available. At present, a Tri-Rail commuter from Fort Lauderdale must go to Hialeah, then jump on Metrorail to connect with the rest of Miami-Dade. This will change with a $70 million project, including $13.9 million from the half-penny, to create a link from FEC’s downtown depot north to NE 71st Street, and then swinging four miles to the west to join up with the main line. Jack Stephens, Tri-Rail’s executive director, says he still needs $20 million from the state to complete the link, but that’s expected, and the new line is scheduled to open next year, adding about 2000 riders a day. Ferré, the MDX and MPO member, wonders how Tri-Rail can justify a $70 million downtown link when it needs a $50 million annual operating subsidy to serve a mere 18,000 daily riders. “We put our money into the wrong things,” he says. Perhaps more useful would be Tri-Rail’s proposed Coastal Link, the commuter train from downtown Miami running just west of US 1 on the same tracks that All Aboard Florida will be using through Palm Beach County. Possible stops include Midtown, NE 54th Street, NE 79th Street, NE 125th Street, North Miami Beach, and Aventura. “That would be fantastic,” says Adam Old, the El Portal transit advocate. Its timeline, however, remains problematic. Stephens said he’s waiting for Tri-Rail’s downtown link to be finished before developing Coastal Link, which will cost an estimated $800 million to build from Miami to Jupiter; about half of that may be a first phase from downtown Miami to the New River in Broward. “The only way that it’s financially viable is with the assistance of our federal partner,” a partnership that hasn’t existed in South Florida transit for many years.
Now, at last! Let’s get back to my $1190 stop signs, part of that $57 million the cities are expected to get from the half-penny in fiscal 2016. Miami gets $17 million, Hialeah $9.2 million, and Miami Beach $3.6 million. In northeast Dade, Aventura is expected to receive $1.5 million, North Miami $2.4 million, North Miami Beach $1.7 million. The Miami Shores share is nearly $400,000. These local funds go for street improvements, better sidewalks, bus benches, and other transit-related items. Some cities, like Opa-locka, have been caught using the money for general expenditures, which is not allowed; but Holly Hugdahl, the Miami Shores finance director, says she’s very careful with half-penny funds, always checking with CITT before spending because the trust’s rules are complicated. For example, landscaping for a new median is permitted, while landscaping for an existing median can’t come from the half-penny. Recently the Shores has been using its share for improved sidewalks, a new machine part for the village’s street sweeper…and stop signs. The “basic” new stop sign on my corner cost $670 plus $110 installation, Hugdahl tells me. The stop sign on the other side of the intersection -- with the names of the streets on top -- was $1100 plus installation, making it $1990 for the pair. Another CITT rule is that 20 percent of each town’s half-penny share must go for free transit services. In Miami, that has meant a huge trolley system that carries 3.6 million riders annually around neighborhoods, including Midtown, Omni, and the hospital district. Coral Gables puts all of its half-penny proceeds into its trolley, which carries more than a million riders a year between the Douglas Metrorail station and downtown Gables. Miami’s trolley system was boosted by federal stimulus funds, which were used to purchase 19 vehicles. A trolley spokesman says another 15 were bought with the half-penny, which also pays for all operating expenses. Some smaller towns, like El Portal and Biscayne Park, don’t have enough population or physical size for trolleys. North Miami shuttles are reported to transport 460,000 a year, Aventura 270,000. Miami Shores vans are at 20,000.
Ultimately, many urban planners, such as Miami’s Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, believe the only long-term solution for traffic woes is to have people live closer to where they work. In recent years, the issue has grown more severe as high-rises sprout up along the waterfront, while affordable workers’ housing is often available only in the far western and southern suburbs. Many planners say that inclusionary zoning -- requiring large developers to include a percentage of affordable units with their projects -- is the answer. More than 500 local governments nationwide have enacted variations on this theme. “The resistance locally is huge,” says Plater-Zyberk, former dean of the University of Miami School of Architecture. In recent months, county Commissioners Suarez and Barbara Jordan have each talked about some kind of ordinance requiring developers to pay for affordable housing, but neither has yet introduced a resolution. The Builders Association of South Florida has said it opposes the idea, and Suarez acknowledges that the concept may not have enough votes to get through the commission. Still, almost everyone agrees, the county’s leaders must do something dramatic about traffic. “Transportation is really the number-one issue effecting Miami-Dade,” says Ferré, the former mayor, “because it impacts on tourism, jobs, and family life. It really cuts through every segment of the society.” Feedback: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |
Editor’s note: Matt Witheiler is a General Partner at Flybridge Capital Partners. You can follow him on his blog.
$211,290. That was the magic number that the data suggested was the “success” threshold in hardware crowdfunding. The analysis also showed that people love 3D printers and that almost half the crowdfunded dollars went to 37 companies. That deep dive into 443 projects provided some insight into where consumers are spending their money (and time) in the hardware ecosystem but it felt like something was missing.
Crowdfunding dollars are only one source of capital for hardware startups. The other source, the one that gets even more attention, is venture capital. In the years since Kickstarter launched, venture investing in hardware has gone from non-existent to mainstream. CrunchBase data shows 115 companies tagged as Hardware + Software got funding in 2007 compared to 383 in 2013 – an increase of 233 percent.
While there has been some recent writing on how many crowdfunded hardware startups go on to raise venture money, the analysis of what categories of hardware companies raise money has yet to be done. In other words, it was impossible to answer the question “What parts of the hardware ecosystem do investors think are hot?”
Using the same data set as before (hardware projects raising $100,000 or more on crowdfunding sites as of late June 2014) and combining it with data from CrunchBase and Mattermark, I’m here with that answer.
Making It Rain
Of the 443 hardware projects analyzed, 94 have gone on to raise a total of $503.8 million from investors. Much like the crowdfunding data, the vast majority of these 94 companies ran their campaigns on Kickstarter: Just 17 companies, or 18 percent, of the total that raised money started on Indiegogo.
The category perspective provides a glimpse into where VCs are putting their money. The $503.8 million raised is broken out as follows:
Comparing this to the previous map, there are a few things to note. Most obvious is the domination of the Entertainment category, which received $188 million in venture funding, or 37 percent of all venture dollars that went to crowdfunded companies.
Across the board, many of these venture dollars went into a few “winners.” Specifically, of the $503.7 million venture dollars that crowdfunded hardware projects brought in, nearly 40 percent went to four companies: Oculus, Gramofon, Misfit and FormLabs. Fourteen companies raised more than $10 million in funding post campaign, bringing in $335.8 million. In addition to the “big four,” these were: OUYA, Lifx, Loop, SmartThings, tado, Canary, Peloton Cycle, Emotiv, Pebble and Scanadu.
The set of 94 raised venture dollars from a number of investors. Almost everyone you would suspect is represented, but the most prolific may surprise you. That would be HAXLR8R, which invested in 10 of the companies, although only invested $25,000 each time.
Leverage
The dollar investment measure is one way to understand how VCs think of hardware. An alternative way of looking at just how excited VCs are about various categories is exploring the relationship between crowd dollars committed and venture dollars raised. I call this leverage.
I calculate leverage as: Venture Dollars Raised / Crowd Dollars Raised. Leverage of 1.0x means that for every dollar the crowd put in, VCs put in another dollar. The higher the number, the more dollars (i.e. interest) VCs had in the category. The lower the number, the more skeptical VCs were compared to the crowd.
Now things get interesting. Remember, this measures investor interest relative to the crowd. As you can see, the wearable space, specifically wearables that are worn on clothing or attached to the body somehow, garnered way more love from investors than from the crowd: In the body wearable category, the crowd pre-ordered $3.5 million worth of product and investors later put in $37.6 million. From a leverage perspective, this even outpaced Gaming despite the fact that that category holds the largest venture bet from the crowdfunding cohort: the $91 million Oculus. In the 3D printing category, which consumers feverishly poured $25.6 million into across 50 projects, investors were much more tepid, choosing to deploy $26.5 million of capital across just five companies.
At a macro level, each crowdfunded dollar resulted in $2.71 of venture dollars invested and the Medical category faired best with $7.11 of venuture dollars per crowd dollar – although across a very small sample set of three companies. Next best is the wearable category mentioned above, where the sector had 4.76x leverage and 18 venture-funded projects.
What It Means
While investors are absolutely using crowdfunding success to vet hardware startups (the rate of investment across these $100k+ campaigns is orders of magnitude higher than the general startup investment rate) not all project categories are created equal. Your camera campaign is unlikely to be a home run with investors even if you hit it out of the park with the crowd. Conversely, even a mediocre outcome in an automation campaign may earn the attention of investors’ wallets. It just goes to show, investors want to back companies that not only deliver what people want today, but also represent a compelling vision for the future.
I’ve shared the source data in Google Docs. Feel free to dig in with your own analysis. |
Comedian Al Murray has announced plans to stand against the Ukip leader as his pub landlord alter ego
Comedian Al Murray has announced he plans to stand against Nigel Farage in the seat of South Thanet in May’s general election.
He will stand as his comedy alter ego “the Pub Landlord” for the Free United Kingdom Party, or FUKP. In a video posted to YouTube launching his bid for parliament, he says: “It seems to me that the UK is ready for a bloke waving a pint around offering common sense solutions.”
The first of his pledges is to make pints of beer cost 1p and to brick up the channel tunnel.
Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK Independence party, hopes to take the Kent constituency from the Conservative incumbent Laura Sandys at the general election in May. The seat was identified as a possible win for the party, described by one expert as “an economically stagnant coastal seat, where there are lots of older, white and angry voters”.
On his campaign website, Murray lays out his “13-point common sense action plan”, which includes revaluing the pound so it is worth £1.10, introducing national service only for those who don’t want to do it, and locking up the unemployed because “unemployment causes crime”.
He proposes making Alex Salmond first minister for Norwich, “so he can get to understand what being ignored by the rest of the country is really like”, and a “new improved Street Raffle” to determine where children go to school instead of a postcode lottery.
The pub landlord’s foreign policy consists of just one line: “Germany has been too quiet for too long. Just saying.”
Murray also proposes that South Thanet be made the new capital of the UK and a demilitarised zone be set-up between North and South Thanet. He pledges that the UK will leave Europe by 2025 and the solar system by 2050.
Al Murray is said to be a distant cousin of prime minister David Cameron through the 19th-century author of Vanity Fair William Thackeray. |
Intel chair to Bush on FISA: I will not back down to you RAW STORY
Published: Thursday February 14, 2008
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Print This Email This Congressman Silvestre Reyes, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, sent a letter to President Bush regarding the ongoing battle over warrantless wiretapping. Text of the letter follows below. # President George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: The Preamble to our Constitution states that one of our highest duties as public officials is to "provide for the common defence." As an elected Member of Congress, a senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I work everyday to ensure that our defense and intelligence capabilities remain strong in the face of serious threats to our national security. Because I care so deeply about protecting our country, I take strong offense to your suggestion in recent days that the country will be vulnerable to terrorist attack unless Congress immediately enacts legislation giving you broader powers to conduct warrantless surveillance of Americans' communications and provides legal immunity for telecommunications companies that participated in the Administration's warrantless surveillance program. Today, the National Security Agency (NSA) has authority to conduct surveillance in at least three different ways, all of which provide strong capability to monitor the communications of possible terrorists. First, NSA can use its authority under Executive Order 12333 to conduct surveillance abroad of any known or suspected terrorist. There is no requirement for a warrant. There is no requirement for probable cause. Most of NSA's collection occurs under this authority. Second, NSA can use its authority under the Protect America Act, enacted last August, to conduct surveillance here in the U.S of any foreign target. This authority does not "expire" on Saturday, as you have stated. Under the PAA, orders authorizing surveillance may last for one year until at least August 2008. These orders may cover every terrorist group without limitation. If a new member of the group is identified, or if a new phone number or email address is identified, the NSA may add it to the existing orders, and surveillance can begin immediately. We will not "go dark." Third, in the remote possibility that a new terrorist organization emerges that we have never previously identified, the NSA could use existing authority under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to monitor those communications. Since its establishment nearly 30 years ago, the FISA Court has approved nearly every application for a warrant from the Department of Justice. In an emergency, NSA or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) may begin surveillance immediately, and a FISA Court order does not have to be obtained for three days. The former head of FISA operations for the Department of Justice has testified publicly that emergency authorization may be granted in a matter of minutes. As you know, the 1978 FISA law, which has been modernized and updated numerous times since 9/11, was instrumental in disrupting the terrorist plot in Germany last summer. Those who say that FISA is outdated do not understand the strength of this important tool. If our nation is left vulnerable in the coming months, it will not be because we don't have enough domestic spying powers. It will be because your Administration has not done enough to defeat terrorist organizations including al Qaeda -- that have gained strength since 9/11. We do not have nearly enough linguists to translate the reams of information we currently collect. We do not have enough intelligence officers who can penetrate the hardest targets, such as al Qaeda. We have surged so many intelligence resources into Iraq that we have taken our eye off the ball in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As a result, you have allowed al Qaeda to reconstitute itself on your watch. You have also suggested that Congress must grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies. As someone who has been briefed on our most sensitive intelligence programs, I can see no argument why the future security of our country depends on whether past actions of telecommunications companies are immunized. The issue of telecom liability should be carefully considered based on a full review of the documents that your Administration withheld from Congress for eight months. However, it is an insult to the intelligence of the American people to say that we will be vulnerable unless we grant immunity for actions that happened years ago. Congress has not been sitting on its hands. Last November, the House passed responsible legislation to authorize the NSA to conduct surveillance of foreign terrorists and to provide clarity and legal protection to our private sector partners who assist in that surveillance. The proper course is now to conference the House bill with the Senate bill that was passed on Tuesday. There are significant differences between these two bills and a conference, in regular order, is the appropriate mechanism to resolve the differences between these two bills. I urge you, Mr. President, to put partisanship aside and allow Republicans in Congress to arrive at a compromise that will protect America and protect our Constitution. I, for one, do not intend to back down not to the terrorists and not to anyone, including a President, who wants Americans to cower in fear. We are a strong nation. We cannot allow ourselves to be scared into suspending the Constitution. If we do that, we might as well call the terrorists and tell them that they have won. Sincerely, Silvestre Reyes
Member of Congress
Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence |
Nobody Will Force GSP Into a Superfight; Dana White Prefers Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones
Just a few days ago, UFC president Dana White made reference to Georges St-Pierre’s next fight, rekindling talk about superfights by saying that if his UFC welterweight champion wanted to fight middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva, he was all for it.
That, of course, would mean that 170-pound No. 1 contender Johny Hendricks would again take a back seat.
But, as White said, it’s all conjecture until the involved parties start talking with UFC brass and a couple more fights play out. Anderson Silva is slated to fight Chris Weidman this summer, and a third party in the equation, Jon Jones, faces Chael Sonnen this weekend.
Thus far, White hasn’t caught up with St-Pierre, who indicated in a recent Joe Rogan Experience podcast that he seems content to stay at 170 pounds, at least in the near term.
“I need to do stuff in my division before I take (a superfight) because it has moved now,” said St-Pierre.
That’s not something that bothers White, who said St-Pierre vs. Hendricks is going to happen, conceding that St-Pierre may not be ready for a superfight.
“If he doesn’t want to do a superfight, nobody is going to pressure him to do a superfight. That’s up to him,” said White on Thursday. “But Johny Hendricks is next, and soon. Maybe in August (at the Fox Sports 1 launch in Boston).”
White hasn’t shifted his thoughts away from a superfight though. When asked which superfight he would like to see out of the St-Pierre, Silva, and Jones trio, his Canadian superstar wasn’t a part of his top choice.
“If (Jones) wins and Anderson Silva wins, I really want to see Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones,” admitted White. “That’s the fight I want to see. I’d like to see it in Madison Square Garden.”
Silva has been the one constant in the equation, and the one fighter that has been consistently pushing for the biggest fights possible.
While St-Pierre wants big fights, he seems content to continue at 170 pounds for now, while Jones recently warmed to the idea of fighting outside of his usual 205-pound title defenses, entertaining superfights or heavyweight bouts.
“This fight with Chael, it ties me with Tito Ortiz (for most UFC light heavyweight title defenses),” said Jones, assuming he beats Chael Sonnen at UFC 159 on Saturday.
“One thing I’ve been contemplating is first tying Tito Ortiz, and then establishing that record of the most (light heavyweight title defense) wins in my next fight, maybe in November, and after that fight in November, entertaining superfights and heavyweight fights.”
White could make things interesting. If Jones defeats Sonnen, as most people expect to happen, who says Jones’ next light heavyweight title defense – the record-setting opportunity – isn’t also a superfight with Anderson Silva?
The UFC – if Silva is willing to go all the way up to 205 pounds, which he has done before – could try to put the two together with Jones’ belt on the line.
And although White recently put a damper on his hopes for MMA opening up in New York this year, if things change and New York does sanction the sport… and if Silva defeats Chris Weidman in July… what bigger fight could the UFC put together for its 20th Anniversary at Madison Square Garden?
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(JTA) – Prominent Dutch Jews spoke out against what they called a new trend involving hosting activists against Israel at commemorations for the Kristallnacht pogroms of 1938.
The Center for Information and Documentation on Israel, or CIDI, which is the Netherlands’ main watchdog on anti-Semitism, spoke out against the trend earlier this week ahead of the Nov. 9 anniversary of the pogroms in Germany and Austria, which many historians view as the opening shot of the Nazi campaign of violence against the Jews during the Holocaust.
CIDI, whose director in 2000 represented Dutch Jews in negotiations for Holocaust restitution, said it was “concerned over the trend in which anti-Israel individuals receive a podium at Holocaust-related commemorations,” according to the CIP website.
The statement followed the invitation to one commemoration of Dries van Agt, a pro-Palestinian former prime minister of the Netherlands who recently said that the Jews “should have been given a piece of land” in Germany instead of in the historic Land of Israel, and the hosting at another of Anne Dekker, an activist who promotes the boycott of Israel and said that neither Israel nor CIDI legitimately represent Jews.
Van Agt, who has been fighting accusations of anti-Semitism since he declared in 1972 that he “is only an Aryan” in connection to his efforts to free Nazi war criminals, will speak at the main event organized by the Committee for the Commemoration of Kristallnacht, an NGO, at a theater in Amsterdam.
Van Agt, who has compared Israel to Nazi Germany and in 2008 spoke at a rally in Rotterdam that featured a televised address by a leader of Hamas, was asked in 1972, upon his appointment as justice minister, whether he would free four Nazi war criminals who appealed for release for health reasons. He said he would try but that his Jewish predecessor tried and failed, adding “I am only an Aryan.”
Ronny Naftaniel, a Dutch board member of CEJI, a Brussels-based Jewish organization promoting tolerance, called van Agt’s speaking at a Holocaust commemoration event “insane.”
Referring to Dekker, Paul van der Bas, chairman of CIDI’s youth organization, CIJO, told the PowNed news website this week: “The fact that she doesn’t understand what a Jewish organization has to do with the Remembrance of the Dead suggests she needs to learn more about why we commemorate before making suggestions. Let her do it on Twitter, but not by abusing a memorial ceremony.”
Remembrance of the Dead is the name of the Netherlands’ official memorial day on May 4 for the victims of World War II, including more than 102,000 Jews murdered by the Nazis, many of them with help from local collaborators. In May, Dekker wrote on Twitter, “What does CIDI have to do with Remembrance of the Dead?” She then wrote: “What I mean is: Israel ≠ Jews.”
She also wrote: “I do as much BDS as possible.” BDS is the acronym for Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment movement against Israel.
Dekker is scheduled to speak Thursday on a Kristallnacht panel at the state-funded National Liberation museum in Groesbeek, whose exhibits are about World War II. Museum director Wiel Lenders said his institution will host Dekker despite the protest because “freedom of expression must not be affected,” the Gelderlander newspaper reported.
Dekker said she is being “accused of being an anti-Semite because I once shared on Twitter a request not to buy avocados” grown in disputed lands held by Israel.
Last year, CIDI and other groups protested the hosting at Amsterdam’s Uilenburger Synagogue of a memorial organized by Platform Stop Racism and Exclusion, a far-left group that is shunned by local Jews for its members’ perceived animosity toward Israel and sympathy for Hamas.
The event featured an address in which Hanin Zoabi, an Arab-Israeli lawmaker who recently said that “Jews are not a nationality, so we cannot talk about self-determination for the Jewish people,” likened Israel’s actions to those of Nazi Germany.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte and survivors of the Holocaust, as well as hundreds of Jews and non-Jews, attended the main Kristallnacht commemoration event last year organized by the Dutch Jewish community at the Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam. This year, the Dutch state will be represented at the same place by keynote speaker Khadija Arib, chair of the Dutch lower house, the Tweede Kamer. |
Europeans Can Get A Discount On Bravely Second For Downloading The Demo
By Jenni . February 11, 2016 . 12:00pm
Nintendo of Europe has announced a Bravely Second: End Layer promotion. The demo has just been released in the Nintendo 3DS eShop in Europe, and people who download it will get a 10% discount on the full game.
The Bravely Second discount only applies to a future Nintendo eShop purchase, so people would have to get a digital copy to qualify. It will remain in effect until March 10, 2016, so people could grab the 10 hour demo today, wait a week or so after launch, and still qualify for the 10% discount. (Edit: Originally had the dates wrong, due to a misreading of European abbreviated dates.)
Bravely Second: End Layer will be released in Europe on February 26, 2016. There’s been no word as of yet concerning the North American release date for the demo, or if it will receive a similar Nintendo eShop promotion. |
Interactive PlayStation Doll Patented, Will Connect to PS3, PSP
Patent applications can be a terrific way of getting an early glimpse at what Sony is cooking up in their vast R&D laboratories, providing a first look at the Vita’s back touch panel, and at the PlayStation Monitor. This time, the US Patent Office has revealed something incredibly different – a PlayStation controlled interactive toy.
The interactive toy openly draws inspiration from the Microsoft ActiMate, which failed to sell when it was released back in 1997, with the patent mentioning the ActiMate’s several times.
Originally filed back in 2008, the recently published patent shows Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s aim to improve upon the ActiMate with better technology and integration with PlayStation products. SCEE explained why they thought the ActiMate failed:
The success of such interactive toys depends on there being a good range of titles for the toy to interact with both at launch and into the future. It is also dependent on whether parents will buy a comparatively expensive toy whilst believing it will require further purchases of videos to maintain their child’s interest. The present invention aims to mitigate or alleviate the above problem.
Should the product ever become a reality, it could include a storage medium reader, a media content player, a wireless receiver and a processor – which could even be a “cell processor”.
The wireless, USB and Ethernet ports also allow the toy to connect to “other peripheral devices in addition to game controllers”, the PlayStation Portable and the EyeToy. It also means “the interactive toy may be readily arranged to communicate with a PS3 via either a WiFi or Bluetooth wireless link”. When a PS3 is loaded with a DVD or Blu-Ray disk with support for the toy it will connect to the device and interact accordingly:
Where a toy is not licensed to interact fully with a media disk, the PS3 can issue generic interaction instructions that follow the spirit of the interactive content on the disk, allowing the toy for example to give generic positive and negative comments as appropriate. This avoids frustration by the user, who as a child is likely to be unaware of and unconcerned by licensing issues. Thus alternatively or in addition, rather than sending a specific instruction to perform a specific action, the PS3 could send a more abstract instruction such as ‘act surprised’ that is interpreted by the toy according to the resources it has available – for example, the ability to throw up its arms, or to select an appropriate phrase from a built in vocabulary. More generally, such a layer of abstraction can simplify and reduce the amount of supplementary data needed, as it allows each type of toy to react in character without the need for different supplementary data tracks. A number of such basic responses could be codified and pre-programmed within suitably enabled toys.
Much like the ActiMate, the toy will be able to move it’s limbs of its own accord, but will have far more control, be able to sense human touch, and may even have “a refillable liquid reservoir and a liquid release means (for example to generate tears).”
The processor may allow it to sense light levels, have image recognition as well as has voice recognition and/or speech recognition. It may also be able to respond with a predetermined vocabulary of words or have speech synthesis.
While the PlayStation Toy may never see a release, it’s still great to see what Sony is planning, as well as giving us a look at a product that could revolutionize EyePet and other virtual games, as well as opening the PlayStation 3 up to the huge market that is children’s TV. |
In the tradition of "Choose Your Own Adventure," this interactive novel gives the reader a chance to "meet" their favorite characters and become a part of the Attack on Titan story!
When the Titans breach Wall Rose, there's only one thing standing in their way – YOU!
You are a member of the 104th Training Corps. Soldiers like you, equipped with vertical maneuvering gear, are humanity's first, last, and only hope against the Titans. But when the Colossus Titan appears and smashes the gates of Wall Rose, all of your training will be for nothing if you can't put it to use in real battle. Your choices will determine everything! What are you willing to do to defeat the monsters that threaten your civilization with extinction? Join Eren, Mikasa, and Levi and fight alongside them against the Titans! |
Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) visits Hillary Clinton's campaign office on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids, Mich., Friday, Aug. 5, 2016. (Allison Farrand/The Grand Rapids Press-MLive.com via AP)
AUSTIN — Hillary Clinton's running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine, condemned Donald Trump for making comments today that Kaine said encouraged violence against Clinton.
"Nobody who is seeking a leadership position — especially the presidency, the leadership of the country — should do anything to countenance violence, and that’s what he was saying," the Virginia senator told reporters after a campaign event here.
He was referring to Trump's comments at a rally in North Carolina on Tuesday, which some interpreted as encouragement for gun owners to take action against Clinton over her Supreme Court picks, if she is elected. The Trump campaign has said that he was referring to the power of Second Amendment advocates to lobby.
Donald Trump made a controversial comment about rival Hillary Clinton during a rally in Wilmington, N.C., August 9. Trump told the audience, "If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do," adding: "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know." (The Washington Post)
"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks," Trump told supporters in Wilmington. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know."
Kaine said that he read Trump's quote but "frankly couldn’t believe he said it," and watched the video to confirm.
He dismissed the Trump campaign's claim that the comments were taken out of context.
"I think Donald Trump revealed again, many other statements have revealed the same thing, it just revealed a complete temperamental misfit with the character that is required to do the job," Kaine said. "I don’t find the attempt to row it backward persuasive at all." |
Mikhail Gorbachev has called the current state of relations between Russia and US the “collapse of mutual trust” and urged the sides to resume dialogue and push towards demilitarization and complete nuclear disarmament.
“I think the world has approached a dangerous threshold. I would prefer not to suggest any particular schemes, but I want to say: we need to stop. Dialogue should be resumed. Stopping the dialogue has been the biggest mistake. Now we must return to the main priorities, such as nuclear disarmament, fighting terrorism and prevention of global environmental disasters. Compared to these challenges everything else is a second priority,” Gorbachev said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
READ MORE: Mikhail Gorbachev to RT: America wanted to rule the world but lost its way
“Of course, at this moment it is difficult to talk about moving towards a nuclear-free world, we must honestly admit it. But we should not forget: as long as there are nuclear weapons there is the threat of their use. It could be an accident, a technical malfunction of someone’s evil will – a madman or a terrorist,” the former Soviet leader said.
Gorbachev also reminded that in line with the nuclear non-proliferation agreement all of its signatories must hold talks on nuclear disarmament uniting the eventual full destruction of nuclear weapons.
“The nuclear-free world is not a utopia, but rather an imperative necessity. But we can achieve it only through demilitarization of politics and international relations.”
He said that veterans of international politics, such as the “council of sages” chaired by former UN leader Kofi Annan, understood these problems and he expressed hope that their voices would be heard by modern leaders. At the same time he emphasized that the main responsibility for global security lied on these modern leaders who would make the greatest mistake if they do not use the last chance to return international politics to a peaceful course.
The interview was published on Monday and timed with the 30th anniversary of the USSR-US summit in Reykjavik, which eventually allowed the nuclear arms race to slow down and greatly contributed to the end of the Cold War.
READ MORE: Gorbachev says US was ‘rubbing its hands with glee’ after Soviet Union’s demise
Gorbachev reiterated his position that the Reykjavik summit was a major breakthrough.
“First, we agreed on many issues and second, we managed to look over the horizon, see the perspective of a nuclear-free world,” he said.
“It was very appealing that in the course of our negotiations President Ronald Reagan sincerely spoke about the necessity to rid the world of the weapons of mass destruction. We shared a common position on this issue.” |
Problem is that most think the waiting noose is a ‘nothing burger’ while it is the ‘nothing burgers” that feed the most irrational conspiracies of all time
The Democrats’ Crazed ‘Bring Your Own Noose’ Party
Hillary’s ‘hangman’s noose’ is ready, hanging on the nearest tree. Each time a vagrant breeze comes along to nudge it, just knowing that it’s there waiting, various Dem demagogues go into fits of ecstasy. Hillary’s hangman’s noose for a beleaguered President Donald Trump is a convenient One-Size-Fits-All one. Today it’s Donald Trump Junior, tomorrow his brother-in-law, Ivanka’s beloved, Jared Kushner. The self-declared vigilantes, a throwback to the rampaging ones in the Old West, crazed as they may be, are, fully backed by a salivating Mainstream Media.
They’re coming to take down the president, while Republicans pretending not to see it, hide under their desks. It’s one-size-fits-all for the crimes the Dems and MSM attempt to justify as the reason for their ‘hang ‘em high’ tactics. One-size-fits-all even when the crimes with which the Trump family is accused were pre-meditated by the likes of now disgruntled Resistance Leader, ex President Barack Obama. Barack Obama’s DOJ gave Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya special entry into the United States, paving the way for her to touch base with the Trump team. “The Russian lawyer who penetrated Donald Trump’s inner circle was initially cleared into the United States by the Justice Department under “extraordinary circumstances” before she embarked on a lobbying campaign last year that ensnared the president’s eldest son, members of Congress, journalists and State Department officials, according to court and Justice Department documents and interviews. (The Hill, July 20, 2017) “This revelation means it was the Obama Justice Department that enabled the newest and most intriguing figure in the Russia-Trump investigation to enter the country without a visa.” “Later, a series of events between an intermediary for the attorney and the Trump campaign ultimately led to the controversy surrounding the president’s eldest son. Just five days after meeting in June 2016 at Trump Tower with Donald Trump Jr., presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner and then Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Moscow attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya showed up in Washington in the front row of a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Russia policy, video footage of the hearing shows.” Former U.S. Ambassador to USSR slams former U.S. Ambassador to Russia on Ukraine
It doesn’t get much more politically premeditated than that. “The U.S. Attorney’s office in New York confirmed Wednesday to The Hill that it let Veselnitskaya into the country on a grant of immigration parole from October 2015 to early January 2016.(The Hill) “Justice Department and State Department officials could not immediately explain how the Russian lawyer was still in the country in June for the meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and the events in Washington D.C.” But the Dems could already see the hangman’s noose swinging from the nearest tree. “IMPEACHMENT!” was only around the next bend. They know down at heart that you can break a man if you can take down his son with a wholly manufactured scandal, even if that man happens to be the President of the United States of America. So many are riding shot-gun in the stampeding posse looking to achieve their goal. But even with a Fake News MSM completely on their side, the plot thickens:
“Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA, of course) was the first Democrat to put his money where his mouth is on all the rampant impeachment talk. (Con-Alerts.com) “Not even Maxine Waters was bold enough to pull the trigger. “The four page resolution charges President Trump with ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’. “The problem is nothing Trump has done nor anything he is alleged to have done rises to the threshold of criminal behavior. “And if they did, President Obama would easily have met that threshold as well. “Worse for Sherman is that very few of his Democrat colleagues are rushing to sign on to the effort. “The bottom line: lots of nothing burgers are on the menu in DC lately.”
According to deranged Dems “High Crimes” means “Hang ‘em high!” Times have dramatically changed since the dirty Dems were forced into exile. They no longer need the law of the land to prove guilt, just the media narrative to “get er done!” They are gung-ho to slip that noose on Donald Trump Jr.’s neck, or anyone else they think can rid them of arch enemy President Donald Trump, the man who furiously frightens the media. The empty noose swinging in the breeze is waiting. Problem is that most think the waiting noose is a ‘nothing burger’ while it is the ‘nothing burgers” that feed the most irrational conspiracies of all time. Rohrabacher on Veselnitskaya
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Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years’ experience in the print media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared on Rush Limbaugh, Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com.
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This week, Google warned developers whose apps collect sensitive user data, but do not include a privacy policy, that their apps are at risk of removal from the Play Store on March 15.
Image: iStockphoto/samxmeg
Google is getting serious about app privacy. This week, the tech giant sent an email to developers across the globe, notifying them that if their apps violate the company's User Data policy regarding privacy, they may be removed from the store, as reported by The Next Web.
"Google Play requires developers to provide a valid privacy policy when the app requests or handles sensitive user or device information," the email message stated. "Your app requests sensitive permissions (e.g. camera, microphone, accounts, contacts, or phone) or user data, but does not include a valid privacy policy."
The message goes on to state that the developers must include a link to a valid privacy policy in their app's Store Listing page, and within the app itself as well. The privacy policy must "comprehensively disclose how your app collects, uses and shares user data, including the types of parties with whom it's shared," according to Google's User Data policy.
Alternatively, developers can choose to opt out of this requirement by removing any requests for sensitive permissions or user data from the app, the message stated.
SEE: Dozens of iOS apps vulnerable to data theft, despite ATS mandate
Developers must meet these policy requirements by March 15, 2017. If they do not meet that deadline, they risk having Google "limit the visibility of your app," or even remove it from the Play Store, according to the email.
"I think it is a great thing that Google is putting more focus on users' privacy," said Engin Kirda, professor of computer science at Northeastern University. It is especially important in light of past cases in which apps available in the Play Store collected large volumes of sensitive data from users without their knowledge, including the URLs they visited, he added.
"By enforcing Google's own user data policies, and making app developers provide privacy policies, Google is trying to improve the security and safety of the app store," Kirda said. "It is a step in the right direction."
Besides requiring a privacy policy, Google's User Data policy also mandates that apps that handle personal or sensitive user information handle that data securely, "including transmitting it using modern cryptography (for example, over HTTPS)."
Google's move to protect app users from cybercrime follows Apple's move to require all iOS apps to use HTTPS connections by a yet-to-be-determined deadline. In Apple's case, once a deadline is set, app developers must enforce the App Transport Security (ATS) feature, which forces the connections to HTTPS instead of HTTP, in order to improve privacy.
However, sometimes even these protections are not sufficient. A verify.ly report released this week found that 76 popular iOS apps are vulnerable to data theft, regardless of whether or not developers are using ATS.
If you are an app developer, you should always make sure you have a privacy policy in place as a best practice, not just because it's required by Google or Apple. And, if you find your app disappears from the Play Store next month, you'll know why.
The Next Web story notes that the coming purge of apps that lack privacy policies will likely help rid the Play Store of "zombie apps" that contain security vulnerabilities, making it easier for users to find the safe apps they need.
The 3 big takeaways for TechRepublic readers
1. This week, Google emailed a number of developers to notify them that their apps collect sensitive user information but do not have a valid privacy policy, and if they do not add one, the app may be removed from the Play Store.
2. If an app requests sensitive permissions, such as camera, microphone, accounts, or user data, its privacy policy must disclose how it collects, uses and shares user data, including the types of parties with whom it's shared, according to Google's User Data policy.
3. Google's move is meant to increase user security; however, app developers should be vigilant about security protections whether or not they are required by a provider.
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The CineLux Plaza Theatre will get a makeover to make room for more auditoriums, a lounge and alcohol service.
On Dec. 13 the Campbell Planning Commission unanimously gave the OK for the movie theater at 2501 S. Winchester Blvd. to proceed with the renovations. The theater is located in the 11-acre Campbell Plaza Shopping Center that also contains a Safeway, a few restaurants and a Dollar Tree store.
CineLux has operated in the shopping center since 1966, according to the city staff report. When the theater first opened, Jack Gunsky and Paul Norman owned and operated the single-screen cinema that sat 700 moviegoers. The Gunsky family continues to operate the theater and six others in cities such as Morgan Hill, San Jose, Capitola and Scotts Valley.
In 1969 another single-screen auditorium seating another 700 patrons was built. According to Paul Gunsky, the theater’s current operator, the original building last had a remodel in 2007. The southern building, which will house the proposed bar, lounge and new screens, underwent renovation in the early 1990s.
“Our challenge as a small movie theater operator is to evolve with the times,” Gunsky told the commission. “Movie theaters have changed tremendously since the ’60s and ’70s, and it’s our job to bring in every modern amenity that people now expect.”
According to Gunsky, both buildings seat 829 people in five auditoriums, two in the newer building and three in the original. The remodel of the southern building will feature three auditoriums with VIP and tiered seating by expanding the theater into what was previously a vacuum shop.
Related Articles San Jose: Camera 12 site being eyed for San Jose State University housing As proposed, the bar will serve beer and wine.
The alcohol component was a concern for Commissioner JoElle Hernandez, who was worried that people would purchase alcohol without having a movie ticket. She said she didn’t want people to visit the theater like it was a bar and just come for beer and wine.
Gunsky told the commission the theater cannot prohibit visitors from purchasing concessions without a movie ticket.
“However, to be quite honest with you, we don’t have that experience, just because we’re charging a premium,” Gunsky said. “You’re going to be able to go to any other drinking establishment and probably get the same product for a little bit less. So we really have not experienced that.”
The commission also approved a new sign for the theater.
“We have loyal customers, but we’d like to attract more people,” Gunsky said. |
I’ve had a request to do a tutorial on how to create Unity plugins, specifically for Android devices. The process can be a little tricky, it’s not brilliantly documented and that’s probably the reason why there aren’t too many plugins out there. Hopefully this tutorial will enable the creation of lots of useful plugins. A video of this tutorial can be found here.
A Quick Explanation of my Setup
For this tutorial, I’m using Eclipse under Windows, pretty standard stuff. However I’m using Blue Stacks as my emulator instead of the standard Android emulator. The main reason for this is that Blue Stacks acts more like an actual device and hence Mobclix will show its ad banners (it won’t in the standard emulator). Also it is wonderfully fast
The Tutorial
So let’s get started, open Eclipse, create a new Android project, call it ‘MobclixTutorial’. Set the build target for Android 2.2 and specify a package name (i.e. com.platoevolved.moblixtutorial).
Now create a folder within the project called ‘libs’ and copy the mobclix.jar into it. This is the mobclix.jar that you can download from here. Right click this and choose ‘Add to Build Path’.
Open up the MobclixTutorialActivity.java file and amend as follows:
import android.os.Bundle ; import android.view.ViewGroup.LayoutParams ; import android.widget.FrameLayout ; import com.mobclix.android.sdk.MobclixMMABannerXLAdView ; public class MobclixTutorialActivity extends Activity { private static FrameLayout layout ; private static MobclixMMABannerXLAdView adView ; @Override public void onCreate ( Bundle savedInstanceState ) { super . onCreate ( savedInstanceState ) ; setContentView ( R. layout . main ) ; adView = new MobclixMMABannerXLAdView ( this ) ; layout = new FrameLayout ( this ) ; addContentView ( layout, new LayoutParams ( LayoutParams. FILL_PARENT , LayoutParams. FILL_PARENT ) ) ; layout. addView ( adView, new FrameLayout. LayoutParams ( LayoutParams. WRAP_CONTENT ,LayoutParams. WRAP_CONTENT ,android. view . Gravity . BOTTOM ) ) ; } }
So a quick explanation of the above code. We are creating a FrameLayout that fills the whole screen, and into that FrameLayout we are placing a Mobclix View (MobclixMMABannerXLAdView) that will gravitate to the bottom of the FrameLayout.
We now need to edit the AndroidManifest.xml file to look like this:
<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "utf-8" ?> <manifest xmlns:android = "http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" package = "com.platoevolved.mobclixtutorial" android:versionCode = "1" android:versionName = "1.0" > <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion = "8" /> <application android:icon = "@drawable/ic_launcher" android:label = "@string/app_name" > <activity android:name = ".MobclixTutorialActivity" android:label = "@string/app_name" > <intent-filter > <action android:name = "android.intent.action.MAIN" /> <category android:name = "android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" /> </intent-filter > </activity > <meta-data android:name = "com.mobclix.APPLICATION_ID" android:value = "insert-your-application-key" /> <activity android:name = "com.mobclix.android.sdk.MobclixBrowserActivity" android:theme = "@android:style/Theme.Translucent.NoTitleBar" /> </application > <uses-permission android:name = "android.permission.INTERNET" /> <uses-permission android:name = "android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" /> <uses-permission android:name = "android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" /> </manifest >
This just adds some uses-permissions, meta-data and an activity needed by mobclix.
Now run the project on an android device and you should see the mobclix banner appear at the bottom of the screen.
Next, we need to convert this application into a library so that it will produce a jar that we can use from within the Unity app. So go into the properties of your app (select the Package Explorer and hit Alt Enter), select Android and tick ‘Is Library’. You will now see that this has created a mobclixtutorial.jar in the ‘bin’ folder.
Now we need to copy the ‘classes.jar’ (usually found somewhere like C:\Program Files (x86)\Unity\Editor\Data\PlaybackEngines\androiddevelopmentplayer\bin) from Unity into the ‘libs’ folder (and add it to the build path as before).
Now we need to change our code to extend the UnityPlayerActivity and also not try to use our xml layout file.
package com.platoevolved.mobclixtutorial ; import android.os.Bundle ; import android.view.ViewGroup.LayoutParams ; import android.widget.FrameLayout ; import com.mobclix.android.sdk.MobclixMMABannerXLAdView ; import com.unity3d.player.UnityPlayerActivity ; public class MobclixTutorialActivity extends UnityPlayerActivity { private static FrameLayout layout ; private static MobclixMMABannerXLAdView adView ; /** Called when the activity is first created. */ @Override public void onCreate ( Bundle savedInstanceState ) { super . onCreate ( savedInstanceState ) ; //setContentView(R.layout.main); adView = new MobclixMMABannerXLAdView ( this ) ; layout = new FrameLayout ( this ) ; addContentView ( layout, new LayoutParams ( LayoutParams. FILL_PARENT , LayoutParams. FILL_PARENT ) ) ; layout. addView ( adView, new FrameLayout. LayoutParams ( LayoutParams. WRAP_CONTENT ,LayoutParams. WRAP_CONTENT ,android. view . Gravity . BOTTOM ) ) ; } }
The Unity Part
Create a new Unity project called ‘mobclixtutorial’. Create a ‘Plugins’ folder and within this create another folder called ‘Android’. Copy the mobclixtutorial.jar and the mobclix.jar into this folder. Build the project for Android and then go into the ‘Temp\StagingArea’ folder with your project folder and copy the AndroidManifest.xml file into the ‘Plugins\Android’ folder. This manifest file now needs to be edited to look like this:
<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "utf-8" ?> <manifest xmlns:android = "http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:installLocation = "preferExternal" package = "com.platoevolved.mobclixtutorial" android:versionName = "1.0" android:versionCode = "1" > <supports-screens android:smallScreens = "true" android:normalScreens = "true" android:largeScreens = "true" android:xlargeScreens = "true" android:anyDensity = "true" /> <application android:icon = "@drawable/app_icon" android:label = "@string/app_name" android:debuggable = "false" > <activity android:name = ".MobclixTutorialActivity" android:label = "@string/app_name" android:configChanges = "fontScale|keyboard|keyboardHidden|locale|mnc|mcc|navigation|orientation|screenLayout|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|uiMode|touchscreen" android:screenOrientation = "portrait" > <intent-filter > <action android:name = "android.intent.action.MAIN" /> <category android:name = "android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" /> </intent-filter > </activity > <activity android:name = "com.unity3d.player.VideoPlayer" android:label = "@string/app_name" android:configChanges = "fontScale|keyboard|keyboardHidden|locale|mnc|mcc|navigation|orientation|screenLayout|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|uiMode|touchscreen" android:screenOrientation = "portrait" > </activity > <meta-data android:name = "com.mobclix.APPLICATION_ID" android:value = "insert-your-application-key" /> <activity android:name = "com.mobclix.android.sdk.MobclixBrowserActivity" android:theme = "@android:style/Theme.Translucent.NoTitleBar" /> </application > <uses-feature android:glEsVersion = "0x00020000" /> <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion = "6" android:targetSdkVersion = "15" /> <uses-permission android:name = "android.permission.INTERNET" /> <uses-permission android:name = "android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" /> <uses-permission android:name = "android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" /> </manifest >
At this point, you should be able to build this project for your Android device and (hopefully!?) see the mobclix ad banner at the bottom of your Unity application.
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What is with the fresh round of stories about law enforcement (enjoying?) shooting animals? Animals who might not be that injured. Animals shot in front of families. Animals shot for no reason but the thrill of the kill? But then imagine afterward, you being the one who might be under arrest – and getting your car impounded!
When other countries are emulating the exact same actions, that’s a sorry sign.
A few days ago in Chelsea, Quebec, Greg Searle was driving down a highway and witnessed a fawn hit by a vehicle. He carried it to the roadside. While unable or unwilling to walk with hind legs, there were no signs of injury accept a couple of scratches, as you can see from the actual photo above.
Searle checked to see if there might be internal injuries and called his wife, Samantha, who has experience with animals and helping with law enforcement – she took her young daughter. His intent was to get rescuers since he could tell it would not soon die – it could keep living with some attention.
The actual driver who hit the fawn was also at the scene and helped make calls for animal help. It sounds like there were other bystanders at the scene. That’s when Officer Roy came to the “rescue.”
He pulled up and without hesitation insisted it was his job to shoot the fawn. The whole Searle family and bystanders pleaded with him – it might not be dying – and pleaded to be able to take it for medical treatment. Greg had a rescue plan and offered to take care of all of it – they had reached some veterinarian help. But to no avail…
“You need to move aside so I can end its suffering,” said the brave officer.
That’s when Samantha got vocal and tried harder to reason while standing over the deer:
How can you be sure it’s going to die? Are you a vet?
—-
Even if it’s your job to end it’s suffering, you have the discretion to give us some time to try to find someone qualified to help it first. I worked as a civilian with the police for two years, and did plenty of ride-alongs, and I know other cops who wouldn’t rush this.
Officer Roy was adamant repeatedly told her to move aside and repeated that it was his job. This is when he made repeated threats to arrest her, emphasizing that she would have a criminal record several times.
If you don’t move, you will end up with a criminal record.
The daughter began crying and hugging her father’s legs while Roy called in for backup. He told Samantha this was her final warning. Greg had Samantha take their daughter home so she wouldn’t have to witness what happened next, which is where the photo leaves off. Greg has had to put animals out of misery, but “couldn’t understand the officer’s haste and inflexibility.”
Passing back over the scene a few minutes later, Officer Roy followed Greg and pulled over his pick-up truck that had been given to him recently by his father. The plates were one day expired. Greg offered to make other arrangements for driving but again to no avail. The officer confiscated the keys and impounded the truck, now still locked away.
Metronews Canada reports:
The force’s spokesman Martin Fournel said the officer couldn’t legally allow Searle and Biron to drive off with the animal. Fournel told the paper police are empowered to end an animal’s suffering and the constable made a judgment call. Fournel also told the Low Down the impounding of Searle’s vehicle was simply the officer doing his job.
Searle contacted other agencies and wildlife outreaches. It doesn’t appear that the officer had to do that and was taking a suggestion to euthanize to the extreme. Greg believes if local shelters had more support they could help prevent shootings. But this is not why the officer “took the shortcut” and put the deer down – help already could have been easily provided. There are people in law enforcement who are called heroes for saving injured animals. You can see stories like that for a change on Real Men Are Kind to Animals. Wouldn’t you think Internet heroism would encourage better behavior? A lot of them don’t seem to mind being high-profile animal killers. Searle’s petition: Improve police protocol for handling injured wildlife & citizens assisting See his crowdshare fund to help wildlife rescues to reach animals before they get shot Source:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153188870195394
Heather Callaghan is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work at NaturalBlaze.com and ActivistPost.com. Like at Facebook. |
Five matches into the Bundesliga season and we are already starting to see some surprising trends develop in certain teams and players. Five matches might not be a lot but some teams are not performing as they were predicted to (positively or negatively) and this has added an element of uncertainty to the league. Here are some of the league’s positive and negative surprises so far.
POSITIVE
Borussia Dortmund’s new-look attack
On this one, I have to raise my hands and admit it: I was wrong. When the season started and after losing Mario Götze and seemingly Robert Lewandowski in August (didn’t happen) or at the end of the season (might still not happen), Dortmund’s signings of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan for a total of 40.5m€ did not fill me with confidence. It was a huge sum of money for two players who were unproven in a top league (sorry Ligue 1 fans but that’s the harsh reality at the moment) and replacing a player like Götze or adding to an already strong Dortmund attack was a tricky task ahead. But, like many times in my life, I have been proved wrong. After winning the DFL-Supercup against Bayern, Aubameyang had a tremendous season debut against Augsburg, scoring a hat-trick in a 0-4 rout. Contributing pace and constant threat, we’ve had to wait another 4 weeks to see him score again but his double in last weekend’s 6-2 thumping of HSV sees him top the goalscorers chart with 5 goals in 5 games.
Mkhitaryan missed the opener but has scored 3 goals in 4 games, 4 weeks in a row, putting in excellent performances that have surely put down any doubters (like myself) to shame. Lastly, a player that cost absolutely nothing has also been making the news; Jonas Hofmann’s incursion into the first team has been a breath of fresh air and his goal against Eintracht Braunschweig and his posterior penalty gain showed Dortmund and Bundesliga fans a sign of what’s to come for Dortmund and Germany.
FC Augsburg
The eternal relegation favourites have gone and started the season well! At the same stage last season, Augsburg were bottom with 1 point and after 5 games the season before, Augsburg were 16th with 2 points. This season, after two defeats in the first two games, three spirited performances have returned 9 points and sees them move to 6th in the table after wins against Stuttgart (2-1), Nürnberg (0-1) and Freiburg (2-1). New arrival Halil Altintop has contributed with two important goals so far in those three games and whilst nobody expects Augsburg to stay there for long, it’s a definite improvement on their season start in the last two years.
New striking arrivals
Nobody except our very own Gerry Wittmann expected Hoffenheim’s new striker Anthony Modeste, signed from Girondins Bordeaux for 3m€, to have much of an impact this season, never mind notching 4 goals in 5 games and lifting Hoffenheim up to seventh. Under Markus Gisdol’s tutelage, Hoffenheim have ditched that negativity from their play and have only lost once this season so far (6-2 against Stuttgart). Still, should Modeste retain this form, Hoffenheim should find themselves playing just 34 matches this season and Dietmar Hopp might just start growing his nails again.
It was a late one but Václav Kadlec’s arrival to Eintracht Frankfurt from Sparta Praha boosted the Eagles’ attack. With only the misfiring Joselu and Srđan Lakić, Armin Veh needed a proven goalscorer as relying on Alex Meier to score all the goals this season was unconceivable. Kadlec made his debut against the other Eintracht, Braunschweig, and scored. He added a goal in his next two games to make it a 1 goal per game average and, despite Frankfurt’s inconsistent start to the season, it seems like the young Czech striker will have plenty to offer and perhaps use Eintracht as a stepping stone to bigger things.
NEGATIVE
HSV (and their awful defence)
For most HSV fans, the less said the better about the season so far. Their thrilling 3-3 opening-day draw against Schalke 04 brought hope to die Rotenhosen but questions were raised about their defence. These questions became exclamation marks the following week after their 4-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim. Lasse Sobiech and Heiko Westermann seem not to have an understanding and Dennis Diekmeier is still not as reliable as Thorsten Fink might want him to be on the right flank. Fink tried out Johan Djourou in their 4-0 victory against Braunschweig but, despite the scoreline, the home defence seemed dodgy in the second half against what is probably the league’s weakest attack. The honeymoon (or whatever it was) didn’t last long and the international break seems to have done more damage than good to HSV. Dortmund’s 6 goals against them last weekend brings their total of goals conceded to 15, an average of three a game and the worst record in the league. Despite averaging 2 goals a game, the result of 2-3 is clearly 0 points. Something has to change or HSV will endure another season of disappointment and another reason for Oliver Kreuzer to mention famous Italian fashion brands in the media.
Luiz Gustavo’s discipline
Luiz Gustavo’s signing for Wolfsburg represented a major coup for Dieter Hecking and his team. Signing a player of such calibre, who was reportedly chased by Europe’s elite, was nothing short of a masterstroke and his excellent work rate and quality was meant to be one of the final pushes that Wolfsburg needed to get into Europe. His debut was fantastic against Schalke, with Wolfsburg winning 4-0 and Gustavo putting in a sterling performance. However, he was sent off in his next game in the 2-0 defeat at Mainz for two yellow cards, leaving his team one man down just after they’d gone a goal down. After serving his one-match suspension against Hertha Berlin, Gustavo was back in the team for the trip to Leverkusen. At 2-1 and with 10 minutes to go, Gustavo got his first yellow and he was off just five minutes later, denting his side’s chances for an equaliser. First of all, Gustavo has to realise that his presence on the field is a huge lift to Wolfsburg and that even if he’s missing for 5 minutes or 90 minutes, it will affect his team. For 15m€, you can’t afford to miss every other game and he’ll need to level his head sooner rather than later.
Alexander Baumjohann’s injury
Anyone (except Eintracht fans) who watched the season opener between Hertha Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt will have been marvelled at the slickness of Hertha moving forward. The orchestra director of that attack was Alexander Baumjohann, a new arrival in the Haupstadt after a transfer from 1. FC Kaiserslautern. At FCK, Baumjohann was instrumental to their finish in 3rd in the 2. Bundesliga (5 goals and 11 assists in 25 matches) and was one of the few who didn’t let the team down in the Relegation Playoff. His arrival at the Olympiastadion meant that Hertha’s top player last season, Ronny, was benched by Jos Luhukay in favour of Baumjohann. Despite his torrid time at Schalke, Baumjohann seemed to be adjusting to life in the Bundesliga as an important part of a team. His serious injury sustained in the defeat at Wolfsburg will keep him out of action for up to six months.
Agree with them? Probably not entirely or not at all. Feel free to add your own positive and negative season surprises (so far) below. |
Undercover private investigators are helping nab seed dealers suspected of contravening Canadian Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) regulations, the executive director of the Canadian Plant Technology Agency (CPTA) says.
Lorne Hadley told the Manitoba Seed Growers’ Association’s annual meeting in Winnipeg Dec. 10 his agency has co-ordinated 70 investigations resulting in “a number of cases going to court,” all of which were settled prior to trial. In four cases, alleged violators paid seed companies $200,000 in compensation.
Hadley said the agency sometimes turns to private investigators, usually retired police officers, to go undercover to buy seed from suspected violators.
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“To pursue a lawsuit in Canada you must present the facts as you know them,” he said. “So in a Plant Breeders’ Rights case that involves the sale of seed, the best evidence is for you to make a purchase.”
But more often, it just takes a warning letter or phone call to get compliance from people on the wrong side of the seed laws, Hadley said. The CPTA has issued 700 warning letters and emails to alleged PBR violators, he said.
Either way, the goal is to convince farmers that breeders need compensation for their innovation, which will encourage more innovation and ultimately benefit farmers, he said.
“No CPTA member makes a profit out of enforcement,” Hadley said. “It’s too expensive.”
Longer reach
New Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) rules under the international treaty UPOV ’91 ratified in Canada almost a year ago allow seed companies to enforce their rights throughout the grain system.
The change has important implications for farmers, grain buyers and seed cleaners.
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UPOV ’91, which is designed to compensate breeders for their work through seed sales, is not retroactive. Only a few varieties to be grown commercially this spring in Manitoba, including spring wheats Prosper and Elgin ND, are protected under it. But going forward virtually all new varieties will fall under UPOV ’91.
One of the most important changes under UPOV ’91 is that breeders’ rights have a longer reach. The new rules don’t apply only to illegally purchased seed as they did under UPOV ’78; they also apply to the grain produced from that illegal seed. As well, seed companies can now go after those who sell seed illegally by not paying the breeder a royalty, plus the farmers who buy it and those who buy, store and/or condition grain grown from illegally purchased seed.
“Before (UPOV ’91) I had to catch someone selling brown bag seed,” Lorne Hadley, executive director of the Canadian Plant Technology Agency (CPTA), told the Manitoba Seed Growers’ Association’s annual meeting in Winnipeg Dec. 10. “Now all we have to do is find where it is.”
The CPTA, which currently has 25 seed company members, was set up in 2002 to monitor PBR infractions, co-ordinate enforcement and promote compliance.
Read More: What you can do to comply with seed laws
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Compliance
The easiest way for farmers to comply with PBR is to buy certified seed, Hadley said. Those selling certified seed collect and remit a royalty to the varieties’ owner.
Farmers who buy certified seed can keep and grow that seed indefinitely, but cannot sell or give it away to another farmer to grow, even as common seed. The exception is when they have signed a contract preventing them from saving their own seed. That’s common with Roundup Ready and Liberty Link varieties.
Elevators and seed-cleaning plants that buy or treat grain grown from illegally purchased seed protected under UPOV ’91 can be held liable, Hadley said.
If that happens it could prompt elevators and cleaners to sue the farmers who delivered that grain.
It’s a message Hadley says pedigreed seed retailers must get to their farmer-customers.
“We want you (retailers) to understand you have to have the conversation and we want you to have the background to do it well,” Hadley said, adding his office and the Canadian Seed Trade Association have fact sheets and signs explaining PBR.
Legally purchased
Major grain companies are paying attention. Variety declaration forms farmers sign pledging to deliver only registered varieties, have been modified committing farmers to deliver only crops grown from legally purchased seed, Western Grain Elevators Association executive director Wade Sobkowich said in an interview.
“We just want to make sure that we are complying with our obligations under UPOV ’91,” he said.
“Changes to the declaration also raise awareness among farmers they do have to comply with this.”
Under the 1978 Convention of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV ’78), variety protection lasts 18 years. Most UPOV ’91 varieties are protected 20 years — 25 years for plants such as grapes and trees.
Plant variety owners must enforce their rights themselves, which can lead to lawsuits against alleged infringers in civil court.
There are three types of violators — those who didn’t know better, those unwilling to admit they made a mistake and those who set out to cheat the system and capitalize on another’s innovation, Hadley said.
The latter group accounts for an estimated seven to 12 per cent of annual Canadian seed sales. They charge almost as much as pedigreed seed sellers, but enjoy better margins because they don’t remit royalties or pay pedigreed inspection fees.
And they’re shrewd. In one case an alleged violator told an undercover investigator he’d only sell seed to him if “one of my good customers makes a personal pledge that you’re not an undercover operator,” Hadley said.
“Those are the guys who are the problem. We want to drive their customers back to dealing in the pedigreed seed system.” |
A child of ten who wants a sex-change has gone back to school dressed as a girl â after braving âbarbaricâ verbal taunts from adults.
The child has the full support of both parents and teachers (Picture: newsteam)
The child has been praised by relatives and teachers after being diagnosed with gender dysphoria during the summer holidays.
Fellow pupils at the school in Worcester have been told of the identity change at special assemblies called at the start of term.
The childâs mother, 36, said: âShe is within her mind a girl but she has a boyâs body. She is a girlie girl.â But she also revealed her child had been branded âa freakâ by other adults and reduced to tears by one man while shopping.
Gender surgery is banned for under-18s but the youngster intends to start taking hormone tablets before reaching puberty.
The childâs stance has been backed by therapists, while the school has also been hailed for its âinclusiveâ approach â although some parents have complained about what they say is a lack of consultation.
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The mother said: âShe has suffered bullying but is happier to be going to school as a girl.
âWhen we made her dress as a boy, she would get into a right state â it just doesnât feel natural to her.
âItâs going to be a hard school life for us and for her as well. But she is a strong person and Iâm sure we will get through it as a family. The other pupils have been little stars who have accepted my daughter into the fold.â
Michelle Bridgman, a psychotherapist and project manager for the Gender Trust charity, described the childâs bullies as âbarbaricâ.
âWhat it comes from is total ignorance around the subject,â she said. |
By: Soccer By Ives | July 26, 2010 4:00 pm ET
Robinho and Dani Alves join Chelsea target Ramires as the three World Cup veterans named to a young Brazil squad for the August 10th friendly against the United States at the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey.
Young sensations Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso and World Cup snub Alexandre Pato were also called up by newly-named Brazil manager Mano Menezes.
Here is the full squad:
Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), André (Santos), André Santos (Fenerbahçe), Carlos Eduardo (Hoffenheim), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), David Luíz (Benfica), Diego Tardelli (Atlético Mineiro), Ederson (Lyon), Paulo Henrique Ganso (Santos), Henrique (Racing Santander), Hernanes (São Paulo), Jeferson (Botafogo), Jucilei (Corinthians), Lucas (Liverpool), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Neymar (Santos), Rafael (Manchester United), Ramires (Benfica), Renan (Avaí), Rever (Atlético Mineiro), Robinho (Santos), Sandro (Internacional), Thiago Silva (AC Milan), Victor (Grêmio)
What do you think of the team? Hoping the United States also calls up a young team?
Share your thoughts below. |
Swedish automaker Volvo Cars has eliminated Georgia as a finalist for its first U.S. manufacturing plant, according to two people with knowledge of the negotiations.
The news is a stinging blow for Georgia recruitment efforts and leaves South Carolina as the only known finalist for the plant. South Carolina officials have pitched Volvo a site north of Charleston. The factory was highly coveted by Georgia leaders who hoped to secure the car factory at a sprawling site 30 minutes west of Savannah.
Instead, Volvo appears to favor South Carolina for the half-billion dollar facility. It is believed the auto company plans to create about 4,000 jobs over a decade.
A Volvo spokesman said no decisions about the factory location have been made.
Neither Gov. Nathan Deal’s office nor the Georgia Economic Development Department would comment.
The AJC first reported Volvo’s interest in Georgia in March, which the state dubbed “Project Peach.” The company also confirmed its intent to build a U.S. factory, though it did not name finalists.
State officials made Volvo a top target and approved legislation to pave the way for the deal. Economic recruiters readied a 1,900-acre site with access to rail lines and nearby ports. Both Gov. Nathan Deal and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley made final pitches in late April to Volvo officials at the carmaker’s U.S. headquarters in New Jersey.
Heavy manufacturers, including automobile companies, are coveted by states because of the high job count on site and thousands of potential spin-off jobs created by suppliers. But they also demand hefty incentives - often including land, infrastructure, tax credits and grants - and Volvo will be no exception.
Specific incentives offered by South Carolina and Georgia were not immediately known. But officials in both states maneuvered in recent weeks to free up money for grants, education programs and other perks.
Georgia lawmakers approved a new manufacturing workforce training center for southeast Georgia in the most recent state budget. Deal also successfully lobbied for an extraordinary $40 million increase in the state’s so-called deal-closing grant programs during the most recent mid-year budget plan.
The State newspaper in Columbia reported that South Carolina officials were set to borrow $120 million in bonds to help woo the project.
Volvo is based in Sweden but was acquired by Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding in 2010. It previously was owned by Ford.
Georgia officials have had an active past several years in recruiting big companies. Mercedes-Benz announced metro Atlanta for the home of its U.S. headquarters earlier this year, though no manufacturing is involved. The state was also said to be in the mix for a Sprinter van factory. South Carolina, where Sprinter already had a facility, won the factory expansion.
Georgia also was said to be in the running for a Jaguar Land Rover factory, a project that appears to have been put on hold. |
Online degree programs can be an incredibly convenient way for busy adults to pursue continuing education, but they're not for everyone. Getting your degree online requires a number of skills, not only technical but also basic skills like effective time management and self-motivation.
Here are the skills you need at a minimum in order to be successful taking online classes.
Basic Computer Skills
If you are considering getting your degree online, hopefully you already know your way around a computer. It will help if you are already familiar with tasks like navigating your favorite websites, searching for information online, and checking your email. You don't have to be a lightning-fast typist, but to avoid a lot of frustration, you should also know how to type at a reasonable speed. Since you will be nearly all of your coursework on your computer, you should also have a word processing program, and be familiar with how to use its basic features.
Learn the Online Course Management System
The online class system may be a little different than any website you're accustomed to, so it's helpful if you're good at learning your way around a new system. If you are already comfortable navigating the Internet, you should be able to learn the online course system without much trouble, but you should still plan on taking the first couple days to acclimate yourself and get prepared! Make sure you can find all of the information you need in your course, including how to contact the instructor if needed.
Time Management Skills
Online courses are great for people who are very busy, but they still require a significant time commitment if you want to succeed. You will need to be able to analyze your schedule, determine when you can devote time to your online courses, and stay focused when it's time to work on your coursework. You'll also need to be able to plan ahead when you have a big assignment coming up, so that you're not left doing it all at the last minute.
Independent Learning Skills
Successfully navigating an online degree requires more than just good time management skills. You also have to be able to learn well on your own, as opposed to a traditional classroom or lecture environment. Independent learning usually requires reading the text on your own, so your reading comprehension skills will need to be up to the task. In addition, you'll likely need to follow lecture notes and other materials that the instructor posts in the online classroom to supplement the text. Since you won't be in a classroom where you can interact directly with the professor and he or she can see if you're struggling, it'll be up to you to know when you've learned the material well enough to complete the assignments and do well on the exams.
Asking for Help
The online degree format works best for self-starters, but that doesn't mean that you're expected to never need help. Therefore, asking for help when you need it is one of the most important skills for a successful online student. If you feel like you need more assistance in learning the online class system, or if you're struggling on an assignment or with learning the materials, don't hesitate to contact your professor or make use of the school's student services. For instance, at ECPI University we keep class sizes small to enable professors to offer special help when needed, and we also offer free tutoring for students to help you succeed.
CONGRATS #ECPI!!! PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION! http://t.co/8O3vf0bYNU — Mindy Hackler (@Mindy_Hackler) November 12, 2014
Flexible Online Degree Programs that Fit Your Life
If you've ever thought you didn't have the time to get the degree you've always wanted, check out ECPI University's online degree programs. Our online classes offer the flexibility to work around your busy schedule, and our student services, such as free tutoring and career assistance, are there if you need help reaching your goals. Contact us today to find out more about our offerings and learn why ECPI University’s online degree programs are the choice of so many students! It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.
For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya. |
As a result, this situation is likely to quickly devolve into a case of “he said, she said.” In a letter to Ms. McKinnon, Dollar explained that while its agents were capable of making mistakes, the company strongly suggested that clients review the contract carefully before signing to accept. And the records indicated that she initialed to accept the “loss damage waiver” charge.
But even here, there’s the issue of potentially confusing language. Rental customers might say out loud that they want to decline insurance coverage, but then they may see something on the electronic screen that asks them if they agree to the loss damage “waiver.” You can’t blame a tired or inexperienced traveler for thinking that by clicking to accept the “waiver” they are waiving insurance, when, in fact, it means they are accepting that type of coverage.
Perhaps these consumers should have caught the errors on their receipts before they put the keys in the ignition, or they should have been more vigilant about what they were signing on the electronic tablet. The customers I spoke with all said they did as instructed, taking the agents at their word.
“We did not expect that, while the counter agent was smiling and verbally assuring us that we would not be charged for options that we had affirmatively declined and did not want, he simultaneously and apparently was including those very charges,” Mr. Seibert said.
In fact, if travelers believe they were intentionally misled, they can seek punitive damages through small claims court. Alexander Anolik, a travel lawyer and co-author of “Traveler’s Rights: Your Legal Guide to Fair Treatment and Full Value (Sphinx Publishing, 2003),” said to sue for misrepresentation, fraud or unfair business practices, all of which are torts and eligible for punitive damages. That may at least make the case worth your time and effort; Mr. Anolik said to ask for three times the amount you lost in damages.
“I am a judge in California small claims,” Mr. Anolik said, “so I believe in this non-attorney-led, quick, inexpensive means of redress.” |
To understand Vladimir Putin’s wars, the key is to understand the final two decades of the Soviet Union, not the first two decades of the new Russia.
Americans have been grasping to find explanations for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s serial aggressions in Europe. We keep searching for bumper stickers we can understand, so we gravitate to simple explanations like “geopolitics” or “nationalism,” not least because such notions promise solutions. (If it’s about geopolitics, cutting a deal with Putin will stop this; if it’s about nationalism, it’ll burn itself out when Putin has recaptured enough ethnic Russians around his borders.)
And, of course, there’s always “realism.” In this month’s Foreign Affairs, John Mearsheimer argues the Russo-Ukraine war is basically the West’s fault. (We expanded NATO, we supported the Maidan protesters, we were generally just mean to Russia, etc.) It’s a classic Mearsheimer piece: a beautifully-written, attention-seeking exercise that insists on the brilliance of realists while bucking the innate moral sense of most normal human beings. (Consider, for example, his 1993 Deep Thoughts about how maybe it would be good for Ukraine and Germany to develop active nuclear weapons programs.)
That doesn’t mean I disagree with the overall evaluation that America’s Russia policy since 1992—insofar as we’ve had one—has been remarkably obtuse. (That pretty much describes most of our foreign policy since the end of the Cold War, but I will not digress here.) I, too, objected to expanding NATO, deplored the arrogance of people like Madeleine Albright, and lamented the repeated lost opportunities to bring Moscow closer to the Western family to which it belongs by both heritage and history.
Very little of what’s happened in the past 20 years, however, has much to do with what’s going on in Ukraine right now. And nothing excuses Russia’s war against a peaceful neighbor, especially not arid theories of realism or flawed historical analogies.
Putin is not a realist: very few national leaders are. Realism is much loved by political scientists, but actual nations almost never practice it. Nor is Putin a nationalist: indeed, he hardly seems to understand the concept, or he would not have embarked on his current path.
A Man of the Soviet Union
To understand Putin’s wars, from Georgia to Ukraine, the key is to understand the final two decades of the Soviet Union, not the first two decades of the new Russia. That is, to understand Putin it’s necessary to understand him for what he is on his own terms: he is what Russians call a sovok, a “Soviet guy,” a man of the old Soviet Union, a product of “The System.”
Putin is what Russians call a sovok, a ‘Soviet guy,’ a man of the old Soviet Union.
Like others of his generation, he is part of a cadre of men who came of age in a massive, multinational, nuclear-armed superstate in the early 1970s. The faceless cogs who made this system work were unremarkable people like Putin, trained in ideology and imbued with the false faith that the USSR’s greatest days were yet to come.
In their later years, these men have experienced the normal anxieties and embarrassments of middle age. (In Putin’s case, she’s a gymnast young enough to be his daughter.) But middle age for the sovoks also brought many to realize they spent their lives serving a state based on lies and held together almost entirely by force.
So spend a moment imagining the better time for which these men yearn.
The Good Old USSR Days
Go back about 40 years. In 1975, America was on the ropes. The U.S. military had been driven from Saigon. Our economy, deprived of oil, was in a shambles. Our Constitution seemingly had failed us, leaving the White House occupied by a president for whom no one had voted, after the previous leader (one of the ur-Cold Warriors of American history) had to blow town just ahead of certain impeachment. Our military was hollow, our resolve weak, and our alliances in tatters. The prime minister of Great Britain, our closest ally and the source-code of our political DNA, at the time was a man who saw his main task as managing the decline of the West in the face of the Soviet ascent.
In 1975, the Soviets were at the top of their game.
In 1975, by contrast, the Soviets were at the top of their game, bristling with modern military hardware, sporting a new generation of nuclear missiles, and enjoying the prestige of having “advisors” to various odious regimes strung across the globe. It was their time, and the Revolution—nearly strangled in its cradle by civil war, nearly poisoned to death by Joseph Stalin, nearly blown to smithereens by the mercurial Nikita Khrushchev—was at last paying some dividends. The correlation of forces, the great wheel of History itself, was finally turning in their favor, and it would never turn back again.
In 1975, Putin was just 23 years old. For most of us, our twenties are a great time of life: most of our schooling is behind us, our careers, our mature romances, our children and families, all lie ahead. For Putin, that meant joining the KGB, the most elite Soviet institution, and the one that would give him entry to halls of power that would make his fellow citizens both fear and fawn on him.
He would be somebody in the brave new Soviet future.
Not For Long
How soon and how tragically it all ended. For Putin, the 1980s could only have been a painful time, as he watched the Soviet descent to oblivion begin, accelerate, and then end in a humiliating wreck. As tough men like Yuri Andropov succumbed to age and disease, younger and weaker men like Mikhail Gorbachev stepped forward, and sold the country down the river.
In 1975, the world belonged to Moscow. Less than ten years later, the dream was over.
Throughout the 1980s Putin had to watch as the Soviet Union’s most hated enemy, Ronald Reagan, joined forces with Britain’s Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher, to rekindle the Western alliance. They were literally blessed in this by a Polish Pope so hated in Moscow that lunatics in the Eastern bloc security services actually took out a contract on the leader of a billion Catholics. As the Soviet economy ground to a halt, the United States experienced a major economic expansion. Imagine seeing the decadent West living better and better while pumping seemingly endless billions of dollars into a fearsome American military machine that bore little resemblance to what the Soviets had foolishly believed was a permanently beaten and demoralized force.
In 1975, the world belonged to Moscow. Less than ten years later, the dream was over. For a man who clearly still feels a stirring in his chest when he hears the Stalinist anthem of the old Soviet Union—and he must, since he’s restored it as the Russian anthem—the 1980s had to be an intolerable humiliation.
Building the Nationalist Façade
Men like Putin are not brilliant, but they are cunning. (The Soviet system excelled at weeding out genuinely creative people while rewarding excessively clever people. There’s a difference.) Seeing the writing on the wall in the late 1980s, Putin did what many older and less able Soviet men could not do: he jumped from the crumbling Soviet state to the new democratic movement. Better to be on the train than standing in front of it.
Aside from some showy moments, we have no real evidence Putin is a nationalist.
Putin made a show of transiting to nationalism, just as many former Soviet Communists did after 1991. Some succeeded in pulling it off, and rule some of the USSR remnants to this day. For his part, Putin wears a cross, makes a great show of his concern for Russian-speakers, and generally encourages Russians to wear big “I love Russia” shirts. It’s a cheap nationalism that really asks no price, at least until now.
Aside from these showy moments, however, we have no real evidence Putin is a nationalist. Rather, he has used his considerable power to build Soviet, not Russian monuments to power. He has funded new generations of nuclear missiles. He set up a Potemkin village to host the Olympics. He scrubbed Soviet history clean in school textbooks. He is obsessed with Russian speakers, to be sure, but only if they reside in lands once part of his beloved USSR. It makes no difference to him whether those people are better or worse off than they were under Soviet rule; they are merely markers that allow him to lay old Soviet claims. In some cases (like Belarus, a shabby little post-Soviet dictatorship) a closer union is merely a costly symbolic project that makes no real difference to either country.
If anything, Putin probably finds Russian nationalism as alien as he finds any other; the best evidence for this is that he has muscled aside nationalist propaganda and nationalist political figures and replaced them with his own cult of personality. He has tamed far-right nationalist groups and welded them to his neo-Soviet expansionism. He has taken one-time nationalist hardliner Vladimir Zhirinovsky and made him into the official Court Jester of the Kremlin.
Putin’s speeches and public utterances tend to show more nostalgia for his Soviet youth than his Russian adulthood.
Likewise, Putin displaced the Communist Party of Russia—a damaged brand if ever there was one—by functionally replacing it with his own Putinist vehicle whose aims are hardly different. (Gorbachev once called Putin’s “United Russia” a “bad copy of the Soviet Communist Party,” and that’s a man who learned the hard way when a party is rotten to its core.)
Putin’s speeches and public utterances tend to show more nostalgia for his Soviet youth than his Russian adulthood. To see the world through Putin’s eyes, look no further than the explosion of bad taste and Soviet kitsch that opened the hot mess known as the 2014 Sochi Olympics. In a display of love and affection for all things Soviet that might have brought a tear to Leonid Brezhnev’s eye, Sochi’s opening ceremony was everything people like Putin remembered about the USSR but that no one really experienced: the dynamic technology, the pretty girls bustling to new futures, the camaraderie of being part of the big Soviet experiment.
It’s all stuff you might miss if you’re a former KGB spook. Maybe less so, of course, if you were the ordinary Soviet citizen in the communal apartment down the street, perhaps scared to death living so close to one of the icemen carrying the Sword and Shield of the Soviet state.
Let’s Be Real about Realism
Finally, if Putin is a realist, it is a strange realism indeed. This is where counterfactual thinking might help: a realist seeking to increase the power and influence of his state simply would not do most of the things Putin is doing. The Kremlin’s foreign policy at this point violates almost every rule of competent strategy, to say nothing of common sense. From the injunction to avoid the needless multiplication of enemies to the danger of letting emotion overcome policy, Putin has trampled all over “realist” expectations.
If this is Russian ‘realism,’ it’s the dumbest realism in modern history.
This is an especially remarkable series of errors because Russia faces, in the administration of Barack Obama, an America that has no interest in a fight and would just as well walk away from European affairs if only given half a chance. Or put another way, America is being drawn into a European conflict only because Putin is too stupid to know enough to keep us out of it, despite every indication from the White House that we want nothing to do with any of this. If this is Russian “realism,” it’s the dumbest realism in modern history.
Putin also shows no understanding of the forces in Ukraine he is creating or manipulating. He has now re-awakened and invigorated Ukrainian nationalism, a notional threat to Russia he could have averted by leaving Ukraine saddled with a large number of Russian voters. (This also is part of what convinces me that Putin really has no understanding of nationalism, and that deep in his Soviet heart, he detests it in all its forms.) Elsewhere in Europe, of course, Putin has reminded a previously slumbering NATO why it exists. He has greatly empowered a traditional Russian opponent, Poland, both in the Atlantic Alliance and the European Union. If that’s part of a master plan, the logic seems murky.
The question, really, is not whether Putin is a realist seeking to enlarge Russian power; rather, it is whether Putin deep down really hates post-Soviet Russia so much that he is subconsciously intent on destroying it.
Back to the Future
Now there are rumors Putin is even thinking of using nuclear weapons. Certainly, he’s talking about them enough. This is all probably meant to give Westerners the shakes, but if true, then it means Putin really is every inch a totally unreconstructed Soviet Man of the 1970s. It was an article of faith among the Soviet marshals back then that NATO was a weak alliance led by decadent Westerners, a façade that would shatter at the sight of the first mushroom cloud.
Today, it is unlikely the sleek and comfortable oligarchs around Putin will be willing to indulge him to the end, but there are still Russian generals who are products of the Soviet obsession with nuclear force. They may be more supportive of such mad plans.
War has returned to Europe because of Vladimir Putin, and solely because of Vladimir Putin. Negotiation has failed because it is impossible to negotiate over revenge. If a wider war lies further down the road, it will result, not from the realism of a Russian nationalist, but from the unrealized dreams of an angry old Soviet who wants to go back and live again in a time that was quickly swept away by the emergence of a better world.
Tom Nichols is a professor of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College and an adjunct at the Harvard Extension School. His most recent book is “No Use: Nuclear Weapons and U.S. National Security (Penn, 2014).” The views expressed here are entirely his own. |
Former White House photographer Pete Souza shared a photo of the Obamas holding hands Tuesday amid social media reactions to clips that appeared to show first lady Melania Trump brushing away President Trump's hand during their first presidential trip overseas.
Holding hands. A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on May 23, 2017 at 7:53am PDT
Souza's photo, with the caption "Holding hands," has earned over 130,000 likes since it was posted around 11 a.m. Tuesday.
A clip that appeared to show Melania Trump brushing away her husband's hand in Tel Aviv went viral Monday.
Melania Trump appears to swat Trump's hand away, refusing to hold it https://t.co/hTaZeBwZ1q pic.twitter.com/2IdS1iiicK — Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 22, 2017
Another clip showed Trump reaching for his wife's hand as she pulled it away. |
[center][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/ann/1433218][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/reg_window_may15.png[/img][/url][/center][br][br][br]We are happy to announce that [i]Flight Rising[/i] will be open for a new player registration window on May 18th. [b]Registration will be available at 05:30 Server Time on Monday, May 18th, and close at 05:30 Server Time on Tuesday May 19th.[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/ann/1433218]Click here to read more about today's update.[/url][more][br][br][br][br][size=4][b]Registration Window: Monday, May 18th[/b][/size] We are very excited to open the gates once more and welcome new clans to the world of [i]Flight Rising[/i]. Be sure to tell your friends! Accounts that you refer award you with [b]free gems[/b] when your friend purchases them.[br][br][br][size=2]([i]NOTE: Please remember that Flight Rising's [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=tos][b]Terms of Use[/b][/url] and [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=wiki&article=52][b]Multiple Account Policy[/b][/url] prohibit registering more than one account per person.[/i])[/size]
Akiri Developer 335 40 54 946
We are happy to announce that Flight Rising will be open for a new player registration window on May 18th. Registration will be available at 05:30 Server Time on Monday, May 18th, and close at 05:30 Server Time on Tuesday May 19th. Click here to read more about today's update.
Registration Window: Monday, May 18th
We are very excited to open the gates once more and welcome new clans to the world of Flight Rising. Be sure to tell your friends! Accounts that you refer award you with free gems when your friend purchases them.
NOTE: Please remember that Flight Rising's Terms of Use and Multiple Account Policy prohibit registering more than one account per person.) We are happy to announce thatwill be open for a new player registration window on May 18th.We are very excited to open the gates once more and welcome new clans to the world of. Be sure to tell your friends! Accounts that you refer award you withwhen your friend purchases them. |
2010 British Comedy Film The Infidel would be officially remade as Hindi Film titled
Dharam Sankat Mein. The Film stars Paresh Rawal, Naseeruddin Shah, Annu Kapoor and Murali Sharma. It would release on April 10, 2015.
Dharam Sankat Mein is directed by Fuwad Khan. The film is produced by Sajjad Chunawala and Shariq Patel under the banners Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Trigno Media.
The film revolves around a Muslim man who goes through an identity crisis when he discovers he was adopted as a child and born to a Jewish family. The film is an official remake of the 2010 British comedy film The Infidel.
Naseeruddin Shah plays the role of a Godman. As per sources, his look was finalised after experimenting with 60 other looks.
The film’s lead character Dharampal will be seen following Neelanand Baba’s (Naseeruddin Shah) hilarious and quirky eccentricities. The satirical comedy also features Annu Kapoor in a pivotal role. |
WASHINGTON — Senior U.S. officials say the United States is pulling roughly 60 percent of its staff out of Cuba and warning American travelers not to visit due to "specific attacks" that have harmed U.S. diplomats.
The officials say the U.S. is ordering all nonessential staff in the embassy in Havana to leave, along with all family members. Only "emergency personnel" will remain.
The U.S. is also warning American citizens they could be harmed if they travel to Cuba. A State Department travel warning will note that attacks on diplomats have occurred in hotels.
The officials say the U.S. is halting visa processing in Cuba indefinitely. They say the steps will remain until Cuba can assure the U.S. its diplomats are safe.
U.S. plans to withdraw diplomats from Cuba
The officials weren't authorized to comment publicly and demanded anonymity.
CBS News reported Thursday that the U.S. had been preparing a major withdrawal of staff and family from the U.S. embassy in Cuba in response to attacks targeting diplomats.
An internal memo was sent to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson suggesting a drawing down of personnel in Havana. The meeting this week between Tillerson and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla did nothing to help assure the U.S. that Cuban officials are doing enough to protect the safety and welfare of U.S. diplomats in their country. Though Cuba is allowing U.S. investigators into the country, it has not convinced the U.S. that it's taken any real action to prevent the health attacks.
State Department kept quiet for months about Cuba "health attacks"
Diplomats have complained about symptoms ranging from hearing loss and nausea to headaches and balance issues after the State Department said "incidents" began affecting them in late 2016. In total, the State Department says there are 21 medically confirmed cases. The attacks were directed at their homes, which the Cuban government provides. The last reported incident was in August. |
Fighting is one of those unpleasant parts of a relationship that we wish wouldn’t happen. But what if it was also life-threatening?
A Brigham Young University study, tracing couples over two decades, found that more arguments correlated with poorer —and concluded that couples who don’t argue actually live longer. While a happy relationship has long been connected to good health, this research shows that arguments could take a serious toll.
But what if there was a technique that could help resolve conflicts between you and your partner? Would you try it—even if it meant temporarily dropping your side of a fight? What if it meant letting go of all that pent-up, righteous right at its peak moment? Believe it or not, you can learn to do this. And when you do, not only will your fights lose their nasty, escalating nature, you will feel better and more empowered.
Unilateral disarmament is a tool I introduce to every couple I work with. What it involves is momentarily dropping your side of the debate and approaching your partner from a more loving stance. The idea is that when couples have tension between them, perhaps from not communicating successfully or directly, they start to build resentments toward each other, which often reach a tipping point. An argument begins, then escalates based on an overflow of pent-up frustration and flawed communication. Heated moments are, however, the worst times to try to solve problems or make our points heard. They leave us saying things we regret or don’t even mean.
Unilateral disarmament involves shifting your focus from your partner’s words and behaviors to your own. The only person you can control in a relationship—or an argument—is you. All you can do in a moment of tension is soften within yourself and approach your partner from a more vulnerable and open stance.
How can you do this?
1. Relax.
At times when you’re triggered, you may feel yourself start to experience increased arousal, as if you are heating up. At these moments, you may hear your inner critic you to take destructive actions, like lashing out at your partner. Respond by calming yourself down, maybe by taking a series of deep breaths or counting back from 10.
You can get a hold of these moments and learn to pause. For example, you can choose between intimating and violating, between addressing your partner from a loving stance and talking calmly or from an angry, punitive point of view and yelling. Whatever your technique for getting back to yourself with the higher functions of your brain online, perhaps taking a walk or listening to music, find a way to get centered in yourself before you respond. Think about what your are for your relationship and make your actions ones that will move you toward those goals.
2. Don’t lash back.
Couples often know what to say to each other to trigger the other person. Resist making these statements or taking the bait. Stay being who you want to be regardless of how your partner is acting. You can take responsibility for your own behavior and not hand over your personal power to your mate, i.e. “she/he made me act like that.” When you do this, you can feel good about yourself, because you did not end up saying a lot of hurtful things to your partner, which may have caused lasting damage to the relationship.
Remember, if your ultimate goal is to be close to your partner, then being “right” and “winning the argument” is not a success. Often, it is more important to be close than to be right. In other words, you can choose in the moment to prioritize staying emotionally vulnerable and open to your partner over winning the argument.
3. Respond warmly.
Try to listen to your partner’s feelings, irrational as they may seem to you in that moment. Then, say something warm and . that it doesn’t really matter who’s right. A recent Baylor University study showed that fights between couples have a lot to do with power. The study revealed that, in a fight, people primarily want their partner to relinquish power. Next, in order of most to least, they want their partner to show investment, to stop adversarial behavior, to communicate more, to give affection and to make an .
Laying down your arms does not mean giving up your power, or taking the easy way out. It is actually incredibly hard to do and takes a lot of personal strength, but it is worth it. It means taking a more vulnerable stance that won’t be perceived as threatening and will have a softening effect on your partner. Put a hand on your partner, look them in the eye and say something from your heart, like “I care more about being close to you than having this fight.” Sometimes, a small act of affection is all it takes to disarm your partner. Looking your partner in the eye, taking his/her hand and clearly communicating your goal of being close to him/her is an act of vulnerability that is hard to disregard. Taking this action will often melt your partner's heart and allow him/her to be more vulnerable and open with you.
4. Empathize.
You can put yourself in your partner’s shoes and empathize with what he/she is feeling. For example, if your partner is jealous, because you stayed out late with instead of doing something with him/her, you could say something like, “It seems like this makes you feel insecure. I’m really sorry about that. It is not my intention to hurt you or be untrustworthy. Spending time with my friends doesn’t mean I feel rejecting toward you, or that I don’t care about you. But I can understand how it looked that way from your perspective.”
It’s important to note that the technique of unilateral disarmament does not imply that you are surrendering your point of view, giving in to emotional manipulation, taking the blame or deferring to your partner’s opinion. It simply indicates that you value being close to your partner more than winning your specific point. You can come to appreciate that you are two separate people with two sovereign minds, who may see any event or situation from a very different perspective. Each of your points of view is shaped by your past experiences, and you can have compassion and understanding for both yourself and your partner. Having taken the step of deescalating the conflict by disarming, reaching out and showing empathy toward your partner, you can begin to have constructive collaborative communication in which each of you is trying to understand the other’s perspective and reach a shared understanding.
5. Communicate how you feel.
“Name it to tame it” is a technique by which you label your feelings and actually calm them down. The first step is to tune in to what you are actually feeling in the moment. You can then acknowledge or share with your partner what is going on for you and how you saw the situation. You can take the risk of being honest and open about your feelings. For instance, you could tell your partner, “I felt hurt and put off by your . It makes me feel bad that you don’t seem to believe how much I care for you, and that makes me feel distrusted and pushed away. My goal is to be close to you, but I don’t want to give up my other friends; they are really important to me”
When you communicate with your partner, be attuned to all the ways you’re expressing yourself, both verbally and non-verbally. What’s going on in you when you talk to him/her? What do you feel? Notice your nonverbal signals, your , tone of voice, the timing and intensity of your words. Pay to the impact that ways you are communicating is having on your partner. If your body language is different from your verbal message, you are sending a double message to your partner, which is confusing. It would be important to recognize if you have ambivalent feelings and to share both feelings with your partner directly, allowing for honest communication.
The more you communicate in this way with your partner, honestly and directly, yet with compassion, the closer and stronger your relationship will become. Each of you will be less likely to build a case against the other and to hold grudges that are just waiting to resurface during your next conflict. You will be relating as two equal individuals, with respect and caring. And perhaps you will even live longer and certainly with a lot more satisfaction from your relationship.
Join Dr. Lisa Firestone for a live weekend workshop retreat, “Overcome Your Fear of Love: How to Create Your Ideal Relationship” on May 30-June 1 in Ojai, CA.
Read more from Dr. Lisa Firestone at PsychAlive.org |
Dutch national Sjaak Rijke, kidnapped by extremists while on holiday in 2011, rescued in operation in which some militants were killed and others captured
French special forces have rescued a Dutch hostage in Mali after discovering him by surprise during a dawn raid against suspected al-Qaida-linked jihadists.
Sjaak Rijke, a 54-year-old Dutch train conductor, had been kidnapped from a hotel in Timbuktu in northern Mali in November 2011 while on a dream holiday with his wife. He had been held hostage for three and a half years.
The French president, François Hollande, said French commandos had stumbled upon Rijke by chance. “It was a surprise for us – for our forces – to be able to free this hostage because we did not have information on the presence of this hostage.”
He said Rijke had been transported to a temporary base in Tessalit in north-east Mali and that a number of suspected jihadists had been killed in the raid.
Mali conflict: south is south, north is north, never the twain shall meet? | Katarina Höije Read more
Rijke and his wife had been described in the Dutch media as seasoned travellers who were on a “dream trip” to cross the Sahara in 2011 when gunmen stormed their hotel in Timbuktu. Rijke’s wife escaped the attackers. A South African and a Swedish man were captured alongside Rijke and are still being held.
In November 2014, the North African al Qaida-affiliated group, AQIM, released a video of Rijke making a statement on the 1,000th day of his captivity.
Also seen on the video was Frenchman Serge Lazarevic, who had been held captive in the Sahara for three years, and was released the following month in exchange for four Islamic militants with ties to al-Qaida in north Africa.
After the French raid freed Rijke, the Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders he was “doing well considering the circumstances”.
He said: “It is extraordinary news for Sjaak and his family. I am happy and grateful that this horrible period of uncertainty and distress is over.”
Timo Huges, the head of the Dutch railway company, said he was “very relieved that Rijke was once again a free man”, adding: “I hope he comes back to the Netherlands soon.”
In his home town, Woerden, residents flew the Dutch flag to mark his release.
France led a military intervention against al-Qaida-linked militants in its former colony of Mali in January 2013. It has since created Operation Barkhane, a 3,000-strong military force to track down Islamist militants across a band of the Sahara desert stretching across five countries from Chad in the east to Mauritania in the west.
But Mali’s vast desert north is riven by ethnic rivalries and an Islamist insurgency and extremist fighters remain active throughout the restive north-east.
Hollande said “the battle against terrorism in Mali is not over. We still have 3,000 men in the region – not only in Mali – to carry out the battle against terrorism.”
France announced last month that it would further boost its military presence in the Sahel to also support the fight against Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamists. |
Women from Tagg Magazine throw necklaces to the crowd during the 38th Annual Capital Pride Parade held on Saturday, June 8, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)
When David A. Catania, the man who could be the District’s first gay mayor, passes by spectators in Saturday’s Capital Pride parade, Jake Hudson won’t be there. After 27 years of faithfully attending rainbow festivals, Hudson says he feels no need to attend another — especially with so many gay rights victories firmly in hand in D.C.
“I hate to say it, but we have just about everything we could want,” said Hudson, a recent retiree who is married to a man, has raised an adopted son and has dinner plans that he won’t cancel to attend this year’s parade. “In D.C., we live life and there’s nothing really stopping that. . . . We’re post-whatever, post-gay strife. It’s just not an issue here anymore.”
What it means if the District is, indeed, “post-gay” remains unclear in the race between Catania (I-At Large), a D.C. Council member who has been elected as an openly gay man in the District for 17 years, and fellow council member Muriel E. Bowser (Ward 4), the Democratic nominee. But at least one thing seems clear: Catania’s openness about his sexual orientation may no longer guarantee the votes of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender residents.
The District’s LGBT community — which could account for one in 10 voters in November, according to estimates — is an increasingly diverse and diffuse one that often reflects mundane voter concerns, from schools to health care to potholes.
“I’m not going to vote for David because he’s gay, or Bowser because she’s black or a woman,” said Bob Summersgill, a former president of the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance, which has worked since 1971 for equal rights in the District. “Either one is going to sign any gay rights legislation that gets to their desk — I’m not worried about any of that.”
As 150,000 people are expected to descend on the District for the 39th annual Capital Pride parade, same-sex marriage fights are still roiling states from Pennsylvania to Oregon. And the District looms as the backdrop for a coming series of federal court decisions that could decide the same-sex marriage issue permanently.
But for parade organizers and aging icons of the District’s gay rights battles, this year’s festival is getting underway amid a growing sense of inevitability that same-sex marriage is coming to all states — and that gay rights are no longer a political driving force.
That fact is prompting gay rights groups to wrestle with what comes next. Where in the nation, or in the world, should they refocus the energy that got the movement this far? On the lists they are building, one that barely registers is electing a gay mayor in the nation’s capital — a city where gays for five years have easily married, robust laws prohibit discrimination and two transgender women sit on the city’s Commission on Human Rights.
The District’s advanced evolution on gay rights can be traced to an early start. The first group to seek anti-
discrimination laws formed in 1959.
Former Mayor Marion Barry (D), now the Ward 8 representative on the D.C. Council, was also among the earliest and most influential African American politicians to embrace the gay community anywhere in the nation.
There have been few splits between the city’s political establishment and its gay community since.
All of that has left Catania, an independent and former Republican, treading carefully in claiming the mantle of gay rights support.
Catania was the lead author of the city’s 2009 legislation allowing gay marriage. And as chairman of the council’s health committee, he was vocal in attempts to curb rates of HIV and AIDS within the city’s LGBT and African American communities.
But even though Catania split with the Republican party 10 years ago when President George W. Bush advocated for a same-sex marriage ban,Catania remains outside the Democratic fold that shepherded every advancement for gays in the city to fruition.
In appealing to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a national group of deep-pocketed gay donors, Catania in April argued that a gay mayor of D.C. would be a powerful statement.
In an interview, he acknowledged that his sexual orientation would mean a lot less inside D.C. than elsewhere.
“It’s a statement that is probably more powerful outside the city,” Catania said. “But you don’t have to go very far — you can go across the 14th Street bridge and you go back 40 years in time. . . . Virginia has discrimination against the LGBT community that is still deeply ingrained.”
Catania said that in D.C., the next mayor needs to continue addressing HIV and AIDS. Transgender youths need better housing protections, he said, and like any other residents, members of the LGBT community struggle with the city’s escalating housing costs.
Bowser has focused most on the latter, already using as a talking point the seed funding she included in next year’s budget for an assessment of affordable housing needs specifically for LGBT seniors.
At an interfaith church service to kick off the D.C. pride festival this week, scores of balding heads dotted a sanctuary off Thomas Circle, illustrating how the city’s early start in gay rights has put it behind perhaps only San Francisco in grappling with a concentration of aging gays and lesbians.
The city’s growing gay population, however, is being fueled by young professionals. Angela Peoples, president of the influential Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, is 27.
The club is expected to begin debate Monday about whether to consider for the first time a candidate for mayor who is not a Democrat.
“A lot of folks might view same-sex marriage as the quintessential issue, but there are a lot of elements that are important — the same issues that everyday young people would face . . . being able to live affordably, being safe and being able to start a family and know that two years down the line, there will be a school for your kids.”
And, Peoples said, a key is continuing to foster an environment like the one that exists now in D.C. that made her comfortable enough five years ago to come out as a lesbian.
That, said Bernie Delia, president of the board of Capital Pride, is what Saturday’s parade is still all about, and what will continue to shape whatever post-gay politics take hold in the District.
“I get asked the question, ‘Is this still relevant?’ because this is not the same event it was 30 or 40 years ago,” Delia said. “It is, because every year is someone’s first time at Pride.” |
Lots of complicated math means that Mega Gnar gets less stats early on but more later. Boomerang and Boulder Toss are getting their damage shifted into the AD ratio. Hyper's damage is going down in the early game and Wallop's cooldown is going up.
Gnar's become quite the handful when it comes to his bullying potential. Sweeping changes to his early-game bases should give him a bit of a time out (heh, get it?) during the laning phase, while buffs to Mega Gnar's late-game scaling means you probably still wouldn't like him when he's angry.
General
BASE HEALTH REGENERATION 5 ⇒ 2.125
Passive - Rage Gene
MINI GNAR MOVEMENT SPEED +10-25 (9 + (+1 per level from 1-14 / +0.5 per level at 15-18)) ⇒ +10-30 (9 + (+1 per level from 1-15 / +2 per level at 16-18))
MINI GNAR ATTACK SPEED Due to the 2015 preseason changes to base stats, Mini Gnar's attack speed bonus has been folded into his base attack speed and converted to a growth stat. Mini Gnar now has an attack speed growth stat of 6. This should have no functional impact on Gnar.
THIS GETS COMPLICATED With the 2015 preseason changes to base stats, Mega Gnar had some of his bonuses shifted around so he wouldn't break the system. In addition to reverting Mega Gnar's bonuses into base growth stats, we've done two things to affect Mega Gnar - his early attack damage and health are lower in the early game, but higher at later levels. The math behind this change (especially as it converts from per-level stats to growth stats) gets very complicated, but the raw difference is that, at level 1, Mega Gnar will lose about 30 health and 4 attack damage compared to he would have had. Mega Gnar's new growth stats are listed below:
ATTACK DAMAGE GROWTH STAT 5.5
HEALTH GROWTH STAT 108
HEALTH REGENERATION GROWTH STAT +3 health per 5 seconds
ARMOR GROWTH STAT 4.5
MAGIC RESISTANCE GROWTH STAT 2
Q - Boomerang Throw
BOOMERANG DAMAGE 10/45/80/115/150 (+1.0 total attack damage) ⇒ 5/35/65/95/125 (+1.15 total attack damage)
BOOMERANG WIDTH 60 ⇒ 55
Q - Boulder Toss
BOULDER DAMAGE 10/50/90/130/170 (+1.15 total attack damage) ⇒ 5/45/85/125/165 (+1.2 total attack damage)
W - Hyper
BASE DAMAGE 25/30/35/40/45 ⇒ 10/20/30/40/50
MAX MAGIC DAMAGE VERSUS MONSTERS 75/125/175/225/275 ⇒ 100/150/200/250/300
W - Wallop |
From frequent ultrasound checks to powerful pain drugs, a pregnant woman can expect to have access to the latest technology when giving birth.
At Banner Health, the tool for nurses and doctors seeking to help women deliver a baby is a peanut-shaped exercise ball.
Banner Health now equips all of its hospital labor and delivery wards with so-called peanut balls.
The idea stemmed from nurses seeking to curb rising Caesarean-section rates at hospitals nationwide. C-sections are more expensive, pose health risks for patients and take longer to recover from.
With health-care economics tightening in Arizona and elsewhere, these nurses learned through experimentation that peanut balls could provide a natural alternative to more invasive birthing techniques such as C-sections or vacuum pumps.
"We are always looking for innovative ways to have the best outcomes for our patients," said Christina Tussey, a clinical-nurse specialist at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center. "We always ask our nurses to ask if there is a better way."
After receiving anecdotal reports that nurses who used the peanut balls with expectant mothers had positive results, Tussey decided to test the idea.
The ball is used on women who receive epidural injections to alleviate pain during pregnancy. These women cannot use other proven birthing methods such as squatting or using an exercise ball.
The peanut-shaped ball fits comfortably between the patients' legs, opening their pelvis to create a path for the newborn.
Tussey reviewed the concept with the hospital's review board that vets such clinical trials. Then they recruited two groups of patients to test the theory - those who would be given peanut balls during appropriate stages of labor and those without.
The results were compelling. Those who used the ball decreased the first stage of labor by nearly 90 minutes and the second stage by 23 minutes compared with a control group that did not use the ball.
The real payoff came through lower C-section rates. The C-section rate for the group of women who used the ball was 13 percentage points less than for the group that did not use the peanut ball.
Banner Health, Arizona's largest hospital chain, has shipped peanut balls to all of its labor and delivery wards. It's a small investment - the balls imported from Italy cost about $40 each - with the potential for a big payoff for patients who can avoid costly and invasive C-sections.
"We thought it if worked so well for such a small population, why wouldn't we want to do this for all hospitals across the system?" said Barbara LaBranche, Banner Health's clinical-performance director for obstetrics.
About 30,000 babies are born at Banner Health hospitals in Arizona, Colorado and other states, and Banner's C-section rate is on par with the national average of 30 percent.
The Phoenix-based hospital system expects the peanut ball is among the ways the hospital system will seek to lower the C-section rates. |
EXCLUSIVE UPDATE: I’m hearing that Disney has set The Lone Ranger to start production February 6, 2012. That re-establishes one of the most intriguing examples of a star-driven film that was unplugged because of high budget and put back together in a way that gives the studio a chance to recoup its costs. Though The Lone Ranger has arguably the world’s most bankable movie star in Johnny Depp, it also is a Western, which (as evidenced by the lackluster performance of Cowboys & Aliens), doesn’t as a genre do strong business overseas. I expect this to be formalized by tomorrow.
EARLIER EXCLUSIVE, October 11, 4:38 PM: Well, it took a week longer than I thought it would, but Disney has finally reached a meeting of the minds on The Lone Ranger with director Gore Verbinski, Johnny Depp and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. The studio is expected to formalize a new start date imminently and announce it is moving forward and putting Depp back in the saddle as Tonto, with Armie Hammer as the title character. It looked like the studio was going to announce last week when the picture brightened for the film, but it will be this week’s business instead. I don’t think Disney was able to salvage its December 21 release date because production won’t start in New Mexico until early next year.
The original plan was to begin shooting this fall. That was until, as Deadline revealed on August 12, the studio shockingly pulled the plug on a project it feared could come in at between $250 million-$275 million. The risk of such a figure on a Western became more glaring after Cowboys & Aliens had just turned in a severely disappointing domestic gross, to be followed by an even worse offshore performance, proving the adage that most Westerns don’t travel well. Cowboys & Aliens will be a costly money-loser, 50% shouldered by DreamWorks and the other half split between Universal and Relativity Media. On Lone Ranger, there has been a lot of behind-the-scenes drama as the three principal players made concessions in their deals, and worked on the script to salvage the spectacle that made the movie worth making in the first place while bringing the budget down to a more manageable figure in the $215 million range. It wasn’t pleasant, but Disney now has its original team behind the first three Pirates of the Caribbean blockbusters back together for a movie that’s expensive but at least will allow production chiefs Sean Bailey and Rich Ross the opportunity to sleep at night. Developing… |
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Most novelists are lucky if one of their books catches the eye of Hollywood and makes it into feature film development, but Stephen King’s work has not only inspired countless adaptations, it’s inspired multiple adaptations of the same books. But one of King’s books that’s been ripe for an update is the horror epic It, which was previously made into a miniseries in 1990 and spurred terrible clown-centric nightmares for children everywhere—including yours truly.
A new iteration of It entered development a couple of years ago with True Detective helmer Cary Fukunaga co-writing and directing, but as the project came close to production, the filmmaker departed over creative differences. Now, Mama helmer Andy Muscietti is onboard to direct, and filming is set to get underway later this year.
Steve recently sat down for an exclusive interview with producer Roy Lee at DICE 2016, and Lee confirmed that Fukunaga and Chase Palmer’s original script—which they imbued with many of their personal experiences—has been rewritten:
“It will hopefully be shooting later this year. We just got the California tax credit… Gary Doberman wrote the most recent draft working with Andy Muscetti, so it’s being envisioned as two movies.”
Indeed, the plan was always to make this adaptation two movies, with the first revolving around the characters as children and the second picking up with them as adults. King’s book switches back and forth between the two time periods, and Lee added that once all is said and done, one could conceivably cut these two It movies together to make a more straightforward adaptation of King’s book:
“It is very close to the source material in one way but very different if you look at it as a literary piece of work… We’re taking it and making the movie from the point of view of the kids, and then making another movie from the point of view of the adults, that could potentially then be cut together like the novel. But it’s gonna be a really fun way of making this movie.”
As for the film’s rating, Lee confirms it will be Rated R and adds that while they have a final draft, they’re currently fine-tuning the script to hit their budget target:
“We are very close to turning in the final draft of the script. It’s mainly working on it for budgeting purposes to make it fit within the budget that we have.”
While it remains a bummer that we don’t get to see Cary Fukunaga’s version of this adaptation, it’ll be interesting to see how King’s terrifying novel is translated for modern horror audiences.
For more from Steve’s interview with Lee, click here for his update on The Stand movie. |
The Indian Medical Association has expressed concern over the move to declare 4,500 doctors, who have failed to do rural service, as quacks. At a press conference Saturday, Dr Prakash Marathe, president, Pune unit of IMA, asked why only doctors were being subjected to compulsory rural service, failing which their registrations were not renewed.
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“We have only 10-15 medical colleges in each state, whereas the government has increased the number of IITs from 5 to 15 few years ago. This indicates that the government spends a huge amount on IITs, but then why are those students not prevented from going abroad? Even if they provide their service for improving road conditions in the country, we will be better off. Asking only medical students to sign the bond is discriminatory under the Constitution,” he said.
Marathe said there were vacancies in the health department, which the government was not filling. Some vacancies were filled by Ayurvedic graduates, who have no bonds, he said, adding there was no sufficient infrastructure for highly qualified doctors to work in civil hospitals. “The decision to debar them from NEET examination is wrong as seats in Maharashtra will be filled by students from other states, and Maharashtra students will be left with only a few seats…,” Marathe said.
The medical students are likely to lose a year as those who took admission in medical college in 2011-12-13 are now eligible for post-graduation in 2018. “They have put in efforts for the examination and suddenly they are told that due to the bond, they can’t appear for the examination,” he said. Marathe said that DMER Director Dr Praveen Shingare has also spoken in favour of the students.
“We feel that because of compulsion of taking admission to a medical college through NEET, some private medical colleges are feeling the heat due to fewer admissions, hence students are being threatened by citing clauses in the bond,” Marathe said.
Speaking on the problems faced by resident doctors, Marathe said initially, the government had agreed to provide security to resident doctors and had provided the same. “The initial security appears to have reduced now, as only 60 per cent of the guards are at work. Is it right on part of the government to do so… who will be responsible if resident doctors again face violence,” he asked.
The conference also saw discussions on the working hours of resident doctors. While the Supreme Court had stated that resident doctors should work for a maximum 48 hours per week, in reality, they are forced to clock in 96 hours a week, Marathe said.
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“It is necessary to alleviate the pressure on resident doctors. In this regard, IMA would like to request the government to reduce duty hours of residents to 48 hrs per week, i.e. 12 hours on emergency day and 6 hours for week days. Medical colleges should prepare a time table accordingly and ask the professors to implement duty hours,” he said. Dr Jayant Navrange, head of medicolegal cell, IMA, and Dr Rajeev Joshi, member of IMA, were also present during the conference. |
Takashi Shibayama’s typical day starts at 1 a.m. He wakes up, hurriedly throws on some clothes and sits down to eat the simple breakfast his wife prepares for him — a bowl of rice, miso soup and pickled Kishu ume.
His older brother, Shinichi, picks him up at 2 a.m. and, together, they travel to Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market to work in Shibasen, a family-owned intermediate wholesaler that was founded by Shibayama’s grandfather and has been in operation for about 90 years.
The market is already in full swing when the brothers arrive, with traders unloading fish from vehicles by the dozen and turret trucks zipping between stores carrying piles of boxes full of seafood. While much of Japan is in a deep slumber, Tsukiji fish market is full of activity.
“This is Tsukiji,” says Shibayama, 62. “I dream about fish. I start thinking about fish as soon as I get up. I look forward to thinking about what sort of fish I can find for my clients.”
Tsukiji fish market is one of 11 wholesale markets in operation in Tokyo. Built in 1935, it is the oldest market in the city.
About 480 different varieties of fish and 270 varieties of fruit and vegetables are handled at the market on a daily basis. The market’s vendors distribute produce that is sourced from not only all over Japan but also from other countries. The market never sleeps — it is open 24/7, with about 42,000 people and 19,000 vehicles going in and out everyday. On average, the market logs total daily sales of about ¥1.8 billion, with around 1,800 tons of fish and 1,160 tons of fruit and vegetables sold daily.
Tsukiji fish market has over the years become more than just a market — it has become a cultural landmark. Around a year from now, on Nov. 2, 2016, the market will close the doors on its 80-year history as it prepares to move to a new site in the Toyosu district of Tokyo’s Koto Ward.
In announcing the Nov. 7, 2016, opening date of the new market, Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe said the cultural legacy of Tsukiji must be continued. “The Tsukiji brand has become extremely well-established,” Masuzoe told reporters during a July news conference. “I want to create a new market that is just as good.”
Shibayama has worked at Tsukiji fish market for 40 years. He left Shibasen after being embroiled in some family squabbles and spent 30 years with another vendor in the market. He rejoined his family’s business in 2009.
Every morning, without fail, he scours wholesalers in the market in search of different varieties of fish. He makes his purchases based on quality and cost.
Shibayama is one of four traders at Shibasen, which also include his brother and his brother’s eldest son. They all buy and sell their produce independently of each other, servicing their own portfolio of clients. On the morning of my visit, Shibayama had assembled an eye-popping selection of conger eel, bonito, flounder, red snapper, mackerel and blue crab, among other things.
The seafood is packed in styrofoam boxes filled with ice and displayed to customers under bare incandescent bulbs that hang from the ceiling. Customers drop by one after another, and Shibayama isn’t slow to offer his recommendations. If the customer is interested in purchasing an item, they negotiate a price. Trust is obviously an important part of their relationship.
“What I love about Tsukiji is the one-to-one relationships,” Shibayama says. “It’s not just about profit, we help each other out. One day I might ask a client to buy any fish that are left over but I’ll be sure to return the favor another day. That’s how it works here.”
Like many other Tsukiji veterans, Shibayama was originally against moving the market to Toyosu but since the decision has been finalized, he wants to maintain a positive outlook.
In August, Shibayama published a book titled “Arigato-yo Tsukiji” (“Thanks Tsukiji”) by Kosaido Publishing, an autobiography about his experiences in the market over the past 40 years.
“I wanted to stay in Tsukiji but it’s also true that the market has aged significantly after 80 years,” he says. “We all carry some hope, anxiety and anticipation, but at the end of the day, we won’t know what lies ahead until we go there. We are lucky that we are able to relocate … so we now need to make sure we don’t regret this decision.”
‘Time to move on’
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which oversees all markets in the capital, including Tsukiji, cites various reasons why a new location is necessary. The facilities at Tsukiji fish market are too old, it says, while also highlighting a lack of space and sanitation issues.
Eisuke Urawa, director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Fisheries Wholesale Association, says as much as he loves Tsukiji, he realizes the time has come to move on.
“Buyers have to come to Tsukiji even if they don’t want to because that is where all of the products are,” Urawa says. “It has been working until now because of the Tsukiji brand. However, everyone knows the existing sanitation levels are poor and relocating the market to a new site will help improve this to industry-standard levels.”
The existing 23-hectare Tsukiji market is going to be reborn in Toyosu on a multiple-floored 40-hectare site. The area will be divided into three separate buildings and, unlike the existing market, the auctioning space will be housed in one facility and intermediate wholesalers will be located in another. Construction on the new site is expected to be complete next spring.
The market will become completely closed off from outside, with temperature-controlled buildings to keep the produce in a cool, hygienic environment. The closed structure will also regulate public access, says Urawa, as people can wander about freely in the existing market space at Tsukiji.
“It’s going to be completely different,” Urawa says. “We still need to conduct simulations on the logistics and distribution. Markets are usually designed on a flat space on a ground floor; a multi-story market is unprecedented.”
Coordinating a move that involves hundreds of companies, however, is far from straight-forward. Urawa is responsible for coordinating discussions between the existing vendors at Tsukiji and the metropolitan government.
Urawa says plans have been drawn up to conduct a series of logistical simulations on the new site in the first six months after construction is complete. Once finished, the market’s entire sales network would be moved over the course of a few days in the beginning of November 2016.
“The people in the market love to do things their own way,” Urawa says. “However, we need to establish a set of fundamental rules. Without rules, there is no order. My focus right now is on establishing an infrastructure.”
The metropolitan government drafted a plan as early as 1985 to renovate Tsukiji, constructing a two-story building that would house seafood products on the ground floor, fruit and vegetables on the second floor, and a parking lot on the roof.
However, projected costs soon swelled from the initial forecast of ¥238 billion to around ¥340 billion by 1996, while the estimated period for construction was extended from 14 years to more than 20.
In the end, then-Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara decided to abandon plans to renovate the existing site and, instead, build a new market in another location.
“(Tsukiji’s) too old, small and dangerous to be used as Tokyo’s kitchen,” Ishihara noted when he visited the market in September 1999, the year he was first elected as Tokyo’s leader. Later, the outspoken governor added “dirty” to his list of adjectives. The municipal government officially dropped the renovation plan in 2001 and decided to move the market to Toyosu.
That was, however, easier said than done because the soil at the relocation site, formerly owned by Tokyo Gas Co., has been found to be contaminated.
The gas company revealed that the area contains a high level of chemicals, including benzene (which was 43,000 times above environmental safety standards) and cyanogens (860 times above environmental safety standards). Other toxins that were detected on the site include arsenic, mercury and cadmium.
The cost of cleaning up the contamination is now expected to be more than ¥84.9 billion, of which Tokyo Gas has contributed ¥7.8 billion. The total project cost swelled from what was estimated to be ¥392.6 billion in 2011 to the most recent figure of ¥588.4 billion.
Contamination issues
Naturally, existing operators in the market have expressed concern over the move.
Makoto Nakazawa, secretary-general of the Tokyo Central Market labor union, is one of them. Nakazawa has worked inside Tsukiji fish market for about 30 years as a turret truck driver for an intermediate wholesaler. He claims there are a number of unresolved problems regarding Toyosu and believes the government should abandon its plan. “We have come this far because of this wonderful market and the system that our predecessors established,” Nakazawa says. “However, I don’t think the new facility is something that we can proudly hand over to the next generation. It’s like one big warehouse.”
The metropolitan government insists the contamination is contained, arguing that only 15 out of 4,122 areas in the soil and groundwater it checked were highly contaminated. Its website, however, also adds that areas where the level of contamination is 10 times higher than environmental safety standards or more actually makes up 36 percent of the whole area.
“I think the degree of contamination is very serious,” Nakazawa says.
Tokyo has already spent several years cleaning up the contaminated soil in Toyosu, announcing that decontamination work had been finished in October 2014.
A metropolitan government official says Tokyo is currently monitoring the groundwater at the Toyosu market to ease residents’ concern over the contamination. When the market opens on Nov. 7, 2016, the official says, a new monitoring system will commence operation.
According to Nakazawa and others who are against the move, however, the cleanup is far from done. Through their own research, they claim to have found that the metropolitan government failed to conduct tests that are necessary by law in 333 areas at the bottom of the aquifer. While Tokyo admits it didn’t check some of the aforementioned areas, it has no plans for further testing, arguing that it conducted all of the necessary tests that were recommended by Tokyo’s special panel in charge of the contamination.
“We can’t trust the government,” Nakazawa asks. “Who’s going to take responsibility if toxins are now found in Toyosu?”
Nakazawa has been organizing demonstrations with such organizations as the Consumers Union of Japan, opposing the relocation and calling on the municipal government to focus on renovating Tsukiji fish market instead.
As time ticks away, however, Nakazawa admits that most of the people openly opposing the relocation aren’t directly involved in the running of the market.
In February this year, Nakazawa surveyed 650 intermediate wholesalers regarding their views on the relocation. Out of the 254 respondents, 70 percent, or 179 shops, said construction for the new facility should be suspended until the area is completely toxin-free.
A further 55 percent said that the Tokyo Municipal Government gave little or no explanation on the details of the relocation to Toyosu. Their main concerns centered on the running costs of the new facility — the details of which, including the monthly expenses, have not been disclosed — and the contamination of the area.
“In truth, most people don’t want to move,” Nakazawa says. “I can, however, understand why many have given up. They may be experts on fish but fighting against the government is tough.”
Urawa, of the wholesale market association, says he understands why people don’t want to move because he himself has worked inside Tsukiji for 23 years. “For many, the existing Tsukiji facilities work just fine and they don’t see why we have to move,” he says. “I also understand because I am fond of this place as well. Now, however, we need to make sure that Toyosu becomes a market we can all be proud of.”
In July, the labor union for the fish market’s intermediate wholesalers revealed that 69 known companies have decided to end their businesses in Tsukiji. It is still unclear just how many companies will move to Toyosu out of the current 609, but the number of intermediate wholesalers is rapidly decreasing due to a lack of heirs who can continue their legacy.
Shibayama’s brother, Shinichi, had also considered closing Shibasen. The younger brother was going to respect whatever decision Shinichi made, because he comes from a very traditional family whose oldest son always inherits the shop and is the decision maker. When asked for his opinion, however, Shibayama expressed an eagerness to continue.
Shibasen is expected to continue, with Shinichi’s oldest son looking to eventually run operations. “I hope I can help my brother pass the baton of Shibasen on to his son,” Shibayama says.
At 7:30 a.m., most Styrofoam boxes at Shibasen have gone. Shibayama, however, still does not stop moving. He begins to mop the floors, washes the buckets and scrubs the walls clean. He may be the younger brother of the president but, at Shibasen, he’s still a newbie. Together with his nephew, they clean the shop in preparation for the next day.
“Cleaning is an important part of the job, regardless of one’s position,” Shibayama says. “I scrub everything clean so that the customers can feel good about buying fish from me when they come again tomorrow.”
By 8 a.m., the market has calmed down as an increasing number of people begin to scrub their stalls as well.
It is another beautiful fall day in Tokyo and shafts of sunlight begin to make their presence felt in the building. For the rest of Japan, the day has just begun. |
The elderly father of Metallica’s late bassist is making sure that his son’s positive legacy does not just fade to black.
Cliff Burton, who was one of the founding members of Metallica, played bass guitar on the metal band’s first three albums until he was killed in a tour bus accident in 1986.
The royalties from these albums have been going to Cliff’s 92-year-old father Ray—and the senior has only now revealed what he’s been spending that money on.
CHECK OUT: Metallica Replaces Stolen Equipment of Tribute Band
Ray has been donating all of the Metallica royalties towards musical scholarships for Castro Valley High School students in the San Francisco Bay area of California.
The school has sentimental value to Ray since it was the school which Cliff attended when he was younger.
“The kids who won it, they invariably write and thank me,” Ray told the Alphabettica podcast host last month. “And I think Cliff probably would have done that with his money, because he was not against education by any means. He liked it very much.”
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Lyman Abbot, editor of The Outlook, began an essay in an issue of that publication, "A Review of President Roosevelt's Administration", with an anecdote about then-President Theodore Roosevelt: "He had just finished a paragraph of a distinctly ethical character when he suddenly stopped, swung round in his swivel chair, and said, 'I suppose my critics will call that preaching, but I have got such a bully pulpit!'" The hortatory power of the presidency has since come to be known as "the Bully Pulpit."
This phrase makes an appearance three times in District Judge William Orrick's order in County of Santa Clara v. Trump, in which he granted the motions of the County of Santa Clara and the City and County of San Francisco's motions to enjoin section 9(a) of Executive Order 13768 (E.O. 13768), "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States."
Section 9 of the Executive Order states, in pertinent part:
It is the policy of the executive branch to ensure, to the fullest extent of the law, that a State, or a political subdivision of a State, shall comply with 8 U.S.C. 1373. (a) In furtherance of this policy, the Attorney General and the Secretary, in their discretion and to the extent consistent with law, shall ensure that jurisdictions that willfully refuse to comply with 8 U.S.C. 1373 (sanctuary jurisdictions) are not eligible to receive Federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes by the Attorney General or the Secretary. The Secretary has the authority to designate, in his discretion and to the extent consistent with law, a jurisdiction as a sanctuary jurisdiction. The Attorney General shall take appropriate enforcement action against any entity that violates 8 U.S.C. 1373, or which has in effect a statute, policy, or practice that prevents or hinders the enforcement of Federal law.
The referenced section of the federal code, 8 U.S.C. § 1373, states:
(a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal, State, or local law, a Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual. (b) Additional authority of government entities-- Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal, State, or local law, no person or agency may prohibit, or in any way restrict, a Federal, State, or local government entity from doing any of the following with respect to information regarding the immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual: (1) Sending such information to, or requesting or receiving such information from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service. (2) Maintaining such information. (3) Exchanging such information with any other Federal, State, or local government entity. (c) Obligation to respond to inquiries The Immigration and Naturalization Service shall respond to an inquiry by a Federal, State, or local government agency, seeking to verify or ascertain the citizenship or immigration status of any individual within the jurisdiction of the agency for any purpose authorized by law, by providing the requested verification or status information.
On its face, this is a fairly benign provision: localities, states, and the federal government regularly work together to enforce our nation's laws. The enactment of this provision reflects the fact, as the Supreme Court has ruled:
The Government of the United States has broad, undoubted power over the subject of immigration and the status of aliens. This authority rests, in part, on the National Government's constitutional power to "establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization," Art. I, § 8, cl. 4, and its inherent power as sovereign to control and conduct relations with foreign nations. The federal power to determine immigration policy is well settled. Immigration policy can affect trade, investment, tourism, and diplomatic relations for the entire Nation, as well as the perceptions and expectations of aliens in this country who seek the full protection of its laws. [Citations omitted.]
With respect to ensuring compliance with section 1373, Judge Orrick noted:
In July, 2016 [sic], the U.S. Department of Justice issued guidance linking two federal grant programs, the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program ("SCAAP") and Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant ("JAG") to compliance with Section 1373.
As with SCAAP and JAG, he stated: "The Department has indicated that the Community Oriented Policing Services Grant (COPS) is also conditioned on compliance with Section 1373."
Such conditions were necessary because Congress was concerned that certain jurisdictions had adopted policies that did not comply with 8 U.S.C. § 1373. In a May 31, 2016 Memorandum, the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Justice (DOJ OIG) detailed its review of the policies of 10 selected localities, finding that certain "local laws and policies" in several of those jurisdictions "that by their terms apply to the handling of ICE detainer requests ... may ... be inconsistent with at least the intent of Section 1373."
Santa Clara and San Francisco challenged section 9(a) on four grounds:
[F]irst, it violates the separation of powers doctrine enshrined in the Constitution because it improperly seeks to wield congressional spending powers; second, it is so overbroad and coercive that even if the President had spending powers, the Order would clearly exceed them and violate the Tenth Amendment's prohibition against commandeering local jurisdictions; third, it is so vague and standardless that it violates the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause and is void for vagueness; and, finally, because it seeks to deprive local jurisdictions of congressionally allocated funds without any notice or opportunity to be heard, it violates the procedural due process requirements of the Fifth Amendment.
The government did not respond to the plaintiffs' constitutional challenges, but rather asserted that Santa Clara and San Francisco lacked standing to challenge section 9 of E.O. 13768, in part, because that Executive Order "did not change existing law."
In particular, the government explained that the Executive Order: "is merely an exercise of the President's 'bully pulpit' to highlight a changed approach to immigration enforcement." The court, however, dismissed the government's position:
Under this interpretation, Section 9(a) applies only to [SCAAP, JAG, and COPS] that already have conditions requiring compliance with 8 U.S.C. 1373. This interpretation renders the Order toothless; the Government can already enforce these three grants by the terms of those grants and can enforce 8 U.S.C. 1373 to the extent legally possible under the terms of existing law. Counsel disavowed any right through the Order for the Government to affect any other part of the billions of dollars in federal funds the Counties receive every year. [Emphasis added.]
While the court then spent another 47 pages describing what it saw as problems with section 9(a) of the Executive Order, it ended up stating that the government could do what it argued it had planned to do to begin with. Specifically, on page 4 of its order the court held:
The Counties' motions for preliminary injunction against Section 9(a) of the Executive Order are GRANTED as further described below. That said, this injunction does nothing more than implement the effect of the Government's flawed interpretation of the Order. It does not affect the ability of the Attorney General or the Secretary to enforce existing conditions of federal grants or 8 U.S.C. 1373, nor does it impact the Secretary's ability to develop regulations or other guidance defining what a sanctuary jurisdiction is or designating a jurisdiction as such. It does prohibit the Government from exercising Section 9(a) in a way that violates the Constitution.
Similarly, at the end of his order, Judge Orrick stated:
The defendants (other than the President) are enjoined from enforcing Section 9(a) of the Executive Order against jurisdictions they deem as sanctuary jurisdictions. This injunction does not impact the Government's ability to use lawful means to enforce existing conditions of federal grants or 8 U.S.C. 1373, nor does it restrict the Secretary from developing regulations or preparing guidance on designating a jurisdiction as a "sanctuary jurisdiction." [Emphasis added.]
Although it "implement[ed] the effect of the Government's ... interpretation of the Order," the court nonetheless questioned the reasonableness of the government's position, stating:
Effectively, the Government argues that Section 9(a) is "valid" and does not raise constitutional issues as long as it does nothing at all. But a construction so narrow that it renders a legal action legally meaningless cannot possibly be reasonable and is clearly inconsistent with the Order's broad intent.
The reasonableness of the government's argument is clear, however, given the historical context in which the Executive Order was issued. Specifically, as noted above, the government had argued that the Executive Order "is merely an exercise of the President's 'bully pulpit' to highlight a changed approach to immigration enforcement" (emphasis added).
President Trump's attitude toward immigration enforcement differs in tone and effect from that of the previous administration: My colleague Jessica Vaughan has amply detailed the extent to which immigration enforcement had gone into a steep decline under the last administration. Further, as noted, DOJ OIG recognized in 2016 that there were jurisdictions with policies "inconsistent with at least the intent of" 8 U.S.C. § 1373. That the new president, within a week of assuming an office that he had won based in part on his pledge to reverse the immigration policies of that prior administration, would issue a purely hortatory Executive Order on immigration enforcement is eminently reasonable. This is especially true given the fact that at the time Executive Order was issued, the president's Secretary of Homeland Security had just been confirmed, his Attorney General had not yet been confirmed, and much of the immigration enforcement apparatus was staffed by holdovers from the previous administration.
Given the fact that the court's order granting the plaintiffs' motion to enjoin section 9(a) of the Executive Order by the judge's own admission did "nothing more than implement the effect of the Government's ... interpretation of the Order," as a practical matter, its only effect is to chill the president's use of the bully pulpit of his office, at least as it pertains to immigration enforcement.
A plain reading of section 9(a) of Executive Order 13768 reveals that President Trump simply attempted therein to make it clear that he would use his lawful authority to enforce compliance with a facially valid law (section 1373) and to order the Attorney General to "take appropriate enforcement action against any entity ... which has in effect a statute, policy, or practice that prevents or hinders the enforcement of Federal law." The obvious intent of this Executive Order was to put states and localities on notice that unlawful hindrance of the immigration laws would not be tolerated by his administration, as Jessica Vaughan has made clear was tolerated by the previous administration. For his trouble, the president was forced to expend resources to defend that Executive Order in a federal court that pored over his public statements to support its order. If the administration is hauled into court to support every statement that it makes supporting immigration enforcement, eventually it will stop making them.
The reasons why the plaintiffs sought such an order, moreover, reveal the politically untenable nature of their position as it relates to federal immigration enforcement.
Both Santa Clara and San Francisco have policies that directly affect the ability of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enforce the immigration laws. Santa Clara does not honor ICE civil detainer requests, and it does not comply with section 1373.
As it pertains to civil detainer requests, San Francisco's Administrative Code "prohibits San Francisco law enforcement from detaining an individual, otherwise eligible for release from custody, solely on the basis of a civil immigration detainer request." The code "also prohibits local law enforcement from providing ICE with advanced notice that an individual will be released from custody, unless the individual meets certain criteria." A separate section of the code "provides that a '[l]aw enforcement official shall not arrest or detain an individual, or provide any individual's personal information to a federal immigration officer, on the basis of an administrative warrant, prior deportation order, or other civil immigration document based solely on alleged violations of the civil provisions of immigration laws.'"
Notwithstanding their attitudes toward ICE, Santa Clara and San Francisco receive almost $3 billion combined from the federal government annually: "In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, Santa Clara received approximately $1.7 billion in federal and federally dependent funds, making up roughly 35% of the County's total revenues," while San Francisco "receives approximately $1.2 billion of" its yearly budget "from the federal government."
Thus, at the same time that those localities slap ICE with one hand, they hold the other one out for federal dollars. This inconsistent attitude toward the federal government underscores why each was so desperate to get the court to enjoin the Executive Order, even in the face of the government's argument that "the Order does not change the law in any way, but merely directs the Attorney General and Secretary [of Homeland Security] to enforce existing law": because they are, notwithstanding their hostile attitude toward federal law enforcement, dependent on federal dollars.
Finally, it is notable that the court used the term "vulnerable" four times in its order, on each occasion describing a class of resident provided for by the two localities with the assistance of federal aid. While such use is appropriate, never did the court equally appropriately use the term to describe those victims, like Kate Steinle, rendered vulnerable by the anti-enforcement policies of those jurisdictions. |
The grapevines serve another purpose. “The cemetery doesn’t seem like such a sad and fearsome place when you go there and see the vines,” Bishop Barber said.
These are challenging times for cemetery owners, who are struggling to cover their costs, primarily upkeep of the land. The burial habits of Americans have changed, and nearly half are cremated rather than buried. In 2015, there were 1,300 burials at the Hayward cemetery, down from nearly 2,500 in 1980.
“You just drive by cemeteries like they’re a museum,” said Robert Seelig, the chief executive of Catholic Management Services, which oversees the diocese cemeteries. “People are attracted to wine. It draws them into a cemetery and attracts you to a different story line.”
Image Young grapes at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Bishop’s Vineyard was awarded silver medals for a cabernet and a zinfandel at two wine competitions in California this year. Credit Gabrielle Lurie for The New York Times
American cemeteries have developed creative ways to draw visitors, holding horror movie nights, concerts in mausoleums, fun runs and yoga classes in chapels. Cincinnati’s Spring Grove Cemeteries hosts bird walks, twilight tours, family fun nights, an annual dog day and designated times for Segway riders. In Bridgeport, Conn., people still stroll the pathways around the pond at Mountain Grove Cemetery to admire the flowering dogwood trees in the spring or the brilliant foliage in the fall.
“Cemeteries are reverting to old practices,” said Keith Eggener, a professor of architectural history at the University of Oregon and the author of a book about American cemeteries. In the 19th century, “cemeteries were full of beautiful trails,” Dr. Eggener said. “People would take guests and have picnics. A cemetery was considered a major ornament to a city.” |
This image prompted the Bitcoinbillionaire to give $400 worth of Bitcoins to Cybrbeast. Cybrbeast Earlier today, a kind-hearted, mysterious stranger began giving out Bitcoins to random Reddit users.
This person called themselves the Bitcoinbillionaire, and eventually gave out over $13,000 worth of Bitcoins to 12 complete strangers using "Bitcointip." One lucky person received almost $5,000 worth.
We messaged a few of the recipients of the gifts. All who responded said that they did not know who the Bitcoinbillionaire was, and that they had not interacted with the account until today (the account is a throwaway, so doing so would have been impossible, or would require knowing another account operated by Bitcoinbillionaire).
Some also told us how they were spending their bitcoins. Surprisingly, many were giving away significant portions of their tips.
Karelb, the user who received almost $5,000, told us that they had received the money, and already used a portion to buy a new mobile phone on bitmit.com. According to their Reddit history, Karelb has tipped at least 12 people since receiving their money from Bitcoinbillionaire (small sums — around $5 usually).
Cybrbeast told us that the surprise tip had "made [their] day." They had received $400 worth and planned to "pay forward" at least $100 worth of it. Their Reddit history also shows that they have already begun this plan.
The final recipient of Bitcoinbillionaire's bitcoins was NerdFighterSean, who received $1,304.65. Interestingly, NerdFighterSean is the creator of the "Bitcointip," the service used by Bitcoinbillionaire to tip strangers via Reddit.
NerdFighterSean told us that he would be using the money to upgrading the Bitcointip system, and tipping people who help out on it. In fact, within minutes of receiving his tip from the Bitcoinbillionaire, NerdFighterSean had already passed some of it on: |
World government or global government is the notion of a common political authority for all of humanity, yielding a global government and a single state that exercises authority over the entire Earth. Such a government could come into existence either through violent and compulsory world domination or through peaceful and voluntary supranational union.
There has never been a worldwide executive, legislature, judiciary, military, or constitution with global jurisdiction. The United Nations, beyond the United Nations Security Council (which has the ability to issue mandatory resolutions), is limited to a mostly advisory role, and its stated purpose is to foster co-operation between existing national governments rather than exert authority over them.
History [ edit ]
Origins of the idea [ edit ]
The idea and aspiration of world government has been known since the dawn of history. Bronze Age Egyptian Kings aimed to rule "All That the Sun Encircles", Mesopotamian Kings "All from the Sunrise to the Sunset", and ancient Chinese and Japanese Emperors "All under Heaven". These four civilizations developed impressive cultures of Great Unity, or Da Yitong as the Chinese put it. In 113 BC, the Han dynasty in China erected an Altar of the Great Unity.[1]
Polybius said that the Roman achievement of imposing one government over the Mediterranean world was a "marvelous" achievement, and that the main task of future historians will be to explain how this was done.[2]
Dante [ edit ]
The idea of world government outlived the fall of the Pax Romana for a millennium. Dante in the fourteenth century despairingly appealed to the human race: "But what has been the condition of the world since that day the seamless robe [of Pax Romana] first suffered mutilation by the claws of avarice, we can read—would that we could not also see! O human race! what tempests must need toss thee, what treasure be thrown into the sea, what shipwrecks must be endured, so long as thou, like a beast of many heads, strivest after diverse ends! Thou art sick in either intellect, and sick likewise in thy affection. Thou healest not thy high understanding by argument irrefutable, nor thy lower by the countenance of experience. Nor dost thou heal thy affection by the sweetness of divine persuasion, when the voice of the Holy Spirit breathes upon thee, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"" (De Monarchia, 16:1)
Francisco de Vitoria [ edit ]
Early father of international law, Spanish philosopher Francisco de Vitoria (c. 1483–1546) is considered the "founder of global political philosophy". De Vitoria conceived of the res publica totius orbis, or the "republic of the whole world". This came at a time when the University of Salamanca was engaged in unprecedented thought concerning human rights, international law, and early economics based on the experiences of the Spanish Empire.
Hugo Grotius [ edit ]
De jure belli ac pacis (On the Law of War and Peace) is a 1625 book in Latin, written by Hugo Grotius (1583–1645) and published in Paris, on the legal status of war. It is now regarded as a foundational work in international law.[3] Grotius was a philosopher, theologian, playwright, and poet. He is known for coming up with the idea of having an international law, and is still acknowledged today by the American Society of International Law.
Immanuel Kant [ edit ]
Writing in 1795, Immanuel Kant considered World Citizenship to be a necessary step in establishing world peace
Immanuel Kant wrote the essay "Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch (Zum ewigen Frieden. Ein philosophischer Entwurf.) (1795)". In his essay, Kant describes three basic requirements for organizing human affairs to permanently abolish the threat of present and future war, and, thereby, help establish a new era of lasting peace throughout the world. Specifically, Kant described his proposed peace program as containing two steps.
The "Preliminary Articles" described the steps that should be taken immediately, or with all deliberate speed:
"No Secret Treaty of Peace Shall Be Held Valid in Which There Is Tacitly Reserved Matter for a Future War" "No Independent States, Large or Small, Shall Come under the Dominion of Another State by Inheritance, Exchange, Purchase, or Donation" "Standing Armies Shall in Time Be Totally Abolished" "National Debts Shall Not Be Contracted with a View to the External Friction of States" "No State Shall by Force Interfere with the Constitution or Government of Another State, "No State Shall, during War, Permit Such Acts of Hostility Which Would Make Mutual Confidence in the Subsequent Peace Impossible: Such Are the Employment of Assassins (percussores), Poisoners (venefici), Breach of Capitulation, and Incitement to Treason (perduellio) in the Opposing State"
Three Definitive Articles would provide not merely a cessation of hostilities, but a foundation on which to build a peace.
"The Civil Constitution of Every State Should Be Republican" "The Law of Nations Shall be Founded on a Federation of Free States" "The Law of World Citizenship Shall Be Limited to Conditions of Universal Hospitality"
Johann Gottlieb Fichte [ edit ]
The year of the battle at Jena (1806), when Napoleon overwhelmed Prussia, Fichte in Characteristics of the Present Age described what he perceived to be a very deep and dominant historical trend:
There is necessary tendency in every cultivated State to extend itself generally... Such is the case in Ancient History ... As the States become stronger in themselves and cast off that [Papal] foreign power, the tendency towards a Universal Monarchy over the whole Christian World necessarily comes to light... This tendency ... has shown itself successively in several States which could make pretensions to such a dominion, and since the fall of the Papacy, it has become the sole animating principle of our History... Whether clearly or not—it may be obscurely—yet has this tendency lain at the root of the undertakings of many States in Modern Times... Although no individual Epoch may have contemplated this purpose, yet is this the spirit which runs through all these individual Epochs, and invisibly urges them onward.[4]
Joseph Smith [ edit ]
In early-19th-century Mormon theology, Joseph Smith taught that a theodemocracy would guide and direct the Kingdom of God (Zion) on the earth during the end times. On March 11, 1844, Smith organized a Council of Fifty, who were to work under the direction of the Priesthood authorities of his church, along with a Council of Friends. This group of three organizations was expected to rule as a world government just prior to the Millennium.[5][6][7]
Alfred, Lord Tennyson [ edit ]
In 1842, the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, published the oft-quoted lines "Locksley Hall": For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see / Saw a Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be /... / Till the war-drum throbb'd no longer / and the battle-flags were furled / In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world. / There the common sense of most shall hold / a fretful realm in awe / And the kindly earth shall slumber / lapt in universal law.
Ulysses S. Grant [ edit ]
President Ulysses S. Grant was convinced in 1873: "Transport, education and rapid development of both spiritual and material relationships by means of steam power and the telegraph, all this will make great changes. I am convinced that the Great Framer of the World will so develop it that it becomes one nation, so that armies and navies are no longer necessary."[8]
He also commented, "I believe at some future day, the nations of the earth will agree on some sort of congress which will take cognizance of international questions of difficulty and whose decisions will be as binding as the decisions of the Supreme Court are upon us".[9]
William Gladstone [ edit ]
The first thinker to anticipate a kind of world unity ("great household of the world") under the American primacy seems to be British politician William Gladstone. In 1878, he wrote:
While we have been advancing with portentous rapidity, America is passing us by as if a canter. There can hardly be a doubt, as between America and England, of the belief that the daughter at no very distant time will ... be unquestionably yet stronger than the mother ... She [America] will probably become what we are now—head servant in the great household of the world...[10]
Kang Youwei [ edit ]
In 1885, Kang Youwei published his One World Philosophy, where he based his vision on the evidence of political expansion which began in the immemorial past and went in his days on.[11] He concludes:
Finally, the present Powers of the world were formed. This process [of coalescing and forming fewer, larger units] has all taken place among the 10,000 countries over several thousand years. The progression from dispersion to union among men, and the principle [whereby] the world is [gradually] proceeding from being partitioned off to being opened up, is a spontaneous [working] of the Way of Heaven (or Nature) and human affairs.[12]
No factor, he believed, in the long run could resist the "laws of empires".[13] Kang Youwei projects the culmination of the ongoing world unification with the final confrontation between the United States and Germany: "Some day America will take in [all the states of] the American continent and Germany will take in all the [states of] Europe. This will hasten the world along the road to One World."[11]
Friedrich Nietzsche [ edit ]
Friedrich Nietzsche in his Beyond Good and Evil (1886) envisaged:
I should rather prefer such an increase in the threatening attitude of Russia, that Europe would have to make up its mind to become equally threatening—namely to acquire one will, by means of a new caste to rule over the Continent, a persistent, dreadful will of its own, that can set its aims thousands of years ahead. The time for petty politics is past; the next century will bring the struggle for the domination of the world.[14]
Vacher de Lapouge [ edit ]
The French demographer, George Vacher de Lapouge, followed K'ang Yu-wei in 1899 with his L'Aryen: Son Role Social. Similarly, he outlined the logistic growth of empires from the Bronze Age till his days, when "six states govern... three quarters of the globe", and concluded: "The moment is close when the struggle for the domination of the world is going to take place."[15]
Vacher de Lapouge did not bet on Washington and Berlin in the final contest for world domination contrary to K'ang Yu-wei. Like his earlier compatriot, Alexis de Tocqueville, he guessed the Cold War contenders correctly but he went one step further. He estimated the chances of the United States as favorite in the final confrontation:
The reign of Europe is over, well over... The future of France seems less certain but it is unnecessary to become illusioned... I do not believe by the way that Germany might count for a much longer future... We could... envisage... the possibility that England and her immense Empire comes to surrender to the United States. The latter... is the true adversary of Russia in the great struggle to come... I also believe that the United States is appealed to triumph. Otherwise, the universe would be Russian.[16]
In the second half of the 19th century, Bahá'u'lláh founded the Bahá'í Faith, a religion which identified the establishment of world unity and a global federation of nations as a key principle.[17] He envisioned a set of new social structures based on participation and consultation among the world's peoples, including a world legislature, an international court, and an international executive empowered to carry out the decisions of these legislative and judicial bodies. Connected principles of the Bahá'í religion include universal systems of weights and measures, currency unification, and the adoption of a global auxiliary language.[18]
In World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, first published in 1938, Shoghi Effendi, great-grandson of Bahá'u'lláh and the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957, described the anticipated world government of that religion as the "world's future super-state" with the Bahá'í Faith as the "State Religion of an independent and Sovereign Power".[19]
According to Shoghi Effendi, "The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá'u'lláh, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples. A world executive, backed by an international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system."[20]
In his many scriptures and messages addressed to the most prominent state leaders of his time, Bahá'u'lláh called for world reconciliation, reunification, collective security and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Many of the most fundamental Bahá'í writings address the central issue of world unity, such as the following: "The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens".[21] The World Christian Encyclopedia estimated 7.1 million Bahá'ís in the world in 2000, representing 218 countries.[22]
International Peace Congress [ edit ]
Starting in 1843, International Peace Congresses were held in Europe every two years, but lost their momentum after 1853 due to the renewed outbreak of wars in Europe (Crimea) and North America (American Civil War).
International organizations [ edit ]
International organizations started forming in the late 19th century – the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1863, the Telegraphic Union in 1865 and the Universal Postal Union in 1874. The increase in international trade at the turn of the 20th century accelerated the formation of international organizations, and, by the start of World War I in 1914, there were approximately 450 of them. Support for the idea of establishing international law grew during that period as well. The Institute of International Law was formed in 1873 by the Belgian Jurist Gustave Rolin-Jaequemyns, leading to the creation of concrete legal drafts, for example by the Swiss Johaan Bluntschli in 1866.[citation needed] In 1883, James Lorimer published "The Institutes of the Law of Nations" in which he explored the idea of a world government establishing the global rule of law. The first embryonic world parliament, called the Inter-Parliamentary Union, was organized in 1886 by Cremer and Passy, composed of legislators from many countries. In 1904 the Union formally proposed "an international congress which should meet periodically to discuss international questions".
H. G. Wells [ edit ]
H. G. Wells was a strong proponent of the creation of a world state, arguing that such a state would ensure world peace and justice.[23] In Anticipations (1900), H. G. Wells envisaged that "the great urban region between Chicago and the Atlantic" will unify the English-speaking states, and this larger English-speaking unit, "a New Republic dominating the world", will by the year 2000 become the means "by which the final peace of the world may be assured forever". It will be "a new social Hercules that will strangle the serpents of war and national animosity in his cradle". Such a synthesis "of the peoples now using the English tongue, I regard not only as possible, but as a probable, thing".[24] The New Republic "will already be consciously and pretty freely controlling the general affairs of humanity before this century closes..." Its principles and opinions "must necessarily shape and determine that still ampler future of which the coming hundred years is but the opening phase". The New Republic must ultimately become a "World-State".[25]
League of Nations [ edit ]
The League of Nations (LoN) was an inter-governmental organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920. At its largest size from 28 September 1934 to 23 February 1935, it had 58 members. The League's goals included upholding the Rights of Man, such as the rights of non-whites, women, and soldiers; disarmament, preventing war through collective security, settling disputes between countries through negotiation, diplomacy, and improving global quality of life. The diplomatic philosophy behind the League represented a fundamental shift in thought from the preceding hundred years. The League lacked its own armed force and so depended on the Great Powers to enforce its resolutions and economic sanctions and provide an army, when needed. However, these powers proved reluctant to do so. Lacking many of the key elements necessary to maintain world peace, the League failed to prevent World War II. Hitler withdrew Germany from the League of Nations once he planned to take over Europe. The rest of the Axis powers soon followed him. Having failed its primary goal, the League of Nations fell apart. The League of Nations consisted of the Assembly, the Council, and the Permanent Secretariat. Below these were many agencies. The Assembly was where delegates from all member states conferred. Each country was allowed three representatives and one vote.
World Communism [ edit ]
According to Karl Marx's theory of historical materialism, the capitalist epoch depends on the expansion of competing geopolitical markets across the planet, atomizing the global proletariat and thus sustaining economic disparity and rivalry between markets. Eventually, this will be succeeded by a Socialist epoch in which the working class throughout the world will unite to render national distinctiveness meaningless.
Although world Communism's long-term goal is a worldwide Communist society that is stateless, which would entail an absence of any government, many anti-Communists (especially during the Cold War) have considered it naive to think that the world revolution advocated by international Communists would lead to world domination by a single government or an alliance of several, yielding a de facto world government of a totalitarian nature.
The heyday of international Communism was the period from the end of World War I (the revolutions of 1917–23) through the 1950s, before the Sino-Soviet split.
Halford Mackinder [ edit ]
Anticipating environmental movements for world unity, like Global Scenario Group, and such concepts as the Planetary phase of civilization and Spaceship Earth, British Geographer Sir Halford Mackinder wrote in 1931:
Gradually as the arts of life improved, the forests were cleared and the marshes were drained, and the lesser natural regions were fused into greater. It may perhaps be thought that with the continuance of this process all mankind will be in the end unified … Unless I mistake, it is the message of geography that international cooperation in any future that we need consider must be based on the federal idea. If our civilization is not to go down in blind internecine conflict, there must be a development of world planning out of regional planning, just as regional planning has come from town planning.[26]
Lionel George Curtis [ edit ]
Curtis was a British official and author. He advocated British Empire Federalism[27] and, late in life, a world state. He fought in the Second Boer War with the City Imperial Volunteers and served as secretary to Lord Milner (a position that had also been held by adventure-novelist John Buchan), during which time he dedicated himself to working for a united self-governing South Africa. Following Milner's death in 1925, he became the second leader of Milner's Kindergarten until his own death in 1955. His experience led him to conceptualize his version of a Federal World Government, which became his life work. In pursuit of this goal, he founded (1910) the quarterly Round Table.
Nazi Germany [ edit ]
The ruling Nazi Party of 1933–1945 Germany envisaged the ultimate establishment of a world government under the complete hegemony of the Third Reich.[28] In its move to overthrow the post-World War I Treaty of Versailles Germany had already withdrawn itself from the League of Nations, and it did not intend to join a similar internationalist organization ever again.[29] In his desire and stated political aim of expanding the living space (Lebensraum) of the German people by destroying or driving out "lesser-deserving races" in and from other territories dictator Adolf Hitler may have devised an ideological system of self-perpetuating expansionism, in which the expansion of a state's population would require the conquest of more territory which would, in turn, lead to a further growth in population which would then require even more conquests.[28] In 1927, Rudolf Hess relayed to Walter Hewel Hitler's belief that world peace could only be acquired "when one power, the racially best one, has attained uncontested supremacy". When this control would be achieved, this power could then set up for itself a world police and assure itself "the necessary living space.... The lower races will have to restrict themselves accordingly".[28]
Imperial Japan [ edit ]
During its imperial period (1868–1945), the Japanese elaborated a worldview, "Hakkō ichiu", translated as "eight corners of the world under one roof". This was the idea behind the attempt to establish a Greater Asian Coprosperity Sphere and behind the struggle for world domination.
Atlantic Charter [ edit ]
The Atlantic Charter was a published statement agreed between the United Kingdom and the United States. It was intended as the blueprint for the postwar world after World War II, and turned out to be the foundation for many of the international agreements that currently shape the world. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the post-war independence of British and French possessions, and much more are derived from the Atlantic Charter. The Atlantic charter was made to show the goals of the allied powers during World War II. It first started with the United States and Great Britain, and later all the allies would follow the charter. Some goals include access to raw materials, reduction of trade restrictions, and freedom from fear and wants. The name, The Atlantic Charter, came from a newspaper that coined the title. However, Winston Churchill would use it, and from then on the Atlantic Charter was the official name. In retaliation, the Axis powers would raise their morale and try to work their way into Great Britain. The Atlantic Charter was a stepping stone into the creation of the United Nations.
Harry Truman [ edit ]
U.S. President Harry S. Truman commented: "We must make the United Nations continue to work, and to be a going concern, to see that difficulties between nations may be settled just as we settle difficulties between States here in the United States. When Kansas and Colorado fall out over the waters in the Arkansas River, they don't go to war over it; they go to the Supreme Court of the United States, and the matter is settled in a just and honorable way. There is not a difficulty in the whole world that cannot be settled in exactly the same way in a world court". -- President Truman's remarks in Omaha, Nebraska on June 5, 1948, at the dedication of the War Memorial.[30] The cultural moment of the late 1940s was the peak of World Federalism among Americans.
World Federalist Movement [ edit ]
The years between the conclusion of World War II and 1950, when the Korean War started and the Cold War mindset became dominant in international politics, were the "golden age" of the world federalist movement. Wendell Willkie's book One World, first published in 1943, sold over 2 million copies. In another, Emery Reves' book The Anatomy of Peace (1945) laid out the arguments for replacing the UN with a federal world government and quickly became the "bible" of world federalists. The grassroots world federalist movement in the US, led by people such as Grenville Clark, Norman Cousins, Alan Cranston and Robert Hutchins, organized itself into increasingly larger structures, finally forming, in 1947, the United World Federalists (later renamed to World Federalist Association, then Citizens for Global Solutions), claiming membership of 47,000 in 1949.
Similar movements concurrently formed in many other countries, leading to the formation, at a 1947 meeting in Montreux, Switzerland, of a global coalition, now called World Federalist Movement. By 1950, the movement claimed 56 member groups in 22 countries, with some 156,000 members.
United Nations [ edit ]
World War II (1939–1945) resulted in an unprecedented scale of destruction of lives (over 60 million dead, most of them civilians), and the use of weapons of mass destruction. Some of the acts committed against civilians during the war were on such a massive scale of savagery, they came to be widely considered as crimes against humanity itself. As the war's conclusion drew near, many shocked voices called for the establishment of institutions able to permanently prevent deadly international conflicts. This led to the founding of the United Nations in 1945, which adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Many, however, felt that the UN, essentially a forum for discussion and coordination between sovereign governments, was insufficiently empowered for the task. A number of prominent persons, such as Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Bertrand Russell and Mohandas K. Gandhi, called on governments to proceed further by taking gradual steps towards forming an effectual federal world government. The United Nations main goal is to work on international law, international security, economic development, human rights, social progress, and eventually world peace. The United Nations replaced the League of Nations in 1945, after World War II. Almost every internationally recognized country is in the U.N.; as it contains 193 member states out of the 196 total nations of the world. The United Nations gather regularly in order to solve big problems throughout the world. There are six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. The United Nations is also financed by some of the wealthiest nations. The flag shows the Earth from a map that shows all of the populated continents.
Proposed United Nations Parliamentary Assembly [ edit ]
A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) is a proposed addition to the United Nations System that would allow for participation of member nations' legislators and, eventually, direct election of United Nations (UN) parliament members by citizens worldwide. The idea of a world parliament was raised at the founding of the League of Nations in the 1920s and again following the end of World War II in 1945, but remained dormant throughout the Cold War.[31] In the 1990s and 2000s, the rise of global trade and the power of world organizations that govern it led to calls for a parliamentary assembly to scrutinize their activity. The Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly was formed in 2007 by Democracy Without Borders to coordinate pro-UNPA efforts, which as of January 2019 has received the support of over 1,500 Members of Parliament from over 100 countries worldwide, in addition to numerous non-governmental organizations, Nobel and Right Livelihood laureates and heads or former heads of state or government and foreign ministers.[32]
Garry Davis [ edit ]
In France, 1948, Garry Davis began an unauthorized speech calling for a world government from the balcony of the UN General Assembly, until he was dragged away by the guards. Davis renounced his American citizenship and started a Registry of World Citizens. On September 4, 1953, Davis announced from the city hall of Ellsworth, Maine the formation of the "World Government of World Citizens" based on 3 "World Laws"—One God (or Absolute Value), One World, and One Humanity.[33] Following this declaration, mandated, he claimed, by Article twenty one, Section three of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he formed the United World Service Authority in New York City as the administrative agency of the new government. Its first task was to design and begin selling "World Passports", which the organisation argues is legitimatised by on Article 13, Section 2 of the UDHR.
World Passport [ edit ]
The World Passport is a 45-page document sold by the World Service Authority, a non-profit organization,[34] citing Article 13, Section 2, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. World Passports have allegedly been accepted sporadically by some 174 countries, but no immigration authority has a de facto or de jure policy of acceptance with regards to the document. The latest edition of the World Passport, which has been on sale since January 2007, is an MRD (machine readable document) with an alphanumeric code bar enabling computer input plus an embedded "ghost" photo for security, printing overcovered with a plastic film. The document is in 7 languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Simplified Chinese and Esperanto. Two covers are available: "World Passport", and "World Government Passport" (for registered World Citizens), ("passport" is in 7 languages on both covers). Other documents sold by the WSA include a World Birth Certificate, a World Political Asylum Card, a World Marriage Certificate, and a World Identity Card. Each page within the document is numbered and each page has the World Citizen logo in the background. There are two pages for affiliation with companies, organizations, and firms. There are nineteen visa pages in the document. On the back cover there are spaces for personal information such as a person's home address.
Legal Realism (1954) [ edit ]
Legal anthropologist E. Adamson Hoebel concluded his treatise on broadening the legal realist tradition to include non-Western nations:[35] "Whatever the idealist may desire, force and the threat of force are the ultimate power in the determination of international behavior, as in the law within the nation or tribe. But until force and the threat of force in international relations are brought under social control by the world community, by and for the world society, they remain the instruments of social anarchy and not the sanctions of world law. The creation in clear-cut terms of the corpus of world law cries for the doing. If world law, however, is to be realized at all, there will have to be minimum of general agreement as to the nature of the physical and ideational world and the relation of men in society to it. An important and valuable next step will be found in deep-cutting analysis of the major law systems of the contemporary world in order to lay bare their basic postulates – postulates that are too generally hidden; postulates felt, perhaps, by those who live by them, but so much taken for granted that they are rarely expressed or exposed for examination. When this is done – and it will take the efforts of many keen intellects steeped in the law of at least a dozen lands and also aware of the social nexus of the law – then mankind will be able to see clearly for the first time and clearly where the common consensus of the great living social and law systems lies. Here will be found the common postulates and values upon which the world community can build. At the same time the truly basic points of conflict that will have to be worked upon for resolution will be revealed. Law is inherently purposive".
End of the Cold War (1992) [ edit ]
While enthusiasm for multinational federalism in Europe incrementally led, over the following decades, to the formation of the European Union, the onset of the Cold War (1945–1992) eliminated the prospects of any progress towards federation with a more global scope. The movement quickly shrank in size to a much smaller core of activists, and the world government idea all but disappeared from wide public discourse.
Following the end of the Cold War in 1992, interest in a federal world government and, more generally, in the global protection of human rights, was renewed. The most visible achievement of the world federalism movement during the 1990s is the Rome Statute of 1998, which led to the establishment of the International Criminal Court in 2002. In Europe, progress towards forming a federal union of European states gained much momentum, starting in 1952 as a trade deal between the German and French people led, in 1992, to the Maastricht Treaty that established the name and enlarged the agreement that the European Union (EU) is based upon. The EU expanded (1995, 2004, 2007, 2013) to encompass, in 2013, over half a billion people in 28 member states. Following the EU's example, the African Union was founded in 2002 and the Union of South American Nations in 2008.
Current global governance system [ edit ]
As of 2019 , there is no functioning global international military, executive, legislature, judiciary, or constitution with jurisdiction over the entire planet.
The Earth is divided geographically and demographically into mutually exclusive territories and political structures called states which are independent and sovereign in most cases. There are numerous bodies, institutions, unions, coalitions, agreements and contracts between these units of authority, but, except in cases where a nation is under military occupation by another, all such arrangements depend on the continued consent of the participant nations.[citation needed] Countries that violate or do not enforce international laws may be subject to penalty or coercion often in the form of economic limitations such as embargo by cooperating countries, even if the violating country is not part of the United Nations. In this way a countries cooperation in international affairs is voluntary, but non-cooperation still has diplomatic consequences.
Among the voluntary organizations and international arrangements are:
In addition to the formal, or semi-formal, international organizations and laws mentioned above, many other mechanisms act to regulate human activities across national borders. In particular, international trade in goods, services and currencies (the "global market") has a tremendous impact on the lives of people in almost all parts of the world, creating deep interdependency amongst nations (see globalization). Trans-national (or multi-national) corporations, some with resources exceeding those available to most governments, govern activities of people on a global scale. The rapid increase in the volume of trans-border digital communications and mass-media distribution (e.g., Internet, satellite television) has allowed information, ideas, and opinions to rapidly spread across the world, creating a complex web of international coordination and influence, mostly outside the control of any formal organizations or laws. A proactive form of globalization is emerging, spawned by international corporations that wish to loosen trade restrictions. It is the global financial firms that have been the most eager proponents of this expansion. A group of advocates from different parts of the world had been pushing for an integrated global society as envisioned in the Globalist Manifesto which is the foundation of globalism ideology.[38]
Existing regional unions of nations [ edit ]
The only union generally recognized as having achieved the status of a supranational union is the European Union.[39]
There are a number of other regional organizations that, while not supranational unions, have adopted or intend to adopt policies that may lead to a similar sort of integration in some respects.
Other organisations that have also discussed greater integration include:
European Union [ edit ]
The most relevant model[peacock term] for the incremental establishment of a global federation may be the European Union (EU), which politically unites a large group of widely diverse (and some formerly hostile) nations spread over a large geographical area and encompassing over 500 million people. Although the EU is still evolving, it already has many attributes of a federal government such as open internal borders, a directly elected parliament, a court system, an official currency (Euro), and a centralized economic policy. A treaty change would be needed to allow for enlargement of the Union beyond the European continent.[40]
The EU's example is being followed by the African Union, the Union of South American Nations, the Organization of Central American States, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. A multitude of regional associations, aggregating most nations of the world, are at different stages of development towards a growing extent of economic, and sometimes political, integration. The European Union consists of twenty-eight European states. It has developed a "single market" which allows people of different countries to travel from state to state without a passport. This also includes the same policies when it comes to trading. The European Union is said to have 26% of the world's money. Not all EU member states use the Euro; the United Kingdom (which is planning to leave the European Union in March 2019) for example, retains the pound sterling. Where the Euro is in place, it allows easy access for the free circulation of trade goods. Tariffs are also the same for each country allowing no unfair practices within the union.
NATO [ edit ]
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. NATO's headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium, one of the 28 member states across North America and Europe, the newest of which, Albania and Croatia, joined in April 2009. An additional 22 countries participate in NATO's "Partnership for Peace", with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programs. The combined military spending of all NATO members constitutes over 70% of the world's defence spending.[41]
CARICOM [ edit ]
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), is an organization of 15 Caribbean nations and dependencies. CARICOM's main purpose is to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared and to coordinate foreign policy. Its major activities involve coordinating economic policies and development planning; devising and instituting special projects for the less-developed countries within its jurisdiction; operating as a regional single market for many of its members CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME); and handling regional trade disputes.
Since the establishment of CARICOM by the mainly English Creole-speaking parts of the Caribbean region CARICOM has become multilingual in practice with the addition of Dutch speaking Suriname on 4 July 1995 (although the lingua franca in Suriname is Sranan Tongo, which is an English-based Creole like the languages spoken in much of the rest of CARICOM) and Haiti, where French and Haitian Creole are spoken, on 2 July 2002. In 2001, the heads of government signed a Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas in Trinidad and Tobago, clearing the way for the transformation of the idea for a Common Market aspect of CARICOM into instead a Caribbean Single Market and Economy. Part of the revised treaty among member states includes the establishment and implementation of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
African Union [ edit ]
The African Union (AU) is an organisation consisting of all the 55 African states of the continent and African waters. Established on July 9, 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the amalgamated African Economic Community (AEC) and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). Eventually, the AU aims to have a single currency and a single integrated defence force, as well as other institutions of state, including a cabinet for the AU Head of State.[citation needed] The purpose of the union is to help secure Africa's democracy, human rights, and a sustainable economy, especially by bringing an end to intra-African conflict and creating an effective common market.
Projects for improved economic and political cooperation are also happening at a regional level with the Arab Maghreb Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the Economic Community of Central African States the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community.
ASEAN [ edit ]
ASEAN ( AH-see-ahn), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on August 8, 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand[42] as a display of solidarity against communist expansion in Vietnam and insurgency within their own borders. Its claimed aims include the acceleration of economic growth, social progress, cultural development among its members, and the promotion of regional peace.[43] All members later founded the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, which aims to unite the entire continent.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation [ edit ]
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization which was founded on June 14, 2001 by the leaders of the People's Republic of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Except for Uzbekistan, these countries had been members of the Shanghai Five; after the inclusion of Uzbekistan in 2001, the members renamed the organization.
Commonwealth of Independent States [ edit ]
Map of CIS nations and observers
The Commonwealth of Independent States is comparable to a confederation similar to the original European Community. Although the CIS has few supranational powers, it is more than a purely symbolic organization, possessing coordinating powers in the realm of trade, finance, lawmaking, and security. It has also promoted cooperation on democratization and cross-border crime prevention. As a regional organization, CIS participates in UN peacekeeping forces.[44] Some of the members of the CIS have established the Eurasian Economic Community with the aim of creating a full-fledged common market.
Arab League [ edit ]
The Arab League is a regional organization of Arab states in Southwest Asia, and North and Northeast Africa. It was formed in Cairo on March 22, 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (renamed Jordan after 1946), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a member on May 5, 1945. The Arab League currently has 22 members, which also include, Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. It has also been proposed to reform the Arab League into an Arab Union. The Arab League currently is the most important organization in the region.[citation needed]
Union of South American Nations [ edit ]
The Union of South American Nations, modeled on the European Union, was founded between 2006 and 2008. It incorporates all the independent states of South America. These states are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation [ edit ]
Map of SAARC members
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an economic and political organization of eight countries in Southern Asia. In terms of population, its sphere of influence is the largest of any regional organization: almost 1.5 billion people, the combined population of its member states. It was established on December 8, 1985 by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan. In April 2007, at the Association's 14th summit, Afghanistan became its eighth member.
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation [ edit ]
Map of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation members (green) and observers (red)
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is an international organisation with a permanent delegation to the United Nations. It groups 57 member states, from the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, Caucasus, Balkans, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The organization claims it represents the Global Islamic World (ummah).[45] The official languages of the organisation are Arabic, English and French.
Since the 19th century, many Muslims have aspired to uniting the Muslim ummah to serve their common political, economic and social interests. Despite the presence of secularist, nationalist and socialist ideologies in modern Muslim states, they have cooperated to form the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The formation of the OIC happened in the backdrop of the loss of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem. The final cause sufficiently compelled leaders of Muslim nations to meet in Rabat to establish the OIC on September 25, 1969.[46][neutrality is disputed]
According to its charter, the OIC aims to preserve Islamic social and economic values; promote solidarity amongst member states; increase cooperation in social, economic, cultural, scientific, and political areas; uphold international peace and security; and advance education, particularly in the fields of science and technology.[46]
On August 5, 1990, 45 foreign ministers of the OIC adopted the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam to serve as a guidance for the member states in the matters of human rights in as much as they are compatible with the Sharia, or Quranic Law.[47]
Turkic Council [ edit ]
The Turkic Council is an international organization comprising Turkic countries. Since 1992, the Turkic Language Speaking Countries Summit has been organizing amongst the Turkic countries. On October 3, 2009, four of these countries signed the Nahcivan Agreement. The organizational center is İstanbul. Additionally, the Joint Administration of Turkic Arts and Culture was founded in Almaty in 1992 and the Turkic Countries Parliamentarian Assembly was founded in Baku in 1998. All of these organizations were coopted into the Turkic Council. The Turkic Council has an operational style similar to organization like the Arab League. The member countries are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. The remaining two Turkic states, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are not currently official members of the council. However, due to their neutral stance, they participate in international relations and are strongly predicted to be future members of the council. The idea of setting up this cooperative council was first put forward by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev back in 2006.
See also [ edit ]
Resources [ edit ]
Published works [ edit ]
Organizations [ edit ]
The World Federalist Movement (WFM) is a global citizens movement with 23 member and 16 associated organizations around the globe working towards the establishment of a federated world government. The U.S. member organization is Citizens for Global Solutions, and the Canadian organization is World Federalist Movement - Canada
The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is a well-funded research and education center in Canada dedicated to the subject. It is preparing to launch IGLOO: "a global online research community focused solely on strengthening governance around the world".
One World Trust (OWT) is a charity based in the United Kingdom and member of the World Federalist Movement. Its current work aims to promote reforms of existing global organizations leading to greater accountability.
Civitatis International is a non-governmental organization based in the United Kingdom that produces legal research promoting increased systems of global governance to policymakers.
The Committee for a Democratic UN is a network of parliamentarians and non-governmental organizations from Germany, Switzerland and Austria which is based on world federalist philosophy.
Democratic World Federalists is a San-Francisco-based civil society organization with supporters worldwide, advocates a democratic federal system of world government.
The World Government of World Citizens, founded September 4, 1953 in Ellsworth, ME, by former Broadway actor and WWII bomber pilot Garry Davis following the registering of 750,000 individuals worldwide as World Citizens by the International Registry of World Citizens, headquartered in Paris, January 1, 1949. Its main office is in Washington, DC.
The World Constitution and Parliament Association (WCPA), created in 1958 to promote democratic world government. During the next 33 years the WCPA held four Global Constituent Assemblies centered around creating a Constitution for the Federation of Earth.
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ] |
Natural number
1,000,000,000 (one billion, short scale; one thousand million or milliard, yard,[1] long scale) is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001. One billion can also be written as b or bn.[2][3]
In scientific notation, it is written as 1 × 109. The metric prefix giga indicates 1,000,000,000 times the base unit. Its symbol is G.
One billion years may be called eon/aeon in astronomy or geology.
Previously in British English (but not in American English), the word "billion" referred exclusively to a million millions (1,000,000,000,000). However, this is no longer common, and the word has been used to mean one thousand million (1,000,000,000) for several decades.[4]
The term milliard can also be used to refer to 1,000,000,000; whereas "milliard" is seldom used in English,[5] variations on this name often appear in other languages.
In the South Asian numbering system, it is known as 100 crore or 1 arab.
Visualization of powers of ten from one to 1 billion
Sense of scale [ edit ]
The facts below give a sense of how large 1,000,000,000 (109) is in the context of time according to current scientific evidence:
Time [ edit ]
10 9 seconds is 114 days short of 32 calendar years (≈ 31.7 years).
seconds is 114 days short of 32 calendar years (≈ 31.7 years). More precisely, a billion seconds is exactly 31 years, 8 months, 2 weeks, 1 day, 17 hours, 46 minutes, and 40 seconds.
About 10 9 minutes ago, the Roman Empire was flourishing and Christianity was emerging. (10 9 minutes is roughly 1,901 years.)
minutes ago, the Roman Empire was flourishing and Christianity was emerging. (10 minutes is roughly 1,901 years.) About 10 9 hours ago, modern human beings and their ancestors were living in the Stone Age (more precisely, the Middle Paleolithic). (10 9 hours is roughly 114,080 years.)
hours ago, modern human beings and their ancestors were living in the Stone Age (more precisely, the Middle Paleolithic). (10 hours is roughly 114,080 years.) About 10 9 days ago, Australopithecus , an ape-like creature related to an ancestor of modern humans, roamed the African savannas. (10 9 days is roughly 2.738 million years.)
days ago, , an ape-like creature related to an ancestor of modern humans, roamed the African savannas. (10 days is roughly years.) About 10 9 months ago, dinosaurs walked the Earth during the late Cretaceous. (10 9 months is roughly 83.3 million years.)
months ago, dinosaurs walked the Earth during the late Cretaceous. (10 months is roughly years.) About 10 9 years—a gigaannus—ago, the first multicellular eukaryotes appeared on Earth.
years—a gigaannus—ago, the first multicellular eukaryotes appeared on Earth. About 10 9 decades ago, galaxies began to appear in the early Universe which was then 3.799 billion years old. (10 9 decades is roughly 10 billion years.)
decades ago, galaxies began to appear in the early Universe which was then 3.799 billion years old. (10 decades is roughly years.) It takes approximately 95 years to count from one to one billion in a single sitting. [6]
The universe is thought to be about 13.8 × 109 years old.[7]
Distance [ edit ]
10 9 inches is 15,783 miles (25,400 km), more than halfway around the world and thus sufficient to reach any point on the globe from any other point.
inches is 15,783 miles (25,400 km), more than halfway around the world and thus sufficient to reach any point on the globe from any other point. 10 9 metres (called a gigametre) is almost three times the distance from the Earth to the Moon.
metres (called a gigametre) is almost three times the distance from the Earth to the Moon. 109 kilometres (called a terameter) is over six times the distance from the Earth to the Sun.
Area [ edit ]
A billion square inches would be a square about one half mile on a side.
A piece of finely woven bed sheet cloth that contained a billion holes would measure about 500 square feet (46 m2), large enough to cover a moderate sized apartment.
Volume [ edit ]
There are a billion cubic millimetres in a cubic metre and there are a billion cubic metres in a cubic kilometre.
A billion grains of table salt or granulated sugar would occupy a volume of about 2.5 cubic feet (0.071 m 3 ).
). A billion cubic inches would be a volume comparable to a large commercial building slightly larger than a typical supermarket.
Weight [ edit ]
Any object that weighs one billion kilograms (2.2 × 10 9 lb) would weigh about as much as 5,525 empty Boeing 747-400s.
10 lb) would weigh about as much as 5,525 empty Boeing 747-400s. A cube of iron that weighs one billion pounds (450,000,000 kg) would be 1,521 feet 4 inches (0.28813 mi; 463.70 m) on each side.
Products [ edit ]
As of July 2016, Apple has sold one billion iPhones. [8] This makes the iPhone one of the most successful product lines in history, surpassing the PlayStation and the Rubik's Cube.
This makes the iPhone one of the most successful product lines in history, surpassing the PlayStation and the Rubik's Cube. As of July 2016, Facebook has 1.71 billion users.[9]
Nature [ edit ]
A small mountain, slightly larger than Stone Mountain in Georgia, United States, would weigh (have a mass of) a billion tons.
There are billions of worker ants in the largest ant colony in the world, [10] which covers almost 4,000 miles (6,400 km) of the Mediterranean coast.
which covers almost 4,000 miles (6,400 km) of the Mediterranean coast. In 1804, the world population was one billion.
Count [ edit ]
A is a cube; B consists of 1000 cubes the size of cube A, C consists of 1000 cubes the size of cube B; and D consists of 1000 cubes the size of cube C. Thus there are 1 million A-sized cubes in C; and 1,000,000,000 A-sized cubes in D.
Selected 10-digit numbers (1,000,000,001–9,999,999,999) [ edit ]
1,000,000,001 to 1,999,999,999 [ edit ]
2,000,000,000 to 2,999,999,999 [ edit ]
2,038,074,743 – 100,000,000th prime number
– 100,000,000th prime number 2,147,483,647 – 8th Mersenne prime and the largest signed 32-bit integer.
– 8th Mersenne prime and the largest signed 32-bit integer. 2,147,483,648 – 2 31
– 2 2,176,782,336 – 6 12
– 6 2,214,502,422 – 6th primary pseudoperfect number. [18]
– 6th primary pseudoperfect number. 2,357,947,691 – 11 9
– 11 2,562,890,625 – 15 8
– 15 2,971,215,073 – 11th Fibonacci prime (47th Fibonacci number).
3,000,000,000 to 3,999,999,999 [ edit ]
3,166,815,962 – 26th Pell number. [15]
– 26th Pell number. 3,192,727,797 – 24th Motzkin number. [14]
– 24th Motzkin number. 3,323,236,238 – 31st Wedderburn–Etherington number. [17]
– 31st Wedderburn–Etherington number. 3,405,691,582 – hexadecimal CAFEBABE; used as a placeholder in programming.
– hexadecimal CAFEBABE; used as a placeholder in programming. 3,405,697,037 – hexadecimal CAFED00D; used as a placeholder in programming.
– hexadecimal CAFED00D; used as a placeholder in programming. 3,735,928,559 – hexadecimal DEADBEEF; used as a placeholder in programming.
– hexadecimal DEADBEEF; used as a placeholder in programming. 3,486,784,401 – 320
4,000,000,000 to 4,999,999,999 [ edit ]
5,000,000,000 to 5,999,999,999 [ edit ]
5,159,780,352 – 12 9
– 12 5,354,228,880 – superior highly composite number, smallest number divisible by all the numbers 1 through 24
– superior highly composite number, smallest number divisible by all the numbers 1 through 24 5,784,634,181 – 13th alternating factorial.[19]
6,000,000,000 to 6,999,999,999 [ edit ]
7,000,000,000 to 7,999,999,999 [ edit ]
7,645,370,045 – 27th Pell number. [15]
– 27th Pell number. 7,778,742,049 – 49th Fibonacci number.
– 49th Fibonacci number. 7,862,958,391 – 32nd Wedderburn–Etherington number.[17]
8,000,000,000 to 8,999,999,999 [ edit ]
8,589,869,056 – 6th perfect number. [22]
– 6th perfect number. 8,589,934,592 – 233
9,000,000,000 to 9,999,999,999 [ edit ] |
Ontario’s police watchdog is appealing to the public for help after a two-car crash Friday night in the city’s east end.
The Special Investigations Unit is asking for witnesses after police stopped a vehicle at the intersection of Third Street and Culver Drive.
As the officer approached the vehicle on foot, the driver drove away on Culver Drive, the SIU said in a statement Monday.
The officer entered the cruiser and went in the same direction.
Shortly after the stop, the vehicle was involved in a crash with another car near Culver Drive and Culver Place.
A 30-year-old passenger in the vehicle that had initially been stopped by police was taken to hospital with injuries.
London police have charged one 32-year-old man with impaired driving cause bodily harm, flight causing bodily harm while pursued by a peace officer, failing to comply with recognizance, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm, and driving while disqualified.
The SIU has assigned two investigators to this incident and is urging anyone who may have information to call 1-800-787-8529.
The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
[email protected]
Twitter.com/JenatLFPress |
Oh, Snap! NASA Promises Best Photo Yet Of Faraway Pluto
The Hubble Space Telescope has produced this fuzzy view of Pluto.
Humanity has snapped detailed portraits of planets and moons throughout our solar system. But there's one missing from the album: Pluto.
Although Pluto was discovered in 1930, it has remained stubbornly hard to photograph. The Hubble Space Telescope has taken the best pictures, and frankly, they stink.
"They can just barely resolve Pluto in the distance just a few pixels across," says Alan Stern, an associate vice president at the Southwest Research Institute in Texas.
Our hazy view of Pluto is about to change. Over the weekend, a NASA probe that is overseen by Stern from Earth awoke from a state of hibernation. After nearly a decade in space and 3 billion miles, the New Horizons spacecraft has one primary job: Get a better picture of Pluto.
Enlarge this image toggle caption JHUAPL/SwR JHUAPL/SwR
Scientists don't know what New Horizons will see, Stern says. Even in the fuzzy Hubble photos it's clear that Pluto has lots of variation on its surface.
"We expect to find craters, perhaps mountain ranges," Stern notes. "It's even possible there could be liquids on the surface."
There has never been a better time to visit Pluto. For decades, scientists thought it was an outlier, a strange critter lurking at the edge of the solar system. But starting in the 1990s, researchers realized that Pluto isn't a misfit. Other little planets are hiding in the shadows. They're called dwarf planets, and they're actually more common than the planets we've heard of.
"Pluto and its brethren are the most populous class of planets in our solar system," Stern says.
New Horizons is expected to get its first glimpse of Pluto in January. Its course will take it within just a few thousand miles of the surface in July. At those distances, the spacecraft should be able to deliver stunning views of Pluto, even in the faint twilight of deep space. |
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When Zappos went mobile, they faced the challenge of bringing its “WOW philosophy” to the mobile environment. From the start, Zappos has been differentiated by a unique approach to customer success. This approach has made Zappos a massive success story, with a base of loyal (and vocal) customers. Here are some of the challenges Zappos faced when launching apps (now for the iPhone, iPad and Tablet) and how they were overcome.
To start with, Zappos mobile customers had pretty different needs (from Zappos.com customers)
A lot of problems were technical, the users’ context was different (home vs. office vs. on the go), and customers expressed happiness/dissatisfaction everywhere they could. To adapt, Zappos adopted a blended approach, including
a dedicated mobile support team (called the MobSki team), trained to handle the more technical queries related to the app(s)
offsetting account and transaction related mobile support traffic to the customer service team at large, and
using the MobSki team as a liaison between mobile customers, the larger support organization, and the mobile development team(s).
In addition, Zappos covered all possible channels. They went where the customers were, so a caring human was only ever a few clicks away. These channels include:
email
a link to a customer support area/FAQ inside the app(s)
direct phone numbers (mobile users can click to call, while tablet users can reference these)
in-app live chat
a dedicated twitter handle (more on this later) at: https://twitter.com/Zappos_Mobile
paying attention to issues flagged in the iTunes & Google Play reviews
To date, most of the MobSki team’s support traffic is technical: related to app specific, OS specific or device specific issues such as crashes or bugs. As a result, Zappos makes sure to put this context front and center wherever possible:
Email:
Email Best Practices:
Context about the device, OS, and app version are included in all support emails. The MobSki team uses this context, along with a variety of iPhones, iPads, and Android phones and tablets (kept on hand in varying form factors and OS versions) to quickly replicate problems before deciding what comes next.
In-App Mobile/Tablet chat (iOS only for now), & Voice
The chat system used in Zappos’ apps (shown above) also reports App version, OS and device specific info (which is not visible to the end user/customer).
Social Media
The mobile team also runs @Zappos_mobile as a dedicated twitter handle. They use this to engage customers directly, reply to tweets about the Zappos apps, and to direct customers to the other channels (where necessary). For example:
(Twitter handles blurred out to protect users’ privacy)
Between all these, Zappos Mobile team has every channel covered. Email, Chat, and telephone as captive, private channels, and social media and the review/ratings sections of app stores as public channels.
The Mobski Team brings it all together
Organization
Team members rotate into MobSki every 6 months. On MobSki, they’re trained in the specifics of supporting an app. Afterwards, they rotate back to the general customer service group at Zappos, bringing their mobile specific skills back to the larger organization.
Training and Liaison Role
The MobSki team has multiple roles:
Liaison: weekly meetings with the engineering team to discuss upcoming features/releases, as well as any high profile bug fixes
Debugging Support: learning how to read crash code and crash logs, and for example learning to separate app crashes from OS crashes
QA: contributing bug/error tracking tickets where necessary around newly discovered or frequently occurring crashes (the internal bug tracking system used at Zappos)
“Mobski also provides valuable customer feedback about existing and future features. We love to hear customer feedback about our apps and have added many features based on customer suggestions. In addition to Mobski’s communications, we obtain suggestions through user reviews, customer surveys that are available on the apps. We also like to know what features everyone likes. That’s just as important. ”
- Vincent Calderaro, Zappos Mobile Team
Going Above and Beyond
The Zappos mobile team also were generous enough to share some stories of how they go above and beyond to WOW customers. One story:
During the 2012 Holiday season, Vince (Zappos Mobile Team), shared a couple dozen $25 Zappos gift cards with the MobSki team. The team then gave these out to engaged Zappos customer via Twitter. Customers interacting with the app and tweeting about a product would unexpectedly find themselves on the receiving end of a gift card:
(Twitter handles blurred out to protect users’ privacy)
These interactions were tweeted (and retweeted) by grateful Zappos customers, sometimes to thousands of followers, who were becoming brand ambassadors for the app. In the words of Jim, Mobski Team Lead:
“Getting the word out about our app was definitely worth whatever amount of money we spent on the gift cards“
Jim Green, MobSki team lead
The development team also makes sure to have fun and craft a unique, personable experience for users. From Vince:
“We use cats on the iOS platform so when you add something to your favorites or cart, a cat flys down from the top of the screen to the shopping cart. There are some other easter egg features hidden throughout the app as well. “
Future releases (starting in the next few weeks) will include the largest Android release (including a redesign and new features) to date, as well as custom theming options for the iOS apps built around cats and dogs.
Actionable Items & Best Practices
Making your support team a little bit technical will save developer time:
Train your support/community team to read crash reports/logs. If they can identify bugs vs OS problems vs. Device problems, they’ll solve customer problems more quickly and communicate with your engineering team more easily, saving developer time.
Suggestion: Use a crash reporting service, of which there are several, and give your support & community team access.
Automate context - you’ll more easily replicate problems:
Embed relevant technical information (about the App version/OS/Device) into your user interactions. Again, this will help them replicate problems more quickly, which will save time.
Suggestion: include the details in your feedback form or email, or use a mobile support service (a live chat provider in Zappos’ case) which includes this context by default.
Meet your users where they are
By watching every channel (email, voice, chat, social media, appstore) Zappos mobile team sees user issues whenever they arise.
Suggestion: One potential way to do this would be to respond publicly (via Facebook or Twitter) to problems/issues flagged in the reviews and ratings sections of the various app stores.
Use social media creatively
This should be self explanatory :)
- -
This case study comes from an interview with Jim and Sean on the Zappos mobile support team. Our thanks to James and Jim from the Customer Loyalty team, and to the rest of the Zappos team without whom this would not have been possible.
Disclosure: Zappos uses Live Chat in the mobile apps, but isn’t a customer of Hipmob :( We’re producing this case study to share some of Zappos lessons learned and best practices with our audience and the mobile community at large. The author is CEO of Hipmob, a technology company that provides live chat, and other tools that help retailers communicate with and support mobile customers.
HackerNews Discussion Here |
An overnight fire is being called arson.The fire was reported at the Young Urban Jazz Cafe near Fond du Lac Avenue and Cypress Street around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.VIDEO: Jazz club owner questions why his business would have been targetedThe business was also the scene of a homicide just a few days ago.Joseph Gregory, 45, was shot and killed outside of the building Sunday night. Detectives are still searching for the shooter in that case.Investigators believe the fire was intentionally set. The club's owner is upset by the events."We're trying to keep musicians working right here in Milwaukee," said owner Don Lewis. "We're trying to do everything we can to keep the music alive."Lewis, a jazz trumpeter, has owned and operated the building as a grocery store since the 1980s. In February, he fulfilled a dream by opening the Young Urban Jazz Cafe in the space.He said recent events may have set back his dream a bit, but he pledged that it will not die."This is what we do," he said. "This is what we were trying to preserve in Milwaukee. Keep the music alive."Lewis said no one was in the club at the time of the fire, and no one was injured. The case remains under investigation.9737608
An overnight fire is being called arson.
The fire was reported at the Young Urban Jazz Cafe near Fond du Lac Avenue and Cypress Street around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Advertisement Related Content Missing man found dead in Milwaukee
VIDEO: Jazz club owner questions why his business would have been targeted
The business was also the scene of a homicide just a few days ago.
Joseph Gregory, 45, was shot and killed outside of the building Sunday night. Detectives are still searching for the shooter in that case.
Investigators believe the fire was intentionally set. The club's owner is upset by the events.
"We're trying to keep musicians working right here in Milwaukee," said owner Don Lewis. "We're trying to do everything we can to keep the music alive."
Lewis, a jazz trumpeter, has owned and operated the building as a grocery store since the 1980s. In February, he fulfilled a dream by opening the Young Urban Jazz Cafe in the space.
He said recent events may have set back his dream a bit, but he pledged that it will not die.
"This is what we do," he said. "This is what we were trying to preserve in Milwaukee. Keep the music alive."
Lewis said no one was in the club at the time of the fire, and no one was injured. The case remains under investigation.
AlertMe |
After eight years serving the U.S. Army Special Forces, Sergeant Chris Vaughn returns to his hometown seeking for a job in the local mill. He is informed by Sheriff Stan Watkins that the mill was closed three years ago and now the Wild Cherry Casino, owned by his former high school friend Jay Hamilton, is the major source of jobs and income to the town. Chris goes home, and meets his best-friend Ray Templeton, who organized a football game with their friends. After the game, Jay invites Chris and his friends to spend the night in his casino on him, but when Chris finds that the casino crabs dealer is cheating with loaded dice, he fights against the security men and is almost killed by them. When his nephew Pete overdosed on crystal meth sold by the security men at the casino, Chris realizes that the town is dominated by the mobsters and the corrupt sheriff and with a huge piece of wood, he breaks the casino and the criminals. He is prosecuted and in the trial, he promises to the jury ... Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
Atmospheric oxygen really took off on our planet about 2.4 billion years ago during the Great Oxygenation Event. At this key juncture of our planet's evolution, species had either to learn to cope with this poison that was produced by photosynthesizing cyanobacteria or they went extinct. It now seems strange to think that the gas that sustains much of modern life had such a distasteful beginning.
So how and when did the ability to produce oxygen by harnessing sunlight enter the eukaryotic domain, that includes humans, plants, and most recognizable, multicellular life forms? One of the fundamental steps in the evolution of our planet was the development of photosynthesis in eukaryotes through the process of endosymbiosis.
This crucial step forward occurred about 1.6 billion years ago when a single-celled protist captured and retained a formerly free-living cyanobacterium. This process, termed primary endosymbiosis, gave rise to the plastid, which is the specialized compartment where photosynthesis takes place in cells. Endosymbiosis is now a well substantiated theory that explains how cells gained their great complexity and was made famous most recently by the work of the late biologist Lynn Margulis, best known for her theory on the origin of eukaryotic organelles.
In a paper "Cyanophora paradoxa genome elucidates origin of photosynthesis in algae and plants" that appeared this week in the journal Science, an international team led by evolutionary biologist and Rutgers University professor Debashish Bhattacharya has shed light on the early events leading to photosynthesis, the result of the sequencing of 70 million base pair nuclear genome of the one-celled alga Cyanophora.
In the world of plants, "Cyanophora is the equivalent to the lung fish, in that it maintains some primitive characteristics that make it an ideal candidate for genome sequencing," said Bhattacharya.
Bhattacharya and colleagues consider this study "the final piece of the puzzle to understand the origin of photosynthesis in eukaryotes." Basic understanding of much of the subsequent evolution of eukaryotes, including the rise of plants and animals, is emerging from the sequencing of the Cyanophora paradoxa genome, a function-rich species that retains much of the ancestral gene diversity shared by algae and plants.
For those unfamiliar with algae, they include the ubiquitious diatoms that are some of the most prodigious primary producers on our planet, accounting for up to 40% of the annual fixed carbon in the marine environment.
Bhattacharya leads the Rutgers Genome Cooperative that has spread the use of genome methods among university faculty. Using data generated by the Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx in his lab, Bhattacharya, his lab members Dana C. Price, Cheong Xin Chan, Jeferson Gross, Divino Rajah and collaborators from the U.S., Europe and Canada provided conclusive evidence that all plastids trace their origin to a single primary endosymbiosis.
Now that the blueprint of eukaryotic photosynthesis has come more clearly in sight, researchers will be able to figure out not only what unites all algae as plants but also what key features make them different from each other and the genes underlying these functions. |
Key Information
Polling Location
Arizona has closed primaries — Arizonans must register as a Democrat to vote for Bernie!
You must have been registered to vote by Monday, February 22nd in Arizona.
All Arizona polls are open from 6AM-7PM.
ID Requirement
Arizonans must present a photo ID and proof of current address in order to vote. Learn more about acceptable ID documents here.
Early Voting
Arizonans can vote for Bernie Sanders before the March 22 presidential preference election, either in person or by mail-in absentee ballot, beginning February 24, 2016. Check with your local elections office to learn more about early in-person or mail-in voting.
College Students If you are a college student not living in your home state, you can vote for Bernie in either your home state or in the state in which you are attending school!
Military/Overseas Voters If you are a military voter or a United States citizen living abroad, you are able to request a ballot here.
More Information If you have any questions about voting in Arizona you may contact your state elections office for more information. Arizona Elections Office
Phone: (602) 542-2228 |
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett wasted little time revealing whether he'd join his team when it visits the White House to be honored by President Donald Trump for its thrilling come-from-behind victory in Super Bowl LI.
Bennett told reporters following New England's win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday that he will decline the invite from President Trump, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.
The Patriots have been linked with Trump more so than any other sports franchise in the United States. On Wednesday, the New York Times' Mark Leibovich reported on the various connections between Trump and New England team owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick and star quarterback Tom Brady.
The president gave a shoutout to all three after the Super Bowl:
Bennett played down any ideological differences he and his teammates might share.
"You just don't bring that to work," he said, per George. "We all have our beliefs. We accept people for who they are."
Bennett's decision to skip the White House visit doesn't come as a surprise. During Super Bowl opening night on Monday, he told reporters he was on the fence, adding that he didn't "support the guy that's in the house," per NJ Advance Media's Matt Lombardo.
Bennett wouldn't be the first Patriots star to turn down the opportunity to see the president. Following the Patriots' Super Bowl XLIX victory, Brady decided not to attend the team's White House ceremony, citing a family commitment, per ESPN.com's Mike Reiss. |
A man is charged with attempted murder and a raft of firearms offenses after helping fend off home invaders, one of whom he’s now charged with shooting, according to the Chronicle Herald.
Kyle Earl Munroe was arrested on July 12 after police responded to a report of a home invasion involving firearms.
Police said that three men entered the residence with guns and a struggle took place with two men inside. The two who were in the house seized a firearm from one of the invaders and shot a suspect as he ran away. The suspect does not have life-threatening injuries.
When you read the next paragraph, keep in mind that the gun belonged to the criminals [allegedly].
Munroe faces charges of attempted murder, intent to discharge a firearm, intent to discharge a firearm when being reckless, careless use of a firearm, improper storage of a firearm, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm knowing that possession is unauthorized, and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Munroe is banned from any contact with two named individuals, must attend court as ordered, keep the peace and be of good behaviour, not leave his residence except for essential activities such as work or medical appointments, remain in Nova Scotia, not consume drugs or alcohol, not possess a cellphone or pager, have no weapons, and answer the door to police when they check at his home.
Munroe is due back in Dartmouth Provincial Court on Aug. 22 for election and plea.
There is a Canadian Patriots’ Facebook page with comments about the story.
One person wrote: My firearms instructor made a huge deal of teaching us that in Canada we do not have the right to defend ourselves with weapons. Doesnt matter if your an 80 year old man and some 20 year old guy is taking the last of your food, money and meds. If you can not beat him one on one wrestle him out of your house you have to just let him take your stuff. If you use a bat, knife, pepper spray or gun you will be charged.
Another said: There’s no point calling the police anymore, this is why you shoot, shovel, and shut up!!
Still another wrote: As a victim of a armed robbery myself, I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands before calling police and now am being charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon. Never had a criminal record before is the funny part.
They are making criminals out of victims. In another article a man was facing more jail time than his attackers. You can read about that here.
Such is the sorry state of affairs thanks to liberals. This is exactly what the leftists in the United States have in mind for Americans. |
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