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Quick to make an impression at last year's tournament, Parramatta Eels wrecking ball Manu Ma'u is keen to play at the Auckland Nines again, as he looks to complete his comeback from a serious arm injury.
Parramatta fans were left asking "Manu who?" this time last year when the back-rower was named in the club's squad for the inaugural Nines tournament, but now they can't wait for him to throw on the jersey again.
After a breakout performance at the tournament last year, Ma'u played 13 first grade games before a broken arm prematurely ended his season.
"Nobody knew who I was when I [played the Nines] last year but they do now," Ma'u laughed.
"The arm is at 100 per cent. I'm just really keen to play now. I came into pre-season fully fit and I was doing contact from the get go. I'm raring to go.
"I can't wait to get over there. It gives me a chance to go home to my family and then my family gets to watch me play. It's good because I'm doing something positive for them so they can be proud of me."
Will Manu Ma'u be in your NRL Fantasy team? Play NRL Fantasy or download the app on Android or iPhone.
Despite only playing half the season in his debut year, Ma'u has become somewhat of a cult figure at Parramatta, with his popularity growing to a point where he is now recognised on the streets.
With the fans behind him, the once unknown Ma'u has been inspired by the positiveness surrounding him – a far stretch from the jail cell he spent time in back home in New Zealand.
"Everytime I go out with my family, Eels fans come up to me and tell me that I had a good game and stuff, and because of them I know I have to work hard every week to stay where I want to be," Manu told NRL.com.
"It inspires me because it's positive, they're coming up to me and saying positive stuff which is good. Before footy it was all negative, but now it's all good and my family is really proud of me. It motivates me to keep going and to help my family as well."
Under the watchful eye of coach Brad Arthur, Ma'u said his confidence is high leading into his second year of first grade, it's just a matter of now carving a spot in the team for the Eels opening game of the season against the Sea Eagles on March 6.
"[Pre-season] has been pretty full on, but it's been good. Last year [Arthur] came in late and had to rush the schedule, but this year everything has been all sorted and all balanced. He has just told us to go out onto the paddock and train hard," Ma'u said.
"I'm pretty keen for the season to start but throughout the pre-season I've learnt heaps every week and it's only going to help me with my game this year." |
QPR midfielder Joey Barton says there is a "lack of spine or character" in the current Arsenal side.
Manager Arsene Wenger marks 18 years in charge of the Gunners with a London derby at Chelsea on Sunday.
Commenting on their poor away record against top Premier League sides, Barton told BBC Radio 5 live that rival managers "had Wenger on toast".
"In big games they get under his skin and work them out tactically," said Barton.
Arsenal, who last won the league in 2004, have won just once - and lost 16 times - in their 20 away matches against sides who have finished in the top five in the past five campaigns.
Last season at Stamford Bridge, in Wenger's 1,000th game in charge, Arsenal suffered a 6-0 thrashing by Jose Mourinho's side.
Tony Adams and Patrick Vieira both captained Arsenal to titles under Wenger
Barton said: "That record is probably the reason they haven't won a title for years.
"Nobody can criticise Wenger on the job he has done to build the infrastructure at that club to a fantastic level. But it's probably been sacrificed at the cost of trophies and challenging at that level.
"You think of his teams of [Emmanuel] Petit, [Patrick] Vieira, [Tony] Adams, [Martin] Keown and all those kind of warriors. You look around the Arsenal dressing room now, the people who would win you those kind of games against the top four clubs - they don't really have an abundance of them.
"You hear lots of stories about lads who have played for Arsenal and one of the things that comes out of the Arsenal dressing room is the change in culture from his first sides that went onto win the league and titles...the Invincibles team. The culture he now adopts is developing players from within or young players they want to develop, rather than going out and buying ready made products.
"At the latter stages of a season they come unstuck because of that lack of - I hate to say it - a real lack of character or spine within the team."
Media playback is not supported on this device Arsenal was Fabregas' first choice - Wenger
Barton, who has also played for Manchester City, Newcastle and Marseille, believes Wenger discourages his players from acting as leaders.
"One player told me that Arsene doesn't like anybody raising their voice at half-time if it's not going well. He almost frowns upon it," said Barton.
"Sometimes you need someone to galvanise and that might be a shouter and bawler. It may not be Arsene's way, but I think they lack that.
"Psychologically, the managers of these big clubs are usually top managers and I think they've had Wenger on toast. Sir Alex Ferguson had him on toast in the end and Mourinho's got him on toast now. That's what costs them." |
CLOSE Kenneth Conte, a customer of the Trulieve medical marijuana dispensary on North Davis Highway, explains the benefits of the industry and what more needs to happen in Florida to improve access to medical marijuana. (Joseph Baucum/[email protected])
A Pensacola man is suing multiple Florida officials because the state missed its deadline to license several new medical marijuana treatment centers. (Photo: file)
A Pensacola man is suing multiple Florida officials because the state missed its deadline to license several new medical marijuana treatment centers.
Michael Bowen suffers from epilepsy and requires medicinal marijuana to prevent his seizures, a complaint filed in a Leon County Circuit Court claims.
In 2016, 71 percent of Floridians voted to expand the availability of medicinal cannabis to citizens with certain debilitating conditions, and eventually the state authorized a handful of companies to cultivate, process and dispense medical marijuana.
More: Trulieve: Pensacola's medical marijuana industry needs more certified doctors
The Florida Legislature later required the Department of Health to license 10 additional medical marijuana treatment centers by Oct. 3, 2017, and that date has passed with the DOH issuing only six of the required licenses, the suit claims.
The lawsuit states that Bowen's "life is at risk" without medication, so he has an "actual and present interest in ensuring an adequate supply of medicinal marijuana in the marketplace as determined by the Florida Legislature."
Pensacola has one licensed medical marijuana treatment center, Trulieve, which opened on Davis Highway earlier this year.
Still, the lawsuit says different cannabis strains have different health affects, genetic makeups and cutting agents, and that a strain that works for one patient may not work for another.
"The DOH's failure to license all 10 of the required MMTCs has therefore limited the available strains on the market and diminished patients' ability to find strains that work for them," the complaint states.
Bowen is joined in the suit by Bill's Nursery Inc., a Miami-based plant nursery that was denied a license to dispense medical marijuana through a process an administrative law judge later found to be faulty.
More: Fred Levin pledges to make Charlotte's Web medical marijuana available in Pensacola
The suit names the DOH, Florida Surgeon General Celeste Philip and Christian Bax, the director of the Office of Medical Marijuana Use, as defendants in the case.
Bax has previously said his office would not issue any additional licenses while the entity dealt with litigation related to alleged discriminatory licensing practices, the complaint states.
The plaintiffs are seeking a court order declaring the DOH in violation of the Florida Constitution. They also ask that the DOH be ordered to re-open the application process and issue at least four more medical marijuana treatment center licenses "forthwith."
Kevin Robinson can be reached at [email protected] and 850-435-8527.
Read or Share this story: http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2017/11/22/pensacola-man-epilepsy-sues-access-medical-marijuana/886947001/ |
Sleeping less is one of the biggest threats to your health and wellbeing. A lot of people suffer from sleep deprivation that not only ruins their day to day life, but also wrecks their relationship with their friends, family and intimate partners. Sleeping well is extremely important if you want to succeed in life and have a healthy body that functions properly.
But a lot of people have trouble sleeping at night. This is due to many little bad habits they develop over time. These habits can easily replace good ones if you pay a little attention and put in some effort. We have listed down some of the best tips and recourses to help you sleep better below.
Develop a natural sleep cycle
Sleeping and getting up at the same time every day will help your body follow a natural sleep cycle. The body is very intelligent when it comes to knowing when to sleep. But since you have an habit of sleeping at different times, it can’t figure out what the right time of sleep is. So make sure that you go to bed every night at the same time and wake up every morning the same time.
Don’t over expose yourself to light
The more light exposure you go through the day, the more your body will refrain from sleeping. In the evening, try to dim the lights as much as you can to help your body realize its time to sleep. Your brain releases melatonin when there is less light. Melatonin is the brain’s way of telling your body to go to sleep.
Adapt a exercise plan
Exercising can really help you sleep better at night by keeping you energetic throughout the day. Exercise works in various ways to help your body coup better with life. The more you exercise, the more benefits you’ll reap and sleeping better at night is one of the best benefits of workout out daily. Follow a routine of workout that you can easily follow and see how it changes your life, especially when it comes to sleeping.
Tips and resources to help you sleep better Rate this post Rate this post |
Londonist
London Underground Vs Beijing Subway
We've already been to Moscow, Tokyo and New York. The next stop on our world tour, pitting the London Underground against other subway systems, takes us to China, and the mighty Beijing Subway.
Photo by Oemaix
Ticketing
Both Beijing and London have multimodal transport cards where travellers can touch in and out. Beijing has the Yikatong (一卡通), while, of course, London has the ubiquitous Oyster card. That said, London is streets ahead if you happen to have left your travel card in your other chinos, with breezy alternatives such as contactless and Apple Pay.
Without a Yikatong in Beijing, you're either standing in a line 100-deep to buy a ticket from the kiosk, or trying to buy one from a machine. A machine that has no card payment option, only takes a minimum CNY 10 note for a CNY 3 fare (and therefore runs out of change pretty darn fast) or uses coins, in a city with less metallic currency usage than London. Meaning that you're either adding half an hour to your journey through queuing, or weighing yourself down with useless coinage ‘just in case’. No contest, London wins
Photo by Li Yong
Size
Beijing has the world's second largest subway system, with 18 lines, 319 stations and at the time of writing, 527km of track. Ridership in 2014 was 3.14bn, and the network is likely to continue its rise with current plans to almost double the length of the existing network to 1,050km by 2020.
The tube doesn't even come close in terms of scale, being as it is currently the 11th largest subway system on the planet. Its 11 lines, 270 stations, 402km of railtrack and annual ridership of 1.265bn in 2014 are way behind its Chinese counterpart, and the gap is only going to widen, even taking Crossrail into account.
With such an almighty trouncing on the cards, what does London possibly have up its sleeve? Try convenience. Even with Beijing's network size, stations are positioned very far apart — usually a kilometre or more. The grid-type layout of the Beijing Subway also makes getting from A to B very difficult if it's not a simple N-S or E-W transit. Try to imagine the tube without the Piccadilly, Bakerloo and Victoria lines giving you easy access to cut across town in a diagonal fashion and you get the idea of the current Beijing Subway setup. Size does matter. But not always. Draw
Photo by Valentina Yachichurova
Trains
The new London Underground trains on the Circle, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan lines are admittedly smart. They even have — wait for it — air conditioning. It's also nice to be able to get a brief wi-fi signal when at major stations to refresh your Twitter feed or ping out another Whatsapp. Now imagine if that sort of luxury was the norm — full air conditioning, stacks of standing room and an actual 3G connection, even in tunnels. Beijing has this and more — the carriages are disinfected daily (this is written on a panel to let you know) and it has plastic seats on all lines that you can actually consider sitting down. Unlike the Bakerloo line. We think we still have the bites from last time... Beijing wins
Information and navigation
At Londonist that we love an alternative Tube map, but we must admit that the official TfL tube map is one of the cleanest and clearest subway network maps we’ve ever seen; the fact there are only 15 lines represented, that it's monolingual, and remains an artistic marvel after over 150 years in business.
The Beijing Subway map (see above) is very helpfully bilingual and uses the same types of bold colours and clear lines the tube map does to make it easy to read — or as easy to read as it could be given the huge amount of information it conveys.
So with the maps it’s pretty even, but getting back above ground in the right place is where you see the major differences.
Imagine you’re new to London, or better yet, have decided to choose to ride the Central line. You get off at a station you’ve never been to before (say, Oxford Circus…) and you want to go to Selfridges. Which exit do you take? You know Selfridges is sort of out on to Oxford Street and turn left, but which of the eight exits will point you in the right direction? If you ask us, this is one of the main reasons tube stations get so darn busy — re-emerging into the sunlight can be a confusing experience.
Beijing does have the advantage of having been centrally planned and organised into a grid, unlike the organic ebb and flow of modern London. With the subway lines pretty much following the roads above ground, stations are positioned at crossroads with exits to the NW-NE-SE-SW, all labelled A-B-C-D. So when you’re coming out of Dongsishitiao station to head to the Sanlitun bar street that’s to the east, you take exits B or C depending on what side of the road you need to be on. This neat trick works pretty much everywhere; even when there’s no Exit C, Exit D will still be there on the southwest corner. Beijing wins
Photo by Yuqi Wang
Décor
Most of the Beijing Subway isn’t even old enough to own a Facebook account, but with literally billions upon billions of whatever currency you wish to count in washing around Chinese public infrastructure projects, you’d expect they'd have drawn on their rich cultural heritage to create some striking buildings and fascinating designs. You’d be wrong — most stations are the kind of drab, non-descript structures people build for functionality over form, while the closest it gets to ‘artistic’ are a few murals along Line 1 and Line 2 (which are, incidentally, the only lines on the Beijing Subway around while Mao Zedong was in a typically ‘cultural’ mood.)
Simply put, London is in a different league when it comes to subway beauty. We particularly love the modern airiness of Westminster and Canary Wharf stations, while Baker Street brings a touch of Sherlock Holmes-style class that shows you don’t need oodles of glass and sleek steel to be beautiful. There’s no competition in this beauty contest. London wins
Final Score
London 2, Beijing 2. Both subways have their own pros and cons and are equally loved and despised for different reasons. A bit like the Opening Ceremonies at their respective Olympics then. Disagree? Fuel the fire in the comments below.
By Gareth Richards |
THE Red Sea city of Jeddah is the most relaxed spot in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. But its residents are worried by a rise in the number of people diagnosed with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, known as MERS. Waiters at Nakheel, a popular restaurant, have donned face masks and diners are less ready to share a shisha, the water-pipe popular in the Arab world. Wedding guests are refusing to kiss each other hello, while businessmen say some of their colleagues have started politely refusing to shake hands.
Few cases had been reported since the virus, a less infectious but deadlier version of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), was found in Saudi Arabia in September 2012. But Saudi officials announced on April 23rd that 11 new cases had been discovered that day alone, bringing the total to 48 cases in five days, compared with a total of 272 cases diagnosed in the past 18 months. Of those infected, 83 have died, including several foreigners of undisclosed nationalities.
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Though MERS first appeared in the oil-rich east of the country, possibly having passed to humans from camels, Jeddah is now the worst-affected place, with 21 recent cases. Earlier this month King Fahd Hospital temporarily closed its accident-and-emergency department after a cluster of people were struck down. Given that Jeddah is Saudi Arabia’s business hub and the jump-off point for pilgrims going to Mecca, MERS could hurt the economy if it spreads.
The government says it is being candid and has held press conferences. But many Saudis, used to being kept in the dark, think the risk is more serious than they are being told. The authorities have told the media to report only officially confirmed cases. This has led accusations to swirl on Twitter—as everything does in the kingdom these days—that the true number of cases is higher. Many of those infected in Jeddah have been health workers, suggesting insufficient precautions are being taken in hospitals. Some medics are urging the authorities to declare an emergency.
Instead, on April 21st King Abdullah fired the health minister, Abdullah al-Rabeeah, who had said at a press conference the day before that he had no idea why MERS appeared to be spiking. |
Want to surf the Pipe? Want to stay on the Shore? You can! And it won't cost a dime…
Headed to Oahu this Winter? Want to save a little money? Don’t mind screwing someone over, as long as they deserve it? Then you are in luck!
Did you know that there are only 828 legal vacation rentals on Oahu? And only 177 are outside of Waikiki!
Now, you’re probably thinking, “How can that be, Rory? I looked online, there are, literally, thousands of places available. You can’t be saying that they’re ALL illegal?”
That is exactly what I’m saying.
Which is a problem, you know, for the people that live here. Every apartment, or condo, or stand-alone house used for short-term vacation rentals is one less available to residents.
Now, I know that there are those among you who think that you should be able to do whatever you want with your property, in spite of any negative consequences for your fellow citizens. And I guess that’s okay. I think you’re a greedy asshole and I hope your dick rots off, but you’re entitled to your own opinions.
And, thanks supply and demand, the spots left become increasingly unaffordable.
Now, I know that there are those among you who think that you should be able to do whatever you want with your property, in spite of any negative consequences for your fellow citizens. And I guess that’s okay. I think you’re a greedy asshole and I hope your dick rots off, but you’re entitled to your own opinions.
The thing is… well, I guess I believe that part of being a society is living by its rules. Unless you don’t want to, but there’s a downside to that.
We agree not to fuck each other over, to play by the rules, to perform at a minimum level of decency. And the bar isn’t really very high.
But when you decide to pick and choose the rules you’ll follow, well, you just have to accept that other people can do the same. If an employer feels it’s in his best interests to shave wages, then his employees have every right to rob him blind.
Or, if you feel that you can turn a tidy profit by illegally renting out a home you own, then people can just decide not to pay you. Morality is fluid like that.
And that’s what I’m advocating. Just don’t pay.
I’m well aware that most places require a deposit, and some even insist you pay in full in advance. But a deposit is still far less than the total cost of stay, and you can usually talk your way around paying in advance. After all, you haven’t actually seen the place, and how do you know it’s even legit? Tons of vacation rental fraud out there. You wouldn’t want someone to take advantage of you.
You can even be real ballsy, put in on your credit card, then do a charge back. Or stop payment on the check. Use some pretense, that it wasn’t as described. It doesn’t really matter.
Because your erstwhile landlord has no recourse!
If they try and sue you they’ll end up in small claims court, assuming the total you owe is under $5000. But the thing is, serving a small claims summons to someone out of state is nearly impossible. And it won’t come to that anyway.
There’s a ton of money in renting a place out for $300 a day when its fair market month-to-month price sits around $2100, and the idea of losing that income stream is terrifying.
While enforcement of short term rental laws are nearly non-existent, possible fines are actually quite large. Do you think a property owner will be willing to gamble a long-term meal ticket over a comparatively paltry sum of money?
Better to just eat this loss and make it up by gouging a few suckers with a bogus $500 “cleaning fee.”
Simply check the address against the linked list (click here). If its not in there, you’re in the clear.
Spend the money you save on something fun, like a kitschy ukulele, or a coconut painted with a sunset, or numerous blowjobs from a series slag of strippers outside one of the numerous tiny sketchy strip clubs sprinkled through the alleys surrounding Femme Nu.
You’ll be glad you did! |
New research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) finds that women with high job strain are more likely to experience a cardiovascular-related event compared with women with low job strain. These findings are published in the open access journal PLoS ONE.
“Previous long-term studies of job strain, defined by the combination of psychological demand and job control, and heart disease risk have mainly focused on men and a more restricted set of cardiovascular conditions,” said Michelle A. Albert, a cardiologist and researcher at BWH and associate professor at Harvard Medical School. “Our study indicates that high job strain can negatively affect your health. There are immediate and definite long-term, clinically documented cardiovascular health effects of job strain in women, and it is important for women and their health care providers to pay attention to the stresses of their job.”
Researchers analyzed self-reported data from 22,000 women over 10 years who participated in the landmark Women’s Health Study. The women were primarily Caucasian health professionals with an average age of 57 who provided information about heart disease risk factors, job strain, and job insecurity. A standard questionnaire was used to evaluate job strain and job insecurity; it asked for responses to statements such as “My job requires working very fast,” “My job requires working very hard,” and “I am free from competing demands that others make.”
Researchers found that after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, and income, women with high job strain were 38 percent more likely to experience a cardiovascular-related event including nonfatal heart attack, nonfatal ischemic stroke, coronary artery bypass grafting and/or coronary angioplasty, and cardiovascular death. Moreover, the risk of heart of attacks was increased by almost 70 percent among women with high job strain. High job strain is defined as having a demanding job that provides limited opportunity for decision-making or to use one’s creative or individual skills. The study also found that job insecurity or fear of losing one’s job and job strain were both associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure, increased cholesterol, and excess body weight. However, unlike job strain, job insecurity was not directly related to the development of actual heart attacks, stroke, invasive heart procedures, or cardiovascular death.
“Intriguingly, women who were categorized using a standard job strain model as having active strain [high demand and high control] were also at increased risk of cardiovascular events, a group of women who typically would include physicians, executives, nurses, teachers, and managers,” said Albert. “From a public health perspective, it is crucial for employers as well as government and hospital entities to monitor perceived employee job strain and initiate strategies to manage job strain and perhaps positively impact prevention of heart disease and employee productivity.”
Researchers emphasize that more research is needed, particularly in multiethnic female populations, and on the impact of potential interventions to continue to investigate this link. |
New research shows that burnout is caused by a mismatch between a person’s subconscious needs and the opportunities and demands at the workplace. These results have implications for the prevention of job burnout.
Imagine an accountant who is outgoing and seeks closeness in her social relationships, but whose job offers little scope for contact with colleagues or clients. Now imagine a manager, required to take responsibility for a team, but who does not enjoy taking center-stage or being in a leadership role. For both, there is a mismatch between their individual needs and the opportunities and demands at the workplace. A new study in the open-access journal Frontiers in Psychology shows that such mismatches put employees at risk of burnout.
Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion from work, which results in a lack of motivation, low efficiency, and a helpless feeling. Its health effects include anxiety, cardiovascular disease, immune disorders, insomnia, and depression. The financial burden from absenteeism, employee turnover, reduced productivity, and medical, legal, and insurance expenses due to burnout and general work-related stress is staggering: for example, the American Institute of Stress estimates the total cost to American enterprises at 300 billion US$ per year, while a 2012 study commissioned by the Health Programme of the European Union estimates the annual cost to EU enterprises at 272 billion €.
In the new study, researchers from the Universities of Zurich and Leipzig show that the unconscious needs of employees – their so-called “implicit motives” – play an important role in the development of burnout. The researchers focus on two important motives: the power motive, that is, the need to take responsibility for others, maintain discipline, and engage in arguments or negotiation, in order to feel strong and self-efficacious; and the affiliation motive, the need for positive personal relations, in order to feel trust, warmth, and belonging. A mismatch between job characteristics and either implicit motive can cause burnout, the results show. Moreover, a mismatch in either direction is risky: employees can get burned out when they have too much or not enough scope for power or affiliation compared to their individual needs.
“We found that the frustration of unconscious affective needs, caused by a lack of opportunities for motive-driven behavior, is detrimental to psychological and physical well-being. The same is true for goal-striving that doesn’t match a well-developed implicit motive for power or affiliation, because then excessive effort is necessary to achieve that goal. Both forms of mismatch act as ‘hidden stressors’ and can cause burnout,” says the leading author, Veronika Brandstätter, Professor of Psychology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Brandstätter and colleagues recruited 97 women and men between 22 and 62 through the Swiss Burnout website, an information resource and forum for Swiss people suffering from burnout. Participants completed questionnaires about their physical well-being, degree of burnout, and the characteristics of their job, including its opportunities and demands.
To assess implicit motives — whose strength varies from person to person, but which can’t be measured directly through self-reports since they are mostly unconscious — Brandstätter et al. used an inventive method: they asked the participants to write imaginative short stories to describe five pictures, which showed an architect, trapeze artists, women in a laboratory, a boxer, and a nightclub scene. Each story was analyzed by trained coders, who looked for sentences about positive personal relations between persons (thus expressing the affiliation motive) or about persons having impact or influence on others (expressing the power motive). Participants who used many such sentences in their story received a higher score for the corresponding implicit motive.
The greater the mismatch between someone’s affiliation motive and the scope for personal relations at the job, the higher the risk of burnout, show the researchers. Likewise, adverse physical symptoms, such as headache, chest pain, faintness, and shortness of breath, became more common with increasing mismatch between an employee’s power motive and the scope for power in his or her job.
Importantly, these results immediately suggest that interventions that prevent or repair such mismatches could increase well-being at work and reduce the risk of burnout.
“A starting point could be to select job applicants in such a way that their implicit motives match the characteristics of the open position. Another strategy could be so-called “job crafting”, where employees proactively try to enrich their job in order to meet their individual needs. For example, an employee with a strong affiliation motive might handle her duties in a more collaborative way and try to find ways to do more teamwork,” says Brandstätter.
“A motivated workforce it the key to success in today’s globalized economy. Here, we need innovative approaches that go beyond providing attractive working conditions. Matching employees’ motivational needs to their daily activities at work might be the way forward. This may also help to address growing concerns about employee mental health, since burnout is essentially an erosion of motivation. To do so, we must increasingly take account of motivational patterns in the context of occupational stress research, and study person-environment-fit across entire organizations and industries,” says Beate Schulze, a Senior Researcher at the Department of Social and Occupational Medicine of the University of Leipzig and Vice-President of the Swiss Expert Network on Burnout.
Read the full article in Frontiers in Psychology.
REPUBLISHING GUIDELINES: At Frontiers, open access and sharing research is part of our mission. Unless otherwise noted, you can republish our articles posted in the Frontiers blog – as long as you credit us with a link back. Editing the articles or selling them is not allowed. |
The ecology of microbes frequently involves the mixing of entire communities (community coalescence), for example, flooding events, host excretion, and soil tillage [], yet the consequences of this process for community structure and function are poorly understood []. Recent theory suggests that a community, due to coevolution between constituent species, may act as a partially cohesive unit [], resulting in one community dominating after community coalescence. This dominant community is predicted to be the one that uses resources most efficiently when grown in isolation []. We experimentally tested these predictions using methanogenic communities, for which efficient resource use, quantified by methane production, requires coevolved cross-feeding interactions between species []. After propagation in laboratory-scale anaerobic digesters, community composition (determined from 16S rRNA sequencing) and methane production of mixtures of communities closely resembled that of the single most productive community grown in isolation. Analysis of each community’s contribution toward the final mixture suggests that certain combinations of taxa within a community might be co-selected as a result of coevolved interactions. As a corollary of these findings, we also show that methane production increased with the number of inoculated communities. These findings are relevant to the understanding of the ecological dynamics of natural microbial communities, as well as demonstrating a simple method of predictably enhancing microbial community function in biotechnology, health, and agriculture [].
Results and Discussion
2 , CO 2 , and short-chain fatty acids produced by hydrolysis and fermentation of more complex organic material, and it is often the only thermodynamically feasible way of actively removing inhibitory end metabolites [ 12 Schink B. Energetics of syntrophic cooperation in methanogenic degradation. 12 Schink B. Energetics of syntrophic cooperation in methanogenic degradation. 14 Hillesland K.L.
Stahl D.A. Rapid evolution of stability and productivity at the origin of a microbial mutualism. 15 Embree M.
Liu J.K.
Al-Bassam M.M.
Zengler K. Networks of energetic and metabolic interactions define dynamics in microbial communities. 9 Toquenaga Y. Historicity of a simple competition model. Table 1 List of Individual Communities Used in This Analysis and Their Source Sample Name Feed and/or Type Temperature Used in Experiment P01 silage and food waste AD 44°C –42.5°C 1, 2, 3 P02 silage and food waste AD 44°C –42.5°C 2, 3 P03 maize, cow slurry, and chicken manure AD 45°C 3 P04 maize, cow slurry, and chicken manure AD 45°C 2, 3 P05 sewage sludge AD 36°C 1, 2, 3 P06 raw sewage ambient 2, 3 P08 thickened sewage sludge ambient 2, 3 P09 sewage based AD 36°C 2, 3 P10 food waste AD 36°C 2, 3 P11 cow slurry ambient 3 P12 silage, slurry, and manure pre-digestate ambient 3 P13 silage, slurry, and manure AD 40°C 2, 3 P15 food waste AD 36°C 2 All anaerobic digester (AD) communities were derived from industrial ADs in the southwest of England. Specific locations cannot be provided because of commercial sensitivity. Note that experiment numbers correspond with figure numbers. Figure 1 Temporal Dynamics of Methane Production and Composition When Two Communities Are Mixed Show full caption (A) Cumulative methane production in milliliters (±SEM) over time of community P01 (white circles), community P05 (black circles), and their mixes (gray circles). Cumulative methane production differed between treatments (ANOVA: F 2,9 = 23.2, p < 0.001) but did not differ between the mixed community and P05 (Tukey-Kramer honest significant difference [HSD]: p = 0.5). P01 was lower than both other treatments (Tukey-Kramer HSD: p < 0.001 in both cases). (B) Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) plot of unweighted UniFrac of communities P01 (white), P05 (black), and their mixes (gray). Ancestral samples are represented by squares, and samples from the endpoint of the experiment are represented by circles. At the endpoint, P05 was compositionally more similar to the mixtures than P01, based on both unweighted (t tests of mean distance to each mixture for each replicate single community: t 6 = 8.3, p < 0.001) and weighted (t 6 = 2.3, p = 0.03) UniFrac distances. We wanted to determine whether coalesced methanogenic communities were dominated by the community that used resources most efficiently in isolation. We used methanogenic communities primarily because methane production is a useful proxy for the ability of an anaerobic community to fully exploit available resources: methanogenesis results from the conversion of H, CO, and short-chain fatty acids produced by hydrolysis and fermentation of more complex organic material, and it is often the only thermodynamically feasible way of actively removing inhibitory end metabolites []. Moreover, methanogenic communities are characterized by complex cross-feeding interactions []; hence, the role of community cohesion in shaping community performance is likely to be particularly important []. To provide insight into the temporal dynamics of compositional and functional change after community mixing, we first measured the methane production and composition of two methanogenic communities derived from industrial anaerobic digesters (ADs) ( Table 1 ) grown in isolation or as a mixture in laboratory-scale ADs. Both the individual communities and mixes were grown in four replicates. To remove any potentially confounding effects caused by differences in starting density of tested communities, we standardized microbial density based on qPCR-estimated counts of 16S rRNA gene copies. We found that the methane production of the mixed community was initially intermediate between the two individual communities, but after 5 weeks propagation, it started to produce gas at a rate indistinguishable from that of the more productive of the individual communities ( Figure 1 A). We examined both the starting-point and the endpoint composition of the single and mixed communities by Illumina sequencing 16 s rRNA gene amplicon libraries. Consistent with the phenotypic data, the composition of the mixture was much more similar to the better- than to the worse-performing community at the endpoint ( Figure 1 B). This was despite the single endpoint communities changing considerably from their ancestral composition over the 5 weeks ( Figure 1 B).
Figure 2 Methane Production and Community Composition When Multiple Communities Are Mixed Show full caption (A) Total methane production of mixed (gray) and individual (white) communities, with mean values shown as horizontal lines. Mean total methane production was greater for mixtures than for individual communities (t test: p < 0.001 in nine cases), except when measured against community P13 (the best performer). (B) NMDS plot of unweighted UniFrac of ten mixtures (gray) and nine individual communities (white). Numbers in circles refer to individual community identifiers ( Table 1 ). Community P13 was significantly closer in composition to the ten mixed communities than any other community (weighted and unweighted UniFrac distances; paired t tests: p < 0.001 in all cases). There was also a significant link between the community composition and the difference in gas production between the communities (see Figure S1 ). Note that DNA yield from community P06, which had the lowest gas production of all communities, was insufficient for sequencing; therefore, it is excluded from this and the following graphs. 1,26 = 5.4, p = 0.03). For community composition of the mixes, see (C) Individual communities (white circles) and their average methane production (white line), as well as mixes of communities (gray circles) and their averages (gray line). There was a monotonic increase in methane production with number of communities used (regression: F= 5.4, p = 0.03). For community composition of the mixes, see Tables 1 and S1 We next determined whether a single community dominated when multiple communities were mixed. To this end, we propagated ten single communities (from either industrial ADs or sewage or agricultural waste AD feedstocks, with each replicated three times), and ten replicates of a mixture of all ten communities ( Table 1 ). The results were consistent with those from the two-community mixture. First, methane production in mixtures of ten communities was higher than the average of the individual communities. However, methane production of the mixtures did not differ from the best-performing single community, P13, ( Figure 2 A), which, like each of the single communities used, was a constituent of all of the mixtures. Second, the community composition of mixtures (which varied very little between replicates, presumably because they all had the same ten community-starting inocula) most closely resembled the best-performing community, P13 ( Figure 2 B). More generally, the more compositionally similar an individual community was to the replicated ten-community mixtures, the greater the gas production of the community when grown in isolation ( Figure S1 ). Other community characteristics that positively correlated with methane production were bacterial cell densities and within-community (alpha) diversity, but not methanogen density ( Figure S2 ). In summary, the results demonstrate that the community most efficient at using resources (which in these experiments was also the most diverse) dominates when multiple communities are mixed together, thus enhancing mixed-community productivity beyond the average of the component communities.
12 Schink B. Energetics of syntrophic cooperation in methanogenic degradation. 15 Embree M.
Liu J.K.
Al-Bassam M.M.
Zengler K. Networks of energetic and metabolic interactions define dynamics in microbial communities. 16 Großkopf T.
Soyer O.S. Microbial diversity arising from thermodynamic constraints. 17 Schluter D. The Ecology of Adaptive Radiation. 18 Roughgarden J. Resource partitioning among competing species--a coevolutionary approach. 19 MacArthur R. Species packing and competitive equilibrium for many species. 11 Tikhonov M. Community-level cohesion without cooperation. 20 Gardner A.
Grafen A. Capturing the superorganism: a formal theory of group adaptation. 21 Baker-Austin C.
Wright M.S.
Stepanauskas R.
McArthur J.V. Co-selection of antibiotic and metal resistance. We next explored the ecological mechanism(s) underpinning the observed dominance by the community that produced the most methane. One explanation is that multiple taxa from the same community act as semi-cohesive units and are selected together. This might arise as a result of coevolved mutualistic (or unidirectional) cross-feeding interactions, notably between methanogenic Archaea and hydrogen and/or acetate producers, where each organism both provides essential resources and removes damaging waste products for the other []. Moreover, coevolved resource partitioning can result in taxa being selected together, because species are expected to coevolve to minimize competition with co-occurring taxa []. Note that the selection of multiple taxa together in these contexts does not require any form of group selection [], but simply selection of particular individuals from a key taxon whose presence provides an advantage for individuals from taxa they have coevolved with. This process can be described as ecological co-selection, equivalent to genetic co-selection, where a gene can hitchhike to high frequency purely as consequence of being linked to genes under positive selection [].
Figure 3 The Role of Co-selection in Explaining Dominance by a Single Community Show full caption (A–C) The top panels illustrate three hypothetical scenarios describing how communities contribute to a mixture of communities, and the bottom panels show the expected relationships between a community’s contribution and its methane production. The letters within the top panels indicate taxa that drive two biochemical processes (abcd and ef); capitalized letters are the best representatives of a taxon among all of the communities. (A) No co-selection. (B) Co-selection of all taxa within a community. (C) Co-selection of taxa within two independent modules. (D) Mean estimated relative contribution of each individual community (numbered) toward the ten coalesced communities calculated using the NNLS method, plotted against mean cumulative methane production for each community; there is no significant relationship (regression: F 1,7 = 1.7, p > 0.2). 1,7 = 1.7, p > 0.5). Note that the relative contribution is not a fractional contribution because some operational taxonomic units (OTUs) present in the mixture were not detected in the constituent communities. This is presumably because they only reached detected frequencies in the mixture, but we can’t rule out that the community that we failed to get sufficient reads from contributed to the composition of the mixtures. Mind that the cell densities of Archaea and bacteria do not significantly correlate with the gas production (see (E) As in (D), but with relative contribution plotted against number of bacterial and archaeal cells calculated based on the 16S rRNA gene copy number (regression: F= 1.7, p > 0.5). Note that the relative contribution is not a fractional contribution because some operational taxonomic units (OTUs) present in the mixture were not detected in the constituent communities. This is presumably because they only reached detected frequencies in the mixture, but we can’t rule out that the community that we failed to get sufficient reads from contributed to the composition of the mixtures. Mind that the cell densities of Archaea and bacteria do not significantly correlate with the gas production (see Figure S2 ). An alternative explanation is that coevolved interactions within individual communities are relatively unimportant, and the dominant community simply contains more competitive taxa (for any functional task and/or interaction) than other communities. This does not imply that coevolved cross-feeding interactions are unimportant for methanogenic communities, but that these co-evolved interactions are no more specific for taxa isolated from within a community than for taxa isolated from different communities. In other words, functionally equivalent taxa are interchangeable between communities. These different scenarios, selection for the best individual taxa and co-selection, are two extremes of a continuum. The distinction is important because dominance by a single community is necessarily a more likely consequence of community coalescence when co-selection operates. Figures 3 A–3C provide an illustration of the two extreme scenarios, no co-selection and co-selection of the entire community, and an intermediate case in which there are two groups of interacting taxa, or modules, and co-selection occurs within each.
11 Tikhonov M. Community-level cohesion without cooperation. The most direct way to demonstrate a role of co-selection would be to show that the outcome of competition between single taxa from different communities does not predict the outcome of competition at the community level []. Unfortunately, this is not feasible for such complex communities, in which many taxa are very difficult to grow in isolation. However, there are other testable predictions associated with the operation of co-selection or otherwise. If the success of an individual taxon is independent of whether they are in the presence of taxa from the same community (i.e., co-selection does not occur), communities that use resources most efficiently and hence achieve the highest biomass per unit of time (productivity) will contain the highest number of the best-performing taxa. It then follows that there will be a positive relationship between the productivity of a community and the proportion of taxa it contributes to the mixture ( Figure 3 A). If instead taxa are co-selected as modules, the correlation between individual community contribution and productivity is likely to break down. This is best illustrated by the extreme scenario whereby all taxa within a mixed community are co-selected from a single community: the mixture will be entirely dominated by a single constituent community, and hence the contribution of all other communities will be independent of their individual productivity (i.e., they will contribute null to the mixture’s composition, even though they have non-zero productivity individually; Figure 3 B). The intermediate scenario, where co-selection occurs within two independent modules, can also break down this correlation if one module contributes much more to community productivity than the other ( Figure 3 C).
To determine whether co-selection contributed to our findings, we first estimated the contribution of each community to the ten-community mixtures using a non-negative least-squares (NNLS) approach. The community that had the most similar composition to the mixtures (and produced the most methane) contributed an estimated 40% of its taxa to the mixtures, with only two other communities contributing more than 10% of their taxa to the mixtures ( Figure 3 D). We then correlated the contribution each community made to the mixtures with two measures of community productivity: methane production and cell densities (based on 16 s rRNA gene copy number), which themselves were positively correlated ( Figure S2 A). We found no suggestion of a positive correlation between either measure of productivity and contribution to the community ( Figures 3 D and 3E). These results suggest that co-selection of taxa played an important role in dominance by the community that produced the most methane.
22 Hodgson D.J.D.
Rainey P.B.
Buckling A. Mechanisms linking diversity, productivity and invasibility in experimental bacterial communities. 23 Tilman D.
Lehman C.L.
Thomson K.T. Plant diversity and ecosystem productivity: theoretical considerations. 24 Tilman D. The ecological consequences of changes in biodiversity: a search for general principles. 25 Harper D. The Population Biology of Plants. That community coalescence results in the most productive individual community dominating the mixed community has direct implications for biotechnological uses of microbial communities. Given that the best-performing community in isolation largely determined both the composition and performance of mixtures of communities, methane production should increase with increasing number of communities in a mixture. We therefore inoculated laboratory-scale anaerobic digesters with 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 12 communities, ensuring that each of the 12 starting communities was used an equal amount of times at each diversity level [] (see Table S1 ). Cumulative methane production over a 5-week period increased with increasing number of communities used as an inoculum ( Figure 2 C). The positive correlation between community function and the number of inoculating communities is analogous to the commonly observed finding that community productivity increases with increasing species diversity []. In this case, the mechanism underlying this positive relationship between the number of communities and productivity is a “sampling effect”: inoculating more communities increases the chance that the best-performing community will be present in the mix []. However, given that domination of mixtures by one community was not complete ( Figures 3 D and 3E), it is possible that mixing communities could increase performance beyond that of the maximum of single communities in some circumstances (transgressive over-yielding []). |
One Aldwych Christmas Showtime Cocktails at The Lobby Bar
Espresso Martini Society
Blade's Oat Nog
26 Frith St, Soho, London W1D 5LD
www.bladesoho.co.uk
Overture at The Beaufort Bar
The Skylight Cobbler
Sanderson's Chocolate Factory at The Long Bar
Quaglino's Bar Festive Cocktail
Winter Whisky Cocktails at Aster's Hunters Lodge
The Ivy Chelsea Garden
Bōkan 39 Rooftop Terrace & Bar
Savage Garden
The House of Song - The Grinch
Granary Square Brasserie
Berry Fizztive at Rail House Cafe
Drink in The Panto at The Goring
Great Gatsby party at Oblix East
Cabaret Spectacular Oriole
Last Nights of Havana
Skylight Rooftop
Rumpus Rooms New Year's Eve Party
Nine-Serves New Year's at Nine Lives
Sexy Fish Tokyo Nights
Hollywood Nights at Quaglinos
Callooh Callay
Studio 54 Party at Sky Garden
Heads + Tails Romeo & Juliet Party
Savage Garden’s Narnia Terrace
Miracle at Henrietta Hotel
The Blind Pig – Noël & Chandon
Dram & Smoke Bothy Nights
The Rosewood Glenlivet Glade
Snowscape at Aqua Shard
King of Gin, Soho
Skylight London
The Churchill Bar Winter Terrace
All that Glitters is Gold at South Place Hotel
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It can only mean one thing - Burns Night is back. We've got the lowdown on where to raise a dram to the ultimate Scot on January 25th. Oh, and this year it's on a Friday...Listen up laddies and lassies - it doesn’t get much more Scottish than this. Mac & Wild are going ham on the Burns night celebrations with a killer set menu at their Devonshire Square venue in The City. Not only will you enjoy haggis (with a toast, natch), but there's lobster and venison to boot. Nice. Entertainment wise, this is a ceilidh you don't wanna miss. Think AC/DC being played on the bagpipes, a silent Burns X Glenfiddich disco, live poets, and whisky… oh, so much whisky. Always wanted to try your hand at haggis making? Thought so. Head here for a masterclass and become an expert. If you're an early riser then you're in luck - Mac & Wild are putting on a Burns Full Scottish breakfast, complete with tattie scones, venison sausage, black puddin' and haggis. Talk about lining your stomach... 5 Course Tasting Menu, includes dram of Glenfiddich, Burns Poet and piper. £75 per person. www.macandwild.com/burns 9A Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YNOne of the most stylish venues in London is going Celtic. Pop on your swankiest kilt (underwear optional) and get ready to wash down a five-course feast with cocktails plus drams of the finest scotch. Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings is bringing the sophistication this Burns Night. There'll be singing, there'll be bagpipes, there'll be that essential welcoming of the haggis. And, of course, a mini ceilidh to get you in the spirit. Feeling confident after all that whisky? Why not try your hand at reciting some of the poet’s trickier verses. Go on, we dare you. Tickets will set you back £80 and you can book ‘em over here. www.bandhbuildings.com 42 Northampton Rd, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 0HUBoisdale is Scotland's official unofficial embassy in London. Fact. So if you’re unable to get north of the border this Burns Night, Canary Wharf is the next best place to get addressing that haggis. They're chucking together some swing classics with a few wee Scottish surprises along the way from the Pete Long Orchestra. And don't forget about the piper, of course - Burns Night doesn't get more authentic than this. Dining tickets start at £59.50, or you could just rock up and enjoy the show from £15 and sip from a choice of over 1000 whiskies in the world’s most extensive whisky bar. Dram right! www.boisdale.co.uk/canary-wharf/the-venue/restaurant/ 15 Cabot Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 4QTOn the 25th January, the Skylight Rooftop is kicking off its final weekend of the winter season with one helluva boozy makeover from the multi-award-winning Glenfiddich distillery, all in honour of Robbie Burns. Fuel yourself up with their signature whisky tipples and head to the rooftop dance-floor. You're about to fling yourself into the ceilidh performed by traditional Scottish musicians. Expect music, singing, dancing and storytelling, plus street food with some Scottish twists added to the menu. Tickets are £3 and include a Glenfiddich cocktail on arrival, whisky tasting sessions throughout the night and some high energy performances throughout the night. Grab yours here. Tobacco Dock, Pennington St entrance, St Katharine's & Wapping, London E1W 2SFYou say: 'whisky?', we say 'The Sun Tavern'. This place has the amber spirit nailed - BarChick's yet to leave here without draining a dram or three. It makes sense that Burns Night wouldn't go unnoticed, then. The squad here have teamed up with Glennfiddich IPA to create a Scotch heavy cocktail, in tribute to the Ploughman Poet. Rock up on the 25th and order the Tam o’ Shanter. They bring together Glenfiddich IPA, Cocchi Torino, Dolin dry, cardamom syrup & Abbott’s bitters to create a drink of depth. For those who prefer their scotch a little neater, The Sun Tavern’s award-winning whisky list will also be on hand. If all that drinking makes you peckish, you can fill up on the haggis Scotch eggs they're gonna be plating up for free. Tastes Of Ink will be performing some spoken word – you can expect a rendition or two of Burns’ finest pieces as the nectar loosens the tongue. www.thesuntavern.co.uk 441 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 0ANHighland fling yourself towards this Burns Night supper at Cub. They've got Craig Grozier, in-house chef for the PHD distillery, taking over the reins of the kitchen, and the guy is a bloody maverick. Loosen that kilt, cos he's developing a Burns-inspired 10-course set menu of 5 dishes and 5 drinks so revolutionary, Robert Burns would write a poem about it if he was still kicking about. It's a clichéd cullen skink and cranachan free zone, but it's still gonna be authentic, with an address of the haggis by Cub’s resident Glaswegian. Those riding the Veganuary train aren't excluded from the celebrations; there's a vegan haggis (though we're yet to learn if this imposter will be addressed or not). And Cub's focus on sustainability hasn't been ignored - you're going to love the native foraged ingredients Grozier uses. £75 per person mrlyan.dinesuperb.com/reserve/experience 153 Hoxton St, Hoxton, London N1 6PJSo the distinctive squeal of Bagpipes ain't your jam. Fair. Good news is you can enjoy a "Quiet Symphony" at the not-so-private member's club, The Devonshire Club, this Burns Night. This heavenly cocktail of Drambuie, Talisker Skye infused with orange, tequila, lime juice, honey & acai liquor is a bonnie drink to wash down the epic Burns Night feast they're laying on. Obviously, you can't have Burns Night without a bit of a pipes soundtrack, but don't worry - they've secured a world class band, Shotts and Dykehead to deal the blow, so expect to discover a new love for it. Oh and there's a deep-fried Mars Bar for pudding. Now you're talking. Two courses: £28, three courses: £35. www.devonshireclub.com/events/burns-night-2019/ 5 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YDUh, hold the front page - did you know there's a goddamn Whisky Trolley at 34 Mayfair? It's usually exclusive to the Emin Room, but this Burns Night, the trolley is going wheel-about and making a special cameo appearance in the main restaurant. The world’s most popular, unique and luxurious whiskies will be brought to your table alongside highland classics like Roasted Highland Deer with Haggis, Neeps and tatties and smoked whisky sauce, plus Rhubarb Cranachan with toasted hazelnuts and oats. It is a reason to get wheeley excited. It is not an excuse to get absolutely trollied. www.34-restaurant.co.uk/ 34 Grosvenor Square Entrance on, S Audley St, London W1K 2HDThe gang at J Sheekey don't think one night is enough, so they're drawing out the Bobby Burns celebrations over a whole week. We feel that. From the 21st-27th January they're gonna be shaking up two bespoke cocktails: a traditional Whisky Sour of Bowmore 15yo whisky, lemon juice and miraculous foamer; and Rob Roy, a blend of Auchentoshan single malt whisky, sweet Vermouth and Benedictine liqueur. These delectable serves will be accompanying a special dish of seared Isle of Mill scallops, spiced heritage carrot and haggis crust. We'll drink to that. www.j-sheekey.co.uk/ 28-33 St Martin's Ct, London WC2N 4ALMilk & Whisky might sound like the kind of insane concoction you'd cobble together in desperation at the end of a house party. But trust us - it's actually a seriously decent Scottish classic. This Burns Night, check out Aqua Shard's bespoke interpretation. The Scottish Milk Punch (not to be confused with a Glaswegian kiss), is made using pineapple, cinnamon, star anise, coriander, lemon, Scottish Earl Grey tea, barley syrup and hot milk, blended together with Johnnie Walker Black. Smoooooth. aquashard.co.uk/ Level 31, The Shard, 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RYBurns Night and whisky go together like Miley and Liam so it makes sense that this year The Rosewood is welcoming you to their hella cosy Glenlivet Glade for a night of epic whiskies, hand picked by Glenlivet ambassador Phil Huckle. Pair these up with a series of Scottish dishes created by Holborn Dining Room's ultimate pie master, Calum Franklin (you'll know him from those pie masterpieces on Insta) and you've got a full-blown Scottish celebration on your hands. Expect Highland Venison & Haggis Wellington, Neeps and tatties and Cullen Skink with Oatmeal bread to be enjoyed under the Glade's stars. Burns Night Supper - £145 per person. Want a piece of the pie? Grab a ticket over here. 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7ENBarChick takes Burns Night very seriously indeed. Whisky, haggis, men in kilts. What's not to love? If you're like us, you'll wanna go all out this year, and what's more 'all out' than heading North of the wall up to The Isle of Raasay Distillery for a full Burns & Whisky Weekender! Check into one of their gorgeous rooms for a two-night stay including all meals, a distillery tour and of course, one helluva whisky tasting. They’ll ply you with proper Scottish dishes, from traditional haggis to rhubarb cranachan with homemade shortbread and whisky fudge, and of course, plenty of the delicious amber stuff. Bobby would be proud. The package costs £339. Book it here. Slàinte!Looking to get your super freak on this Burns Night? You know that's how BarChick gets down, so you'll find us at Calloh Callay where they're ready to satisfy with a legendary Monkey Shoulder partnership. It's gonne be a weekend of whisky tastings, epic cocktails and guest bartenders from across the UK, so you know it's gonna get funky. For the rest of January, you can get your hands on the "Super freak" cocktail, celebrating the famedScottishh spirit in a combo of Monkey Shoulder Scotch whisky, Smokey Monkey, Pear liqueur, Cardamom bitters, and fresh pear juice. To get the party lit, the drink is served in a miniature disco ball. It pairs well with the music being spun on the decks by Mr Disco Drinks himself, Joe Petch, Global Monkey Shoulder Brand Ambassador. Not your average Whisky Tasting is going down at the bar on the 23rd, and on the 27th, The Bar Monkies can be found behind it, rounding off the Scotch Whisky Weekend with DrinkUp London. Check out the full line up over here. 65 Rivington St, London EC2A 3AYThis Burns Night, The London EDITION Lobby Bar is getting a makeover more Scottish than the Loch Ness Monster tossing a caber. Get your mingle on to the sound of London’s top Scottish Ceilidh five-piece, Licence to Ceilidh. They're gonna be blasting out a fresh twist on traditional Scottish tunes and dances. Loosen up your limbs with a couple o' cocktails which celebrate Scotlands legendary ingredients, and we're not just talking about Whisky. The Bobby’s Bru is a punch made with Chivas 12, sugar syrup, lemon juice, green tea, a lemon wheel and grated tonka garnish, all topped with the most legendary Scottish tipples of them all; Irn Bru. Aye, now you're talking! After a few of those, sneak your way into the intimate drinking den, The Punch Room, and learn to blend your own whisky with experts from Chivas’ team. Talk about mixin' things up! www.editionhotels.com/london 10 Berners St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NP" ["post_title"]=> string(53) "Burns Baby Burns! Where To Celebrate Burns Night 2019" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(16) "burns-night-2019" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2019-01-25 16:02:45" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-01-25 16:02:45" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(32) "http://www.barchick.com/?p=60061" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [1]=> object(WP_Post)#1056 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(60042) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "4" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2018-12-12 11:26:08" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2018-12-12 11:26:08" ["post_content"]=> string(13419) "For a razzle dazzle menu of theatrical drinks to enjoy this festive season, The Lobby Bar at One Aldwych hotel in Covent Garden is putting on a show of spectacular Christmas Showtime Cocktails for which you’re gonna want a front row seat. Centre stage is the Snow Dome Christmas Tree, which towers 25-foot up and features 130 snow domes among natural birch twigs and twinkling lights. As with any great show, there are some stand out stars on the bill, including the Father Negroni with Beefeater 24, Cinnamon Campari and Antica Formula, and Mulled Berries, a sweet concoction of Tequila Altos Silver, Mulled Wine, Agave Syrup, Lime Juice and Pedrino Tonic, all served with a complimentary mince pie. The show goes on until the 7th January. 1 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BZ www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/the-lobby-bar If you wanna make sure your Christmas is buzzing, you’re going to have to check out The Espresso Martini Society’s new digs in Shoreditch. After a sell-out stint in Soho earlier in the year, they’re now serving up the largest list of Espresso Martini variations in the world with a festive twist. The twenty-strong menu features a whole host of Christmas classics, ranging from The Gingerbread Man to The Randy Brandy, with tickets only £10pp including a complimentary espresso martini. £10 tickets are Each session lasts 1hr30 and includes a complimentary cocktail. The Espresso Martini Society, 42 Hanbury St, E1 5JL. www.timeout.com/espresso-martini-society Blade in Soho is no ordinary bar, and they're serving no ordinary Christmas cocktails this year, either. This salon-bar offers a banging selection of drinks while they also tend to your barnet. Get that work Christmas party blow-dry while enjoying their Oat-Nog - a vegan twist on the classic festive tipple combining Stagg Jr. Bourbon or Foursquare Dominus Rum (it's your choice), with Maple Syrup, Vanilla Bitters, Oatly Oat Cream, Oatly Barista Oat Milk (which is THE BOMB), Real Organic Cinnamon and is garnished with a luxury soft date stuffed with pecans. Chop chop.For a spritz of festive fizz, The Beaufort Bar's Overture comprises exactly that. With a new cocktail menu that truly distinguishes itself from the iconic American Bar, the menu features a refined signature offering, including grower Champagnes and sparkling wine, expertly prepared mixed drinks, and a well-chosen, in-depth whisky selection. The beautiful Overture combines Grey Goose Vodka, Cucumber Syrup, Hibiscus Kirsch, Tonic and topped up with Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Champagne. The Savoy, Strand, London WC2R 0EZ www.fairmont.com/savoy-london/dining/beaufortbar Skylight's cosy Christmas cocktail called the Skylight Cobbler will take the chill out of any winter night and is the perfect tipple of choice before skating the night away or channeling your inner Pingu and getting toasty in one of Skylight's multiple igloos. Blending Bombay Sapphire, 30et40, Lemon Juice, Peach Syrup, Sugar Syrup and topped off with Plum Bitters, this festive tipple is as delicious as London's iconic skyline which you can enjoy while you sip. Tobacco Dock, Pennington St. Car Park entrance, Wapping, London E1W 2SF www.skylightlondon.com Grab yourself a Golden Ticket and head into the magical and delicious world of Willy Wonka this Christmas at Sanderson Hotel's Long Bar, where a bespoke cocktail menu features the likes of the Wonka’s Martini, a mix of Grey Goose vodka, Eager apple juice, green apple and lemon; Glop Glop, a concoction of Mozart dry chocolate vodka, Briottet orange liqueur and Lillet Blanc vermouth; and The Blue Meadow Star, mixing Star of Bombay gin, orange, and Fever-Tree Elderflower tonic. Each cocktail is as surprising and delightful as finding Zac Efron waiting for you under the tree on Christmas morning. Enjoy Wonka's menu from 27 November until 4 January at Sanderson, 50 Berners Street London, W1T 3NG www.morganshotelgroup.com/long-bar The mixology maestros at Quaglino's bar have created this special Christmas cocktail for the festive season. Classic, creamy and comforting, Bianco Natale! consists of Cointreau, Cacao white, yellow Chartreuse, lemon juice, egg white, chocolate bitters with a dark chocolate garnish. Get your Christmas glad rags on and pop on those dancing shows and get ready to jingle your bells in Mayfair this Christmas. 16 Bury St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6AJ www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk/at/bar Aster has been transformed into a cosy hunting lodge this festive season complete with sheepskin blankets, warming drinks, festive snacks and mounted deer heads. In partnership with Macallan and Laphroaig Whiskies, the cocktail menu has been designed to warm you from your fingers to your toes, with three winter whisky cocktails including The Laird with Macallan Gold, Antica formula and Angostura bitter; Festive Fireside with Laphroaig 10-year-old, Courvoisier, ginger syrup, Noilly prat and Napoleon Mandarine liqueur, and Monarch of the Glen with Macallan Gold, honey, cloves, cinnamon and orange. Aster 150 Victoria St, Westminster, London SW1E 5LB www.aster-restaurant.com Known for the prettiest floral installations in West London, Ivy Chelsea Garden have created a limited-edition Gingerbread Espresso Martini to help bring the Christmas spirit to SW3 this winter. The festive drink combines a freshly pulled espresso shot, Wyborowa Vodka, Bepi Tosolini Expre liqueur and gingerbread syrup for a subtle twist on the classic Espresso Martini. The perfect way to stay perky through for your Kings Road Christmas shopping. 195 -197 King's Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 5EQ www.theivychelseagarden.com The Spice Girl's reunion is great n all, but our favourite ginger spice is the kind that comes in festive cocktails, like The Hot Gin & Gingerbread at Bōkan; is a deliciously warming biscuity tipple of Sipsmith gin and gingerbread syrup, garnished with a wedge of orange to be enjoyed while talking limitless selfies with the epic view. Floor 39, 40 Marsh Wall, London E14 9TP www.bokanlondon.co.uk All credit to him, Mr Tumnus knows how to make a banging cocktail, even if he is half goat. Tumnus’s Tea is a hot cocktail made with Absolut Elyx, poppy tea, saffron, condensed milk and star anise served at the magical Narnia Terrace at Savage Garden. Warm enough to melt the White Witch's heart. Savage Garden, 7 Pepys Street, London, EC3N 4AF w ww.savagegarden.co.uk If you're yet to feel the joys of Christmas and are currently suffering from resting Grinch face, this bold and punchy cocktail should lift your spirits. Available at Farringdon's Piano Works and Leicester Square's Studio 88, where you can request your favourite Christmas tunes to be played live all night long, The Grinch is made with Gold rum, blue curacao, lime, pineapple, mint and a candy cane garnish. The Piano Works, 113-117 Farringdon Road (Corner of Ray Street), London EC1R 3BXY & Studio 88, 47 Whitcomb Street (Off Wardour Street), London WC2H 7DH www.thehouseofsong.co.uk Granary Square Brasserie have designed three cocktails inspired by the local areas ‘Christmas by Design theme’, including Snow on the Square made with Absolut Elyx Vodka, Absolut vanilla, Koko Kanu rum, Champagne and a Champagne foam to finish; the Winter Martini which incorporates Absolut Elyx Vodka, Baileys, pumpkin spice syrup and whipped cream; and the Candy Cosmo made with Absolut Elyx Vodka, Grand Marnier, pomegranate juice, egg white, lemon juice, garnished with playful white candy floss. 1 Granary Square, Kings Cross, London, N1C 4AB www.granarysquarebrasserie.com Rail House Café in Nova, Victoria has created a highly-Instagrammable, luxurious gin-based cocktail to help keep thirst at bay this December. The Berry Fizztive cocktail is an exclusive blend of Christmas cheer and festive sparkle with its delicious mix of warming cranberry liquor and sloe gin, all topped off with crisp, chilled Prosecco. And, if the Berry Fizztive wasn’t enough to get you in the holiday mood, each cocktail is served with a Christmassy candy cane and a sprinkle of North Pole sugar dust. After all, ‘tis the season to treat yourself! The Nova Building, 8 Sir Simon Milton Square, Victoria, London SW1E 5DJ www.railhouse.cafe The best thing about Christmas is the pantos. Oh no it isn't - it's the cocktails! But you could have the best of both worlds if you've booked tickets to the Palladium's performance of Snow White this year (or even if you haven't) because The Goring have created this delicious Poisoned Apple cocktail, a nod to Snow White’s near fatal miss. Made with Julien Fremont Calvados, apple blossom honey and fresh lime, the cocktail is poured into a cold martini glass and topped with a caramelised crab apple for extra sparkle. Children joining in on the fairy tale fun can even enjoy a mouth-watering mocktail version... because apparently, Christmas is also for the kids?? The Goring Hotel, 15 Beeston Pl, Westminster, London SW1W 0JW" ["post_title"]=> string(36) "London's Coolest Christmas Cocktails" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(37) "londons-best-christmas-cocktails-2018" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2018-12-12 11:45:41" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2018-12-12 11:45:41" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(32) "http://www.barchick.com/?p=60042" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [2]=> object(WP_Post)#1057 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(60036) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "4" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2018-12-12 10:39:23" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2018-12-12 10:39:23" ["post_content"]=> string(13314) "Congratulations! You made it through another full rotation of the sun without too many issues, despite some of those 2018 hangovers feeling like they might be the end of you. Time to wave goodbye to all that, and welcome in a shiny new year of health and happiness. The best way to do this? AN EPIC FREAKING CELEBRATION, naturally. Wondering where to be when those bells ring in 2019? BarChick has the low-down on the hottest parties for when midnight hits.There ain't no party like a Great Gatsby party, right? Combine this with glittering views of London laid out below like a sparkling circuit board, and you've got one spectacular soirée. This December 31st, Oblix East at The Shard is hosting a party to rival the grandest of Gatsby's get-togethers. Whizz up to the 32nd floor of London's most iconic building and drink in the view... along with plenty of Champagne, natch. There's a celebratory tasting menu and you'll be serenaded by a live swing orchestra throughout. Very swish. A live DJ set will ensure you don't run outta steam and keep you dancing through 'til the early hours. As will the open bar with free-flowing spirits all night. All of this opulence comes at a price - Gatsby couldn't have thrown those epic parties without his fortune, and if you wanna join this one you're gonna need to shell out a cool £450. Those eager to start 2019 in style without setting their credit card on fire can head straight to the 32nd floor from 23.30pm. There'll be bubbles on arrival and that free-flowing bar we were talking about - for the slightly less eye-watering price of £150. Nab your tickets here The Shard 31 St Thomas Street SE1 9RYIf there's one night to go fully extra, it's NYE, surely? We're talking burlesque, comedy, jazz music... and a bunch of Champagne cocktails. Oriole have paired up with The Vintage Arts Agency to bring you just that. Their New Year's Eve Cabaret Spectacular will be taking place in their glam tiki-chic bar. Guests are invited to dress in their finest and enjoy some old-school hospitality and a special Moet Hennessy cocktail list for one night only. What's more, there's a live band and enough swing dancing to get you sweating into the New Year. Because you planned to do more exercise in 2019, right? Tickets are £100 and includes a delicious welcome drink, cabaret spectacular (from 9.45pm) and live jazz music, with a free Swing lesson at 8pm. Reserve your spot here E Poultry Ave, London EC1A 9LHBid farewell to 2018 and get ready to tropic like its hot at the Last Nights of Havana pre-revolution New Year's Eve party. Expect a sh*t loada rum, a live jazz band and epic Cuban street food. Shake what ya mamma gave ya with the sexy professional salsa dancers and cheers to the new year with a complimentary glass of Moet & Chandon. Tickets start from £35 & include plenty of treats throughout the night. Get your tickets here . Tobacco Dock, Wapping Lane Gate Entrance, London E1W 2SFIt's going down up on the roof this New Year's Eve. Grab your squad and head east to check out one of the best views of the capital and party 2018 away. Skylight Rooftop has everything you need for an evening to remember; Ice skating, street food, cocktails and DJs. What more could you want? Oh, you want fireworks too? Well, you'll have a full view of the city's most impressive firework displays (or you could also watch them on one of the 12 screens around the three-floor heated venue. No excuses to miss them, then). If you're quick, you might be able to nab yourself and your crew one of the cosy igloos to bunk down in. An epic spot for plenty of insta-worthy group snaps to look back on when your head is a little fuzzy in the morning. Tickets start at £30 and include Moet & Chandon Champagne on arrival. Igloos and huts are also available to book. Book your place here . Tobacco Dock, Pennington St. Car Park entrance, Wapping, London E1W 2SFWriggle into that party dress and dry-clean that suit - this hella glam party at The Rumpus Room has everything you need to see 2018 off with a seriously chic bang. With one of the best views of the London Skyline and the Thames, you have the perfect backdrop for a Laurent-Perrier Champagne reception, DJ set and live band. There's an open bar all night long, which means by 1am you're going to get a severe case of the snack attack. Luckily, The Rumpus Room have anticipated the need to feed, and there'll be bacon sarnies for everyone. Genius. No dirty kebab in the Uber home, then. Tickets start at £160 (early birds, get flappin') and include that open bar and two glasses of Laurent-Perrier Champagne. Get your tickets over here . The Mondrian, 20 Upper Ground SE1 9PDChannel some slick Malibu style and embrace your inner flamingo - Nine Lives Bar in Bermondsey are bringing a dose of tropicalifornication to December 31st. They're dishing up nine serves in the lead up to 2019, consisting of killer cocktails and sumptuous small plates. You'll enjoy the likes of the warming Nine Tales cocktail made with bourbon, palo cortado sherry and wine cordial, followed by a dainty portion of rare beef, scorched cherry tomato, green bean and watercress salad. Tasty. To finish the feast, think bespoke tropical print macarons paired with an Espresso Martini Affogato. Just the caffeine kick to see you through. No New Year's Eve party is complete without a Champagne fountain to get the party pumping, and there's be DJs playing into the early hours. The Nine Serves menu will run from 7pm-4am for £90, or you could miss all of that and rock up from 11:15pm for £15 late entry and a glass of Champagne. Either ping the team and email [email protected] or book a spot here. 8 Holyrood Street SE1 2ELBecause is it even New Year's Eve without enchanting geisha dancers, captivating ninja warriors and glittering fire breathers? If your answer is 'hell no', we have the perfect party for you. Head to Sexy Fish for one epically glam night, where the bright lights and revelry of Tokyo are being transported to Mayfair. Neons, late night dining and lavish Roku Gin cocktails are going to ring in the new year, with Sexy Fish’s resident DJs play the very best house, electro, disco and funk into the early hours of 2019. Want to eat first? Get yourself a dinner ticket and enjoy a sharing-style thirteen-course feast. Dishes include Wagyu tataki and Miso marinated black cod. F*ck yes. The banging Roku Gin cocktail menu include the Firework Fizz - an explosive combination of Suntory Roku gin, citrus sherbert, mezcal and prosecco - and Countdown, which mixes Suntory Roku, Aperol, yuzu, and Three cents soda. Prepare to Roku out. Tickets for dinner are £290 and booking is gonna be essential, so secure your place here . Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6BETime to channel your inner Hollywood megastar and get ready for that perfect silver-screen kiss as the clocks chime midnight. Quaglino's is hosting the ultimate Hollywood Awards Night this NYE. Dress to the nines for this extraordinary night of glamour and strut down the red carpet to pose for the paps (but don't worry, these photos won't end up on the Sidebar of Shame). Your Hollywood hostesses will then welcome you for a luxe three-course dinner. Go all out and dance the night away with a spectacular line up of live music from BELAIR - these guys really know how to party and bring in the countdown. Turning up the volume till 4am is DJ Josh Hodge; everyone knows it's at the after parties when sh*t goes off the hook. Now that's how to get your 2019 started. Check out their NYE packages over here . 16 Bury Street, London SW1Y 6AJThere are no limits to how epic this party is gonna be. Like, literally - Callooh Callay is serving up unlimited food and drinks this New Year's Eve. Um, yes please. The canapes will be served between 8-10pm and then it's bottomless drinks. All. Night. Long. Because it's Callooh Callay, you just know these drinks are gonna be banging. To help see you through 'til midnight, try out The Insta - a Brew 9a twist on the Espresso Martini. Or give the Governors Colt a go, made with Pisco, milk, cream, coffee, cinnamon, vanilla, egg and prosecco. Then of course, there's a glass of Moet et Chandon at midnight to toast in the new year. Want to see in 2019 with your best moves? There's also a DJ setting the tone throughout the night. And that tone is fun. Early bird tickets are £100, or £125 afterwards. Be quick, here . 65 Rivington Street EC2A 3AYMake sure your New Year’s Eve is legendary by heading sky-high for some 70's funk. Channel the glamour of the 1970's disco era with glitter, sequins and the DGAF attitude of Grace Jones by rocking up to Sky Garden's Studio 54 NYE party. Get down with your bad self amongst the luscious tropical greenery with that incredible glittering city backdrop - Insta game on point. Dance to the nine-piece party band all night long, and don't hold back on your outfit - the dress code demands flair. Fancy being that bit extra? Take a leaf from Bianca Jagger's book. She turned up to her own 1977 Studio 54 birthday party on a horse. Maybe don't do that, though. It won't fit in the lift. Tickets include a glass of Moët & Chandon Champagne on arrival and start from £110pp. Book yours here . 20 Fenchurch St, London EC3M 8AFTwo bars, both alike in dignity, in West Hampstead where we lay our scene... and this scene is the BIGGEST New Year's party going down in NW6. Head to epic new bar Heads + Tails for two contrasting parties inspired by the Baz Lurhman classic, and choose where your loyalties lie. Capulets will see in 2019 upstairs in the Heads bar, where you'll be given Champagne to toast at midnight; Montagues will party below in Tails with a rum punch as tropical as the Hawaiian shirt you're rocking. Speaking of which, make sure you dress accordingly - you don't want to find you've been accidentally mixing with a loath'd enemy. We know how that story ends. Good news is the family feud is on hold when you head outside to the garden terrace, where a BBQ will be smoking away and you can get yourself a burger included with your ticket. Live DJs will kick off at 9pm and the party will keep going until 5am, so bring your A game. Tickets start from £35, or £45 for reserved seating. Ping 'em an email [email protected] to nab your spot." ["post_title"]=> string(33) "Where To Party in London This NYE" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(33) "where-to-party-in-london-this-nye" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2018-12-12 10:43:46" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2018-12-12 10:43:46" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(32) "http://www.barchick.com/?p=60036" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [3]=> object(WP_Post)#1058 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(60030) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "4" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2018-11-26 15:35:03" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2018-11-26 15:35:03" ["post_content"]=> string(10268) "It’s not just the trees getting lit this year. Prepare to sleigh at these ice-cool winter pop-ups that are giving us all the festive feels across London this Christmas.If it’s adventure you’re after this Christmas, then we recommend a journey through the wardrobe, past the lamp-post and into the White Forest. Sound familiar? Indulge in some Narnia-nostalgia by swinging by Savage Garden’s stunning, sky-high Narnia Terrace. Expect twinkling lights, copper lanterns, enchanting views and a magical menu of limited edition Absolut Elyx cocktails. You’ll find us perched on the White Witch’s throne, sipping on the Magical Martini, made with fig liqueur, ‘miracle foam’ and sprinkled with raspberry dust. Yaas queen. Floor 12, 7 Pepys St, London EC3N 4AF www.savagegarden.co.uk/event/narnia/ The Henrietta Hotel has well and truly grabbed Christmas by the baubles this year. They're bringing a touch of the US to our shores with the famous Miracle pop-up. Just like watching Jingle All The Way while wearing a reindeer onesie, this festive phenomenon is kitsch, nostalgic and deliciously over-the-top. Stockings, twinkling fairy lights and a buff Christmas tree - it's all here. The cocktails are served in bespoke festive glassware designed by Experimental Cocktail Club alumni and MACE frontman Nico de Soto, so expect to have an elf-ing good time. 23rd November 2018 until 23rd December Henrietta Hotel, 14-15 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8QH www.henriettahotel.com/miracle Twinkly lights, glitzy wreaths and those essential blankets to snuggle under with someone you snapped up beneath the mistletoe. Add some sparkles and Noël Chandon's got our attention. This Christmas season, Moët & Chandon are transforming The Blind Pig speakeasy into a cosy snug perfect for festive drinking, with two specially curated cocktails as sparkly as the Regent Street lights. The Cranberry Kir Royal is made with Moët Imperial, while the especially festive, ‘Christmas Pudding’ cocktail is made with Champagne and Cognac to really light your fire. Noël Chandon at The Blind Pig runs from 19th November until 5th January. 58 Poland St, Soho, London W1F 7NR www.socialeatinghouse.com The weather outside is frightful and you feel like you *might* have a cold on the way. Screw the Lempsip, doctor BarChick prescribes warming your cockles with a Hot Toddy. You'll find a highland sanctuary at the Dram & Smoke Bothy Nights Christmas pop-up, where Single malts and Hot Toddys can be enjoyed beneath tartan blankets to bring those temperatures up. The DIY DJ station and karaoke room provide a festive soundtrack – singing loud for all to hear is definitely encouraged. Then there's the roaming treat sledge and the fully-stocked, eggnog-free bar with Old Fashioneds on tap. Food for thought comes in the form of a menu created with a boisterous banquet in mind. Congratulations, you’ve got yourself the ultimate festive highland fling. Open 10th - 21st December Black Swan Studios, 2-3 Black Swan Yard, London, SE1 3XW dramandsmoke.com/bothy-nights-christmas-parties If the stargazing you're used to generally takes places in Berkley Square, we've got news for you - it's all about the Rosewood Hotel this winter. Find us beneath the canopy of twinkling lights at their immersive Glenlivet Glade. The collaboration with this Speyside Single Malt has brought the sights and smells of a remote Highland wood to the hotel’s iconic courtyard, complete with a starry starry night encasing the terrace. Grab yourself a warming whisky cocktail and feast on the sweet and savoury treats from the Holborn Dining Room kitchen. The Glenlivet Glade will be open from Tuesday 6th November – Saturday 2nd March, 4.00pm to 10.00pm 252 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EN, United Kingdom w ww.rosewoodhotels.com Picture this. You've found your way into a snowstorm installation via a secret pocket cut into the side of a Christmas tree. Now a sh*t ton of golden snowflakes are swirling around your head, Crystal Maze stylee. Catch one, and you can win a Snowscape cocktail. This beauty is served inside a delicate snow globe and is a cool mix of Plantation 3* rum, homemade coconut cordial, Becherovka liqueur and gold tea. Can we get a hell yeah? This Christmas, Aqua Shard have teamed up with Bompas & Parr, the curators of some of the most spectacular immersive and multi-sensory experiences in the city. The epic snowstorm installation is standing tall inside their vast triple story atrium overlooking the London skyline. It sounds glitzy, bonkers, and mega fun. Exactly what the festive season should be, then. 21st November into the New Year. Two "Golden Hours" — where guests can attempt to catch a snowflake — will run at 11.30am-12.30pm and 5-6pm, Monday to Friday. Aqua shard, Level 31, The Shard, 31 St. Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY aquashard.co.uk/experience Soho, porn and gin - quite a few things probably connect these three things, and one of them is infamous porn baron Paul Raymond. This winter The King of Soho Gin is coming home to 21 Great Windmill Street, the first and one of the quirkier property purchases in Paul Raymond’s Soho crown. For 6 weeks, #21Soho will be a grown-up’s playground of indulgence. We're talking terrifically tacky - leopard print thrones, vibrant décor and Soho memorabilia to mirror the theatre of the neighbourhood. Hell yeah. On Fridays comedy, burlesque, live music and ‘Adult Story Time’ can be enjoyed with exquisite gin-based drinks in hand in the lead up to Christmas. A sure-fire way of getting on Santa's naughty list. November 14 for six weeks, 4pm-10pm every Wednesday to Saturday. 21 Great Windmill St, W1D 7LB http://kingofsohodrinks.com/ Warm evenings, sun-drenched days may be over but BarChick's for a roof terrace remains, so thank god for Skylight London. They've given themselves an epic festive emakeover and it's worth a visit. The winter transformation has welcomed Europe’s only real-ice rooftop ice-rink (try saying that after a few Schnapps). Need a break from skating? Get cosy in the igloos and mountain huts and marvel at the twinkling skyline of the city. No need to fear the chills - mulled wine is served in the heated apres-ski skate bar. Like a trip to the slopes minus the hefty credit card bill. We approve. 1st November 2018 – 27th January 2019 Wapping Lane, Wapping, E1W 2SF https://www.skylightlondon.com/ Winston Churchill and his Mrs had a bit of a love for the Highlands, so it was a no-brainer for the Churchill Bar to transform their terrace into a beautiful Highland Hideaway this winter. It's got more Scottish touches than an episode of Monarch of the Glenn : roaring fire, faux fur throws, pine trees and an abundance of woodland quirks. It’s the perfect spot to bunk down and retreat from the manic Oxford Street crowds (which, quite frankly, are enough to drive anyone to drink). Luckily there are a bunch of Scottish cocktails being served up to take the Christmas edge off. This includes a sh*t load of Johnnie Walker Scotch - a personal fave of old Winston. And you’re definitely going to want to chow down on some of the homemade scotch eggs for good measure - after all, keeping your energy up for shopping is essential, right? 30 Portman Square, Marylebone, W1H 7BH www.thechurchillbar.co.uk/terrace/ Christmas is a time for goodwill to all men, festive cheer... and glamming the hell up. One sure fire way to get glitzy? Head to the Secret Garden at South Place Hotel. Channel your inner Grace Jones and get Disco Decadent in this Studio 54 inspired pop-up, where nothing is too extra. Mirror balls, a dance floor for getting down, and flowing Moët & Chandon Champagne - we've found our winter groove. Then of course there's the menu of mince pies and Pigs In Blankets. If you know a Grinch who's failing to feel festive, this is the place to bring them. South Pl, London EC2M 2AF southplacehotel.com/eat-and-drink/secret-garden/ " ["post_title"]=> string(36) "London's Epic Christmas Pop Ups 2018" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(29) "christmas-pop-ups-london-2018" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2018-11-26 15:38:50" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2018-11-26 15:38:50" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(32) "http://www.barchick.com/?p=60030" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [4]=> object(WP_Post)#1059 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(60025) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "4" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2018-10-25 18:37:19" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2018-10-25 17:37:19" ["post_content"]=> string(7509) "This might sound like a bit of a bummer, but trust us when we say The Day of the Dead is all about the celebrations. Down Mexico way they believe that the soul is immortal and can travel between worlds. Día de Muertos – 2November – is the time to honour your dead loved ones. People leave offerings and decorate graves with the idea of encouraging a visit from your favourite spirits – and there’s the chance to have one awesome party, too. It’s vibrant, it’s lively, and it’s the ideal way to honour the dearly departed. Plus, there’s tequila involved. Sold.
Pop Brixton – 27th October
We are always down for a fiesta, and when it’s fuelled by live music and mezcal then just try and keep us away. For one epic night, POP Brixton will be transformed into a spirited arena of painted skulls, mystic performances and NOLA inspired brass bands to celebrate Dia de los Muertos. This is gonna be one spirited affair, and death has never been so vibrant. Ahuevo! Free entry, turn up from 4pm 49 Brixton Station Rd, Brixton, London SW9 8PQ
Cantina Laredo - Candlelit Day of the Dead Dinner at Cantina Laredo
2nd November
Baby when the lights go out, that’s when things get lit. Candle light celebrations are getting underway at Cantina Laredo this Day of the Dead, where all things death and tequila are giving us life. With a free-flowing menu of unlimited Margaritas, and dishes including The Dangerous Don, a chocolate and dulce de leche cronut dessert, it’s set to get those spirits well and truly awakened. 10 Upper St Martin's Ln, London WC2H 9FB https://www.cantinalaredo.co.uk/
Chino Latino – Day of the Dead dinner
2nd November
You’re not likely to miss Chino Latino this Day of the Dead. Just keep your eyes peeled for the colour-popping 4ft tall floral skull hanging in the windows of a restaurant. Expect vibrant cocktails to accompany the four-course dinner packed with more Latin twists than a telenovela. Jalapeno Maki Rolls, and ceviche of calamari, shrimps, sea bass and avocado are sure to enliven your taste-buds.. In true Day of the Dead style, the dessert will be a Passion fruit skull designed with edible flowers. Sweet. Tickets £45 Park Plaza Riverbank, 18 Albert Embankment, Lambeth, London SE1 7TJ
The Dia de los Muertos Cocktail at The Lost Alpaca, Lima Floral
The best way to pay tribute to the departed? Have a stiff drink in their honour. Awaken all the spirits this Day of the Dead and head to Covent Garden’s underworld. Descend into The Lost Alpaca Bar at Floral by LIMA for some fiery South American libations. The Dia de los Muertos cocktail is laced with a sweet and spicy mix of pumpkin, agave and Tabasco, with a base of gin to get the ultimate afterlife party started. 14 Garrick St, London WC2E 9BJ https://www.lostalpaca.com
Ella Canta painted black tasting menu
from 1st – 17th November
Floral headdress, vibrant sugar skull face-paints and traditional flamboyant Mexican dress – we're in. Pair this all with an elaborate, modern 8-course “painted black” menu and a sh*t load of margaritas and these Day of the Dead celebrations are DOWN. The menu has a continuous trend of black running through it, including the accompanying Lady in Black Margarita. BarChick’s favourite way of channelling dark spirits. Tasting menu £80 One Hamilton Place, Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1J 7QY
Patrón Tequila Presents Art of Patrón X Day of the Dead
November 2nd
There is a time and a place for tequila and an excessive amount of body gems. That time is November 2nd, and the place is UNIT London in Mayfair. Welcome to the Art of Patrón x Day of the Dead party. Strap in, because Art of Patrón promises to take you on an epic immersive journey through the lens of the world’s finest tequila. Expect Day of the Dead inspired Patrón Tequila masterclasses, wicked live art installations, and make-up stations by The Gypsie Shrine. We’ll be getting down to the tunes of London DJ Tasty Lopez playing a mix of electronic, bounce, house, funk, soul and nostalgia. Of course, there will be Patrón Tequila cocktails including the El Diablo, made with Patrón Silver tequila, lime, ginger beer and Crème de Cassis. Loco! Tickets are priced at £15 each and include x3 cocktails and mixology masterclasses 3 Hanover Square, Mayfair, London W1S 1HD
Don Julio Presents Day of the Dead at Tropicana Beach Club
2nd November
A visit to Tropicana Beach Club means serious party times. Fact. So you can be sure their tequila-fuelled Dia de los Muertos party is not to be missed. Housed at the exotic & tropical twisted den of mayhem, drinks will be flowing for this spectacular evening of carnival riot. When BarChick wants to bring out her wicked side, tequila is a good shout. The The Devil’s Margarita, made with Don Julio cocktail, should do the trick. It's all about flower crowns and colourful garms as you dance the night away to an intoxicating mix of Latino, funk, soul and hip-hop beats. Shake those bones. Free Entry 5pm to 9pm. Happy Hour: 5pm - 8pm New London Theatre, Parker Street, London WC2B 5PW
Day of the Dead brunch at Bluebird White City
3rd November 11am-4pm
There’s one sure fired way to get BarChick outta bed on a Saturday morning, and that’s tequila, tacos & tunes. This feasty fiesta at The Bluebird Café is adding some spice to the festivities and partnering with Patron & Fever Tree to create a menu of epic brunch cocktails, all with a Dia de los Muertos twist. This naturally means Bloody Marias & Margaritas a plenty. Love. Chuck in a live DJ set all day and you’re in for a wild start to your weekend. Now that’s what we’re taco-ing about. Tickets are £35 and include 3 courses & a cocktail Television Centre, Wood Lane, White City, London W12 7FR, UK " ["post_title"]=> string(51) "A Drinking Guide To 'The Day Of The Dead' in London" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(27) "day-of-the-dead-london-2018" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2018-10-29 05:02:04" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2018-10-29 05:02:04" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(32) "http://www.barchick.com/?p=60025" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } } ["post_count"]=> int(5) ["current_post"]=> int(-1) ["in_the_loop"]=> bool(false) ["post"]=> object(WP_Post)#1055 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(60061) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "4" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2019-01-25 15:57:23" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-01-25 15:57:23" ["post_content"]=> string(13508) "The tartan is donned, the haggis is being addressed, and you're ready to ceilidh like never before. It can only mean one thing - Burns Night is back. We've got the lowdown on where to raise a dram to the ultimate Scot on January 25th. Oh, and this year it's on a Friday...Listen up laddies and lassies - it doesn’t get much more Scottish than this. Mac & Wild are going ham on the Burns night celebrations with a killer set menu at their Devonshire Square venue in The City. Not only will you enjoy haggis (with a toast, natch), but there's lobster and venison to boot. Nice. Entertainment wise, this is a ceilidh you don't wanna miss. Think AC/DC being played on the bagpipes, a silent Burns X Glenfiddich disco, live poets, and whisky… oh, so much whisky. Always wanted to try your hand at haggis making? Thought so. Head here for a masterclass and become an expert. If you're an early riser then you're in luck - Mac & Wild are putting on a Burns Full Scottish breakfast, complete with tattie scones, venison sausage, black puddin' and haggis. Talk about lining your stomach... 5 Course Tasting Menu, includes dram of Glenfiddich, Burns Poet and piper. £75 per person. www.macandwild.com/burns 9A Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YNOne of the most stylish venues in London is going Celtic. Pop on your swankiest kilt (underwear optional) and get ready to wash down a five-course feast with cocktails plus drams of the finest scotch. Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings is bringing the sophistication this Burns Night. There'll be singing, there'll be bagpipes, there'll be that essential welcoming of the haggis. And, of course, a mini ceilidh to get you in the spirit. Feeling confident after all that whisky? Why not try your hand at reciting some of the poet’s trickier verses. Go on, we dare you. Tickets will set you back £80 and you can book ‘em over here. www.bandhbuildings.com 42 Northampton Rd, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 0HUBoisdale is Scotland's official unofficial embassy in London. Fact. So if you’re unable to get north of the border this Burns Night, Canary Wharf is the next best place to get addressing that haggis. They're chucking together some swing classics with a few wee Scottish surprises along the way from the Pete Long Orchestra. And don't forget about the piper, of course - Burns Night doesn't get more authentic than this. Dining tickets start at £59.50, or you could just rock up and enjoy the show from £15 and sip from a choice of over 1000 whiskies in the world’s most extensive whisky bar. Dram right! www.boisdale.co.uk/canary-wharf/the-venue/restaurant/ 15 Cabot Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 4QTOn the 25th January, the Skylight Rooftop is kicking off its final weekend of the winter season with one helluva boozy makeover from the multi-award-winning Glenfiddich distillery, all in honour of Robbie Burns. Fuel yourself up with their signature whisky tipples and head to the rooftop dance-floor. You're about to fling yourself into the ceilidh performed by traditional Scottish musicians. Expect music, singing, dancing and storytelling, plus street food with some Scottish twists added to the menu. Tickets are £3 and include a Glenfiddich cocktail on arrival, whisky tasting sessions throughout the night and some high energy performances throughout the night. Grab yours here. Tobacco Dock, Pennington St entrance, St Katharine's & Wapping, London E1W 2SFYou say: 'whisky?', we say 'The Sun Tavern'. This place has the amber spirit nailed - BarChick's yet to leave here without draining a dram or three. It makes sense that Burns Night wouldn't go unnoticed, then. The squad here have teamed up with Glennfiddich IPA to create a Scotch heavy cocktail, in tribute to the Ploughman Poet. Rock up on the 25th and order the Tam o’ Shanter. They bring together Glenfiddich IPA, Cocchi Torino, Dolin dry, cardamom syrup & Abbott’s bitters to create a drink of depth. For those who prefer their scotch a little neater, The Sun Tavern’s award-winning whisky list will also be on hand. If all that drinking makes you peckish, you can fill up on the haggis Scotch eggs they're gonna be plating up for free. Tastes Of Ink will be performing some spoken word – you can expect a rendition or two of Burns’ finest pieces as the nectar loosens the tongue. www.thesuntavern.co.uk 441 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 0ANHighland fling yourself towards this Burns Night supper at Cub. They've got Craig Grozier, in-house chef for the PHD distillery, taking over the reins of the kitchen, and the guy is a bloody maverick. Loosen that kilt, cos he's developing a Burns-inspired 10-course set menu of 5 dishes and 5 drinks so revolutionary, Robert Burns would write a poem about it if he was still kicking about. It's a clichéd cullen skink and cranachan free zone, but it's still gonna be authentic, with an address of the haggis by Cub’s resident Glaswegian. Those riding the Veganuary train aren't excluded from the celebrations; there's a vegan haggis (though we're yet to learn if this imposter will be addressed or not). And Cub's focus on sustainability hasn't been ignored - you're going to love the native foraged ingredients Grozier uses. £75 per person mrlyan.dinesuperb.com/reserve/experience 153 Hoxton St, Hoxton, London N1 6PJSo the distinctive squeal of Bagpipes ain't your jam. Fair. Good news is you can enjoy a "Quiet Symphony" at the not-so-private member's club, The Devonshire Club, this Burns Night. This heavenly cocktail of Drambuie, Talisker Skye infused with orange, tequila, lime juice, honey & acai liquor is a bonnie drink to wash down the epic Burns Night feast they're laying on. Obviously, you can't have Burns Night without a bit of a pipes soundtrack, but don't worry - they've secured a world class band, Shotts and Dykehead to deal the blow, so expect to discover a new love for it. Oh and there's a deep-fried Mars Bar for pudding. Now you're talking. Two courses: £28, three courses: £35. www.devonshireclub.com/events/burns-night-2019/ 5 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YDUh, hold the front page - did you know there's a goddamn Whisky Trolley at 34 Mayfair? It's usually exclusive to the Emin Room, but this Burns Night, the trolley is going wheel-about and making a special cameo appearance in the main restaurant. The world’s most popular, unique and luxurious whiskies will be brought to your table alongside highland classics like Roasted Highland Deer with Haggis, Neeps and tatties and smoked whisky sauce, plus Rhubarb Cranachan with toasted hazelnuts and oats. It is a reason to get wheeley excited. It is not an excuse to get absolutely trollied. www.34-restaurant.co.uk/ 34 Grosvenor Square Entrance on, S Audley St, London W1K 2HDThe gang at J Sheekey don't think one night is enough, so they're drawing out the Bobby Burns celebrations over a whole week. We feel that. From the 21st-27th January they're gonna be shaking up two bespoke cocktails: a traditional Whisky Sour of Bowmore 15yo whisky, lemon juice and miraculous foamer; and Rob Roy, a blend of Auchentoshan single malt whisky, sweet Vermouth and Benedictine liqueur. These delectable serves will be accompanying a special dish of seared Isle of Mill scallops, spiced heritage carrot and haggis crust. We'll drink to that. www.j-sheekey.co.uk/ 28-33 St Martin's Ct, London WC2N 4ALMilk & Whisky might sound like the kind of insane concoction you'd cobble together in desperation at the end of a house party. But trust us - it's actually a seriously decent Scottish classic. This Burns Night, check out Aqua Shard's bespoke interpretation. The Scottish Milk Punch (not to be confused with a Glaswegian kiss), is made using pineapple, cinnamon, star anise, coriander, lemon, Scottish Earl Grey tea, barley syrup and hot milk, blended together with Johnnie Walker Black. Smoooooth. aquashard.co.uk/ Level 31, The Shard, 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RYBurns Night and whisky go together like Miley and Liam so it makes sense that this year The Rosewood is welcoming you to their hella cosy Glenlivet Glade for a night of epic whiskies, hand picked by Glenlivet ambassador Phil Huckle. Pair these up with a series of Scottish dishes created by Holborn Dining Room's ultimate pie master, Calum Franklin (you'll know him from those pie masterpieces on Insta) and you've got a full-blown Scottish celebration on your hands. Expect Highland Venison & Haggis Wellington, Neeps and tatties and Cullen Skink with Oatmeal bread to be enjoyed under the Glade's stars. Burns Night Supper - £145 per person. Want a piece of the pie? Grab a ticket over here. 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7ENBarChick takes Burns Night very seriously indeed. Whisky, haggis, men in kilts. What's not to love? If you're like us, you'll wanna go all out this year, and what's more 'all out' than heading North of the wall up to The Isle of Raasay Distillery for a full Burns & Whisky Weekender! Check into one of their gorgeous rooms for a two-night stay including all meals, a distillery tour and of course, one helluva whisky tasting. They’ll ply you with proper Scottish dishes, from traditional haggis to rhubarb cranachan with homemade shortbread and whisky fudge, and of course, plenty of the delicious amber stuff. Bobby would be proud. The package costs £339. Book it here. Slàinte!Looking to get your super freak on this Burns Night? You know that's how BarChick gets down, so you'll find us at Calloh Callay where they're ready to satisfy with a legendary Monkey Shoulder partnership. It's gonne be a weekend of whisky tastings, epic cocktails and guest bartenders from across the UK, so you know it's gonna get funky. For the rest of January, you can get your hands on the "Super freak" cocktail, celebrating the famedScottishh spirit in a combo of Monkey Shoulder Scotch whisky, Smokey Monkey, Pear liqueur, Cardamom bitters, and fresh pear juice. To get the party lit, the drink is served in a miniature disco ball. It pairs well with the music being spun on the decks by Mr Disco Drinks himself, Joe Petch, Global Monkey Shoulder Brand Ambassador. Not your average Whisky Tasting is going down at the bar on the 23rd, and on the 27th, The Bar Monkies can be found behind it, rounding off the Scotch Whisky Weekend with DrinkUp London. Check out the full line up over here. 65 Rivington St, London EC2A 3AYThis Burns Night, The London EDITION Lobby Bar is getting a makeover more Scottish than the Loch Ness Monster tossing a caber. Get your mingle on to the sound of London’s top Scottish Ceilidh five-piece, Licence to Ceilidh. They're gonna be blasting out a fresh twist on traditional Scottish tunes and dances. Loosen up your limbs with a couple o' cocktails which celebrate Scotlands legendary ingredients, and we're not just talking about Whisky. The Bobby’s Bru is a punch made with Chivas 12, sugar syrup, lemon juice, green tea, a lemon wheel and grated tonka garnish, all topped with the most legendary Scottish tipples of them all; Irn Bru. Aye, now you're talking! After a few of those, sneak your way into the intimate drinking den, The Punch Room, and learn to blend your own whisky with experts from Chivas’ team. Talk about mixin' things up! www.editionhotels.com/london 10 Berners St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NP" ["post_title"]=> string(53) "Burns Baby Burns! 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Across history and folklore, the question of where Earth’s gold came from — and maybe how to get more of it — has invited fantastical explanation. The Inca believed gold fell from the sky as either the tears or the sweat of the sun god Inti. Aristotle held that gold was hardened water, transformed when the sun’s rays penetrated deep underground. Isaac Newton transcribed a recipe for making it with a philosopher’s stone. Rumpelstiltskin, of course, could spin it from straw.
Modern astrophysicists have their own story. The coda, at least, is relatively clear: About four billion years ago, during a period called the “late veneer,” meteorites flecked with small amounts of precious metals — gold included — hammered the nascent Earth. But the more fundamental question of where gold was forged in the cosmos is still contentious.
For decades, the prevailing account has been that supernova explosions make gold, along with dozens of other heavy elements on the bottom few rows of the periodic table. But as computer models of supernovas have improved, they suggest that most of these explosions do just about as well at making gold as history’s alchemists. Perhaps a new kind of event — one that has traditionally been difficult, if not impossible, to study — is responsible.
In the past few years, a debate has erupted. Many astronomers now believe that the space-quaking merger of two neutron stars can forge the universe’s supply of heavy elements. Others hold that even if garden-variety supernovas can’t do the trick, more exotic examples might still be able to. To settle the argument, astrophysicists are searching for clues everywhere, from alchemical computer simulations to gamma-ray telescopes to the manganese crust of the deep ocean. And the race is on to make an observation that would seal the deal — catching one of the cosmos’s rarest mints with its assembly line still running.
Supernova Trouble
In 1957, the physicists Margaret and Geoffrey Burbidge, William Fowler and Fred Hoyle laid out a set of recipes for how the lives and deaths of stars could fill in almost every slot in the periodic table. That implied that humans, or at least the elements making up our bodies, were once stardust. So was gold — somehow.
“The problem itself is rather old, and now for a long time has been the last stardust secret,” said Anna Frebel, an astronomer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The Big Bang left behind hydrogen, helium and lithium. Stars then fused these elements into progressively heavier elements. But the process stops at iron, which is among the most stable elements. Nuclei bigger than iron are so positively charged, and so difficult to bring together, that fusion no longer returns more energy than you have to put in.
To make heavy elements more reliably, you can bombard iron nuclei with charge-free neutrons. The new neutrons often make the nucleus unstable. In this case, a neutron will decay into a proton (popping out both an electron and an antineutrino). The net increase of a proton leads to a new, heavier element.
When additional neutrons are thrown into a nucleus more slowly than it can decay, the process is called slow neutron capture, or the s process. This makes elements such as strontium, barium and lead. But when neutrons land on a nucleus faster than they decay, rapid neutron capture — the r process — occurs, beefing up nuclei to form heavy elements including uranium and gold.
In order to coax out the r-process elements, the Burbidges and their colleagues recognized, you would need a few things. First, you have to have a relatively pure, unadulterated source of neutrons. You also need heavy “seed” nuclei (such as iron) to capture those neutrons. You need to bring them together in a hot, dense (but not too dense) environment. And you want all this to happen during an explosive event that will scatter the products out into space.
To many astronomers, those requirements implicate one specific kind of object: a supernova.
A supernova erupts when a massive star, having fused its core into progressively heavier elements, reaches iron. Then fusion stops paying off, and the star’s atmosphere crashes down. A sun’s worth of mass collapses into a sphere only about a dozen kilometers in radius. Then, when the core reaches the density of nuclear matter, it holds firm. Energy rebounds outward, ripping apart the star in a supernova explosion visible from billions of light years away.
A supernova seems to tick the necessary boxes. During the star’s collapse, protons and electrons in the core are forced together, making neutrons and converting the core into an infant neutron star. Iron is abundant. So is heat. And the glowing ejecta keep expanding out into space for millennia, dispersing the products.
By the 1990s, a specific picture had begun to emerge in computational models. Half a second after the core of a massive star collapses, a gale of neutrinos streams out, continuing for up to a minute. Some of that wind would blow off iron nuclei that could serve as seeds, along with lots and lots of neutrons.
“That was the hope,” said Thomas Janka of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Garching, Germany. “This was, I would say, the most interesting and the most promising site for forming the r-process elements for almost 20 years.” And the explanation still has its adherents. “If you open a textbook, it will tell you that the r process is made by supernova explosions,” said Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, an astrophysicist at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
But as supernova models got more and more sophisticated, the situation got worse, not better. Temperatures in the neutrino-driven wind didn’t seem to be high enough. The wind might also be too slow, allowing seed nuclei to form so abundantly that they wouldn’t find enough neutrons to build up heavy elements all the way up to uranium. And the neutrinos could also convert neutrons back into protons — meaning there might not even be a lot of neutrons to work with.
That left theorists circling back to one of the strongest points of the supernova model. Supernovas make neutron stars, which seem indispensable to the process.
“They are fantastic for this type of nucleosynthesis,” said Stephan Rosswog at Stockholm University. “You start with this gigantic amount of neutrons that you don’t have anywhere else in the universe.” But a neutron star also has a strong gravitational field, he said. “The question is just, well, how can you convince the neutron star to eject something?”
One way to crack open a neutron star would be to use the same explosion that birthed it. That didn’t seem to work. But what if you came back later, and tore one open again?
The Neutron Star Story
In 1974, radio astronomers found the first binary neutron star system. With each orbit, the pair were losing energy, implying that one day they would collide. The same year, the astrophysicists James Lattimer and David Schramm modeled what would happen in such a situation — not specifically the clash of two neutron stars, since that was too complicated to calculate at the time, but the similar merger of a neutron star and a black hole.
While supernova explosions can briefly outshine the entire galaxies that host them, neutron stars are extremely difficult to see. The supernova that produced the Crab nebula was observed by many different cultures in the year 1054; the neutron star it left behind wasn’t detected until 1968. A merger of two neutron stars would be still more difficult to find and understand. But although nobody had ever seen one, this kind of exotic event could be responsible for the r-process elements, Lattimer and Schramm said.
Picture two neutron stars approaching their final embrace. In the last few orbits around each other before glomming together into a bigger neutron star or a black hole, the pair are wracked by enormous gravitational tides. The collision ejects enormous amounts of material.
“Kind of like you squeeze a tube of toothpaste, stuff comes flying out the end,” said Brian Metzger, a theoretical astrophysicist at Columbia University. Behind each neutron star stretches a tail, with perhaps 10 neutrons to every proton, all heated to billions of degrees. Heavy nuclei form in about a second. Because they have so many extra neutrons they are unstable, radioactive. They glow, eventually decaying to things like gold and platinum.
At least, this is how it works in simulations. |
CLOSE Sen. John McCain praised Sen. Jeff Flake for his service immediately after Flake announced from the floor that he would not seek re-election. C-SPAN.
Sen. John McCain (Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, AP)
Sen. John McCain's remarks from the Senate floor Tuesday, after Sen. Jeff Flake announced he will not run for reelection following his current term.
It’s very hard for me to add to the eloquence of my dear friend from Arizona. But I do want to say that it has been one of the great honors of my life to serve with a man of integrity, honor, decency and commitment to not only Arizona but to the United States of America.
I have seen Jeff Flake stand up for what he believes in, knowing full well there would be a political price to pay.
I have seen him stand up for his family. I have seen him stand up for his forebearers, who are the early settlers of Arizona. In fact, there’s a place called Snowflake, Arizona, and obviously the Flake part comes from his direct predecessor.
READ MORE:
Flake announces he will not seek re-election
ROBERTS: Flake shows he's a man of honor
Read Flake's bombshell Senate speech: 'Mr. President, I rise today to say: Enough'
It is the Flake family and families like them that came and worked and slaved and made families and made Arizona what it is. And it has never had a more deserving son that in Jeff Flake, and his beautiful wife Cheryl and children.
So I would just like to say, Jeff, I’ve known you now for a number of years. I know you have served Arizona and the country. And there’s one thing that I’m absolutely sure of – that you will continue that service which is part of your family, it’s part of your view of America, it’s part of your willingness and desire to serve Arizona. And one of the great privileges of my life has been to have the opportunity to know you and serve with you.
So as we look, all of us at some point, at the time that we’ve spent here — whether it be short or whether it be long — we look back on what we could have done, what we should have done, what we might have done, and the mistakes we made and things we’re proud of.
When Flake’s service to the Senate is reviewed it will be one of honor, of brilliance, of patriotism, of love of country. And I thank you. God bless you and your family.
TALKING POLITICS: Listen to our Arizona politics podcast, The Gaggle, on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, Stitcher or Google Play.
Read or Share this story: http://azc.cc/2gFTOzF |
To properly manage the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library’s collection, the curatorial staff periodically reviews the strengths and weaknesses of the collection so that, as we evaluate new gifts and purchases, we can fill gaps and avoid duplications. One of the gaps that we are seeking to fill is material (2-d, 3-d, records and papers) associated with fraternal groups for women and children. So, when a donor generously offered several gifts of Order of the Amaranth material over the past few years, we jumped at the opportunity (see these other posts about the organization).
The Order of the Amaranth, like Order of the Eastern Star, with which it was initially affiliated, is open to the female relatives of Master Masons, and to Master Masons themselves. In the United States in 1873, Robert Macoy (1816-1895), who was active in Order of the Eastern Star, formed the “Rite of Adoption,” which included an Order of the Amaranth degree. From 1873 to 1921, all members of Amaranth Courts (analogous to Eastern Star Chapters), had to join Order of the Eastern Star first. In 1921, the two groups split, becoming the separate organizations that they remain today.
Among the large group of Amaranth items now in our collection, ranging from props that were used in rituals to records for several courts, and souvenirs from Amaranth events to regalia, are the two crowns shown here. Both were worn by Elsie Haynes (1915-2006) when she was active in Amaranth activities in Connecticut. Haynes probably wore the crown in the top photo when she was Royal Matron of Charity Court No. 17, which met in Windsor, Connecticut, and later in Suffield, Connecticut. Haynes used the crown in the lower photo when she served as Supreme Royal Matron, head of the national organization, in 1977 and 1978.
We are very pleased to have Order of the Amaranth represented in our collection. If you have an Amaranth memory to share or a question to ask, please leave us a comment!
Order of the Amaranth Crowns, 1960-1970 (top), ca. 1977 (bottom), Unidentified makers, United States, gift of Barbara F. Lott, 2013.049.22a and .26a. Photographs by David Bohl. |
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An off-duty San Diego Police officer fatally shot his knife-wielding brotherFriday in apparent defense of himself and their mother during a fight at the family’s South Bay home, authorities reported.
The lawman, whose name was not immediately released, suffered at least four stab wounds during the fracas in the 300 block of Center Street in Chula Vista, according to police. He was taken to UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest in stable condition, CVPD Lt. Fritz Reber told reporters.
The siblings were arguing shortly before 8:30 a.m. when one of them picked up several knives and reportedly began acting in a threatening manner toward his mother and brother, Reber said. The aggressor then attacked his sibling, who responded by opening fire, the lieutenant said.
The mortally wounded man, whose name also was withheld, reportedly had a history of “mental-health issues” and lived with his brother and parents at the apartment complex directly across the street from Chula Vista police headquarters, Reber said.
—City News Service
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China Just Became the World Leader in Nuclear Fusion Research - sustains a fusion reaction for 102 seconds
With China’s new record of 102 seconds, this represents a massive step forward in nuclear fusion
By Justin Horner - February 8, 2016 14598 4
Inside China EAST Reactor
Image: Institute of Plasma Physics Chinese Academy of Science
China announced last week a major breakthrough in the realm of nuclear fusion research. The Chinese Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), was able to heat hydrogen gas to a temperature of near 50 million degrees Celsius for an unprecedented 102 seconds. While this is nowhere near the hottest temperature that has ever been achieved in nuclear fusion research, that distinction belongs to the Large Hadron Collider which reached 4 trillion degrees Celsius, it is the longest amount of time one has been maintained.
Germany was the previous world leader in nuclear fusion research when it was abe to heat hydrogen gas to 80 million degrees Celsius for a quarter of a second. This was considered a huge breakthrough in the amount of time we could maintain these levels of temperatures.
With China’s new record of 102 seconds, this represents a massive step forward in nuclear fusion, with the goal being a length of time long enough for us to effectively harness the energy produced from the reaction.
The goal of nuclear fusion research is to produce clean, renewable energy. It seeks to do this by replicating the same conditions that power the sun. Super heated hydrogen atoms, contained by the suns massive gravitational pull, bounce around inside the sun until they collide into one another. As the two hydrogen atoms attach to one another they form a helium atom. The helium atom has more mass than either of the individual atoms, but less mass than the two combined. This excess mass is released as huge amounts of energy.
Nuclear fusion researchers are experimenting with different methods of keeping the atoms contained in a vacuum to maintain the necessary temperature. China’s EAST reactor does this by the use of a magnetic field in a donut-shape that has the hydrogen circling around inside it.
The technologies they have in place there could very well lead to harnessable energy from nuclear fusion.
With the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) currently being constructed in France, perhaps the insights gained at the EAST could give us the hints necessary for the ITER to finally “crack the code” on nuclear fusion. With this development from China, we are one step further down the road to clean, renewable energy
Feds cut funding for Fusion - Cut in federal funding for MIT ARC fusion reactor which takes a page from Tony Stark
The Suppression of Fusion Power Generation by the Oligarchic Satanic, "Principle of Poverty"
Fusion reactors, like the one used by Marvel's 'Iron Man', would provide a source of clean, sustainable energy for the world
MIT's C-Mod tokamak reactor is one of the three major fusion research facilities in the U.S., along with DIII-D at General Atomics and the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.
MIT C-Mod Fusion Reactor
IPP, Wolfgang Filser
A researcher works inside of the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) an experimental nuclear fusion reactor built in Greifswald, Germany, by the Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik (IPP). The reactor, completed in October 2015, is the largest to date.
Throwing a wrench into its efforts, MIT learned earlier this year that funding for its fusion reactor under the Department of Energy (DOE) is coming to an end. The decision to shut down Alcator C-Mod was driven by budget constraints, according to Edmund Synakowski, associate director of science for Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) at the DOE.
In the current budget, Congress has provided $18 million for MIT's C-Mod, which will support at least five weeks of operations in its final year and cover the costs associated with the shutdown of the facility, Synakowski said in an email reply to Computerworld. (Researchers hope to find other funding sources to make up for the loss.)
The PSFC has about 50 Ph.D students working to develop fusion energy. Past students have left MIT to start their own companies or take develop academic projects outside of MIT.
Making sure that scientists and students at MIT can transition into collaborations at other DOE-funded fusion energy research facilities in the U.S. -- especially the two primary facilities: DIII-D at General Atomics in San Diego, and NSTX-U at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory -- has been "one of the major concerns," Synakowski said.
Over the past fiscal year, FES worked with MIT to establish a new five-year cooperative agreement, beginning on Sept. 1, 2015, to enable its scientists to transition to FES-funded collaborations.
Whyte, however, believes the promise of fusion energy is too important for research to wind down.
"Fusion is too important to have only one pathway to it," Whyte said. "My motto is smaller and sooner. If we can [create] the technology that allows us to access smaller devices and build a variety of them..., then this allows us to get to a place where we've got more options on the table to develop fusion on a faster timescale."
And, Whyte said, the scientific basis for small fusion reactors has been established at MIT.
"We did that despite the fact that we have the smallest of the major experiments around the world. We actually have the record for achieving pressure of this plasma. Pressure is one of the fundamental bars you have to get over," Whyte said. "We're very excited about this."
MIT has been developing a small fusion reactor prototype, three of which could power the City of Boston if they were fully built.
For the past 20 years, MIT's Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) has been experimenting with nuclear fusion through the world's smallest tokamak-type (doughnut-shaped) nuclear fusion device -- the Alcator C-Mod.
The goal? To produce the world's smallest fusion reactor -- one that crushes a doughnut-shaped fusion reaction into a 3.3 meter radius -- three of which could power a city the size of Boston.
And MIT researchers are getting close to their goal, despite a recent cut in federal funding that could slow their progress.
The lessons already learned from MIT's smaller Alcator C-Mod fusion device have enabled researchers, including MIT Ph.D candidate Brandon Sorbom and PSFC Director Dennis Whyte, to develop the conceptual ARC (affordable, robust, compact) reactor.
"We wanted to produce something that could produce power, but be as small as possible," Sorbom said.
A working ARC fusion reactor would use 50 megawatts (MW) of power to produce 500MW of fusion power, 200MW of which could be delivered to the grid. That's enough to provide 200,000 homes with electricity.
A look inside MIT's C-Mod, which is only 0.68 meters in radius -- the smallest fusion reactor with the strongest magnetic field in the world.
While three other fusion devices roughly the same size as the ARC have been built over the past 35 years, they didn't produce anywhere near its power. What sets MIT's reactor apart is its superconductor technology, which would enable it to create 50 times the power it actually draws. (MIT's PSFC last year published a paper on the prototype ARC reactor in the peer reviewed journal ScienceDirect.)
The ARC reactor's powerful magnets are modular, meaning they can be easily removed and the central vacuum vessel in which the fusion reaction occurs can be replaced quickly; besides allowing upgrades, a removable vessel means a single device could be used to test many vacuum vessel designs.
Fusion reactors work by super heating hydrogen gas in a vacuum, the fusing of hydrogen atoms form helium. Just as with splitting atoms in today's fission nuclear reactors, fusion releases energy. The challenge with fusion has been confining the plasma (electrically charged gas) while heating it with microwaves to temperatures hotter than the Sun.
Sustainable energy
The result of successfully building an ARC reactor would be a plentiful source of clean and reliable power, because the needed fuel -- hydrogen isotopes -- is in unlimited supply on Earth.
"What we've done is establish the scientific basis...for, in fact, showing there's a viable pathway forward in the science of the containment of this plasma to make net fusion energy -- eventually," Whyte said.
Fusion research today is at the threshold of exploring "burning plasma," through which the heat from the fusion reaction is confined within the plasma efficiently enough for the reaction to be sustained for long periods of time.
A look at the exterior of MIT's C-Mod nuclear fusion device. The C-Mod project has paved the way for a conceptual ARC reactor.
Normally, gas such as hydrogen is made up of neutral molecules bouncing around. When you superheat a gas, however, the electrons separate from the nuclei creating a soup of charged particles rattling around at high speeds. A magnetic field can then press those charged particles into a condensed shape, forcing them to fused together.
The 40-year conundrum of fusion power is that no one has been able to create a fusion reactor that puts out more power than is required to operate it. In other words, more power is required to keep the plasma hot and generating fusion power than the fusion power it produces.
Europe's working tokamak reactor named JET, holds the world's record for power creation; it generates 16MW of fusion power but requires 24MW of electricity to operate.
MIT's researchers, however, believe they have the answer to the net power problem and it'll be available in a relatively tiny package compared to today's nuclear fission power plants. By making the reactor smaller, it also makes it less expensive to build. Additionally, the ARC would be modular, allowing its many parts to be removed for repairs to upgrades, something not previously achieved.
What sets MIT's fusion device apart
What MIT alone has done is create the world's strongest magnetic containment field for a reactor its size. The higher the magnetic field, the greater the fusion reaction and the greater the power produced.
"We're highly confident that we will be able to show this medium can make more fusion power than it takes to keep it hot," Whyte said.
MIT arc reactor MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center
A cutaway view of the proposed ARC reactor. Thanks to powerful new magnet technology, the much smaller, less-expensive ARC reactor would deliver the same power output as a much larger reactor.
Fusion reactors would have several advantages over today's fission nuclear reactors. For one, fusion reactors would produce little radioactive waste. Fusion reactors produce what are called "activation products" with the fusion neutrons.
The small amount of radioactive isotopes produced are short lived, with a half life lasting tens of years vs. thousands of years from fission waste products, Sorbom said.
The reactors would also use less energy to operate than fission reactors.
While MIT's current Alcator C-Mod produces no electricity, it demonstrates the effects of a magnetic containment field on super-heated plasma, and by hot we're talking about 100 million degrees Fahrenheit. By comparison, our Sun is a chilly 27 million degrees Fahrenheit.
Far from being dangerous, the 100-million-degree plasma instantly cools and resumes a gaseous state when it touches the inner sides of the reactor. That's why a powerful magnetic containment field is needed.
Just like a fission nuclear reactor, a fusion reactor would essentially be a steam engine. The heat from the controlled fusion reaction is used to turn a steam turbine that, in turn, drives electrical generators.
MIT's current C-Mod fusion device uses plentiful deuterium as its plasma fuel. Deuterium is a hydrogen isotope that is not radioactive and can be extracted from seawater.
In order to create a conceptual ARC reactor, however, a second hydrogen isotope is needed: tritium. That's because the rate at which deuterium-deuterium isotopes fuse is about 200 times less than the rate at which deuterium-tritium isotopes fuse.
Tritium, while radioactive, only has a half-life of about 10 years. Although tritium does not occur naturally, it can be created by bombarding lithium with neutrons. As a result, it can be easily produced as a sustainable source of fuel.
With fusion reactors, smaller is better
While MIT's reactor might not fit conveniently into Tony Stark's chest (that is a movie after all), it would be the smallest fusion reactor with the most powerful magnetic containment chamber on earth. It would produce the power of eight Teslas or about two MRI machines.
By comparison, in southern France, seven nations (including the U.S.) have collaborated to build the world's largest fusion reactor, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Tokamak. The ITER fusion chamber has a fusion radius of 6.5 meters and its superconducting magnets would produce 11.8 Teslas of force.
However, the ITER reactor is about twice the size of ARC and weighs 3,400 tons -- 16 times as heavy as any previously manufactured fusion vessel. The D-shaped reactor will be between 11 meters and 17 meters in size and have a tokamak plasma radius of 6.2 meters, almost twice the ARC's 3.3-meter-radius.
The concept for the ITER project began in 1985, and construction began in 2013. It has an estimated price tag of between $14 billion and $20 billion. Whyte, however, believes ITER will end up being vastly more expensive, $40 billion to $50 billion, based on "the fact that the U.S. contribution" is $4 billion to $5 billion, "and we are 9% partners."
Additionally, ITER's timetable for completion is 2020, with full deuterium-tritium fusion experiments starting in 2027.
When completed, ITER is expected to be the first fusion reactor to generate net power, but that power will not produce electricity; it will simply prepare the way for a reactor that can.
MIT's ARC reactor is projected to cost $4 billion to $5 billion dollars and could be completed in a four to five years, Sorbom said.
The reason ARC could be completed sooner and at one-tenth the cost of ITER is due to its size and the use of the new high-field superconductors that operate at higher temperatures than typical superconductors.
Typically, fusion reactors use low-temperature super conductors as magnetic coils. The coils must cooled to about 4 degrees Kelvin, or minus 452 degrees Fahrenheit, to function. MIT's tokamak fusion device uses a "high-temperature" rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) superconducting tape for its magnetic coils, which is far less expensive and efficient. Of course, "high temperature" is relative: the REBCO coils operate at 100 degrees Kelvin, or about minus 280 degrees Fahrenheit, but that's warm enough to use abundant liquid nitrogen as a cooling agent.
MIT fusion reactor
In his left hand, Professor Brandon Sorbom holds a rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) superconducting tape used in the fusion reactor's magnetic coils. In his right hand is a typical copper electrical cable. The use of the new super conducting tape lowers costs and enables MIT to use plentiful liquid nitrogen as a cooling agent.
"The enabling technology to be able to shrink the fusion device size is this new superconducting technology," Sorbom said. "While the [REBCO] superconductors have been around since the late 1980s in labs, in the last five years or so companies have been commercializing this stuff into tapes for large scale projects like this."
In addition to size and cost, REBCO tape is also able to increase fusion power 10-fold compared to standard superconducting technology.
Before MIT's ARC can be built, however, researchers must first prove they can sustain a fusion reaction. Currently, MIT's C-Mod reactor runs only a few seconds each time it's fired up. In fact, it requires so much power, that MIT must use a buffer transformer in order store enough electricity to run it without browning out the city of Cambridge. And, with a plasma radius of just 0.68 meter, C-Mod has is far smaller than even the ARC reactor would
So before it builds the ARC reactor, MIT's next fusion device -- the Advanced Divertor and RF tokamak eXperiment (ADX) -- will test various means to effectively handle the Sun-like temperatures without degrading the plasma performance.
After achieving sustainable performance, the ARC will determine whether net power generation is possible. The last hurdle before fusion reactors can supply power to the grid is transferring the heat to a generator.
Fusion Engineering and Design - Volume 100, November 2015, Pages 378–405
Cover image
ARC: A compact, high-field, fusion nuclear science facility and demonstration power plant with demountable magnets
B.N. Sorbom, , J. Ball, T.R. Palmer, F.J. Mangiarotti, J.M. Sierchio, P. Bonoli, C. Kasten, D.A. Sutherland, H.S. Barnard, C.B. Haakonsen, J. Goh, C. Sung, D.G. Whyte
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doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2015.07.008
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Highlights
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ARC reactor designed to have 500 MW fusion power at 3.3 m major radius.
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Compact, simplified design allowed by high magnetic fields and jointed magnets.
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ARC has innovative plasma physics solutions such as inboardside RF launch.
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High temperature superconductors allow high magnetic fields and jointed magnets.
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Liquid immersion blanket and jointed magnets greatly simplify tokamak reactor design.
Abstract
The affordable, robust, compact (ARC) reactor is the product of a conceptual design study aimed at reducing the size, cost, and complexity of a combined fusion nuclear science facility (FNSF) and demonstration fusion Pilot power plant. ARC is a ~200–250 MWe tokamak reactor with a major radius of 3.3 m, a minor radius of 1.1 m, and an on-axis magnetic field of 9.2 T. ARC has rare earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) superconducting toroidal field coils, which have joints to enable disassembly. This allows the vacuum vessel to be replaced quickly, mitigating first wall survivability concerns, and permits a single device to test many vacuum vessel designs and divertor materials. The design point has a plasma fusion gain of Qp ˜ 13.6, yet is fully non-inductive, with a modest bootstrap fraction of only ~63%. Thus ARC offers a high power gain with relatively large external control of the current profile. This highly attractive combination is enabled by the ~23 T peak field on coil achievable with newly available REBCO superconductor technology. External current drive is provided by two innovative inboard RF launchers using 25 MW of lower hybrid and 13.6 MW of ion cyclotron fast wave power. The resulting efficient current drive provides a robust, steady state core plasma far from disruptive limits. ARC uses an all-liquid blanket, consisting of low pressure, slowly flowing fluorine lithium beryllium (FLiBe) molten salt. The liquid blanket is low-risk technology and provides effective neutron moderation and shielding, excellent heat removal, and a tritium breeding ratio = 1.1. The large temperature range over which FLiBe is liquid permits an output blanket temperature of 900 K, single phase fluid cooling, and a high efficiency helium Brayton cycle, which allows for net electricity generation when operating ARC as a Pilot power plant.
Graphical abstract
Image for unlabelled figure
Keywords
Compact pilot reactor; High magnetic field; Fusion nuclear science facility; Liquid immersion blanket; Superconducting joints; Tokamak; High-field launch
The Suppression of Fusion Power Generation by the Oligarchic Satanic, "Principle of Poverty"
Although the Oil Companies benefit greatly, their profit is akin to selling Illustrated Texts whilst Fusion Power Generation is the new Gutenberg - HUMAN INGENUITY AND CREATIVITY FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS HAS SOLVED EVERY RESOURCE PROBLEM.
The fact that billions of people are not now already benefiting from the beginnings of a fusion economy was entirely intentional.
The For ten Thousand Years the Pagan Satanists from Babylon have Continued to Steal Fire from Mankind as Zeus restrained and Punished Prometheus - ALL FOR CONTROL.
These Satanic Malthusians Demand Genocide
“Human population growth is probably the single most serious long-term threat to survival. We're in for a major disaster if it isn't curbed...We have no option.” —Prince Philip, interview in People Magazine, December 21, 1981
“In the event that I am reincarnated, I would like to return as a deadly virus, in order to contribute something to solve overpopulation.” —Prince Philip, Deutsche Press Agentur, August 1988
“It is almost self-evident that the greater the human population, the greater the demands for natural resources... The paramount question deals with an optimum human population. How many is too many people in relation to available resources? Many believe that our current (satanically consciously created) environmental problems indicate that the optimum level has been surpassed.” —Task Force on Earth, Resources and Population, George H. W. Bush, Chairman, July 8, 1970
“The decision for population control will be opposed by growth-minded economists and businessmen, by nationalistic statesmen, by zealous religious leaders, and by the myopic and well-fed of every description. It is therefore incumbent on all who sense the limitations of technology and the fragility of the environmental balance to make themselves heard above the hollow, optimistic chorus—to convince society and its leaders that there is no alternative but the cessation of our irresponsible, all-demanding, and all-consuming population growth.” —John P. Holdren, (Science Adviser to President Obama) and Paul R. Erlich, 1969
The achievement of controlled fusion has been at mankind’s fingertips for decades. Had the trajectory established in the early decades of the U.S. fusion program continued, mastery of fusion as a power source would already be providing nations of the world with virtually unlimited energy, would have created a qualitative transformation in our powers of industry, transportation, and medicine, and would have completely revolutionized our species’ power to transform the conditions of life on our planet through unprecedented rates of physical economic growth and development.
Satanic Agents Giamaria Ortes, Paolo Sarpi and Malthus who invented the limit of one billion people for the planet earth have already been surpassed by human Science, Creativity and ingenuity. Seven Billions now reside on Planet Earth. More People, less toxins and More wealth require Fusion Power!!
The failure to realize this promise is not due to its impossibility, nor to a lack of capability on the part of fusion scientists, engineers, and scientific institutions. Fusion is not “always fifty years away”; it has been deliberately suppressed under a top-down imperial policy, carried out via the mechanism of intentionally crippling budget cuts, which have created a factor of attrition strong enough to delay for decades what would have surely already been achieved. One merely has to envision where we would have been as a species today had fusion been achieved by the 1990s, as intended by leading fusion scientists in 1976.
1 Dean, S.O.: Fusion Power by Magnetic Confinement: Program Plan. U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration Report ERDA-76/110 (July 1976).
The undermining of fusion, typified by the dismally low FY15 budget request of the Obama administration, which proposes to shut down key fusion experiments in the U.S., must immediately cease. A fully funded, accelerated fusion program as a priority national mission is at the foundation of the survival and progress of our nation, and mankind as a whole.
Fusion: A New Era for Mankind
It was only at the end of the 19th century that mankind entered the atomic age and began to understand and harness the power of the atomic nucleus, a characteristic of matter inaccessible to the understanding gained from simply chemical processes. Radioactivity was first discovered in the 1890s, and it was in 1905 that Einstein proposed that a small amount of mass could be converted to a large amount of energy (in proportion to the speed of light squared, E=mc2). Here was the conceptual birth of fusion power. Whereas nuclear fission harnesses the energy released when a heavy atom (such as uranium, plutonium, or thorium) is broken apart, fusion reactions bring together the lightest elements (such as isotopes of hydrogen or helium), and is millions of times more energy dense than coal, oil, or natural gas, and an order of magnitude more energy dense than fission fuels. The fuels of fusion are also incredibly abundant, being found in seawater (in the case of deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen) or scattered throughout the lunar soil (in the case of helium-3), and could power the human species on Earth for billions of years.
It was determined in 1955 by John D. Lawson in the U.K. that three basic theoretical parameters would have to be met for a successful, sustained fusion reaction to produce energy over time. This is known as the Lawson criterion, and determines a minimum product of the temperature (energy) of the fusing ions, their density, and the minimum confinement time necessary to create conditions for a sustained, energy-producing fusion reaction to occur. Given that the fuel would have to be heated to temperatures hotter than the Sun, no ordinary material could contain it. However, since the fuel is made up of charged particles, a different type of “wall,” a magnetic field, can be used to contain the reactants. Hence the birth of the “magnetic bottle.”2
The U.S. Fusion Program: Beginnings
The early U.S. fusion program was born in the cradle of the U.S. national scientific laboratories, first with an attempt at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory (now NASA’s Langley Research Center) in 1939 by two young scientists, Arthur Kantrowitz and Eastman Jacobs.
This very early attempt failed to produce fusion, but was followed up throughout the 1940s by work at both the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (now Los Alamos National Laboratory) and Princeton University (today the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory). By 1946, it was concluded at Los Alamos that in order to achieve net energy from fusion, a steady state plasma would have to be heated to a temperature of around 100 million degrees 3—ten times hotter than the center of the Sun, and far beyond anything ever achieved on Earth.
Another approach to confining the fusion fuel is called inertial confinement, where a fuel target (e.g., a pellet of deuterium-tritium fuel) is heated and compressed by the effects high energy beams delivered to the outside of the target.
In 1951, Lyman Spitzer at Princeton was given a $50,000 grant by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to construct his design for a “stellarator,” a modified magnetic bottle, designed to counteract the “drift” of the plasma which arose in simple toroidal configurations and prevented fusion conditions from being reached within the plasma. The original stellarator program at Princeton included four proposed phases, Models A through D, with Model-D being a planned demonstration reactor.
James Tuck at Los Alamos led the building of a project in the winter of 1952/53 which he named the “Perhapsatron”.4 The Perhapsatron was a toroidal magnetic bottle which would try to achieve fusion using a “pinch” concept. 5 The pinch and the stellarator designs, along with the “mirror machine”, led by Richard Post at the University of California Radiation Lab at Livermore (later Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), formed the backbone of what became the U.S. classified program to achieve controlled thermonuclear fusion: “Project Sherwood”.
The Table Top mirror machine at Livermore (left) and the Scylla machine at Los Alamos (right) during the 1950s Project Sherwood days.
Funded by the AEC under the auspices of President Dwight Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" policy, and led by the same scientists who had harnessed the power of the atom in the form of nuclear weapons during the war, Sherwood sought to utilize the groundwork in nuclear research laid during wartime, for purposes of peace and development. As stated by AEC Chairman Lewis L. Strauss in 1954, "Our children will enjoy in their homes electrical energy too cheap to meter.... It is not too much to expect that our children will know of great periodic regional famines in the world only as matters of history, will travel effortlessly over the seas and under them and through the air with a minimum of danger and at great speeds, and will experience a lifespan far longer than ours, as disease yields and man comes to understand what causes him to age." [6] Such was the natural optimism surrounding the scientific prospects of fusion.
The existence of Project Sherwood was announced to the public leading into the IAEA's (International Atomic Energy Agency) first International Conference on Atomic Energy, held in Geneva in 1955, and limited international cooperation began in 1956. [7] The project was fully declassified as part of the second International Conference on Atomic Energy in 1958. The same year, an experiment at Los Alamos became the first in any laboratory to produce neutrons from thermonuclear fusion: the Scylla I. [8]
Strauss, who as chairman of the AEC, increased the fusion budget from $7.3 million [9] in 1951 to $114.7 million by 1958, wrote of Project Sherwood: "The importance of 'Sherwood' as the project was called, now conceded to be at least theoretically feasible, can hardly be overstated, and I hope to live long enough to see the same natural force which powers the hydrogen bomb tamed for peaceful purposes. A breakthrough could come tomorrow as well as a decade hence. Out of our laboratories may come a discovery as important as the Promethean taming of fire."
The 1960s
Spearheaded by the U.S., U.S.S.R., and U.K., work proceeded into the 1960s, and substantial fusion research also began in such nations as Germany, France, and Japan. Work on the Scylla design at Los Alamos continued, and by 1964, temperatures in excess of 40 million degrees were achieved by the Scylla IV, though confinement time was still quite short: less than 10 millionths of a second. In 1968, an announcement came from the Soviet Union that record temperatures and confinement times had been achieved with the Soviet tokamak design in its T-3 machine.10 When these breakthrough results were confirmed by a delegation from the U.K.’s Culham Laboratory in 1969, the world began converting their toroidal magnetic bottles to tokamaks, including the conversion of the Model-C stellarator at Princeton, which became the first U.S. machine to confirm the Soviet results.
Inertial fusion, in which fusion is triggered by a rapid application of energy to a pellet of fuel, also had its beginnings in the 1960s. With the invention of the laser in 1960, discussions began about the possibility of using a laser to set off a “micro hydrogen bomb” which could be contained in a chamber and harnessed for energy, and the first patent applications for a laser fusion design were filed in 1969.
The tokamak design, begun in the Soviet Union in the 1950s, is a toroidal magnetic bottle with helically-wrapped coils, with a strong toroidal (along the axis of the tube) magnetic field.
Fusion Designs
Stellarator
European Nuclear Society
PPPL The stellarator uses an externally-applied helical magnetic field to provide a twist in the path of the plasma
particles, thereby counteracting net forces on the particles and keeping them on a “straight” path as they travel around the vessel. The earliest stellarators accomplished the same thing with a figure-8 geometry. Right: An early stellarator at Princeton.
Pinch The z-pinch design uses a magetic field (A) to induce an electric field (B) in the plasma along the direction of the plasma flow. The charged plasma flow is pinched inward under the Lorentz force, into a thin, dense filament. Right: The Perhapsatron at Los Alamos.
Mirror This diagram of the Tandem Mirror design shows the basic principle of the mirror machine. Hot plasma in the center of the cylindrical reactor vessel (A) is contained within the chamber by two mirror magnets, which “plug” the ends (B) and turn (or reflect) most of the plasma ions back into the center where they undergo fusion (C). The mirror design was considered potentially more favorable for a commercialized reactor, because its linear design was easier to engineer and led to less instabilities in the plasma.
LLNL Basic tokamak design. The tokamak features two external magnetic fields (toroidal and poloidal) designed to contain the plasma long enough for fusion reactions to occur. The first tokamak, T-1, in the Soviet Union.
By the end of the 1960s, the fusion budget had risen from $114.7 million in 1958 to $140 million in 1968, allowing the groundwork to be laid for the breakthroughs to come in the 1970s.
The 1970s
By the early 1970s, the decision was made to elevate the fusion program to division status within the Atomic Energy Commission. By 1972, with a budget increase to $144.7 million, a plan was mapped out for future fusion facilities and experiments designed to prove the scientific feasibility of fusion. [11] A 1972 planning project within the AEC projected important results from the planned Princeton Large Torus (PLT) by 1978, and the follow-on operation of a physics test reactor, to produce 10 MW of fusion power, by 1984. [12] In 1971, a small tokamak, ORMAK, began operation at Oak Ridge National Lab, which would come to play an important role in the ability to raise the temperature of the plasma to thermonuclear levels. In 1973, approval was given for initial efforts at fusion power plant design by teams at the University of Wisconsin, General Atomics, Argonne National Lab, and Oak Ridge National Lab.
With a growing budget, three new tokamaks were approved for construction: the Alcator-A at MIT, the Doublet-II at General Atomics, and the PLT at Princeton. In 1974, the Atomic Energy Commission was abolished, and fusion research was rehoused under the newly created Energy Research and Development Administration, the precursor to the Department of Energy (DOE). The same year, even before operation of the PLT began, the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) was approved for construction at Princeton as the follow-on "physics test reactor" to the PLT, with the expectation of achieving breakeven.
At Livermore, the "mirror machine" was well advanced from its humble beginnings during the Sherwood days, and in 1975, the 2XIIB at Lawrence Livermore achieved plasma parameters comparable to those being achieved in the more widely worked-on tokamaks. In 1977, a new design, the Tandem Mirror Experiment (TMX), intended to solve the "end plug" problem, [13] was approved. The TMX began operation in October 1978, and its success led to the approval of the more advanced Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF), to be completed in 1985.
As the 1970s progressed, and the great pace of advancements in all three mainline approaches (tokamak, pinch, and mirror machine) accelerated, steps were taken to accelerate fusion research through expanded international cooperation. In 1973, President Richard Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed an agreement on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy. The first U.S. team to travel to the U.S.S.R. under the agreement was a fusion team, which was casually briefed on a technique being developed for inertial fusion which corresponded quite closely to very highly classified work being done in the U.S. at the Sandia Laboratory.
The mirror design is an open-ended, straight magnetic bottle with two strong “mirroring” magnetic coils at the ends of the tube, which turn the plasma flow back toward the center of the machine. The linear design was suggested to be better for commercialization than the tokamak, as all sides of the machine are accessible for maintenance and repair, and because its plasmas tended to be more stable than in the closed, toroidal designs. However, too many ions were leaking out the ends. Hence the “end plug” problem.
EIRNS Top James R. Schlesinger, whose Malthusian views wouldn't allow the realization of practicable fusion power, leading to his efforts to delay and undermine fusion during his tenure as Energy Secretary, from 1977-1979.
And Bottom Congressman Mike McCormack, sponsor of the 1980 Magnetic Fusion Energy Engineering Act, speaks to a meeting of the Fusion Energy Foundation in May, 1981.
While the perspective for a robust fusion program seemed to characterize the early part of the decade, the end of the 1970s would prove to be a decisive collision point on issues of global policy.
The PLT and the Magnetic Fusion Energy Engineering Act
The Princeton Large Torus, which produced its first plasma in 1975, would soon take center stage in a policy fight that stretched far beyond the bounds of so-called “scientific research.”
In late July, 1978, reports came that scientists at Princeton had succeeded in using auxiliary heating in the PLT, demonstrated first with Oak Ridge’s ORMAK14 tokamak, to raise the temperature of the plasma to a level never before achieved—over 60 million degrees—for the first time surpassing the minimum temperature required for ignition, 44 million degrees.15 Achieving this temperature milestone was especially significant, since the Alcator tokamak at MIT had recently shown that it was possible to confine a plasma at the needed density for a long enough time to achieve ignition.16 Breaking the temperature threshold for ignition broke a psychological threshold, too. As put by Dr. Stephen Dean, head of the Confinement Systems Divison in the Office of Fusion Energy at DOE, “The question of whether fusion is feasible from a scientific point of view has now been answered... It is the first time we’ve produced the actual conditions of a fusion reactor in a scale-model device.”
While news of the breakthrough was excitedly disseminated around the fusion community, it was determined that the official announcement could not be made public until the upcoming August 23 IAEA fusion meeting in Innsbruck, Austria. News, however, did get out to the press, after which the DOE leadership under Secretary of Energy James Schlesinger did everything possible to downplay the importance of the results, including an attempt to stop a DOE press conference scheduled for August 14 (which did, after all, go forward, though with the
ORMAK had succeeded in producing a temperature of 20 million degrees with neutral beam heating, a type of auxiliary heating—triple what had been achieved less than a decade earlier in the T-3 tokamak.
Of a deuterium-tritium (or D-T) plasma. Mel Gottlieb, head of the Princeton Lab, told an August 14, 1978 press conference, “It took us seven years to go from several million degrees to 26 million in December 1977, and then just six months to go another 35 million.”
These were the three parameters outlined by Lawson in order to have a net power-producing fusion reactor: plasma density, confinement time, and temperature.
conspicuous exclusion of the head of the DOE Fusion Office, Ed Kintner). Schlesinger’s DOE insisted that the results obtained at Princeton were not, in fact, a breakthrough, and that fusion was just as far away as ever. John Deutch, DOE Director of Energy Research, echoed his boss by saying that these results were good for Princeton, but were not a breakthrough.
This suppression is not surprising from one such as Schlesinger, who wrote in his 1960 The Political Economy of National Security: “Economics is the science of choice in a world of limited resources... We have gone around the world spreading the ‘gospel of plenty’ raising the level of expectations… [but] in the nature of things, these rising expectations can never be satisfied… We must in our strategic policy return to the days before the Industrial Revolution… [and] prepare to fight limited wars.”
Not everyone in positions of policy-making agreed with the Malthusian Schlesinger, however. Congressman Mike McCormack of Washington state seized the momentum created by the PLT results to convene a scientific advisory panel in the Congress which met over the course of 1979, and concluded that the biggest barrier to fusion was a lack of political commitment, and an inadequate level of funding. Meanwhile, the public interest in fusion boomed, with subscriptions to Fusion magazine, published by the Fusion Energy Foundation (FEF)17 soaring to 100,000—making it the second most widely circulated science magazine in the nation.
The FEF played a critical role throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, in educating the public and policymakers alike on fusion, with dozens of seminars held around the world, in addition to Fusion magazine, faceto-face organizing, and in publicly taking on the political fights against the attempts to sabotage fusion. In October of 1978, in response to the optimistic breakthrough at Princeton, the FEF released a memorandum to Congress outlining an acceleration in the fusion program, and a proposed budget comparable to that of the 1960s Apollo Program.
In January 1980, Congressman McCormack announced at a conference on nuclear safety in Washington, D.C. that he would be introducing legislation to “make it the policy of the U.S. government to bring the first electric-generating fusion power plant on line before the year 2000.” He said, “We must move into the engineering phase with fusion. We must not wait for somebody else to do it... Once we develop fusion, we will be in a position to produce enough energy for all time, for all mankind. This is not hyperbole, but fact.” In a subsequent interview, in contrast to the outlook of Schlesinger, McCormack said that fusion “could be the most important deterrent to war in all of history.”
The FEF, founded in 1974 by Lyndon LaRouche, had been crucial in making sure that news of the PLT breakthrough got out to the public, and to the White House, helping to ensure that the planned press conference was able to go ahead. See: “Schlesinger vs. Fusion: A Dossier.” EIR, August 29, 1978, and “The Coming Breakthroughs in Fusion,” Fusion, October, 1978.
The bill which became the Magnetic Fusion Energy Engineering Act of 1980 authorized the construction of an Engineering Test Facility by 1987, and for the first experimental power reactor to put net power on the grid by 2000. Funding authorization also included the expansion and upgrading of the nation’s science education programs. It had an estimated cost of $48 billion over two decades. Quickly gaining 140 co-sponsors, the bill passed the House overwhelmingly on August 27 by a vote of 365 to 7. The Senate passed a companion bill by voice vote soon after, and the Magnetic Fusion Energy Engineering Act of 1980 was signed into law by President Carter on October 7th.
However, losing his bid for re-election the following month,18 McCormack would not be in the Congress to oversee the implementation of the 1980 law. A report issued in December by McCormack’s Subcommittee on Energy Research and Production warned the incoming administration and the nation, quite prophetically, that “...the hardest battles are yet to come. There must be continual annual authorizations and subsequent appropriations of funds... It will take tremendous vigilance and determination on the part of the nation to carry through the 20-year development plan which is necessary to make fusion a reality.”
A Commitment Reversed
Mere months after the Magnetic Fusion Energy Engineering Act was signed, the incoming Reagan administration submitted its first budget for FY1982, with a request for fusion funding which would make the implementation of the fusion law impossible. The 1980 law mandated that “The Secretary of Energy shall develop a plan for the creation of a national magnetic fusion engineering center for the purpose of accelerating fusion technology development via the concentration and coordination of major magnetic fusion engineering devices and associated activities at such a center.” However, in July of 1982, by which time the Secretary of Energy was to have submitted a plan for carrying out the establishment of the engineering center, the DOE replied via acting Director of Energy Research, Doug Pewitt, “We have determined that it is premature to establish fully the national magnetic fusion engineering center at this time,” and instead proposed that an “Engineering Feasibility Preparations Project” be established at an existing fusion research site.
In protest over this betrayal, Ed Kintner resigned his post as Director of the Office of Fusion Energy at DOE in November 1981. Writing the following year about the budgetary attacks on fusion, Kintner said that the fusion budget offered by the administration for FY1983 was not only lower than what was needed to carry out the 1980 act, but was 25% less than the budget for 1977! He said that this “leave[s] the fusion program without a strategic backbone—it is a collection of individual projects and activities without a defined mission or timetable... The plan to increase industry involvement in fusion development is postponed indefinitely, and the industrial and economic benefits of high-technology spin-offs, surely an increasingly important by-product of an accelerated fusion technology program, will be lost.”19
Due to the early concession of Jimmy Carter to Ronald Reagan before polls had closed on the West Coast, many Democrats didn’t bother to vote, meaning that many Democratic candidates for both state and federal positions lost their elections.
LLNL The MFTF under construction in 1981. The reactor was fully completed, but then mothballed before it could ever run an experiment! The reactor vessel and structures weigh 8 million pounds, including 3 million pounds of superconducting magnets, designed to confine a plasma at more than 100 million degrees.
One month after Kintner’s resignation, George Keyworth, science adviser to President Reagan, announced to a hearing in Congress: “The U.S. cannot expect to be pre-eminent in all scientific fields, nor is it desirable.” The official position of the U.S. government became, from Keyworth’s mouth: “It is not the government’s responsibility to conduct energy R&D and pursue energy independence. It is the responsibility of private industry.” Keyworth added, sophistically, that abundant funding “... can even promote mediocrity, rather than stimulate excellence.” How far the U.S. government had come from the vision of Kennedy’s Apollo Program!20
In December 1982, almost as if in defiance of the growing attacks on the fusion program, the workhorse Thermonuclear Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) at Princeton produced its first plasma, and would go on in 1986 to set the record plasma temperature of 200 million degrees. Also in 1986, however, a great casualty was suffered at Lawrence Livermore Lab, where the “mirror” approach had been progressing with encouraging results: funding for the operation of the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF) was cut from the budget, and the MFTF was mothballed on the same day that it was officially completed, without ever being allowed to run a single experiment. The mirror program had been successfully killed, squeezed out of a rapidly constricting budget.
By the end of the 1980s, there was absolutely no scientific reason not to capitalize on the success of projects such as the TFTR, and the great knowledge of the teams assembled at Princeton and elsewhere, to move to the next stage in the tokamak program: the creation of sustained fusion power. The cause of the failure to do so, even to this day, has been purely political. In 1988, the team at Princeton submitted a completed design for the follow-on to TFTR, the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT), which would demonstrate a sustained “burning” plasma by the year 2000.21 However, in October 1989 it was announced by President George Bush, Sr.’s DOE representative, Robert Hunter, that such an advancement simply wasn’t in the budget, and that an additional $50 million dollar cut to the fusion budget would be coming down the pipe. Hunter told a Congressional hearing that the CIT was too risky, and probably would not succeed. Dr. Stephen Dean (former head of the magnetic confinement systems at the AEC and DOE) responded that, “We’ve got to take some risks if we intend to develop a machine that makes electricity. If Columbus had waited for radar to be discovered before he set out, we wouldn’t be here today.”
That $50 million cut, $12 million of which came from the Princeton facility, virtually ensured the cancellation of the CIT project, and the facility was forced to lay off 120 personnel, scattering the knowledge base assembled there, and delivering a severe blow to morale well beyond the bounds of Princeton. As outlined below, these cuts were not merely the folly of a gaggle of fiscally minded bureaucrats; they were the key mechanism for carrying out an intentional policy to kill fusion.
As the 1990s approached, the fate of fusion research in the United States was very much in jeopardy. The earliest of the 1976-predicted dates that a demonstration reactor could have been put on the grid had come, and the intentional sabotage of both the planned experiments and the creative optimism of the community of fusion scientists, growing both in numbers and in competence, was having its effect.
Kintner, E.E. "Casting Fusion Adrift." MIT Technology Review. May/June 1982.
“Those who came before us made certain that this country rode the first waves of the industrial revolutions, the first waves of modern invention, and the first wave of nuclear power, and this generation does not intend to founder in the backwash of the coming age of space. We mean to be a part of it—we mean to lead it.” John F. Kennedy, September 12, 1963, Rice University, Texas.
A burning, or ignited plasma means that the fusion reactions occurring in the fuel are able to maintain the necessary temperature for a sustained reaction without the additional input of auxiliary heating (just as a fire requires initial input, but will burn as long as there is fuel available). The term “burning” does not indicate a literal flame in the plasma, but that the “fire” of fusion is a descendent of the original gifts of Prometheus to man.
PPPL The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor at Princeton. TFTR operated from 1982 to 1997, setting many significant records both in plasma temperature and in peak fusion power produced, before it was prematurely shut down.
The 1990s and ITER
With the U.S. fusion program being slowly choked off by year after year budget cuts, to the effect of an increasing loss of smaller and “alternative” (i.e., not either tokamak or inertial fusion design) fusion experiments at the national labs and universities, attention shifted to an “outside” hope: the U.S. involvement in international collaboration on the large tokamak, ITER.22 Initiated in November 1985 from the “Reagan-Gorbachev Agreements,” ITER was to be a very large tokamak, designed and built jointly by the U.S., the U.S.S.R., European nations, Japan, and Canada,23 with the hopes of producing 500MW of fusion power, sustained over 480 seconds, and would be the precursor to a DEMO tokamak reactor, designed to put power on the grid.
Meanwhile, the TFTR at Princeton, despite the increasingly hostile and crippling budget cuts and delays, set a series of record plasma temperatures and would go on in 1994 to achieve the major milestone which had been mapped out in 1972: the production of a peak fusion power of 10.7 MW—90 million times what was possible in the early ‘70s, when the experiment was first proposed.24 Just one year later, TFTR set another record plasma temperature of 510 million degrees.
Just two years after TFTR had set this high record, however, it was decommissioned in an astoundingly irresponsible act of budget cutting, in the midst of Newt Gingrich’s “Conservative Revolution”, and was finally dismantled in 2002. Its sister tokamaks, the Joint European Torus (JET) and the JT-60 in Japan are operational (with significant upgrades) to this day, and have gone on to surpass the records set by the prematurely-retired TFTR.
In 1999, two years after TFTR was decommissioned, the U.S. shocked the world when the Congress refused to allocate a mere $12 million for continued participation in ITER, forcing the U.S. to withdraw from the program. The reason given by Chairman of the House Science committee James Sensenbrenner was that, “It defies common sense that the United States should agree to continue to participate in a dead-end project that continues to waste the American taxpayer’s dollars.” Had this cut to ITER been paired with a restoration of funding to re-open the shuttered domestic program, perhaps Sensenbrenner’s ignorant comment would have been made more palatable. However, this was not the case.
Funding for domestic research has continued to fall year after year, since its peak funding year in 1982,25 culminating in the astoundingly low budget allocations of the Obama administration, which are threatening shutdown of the MIT Alcator C-Mod, among other incredibly valuable programs.26
Whence the reversal of the success and optimism which drove the great progress made in fusion research in the 1970s? Why was the 1980 Magnetic Fusion Energy Engineering Act never allowed to be implemented? As outlined below, fusion was not the happenstance victim of the fiscally conservative environment created following the “days of plenty” of the 1970s.
The fact that billions of people are not now already benefiting from the beginnings of a fusion economy was entirely intentional.
The exception to this has been a rise in the domestic program for inertial fusion (funded under defense programs), with the building of the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Lab. However, peak fuding of inertial fusion came in 2006, with much of the recent work at NIF laying more of an emphasis on weapons testing, rather than fusion.
And what is being offered in place of fusion? Take the statement of President Obama on how to solve the world’s energy needs: “We wouldn’t need new technologies. We wouldn’t need to invent some fancy new fusion energy or anything. If we just took our existing building stock in homes and insulated them, had new windows—schools, hospitals, a lot of big institutions—we could squeeze huge efficiencie out of that.” Speech in Fairfax, Virginia. September 13, 2010. A continuation of the shift to “green” technologies will lead to mass death.
The Club of Rome, a self-styled “old-boys' club” set up by fascist elites Alexander King and Aurelio Peccei, has served as a central coordinating body and control mechanism over governments, via its integration with institutions such as the U.N. and OECD, to impose policies of population control. In a 1981 interview with EIR, King lamented, “The United Kingdom is no longer a white country! The whole of Europe is changing. And even at the present rate, the white race is finished... I think in many ways we are overpopulated any way, but in the best of all possible worlds, there will be rather fewer people everywhere.” See: “The Inside Story of the Club of Rome,” EIR, June 23, 1981.
For example, Jaime Roldós of Ecuador (1981), Omar Torrijos of Panama (1981), and Indira Gandhi of India (1984). See: “Interview with John Perkins: ‘There's a Tremendous Opportunity for Change’,” EIR, December 10, 2004.
For more on the Nuclear Club of Wall St., founded to counter the influence of the Fusion Energy Foundation, see: “Hit Men vs. LaRouche's Fusion Energy Foundation.” http://www.larouchepub.com/ other/2004/3147_hit_men_vs_fef.html
The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, now under construction in Cadarache, France.
This group today includes: the U.S., E.U., Russia, Japan, India, China and South Korea. For more on the history of U.S. involvement in ITER, see: “Fusion Energy Moves One Step Closer,” EIR, December 12, 2003.
This was superseded three years later by the Joint European Torus (JET), which produced 16MW, still the current world record.
Library of Congress
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, seen here with President Gerald Ford, presided over the implementation of NSSM 200, and worked to ensure that the British Empire policy of population reduction supplanted the pro-growth and pro-progress policies of John F. Kennedy.
Evil Policies and Evil People
The U.S. economy will require large and increasing amounts of minerals from abroad, especially from less developed countries. That fact gives the U.S. enhanced interest in the political, economic, and social stability of the supplying countries. Wherever a lessening of population pressures through reduced birth rates can increase the prospects for such stability, population policy becomes relevant to resource supplies and to the economic interests of the United States... Although population pressure is obviously not the only factor involved, these types of frustrations are much less likely under conditions of slow or zero population growth. —NSSM 200, 1974
This frankly evil statement "The Principle of Poverty" by the deranged Henry Kissinger, contained in National Security Study Memorandum 200 (NSSM 200), written in 1974 under his direction at the U.S. State Department, was not just an idle threat to peoples of the third world; it was signed into law as official U.S. policy by President Ford in December 1975. Three years earlier, the Club of Rome,27 founded in 1968, had released their genocidal tract, Limits to Growth, laying the “scientific“ (though actually inept and quite fraudulent) basis for policy measures which would reduce the world’s population, based on the myth of limited resources and the denial of revolutionary scientific progress, such as that promised by fusion. While one form this policy took was CIA-run coups d'état to depose world leaders who were too tenacious in their national development policies, 28 NSSM 200 was to be implemented domestically as well, as the earlier assassination of John F. Kennedy had so vividly forewarned. A major manifestation of this was the deployment of the “slush fund” of Wall St. moguls, the Nuclear Club of Wall Street,29 to pour money into halting the shift from a fossil fuel-based economy to a fission economy, and to castrate fusion before it could truly get off the ground. After all, the prognosis that fusion could set mankind free from poverty with virtually unlimited energy, the end of famine, and greatly extended average lifespans was simply unacceptable to those who believed, as did the ancient Zeus, that those who ruled had a duty to control, and sometimes cull, the multitude.
NFRI
South Korea's KSTAR tokamak in 2009. KSTAR is one of two superconducting tokamaks in the world, with a goal of training a generation of young fusion scientists and engineers to contribute both to the international ITER project, and to South Korea's own expanding fusion program. Pictured are Dr. Myeun Kwon, current president of the National Fusion Research Institute, and Marsha Freeman and Bill Jones of Executive Intelligence Review.
In order to have a large-scale effect on national economies, energy-intensive industry, which drives economic growth, was put in the crosshairs. Following the orchestrated energy crisis of 1975 (and Carter’s plea to Americans to turn down their thermostats and put on a sweater), cutbacks in energy usage were imposed on the industrial sector as well, initiated by the reduction of energy usage in Pittsburgh steel manufacturing with Schlesinger's “Project Pacesetter” in April 1977. That policy was successful. Since that time, average per capita energy consumption for the total population has leveled off, and is now beginning to fall, rather than growing to the levels projected by the Kennedy administration, which were nearly double those of today.30
It’s no wonder, then, that in August 1978, Schlesinger, on behalf of the policy of zero growth, had done everything possible to contain news of the PLT breakthrough: if fusion were indeed on the horizon, the myth that population growth is inherently unsustainable would be shattered—along with the primary justification for the ongoing implementation of policies to shut down global development.
What Must Be Done
With the successful postponement of fusion, the world now sits on the edge of a precipitous collapse in global population. The average age of the fusion scientist in the U.S. is rising. Elder scientists who made the breakthroughs of the past decades are retiring. Teams which are built one year at research institutions are often scattered the next, and machines once mothballed are dismantled and lost. We are rapidly losing the capabilities which have been built up over the past six decades! More fundamental, however, is the damage done to the process of creative hypothesis itself. The pessimism of an environment where one’s experiment has a good chance of being shut down in the next 12-month budget cycle, regardless of its successes or potential contributions to the future, can stultify the creative process itself, which is driven by passion and optimism for the future.
Mankind survives as a species because he progresses. The great leaps in the energy density of each successive fuel source of man’s “Promethean fire” (wood, charcoal, coal, coke, fossil fuels, etc.) have each corresponded to a revolution in man’s power over nature, and a non-linear increase in, simultaneously, the potential population density and the power applied per capita.31 Only fusion can ensure the continued survival of the human species in the immediate decades ahead, and the capability of making the discoveries which lead to the next great leap forward.
“Civilian Nuclear Power: A Report to the President–1962,” U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Leland Haworth, Chairman.
This must be a global effort. Though over the past 30 years, the U.S. program has been under significant attack, and is currently struggling to keep its doors open, nations of Asia have been making significant progress, and have become leading partners in a global effort. China and South Korea, for example, have both made incredible strides in their fusion programs over the past 15 years, and have the only two advanced superconducting tokamaks in the world, EAST in China, and KSTAR in South Korea.32 Both nations have built impressive domestic fusion programs with very serious goals, budgets, and timetables, geared toward post-ITER DEMO engineering reactors.
See “Measuring Fire: Energy Flux Density,” in Physical Chemistry: The Continuing Gifts of Prometheus. http://www.larouchepac. com/prometheus.
For more on China's EAST tokamak, see: http://www.larouchepub.com/eiw/public/2011/eirv38n10-20110311/46-54_3810.pdf and for South Korea's KSTAR tokamak, see: http://www.larouchepub.com/eiw/public/2009/2009_40-49/2009_40-49/2009-47/pdf/2835_3647.pdf
Due to foot-dragging and budget cuts, largely on the part of the U.S. government, the date of the first plasma of ITER has been delayed numerous times, and is currently not expected until 2023, or possibly 2025. Operation of its successor, DEMO, is not scheduled to begin until at least 2033.
While important international cooperation is currently occurring under the auspices of the ITER project, and work on the project will make significant contributions to many aspects of fusion engineering design, ITER and its follow-on DEMO are not designed to yield a power-producing reactor for several decades - 2033 Therefore, a crash program in the spirit of Project Sherwood and on the scale of the Apollo Program must be launched immediately in the United States, closely coordinated with an acceleration of efforts around the globe, with the goal of bringing fusion online within 10-15 years. This will take a full, long-term (not year to year) commitment from all nations involved. In the U.S., this will mean immediately reassembling the best minds of the fusion program, many of whom are retired, semi-retired, or have been forced to find work in other industries, to come together on the effort.
As proven by the tremendous progress made in the U.S. fusion program when it had full support, there is no technical or scientific reason that an accelerated program cannot achieve fusion in the immediate years ahead; it is a matter of political will.
We must reverse this paradigm!
The time has come for mankind to free itself from the dominance of the Satanic system, and its genocidal policy of zero growth. We can no longer tolerate the fact that two-thirds of humanity lives in conditions of poverty! Scientific discovery and its implementation express that which distinguishes man from beast, and allow an immortal contribution of the present generation to the future. The suppression of fusion must end!
These Satanic Malthusians Demand Genocide
“Human population growth is probably the single most serious long-term threat to survival. We're in for a major disaster if it isn't curbed...We have no option.” —Prince Philip, interview in People Magazine, December 21, 1981
“In the event that I am reincarnated, I would like to return as a deadly virus, in order to contribute something to solve overpopulation.” —Prince Philip, Deutsche Press Agentur, August 1988
“It is almost self-evident that the greater the human population, the greater the demands for natural resources... The paramount question deals with an optimum human population. How many is too many people in relation to available resources? Many believe that our current (satanically consciously created) environmental problems indicate that the optimum level has been surpassed.” —Task Force on Earth, Resources and Population, George H. W. Bush, Chairman, July 8, 1970
“The decision for population control will be opposed by growth-minded economists and businessmen, by nationalistic statesmen, by zealous religious leaders, and by the myopic and well-fed of every description. It is therefore incumbent on all who sense the limitations of technology and the fragility of the environmental balance to make themselves heard above the hollow, optimistic chorus—to convince society and its leaders that there is no alternative but the cessation of our irresponsible, all-demanding, and all-consuming population growth.” —John P. Holdren, - Science Adviser to President Obama - and Paul R. Erlich, 1969
John P. Holdren, - Science Adviser to President Obama - Recommends the use of Fluoride in the drinking water to brain damage every child also pesticides like Monsatan's Glyphosate in the water to increase the breasts, increase the sex drive in women and decrease the sex drive in men and burn out women's ovaries before age twenty-eight.
WEALTH - THE NEW HUMAN RIGHT
AND THE TEN THOUSAND YEARS OLD, "PRINCIPLE OF POVERTY", THE TEN WAYS OF CREATING POVERTY
After reading this, in lieu of its recommendations which may take a little while to percolate through the Archetypal Mind of humanity, my recommendation is to teach Energy Enhancement Advanced Meditation Techniques..
To achieve True Wealth.. the Ultimate Truth, and Freedom... Enlightenment!!
ENLIGHTENMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE
INCREASING WEALTH WILL SPEED UP THE PROCESS OF EVOLUTION AND ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ALL
1. Borgia Cupped Franklin Delano Roosevelt Economic Human Rights. As being the major Aim and Test of every Government is to plan for WEALTH, rather than Austerity. An increase in Wealth of 10% per year every year to get Freedom and the pursuit of happiness based on Wealth. Wealth for all humanity, Free Toxin Free Water, Air, food, medicine, electricity, books, entertainment, art, transport, housing, computers - which can only come from vast increases in WEALTH!! - in order for humanity to be freed from compulsion to work at that which does not interest them and attain Enlightenment.
2. The Human Right to Life surely includes a Rich, Wealthy life. Health, Housing, Air Conditioning, Education, Transport, Entertainment, Books, Pure Food, Water, Environment. So that we can choose what to work at. So that we can choose to work at The Right Hand Path of Meditation leading to Enlightenment.
3. Leibniz Economic Theory States Wealth increases with increased Temperature heat sources. From wood, to coal to oil to gas to fission to fusion to matter/antimatter interactions there is an exponential rise in the temperature and quantity of power from the heat source and thus of Wealth for all humanity.
4. The Credit Economy proposed by Assassinated Economists Hamilton and List allows the use of funds given by Government Banks predicated on future earnings. Rather than the whole World owing money to, like Argentina going in default to, being in Slavery to, borrowing Trillions of dollars from private Banks at zero interest only to prop up Private Banks - Every Countries Central Banks including the Federal Reserve are Private Banks - owned by the Rothschilds and the Rockefellers who are Funded, like all Swiss Banks by the Vatican Bank; Economists Hamilton and List provide a blueprint of funding Infrastructure, Fusion Research and Space Exploration in order to create a 10% year on year increase in GDP in every Country in the World.
4. The 10,000 years old Vatican/Oligarchic, Royal Mafia Family, Country Mafia, Religious Mafia, "Principle of Poverty" controls humanity. The major aim is not only poverty but these guys have been working assiduously for 10,000 years towards the destruction of the capabilities of the human Mind and Heart empathy and morality of the Human Herd - to create - as we have now - a world of monstrous zombies, easily led.....
THE TEN THOUSAND YEARS OLD, "PRINCIPLE OF POVERTY" AND THE TEN WAYS OF CREATING POVERTY
i. Venetian Intelligence Operative "James Bond", Paolo Sarpi Responsible for millions of deaths during the Thirty Years War, destroyed the principles of Science in order to dumm down and destroy the Scientific Wealth producing Renaissance in order to re-promote the 10,000 years old Vatican/Oligarchic Principle of Poverty.
Satanic Secret Agents, Aristotle; Contarini, Pomponazzi and Giorgi; Sarpi, Galileo and Kepler; Conti, Newton and Leibniz - The Satanic Corruption of Science by the Satanic, Slave Trading, Drug Running, Bankster run Venetian Empire
The True History of The Satanic Venetian Empire's Secret Agent Fra. Paolo Sarpi and his Operation against Liebniz to create Worldwide Poverty by Sabotaging Scientific Development with Satanic Scientific and Economic Empiricism
ii. European and British Royalty breeding program of close relatives produces many idiots but also many monstrous immoral intelligences - all taught at Eton in order to re-promote the 10,000 years old Vatican/Oligarchic Principle of Poverty.
SATCHIDANAND MOVIE REVIEW LUCY - LUCYFER, LUCIFER, SATANISM, SATANIC MEMES, THE SINGULARITY, DRUGS, TRANSHUMANISM, BRITISH EMPIRE EUGENICS
iii. British Empire Operative Lord Shelburne - Head of British East India Company, Prime Minister of England, paid all Economists to found the totally false, - Designed to Fail - Science of Bankster Economics taught currently in every University in the World; including Economist Adam Smith to Write, "Wealth of Nations" based on, "Greed is Good", "Bad things produce Wealth" in order to promote, "Free Trade Economics" to impoverish every other Nation, - in order to re-promote the 10,000 years old Vatican/Oligarchic Principle of Poverty. All this Economic Theory totally disproved by John Nash's Nobel Prize winning, mathematically proved theorem based on, "Good things produce True Wealth".
iv. King George Seventh creation of World War I and II to destroy European Civilisation, destroy Russia, destroy French and German Universities and Wealth creating Science - to impoverish and create a European vassal of the British Fifth Column controlled USA - in order to re-promote the 10,000 years old Vatican/Oligarchic Principle of Poverty.
See Tarpley.net AND HIS FREE DOWNLOADABLE BOOK, "AGAINST OLIGARCHY"
and www.members.tripod.com/american_almanac/contents.htm
v. British Operative Lord Bertrand Russell attempts to dumm down Science with his Goedel disproved Whitehead partnered, "Principia Mathematica". Destruction of Fission Power Generation take-up by linking to nuclear weapons. Sponsoring of 33rd Degree Freemason Mao takeover of China which dummed down and destroyed China for a generation, - in order to re-promote the 10,000 years old Vatican/Oligarchic Principle of Poverty.
How Satanic Lord Bertrand Russell Became an Evil Man
vi. Vatican Bank funded Operatives Rothschild and Rockefeller oligarchs funded Von Mises and Von Hayek to create Austere, Poverty creating Austrian Economics - currently the scourge of the Transatlantic partnership and the World, in order to re-promote the 10,000 years old Vatican/Oligarchic Principle of Poverty.
Old Rothschild- and Rockefeller hands created Austrian Economics and the Libertarian-Communist dialectic
VATICAN BANK TO SWISS BANKS TO ROTHSCHILDS - ROCKEFELLERS
Proof Libertarianism is an Illuminati Ploy - henrymakow.com www.henrymakow.com /libertarianism_as_an_illuminat.html - View by Ixquick Proxy - Highlight 17 Feb 2012 ... Ludwig Von Mises, who never held a paid job at any University, was maintained first ... DavidRockefeller said: "Finally, in his most surprising statement, ... It was founded by Hayek with the financial support of the Volker fund, ...
vii. Programs Designed to Degenerate Humanity -
Game of Thrones Cannibalism - eating the Heart - Raw!!
The British Empire Opium Wars against China.
Oligarchic Committee of 300 Government Sponsored Illegal Drugs in every country imported from Columbia and Afghanistan by NATO and UN planes.
Eugenicist Aldous Huxley "Brave New World" use of Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Heavy Metal to advertise Drugs and Satanism to increase sales and further degenerate the population. The Aldous Huxley "Brave New World" aim of Pharmaceuticals used by all the population - 30% of Americans use legal drugs regularly. Schoolchildren burnout on cocaine related ADHD prescribed Ritalin.
The use of satanic, existensialist, psychopathic, immoral themes in all media including, Kubrick, Sopranos, Dexter, True Blood, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, and The Borgias, and many many more...
The conscious poisoning of the Native American Indians with bad food, alcohol and Typhoid blankets.
The conscious weaponising of Vaccines with the sv40 cancer virus, mercury and aluminium.
The conscious weaponising of Ebola and Aids in Laboratories.
The conscious poisoning of water with Monsanto Glyphosate Roundup Pesticides, and Rat Poison Fluoride.
The conscious poisoning of food with pesticides, GMO Genetically Modified Food and - R - Roundup - connected with Vietnam Agent Orange - which produces tumours in rats the size of their bodies and 100% sterilises them after the third generation.
The conscious poisoning of the air with Fuctory outputs - dioxins, volatile organic compounds, incinerators, heavy metal foundries, ceramics and plastics factories.
Sponsoring of Satanic Frankfurt School to "Dum" Down Culture and Civilisation ADORNO, BENJAMIN, MARCUSE, LUKACS , BRECHT, WEILL, ECO, DERRIDA .
The Satanic Frankfurt School "Dums" Down Culture and Civilisation ADORNO, BENJAMIN, MARCUSE, LUKACS , BRECHT, WEILL, ECO, DERRIDA
viii. Designed to fail first generation fission power generation to destroy - FuckYouShima - Fission Power Generation Industries through propaganda - in order to re-promote the 10,000 years old Vatican/Oligarchic Principle of Poverty.
The Fourth Generation Nuclear Integral Fast Reactor IFR and S-PRISM IFR BURNS ALL Nuclear waste. IFR 30,000% INCREASED Efficiency.
IFRs use virtually all of the energy content in the Uranium or Thorium fuel whereas a traditional light water reactor uses less than 1% of that energy content. This means that breeder reactors can power the energy needs of the planet for over a billion years by burning nuclear waste..
THE SUPPRESSION OF THE FUSION RESEARCH PROGRAM OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS
ix . Poverty of Bankster Created - Not and accident - Depressions and Bubbles from "The 1730 South Sea Bubble" to the consciously created Depressions of the 1930's and of 2008 - The purpose of Fascism and terrorism is to destabilise and take over every country in the World - a Fascist Totalitarian New World Order.
X. The Military Industrial Complex Fifth Column, Deep State, based upon the fact that at the time of the, "Declaration of Independance", all wealthy landowners were British. This group of British Intelligence Operatives run by MI6 then contrived to run the USA through corruption, blackmail, assassination, and money. The Fascist Military Industrial Complex - warned about by Eisenhower who was assassinated the same year he mentioned them - is a group of companies who use government money to create armaments used in perpetual war on a cost plus basis resulting in the latest bomber being priced as if it was made out of pure gold. Perpetual War to destroy Infrastructure and Bomb all Humanity "Back into the Stone Age" - costing Trillions of Dollars which ends up in the hands of Military Industrial Complex Companies - is created by corrupt Neo-Con, Neo-Fascist Politicians bought by the Military Industrial Complex in order to promote war and create a World Wide Fascist Totalitarian State, a Fourth Reich to Rule this world Forever!!
xi. Use of Satanic Secret Services to create mad Satanic Ritual Religions - those using Ritual Sex - Heterosexual, Homosexual and Pedophilia, Ritual Human Sacrifice, Ritual Drugs, Ritual Castration, Ritual Cannibalism - Satanic SS Fascism, Satanic Freemasonry, Satanic Muslim Brotherhood, Lawrence of Arabia Wahabism, Salafism to create Fascism and terrorism to destabilise and take over every country in the World - a Fascist Totalitarian New World Order.
SATANISM, RITUAL SEX AND HUMAN SACRIFICE, BLOODLINES, SATANIC PROPAGANDA DARWINISM EUGENICS AND THE REMOVAL OF IMPLANT ADDICTION SEX AND DRUG BLOCKAGES
The Muslim Brotherhood Isis Arc of Crisis - PART OF THE SATANIC INFILTRATION OF RELIGIOUS CULTS TO CREATE POVERTY AND CONTROL HUMANITY - Now 50% of Humanity have a Heart!! And the battle between the Old Psychopathic Species of "The Game of Thrones" "The Sopranos" and "Dexter" against the New Species of The People of the Heart is ON!!
Here is the latest in my series about the Effects of the, "Dark Side" on the Last Tens of Thousands of years of Modern Society.. It's solution and protection is Energy Enhancement Video Course and Live Courses..
Jesus says, "Stay away from Evil" and on the path of, "The Energy Enhancement Mastery of Relationships" be aware that bad people project energy blockages connected with the deepest satanic evil into all who meet with them. Having sex with these evil people, anyone at all evil, with any degree of evil, injects these evil, Addiction, Psychopathic, Energy Blockages even deeper.
In the same way being in the presence of good people who can project Angel Talents into your psychic body and who can dissolve your Evil Energy blockages is a very good thing...
1. Tantra and Homosexuality in Satanic Ritual Homo-Occultism
2. The Left and Right Hand Paths of Awakening Kundalini
3. In the House of the Strong Man, Satanic Sodomy is the Key - The Ritual Implantation of Energy Blockages
4. The Luciferian Religion's role in the Fall of Civilisations - The Role of Pagan Satanic Ritual Homo-Occultism in Causing the Fall of the Roman Empire and the Fascist SS Degeneration of Hitler's Germany
THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH IS THE ONLY SOLUTION
THOSE NOT TELLING THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH ARE WORKING WITH THE NEW WORLD ORDER
THAT INCLUDES EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD..
THE WAY TO WEALTH
6 . Necessity for 100 billion dollar per year reseach into Fusion Power. Scientists since the 1970's have said fully funded fusion program can produce Fusion Power Generation in ten years. Proof that Fusion Program has been starved of funds by Oligarch and their corrupt politician workers.
i. Cheap Oil - Destruction and recreation of Oil and Gas Industry.
ii. Cheap Electricity Power Generation - Destruction and recreation of Power Generation Industry.
Click here for - A Crash Program To Create the Fusion Economy
7 . Necessity for 100 billion dollar per year reseach into Fusion Power Torch. High temperature plasma able to melt and ionise ore, then separate the elements and all their isotopes through magnetic fields. One cubic kilometer of rock can produce 200 years of current US production every commodity - including all metals and all their isotopes.
i. Cheap Commodities - The destruction and recreation of the mining industries.
Click here for - The Fusion Torch
8. Necessity for Government Banks using the Hamilton List Credit System - Giving Trillion Dollar Tranches of zero interest money over one hundred years for Infrastructure, Research sufficient to raise the wealth of the people by 10% per year per year.
9. Worldwide, Easily Implementable Projects which could Increase Wealth and allow a higher population density
i NAWAPA North American Water Authority plan to irrigate California and the deserts using water from Alaska. Plans in place since 1960's JFK planned it.
ii 60km Mediterranean Tidal Dam from Gibraltar to Africa 15 Giga watts of free energy
iii Elon Musk's Fast Efficient Maglev Evacuated Tube Transport at 4000 miles and hour in tubes just like oil pipelines, Worldwide.
iv. Hundreds of plans worldwide already on the drawing board, just waiting for investment in prosperity rather than propping Zombie Banks and investing in Austerity.
10 . Current competition and Secret War between USA, EU Transatlantic partnership and the BRICS causing an increase in BRICS Bank internal market Credit System Funded Russian/Chinese investment in Fusion Power Generation towards a Seven Billion Wealthy Humanity.
SEE ALL SATCHIDANAND ARTICLES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER PLUS - STORIES OF MEDITATION ENERGY ENHANCEMENT - NEW
SATANISM, RITUAL SEX AND HUMAN SACRIFICE, BLOODLINES, SATANIC PROPAGANDA AND THE REMOVAL OF MIND CONTROL IMPLANT ADDICTION SEX AND DRUG BLOCKAGES
'You're better clueless because the truth is horrible'- The Ostrich Syndrome
"Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects." -- Will Rogers
As the Earth is a Factory for the production of Enlightened beings and Karma is the method of refinement - as you give, so you receive.. many people are not yet ready for Enlightenment.
However once the student gets hold of the idea that Energy Enhancement Meditation can Ground Karma he understands that passing through Evil Karma is not necessary, that a New Method of Evolution is in place.... To Speed up the Process of his Enlightenment.
Ground Karma, Sparkle the World
Remove Energy Blockages, Fill the World with Light..
The Buddha said that, "if I talk, I will be mis-understood", "if I write what I write will be altered and new verses added", "If I create an organisation it will be infiltrated and taken over by psychopaths". He said, "There is Nothing I can do here!!" and he prepared to withdraw from the body and consciously ascend to heaven...
But all the Gods came to see him and said, "There are few who are ready, just on the point of Enlightenment, and just a word from you could be sufficient to cause Enlightenment in them". And the Buddha was satisfied and resolved to stay. And for another 40 years he spoke in the Purple Grove...
As Dante said at the gates of hell, "Abandon hope all ye who enter here!!"
This Satanic Program has been in force for 10,000 years before the time of Satanic Babylon and has been the cause of the degeneration and destruction of seventy-three empires and civilisations. The aim is destruction of human potential and evolution. Stopping this is a large task whose start is individual Enlightenment, the Right Hand Path, the Energy Enhancement Removal of Mind Control Energy Blockages.
The Satanic World has been at war against the Human species for over 10,000 years
Ground Karma, Sparkle the World
Remove Energy Blockages, Fill the World with Light..
Only Energy Enhancement, following the Christ, Buddha and Tamil Siddar Patanjali - see www.energyenhancement.org/patan.htm - can remove all Energy Blockages and make you free and independent of Vampirisation of your energy
Buddha and Jesus and all the Saviours and Saints are evidence that real, compassionate, conscience driven enlightenment is possible.
Real Enlightenment only comes through the process of Meditation.
Let me say that again, - Real Enlightenment only comes through the process of Meditation.
- THE RIGHT HAND PATH - THE CREATION OF ENLIGHTENMENT!!
The science of the creation of implant addiction energy blockages is an ancient technology which vampirises all humanity, turning humanity into a spiritual battery whose energy is used by the ancient families who control this technology in order to increase their energy enormously.
All human beings have been implanted with mind control Blockages in previous lifetimes and during this lifetime by absorbtion from the environment.
Aleister Crowley's OTO - Ordo Templi Orientis uses Ritual Sex - Homosexuality, Bestiality and Pederasty, Ritual Drugs, Ritual Torture, BDSM, Tatoos which implant energy blockages into the psychic body in order to degenerate and pervert, Ritual Human and Animal Sacrifice, Ritual blood drinking and Cannibalism. Also the castration Rites of Attis and Cybele. Also coprophagia, the eating of human excrement.
"Sex by will, Love by will -no caring and no sharing -no feelings ... Sex is the route to power. Scarlet women! They are the secret to the doorway. Use and consume. Feast. Drink the power through them. Waste and discard them." L Ron Hubbard, Snr.
"Sex with the demon possessed is a diabolical means for transforming the individual and eventually completely taking over of the brain and body by "the evil spirit." That's been one way of taking control of an organization using high ranking members, by taking over their minds and bodies. Yet, how could Pike, Mazzini and their associated conspirators get persons to submit to such a diabolical process ?" Sonny René Stermole
All these guys are Implanted with sexual and drug addiction energy blockages in order to be vampirised by the real Sorcerers.. Satanism, Black Magic, Ordo Templi Orientis OTO, Aleister Crowley, Luciferianism, Wicca
The Fascist Nazi satanic Golden Dawn - George Bernard Shaw’s mistress, Florence Farr, was a witch in the Order of the Golden Dawn, and the Satanic Fabian society was also an integral partner with the Golden Dawn, itself basically an extension of the Theosophical society.2 When Blavatsky passed away in 1891, leadership of the worldwide theosophical movement passed to Annie Besant. Through her membership in the Satanic Fabian socialists, she became close friends with its leading members, which included men like head of MI6 British Satanic Secret Service H.G. Wells, and fascist eugenicists Aldous and Julian Huxley, and Satanic Lord Bertrand Russell.
To be a Satanist all you have to do is adhere to the Rituals of Satanism.
Satanism for thousands of years is defined by Ritual Sex - Homosexuality, Bestiality and Pederasty, Ritual Drugs, Ritual Torture, BDSM, Tatoos which implant energy blockages into the psychic body in order to degenerate and pervert, Ritual Human and Animal Sacrifice, Ritual blood drinking and Cannibalism. Also the castration Rites of Attis and Cybele. Also coprophagia, the eating of human excrement. All these guys are Implanted with sexual and drug addiction energy blockages in order to be vampirised by the real Sorcerers..
Thus, Satanic Luciferians are condemned to be as demonic Lucifer, cut off from God, cut off from conscience, cut off from empathy, cut off from their hearts, Psychopaths ALL!!
A human has a heart, empathy and conscience.
GUSTAV MOREAU - ORESTES DRIVEN MAD BY CONSCIENCE
Luciferians are only pretending to be human, they are not human, they are psychopaths and they extol psychopathy in all their propaganda. Their existentialist propaganda where Don Juan fucks thousands of women, kills, and all without regret, all without feeling anything, all without empathy and conscience - the definition of an existentialist, the definition of a psychopath, the definition of a Satanist. Don Juan does not want lovers, he only wants victims!!
Satanists might as well be Aliens, Snakes, Reptilians as they learn how to become psychic vampires in order to live psychically outside the body and take over the bodies of their sons, living for thousands of years as the heads of the richest family corporations, "The Family", where every member is traumatised, mindsplit, taught in Satanic public schools, and satanic generational ivy league universities, to rule the World.
"Sex with the demon possessed is a diabolical means for transforming the individual and eventually completely taking over of the brain and body by "the evil spirit." That's been one way of taking control of an organization using high ranking members, by taking over their minds and bodies." - Sonny René Stermole
Yet Satanists think that they are a new species higher than humans because they are taught empathy and conscience is weakness. Because humanity is so weak then they are to be used as slaves, conquered, crushed, psychic food, sacrificed, killed, slaughtered, "Anything Strong" - Aleister Crowley.
Satanists think that compassion is weakness just like Hitler and Stalin and Mao who together tortured and killed hundreds of millions of human beings.
These ancient families must keep humanity fooled and in the Matrix in order to maintain their monopoly on energy blockage technology. See http://one-evil.org/content/bloodline.html and http://one-evil.org/content/people.html
ENERGY ENHANCEMENT REPORT.. I haven't missed one single day of meditation since Guru Purnima last July. Not all 30 minutes meditation but still at least 10-15 minutes before going to bed (sometimes a bit exhausted). Want to allow some time when I wake up but know exactly what it is not being the same man waking up than the one going to bed. Still, I haven't yet thrown anything through the window!
One night last week I had a very nice experience. I was feeling like being in a cave with rocks all around me. The image was surprisingly clear and I really felt this had nothing to do with me driving the show or imagining what I wanted to see. I then saw a sword starting to smash the ceiling to make light enter. The seen kinda zoomed out and I saw a white magician holding the sword (looking very much like Gandalf). I was very excited (not jumping around but felt really happy). The magician turned his head to the right, toward me, and it was you! Wow.
At that moment I asked you: "What's next? What's next" and your answer was: "Take the sword! Take the sword!" I took it and tried to spot one dark area but the ceiling seemed too high, I started to go smash rock everywhere around me since everything was black rocks anyway. At that moment I felt more like a participant. I lost my focus and got out of my meditation quite amazed.
As I kept my eyes closed while stretching my legs, I really felt like my body was falling in front of me, as if my spirit was up for a ride. Being worried to bump my head on the table corner in front of me, I went to bed and got back the same feeling that was there for a few moments. I wanted to have my spirit out but I somehow freak out a bit (not the first time it happens to me) and fell asleep. But that was still a good one, for a start!
Love and light to you, big love and big light!
As the Earth is a Factory for the production of Enlightened beings and Karma is the method of refinement - as you give, so you receive.. many people are not yet ready for Enlightenment.
However once the student gets hold of the idea that Energy Enhancement Meditation can Ground Karma he understands that passing through Evil Karma is not necessary, that a New Method of Evolution is in place.... To Speed up the Process of his Enlightenment.
Ground Karma, Sparkle the World
Remove Energy Blockages, Fill the World with Light..
The Buddha said that, "if I talk, I will be mis-understood", "if I write what I write will be altered and new verses added", "If I create an organisation it will be infiltrated and taken over by psychopaths". He said, "There is Nothing I can do here!!" and he prepared to withdraw from the body and consciously ascend to heaven...
But all the Gods came to see him and said, "There are few who are ready, just on the point of Enlightenment, and just a word from you could be sufficient to cause Enlightenment in them". And the Buddha was satisfied and resolved to stay. And for another 40 years he spoke in the Purple Grove...
As Dante said at the gates of hell, "Abandon hope all ye who enter here!!"
This Satanic Program has been in force for 10,000 years before the time of Satanic Babylon and has been the cause of the degeneration and destruction of seventy-three empires and civilisation. The aim is destruction of human potential and evolution. Stopping this is a large task whose start is individual Enlightenment, the Right Hand Path, the Energy Enhancement removal of Mind Control Energy Blockages.
Ground Karma, Sparkle the World
Remove Energy Blockages, Fill the World with Light...
The Satanic Methods of Control..
a. The 10,000 years old Policy of Poverty - See Austerity and the creation of Austrian Economics by Von Mises and Von Hayek who were bought by Nelson Rockefeller.. Now, Austrian Economics rules UK, EU and USA.
b. The creation of all illogical Religions and Philosophies and their infiltration of every level of society..
Ever wonder why this world is like it is?
The infiltration and control by generational, ten thousand years old dynastic families of the upper levels of society of army, religion, business and banking through Paganism and Satanism - the Old Religion -
B y injecting energy blockage addiction implants into the heart and head to vampirise their spiritual energies and remove empathy and conscience and using these Rituals to inject sexual and drug energy blockage implants to addict its members by..
THESE RITUALS DEFINE SATANISM..
RITUAL SEX
1. Ritual sex, homosexual, sexual, and pederasty - See Sir Jimmy Savile and pederasty see.. www.aangirfan.blogspot.com and www.aanirfan.blogspot.com and http://one-evil.org/content/acts_child_molestation.html
2. Ritual Drugs
3. Ritual Human sacrifice see http://one-evil.org/content/acts_ritual_sexual_human_sacrifice.html and http://one-evil.org/content/acts.html
4. Ritual Cannibalism of blood, organs, appendages http://one-evil.org/content/ritual_cannibalism.html
5. Ritual Castration - removal of genitals and breasts (See Angelina Jolie) see http://one-evil.org/content/ritual_celibate_christian_priesthood.html
CYBELE AND ATTIS - RITUAL CASTRATION
Cybele loved the beautiful shepherd, and made him her own priest on condition that he should preserve his chastity inviolate, only worshipping Cybele. Atys broke the covenant with a nymph, the daughter of the river-god Sangarius, and was thrown by the goddess into a state of madness, in which he unmanned himself. When in consequence he wanted to put an end to his life, Cybele changed him into a fir tree, (The fir tree represents the column of Energy, the Antahkarana connecting Earth with God) which henceforth became sacred to her, and she commanded that, in future, her priests should be eunuchs or as in the Catholic Church, celibate, or the Jews and Islamists, circumcised.
The Psychological aspect of Satanism is a very important and severely underestimated aspect of the occult because it is the power of these myths, the manipulation of belief systems and the ability to propel someone or group of people to perform activities based on these beliefs that give the occultists such power.
Remember The Catholic Church Inquisition? Religious Jihadists? The effects of "small" changes to Islam created by British MI6 in Wahabism and Salafism - the source of Alqaeda and ISIS? Charles Manson? They are able to get others to commit insanely violent acts because they manipulate their belief system in some way. See..
THE SATANIC INFILTRATION OF RELIGIOUS CULTS TO CREATE POVERTY AND CONTROL HUMANITY The Witchcraft of Christians Who Are Not Christians and the Satanic Infiltration of Isis, Horus, Osiris and Dionysius; Wahabism and Salafism and the creation of ISIS Jihadi Caliphate.
This is where the occult and occultists get so much of their power. Beliefs and belief systems alone are what give people any impetus for outrageous, insane, psychopathic actions like Inquisition Torquemada's torture and burning people alive or cutting out their hearts and eating them raw - as we saw on a recent Jihadi video, or just going to War...
The element that occultism foc |
OPP NEWS RELEASE ************************** Search north of Elliot Lake (ELLIOT LAKE, ON) – The East Algoma OPP in Elliot Lake received a call on July 13, 2012 at approximately 9 p.m.
OPP NEWS RELEASE OPP NEWS RELEASE
**************************
Search north of Elliot Lake
(ELLIOT LAKE, ON) – The East Algoma OPP in Elliot Lake received a call on July 13, 2012 at approximately 9 p.m. requesting police attend a park north of Elliot Lake regarding possible human remains.
Specialized Services and members of the Elliot Lake Detachment are currently involved in the investigation and search.
The OPP will continue to provide media updates as information becomes available.
Police assure the public that this search is unrelated to the incident at the Algo Centre Mall on June 23, 2012.
************************* |
[1] This At sunrise and sunset many Apollo crews saw glows and light rays.This Apollo 17 sketch depicts the mysterious twilight rays.
The atmosphere of the Moon is a very scant presence of gases surrounding the Moon. For most practical purposes, the Moon is considered to be surrounded by vacuum. The elevated presence of atomic and molecular particles in its vicinity compared to interplanetary medium, referred to as "lunar atmosphere" for scientific objectives, is negligible in comparison with the gaseous envelopes surrounding Earth and most planets of the Solar System. The pressure of this small mass is around 3×10−15 atm (0.3 nPa), varying throughout the day, and in total weighs less than 10 metric tonnes.[2][3] Otherwise, the Moon is considered not to have an atmosphere because it cannot absorb measurable quantities of radiation, does not appear layered or self-circulating, and requires constant replenishment due to the high rate at which its gases are lost to space.
Sources [ edit ]
One source of the lunar atmosphere is outgassing: the release of gases such as radon and helium resulting from radioactive decay within the crust and mantle. Another important source is the bombardment of the lunar surface by micrometeorites, the solar wind, and sunlight, in a process known as sputtering.[4]
Losses [ edit ]
Gases can either:
be re-implanted into the regolith as a result of the Moon's gravity;
escape the Moon entirely if the particle is moving at or above the lunar escape velocity of 2.38 km/s (1.48 mi/s);
be lost to space either by solar radiation pressure or, if the gases are ionized, by being swept away in the solar wind's magnetic field.
Composition [ edit ]
What little atmosphere the Moon has consists of some unusual gases, including sodium and potassium, which are not found in the atmospheres of Earth, Mars, or Venus. At sea level on Earth, each cubic centimeter of the atmosphere contains approximately 1019 molecules; by comparison the lunar atmosphere contains fewer than 106 molecules in the same volume. On Earth, this is considered to be a very good vacuum. In fact, the density of the atmosphere at the Moon's surface is comparable to the density of the outermost fringes of Earth's atmosphere, where the International Space Station orbits.[5]
The elements sodium and potassium have been detected in the Moon's atmosphere using Earth-based spectroscopic methods, whereas the isotopes radon-222 and polonium-210 have been inferred from data obtained by the Lunar Prospector alpha particle spectrometer.[6] Argon-40, helium-4, oxygen and/or methane (CH
4), nitrogen (N
2) and/or carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO
2)) were detected by in-situ detectors placed by the Apollo astronauts.[7]
The average daytime abundances of the elements known to be present in the lunar atmosphere, in atoms per cubic centimeter, are as follows:
Argon: 20,000–100,000 [8]
Helium: 5,000–30,000 [8]
Neon: up to 20,000 [8] [9]
Sodium: 70
Potassium: 17
Hydrogen: fewer than 17
This yields approximately 80,000 total atoms per cubic centimeter, marginally higher than the quantity posited to exist in the atmosphere of Mercury.[7] While this greatly exceeds the density of the solar wind, which is usually on the order of just a few protons per cubic centimeter, it is virtually a vacuum in comparison with the atmosphere of the Earth.
The Moon may also have a tenuous "atmosphere" of electrostatically-levitated dust. See Moon dust for more details.
Ancient atmosphere [ edit ]
In October 2017, NASA scientists at the Marshall Space Flight Center and the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston announced their finding, based on studies of Moon magma samples retrieved by the Apollo missions, that the Moon had once possessed a relatively thick atmosphere for a period of 70 million years between 3 and 4 billion years ago. This atmosphere, sourced from gases ejected from lunar volcanic eruptions, was twice the thickness of that of present-day Mars. It has been theorized, in fact, that this ancient atmosphere could have supported life, though no evidence of life has been found.[10] The ancient lunar atmosphere was eventually stripped away by solar winds and dissipated into space.[11]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
This article incorporates public domain material from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration document "Is There an Atmosphere on the Moon?". |
Physically more attractive are more likely to have daughters than physically less attractive parents, both in the United States and in the United Kingdom.
In an earlier post, I explain that the logic of the generalized Trivers-Willard hypothesis (gTWH) leads to the prediction that physically more attractive parents are more likely to have daughters than physically less attractive parents. The gTWH proposes that parents who possess any heritable trait which increases the female reproductive success more than the male reproductive success are more likely to have daughters. Physical , while advantageous for both boys and girls, is even more beneficial for girls than for boys. Men prefer beautiful women for both long-term and short-term , whereas women prefer handsome men only for short-term mating (casual affairs and one-night stands), not for long-term mating, for which other traits, such as wealth and status, become more important. Thus the gTWH predicts that physically more attractive parents are more likely to have daughters than physically less attractive parents, and, as I explain in the earlier post, the analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent (Add Health) confirms the prediction.
Both the “sexy son” hypothesis and the good-gene sexual selection theory posit that physically attractive men can increase their reproductive success, not by forming long-term pair-bonded (“marriages”) in which to raise and invest in children, but by having a large number of extrapair copulations with otherwise mated women and cuckolding their mates. So should more attractive parents have more sons instead? Can handsome sons achieve higher reproductive success than beautiful daughters?
Given that the probability of conception per coital act is estimated to be about .03, a man must have 33 extrapair copulation partners (with whom he has once each) in order to be able to expect to produce one child (number of potential conception = .99). A man can produce roughly the same number of children with one sexual partner with whom he has regular sex (twice a week) (number of potential conception = .96). It would be very difficult for a man to have more than 30 extra-pair copulation partners in a year, especially in the ancestral , where our ancestors lived in a small band of about 150 genetically related individuals (men, women, and children). It would therefore be nearly impossible for a physically attractive man to match the reproductive success of a physically attractive woman through only short-term mating. Hence physical attractiveness is more beneficial to girls than to boys.
The analysis of the National Study (NCDS) in the United Kingdom, which has data on the respondents’ completed fertility at age 47 (virtually all men and women complete their lifetime reproduction by age 45), replicates the earlier findings from the Add Health data in the United States and show that physically more attractive parents are indeed more likely to have daughters than physically less attractive parents.
Physical attractiveness of the NCDS respondents is measured at age 7 by their teachers, who choose up to three adjectives from a highly eclectic list of five to describe the children physically: “attractive,” “unattractive,” “looks underfed,” “abnormal feature,” and “scruffy & dirty.” The child is coded as attractive if it is described at all as “attractive,” and it is coded as “unattractive” if it is described at all as “unattractive.” Then, the sex of the respondent’s first child is measured 40 years later, at age 47.
As you can see in the following graph, British children who are described by their teachers as “attractive” at age 7 are less likely to have a son as their first child 40 years later than those who are not so described. The proportion of sons among the “attractive” NCDS respondents is .50491, whereas the same proportion among everyone else is .52029.
The following graph shows that British children who are described by their teachers as “unattractive” at age 7 are more likely to have a son as their first child 40 years later than those who are not so described. The proportion of sons among the “unattractive” NCDS respondents is .52320, whereas the same proportion among everyone else is .50518.
Multiple binary logistic regression analysis shows that being physically attractive statistically significantly increases the odds of having a daughter as the first child, net of sex, age at first child, , social class, earnings, height, and weight. Being physically attractive at age 7 increases the odds of having a daughter by 23% or decreases the odds of having a son by 19%. Similarly, net of the same control variables, being physically unattractive at age 7 decreases the odds of having a daughter by 20% or increases the odds of having a son by 25%.
The hypothetical average attractive NCDS respondent (who has sample mean values on all of the control variables included in the regression equation) has a probability of having a daughter of p = .50127. In contrast, the hypothetical average unattractive NCDS respondent has a probability of having a daughter of p = .56285. It appears that natural selection does help individual to spread, by subtly biasing the offspring sex ratio so that beautiful people, who can benefit from having a daughter, do indeed have slightly more daughters than ugly people, who cannot so benefit. |
These are the first images of the all-new Jensen Interceptor, set to be launched next year and built in Britain by CPP Global Holdings.
Like the original Interceptor, which was produced between 1966 and 1976, the new version is a four-seater GT car with a long bonnet and fastback rear.
CPP, a British specialist automotive group, has been appointed by Jensen’s owners, Healey Sports Cars Switzerland Ltd, to engineer, develop and build the car. This will take place at Browns Lane in Coventry, where CPP is to set up a production facility having purchased the site used by Jaguar between 1951 and 2005.
The car, which will use an all-new aluminium chassis and handcrafted aluminium body, will be unveiled to the public in late 2012, with the first models reaching customers in 2014. Production numbers and pricing are yet to be confirmed.
Brendan O’Toole, founder and co-owner of CPP, said: “I started my career by restoring bodies and components for classic British sports cars, so for CPP to take the lead role in reviving this iconic brand is very exciting for the business, and for me personally. |
Answering 7 mostly laughable questions from preselected questioners in front of a friendly audience is not a ‘press conference’. And even with preselected questioners, she has lame answers like she ‘short-circuited’ when lying about FBI Director and her emails.
Via Washington Examiner:
Hillary Clinton agreed to participate in a so-called press conference Friday afternoon following her prepared remarks before the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists convention in Washington, D.C.
The Democratic presidential candidate has been criticized recently over how long it has been since she last participated in an unscripted back-and-forth with reporters.
In fact, the Washington Post even launched an online widget to track how many days it has been (the answer is 245) since Clinton’s last press conference.
On Friday, five pre-selected journalists were given the chance to ask the former secretary of state some questions following her speech before a gathering of African-American and Hispanic journalists.
Keep reading… |
European Commission Press release 2030 climate and energy goals for a competitive, secure and low-carbon EU economy A reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% below the 1990 level, an EU-wide binding target for renewable energy of at least 27%, renewed ambitions for energy efficiency policies, a new governance system and a set of new indicators to ensure a competitive and secure energy system. These are the pillars of the new EU framework on climate and energy for 2030 presented today by the European Commission. Supported by a detailed analysis on energy prices and costs, the 2030 framework will ensure regulatory certainty for investors and a coordinated approach among Member States, leading to the development of new technologies. The framework aims to drive continued progress towards a low-carbon economy and a competitive and secure energy system that ensures affordable energy for all consumers, increases the security of the EU’s energy supplies, reduces our dependence on energy imports and creates new opportunities for growth and jobs, by taking into account potential price impacts on the longer term. The Communication setting out the 2030 framework will be debated at the highest level, in particular in the European Council and European Parliament. It is accompanied by a legislative proposal for a market stability reserve for the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) starting in 2021, to improve its robustness. A report on energy prices and costs in Europe, published alongside the Communication, suggests that the rising energy prices can be partly mitigated by ensuring cost effective energy and climate policies, competitive energy markets and improved energy efficiency. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said: "Climate action is central for the future of our planet, while a truly European energy policy is key for our competitiveness. Today's package proves that tackling the two issues simultaneously is not contradictory, but mutually reinforcing. It is in the EU's interest to build a job-rich economy that is less dependent on imported energy through increased efficiency and greater reliance on domestically produced clean energy. An ambitious 40% greenhouse reduction target for 2030 is the most cost-effective milestone in our path towards a low-carbon economy. And the renewables target of at least 27% is an important signal: to give stability to investors, boost green jobs and support our security of supply". Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger said: "The 2030 framework is the EU's drive for progress towards a competitive low-carbon economy, investment stability and security of energy supply. My aim is to make sure that energy remains affordable for households and companies. The 2030 framework sets a high level of ambition for action against climate change, but it also recognises that this needs to be achieved at least cost. The internal energy market provides the basis to achieve this goal and I will continue to work on its completion in order to use its full potential. This includes the 'Europeanisation' of renewable energy policies". Connie Hedegaard, Commissioner for Climate Action, said: “In spite of all those arguing that nothing ambitious would come out of the Commission today, we did it. A 40% emissions reduction is the most cost-effective target for the EU and it takes account of our global responsibility. And of course Europe must continue its strong focus on renewables. That is why it matters that the Commission is proposing today a binding EU-level target. The details of the framework will now have to be agreed, but the direction for Europe has been set. If all other regions were equally ambitious about tackling climate change, the world would be in significantly better shape.” The key elements of the 2030 policy framework set out by the Commission are as follows: A binding greenhouse gas reduction target: A centre piece of the EU’s energy and climate policy for 2030, the target of a 40% emissions reduction below the 1990 level would be met through domestic measures alone. The annual reduction in the ‘cap’ on emissions from EU ETS sectors would be increased from 1.74% now to 2.2% after 2020. Emissions from sectors outside the EU ETS would need to be cut by 30% below the 2005 level, and this effort would be shared equitably between the Member States. The Commission invites the Council and the European Parliament to agree by the end of 2014 that the EU should pledge the 40% reduction in early 2015 as part of the international negotiations on a new global climate agreement due to be concluded in Paris at the end of 2015. An EU-wide binding renewable energy target: Renewable energy will play a key role in the transition towards a competitive, secure and sustainable energy system. Driven by a more market-oriented approach with enabling conditions for emerging technologies, an EU-wide binding target for renewable energy of at least 27% in 2030 comes with significant benefits in terms of energy trade balances, reliance on indigenous energy sources, jobs and growth. An EU-level target for renewable energy is necessary to drive continued investment in the sector. However, it would not be translated into national targets through EU legislation, thus leaving flexibility for Member States to transform the energy system in a way that is adapted to national preferences and circumstances. Attainment of the EU renewables target would be ensured by the new governance system based on national energy plans (see below). Energy efficiency: Improved energy efficiency will contribute to all objectives of EU energy policy and no transition towards a competitive, secure and sustainable energy system is possible without it. The role of energy efficiency in the 2030 framework will be further considered in a review of the Energy Efficiency Directive due to be concluded later this year. The Commission will consider the potential need for amendments to the directive once the review has been completed. Member States’ national energy plans will also have to cover energy efficiency. Reform of EU ETS: The Commission proposes to establish a market stability reserve at the beginning of the next ETS trading period in 2021. The reserve would both address the surplus of emission allowances that has built up in recent years and improve the system's resilience to major shocks by automatically adjusting the supply of allowances to be auctioned. The creation of such a reserve - in addition to the recently agreed delay in the auctioning of 900 million allowances until 2019-2020 ('back-loading') - is supported by a broad spectrum of stakeholders. Under the legislation, proposed today, the reserve would operate entirely according to pre-defined rules which would leave no discretion to the Commission or Member States in its implementation. Competitive, affordable and secure energy: The Commission proposes a set of key indicators to assess progress over time and to provide a factual base for potential policy response. These indicators relate to, for example, energy price differentials with major trading partners, supply diversification and reliance on indigenous energy sources, as well as the interconnection capacity between Member States. Through these indicators, policies will ensure a competitive and secure energy system in a 2030 perspective that will continue to build on market integration, supply diversification, enhanced competition, development of indigenous energy sources, as well as support to research, development and innovation. New governance system: The 2030 framework proposes a new governance framework based on national plans for competitive, secure and sustainable energy. Based on upcoming guidance by the Commission, these plans will be prepared by the Member States under a common approach, which will ensure stronger investor certainty and greater transparency, and will enhance coherence, EU coordination and surveillance. An iterative process between the Commission and Member States will ensure the plans are sufficiently ambitious, as well as their consistency and compliance over time. The Communication setting out the 2030 framework is accompanied by a Report on energy prices and costs, which assesses the key drivers and compares EU prices with those of its main trading partners. Energy prices have risen in nearly every Member State since 2008 – mainly because of taxes and levies, but also due to higher network costs. The comparison with international partners highlights rising price differentials, notably with US gas prices – which could undermine Europe's competitiveness, particularly for energy intensive industries. Nevertheless, rising energy prices can be partly offset by cost effective energy and climate policies, competitive energy markets and improved energy efficiency measures, such as using more energy-efficient products. European industry's energy efficiency efforts may need to go even further, bearing in mind physical limits, as competitors do the same and European industry decides to invest abroad to be closer to expanding markets. These findings inform the 2030 framework. Next steps The European Council is expected to consider the framework at its spring meeting on 20-21 March. Background The framework builds on the existing ‘climate and energy package’ of targets for 2020 as well as the Commission’s 2050 roadmaps for energy and for a competitive low-carbon economy. The Communication on the 2030 policy framework follows the Commission’s March 2013 Green Paper, which launched a broad public consultation on the most appropriate range and structure of climate and energy targets for 2030. These documents reflect the EU's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95% below 1990 levels by 2050 as part of the effort needed from developed countries. More information: On energy aspects of the framework: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/2030_en.htm On climate aspects of the framework: http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/2030/index_en.htm See also: MEMO/14/39 – Q&A on ETS market stability reserve MEMO/14/40 – Q&A on the 2030 framework MEMO/14/38 - Q&A on the energy prices study Contacts : Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen (+32 2 295 30 70) - Alejandro Ulzurrun (+32 2 295 48 67) Isaac Valero Ladron (+32 2 296 49 71) - Mirna.bratoz (+32 2 298 72 78) Sabine Berger (+32 2 299 27 92) - Nicole Bockstaller (+32 2 295 25 89) For the public: Europe Direct by phone 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 or by email |
Very little is worse than a stuffy-nosed, congested baby, except maybe a snot-dripping, gooey, rash-faced baby. Okay, so maybe they’re about equal in parenting pain in the butt level. Whether your baby is two days old or two years old and well into the toddler phase, he or she is bound to have boogers, and those boogers are bound to be different colors. This leaves many parents to ponder one more odd thought, what do different baby booger colors mean?
Well, first for trivia’s sake, what is a booger exactly?
Inside every little nose a substance called mucus is formed from water and mucin. This slimy stuff exists to catch contaminates as we breathe in air preventing it from reaching the lungs. Usually, the tiny hairs within the nose move mucus down the throat and you swallow it without ever knowing. Boogers form when mucus dries up or mixes with contaminates and then becomes stuck in the nose. Mucus starts off clear but can change color depending on what it has trapped. When we become ill, the body ups mucus production to help boot out whatever is making us sick resulting in a snotty nose. Mucus production also goes into overdrive in the cold in an effort to keep the nasal passage warm, moist, and healthy. This is why some babies and toddlers get stuffy or runny noses even if they aren’t sick in the winter months.
What color can baby boogers (mucus) come in and what do those colors mean?
Clear Mucus-
As stated above, clear is the normal color of mucus. An excess amount of clear snot simply means your child is fighting off some sort of contaminate. It could be allergies, a virus or bacteria, or even just a sign of a chill.
Dim Yellow Mucus-
Sometimes dried or older mucus takes on a yellow tint. This isn’t usually a sign of anything at all and is generally pretty normal for boogers. You may try a humidifier to help keep your child’s nose moist for especially crusty critters.
Neon Yellow Mucus-
Yellow, yellow, especially a shade which could be described as “neon” is almost always a sign of infection, most notably viral sinus infections accompanied by sinus pressure and headaches. This color booger means your child is sick or soon to be sick, but doesn’t always indicate a serious condition. Watch for signs of serious illness. Infection can also sometimes be a sign of a nasal obstruction.
Dry Dark Green Mucus-
Dried or clumpy green boogers are usually seen after a long day outside or someplace with heavy air contamination like a dusty room. Your child’s mucus is simply doing its job and catching all those bad things before they get to the lungs. Dried green boogers can be considered normal.
Bright Green Mucus-
Runny green boogers or those of a bright shade, on the other hand, are usually a sign of a bacterial infection of some sort. Sometimes the tail end of a sinus infection snot will turn a green color as well. Bright green boogers are another color which usually indicates current or near-future sickness.
Black or Grey Mucus-
Black or grey boogers are another color caused by air pollution. In this case, ash, dust, or smoke are common culprits. For example, try checking your snot color after being around a camp fire all day or in a smoky bar. Heavy dust can also cause black to grey mucus or small flying-bug particles.
Red, Orange or Brown Mucus-
If you’re finding red, orange, or brown snot coming from your baby or toddler’s nose, this is a sign of nasal passage bleeding. Closer to brown indicates an older bleed and dried blood mixed with mucus. Closer to red means the bleed is more recent. Nose bleeds are not usually anything to worry about. All kids get them. However, if your child has excessively frequent brown, red, or bloody boogers speak with your pediatrician. If brown to red mucus is being coughed up, this could be draining from the nose or there may be a small bleed in the throat.
White Mucus-
Probably the rarest color in adults, white is a common color seen in babies over the age of 1. This is because white boogers are caused by excessive dairy intake such as milk while congested. Babies right around age 1 generally still drink quite a bit of milk, but may no longer be nursing or using formula. In kids or adults who drink less milk, white, thick, sticky boogers can be a sign of dehydration.
Other colors-
Keep in mind that anything that is inhaled or eaten can affect booger color. For example, once my toddler sucked on one of those non-toxic washable markers and had purple snot. Foods heavy in dye may also have an effect, like Kool-Aid.
So there you have it a what’s-that-color mean guide to baby booger colors. I would have loved to provide pics of each, but it seems nobody photos the gross, not-so-cute infection-like boogers. If you enjoyed this color-coded booger guide, check out this version on poop colors. If you have a toddler, you might also have need of some info on booger picking. |
Getty Image
145 pound women’s champion Cris Cyborg is returning to the UFC for her second catchweight fight with the promotion. But unfortunately, the fight will not be the much anticipated faceoff between her and former 135 pound champion Ronda Rousey. Instead, Cyborg will face off against Swedish UFC newcomer Lina Lansberg at a Brazilian UFC Fight Night event in September.
This follows weeks of Cyborg taunting Rousey, challenging her to return and fight on the UFC 205 card at Madison Square Garden. Most recently, Cyborg made fun of a recent paparazzi photo of Rousey on the street and questioned whether Ronda was pregnant. The smacktalk doesn’t seem to have Rousey any closer to returning, and UFC president Dana White says he’s hopeful Ronda will fight again in early 2017. She isn’t pregnant though, he added.
Cyborg isn’t just fighting on the UFC Fight Night card, she’s actually headlining it. Her previous UFC appearance was in the middle of a packed UFC 198 pay-per-view event that drew over 45,000 to Arena da Baixada in Brazil. The UFC may be placing her at the top of a smaller regional card now to see how well she draws on her own. It’s also a sign that Cyborg is a UFC regular now. In the past, it was unclear whether or not she would appear regularly in the promotion since they don’t have a 145 pound division. But with two fights in four months, it seems like the promotion has gotten over their hesitance to use the heavy handed Brazilian slugger.
Unfortunately, they still seem to be having trouble finding decent opponents for Cyborg. Leslie Smith was 2-2 in the UFC at 135 pounds before moving up to face Cyborg, where she got dispatched in just over a minute. And now the UFC has Cris fighting an unknown European with a 6-1 minor league record. It’s a fight that would have trouble getting approved by an American athletic commission, but Cyborg is used to getting an odds and ends assortment of opponents. The 145 pound women’s division is awfully shallow, and that means you often fight whatever 135 pounder is willing to put on the weight.
A lot of women in the UFC’s bantamweight division have told the press they’d fight Cyborg. Miesha Tate, Cat Zingano, and Holly Holm come to mind. Yet here we are none the less with another fight for Cyborg where the opponent is underwhelming. It’s a shame that possibly the best pound for pound female fighter in the world is stuck fighting unranked opponents, especially now that she’s finally in the UFC. Hopefully things will change in the future … until then, we’ll have to watch in fascinated horror as Cyborg continues to pummel smaller and less experienced fighters into oblivion.
(via MMA Fighting) |
By John Schmeelk
For someone that sits down to casually watch a Knicks game, what isn’t there to like about Enes Kanter?
He grabs rebounds. He scores in the paint. He shows great effort and it is abundantly clear he cares about winning and losing. He is tough and plays through injuries that would force many other players to the bench.
For the fans picking up the paper or reading about the team online in the morning, Kanter is gregarious and gives you a great quote. He talks tough and sticks up for his teammates. He exudes confidence. He does the things you would want a leader to do. He has even stood up to an authoritarian regime in Turkey, even at the price of being estranged from his family and not being allowed to return home.
Even for the numbers crowd he checks the boxes. He grabs a higher percentage of offensive rebounds than any player in the league. Overall, he is a top-10 board man by any measure. He averages the third-most second-chance points per game in the league. He shoots 60 percent from the field, and due to his 88 percent from the free-throw line his true shooting and effective field goal percentages are both above 60 percent.
By nearly every quantifiable measure, including the eye test, Kanter has been a good player this season. Yet somehow, the Knicks have played significantly better basketball when he has been on the bench.
For players that play big minutes, Kanter has a team-low minus-2.9 net rating (plus/minus per 100 possessions). Conversely, when Kanter is on the bench, the Knicks are a plus-2.4, nearly a five-point swing.
Why? Defense. The Knicks’ offense gets slightly better when Kanter is off the floor, but the difference isn’t significant. The problem comes on the other end. The Knicks’ defense is five points better per 100 possessions when Kanter is on the bench (102.7 vs. 107.7). You learn more when you dig deeper.
Kanter’s impact changes depending on whether or not he is on the floor with Kristaps Porzingis. When Kanter and Porzingis play together, the Knicks have a respectable plus-2.3 net rating with a defensive rating of 104.8. The story is told when the two players aren’t on the floor together. Porzingis plays slightly better without Kanter, both offensively and defensively, but that isn’t the show stopper.
What happens when Kanter plays without Porzingis is startling. The Knicks have been outscored by a staggering 16.5 points per 100 possessions, and have a gruesome defensive rating of 114.8. The sample size — 216 minutes of game action in those situations — isn’t that small, either. It isn’t just the Porzingis factor. When both players are on the bench, the Knicks actually outscore their opponents.
So why does Kanter (and the Knicks) need Porzingis on the court so badly? The easy answer is rim protection. Porzingis might be the best at it in the NBA at this point and it covers up Kanter’s defensive shortcomings around the basket. It masks his greatest weakness as a player. Without Porzingis’ help as a shot blocker, the lane is wide open for teams to attack the rim with impunity.
Why is the Knicks’ offense slightly better with Kanter on the bench? At least when Porzingis is at center, the floor is probably spread more and Porzingis can be used more in high screen and rolls instead of Kanter. Without Kanter planted near the paint under the basket, it creates more space for Porzingis as a roller after he sets a screen. It also makes it more difficult to get double-teams to Porzingis. The big Latvian takes more 3-point shots with Kanter on the bench.
So, in summation, here’s where the Knicks are with Kanter:
— His individual numbers, intangibles, and effort are terrific.
— He is an excellent teammate.
— The team plays better when Kanter is on the bench.
— Porzingis plays slightly better when Kanter is on the bench.
— The Knicks are awful when Kanter plays and Porzingis doesn’t.
So what is Kanter’s value? Are the on/off court numbers some strange anomaly that don’t reflect reality? Or do Kanter’s numbers mask other issues with his game that hurt the team more than his rebounding and paint scoring help it? Should the Knicks play Kanter exclusively with Porzingis, even though Porzingis (and the team) play better with Kanter on the bench?
MORE: Schmeelk: Knicks’ Next 20 Games Will Have Long-Standing Impact
It will be very important for the Knicks to figure this out over the next six weeks leading up to the Feb. 8 trade deadline. Other teams might get enamored with Kanter’s numbers and offer a significant return for him in the form of a first-round pick or a young player. Kanter might opt out this summer, and a decision will have to be made before then or he could walk away for nothing.
The Knicks are going to have to figure it out one way or another. Does Kanter help them win basketball games? And if he does, how much does he help? What is that worth to the Knicks? How they answer the Kanter question will be essential in how this season and the next couple go.
For everything Knicks, Giants, and the world of sports, follow John on Twitter at @Schmeelk |
The USG Open Source Center translated the entirety of Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s speech in Tehran to Tabrizis on Saturday. In it, Khamenei for the nth time called nuclear weapons a ‘crime against humanity’ and affirmed that Iran does not want them. Although this speech was covered by US media such as the New York Times, its editors gave the article the confusing title of “Ayatollah Says Iran Will Control Nuclear Aims” instead of just saying, as The Guardian and others did, that he renounced making or having nuclear weapons.
Long-time readers know that I think Iran wants nuclear latency or ‘the Japan option,’ i.e. they don’t want to make or stockpile nuclear warheads, but do want the deterrence of invaders that comes with the known ability to put one together in short order. I believe that the US in Israel know that there is no weapons program in Iran, but don’t want that country to have latency, either, since they’d like the option, as regional hegemons, of attacking Iran and overthrowing its government.
In this speech, Khamenei also slammed president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his public attack on speaker of parliament Ali Larijani, in which he accused the 5 Larijani brothers of corruption, perhaps in a bid to derail Larijani’s possible bid for the presidency this June (Ahmadinejad can’t run this year).
He also slammed the US human rights record, instancing the global network of black prisons for torture, continual drone strikes, and the defects of US campaign financing.
I’ll start with a key excerpt and then give the text from where it starts getting interesting, after the compliments to Tabriz and the affirmation that enemies’ attempts to break up Iran along ethnic lines (Azerbaijan is a Turkic area, not a Persian one) have signally failed.
“They want to talk (with Iran) and solve their problems. This is what they say, but in practice they resort to imposing sanctions (on Iran), lying and making inappropriate statements . . . A few days ago, the American President made a statement about Iran’s nuclear issues. He spoke as if the difference between Iran and America was that Iran wanted to build nuclear weapons, and he said that as far as they (American officials) could, they would not allow Iran to build nuclear weapons. . . We do not want to build nuclear weapons. Not because America would be upset if we do so. It is rather what we have decided. We believe that nuclear weapons are a crime against humanity and should not be built; and whatever weapons there are in the world should be destroyed. This is what we believe in; and this has got nothing to do with you (Americans).
Khamenei went on to say that in any case the US opposition to a country building nukes has seldom stopped them from doing so (India, Pakistan, North Korea), but that Iran doesn’t in any case want such weapons.
Khamenei holds that severe US sanctions against Iran are intended to halt its fuel enrichment, whereby it is making fuel for its Bushehr reactors and its one medical reactor. Many oil countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are going in for nuclear reactors because in those countries, they use oil for electricity generation, and they’d rather save the oil and sell the oil on the world market. They could also use natural gas, but much of the gas in the area is relatively dirty (the UAE has this problem), and Iran in any case has been cut off from the expertise in gas development at Total and Shell by US sanctions.
The ayatollah also believes that offers of direct talks with Iran by the Obama administration are a trap, whereby the US can then allege that its severe sanctions brought Iran to the negotiating table and make Iran lose face. He wants a token of good faith from the US, such as easing sanctions (which reduced Iranian oil exports by 40% last year) so as to be able to go into talks without being humiliated.
Here’s the speech:
Supreme Leader Says Iran Will Respond If US Proves Its ‘Good Will’
Speech by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamene’i to a gathering of people from Tabriz, East Azarbayjan Province, in Tehran on 16 February — recorded
Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran Radio 1
Sunday, February 17, 2013 …
Document Type: OSC Translated Text…
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. . .
Let me say this to you, the American Government officials are unreasonable people. Their words are unreasonable; their actions are unreasonable, and repressive. They expect others to surrender to their unreasonable actions. Well, some do surrender. Some governments, some political elite in some countries, surrender to their audacity and bullying behaviour.
But the Iranian nation, the Islamic Republic is not going to surrender.
The Islamic Republic has something to say, has reason and logic, has capability, and has power. Hence, it won’t surrender to unreasonable words and unreasonable actions. Now in what way are they unreasonable? The sign of them being unreasonable is the contradictions between their words and their actions. They say one thing and do something else. Well, there is no clearer sign than this for unreasonableness. A reasonable person says something convincing and then follows their words with actions. These guys, the American Government officials and their other Western allies, are not like that. They say something, they make a claim, but in practice they do exactly the opposite.
Now I give you a few examples: They claim “we are committed to human rights.”Yes, the Americans have ascended the human rights flag saying they are committed to human rights, not only in their own country, the US, but in the whole world. Well that is a claim. How about what they actually do? In practice, they inflict the most harm and insult upon the rights of people in various countries and nations.
They (the Americans) have hidden prisons throughout the world. They have the Guantanamo and Iraqi Abu Ghurayb prisons. They attack civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other places. They use drones for espionage purposes, and to put people under pressure.
Every day, you hear news (on the use of the drones) in Afghanistan and Pakistan. These drones — as an American magazine published a few days ago — will cause them (the Americans) trouble. (People chanting: “God is great, Khamene’i is the leader, death to US, England, and Israel”)
They say that they are committed to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Their excuse to attack Iraq 11 years ago was the same. They said that Saddam’s regime was building nuclear weapons. They however went there and they did not find anything; and it became clear that it was a lie (from the very beginning).
They say that they are committed to not allow the proliferation of nuclear weapons. At the same time, they defend and support a mischievous government [Israel] that holds nuclear weapons and threatens others with the use of its nuclear weapons, i.e. the Zionist regime. That is their word, and this is their practice.
They say that they are committed to spreading democracy in the world. This is their word. Let us not discuss here what sort of democracy America has.
With such a claim, the Americans constantly oppose the Islamic Republic, which enjoys the most vivid and evident democracy in the region. At the same time, with evident audacity, they support certain countries in the same region that do not know anything about the fragrance of democracy; and their people have never had the chance to vote or even see a ballot box. This is their commitment to supporting democracy. You can see the distance between their word and their deed.
They say that they want to settle their problems with Iran. This is what they have always been saying, and they say it more often these days. They say that they want to solve their problems with Iran. They want to talk (with Iran) and solve their problems. This is what they say, but in practice they resort to imposing sanctions (on Iran), lying and making inappropriate statements. They constantly publish false statements about the Islamic Republic state and the Iranian nation. A few days ago, the American President made a statement about Iran’s nuclear issues. He spoke as if the difference between Iran and America was that Iran wanted to build nuclear weapons, and he said that as far as they (American officials) could, they would not allow Iran to build nuclear weapons.
If we really intended to build nuclear weapons, how could you prevent us? If Iran had decided to have nuclear weapons, America could by no means stop it. (People chanting: “God is great, Khamene’i is the leader, death to US, England, and Israel”)
We do not want to build nuclear weapons. Not because America would be upset if we do so. It is rather what we have decided. We believe that nuclear weapons are a crime against humanity and should not be built; and whatever weapons there are in the world should be destroyed. This is what we believe in; and this has got nothing to do with you (Americans).
If we did not have such a belief and had decided to build nuclear weapons, no power could have stopped us, as they could not stop other countries, such as India, Pakistan, and North Korea, from doing so. They (the Americans) opposed them; nevertheless they built their nuclear weapons.
They are somehow deceptive in saying that they would not allow Iran to build nuclear weapons. The discussion is not over nuclear weapons. Iran’s nuclear case is not about nuclear weapons. They (the Americans) rather want to prevent the Iranian nation from exercising its absolute and undeniable right, i.e. nuclear enrichment and the peaceful use of Iran’s domestic capabilities. You (the Americans) are however not able to do so. The Iranian nation will exercise its right.
As you see, the American statesmen are illogical and utter illogical statements. One cannot talk to an illogical individual on the basis of logic. The individual is illogical. Illogical means to be a bully and speak nonsense. This is a reality that we have clearly understood in the past 30 years by coming across various world affairs. We know who we are facing, and how we should behave toward him.
I have written down a few points that I want to highlight here for you, dear brothers and sisters, and the entire Iranian nation. Such statements are for the Iranian nation. When the American President and statesmen speak, they attempt to deceive the public opinion of the world or the nations in the region — and the Iranian public opinion if they succeed. We have nothing to do with the world public opinion for the time being. The media network affiliated to the Zionists and America do not broadcast our statements as they are. They do not broadcast our statements, or they broadcast them out of context or upside down.
I therefore talk to my own people. The power of the Islamic Republic has got nothing to do with world public opinion. The Islamic Republic has not gained its power, dignity, and honor from world public opinion. It has gained them from the Iranian nation. The strong structure created by the Iranian nation — and its message spread around the world on its own — relies on the Iranian people. I therefore talk to my own people. I do not care if others want to listen or not and whether they want to broadcast it or not. I however believe that our dear Iranian nation should know about it.
The first point is that they (the Americans) are illogical. They do not believe in what they say. Their word does not match their deed.
The second point is that the Americans have said that they want Iran to sit and negotiate with them. Their illogical behavior is also evident in their invitation to talks. They do not intend to solve problems; and I will explain about this later. Their intention is to have some propaganda. They want to show to Muslim nations that the Islamic Republic state — with all its steadfastness and resilience — was finally forced to sit at the negotiating table and accept compromise. They want to tell other nations that when the Iranian nation has to compromise, other nations will not have much option either. This is the message they want to send to Muslim nations around the world, which have started their movements. They need to do so to disappoint and silence those Muslim countries, which are today feeling the touch of the breeze of awakening, and have gained a sense of dignity because of Islam.
This was one of the main goals since the very first years of the revolution. Their aim was to bring Iran to the negotiating table to make a deal. They wanted to say that even Iran, which claimed to be independent, resilient, foolhardy, and brave, was finally forced to come to the negotiating table. They are following the same goal today. This is an important point. When their goal behind talks has got nothing to do with fundamental issues; and it is only to feed their propaganda machine, it is clear that their addressee — i.e. the Islamic Republic — would not out of naivety accept their call, as it understands what their (Americans) goal is. Iran will therefore respond to your (Americans) call in line with your intention.
The third point is that in the norm of America and hegemonic powers, talk means that they want others to sit with them and accept what they say. They want others to sit and accept what they defied previously.
Right now, in the propaganda that they have started about talks with Iran, and you are probably hearing about it, the Americans say that they must have direct talks with Iran — and they ask what they should do, and they say that they should have direct talks — the same is evident in what they say today. (They say) Let us sit (together) to convince Iran to give up (uranium) enrichment and its nuclear energy. This is the objective.
They do not say let us sit and talk so that Iran could present its facts and evidence, and (accordingly) drop our pressures on the nuclear issue exerted through sanctions, as well as security and political interference. This is not what they say. They say let us negotiate to force Iran to accept what we tell them. Such talks would be worthless. Such talks will lead nowhere. Let us assume that the Iranian government accepts to talk with the Americans and starts negotiating. When their aim is this, it is clear what one should expect to be the result of the talks. It is clear that Iran will not give up its rights.
Whenever during the talks they come across a logical statement by the other side — and they are unable to answer — they immediately stop the talks and say that Iran is not ready to talk. All news and political networks are under their control. They then start a propaganda campaign. We have already experienced this. In the past 10 to 15 years, the Americans had two or three times sent messages to our officials and insisted on having talks on particular topics. They stressed that the topic was urgent and they needed to talk to Iran about it.
One or two Iranian officers were sent for the talks. But immediately after the Iranian officers expressed a logical statement and they realized that they did not have an answer for it, they unilaterally stopped the talks. They however used the talks for their propaganda purposes. This is what we have already experienced. Experiencing what one has already experienced will lead to one’s regret. This was the third point.
The fourth point is that they claim in their propaganda that if Iran would sit at the negotiating table with the Americans, they would lift the sanctions. This is also a lie. By promising that they would remove the sanctions, they intend to create an urge in the Iranian nation to talk with America. They think that the Iranian nation is now desperate and fed up with the sanctions, and there is chaos here. As a result, we would accept having talks so that the sanctions would be lifted; and this would lead to a large turnout in the streets to call for talks. (People chant: “No compromise with America”)
This is again an illogical and deceptive statement (by the Americans) expressed with the aim to bully (Iran). Their objective — as we already said — of calling on us to talk is not to have a fair and logical negotiation. What they mean by talks is that they want us to accept whatever they say and to surrender, so that they would lift the sanctions. If the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation wanted to surrender, why did they then have a revolution? Well, America had control over Iran’s affairs, and did whatever it wanted. The Iranian nation had a revolution to be freed from America’s yoke. Now you expect them (the Iranian nation) to sit (at the negotiating table) and surrender to you (Americans) again.
This is the first problem; the other problem is that sanctions will not be removed through talks. The objective behind sanctions is something else. The objective behind sanctions is to wear out the Iranian nation and isolate it from the Islamic state. If talks were held and the Iranian nation still insisted on its rights, the sanctions would continue.
What should the Iranian nation do in the face of the enemy’s erroneous thought? Our enemy has a concern. Let us analyze their concern. They (the Americans) say that the Islamic Republic relies on its people; therefore, if they could separate people from the state, the Islamic Republic would then be unable to resist. This is what the other side thinks.
This thought has got two parts. They are right in one part and wrong in the other. They are right to say that the Islamic Republic relies on people. The Islamic Republic relies on no one but the masses of people. The power of this country lies in its people. The part where they are wrong is that they think by the pressures of sanctions and by bullying us in terms of international trade and production, they can incapacitate the Iranian nation. They think that they can rob the Islamic Republic of such support.
The Iranian nation will seek wise solutions in the face of what the enemy intends to do. The Iranian nation is after economic development and all-embracing welfare. At the same time, the Iranian nation does not want to gain this through humility before the enemy. It only wants to gain this through its power, will, courage, progress, and the capability of its youth.
There is no doubt that sanctions are a (form of) pressure and harassment. There are two ways for Iran to counter such harassment. Weak nations surrender to the enemy, bow in humility, and repent when pressure builds up. But, a brave nation such as that of Iran would immediately attempt to activate its inner forces, and to walk through the danger zone powerfully and courageously, and this is what it will do. (People chanting: “God is great, Khamene’i is the leader, death to America, England and Israel”)
This is again the experience that we have had in the past 30 years. There are countries in our region which have been in America’s hands for 30 years. Their governments were America’s obedient servants and lackeys for over 30 years. Where are they now? The Iranian nation also resisted America for 30 years. Where is the Iranian nation today?
Our nation resisted 30 years of America’s pressures. In terms of scientific, economic, and cultural progress, as well as international dignity, and political influence and power, Iran has reached a degree that Pahlavi and Qajarid regimes — and their people and officials — could not even dream of. We have already experienced this. We resisted America’s pressures for 30 years and we have now reached this point.
There are also nations that were subservient to America for 30 years, and are still many stages behind us. Nothing negative has resulted from our resistance and steadfastness. Resistance invigorates the inner force of a nation. The sanctions imposed on Iran will come to the help of the Iranian nation, and this nation will with the grace of God reach growth and development. (People chanting indistinctly)
You were a witness to people’s glorious participation in this year’s demonstrations. One cannot claim that people are not concerned about high prices and other problems. There are economic problems and the prices are high; the people — especially the weaker classes — feel them. But this did not cause the people to distance themselves from the Islamic state. They know that the powerful hand that could address these problems is the Islamic state. The dear and strong Islam and the officials that abide by Islam are the ones that can solve the problems. Surrendering before the enemy will not solve any problem.
Contrary to them, our officials and people are logical. We accept logical statements and deeds. The Americans should show that they do not bully and act mischievously, are not illogical in their deeds and words, respect the Iranian nation’s rights, do not cause mayhem in the region, and do not interfere in the affairs of the Iranian nation as they did during the 1388 (2009) sedition (post-election riots). They supported the seditionists. They put social networks at the service of the seditionists. A social network wanted to stop its work to do some maintenance. They (the American statesmen) asked it not to stop its work so that they could support the sedition. If they stop doing such things, they will realize that the Islamic Republic of Iran is after good, and the people are logical. This is the only way to interact with the Islamic Republic.
They should prove their good will. They should show that they do not intend to bully us. If they show this, then they will see that the Iranian nation will respond. If they want an appropriate response from Iran, they should refrain from mischief, interference, bullying; and they should recognize the Iranian nation’s rights.
Allow me also to mention a point about our country’s domestic affairs. This is also an important issue. An inappropriate issue happened in the Majles. It upset the nation and the elite. I was also upset from two perspectives. I feel sorry for what happened on the one hand, and for the sorrow of the people on the other. The head of a branch of power based on a charge — that was not raised or proved in a court — accused the two other branches of power. This was an inappropriate act. Such acts are against the Shari’ah, as well as the law and ethics. Such acts are also in violation of the basic rights of the nation. One of the basic rights of the people is to have psychological peace and security. Ethical security should prevail in the country. If someone is charged with corruption, one cannot accuse others for his acts, even if the charge is proven, let alone, when the charge has not been proven and no court has dealt with it. Based on charges levelled against an individual, one cannot accuse the Majles or the Judiciary. This is not right. This is wrong. I am just advising you now that this is not an appropriate measure for the Islamic Republic state.
On the other hand, the Majles made a mistake in impeaching the minister. Something good should be sought in impeachment. What is the reason behind impeaching a minister a few months before the end of the life of the government — for a reason that had nothing to do with that minister? This was also wrong. I also heard that in the Majles some used inappropriate language. This was also wrong. All such events — accusing others, the manner the individual (referring probably to President Ahmadinezhad) was treated and the impeachment — were incompatible with the Islamic Republic state.
The defense provided by the honorable head of the legislative branch was also a bit too much. There was no need for that. What should we do when we are all brothers, when we are faced with a joint enemy and when we see the plot? Up to now, the officials have always stood together against enemy’s plots. They should do the same now too. This is what should always happen. I have always defended the heads of branches of power and the officials of the country. I will still defend whoever shoulders a responsibility. I will help them. But, I do not like such acts. Such acts are not in line with the (officials’) commitments and oaths. They should take a look at this great nation. This nation deserves a different behavior. Officials should muster all their efforts today to unravel all economic knots and to address all problems.
A few years ago, in a speech at the beginning of the year, I explicitly told the people and the officials that the enemies planned — more than anything else — to cause economic problems for the Iranian nation. And you realized that the same happened. They — both the government and the Majles — should concentrate all their efforts and thoughts on (introducing) correct economic policies.
A few years ago, I sent a letter to the heads of the branches of power on financial corruption. Well, you should fight against financial corruption. Paying lip service is not enough. You should fight against corruption in practice. It is good to talk about financial corruption. But what has been done in practice. This is upsetting. I expect the officials to enhance their friendship at this time that enemies have intensified their (hostile) behavior. Be together more than before. (People chanting: “God is great, Khamene’i is the leader, death to America, England, and Israel”)
Observe piety, piety, piety, patience. Control your wild sentiments. Observe the country’s interests. Concentrate all your capabilities and forces on solving the country and the people’s problems. I hope that this good will advice will be taken on board by honorable officials, especially the high-ranking officials. I should also say that what I said today complaining against some high-ranking officials of the country should not prompt some individuals to turn out in the streets and chant slogans against this or that individual.
I am against such acts too. I should also explicitly say that I am against naming someone to be against velayat (guardianship of a jurisconsult), insight and other things, and have a number of people turn out in the streets to chant slogans against him or to disrupt his session. I am against what happened in Qom, and similar acts. I am against what happened in the imam’s mausoleum.
I have time and again notified officials and those who can stop such acts (to take action). Those who are truly religious and pious should stop acting like this. You see that we have come to the conclusion that this is against the interests of the country. Such acts are not in our interest. Out of sentiments some turn out in the streets and chant against this and that individual. Such slogans do not help. Keep your sentiments and anger for when they are needed.
During the sacred defense (REFERENCE to 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war) if the basijis (mobilized forces) wanted to go where they liked and attack the enemy as they wished the country would have been in chaos. Organization, discipline, and respect are needed.
If you do not care about such things then that is different. I ask those of you who are committed and believe that you should not act against the Shari’ah law to be careful and not to take such actions.
However, because of God’s grace and guidance, the Iranian nation has turned out to be a wise one. I would like to promise to the dear youth that a day will come — when we are not there any more — when the Iranian nation will be in a much better material and spiritual status as compared to today.
The Iranian nation is moving toward the light. The horizon is bright. We should be a bit careful about ourselves, and we should seek the assistance of God and that of the martyrs and the pure soul of the imam (Khomeyni). God willing the prayers of the Lord of the Age — may our soul be sacrificed for him — will include you and us.
Peace and blessings of God be upon you.
(Description of Source: Tehran Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran Radio 1 in Persian — Iranian state-run radio, officially controlled by the office of the supreme leader) |
Over the past few years, many graphs have been worth thousands of words on the rise of solar power. It's almost impossible to overstate how important the revolution that is happening right now is, and like most transitions, most people will only realize what's going on after it's mostly over. But not you guys and gals, you are ahead of the curve, and you're grasping the importance of all this. In fact, I'm sure that many of you are driving this progress forward and helping it happen!
The chart above clearly shows that all of the solar power that we've installed on the planet until about 10 years ago basically didn't amount to anything compared to what has been built in recent years. At some magical threshold, the price of solar per watt (in orange) hit some tipping point and installation exploded (the blue part), dwarfing anything from the past. And the beauty of having exponential growth on your side is that very quickly, even the current blue spike will look tiny. In 2020 or 2030 we'll look back on 2015 and it'll barely register as the beginning of the curve on the chart.
Here are a few other very telling charts that clearly show why solar will take over the world:
© BNEF © BNEF
You can click on them to get more details.
DoE/Public Domain DoE/Public Domain
This one is particularly striking because it goes back all the way to 1949 and shows other sources of energy. Solar was so expensive for most of that time that it didn't even show on the chart, and price comes crashing down rapidly only at the very end.
EIA, CIA, World Bank, Bernstein analysis/Screen capture EIA, CIA, World Bank, Bernstein analysis/Screen capture
Renewable Energy Policy Network/Screen capture Renewable Energy Policy Network/Screen capture
To close, here's your fact of the day: Solar capacity worldwide is 53x higher than it was 9 years ago. How's that for growth?
Via Bloomberg |
For a long time now, CNN and other mainstream media sources have misled voters about the results in the Democratic primary. They’ve often combined pledged delegate totals for each candidate, which are tied to voting results, with superdelegate totals, which have nothing to do with voting and are subject to change at any time. While most superdelegates currently support Hillary Clinton, they almost certainly will end up backing whoever wins the pledged delegate race (if they don’t, they will be brazenly flouting democracy in a way that could quite possibly destroy the Democratic party), so including them when reporting election results makes Clinton’s lead seem much larger than it actually is. The networks occasionally note that there are two different types of delegates, but they rarely explain that the superdelegate totals don’t really matter and more often than not display delegate counts across the bottom of their broadcasts which, by erroneously suggesting a huge Clinton advantage, may discourage people from turning out to vote.
In case that practice isn’t bad enough, CNN decided to move its delegate math from misleading to downright false during Saturday’s Alaska and Washington caucuses. “Sanders would need 75% of remaining pledged delegates to win the nomination,” a rotating banner at the bottom of the screen declared, a statement that was egregiously wrong.
According to CNN’s own numbers (note how their headline graphics show the misleading combined delegate totals without explanation), Clinton had 1229 pledged delegates and Sanders had 934 before the caucuses took place. CNN estimates a total of 4053 pledged delegates, so a candidate would need 2027 (just over half) to win the nomination. Going into Saturday’s caucuses, Sanders therefore needed 1093 (2027 – 934) of the remaining 1890 (4053 – (1229 + 934)) pledged delegates, or just under 58 percent of those still on the table.
I decided to tweet this fact at CNN. They did not correct their banner. One of their pro-Clinton commentators, Bakari Sellers, then proceeded to echo their inaccurate number. When someone on Twitter pointed him to my tweet, Sellers responded by claiming that he was actually referring to a total that included superdelegates. Yet in addition to the fact that he had explicitly said “pledged delegates” on air, the number that included outstanding superdelegates – which still would have been misleadingly high – would only have been 68 percent (the only way to get 75 percent would have been to include superdelegates in Sanders’ target delegate total while excluding them from his possible delegate count, an approach which is obviously incorrect). I gave Sellers this information. He did not respond.
Sanders ended up winning Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington in landslides, likely earning about 74 percent of the 142 pledged delegates available on what pundits are calling “Western Saturday.” Since the networks may have trouble accurately presenting the math moving forward, here it is: to win, he should now need fewer than 57 percent of the remaining pledged delegates.
In other words, if his supporters continue to donate, phone bank, canvass, and turn out to vote, Sanders still has a very legitimate (albeit obstacle-laden) path to the nomination. Don’t let CNN – or anyone else for that matter – tell you otherwise. |
One of Jamaica's leading daily newspapers called for the elimination of the country's ban on marriage equality and its law criminalizing sodomy in an editorial published Thursday.
The Jamaica Gleaner wrote that Section 28 of the country's Charter of Fundamental Rights of Freedom, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, "represents an assault on the principle of equality of people; people's right to forge relationships ... and their right to equal protection under the law. Indeed, a denial of these human rights is also an attack on the dignity of individuals who are prevented from the public expression of the powerful human emotion of love within the sanctity of marriage, although same-sex couples could well give the institution a shot in the arm."
The editorial argued that Section 28 is "a provision that has its foundation in a deep-seated, if slowly receding, homophobia that has caused us to maintain the buggery provisions, which, essentially, criminalise male homosexuality and allows the State the role of commissar of sexual preferences and to invade the privacy of people's bedrooms."
The editorial comes as a case is pending before the country's supreme court challenging the sodomy law, put in place by the United Kingdom when Jamaica was a British colony. Religious conservatives have mounted an intense campaign to keep the law in place, including bringing in anti-LGBT activists from the United States and Britain to bolster support for the provision. The island has also seen a rash of mob violence targeting people perceived to be LGBT, which has contributed to a problem of homelessness among LGBT youth. |
Social media accounts belonging to attorney Elizabeth Lee Beck recently reported receiving a voice modulated phone call from a number which matched Debbie Wasserman Schultz’ office. Earlier today, Beck stated via social media that co-counsel, Cullin O’Brien had received threatening anonymous calls.
The Becks wrote that the latest call to their co-counsel Cullin O’Brien had referenced Cullin’s family and mentioned the recent death of U.S. Federal Prosecutor Whisenant, whose body was found on Hollywood beach, located in the same county as Cullin O’Brien. Disobedient Media previously reported that Beranton Whisenant’s body was found in Debbie Wasserman Schultz’ 23rd district in Southern Florida.
Attorneys Jared Beck and Elizabeth Lee Beck filed a class-action lawsuit last year against the DNC and former DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz after the DNC leaks exposed deep corruption in the Democratic Party establishment.
Disobedient Media has reported on the progress of the lawsuit and questions it has raised regarding the unexpected death of process server Shawn Lucas.
The Becks filed a new motion in the proceedings yesterday after they reported receiving a voice-modulated phone call from a number matching Debbie Wasserman Schultz’ office. The lawsuit’s social media accounts stated that plaintiffs had filed a “Notice of Filing E-Mail (document #55)” in the District Court of Florida. Social media belonging to the Becks requested the public download the document which they had supplied to the court. Included in the file was the following:
The number which appeared to have called the Becks’ offices matched Schultz’ office number. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is the former chairwoman of the DNC. She is named specifically in the Beck’s suit on behalf of Bernie Sanders supporters after emails revealed by the DNC leaks showed the DNC had actively worked against Sanders in favor of Hillary Clinton during the primary race.
Earlier today, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the DNC’s defense counsel filed their response to the Beck’s submission. The response stated that no one on Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz’s staff, including the Congresswoman herself, had any knowledge of any such call being made, nor was any such call authorized. The document also states that the office in question had been undergoing repairs for several months.
This is not the first time Debbie Wasserman Schultz has been associated with threatening behavior. Late last month The Daily Caller reported that Schultz threatened the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police with “consequences” for holding equipment that she argued belonged to her. A laptop had been seized in relation to the investigation of Imran Awan, who was reported to have fled to Pakistan.
If it can be proven that Debbie Wasserman Schultz or an associated party has been harassing the Becks, there could be serious consequences for the lawsuit’s proceedings.
Video provided by the Daily Caller revealed Schultz threatening the U.S. Capitol Police Chief:
The DNC lawsuit is a developing story and Disobedient Media will continue to provide coverage as it unfolds.
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There’s lots to look forward to in season 2 of Stranger Things. But what I really hope lives up to the standard set in season 1 is the music.
Through the music, the showrunners were able to evoke the spirit of the 80s, add color to characters, evoke emotion, build tension and simply create some of the coolest TV moments in the last 20 years.
White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane
This is the perfect song to introduce the weirdness of Stranger Things. The song’s influence on the scene increases with each twist within it. At first, the song is in the background as it appears the scene is going to be about Eleven bonding with Benny. It then really kicks in as soon as the bullet hits Benny’s head. Before ramping up again when it becomes clear that Eleven is the most dangerous person in the diner. White Rabbit is a truly trippy song that aggressively discombobulates the listener with its unusual lyrics. It perfectly set the scene for Stranger Things.
Heroes – Peter Gabriel
Fittingly for a Peter Gabriel cover of a Bowie song, there’s something ethereally alien about this tune. More so than in the original version of this song, Gabriel’s version is clearly about regret and loss. The beauty of the music contrasted with the emotional punch of the discovery of Will’s ‘body’ produced one of the earliest indicators that Stranger Things was going to be a special show. The first time I watched this scene I knew it would stay with me for a long time, and a lot of that was due to the choice of music.
When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die – Moby
This song, which wasn’t from the 80s, works for three main reasons.
Reason one: It taps into some of the tiredness Will must have been feeling. The lyrics below depict someone who’s given all they can give and now just wants to sleep, even if that means death.
I don’t want to swim the ocean,
I don’t want to fight the tide,
I don’t want to swim forever,
When it’s cold I’d like to die.
It’s impossible not to hear those lyrics and not think of Will, who has hung on as long as he could but is fading fast.
Reason two: It makes you believe that Will may actually die. We all knew, when watching Stranger Things, that Will would survive. There was simply no way he’d go the way of Barb. Having this song, in which someone talks of wanting the release of death, makes you almost believe Will will actually die. This helps build the tension in a scene where we knew the outcome. Without it the scene would not have been half as good.
Reason three: It’s hauntingly beautiful.
Sunglasses at night – Corey Hart
This song may be one of the most 80s things on the whole show, and that’s saying something. The synth and the overwrought vocals simply reek of the decade. It also fits the scene brilliantly. It’s the sort of song three 80s kids, who thought they were a little more hardcore than they actually were, might listen to. It has that little edge of danger that gives us an idea that something’s about to go wrong. And, perhaps most aptly, it’s a guy who’s losing his mind over a girl.
I Melt with you – Modern English
Take a look at the lyrics of the chorus to this song and take a guess why they used it for this scene:
I’ll stop the world and melt with you
You’ve seen the difference and it’s getting better all the time
There’s nothing you and I won’t do
I’ll stop the world and melt with you
It’s a song that encapsulates the thrill of young love. Of that very teenage feeling that you can live in a moment forever.
Elegia – New Order
This song flits between the background and the foreground of the scene, and it’s hardly the most eye-catching tune on the show. But I wanted to include it on this list because it fits the tone of the show as a whole. Just like the show itself, the songs draws you in by building the tension slowly, painstakingly and deliberately. It’s the perfect song for a scene which contains so much subtle characterization in such as short timescale.
Should I Stay or Should I Go – The Clash
Perhaps the most famous Clash song, although far from their best. What it does have is that distinctive opening and a ton of attitude. It had to be included in this list because it became so associated with Will.
Atmosphere – Joy Division
While much of the praise for the first season of Stranger Things came for the performances of the child actors, who were amazing, the series wouldn’t have worked without Joyce and Hopper. These two characters had been worn down by life and were clearly struggling to get through each day even before the Demogorgon came to Indiana. They are then bound together by the loss of a child.
This is their song. A haunting song that taps into feelings of loneliness, abandonment, and loss in a very adult manner.
Let me know if I’ve missed any and I hope you enjoy season 2. |
Texas Exes is awarding a record-breaking total of more than $3.9 million in scholarships to 650 students this year.
Scholarships offered by Texas Exes include Chapter and Network Scholarships, the Forty Acres Scholars Program and Named Scholarships. Awards range from $500 to full-ride scholarships.
Kristy Parks, Texas Exes director of scholarships, said the amount awarded this year increased because of larger donations from individual chapters and networks, as well as new Named Scholarships.
“In keeping with the mission statement of the Texas Exes, one thing the organization does is ‘enrich the student experience before and during their time on campus,’” Parks said in an email. “One big way in which we do that is
provide scholarships.”
Nearly 13,000 freshmen applied for Texas Exes scholarships for the 2017-18 school year, compared to about 1,000 returning undergraduate students, Parks said.
“There are some scholarships for currently enrolled students that were not awarded because we didn’t have any eligible applicants who met the specific criteria,” Parks said in an email. “Yet I’m sure they are out there.”
All of the scholarships are funded by individual donors, groups of individuals pooling funds to commemorate someone or alumni at local chapter or network level.
Will O’Hara, interim co-executive director of Texas Exes, is one of many donors. As a former McCombs School of Business professor and alumnus, O’Hara said he believes in giving back to his alma mater.
“Donors are passionate about education, passionate about helping students and this program and helping UT compete for top-tier students,” O’Hara said. “We believe in this university and its mission. It’s instant payback by just getting to interact with the students and watching them grow throughout their four years.”
The Forty Acres Scholarship provides recipients with tuition and stipends for living expenses, books and enrichment. Katherine Allen, mechanical engineering and Plan II senior, said receiving the Forty Acres Scholarship was a major influence in her decision to come to UT.
“The relationship I have made with my scholarship donor, the Dallas Texas Exes, has been incredibly humbling and rewarding,” Allen said. “They have supported me and connected me to great people within the Texas Exes network and beyond. I owe so much to them, and I will never be able to thank them enough.” |
Tenderly, she eased the clean fleece over her little boy's hand and up around his plump shoulder. The steady rain washing the town's streets had chilled the usually warm Sichuan weather.
He didn't look alarmed or frightened but dirt and blood were caked on his forehead. She touched his hair and then they pulled up the zipper on the bodybag and carried him away. Only her husband marked her howls. The whole street was seething with misery and anger. She had seen her son, at least; most of the children still lay in the rubble of Xinjian elementary school.
Four hundred and fifty pupils, aged between six and 12, were there when the quake hit yesterday at 2.28pm. A fortunate few were pulled out within hours by anxious parents scrabbling at the wreckage with bare hands. A handful more were saved overnight, after troops arrived to take over the rescue effort. Doctors were unsure how many had been taken to hospital - perhaps 15, perhaps 50.
What was certain was that hundreds more remained trapped and that hope was ebbing by the moment.
"There's a slight chance they could save a few more now; probably not very many," said a white-coated doctor.
Even the medics were raw-eyed and anxious. The sobs, wails and shouting mixed with sirens and the steady patter of rain. Under bright umbrellas, parents and relatives stood in whatever they grabbed when the quake hit: dressing gowns, slippers, straw hats. Some bore the bruises and scars of the previous day. Scores of doctors and nurses were waiting to help survivors from the school. But the scale of the challenge - and the collapse of the nearby hospital - meant that resources appeared to be limited. One child was carried to an ambulance by the arms and legs, apparently because there were not enough stretchers.
One man showed his raw, filthy hands. He didn't want to give his name but said his 12-year-old son, Futian, was still in the wreckage.
"Before the troops came we found more than 10 people. I saved two students and one teacher but I didn't get my own child out," he said.
"I'm already 39 and he's 44," said his wife. "We had only one child. Why should I live on now?"
Like many parents here, their mood was turning from raw grief to fury as they waited for news. Twenty four hours after the quake they were losing hope, and only rage was left. They blamed everyone: soldiers for coming too late, the builders for cutting corners, officials for - they claimed - siphoning off cash. "The contractors can't have been qualified. It's a 'tofu' [soft and shoddy] building. Please, help us release this news," her husband said. "About 450 were inside, in nine classes, and it collapsed completely from the top to the ground. It didn't fall over; it was almost like an explosion."
His neighbour, still half hoping for a sight of her daughter, burst out angrily: "Why isn't there money to build a good school for our kids? Chinese officials are too corrupt and bad.
"These buildings outside have been here for 20 years and didn't collapse - the school was only 10 years old. They took the money from investment, so they took the lives of hundreds of kids. They have money for prostitutes and second wives but they don't have money for our children.
"This is not a natural disaster - this is done by humans."
Intravenous drips, cigarette butts and scraps of children's clothes were trodden under foot as families surged forward, trying to force their way through the lines of paramilitary police and troops guarding the site. "They haven't told us anything. They won't even let us see the place now," shouted one mother, trying not to cry.
A man with a red umbrella paused to watch the scene. "My neighbours had two kids here," he said quietly. "One was on the first floor and ran out but was hit by a falling brick and died. The other one is still in there." Residents of Dujiangyan know other places were worse hit. Most of the buildings in the town are still standing, but no one dared enter them and many bore long cracks down their sides. The squares and roadsides were packed with residents huddling under tarpaulins, carpets and anything they could find. Too scared to go inside, they stayed out all night.
As the day wore on, an exodus began. People clustered by the roadside to hitch lifts, wait hopefully for buses or simply tramp along the long road to Chengdu to find shelter. Those without umbrellas covered their heads with plastic bags, towels and books in a vain attempt to stay dry. Some held bulging cloth bundles or backpacks; others fled without anything.
Dujianyang was a thriving town until yesterday, and the debris hinted at its previously prospering life. Now, all anyone wanted was to find safety and those they loved.
Not far from Xinjian school, at the Long Tan Wan housing compound, a young couple stared, dazed, at the remains of their apartment block: a pitiless jumble of tin basins, curtains, books, chairs, slabs of concrete and the twisted metal that used to be window frames. Their one-and-a-half year old daughter, Xixi, was somewhere inside. Her father drew the back of his hand across his eyes.
"I tried to get to her myself, but it all started falling down and I couldn't carry on," he said. "I called the police, but they wouldn't come. They said they had bigger disasters." |
An introduction to evolution
The definition
Biological evolution, simply put, is descent with modification. This definition encompasses small-scale evolution (changes in gene — or more precisely and technically, allele — frequency in a population from one generation to the next) and large-scale evolution (the descent of different species from a common ancestor over many generations). Evolution helps us to understand the history of life.
The explanation
Biological evolution is not simply a matter of change over time. Lots of things change over time: trees lose their leaves, mountain ranges rise and erode, but they aren't examples of biological evolution because they don't involve descent through genetic inheritance.
The central idea of biological evolution is that all life on Earth shares a common ancestor, just as you and your cousins share a common grandmother.
Through the process of descent with modification, the common ancestor of life on Earth gave rise to the fantastic diversity that we see documented in the fossil record and around us today. Evolution means that we're all distant cousins: humans and oak trees, hummingbirds and whales. |
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The draft Senate bill reforming the Affordable Care Act that was unveiled last week is devastating for women’s health. It cuts all federal funding for Planned Parenthood for a year, makes it possible for states to opt out of contraceptive coverage and maternity care, and slashes access to insurance for low-income people. Add to this list abortion: Both the Senate and House bills would effectively make it impossible for a woman to have the procedure covered, even if she had private insurance.
“It’s a sweeping expansion of the existing prohibition on abortion coverage,” says Usha Ranji, the associate director of women’s health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. “Most women will lose coverage for abortion.”
Federal funds have not been permitted to be used for abortion coverage since 1976, when the Hyde Amendment was passed. But under the Affordable Care Act, a woman can buy a private insurance plan on the Marketplace that includes abortion coverage, as long as no federal subsidies are used. The Senate bill, which is similar to the House bill in this regard, would change that rule. It would prohibit someone who receives federal subsidies, known as tax credits, from purchasing a plan that includes abortion coverage at all. In other words, if you qualify for federal subsidies to pay for your health insurance, you’ll have to choose a plan that doesn’t cover abortion—a procedure that can cost $800 even early in the pregnancy.
“If you don’t have a market to sell to, you don’t sell the plan.”
The effect of the change, says Adam Sonfield, senior policy manager at the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive-rights research group, is that insurers will simply stop offering any plans that include abortion coverage. “Enough people rely on subsidies that insurers won’t have enough people to sell abortion coverage plans to,” Sonfield says. “If you don’t have a market to sell to, you don’t sell the plan.”
Plans bought through the Marketplace aren’t the only ones that would be affected by the new measure; employer coverage, which is how the vast majority of women are insured, would change too. Both House and Senate versions of the bill propose creating what Sonfield calls a “slush fund” that acts as an incentive to keep insurers in the Marketplace (insurance companies leaving the Marketplace was a major problem for the stability of the Obamacare system). But if an insurance company receives the funds, it will be barred from offering plans with abortion coverage.
That means that if an insurer receives money from the federal government to stay in the individual Marketplace but also offers plans to small businesses, it would no longer be able to cover abortion in either plan.
The Affordable Care Act already permits states to write their own restrictions on abortion coverage, and 25 states prohibit plans in the Marketplace from covering the procedure. If the Senate bill passes, it will become much harder for women to find a plan that will cover abortion care at all. The exceptions are California and New York, where state law requires that most insurers include plans that cover abortions. In those two states, says Ranji from the Kaiser Family Foundation, we can expect future conflict. “It’s not really clear what will happen there,” she says. “There could be a lawsuit.” |
(STMW) — A gamer known online as “Famed God” — who made up a murder to get police to go to an unsuspecting west suburban resident’s home last year — is behind bars in Nevada awaiting extradition.
Brandon Willson, 19, was arrested Thursday after authorities searched his Las Vegas home, a statement from the Will County state’s attorney’s office said.
Willson used a computer to contact Naperville’s 911 center on July 10, 2014, and claimed a murder had happened at a home in the city, prosecutors claim. Naperville’s Special Response Team responded but found no crime.
The practice involves someone falsely reporting a dangerous situation to send police to another person’s home. It is known as “swatting” because the hoax calls can lead to deployment of SWAT teams.
Calling it a “dangerous prank,” Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow plans to craft legislation that would make swatting a felony in Illinois, the statement said. The bill would also require anyone convicted of swatting to reimburse municipalities for the cost of the emergency response.
Authorities also claim Willson hacked into the gaming consoles to obtain or change personal information belonging to two people — one from Naperville, and another from Plainfield, the statement said.
He also threatened the Naperville resident that he would access the person’s bank and Social Security accounts, and put the person’s father “in debt for life,” prosecutors claim.
As part of the investigation, Naperville police traveled to Las Vegas to help local police execute a search warrant at Willson’s home. Computers seized there contained evidence of the swatting incident, as well as similar incidents across the country, prosecutors claim.
Willson, known as “Famed God” in the online gaming community, was arrested after FBI agents and Las Vegas police interviewed him Thursday, prosecutors said.
He is charged with two counts of computer tampering and one count each of intimidation, computer fraud, identity theft and disorderly conduct, the state’s attorney’s office said.
He is awaiting extradition to Illinois, and faces up to five years in prison if convicted, the state’s attorney’s office said.
Authorities from Illinois, Texas, California, South Carolina and Nevada continue to investigate, along with the FBI.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2015. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.) |
Democratic leader notes GOP Whip Cantor backed use of ‘deem and pass’ measure in past
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) paraphrased an old definition of the Yiddish term “chutzpah” to offer a stinging rebuke to Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) on Wednesday.
In characterizing Republican objections to the Democrats’ possible use of what is called a “deem and pass” procedure to enact health care reform, Hoyer noted that “unfortunately, Republicans are a little bit like the boy who killed his two parents and then wants sympathy because they’re an orphan.”
“This is a procedure,” Hoyer explained., “that was used almost a hundred times under Newt Gingrich, and over a hundred times by Speaker Hastert, which my friend Mr. Cantor supported most of the time, if not all the time. So this is not an unusual procedure. … It’s simply like a conference report.”
The Jewish Law Commentary website, which provides the “classic” definition of chutzpah as “a person who kills his parents and pleads for the court’s mercy on the ground of being an orphan,” notes that the term has a long legal history, going back to 1973. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) was once sued unsuccessfully on the grounds that the word was “defamatory,” and Justice Antonin Scalia even drew on it in a recent Supreme Court decision.
The same phrase was used two years ago by journalist Sidney Blumenthal to describe the campaign for Scooter Libby to receive a presidential pardon for his role in the outing of CIA officer Valerie Plame. “Most of those who throw themselves on the mercy of the court express sorrow at what they have done,” Blumenthal wrote. “Like the child who has killed his parents and demands mercy for being an orphan, Libby tried to murder the truth and then got dozens of people to plead for leniency based on his good character.”
Cantor, who is Jewish and presumably recognized the reference, did not react to Hoyer’s words. “This is a process that you can avoid a direct up or down vote on a bill,” was his only response. “I don’t think you can fool the public. I mean, this is an attempt to hide the vote. … The rules of the House allow for this type of ‘deeming’ provision. … but, again, why do that? This is so big, we should have an up or down vote.”
This video is from ABC’s Good Morning America, broadcast March 17, 2010.
Download video via RawReplay.com |
At a glance, the IRS and Facebook “scandals” bear little resemblance to one another—but the imperative both organizations face to sort truth from fiction creates a key similarity. Facebook has denied the core allegation fairly strongly. But it is easy to imagine how a conservative Facebooker might see his coworkers manipulating Facebook trending topics, and walk away convinced of a conspiracy exactly like the one the right imagines unfolded at the IRS.
Much like the IRS, inundated with non-profit status applications from groups that by all appearances were created for electioneering purposes, Facebook is a vast dumping ground for viral political content, much of which is garbage, some of which is bigoted, and some of which carries information that is outright false. It would be irresponsible of Facebook to facilitate the spread of birther nonsense or September 11 conspiracy theories by letting an algorithm pull such stories into trending topics without override power.
Thus, like the IRS, Facebook needs to triage. And here the differences between mainstream and liberal political content on the one hand, and conservative content on the other, become critical. Facebook reviewers tasked with “disregard[ing] junk … hoaxes or subjects with insufficient sources” are going to ensnare more climate-change denialism, more birther stories, more racist Breitbart agitprop than anything comparably dubious that comes out of the liberal internet. And those dubious stories will come not just from fringe sites or content farms, but from prestige outlets of the online right. Presumably liberal hoaxes and inaccurate liberal news are also bumped from trending topics (would Facebook let a celebrity’s anti-vaccine story linger there for long?)—yet among the presumably liberal ranks of Facebook workers, this is probably seen not as suppression, but as obligatory empiricism and social responsibility.
Much of this is admittedly conjecture. But acknowledging the reality of what Facebook grapples with doesn’t serve Republicans’ political interests. If they really wanted to get to the bottom of the Facebook controversy, they would have to implicitly acknowledge that climate-change denial is crankery and Glenn Beck is a charlatan, and sacrifice the political upside: incensing conservatives by alleging a scandal. Mythmaking around both the IRS and Facebook flaps summons more outrage, sharpens a sense of victimization, and thus creates a larger appetite for right-wing electioneering groups and conspiracy theories. It’s a self-reinforcing cycle of bullshit.
The differences between the IRS and Facebook are numerous, of course. The IRS is obligated to use a neutral basis for sniffing out tax cheats, while Facebook is a lightly regulated Internet company that has the right to be a Democratic Party propaganda machine if it wants to. As a matter of principle, Facebook shouldn’t claim any of its features are fully automated, free from human meddling, if that simply isn’t true. But the fact that Facebook may have shaded the truth about trending topics doesn’t obligate anyone to give conspiracy-mongers with a rooting interest in stirring up right-wing anger the benefit of the doubt. |
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Colby Rasmus is having a rough time at AA Montgomery, hitting just .071 (1-for-13) through four rehab games.
Take it for what it is, but Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Colby Rasmus has looked completely over-matched by AA pitching this week in Montgomery. Granted, he was facing the best pitching rotation in the Southern League, belonging to the Mississippi Braves.
In 14 plate appearances thus far, Rasmus, 30, is hitting .071 (1-for-13) with the one hit being a double and striking out four times. Last night, I was in attendance for the Biscuits/Braves game in Montgomery and Braves prospect Mike Soroka made Rasmus look foolish, popping out to the infield and displaying a lack of approach at the plate. After chasing a pair of balls in the dirt, Rasmus went down swinging against Soroka in his second at bat.
It’s worth mentioning that the Biscuits actually hit around Soroka last night, with the big blow coming off the bat of prospect Riley Unroe, who hit a missile over the right field fence, good for three runs. In four innings of work on Wednesday night, Soroka who entered the game with a 2-1 record and a 1.62 ERA, surrendered five runs (three earned) on eight hits, walking two and striking out three. Two of those hits were via the long ball, with the second of the two coming off the bat of Braxton Lee.
Granted, it is a rehab assignment and Rasmus missed most of spring training due to injury, but it’s expected for a veteran outfielder to at least put together some sort of production facing minor league pitching.
This past offseason, the Rays inked Rasmus to a one year, $5 million dollar deal. I still like the deal for the Rays however, who desperately need a power bat in the corner outfield to complement Steven Souza Jr. and Kevin Kiermaier.
Rasmus is going to strike out, a lot, but the Rays knew that when they signed him coming off a down year in Houston in which he was the highest paid player on the Astros roster. In 2015, Rasmus belted 25 home runs for the Astros, but also struck out a hefty 31.7% of the time which is about par for the course for the former first round pick in 2005.
A veteran scout who recently watched Double-A Mississippi: "That's the first time I've given a MLB grade to all five guys in a rotation." — Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 25, 2017
Take these minor league stats as you will, as these games do not bring the same adrenaline rush of playing in a big league game. I’m not a firm believer in spring training stats equating a successful regular season and the same can be said for minor league rehab assignments.
The Rays are set to bring aboard Rasmus this weekend when they will face the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. Facing one of his former clubs, it will be an opportunity for Rasmus to start his 2017 big league campaign on the right foot and propel the Rays in the right direction moving forward. |
The city of Louisville continues to watch more college basketball than the rest of the country ... a lot more.
ESPN telecasts during the 2015-16 college basketball season averaged a 4.9 rating in Louisville, marking the city's 14th straight year ESPN's the No. 1 market. Raleigh-Durham, the second highest market (2.7), and Kansas City, the third best (2.5), were up from a year ago.
The complete top 10 local markets:
Rank Rating Market 1 4.9 Louisville 2 2.7 Raleigh-Durham 3 2.5 Kansas City 4 2.5 Greensboro-High Point 5 1.8 Cincinnati 6 1.7 Dayton 7 1.7 Greenville 8 1.6 Indianapolis 9 1.6 Nashville 10 1.5 Memphis
Additionally, ESPN's "Big Monday" night doubleheader featuring an ACC matchup (7 p.m.) followed by a Big 12 game (9 p.m.) averaged 1,477,000 viewers per game (16 games), up 9% from the 2014-2015 season (16 games). Big Mondays also experienced a 19% increase in rating among men 18-34 demographic. |
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Even before Roger Ailes died, the House That Ailes Built was falling into ruin.
It was an American twist on a tale familiar to readers of Evelyn Waugh — how the wreck of a great estate parallels the downfall of the man who tried to rebuild it. Except Ailes did not rebuild, he created. Fox News was his brainchild, a glimmer in his eye as far back as the days when he was a media consultant to Richard Nixon.
With Fox News, Ailes beat Ted Turner and CNN. He beat MSNBC and its corporate overlords, which at one time included Microsoft and General Electric. He beat the Republican Party as well, turning it into a vessel for the Fox voice. He left the magazines and think tanks of movement conservatism in the dust as his network redefined the right for 20 years.
The House That Ailes Built is not just Fox News; arguably, it is conservatism itself as it has existed for 20 years: media-savvy, shouty, patriotic above all else, angry, confident, yet afraid of the New Black Panthers over here and Muslims over there (and maybe also over here).
Republican campaigns for the White House sometimes seemed like auditions for a Fox News gig. Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, and Sarah Palin all made the cut, as did the vaunted brain behind George W. Bush, Karl Rove.
But the real stars were the personalities Ailes recruited and promoted — above all Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, and Megyn Kelly. They commanded audiences that the erudite and principled heirs to Bill Buckley could only have dreamed of.
Today the stars are gone or going out at Fox: O'Reilly disgraced, Kelly departed in disgust, Hannity still in place but outspokenly discontented. Ratings have begun to slip, leading Rupert Murdoch himself to step in to calm nerves at the network's new studio this week.
And let's be honest: Is anyone really surprised by Ailes' death, after Murdoch and his sons, the heirs to News Corp, pushed him out amid a flood of sexual harassment allegations? What does a 77-year-old man do next after he falls from the professional heights that Ailes climbed? Studies say retirement is hazardous to your health — getting fired at Ailes' age, from a summit of power that even a younger man might never rise to scale again, was apt to be fatal.
The Murdochs could hardly have been unaware of the predatory reputation Ailes had acquired around women. They clearly didn't care: The ratings and influence were what counted, and Ailes delivered. But now the young Murdochs, and probably wily old Rupert too, are looking to a different future. They could dispense with Ailes now that he had built the network for them. But having jettisoned Ailes over sexual allegations, what could they do when equally damning complaints about Bill O'Reilly became public? Corporate Fox and the Murdochs were content to hush up and settle complaints as long as they remained behind the scenes; once they hurt the brand, Ailes had to go. Then O'Reilly. It was too late to keep Kelly, who had been subjected to Ailes' unwanted advances. Hannity has made no secret of his displeasure at the changing of the guard.
The old Fox News is gone.
There is pathos here. This should have been Ailes' moment of triumph. In several respects, Donald Trump is almost like having O'Reilly or Ailes himself in the White House. The combative tone, the total command of the media, the visceral right-wing instincts fronted by a man who feels rather than thinks his ideology. It's all pure Fox — and there's even crass sexism and allegations of harassment, too.
The president is an avid watcher of the Fox News, of course — his statements sometimes seem to come directly from reacting to Fox & Friends. Yet Trump has made the Fox that Ailes built redundant.
Fox thrived as George W. Bush's right flank and as an antagonist to Barack Obama (and to Bill Clinton long before that). Now a Fox-style president has transcended and transformed the conventional politics that once made Fox stand out. The network is actually to this president's left, and he doesn't need Fox to reach the right-wing grassroots. He has a direct line, and all the credibility with them he needs.
It's no accident that the leading voices on the right since the 1990s got an early start not in politics but in entertainment. Rush Limbaugh was a failed radio DJ. O'Reilly made his name as anchor of the tabloid TV show Inside Edition. Trump himself was first a brand — as much as he was ever a mogul — and then a reality TV star. Ailes, with an early background in local television, knew how to deploy similar talents: to combine politics and entertainment into a potent new product.
Entertainment could say things in ways politics could not. It could break taboos and rise in the ratings. It could speak the language, in words and images alike, of excitement, fear, anger, and sex — a key ingredient for Fox — rather than communicating in the gray prose and happy platitudes customary in politics (think George H.W. Bush's "Thousand Points of Light" or his son's "Compassionate Conservatism").
Politics in turn gave b-list or z-list entertainers success and power they could never have attained in Hollywood or the music industry. Middle-aged, balding, paunchy, and rather ugly men could beat the biggest stars in Hollywood this way. And they could have their own casting couch. Showbiz's losers could be Washington's winners. (I'm indebted for this insight to Samuel Goldman, professor of politics at George Washington University.)
As appalling as all this may sound, Ailes succeeded only because he tapped into something real: the frustration that millions of Americans, particularly those on the right, feel with our politics. That's alarming to those who want politics to be consensus-driven again. But the troubling triumph of Roger Ailes holds a lesson even for his critics — the gut appeal matters, and if responsible institutions' leaders cannot make it, then radical new ones will do so. Ailes exploited a lucrative market (and psychological) niche. He had an opening to do so only because of the hollowness America's long-established authorities. |
You've probably heard the buzz about Alexander Wang (coming off his three year stint as Balenciaga's creative director)'s latest collab with Beauty Behind the Madness mastermind The Weeknd. Unfortunately we only caught a glimpse of the upcoming collab at The Weeknd's recent Toronto show—the first stop on the singer's The Madness tour. Well, if you're still pining to know what's actually in the collection, wait no more.
Dropping next week, the full WANGXO collection includes everything from a black high-top leather sneaker (retailing at $575), a hoodie ($185), two graphic T-shirts ($150 each), and a bandana ($40). Each garment has some of The Weeknd's iconic visuals, including his trademark "XO"—most prominently stitched on the sneaker's tongue. True to Wang's style, the collection is entirely in variations of black-and-white.
If you're interested in getting your slice of this collaboration head to Wang's SoHo shop on Nov. 17, or hit up the Alexander Wang webshop on Nov. 18. In the meantime, check the rest of the collection's garments below. |
Former World Touring Car Championship and current British Touring Car Championship driver Alain Menu will head to Argentina this weekend for the return of the Argentinian Super TC 2000’s mini-endurance event, the Buenos Aires 200km, where he’ll partner Franco Vivian at the works Equipo Chevrolet YPF squad.
Alain Menu has been a mainstay of the Argentinian endurance event, where he has competed seven times in the eight year history of the event which previously ran from 2004 to 2011, which has been reinstated for this year for the first time under ‘Super’ TC 2000 regulations, now with Radical V8-powered, front-wheel drive cars.
The 200km event has previously attracted stars from European racing including Rob Huff, Yvan Muller, Anthony Reid and Gabriele Tarquini. Menu is a previous winner of the event, sharing the Chevrolet Astra with four-time TC 2000 champion Matías Rossi in 2006, while former BTCC star Anthony Reid was the only other international driver to win the event, sharing the Honda Civic with current WTCC points leader José María López in 2008. |
Weta Workshop's Sentry Turret, based on the enemies from the popular Half-Life video game.
Wellington's Weta Workshop has constructed a life-size version of a robot from popular game series Portal and sent it to the US-based company behind the game - Valve Corporation.
The device was modelled on the Aperture Science Sentry Turret from Valve's Portal and Half-Life game series and is shown being unboxed and activated in a video posted on YouTube by Valve.
Valve asked Weta Workshop to create it after the Miramar company created another turret for Valve's Team Fortress game.
Weta Workshop director Sir Richard Taylor said the design was run on customised paintball sentry software and was difficult to design, because the whole thing needed to pack away and expand when activated.
"It doesn't look like much, but it really tested us - to our limits," he said.
A motion sensor detects targets and activates the turret or puts it to sleep. When a target is acquired, the turret mimics machine gun fire with sound effects and flashing lights while speaking with a soft, child-like voice.
In the game series, the Sentry Turret is an enemy which the player must avoid or defeat. For safety's sake, this version contains no live ammunition.
Those looking to buy their own turret could be in luck - but they would need deep pockets.
Sir Richard said Weta would consider making the devices for a consumer if Valve were to allow the license, but the cost could be considerable.
"It's little less pricey than a piece of military hardware from the USA Government - and a bit more expensive than a piece from the New Zealand Government," Sir Richard said.
Weta Workshop was currently working on design work for two other games, and there was potential for the company to move further into the field, he said.
"We've always held a long desire to develop our own game intellectual property around Dr Grordborts," Sir Richard said.
Weta Workshop had a friendly relationship with Valve, with some Weta Workshop staff now working for the software company, including conceptual designer Jeremy Bennett, who is seen in the video.
Valve Corporation was formed by two ex-Microsoft employees in 1996 and has since become one of the largest computer software companies in the world, notably due to its game Half-Life's success.
Its growth was accelerated by its Steam client software which allows gamers to purchase and install high-quality games via the internet, as opposed to on disc.
Half-Life 2 has sold more than 12 million copies, making it the third best-selling game of all time for the PC platform. The original Half-Life sold 9.3 million copies. |
By Hunter Wallace
Aren’t we lucky to have the #TruCons led by Paul Ryan in charge of the House of Representatives?
They are doing one helluva job representing us by funding Planned Parenthood, Obama’s executive amnesty and Syrian refugee resettlement program, the $1.1 trillion dollar omnibus spending bill, and now working with Democrats to ban the Confederate flag in federal cemeteries:
“The GOP-led House on Thursday morning voted to bar the Confederate battle flag from flying over some federal graveyards, with Speaker Paul Ryan and his top lieutenants joining Democrats to approve the measure despite most Republicans voting against it. Lawmakers voted 265-159 on a Democratic amendment offered by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) that would bar the Civil War symbol from being flown at cemeteries run by the Department of Veterans Affairs. It was the first time the House has cast a ballot on the divisive issue. …”
Now that the Confederate flag has been banned, the House can move forward with Paul Ryan’s pet cause of the moment: the great Puerto Rico bailout.
Note: Here is the roll call vote of the House Republicans who voted this morning to ban the Confederate flag. |
Joe and I have watched as others put on cool and interesting events and knew it was something we wanted to help organize, but never had the time and focus to put something together.
There’s something electrifying about getting sharp guys and gals in a room together. Whether it’s a mastermind, a full-on event, or an informal gathering of entrepreneurs, we’ve found a ton of value in meeting and connecting in person.
Want to join us and others for an in-person workshop? This is your chance!
We’re putting together a meetup we’re calling “Empire Workshops”. This is a 4-5 hour workshop with other website sellers and entrepreneurs like you on how to improve the value of your website or business from a potential buyer’s perspective.
We’ll rent out a co-working space and provide lunch + snacks to attendees.
We’ll be starting these workshops in cities like Saigon/HCM, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok and expanding based on demand.
Are you not near one of these cities? No worries – read on for details on how to get us to visit your city!
How Will It Work?
There will be three main sections to the workshops.
Section 1: Step-By-Step Process To Prepare For A Sale – Cover a timeline from 6-months out through a successful sale and the strategies and tactics you should use to get maximum value. (40-60 minutes)
Section 2: Seller Case Studies From Actual Deals – We review real/actual successful and unsuccessful website sales and listings to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of both. (40-60 minutes)
Section 3: Website/Business Breakdowns For Attendees – We run through attendee websites and business pointing out strengths and weaknesses to increase their value and better prepare for an eventual sale. (2 – 2.5 hours)
Our first workshop will be in Ho Chi Minh on August 7th.
Joe and I have already booked our flights and hotel. We’re ready to roll and we hope you’ll join us.
Anyone that would like to attend first needs to fill out this form.
Deadline’s July 31st, so you better be quick!
We’ll have it all hashed out by July 21. If you apply before then, we’ll let you know once we’ve got all the details figured out. If you apply after then… You’re good to go!
Why Are You Doing This?
We love to share our experiences on the blog and podcast, but nothing beats meeting face-to-face and working through live case studies and business issues.
Here are the goals we’re looking to accomplish with these workshops:
Quick wins and strategies attendees can use to dramatically improve the value of their website or online business.
Get to know our readers, listeners, and customers directly, face to face.
Educating our potential customers and sellers on exactly how to sell your websites with us.
We’re looking to keep this small so that we can really dig into your websites and businesses. We’re limiting the workshop to no more than 20 attendees.
What’s The Cost/Catch?
We were originally going to offer this for free but realized if we don’t charge something we might end up with some well-intentioned people that don’t show up. :-)
So, instead, it WILL be free, but we’ll be charging a $100 refundable deposit for anyone looking to attend.
Anyone that shows up will be refunded at the event. If you don’t show, we’ll use your $100 to pay for dinner and drinks after the event!
No real catch, just an awesome workshop we’d love to put together for you.
I Dig It – When & Where?
We’re planning to test this in Saigon on August 7th and, depending on how that goes, roll out to other cities as well. (Chiang Mai? Bangkok? Bali? Los Angeles? Sydney?)
We’ll be meeting up late morning or early afternoon at a location, TBD.
Want to join us?
Please fill out this form (before July 31st)
We’ll be in contact soon with more details.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You’re fired up about joining us? Awesome! Here are a few of the questions we’ve fielded so far:
I can’t make it to Saigon/HCM in August – will you come to my city?
Possibly! This is a first-run at these workshops for us. We’re already set for Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam on August 7th and will be running another in early October in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
If you’d like us to set something up in your city, please leave a comment below and let us know where you’d like us to be!
Why charge a refundable $100 and not just make it free?
I’d hate for a bunch of people to take up slots and then not show up, keeping others from attending. Charging a $100 deposit is a minimal fee to make sure you’re committed to attending.
What do you get out of this?
We get to hang out with you! Additionally, we’ll get some great feedback from actual and potential customers and, hopefully, earn a shot at listing your website on our marketplace sometime soon.
Is there anything I need to prepare?
It’s not required, but the more information you can give us the better we’ll be able to dig in and give you actionable advice.
You’re going to want to know your monthly revenue numbers over the last few months, your costs, traffic numbers and sources, and your plan for improving profitability and overall value.
About a week before the event we’ll send you a few more questions to answer about your website so that we can tailor a few of the examples in the workshop to your needs/interests.
Are you REALLY going to share the goods?
Yep. We’re going to really dive into the nuts and bolts behind what you can do to improve the value of your site.
Additionally, we’ll be diving into some real live case studies of sites that sold with us and their actual numbers so that you can get a better look at what’s working, what’s not, etc.
Do I have to share the nitty gritty details about my business/website?
Yes. If you’re open about where you’re at, what’s going well, and what you’re struggling with we’ll be in a much better position to help you.
If you want to get real value out of this workshop, we’re going to have to be able to discuss everything openly and freely.
Let’s do this – how do I sign up for the HCM workshop on August 7th?
Fill out this form before July 31st.
See you in Vietnam! |
Rep. Mark Walker says evangelical voters backed an adulterous, swindling Nazi apologist because President Obama gave a speech to family planning advocates.
One of the most dramatic political about-faces in recent years has been how white, conservative evangelical voters have come to view politics.
Once the group that most most adamantly demanded moral purity from politicians, poll after poll now shows white evangelicals are suddenly OK with politicians who commit “immoral” acts in their personal lives. Such voters now line up to vote for people like Donald Trump, a frequent Nazi apologist who has committed adultery and delights in ripping off the poor — and repeatedly demonstrated his obvious ignorance about religion during the campaign — and Roy Moore, an open racist and accused child molester.
When CNN host Bill Weir pointed out the disconnect between evangelicals’ stated beliefs and their confessed support of plainly immoral politicians, North Carolina Rep. Mark Walker — himself an evangelical minister — gave this response:
WEIR: You’re a Southern Baptist minister. I was raised in that world, and it always fascinates me that so many evangelicals went for a man who might answer the question, What Would Jesus Not Do? How do you reconcile your faith with this president, politically? WALKER: Well, I will tell you this. After eight years of the Obama administration, where — there were legitimate direct lines of people who were social conservatives, things like the former president saying “God bless Planned Parenthood,” those kinds of things riled up the evangelical base, you are correct, to the tune of 81 percent of electoral turnout.
Walker is referring to a speech President Barack Obama gave to Planned Parenthood, in which he closed out with the standard presidential line, “God bless you. God bless the United States of America.”
If Walker is correct that a president saying “God bless you” to a group of doctors and advocates for low-income men and women was enough to make millions of congregants from thousands of churches suddenly change their entire perception of political morality, we must wonder what their commitment was to their principles beforehand.
Walker also conveniently overlooks the fact that Trump himself praised Planned Parenthood in the earlier part of the presidential campaign, saying the health care provider had done “very good work for millions of women.” (Trump soon abandoned praising the organization to further appeal to white evangelical voters.)
For the record, many conservative Baptist ministers have denounced hate. Churches all across Tennessee came together in November to protest the “evil” of white supremacy ahead of a rally of racist groups in their state. But there is a stark disconnect between telling people to love their neighbor on Sunday and vote for Trump on Tuesday.
Walker’s comments are an illustration of the religious right’s fatally flawed priorities — and their inability to find a consistent moral worldview. |
Don't settle for a tie when you could win Tactical, laser-equipped necktie livens up the most boring meetings
Great for your soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine entering the civilian world
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Today's corporate environment can be hostile to say the least. Does it feel like you're suiting up for battle every time you prepare for a meeting? Do you build your deck with extra slides in preparation for retaliation from other departments? Do you have to bring peacekeeping doughnuts to start meetings off on the right foot?
What you need is ThinkGeek's Tactical Necktie with Laser Pointer. This necktie is guaranteed to give you the tactical advantage. Use the MOLLE attachment system to bring along a set of your own whiteboard markers (because nobody ever throws the bad ones away), a first aid kit for those nasty handout papercuts, even your travel mug via carabiner (quick-release for those caffeine emergencies mid-meeting). But the best part is the built-in Class II laser, which you can use to bring attention to your important points, entertain office cats, or blind the random meeting-interrupting zombie. Once you experience ThinkGeek's Tactical Necktie with Laser Pointer, you'll wonder how you ever survived a meeting without it.
Tactical Necktie with Laser Pointer Specifications |
Tories urged to act as one in 10 households is fuel poor, rising to about one in five for those renting from private landlords
More than 2.3 million families are living in fuel poverty in England – the equivalent of 10% of households, according to government statistics.
Almost 60,000 households in Birmingham alone cannot afford to heat their homes. The figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy show the West Midlands city is worst affected, with Leeds, Cornwall, Manchester and Liverpool also in the top five local authorities where households face “eat or heat” choices in winter.
However, rural areas of England are proportionally the worst affected, with more than 20% of households on the Isles of Scilly classified as fuel poor. Other badly affected areas include Eden in Cumbria, Richmondshire and Ryedale in North Yorkshire, and West Devon.
Fuel poverty is calculated by gauging if a household’s income would fall below the official poverty line after spending the actual amount needed to heat the home. The average fuel poverty gap of these households – that is, the amount needed to escape fuel poverty – is £371 a year, the latest figures indicate, with those in privately rented properties hit hardest.
About 20% of households renting from a private landlord are classified as fuel poor and single parents with dependent children are at the highest risk, with almost 25% in fuel poverty.
Clive Lewis, the shadow business secretary, said the figures showed the Tories had to take action to tackle the tariffs of the big six energy companies.
“Under the Tories’ lack of an energy plan, Britain is facing an energy bill crisis, with over 2 million families who can’t afford their energy bills,” said the Labour MP.
“The government must act now on the monopoly of the big six in the energy market and tackle the scandal of fuel poverty. A Labour government will deliver clean energy and curb energy bill rises for households.”
This month, the business department said it would publish an energy supplier league table to instantly show consumers where they could save money on fuel bills. Customers should have the ability to access their energy usage data quickly and easily from their energy companies, the government said, to allow them to use price comparison sites to switch tariffs.
Announcing the measures, the business secretary, Greg Clark, said: “Millions of people across Britain continue to pay too much for their energy. The measures announced are a positive step to help more people benefit from increased choice and competition.
“As the government has made clear, where markets are not working for consumers – in energy or otherwise – we are prepared to act.” |
From time to time, WhoWhatWhy discovers compelling voices you haven’t heard anywhere before. Here, we present U.S. Army Captain Danny Sjursen’s cutting analysis of U.S. wars since 9/11. It’s a timely reflection on the costs of freedom, and a major part of our national story now, 238 years after we declared independence.
What makes Sjursen’s perspective so intriguing is that he is, by all definitions, a model Army officer: West Point graduate in the top 10 percent of his class, decorated veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and soon, a history lecturer at the U.S. Military Academy. A native of Staten Island, he lost eight friends and family members—all firefighters—in the collapse of the Twin Towers. He’s the author of the forthcoming book “Surge of Candor: Reflections on Soldiers, Service and the War in Iraq”.
Here, Sjursen is writing as himself and the views are his own, not those of the government or the Army that still employs him. What this cavalry officer says about our wars will surprise you, whether you agree or not.
***
Maybe the American people get the wars they deserve. Or is that too harsh?
Perhaps much of the blame for our continuing Century of War lies with the bill of goods we were sold by well-funded, fundamentalist ideologues in that perfect storm of incompetence known as the Bush administration. It’s been 13 years since the Twin Towers crumbled in my hometown, nearly seven since I returned from my first war, and still I’m torn on the issue.
Here’s a fact: the United States military possesses finite resources. Despite the rhetoric many of us were raised on—that of perpetual growth, unipolar power, and undiminished potential—our armed forces have serious limitations. Our constraints include capability, funding, and willpower.
It’s true that American soldiers and marines have fought, and died, with great poise, professionalism, and courage. I’ve witnessed it first-hand. But that doesn’t change one salient truth: we haven’t won in either Iraq or Afghanistan. It’s worth asking why, before we embark on any more overseas military ventures.
1) CAPABILITY: Superior firepower is not always decisive. Dedicated, if technologically inferior, insurgents creatively equipped with equalizing weaponry, foreign support, porous borders and resolve have successfully bogged down our ground forces not once, but twice, in the last decade.
2) FUNDING: Despite a defense budget higher than most of the rest of the world combined, the recent U.S. Army budget hearings on Capitol Hill made clear that the army will be forced to shrink to its smallest size since before the Second World War. Within a few years, we will possess an army of less than 480,000 men and women. It took an army of several million soldiers to lose the Vietnam War. We can only do so much with what we have.
3) WILLPOWER: I am referring here to societal will. Our current army is an all-volunteer force. The vast majority of Americans haven’t the slightest interest in serving in the military, and are perfectly happy to delegate that honor to someone else.
Most people rarely raise their heads from iPhones long enough to notice we’ve been engaged in our nation’s longest war—12 years and counting in Afghanistan. When this fact is brought home to them, they may, if so moved, stick a yellow ribbon on the car, sing “America the Beautiful” during the 7th inning stretch, and personally thank a vet for his or her service.
Someone Else’s Job
Americans like soldiers, they really do, but marching into a recruiter’s office to stand side by side with their “heroes”—that’s someone else’s job. This in itself is a serious constraint on national policy. Want proof?
When the decision was made to turn the tide in Iraq in 2007, we had to grow our ground forces quickly. This was the critical campaign—or so we were told—of the Iraq War. America needed a few thousand extra troops to ensure victory.
No matter, there weren’t enough volunteers to man this all-important “surge.” To meet its goal, the army had to waive its requirement for high school diplomas and let several hundred convicted felons in—most of whom performed admirably, mind you—just to meet basic quotas.
Why do I make so much of these fundamental constraints on American military power? Because I want to start a conversation about sound strategy that has been sadly lacking in Washington, Wall Street, and Main Street alike.
What is strategy, after all, but the sober matching of means to realistic and desirable national ends?
Seen from outer space, or with the benefit of extended hindsight (say, 50 years on), I promise you that American strategy since 2001 will receive a failing grade. The problems didn’t end with George W. Bush, for sure, but the current wars’ original sin does rest with the Bush team. The sin was strategic, and conceptual.
Calling the post-9/11 campaign a “war” against “terror” was a slick way of garnering support for an open-ended military operation. Whatever the motivation, the tragic and seemingly irreversible misstep was Bush’s decision to seek a military solution to what was, at root, a law-enforcement and intelligence problem.
The Al Qaeda camps, leadership, and infrastructure within Afghanistan had to go. No sitting president could have avoided a military commitment in the wake of 9/11.
But expanding the limited, achievable mission of dismantling Al Qaeda in Afghanistan into a broad attempt at “democratic nation-building” was a recipe for failure. Afghanistan’s sheer size, remoteness, ethnic diversity, tortured history and shattered infrastructure should have been grounds for pause.
Here is the irony: in 2000, candidate Bush specifically abhorred “nation-building.” His key guys—Cheney, Rumsfeld, and their underlings—were deeply hostile to long-term economic and diplomatic commitments overseas.
The Great Escape
They were strong proponents of the so-called “light-footprint” approach to military operations. This technologically-obsessed formula eschewed conventional infantry in favor of small Special Forces teams and smart bombs. In practice, this also meant CIA agents doling out suitcases of dollars to local warlords. Some of these tactics worked in the short run, and were not in and of themselves the problem.
The contradiction at the root of our failed strategy became fatally obvious in the winter of 2001: our Special Forces and CIA teams advising the Afghan Northern Alliance had bin Laden and most of his Al Qaeda fighters cornered in the mountains of Tora Bora in eastern Afghanistan. Bin Laden himself seemed to despair, sending out a last radio message to his followers on Dec. 13, 2001. In a strained voice, he said: “I’m sorry for getting you involved in this battle. If you can no longer resist, you may surrender with my blessing.”
Al Qaeda was all but finished. There was just one problem. The Northern Alliance was a disorganized, divided force that couldn’t encircle the area effectively. Worse still, there were way too few U.S. troops on the ground. What we needed was a brigade of soldiers to seal the border with Pakistan, a request the CIA officer in charge of the agency’s ground forces made.
Rumsfeld, 7,000 miles away in Washington and irrevocably committed to his light-footprint approach, wouldn’t have it. Bin Laden escaped across the mountains to Pakistan. The rest, as they say, is history.
That’s the point. We wasted our opportunity to use a brief, pointed military response to get rid of Bin Laden. And that opened the door for the Bush administration, with most American people willingly in tow, to define the threat of terrorism as a war, which could only be defeated by the military. It was a fatal mistake that threw thousands of American lives, a few trillion dollars, and the stability of an entire region down the drain.
To be fair, the post-9/11 haze of fear and confusion did obscure the nature of the challenge—for both president and citizenry.
Nonetheless, the decision to define the campaign against Al Qaeda as a global war had its roots in the specific ideological obsessions of the Bush team. Many in the administration sensed in 9/11 an opportunity to implement long-discussed plans for a muscular military posture toward Iraq and the Middle East. Others, maybe Bush included, believed that the moment had come for striking a decisive blow in the cosmic struggle between good and evil.
Bush and company insisted that the attack on September 11, 2001, fundamentally altered foreign affairs. Did it though? Was 9/11 really the game-changer we were repeatedly led to believe? Sure, the attack was horrific, unforgiveable, and shocking. But strategists must keep 9/11 in context. This brutal attack was perpetrated by a small group of non-state actors generally centralized in an isolated section of Afghanistan. It took American rhetoric to make the war truly global. What happened next should have been predictable.
Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda fighters were criminals. Numerous, well-armed, and requiring a brief military response, sure, but nonetheless criminals—not a global army or a nation-state. Prolonged intelligence operations, Special Forces raids, an international police manhunt, and a brief military campaign to clean out the Al Qaeda camps—any and all of those were appropriate responses. The fact that we didn’t choose those options set us on the dangerous, slippery path we’ve yet to leave.
***
Let’s review the irony here: the Bush team misjudged the whole problem and then committed the professional military (the American people, of course, were encouraged to go shopping and visit Disney World) to pursue an inappropriate solution. Yet, in the brief moment when we needed significant ground forces to isolate and destroy bin Laden’s network, these ideological techno-hawks refused the necessary troops. Thus, bin Laden escaped, the American people were denied closure, and we had ourselves an open-ended war.
The problem has repeated itself time and again during this, America’s longest shooting war. Strident hawks, generally of Republican persuasion, exaggerate the danger, insist on their pro-military credentials, and increase commitments on our over-taxed military. Then, when competence and prudent strategy are needed most, they fail to deliver. Half the time they don’t even mean what they say.
First off, the “global war on terror” wasn’t really a war. If it were, if the Bush administration’s techno-hawks were actually serious about that, we’d have crossed into Pakistan to sweep the remnants of Al Qaeda out, find bin Laden (it took 10 more years) and capture Mullah Omar (still at large). Instead we toiled away in the mountains, valleys and deserts of a landlocked country, fighting Afghan farmers. When I was in Kandahar province in 2011, nearly all trained Taliban fighters spent the winter resting and re-equipping in Quetta, Pakistan. Everyone knew it. We did nothing and American soldiers died. So it goes.
Our Own Set of Martyrs
There are a number of common counter-arguments. People ask: “Aren’t there extremist Muslims all over the globe, and Don’t ‘failed states’ breed terrorists?” The answers are, respectively, yes, of course, and yes, sort of.
A small minority of radical Islamists has long existed. But they never had the numbers or organization to gather into a credible army, and relatively few ever posed a direct threat to the United States.
And yes, ‘failed states,’ like Somalia, Afghanistan, parts of Yemen, and Syria, among others, can provide extremist safe havens. Even so, how many places can we reasonably fight, and is military force always the best tactic?
The truth is, such places don’t create terrorists nearly as fast as the ongoing, seemingly never-ending U.S. military occupation of Muslim countries. Throw in perpetual imprisonment at Guantanamo with a sprinkling of Abu Ghraib and such, and the scales tip ever farther.
But what matters most is the error at the outset of our “war on terror.” We misjudged the problem and prescribed an improper solution from the opening bell. And early on, when we needed ground troops to cut off bin Laden, the administration failed us. The result was open-ended, indecisive conflict that eventually matched the false Bush rhetoric and became, as prophesied, truly global.
In place of sound strategy, we’ve been handed our own set of martyrs: more than 6,500 dead soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines. Real victory remains unattainable. Then again, we, the professional troops, weren’t appropriately utilized in the first place. That was the original sin. Americans reap what they sow.
We got the war we asked for, or…fell for.
THUMBNAIL: Vintage Postcard
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Matti Huuhtanen, The Associated Press
TROLLHATTAN, Sweden -- The southern industrial city of Trollhattan has become a focal point for Sweden's underlying racial tensions, which contrast with the nation's generous attitudes to migrants.
On Thursday, a 21-year-old local man rampaged through a school in the city, stabbing two people to death and seriously wounding two others before being fatally shot by police. Authorities called it a racist hate crime, saying he methodically selected dark-skinned victims at Trollhattan's Kronan school, where most students are foreign-born.
The attacker, who killed a teacher and a student, has not been named by police.
Many in this nation of 10 million were horrified by the violence but not surprised at its eruption, since the surge of refugees into Europe has increased anti-immigrant attitudes. Swedish immigration officials estimate some 190,000 asylum-seekers will arrive this year, second only to Germany in Western Europe.
A teacher at a school near Kronan, Jo-Anne Frampton, told The Associated Press that the school attack in Trollhattan was "just a matter of time."
Sweden has also seen a spate of arson attacks on asylum centres or buildings being fitted to house refugees. Early Saturday, another blaze -- considered by investigators again to be arson -- destroyed a house intended for refugees in Eskiltuna, near Stockholm.
"Once again, we have experienced a hate crime ... Our country is burning. Asylum dwellings are in flames," commentator Erica Treijs wrote Saturday in an editorial in Svenska Dagbladet, one of Sweden's largest newspapers. "The hatred against immigrants spreads like wildfire."
Trollhattan used to be Sweden's busiest industrial city, a centre for heavy industries and car production, but it has been struggling with unemployment for years. Over one-sixth of its 56,000 people are foreign-born and it now has Sweden's highest jobless rate -- 14.1 per cent in 2014 compared to 8 per cent for the nation.
Arson is not a new weapon for those in Sweden who don't want immigrants to come in. In 1993, an arson attack destroyed the mosque in Trollhattan. The present mosque was built on the same ground. |
In the bonfire of the vanities that is the aftermath of Hillary Clinton’s campaign of 2016 one quote from Shattered, the book of the week, stands supreme.
People like Hillary Clinton won’t understand what is happening to the country until they carve out the cataracts in their eyes that prevent them from seeing what their politics hath wrought. And it is pretty obvious that the same applies to the rest of elite liberaldom.
The political movement that built the welfare state and the administrative state and the liberal cultural hegemony is going on the rocks, and liberals can’t believe it.
The political movement that gave us Reagan and won the Cold War is also on the rocks. But we conservatives are not that shocked that good old gentlemanly libertarian conservatism is done. We conservatives went through our five stages of grief in the year between the Descent of Trump and the nomination of Trump, and now face the world without illusion.
Unlike liberals, still hysterically sobbing in their liberal safe space.
To see what is going on it helps to look at another country that may be in the middle of its own Brexit/Trump phenomenon, i.e., France.
Christopher Caldwell in City Journal has a long piece about “The French, Coming Apart” in which he writes that Charles Murray’s book Coming Apart applies not just to the US but to the French. Only things are worse in France.
Caldwell is looking at France through the work of the French writer Christophe Guilluy. Guilluy argues that the old working class in France is never coming back, because even if it could reeducate and retrain it could never afford to live in the “ideopolises” where the new economy jobs are. The old cheap housing stock is now completely occupied by non-white immigrants and the new elite of TV anchors and patent attorneys where the white working class need not apply. So the guys that said they loooved the working class have effectively driven them into the economic wilderness.
Just as in the U.S., the French new class of liberal “symbolic analysts” that once taught the working class to hate their bosses has driven the working class to despair. And the cataracts in their eyes prevent them from seeing the chaos they have wrought.
But who will raise the alarm? Who will tell the ruling class to put its failed ideas and conceits where the sun don’t shine?
The French ruling class has legislated speech codes, so that speaking and writing against the ruling class and its cultural Marxist conceits could get you in trouble. In France they have enacted a what Guilluy calls the “criminalization of criticism of the dominant model.”
France’s antiracist Pleven law, which can punish speech, passed in 1972. In 1990, the Gayssot law criminalized denial or “minimization” of the Holocaust and repealed parts of France’s Law of July 29, 1881, on Freedom of the Press… Suits against novelists, philosophers, and historians have proliferated.
That is how you get a Hillary who doesn’t know what’s happening to the country. It is the consequence of a ruling class that makes it illegal for the rubes to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Today, in America at least for now, an Ann Coulter can tell University of California, Berkeley, that she is coming to speak there irregardless, because “I have constitutional rights,” and a Milo Yiannopoulos can announce that he is coming to Berkeley for his own “Free Speech Week” that might turn into Free Speech Month if the authorities don’t cooperate. For now.
After reading Caldwell I think I understand more than before why our liberals friends have become utterly unmoored since Nov. 8, 2016. Nothing in their comfortable urban liberal bubble prepared them for Brexit and Trump and Le Pen. Of course not. Because liberals have forbidden anyone to disagree with them.
We conservatives are lucky: we have never been able to isolate ourselves in our special cultural bubble, so we know that the world can change against us in an instant.
But liberals from Hillary Clinton on down just “don’t understand what’s happening in the country.”
I am trying to think up a catch phrase to symbolize how the left first seduced, then used, abused, and finally abandoned the working class, averting its eyes from the wounded, mumbling “I just don’t understand.” I have in mind something like “The Great Betrayal,” only sharper.
We need some sort of meme like this, because the demolition of the white working class is happening all over the western world, and attention must be paid.
And the way back starts with what the Chinese call the Rectification of Names. In Anglo-Saxon, this is termed “calling a spade a spade.”
Christopher Chantrill @chrischantrill runs the go-to site on US government finances, usgovernmentspending.com. Also see his American Manifesto and get his Road to the Middle Class. |
An introduction to Linux activity/event trackers
On this page Zeitgeist GNOME Tracker
Most modern GNU/Linux distributions use some kind of a software service that tracks the user activities and events. These events can be anything, from the opening of a document file, to the chat conversation. This isn't happening for the purpose to monitor the user and sell this usage data information to 3rd parties, but to help users enjoy a more user-friendly and unified experience across their applications. For example, if you want to quickly locate that document that you opened last weekend, chances are that you will easily and promptly find it after opening your file manager and going to the “Recent” folder.
Zeitgeist
Zeitgeist is one of the most widely used event loggers in the Linux software world, often even utilized as a central log management system for multiple other applications that send their event logs directly on the zeitgeist daemon without storing them into their own folder/location. The event logger stores this data on /.local/share/zeitgeist. Zeitgeist is known to work with numerous software tools, and I can indicatively mention that it sends and receives metadata to the Unity Dash, Docky, gEdit, Totem, Rhythmbox, Midori, etc.
In order to be able to set the Zeitgeist options, you will need to install the package named “activity-log-manager”. In Ubuntu, open a terminal and enter the following command: “sudo apt-get install activity-log-manager”. Then launch the utility and you'll be provided with a set of options that refer to Zeitgeist's operation.
For example, if you want to disable the daemon you may simply click on the switch that is located on the top left. If you want to exclude a particular category such as chat logs or music playback history you may do so by unchecking the corresponding box on the left side of the application. If you want to exclude a certain folder from being tracked by Zeitgeist, click on the “plus” icon on the bottom and navigate to the folder through the file manager window. You may also exclude an application through this tool by selecting “Add Application” instead of “Add Folder”
If you want to completely erase the history logs kept by Zeitgeist, click on the button entitled “Clear Usage Data...” and select the time period that you want to wipe and then hit “OK” and you're done.
GNOME Tracker
GNOME Tracker is the default “tracker” of the popular desktop environment that indexes files together with their full content. This is especially helpful when wanting to track down a file that you know contains something in particular, but you can't remember its filename. If you are using GNOME Shell, open the tracker search tool and enter the search criteria.
I have entered the keyword “December” and selected the category of “pictures/images” and also selected the “content” choice instead of the filename. This yielded results of photographs that were taken on December and were tagged as such. With tracker, you can open a file and navigate the containing folder as if you were using a normal file manager.
Tracker also features a powerful configuration utility which is launched as a separate individual tool (magnifier with paw icon). On the first tab, you will be given the capacity to set the indexing preferences for Tracker, and even allow it to index files that are contained in removable disks, set resource usage limitations, and adjust the data retainment time threshold.
The next tab is dedicated to the location settings where users can define what folders are monitored. You may add as many as you want by clicking on that “plus” button on the right.
Then you may set what should be ignored by Tracker through the third tab. Here you can add directories, or specific files to ignore.
Finally, you can remove all indexed data and delete everything that Tracker has stored since the beginning of its first run.
If you want to dig deeper into the Tracker's indexed data, you may also do so by installing and running the GNOME Activity Journal. This application makes it easier to find things by navigating the indexed data in a chronological fashion. This application features many different view modes, helping you locate what you're looking for in a more appropriate manner depending on the type of the file. |
During a live television and radio broadcast, President Richard Nixon stuns the nation by announcing that he will visit communist China the following year. The statement marked a dramatic turning point in U.S.-China relations, as well as a major shift in American foreign policy.
Nixon was not always so eager to reach out to China. Since the Communists came to power in China in 1949, Nixon had been one of the most vociferous critics of American efforts to establish diplomatic relations with the Chinese. His political reputation was built on being strongly anti-communist, and he was a major figure in the post-World War IIRed Scare, during which the U.S. government launched massive investigations into possible communist subversion in America.
By 1971, a number of factors pushed Nixon to reverse his stance on China. First and foremost was the Vietnam War. Two years after promising the American people “peace with honor,” Nixon was as entrenched in Vietnam as ever. His national security advisor, Henry Kissinger, saw a way out: Since China’s break with the Soviet Union in the mid-1960s, the Chinese were desperate for new allies and trade partners. Kissinger aimed to use the promise of closer relations and increased trade possibilities with China as a way to put increased pressure on North Vietnam–a Chinese ally–to reach an acceptable peace settlement. Also, more importantly in the long run, Kissinger thought the Chinese might become a powerful ally against the Soviet Union, America’s Cold War enemy. Kissinger called such foreign policy ‘realpolitik,’ or politics that favored dealing with other powerful nations in a practical manner rather than on the basis of political doctrine or ethics.
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Nixon undertook his historic “journey for peace” in 1972, beginning a long and gradual process of normalizing relations between the People’s Republic of China and the United States. Though this move helped revive Nixon’s sagging popularity, and contributed to his win in the 1972 election, it did not produce the short-term results for which Kissinger had hoped. The Chinese seemed to have little influence on North Vietnam’s negotiating stance, and the Vietnam War continued to drag on until U.S. withdrawal in 1973. Further, the budding U.S.-China alliance had no measurable impact on U.S.-Soviet relations. But, Nixon’s visit did prove to be a watershed moment in American foreign policy–it paved the way for future U.S. presidents to apply the principle of realpolitik to their own international dealings. |
Over the last twenty years, David Wells has established himself as the insider chronicler-in-chief of how the self-centered trivialization of life in wider Western culture has transformed conservative Protestantism in the United States and, by implication, elsewhere. His earlier books, from No Place for Truth onwards, have often been criticized for having plenty of bad news and few positive proposals. Yet there are those Christians like myself who have enough Christian absurdism in our souls to think that, humanly speaking, life is short, often darkly comic, and in the end really rather tragic. We are the ones who quite enjoy the pessimistic aspect of his work as confirming our basic convictions (or prejudices, as others would no doubt call them). Nevertheless, in his latest book, God in the Whirlwind, David goes some way to offering positive proposals against the backdrop of traditional Reformed theology and pertinent critiques of contemporary culture.
He take as his central motif the notion of God’s holy-love (the hyphen is important), arguing that many of Christianity’s woes derive from emphasizing one half of this term at the expense of the other. The first seven chapters serve as a fine survey statement of Reformed theology from the perspective of this guiding motif, with apposite comments about how contemporary cultural forces twist and distort the biblical teaching. This part of the book would serve as a great text for an adult Sunday School. The last two chapterson worship and on calling respectivelyshow how Christianity has capitulated to the spirit of this present age in practical terms, i.e., in the ways in which Christians now express their worship when gathered together and in the manner in which they relate to the wider world. The solution as David sees it is to take seriously God’s holy-love and to make this a key guiding principle for all Christian thought and practice.
While David does not explicitly make the connection, the biblical resonances of the book’s title are surely apposite. It is significant that when God makes his entrance onto the stage that is the wreckage of Job’s life in the book that bears his name, he comes in the whirlwind. Even after his first speech has induced Job to take a vow of silence, God comes again in the whirlwind. That is a sign of judgment and, in a book already filled with mystery, it adds perhaps the greatest mystery of all: Why does God address this man’s suffering in a way that speaks rather of judgment than comfort? In this present age, such a god seems rather harsh, unfeeling, and a touch too capricious and judgmental. Yet the answer would appear to be simple in an unfathomably complicated way: God is not human, his ways are not human ways, and thus human ways are not to be criteria for thinking of him. That is surely a key insight possessed by all the greatest theologians, from Paul to Luther and beyond. The history of humankind shows that that has always been a hard teaching to grasp. It is peculiarly problematic for a generation for whom external, given authority of any kindeven that of our X and Y chromosomesis something to be ignored or overcome.
This is where David’s chapter on worship is so key and, indeed, the hinge of the book. What he highlights is the casual tendency for the forms of Christian worship to be separated from the content of Christianity in a manner that often divests the act of corporate worship of its very purpose. The dramatic themes and movement of the Bible and of the gospel (sin, cross, redemption, forgiveness, future hope) should shape what the church does when she gathers together and should thereby strengthen Christians for their everyday lives by giving them an understanding of who they are, where they, and whence they are going. The world in all its forms, from billboard aesthetics to news broadcasts to video games, preaches other forms of life to us every day of the week. Worship is to be a reality check which re-calibrates our minds so that we might live as aliens in a foreign land. Too often, however, it merely apes the tastes of the world outside.
Further, while he does not use this precise language, he also points to what I would argue is the lethal use of the aesthetics of power to present the Christian gospel in the context of corporate worship. While he does not directly engage the current revival of Calvinistic soteriology among otherwise generically Evangelical churches, one might comment that numerous representatives of this movement have successfully harnessed the aesthetics of power to market a theology whose content thus stands in contradiction to its packaging and is thus rendered highly volatile: The weakness of the cross and the dependent fragility of a redeemed but still fallen humanity cannot be expressed with the idioms of power drawn from the culture without fundamentally changing their real significance. And yet this extraordinary marketing feat is what we now witness in the swagger of certain leaders and their followers, in their lack of accountability, in the cults of celebrity, in the massive influence wielded by media savvy organizations, in the plethora of lucrative personal ministries, and in the various other expensive products and pyrotechnics of the movement.
These may appear at first glance to be merely practical problems, but there is already evidence that in the long term they might well prove to be symptomatic of moral and theological ones too. That is certainly the conclusion to which an application of David’s analysis to the latest neo-Calvinist movement would lead. Indeed, Evangelicalism as a business does not place a very high premium on the kind of things for which David longs and which he believes are possible if we are intentional in pursuing them: Finely-tooled theology rooted in historic confessions; sober-minded worship; thoughtful pastoral care; and deep commitment to the church as church. How could it? These things are a minority interest and could never attract the capital necessary to sustain the big Evangelical industry over even a short period of time. The reformation for which David calls is thus not one which requires a mere shift in doctrinal belief, something with which Evangelical leaders seem too often too easily satisfied; it also involves the transformation of a whole form of church life, one which he sees as starting in what happens in gathered worship on a Sunday and leads to a reorientation of thinking and living throughout the week. Perhaps it also involves the transformation of the received Evangelical vision of a kind of Manifest Destiny into something much more modest and narrowly focused.
For David, as one hopes for all Christians, the church’s worship is a response to God’s grace, and thus what happens in the worship service is a good indicator of how grace is theologically and practically understood. The convenient and specious separation of form and content in worship often lies at the heart of the broader Evangelical movement as a means of facilitating inter-church alliances and building consensus has, I suspect, spilled over into other Christian traditions too. David is not so concerned with the hackneyed debate about contemporary music versus traditional; rather, he is interested in the role, priorities, logic, and structure of the worship service. A separation of form and content in this sense is something which David clearly sees as lethal to biblical Christianity in the long term. Such a separation always ends up favoring the form, rather than the content and tends over time to make the religious marketplace king and theology really quite negotiable. We should not underestimate that sobering reality when we reflect upon our worship practices.
This is a book all Christians should read. And, while generally positive in its proposals, it has sufficient pessimism (though David, as a good fellow pessimist, will no doubt tell me he is not such a one) that this Englishman still enjoyed it. Christianity in the West is shifting to the status of an annoying, perhaps even unwelcome, sect. The future is, humanly speaking, bleak. David’s books in general are a good argument for seeing ourselves as a large part of our current problem and this book in particular offers helpful thoughts on what must now be done. |
Extreme winter weather returns to the main islands of Japan. Blizzards pound cities with heavy snow - and it's already piled to record heights in some areas. Japan's weather agency has forecast more snow over the next two to three days along the coast of the Sea of Japan. On the northern island of Hokkaido, the city of Iwamizawa is at a standstill. Forty-five mile-per-hour wind gusts slammed the city with heavy snow, and visibility is almost nil. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) UNIDENTIFIED LOCAL SCHOOLGIRL, SAYING: "I was trying to get to school, but I can't go now because of this blizzard." In central Japan's Niigata City, which has already received near-record snow, more winter weather is on the way. Meteorologists predict another 27 to 35 inches over the coming days. This adds to the 9 to 13 feet of snow that has already buried parts of the prefecture. Travis Brecher, Reuters |
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Emre Can is set to hand Jurgen Klopp a massive boost ahead of Liverpool FC 's Europa League semi-final second leg showdown with Villarreal on Thursday after returning to training following an ankle ligament injury.
There were fears that the 22-year-old midfielder could miss the remainder of the season after he injured ankle ligaments in the 4-3 victory over Dortmund in the Europa League quarter final last month, but he has recovered quicker than expected.
Can took part in a training session yesterday with players who didn't start the 3-1 defeat to Swansea on Sunday afternoon, and he could now come into contention for a starting berth in Klopp's side on Thursday evening.
He will be carefully assessed by Klopp and Liverpool's medical staff over the next few days as Liverpool prepare for what is now the biggest game of their season.
The Reds will look to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg after Villarreal's 92nd-minute winner in Spain last week. |
When Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook said his team was working non-stop to to improve the decidedly subpar iOS 6 Maps app, he wasn’t kidding. Several MacRumors forum members are reporting that Apple’s quickly correcting some of its botched 3D Flyover views including the now-famous invisible Statue of Liberty. MacRumors says that imagery improvements have been reported in Honolulu, Hawaii; San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles; New York City and London. Additional 3D buildings in vector mode are also popping up. The Apple rumors website also states that users who don’t see the immediate changes will see them in the near future as “aggressive caching” is holding the roll out from hitting everyone. BGR has confirmed the improved Statue of Liberty an additional 3D vector buildings is present on at least on iPhone 5 device. Apple is reportedly prepping a program that will train retail staff employees to help report errors in cities where Apple Stores are located.
AppleInsider is also reporting corrected maps in 3D Flyover mode. As you can see in the screenshots below, the Brooklyn Bridge no longer looks like it has melted:
The improvements are a step in the right direction. With these kind of swift changes, it’s possible that Apple, with its $100 billion in cash can catch up to Google (GOOG) quicker than the seven years it took for Google Maps to become excellent.
Read |
I was saddened to hear about the violence in D.C. this weekend, with over 100 people arrested and substantial damage to property. If a march is to succeed, it should be nonviolent, as was the case with the civil rights and Vietnam marches in the Sixties (yes, I know there was some violence). If the Left is to keep the moral high ground, we simply can’t go around physically attacking those whose views we don’t like. In fact it’s ironic, because when progressives do this, they’re implicitly denying someone a REAL safe space: a space to be free to express your opinions and remain physically safe. “Safety” refers to freedom from physical attack or illegal harassment, not to freedom from hearing views you don’t like.
As a conscientious objector, I’ve always adhered to the nonviolent philosophies of Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi, for if you start violence, you lose credibility.
Here’s a white supremacist, Richard Spencer, getting punched in D.C. during the anti-Trump rallies:
Spencer is odious, but he doesn’t deserve to be punched. And yet here’s atheist Dan Arel, whose behavior has become increasingly bizarre, defending that punch on Twitter:
.@peterboghossian i have no problem with it. racists must know their message won’t be tolerated here. if you can’t punch a nazi… — Dan Arel (@danarel) January 21, 2017
Stephen Knight (“Godless Spellchecker”) weighs in:
Here, @danarel condones violence for different (awful) views. Still has the catastrophic unawareness to think he's the good guy pic.twitter.com/aj04o9GqZX — Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) January 21, 2017
And a few other unhinged tweets by Arel:
oh being accused of hypocrisy from a fucking racist apologist. cute. maybe defending this nazi will get you more Patreon donations too! https://t.co/8dGn6IF5hF — Dan Arel (@danarel) January 21, 2017
“don’t ever punch a nazi” says a group of people who remain silent when a wedding in Syria is bombed by the US. — Dan Arel (@danarel) January 21, 2017
I guess Arel thinks that gives us license to punch anyone we don’t like. I no longer have any use for Arel, even though at one time he wrote a good book on godless parenting.
But wait, there’s more!
except Spencer is a literal fucking Nazi you fucking moron. https://t.co/5RdlD3kFuT — Dan Arel (@danarel) January 21, 2017
More excuses for violence; this one is particularly pernicious:
Dave Rubin chimes in with a tw**t by CNN correspondent Jake Tapper, probably referring to Rosie O’Donnell’s claim that Barron Trump was autistic (no evidence for that, I think):
That it even need be said is ridiculous, but mocking the 10-year-old child of a politician you loathe is odious, immoral, & self-defeating — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 21, 2017
Jake this is the Left in 2017. They can go after kids, punch people and destroy property because they're moral and everyone else is racist. https://t.co/YjV1zDdVgu — Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) January 21, 2017
One more from Rubin:
Ok, enough screen time for me today. Remember, we're all still Americans. Unless someone thinks differently, then they're literally Hitler. — Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) January 21, 2017
Peter Boghossian decries the violence:
More people defending the violence against Spencer:
And Sarah Silverman strikes back:
We were all worried about Trump supporters creating violence if Hillary Clinton won, but here we have exactly the opposite outcome. Let’s knock off the violence, the punching, and the destruction, folks. It’s neither productive nor progressive. Even a white supremacist deserves to have his say without being physically attacked. |
Homosexual attraction is OK; ‘NO’ means no: Health Ministry rises above Indian stereotypes
Homosexuality might still be a crime in India and still a taboo of a topic to discuss, but the resource material prepared for adolescent kids in schools by the Health Ministry at least acknowledges its presence and informs children that it is ok to be attracted to people of the same sex.
The resource material, states that adolescents often fall in love and they fell attracted to a friend or any individual of same or opposite sex. (PTI)
Homosexuality might still be a crime in India and still a taboo of a topic to discuss, but the resource material prepared for adolescent kids in schools by the Health Ministry at least acknowledges its presence and informs children that it is ok to be attracted to people of the same sex. The material further suggests that the most important aspect of all such relationships are based on mutual consent and respect. The script of the resource material, which is in Hindi states that adolescents often fall in love and they fell attracted to a friend or any individual of same or opposite sex. The material further says that it was normal to have these feelings for someone but such relationships are based on mutual consent, trust, transparency and respect.
The material helps the kids understand that it was ok to talk to the person for whom you might have feelings but in a respectful manner and most importantly understand that when a girl says “no”, it means no. This resource material is to be circulated to all states as a part of the adolescent peer-education plan. The Health Ministry aims to reach the 26 crore adolescents in the country and has thus taken the decision to involve 1.65 lakh peer educators called “Saathiya”. According to IE, the resource kit prepared by Health Secretary C K Mishra deals with the issue of same-sex attraction with a level of maturity that was unexpected from the government and also talks about contraception and violence based on gender discrimination. The resource material has information on abortion and informs about the need for parental consent if the concerned girl is underage. Speaking to reporters, Mishra said that despite the expansion of media there were many questions that the youth wanted answers to, in villages and Saathiya was here to fulfill that need. The resource material has been created with the United Nations Population Fund as partners and dispels severe gender stereotypes. It says that it is ok for boys to cry and calling somebody a “sissy” or a “tomboy” was not right. It also deals with drug addictions, smoking and alcohol and lays down the long term harm.
In an Indian society that has been going back in time in terms of social development and freedom, binding people in the chains of gender stereotypes, gladly adapting patriarchy as a part of the tradition, this resource material is a beacon of hope. For it is only when the children are truly educated that the future secures itself. Yes, it is ok to have homosexual feelings. It is okay to have sexual feelings. But it is not ok to be rude and pursue after a girl says no. Sex education has been shunned in the classrooms far too long by either the government, or the teachers who just read along the lines as giggles go around the class. Hence, it is important to have a better equipped person teaching kids about sex-ed than some half-baked biology teacher whose only aim still remains to just get through the terror of the chapter of reproduction. |
We humans have turned our faces heavenward since we can remember—no doubt at the same time as we painted animals in caves and learned to make fire. Thousands of years later, we stand at the incredible moment in our history when we’ve successfully landed a creature of our own making on another planet: the Rover. On Mars.
To boldly go where no biped (or motorized space vehicle) has gone before requires serious heavy lifting in terms of planning, testing, operations, and logistics, not just here on Earth but also out there.
We talk to Nagin Cox, spacecraft systems engineer for NASA’s Curiosity mission, about the joys, challenges, and hard-hitting realities of developing, preparing for, and operating the Mars Rover missions.
NASA’s Mandate
NASA is no startup. This government agency has been around for 58 years, and it’s not looking to disrupt mature markets or make out like a bandit with a freshly minted IPO. NASA, explains Nagin, has always had a three-pronged mandate for its missions:
To learn about our planet To determine whether there is life on other planets To extend human presence beyond the Earth
“There is something called the decadal survey,” she says, “which is done for NASA by a committee of very prominent scientists. Every decade they get together and they do this survey. They determine what the most important exploration objectives are. One of the largest conflicts has been—for decades—between bringing back an actual sample from Mars versus exploring the outer moons of the solar system like Europa and Titan. Given the limited budget of the U.S., it’s a challenge!”
Mars Curiosity Rover at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California
Once the exploration objectives have been set, NASA designates specific missions as either ‘directed’ or ‘competitive.’ “Directed” missions are those where NASA determines which NASA center will be primarily responsible, while “competitive” missions are open to partnerships between scientists, universities, NASA centers and commercial companies. For example, Mars 2020, the mission that launched the Curiosity Rover now exploring Mars, is a directed mission.
“And from those science objectives,” continues Nagin, “everything else flows: what computer systems we need, avionics, altitude control, instrument suites, parachutes, and so on—and the interfaces among them all. And of course, we also need to take into consideration how we’re going to operate the mission once it’s launched, in a way that achieves the mission objectives. Part of the process is to evaluate lessons learned from prior missions. That’s mission planning.”
Preparing for the Unknown
Anyone designing a new product or technology faces any number of known and unknown unknowns: Will our technology really do what it’s supposed to—while improving lives/efficiency/performance? What are the possible ways our hardware could break? What about all those things we don’t even know might happen?
"You have to think about all the unknown unknowns.”
But when you’re developing a machine that’s supposed to push through the Earth’s atmosphere and break the gravity barrier, travel through the vacuum of space, land (safely!) on the surface of another planet, and carry out various operations over a period of several years, these questions carry a much greater weight—and risk.
“It is indeed hard,” concurs Nagin. “And it’s a skill. You have to think about all the unknown unknowns.”
Every JPL’er (as the folks at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, call themselves) has built into his or her “mission DNA” the ability to “think about what you don’t know, and to leave a lot of margin for the things you don’t know that you don’t know. We come from academia, so it’s like going through a PhD dissertation multiple times throughout the mission. It’s a tough part of our culture, but [it’s] very strong in the what-if’s, in stress testing, in way overthinking the failure scenarios and margins and uncertainties.”
Nagin recounts the time in 2004 when the Spirit Rover landed on Mars.
“Spirit had a problem with its flash memory in the early days after landing. Our recovery from that rested heavily upon the chief software engineer, who had the foresight to create a backdoor into the flash memory. He didn’t have a hugely plausible scenario, but he prepared for it anyway.”
Reconnaissance and Simulation are NASA’s Market Research
Despite the vast mysteries of space, there is quite a bit NASA does know and can prepare for, and that’s thanks to decades of reconnaissance missions and simulations.
“In general,” explains Nagin, “we will do a fly-by at the very early stages of a mission, that literally just flies by and takes pictures. Then we send an orbiter to be in the planetary system for a period of time, to map it, to get an idea of what the area is like, before we can even contemplate landing. You need to have enough data to choose where you want to land, what the terrain is like.”
Martian Rock photographed by the Mars Curiosity Rover
On top of that, adds Nagin, even as one mission is in heavy development or perhaps already starting up, another group is already thinking about the next mission that will build on the findings and results of the current one. These are the “conceptual formulation folks.”
“The more you can minimize doing things that have never been done before, the greater chance you have of succeeding."
Simulation goes hand in hand with the reconnaissance missions. “We do shake tests that simulate the stresses of launch,” says Nagin. “We have large environmental test chambers that mimic the light from the sun—to give us the same thermal situation as in deep space. We took our radar out to the desert at Edwards Air Force Base, where pilots flew them at high speed toward the ground to simulate entry."
“And for entry, descent and landing, we get into a large amount of simulations—such as the parachute drop test, which is very expensive. We test parachutes in wind chambers for every mission, but the flight tests are much more expensive and are done more periodically.”
In short, Nagin says, “we do our best to piece together what it’ll be like on launch, and try to stay reasonable from a budget perspective. Certainly, we heavily incorporate the lessons learned from previous missions—we use all the imaging and telemetry and other info from those missions that we can. It’s a balance between science and data.”
Iterating on a Parachute
A good example of the kind of iteration that NASA goes through on any given technical aspect of its Martian missions is the landing mechanism.
“You think you understand the behavior of parachutes,” smiles Nagin, referring to the large parachutes that help the Rovers touch down on the Martian surface. “And then, consistently, on the next mission, the parachutes fail again. The way they interact with the Martian atmosphere is different every time—given their large size, the material they’re made of, and maybe they’re a different shape. Then there’s the Rover itself, which is different on each mission.”
With Curiosity, she shares, “the thrusters on the descent stage were canted to a certain angle. But as we did more simulations, we realized that given the atmosphere, the speed, and the various ways in which the Rover could be swinging on the [parachute] rope during descent, we were running the risk of contaminating the deck with residue from the thrusters. So we had to redesign them.”
Here's a short video that summarizes the incredible engineering behind Curiosity's entry/decent/landing system:
Curiosity’s entire entry/descent/landing system was certainly very innovative, says Nagin, but the larger goal was to advance NASA’s ability to send larger missions and fulfill those decadal science objectives.
“The more you can minimize doing things that have never been done before, the greater chance you have of succeeding. So it all tends to be more incremental rather than crazy disruptive.”
The Triple Threat
When we ask Nagin what the toughest challenges have been for this mission, she lays it out straight. “We are consistently challenged by three issues: power, thermal, and timelines.”
But there’s this huge reactor out in space, called the Sun. Wouldn’t solar be a perfect source of abundant free energy?
“From a hardware perspective, power is always a huge challenge... Every time you build a more powerful computer, you need more power.”
The previous Rovers—Spirit and Opportunity—were indeed solar-powered. But Curiosity runs on nuclear power; specifically, radioactive decay of plutonium. The reason for going with nuclear on this mission is because “we’re not dependent on the seasons. We can do things at night [when there’s no sunlight], although it’s of course colder, so we spend a lot more energy waking the Rover and heating it up.”
Another way the Rover conserves energy is by, well, conserving energy. It’s a bit like a daily dose of electronic hibernation.
“From a hardware perspective, power is always a huge challenge,” says Nagin. “Every time you build a more powerful computer, you need more power.”
As far as the Martian environment is concerned, the Martian atmosphere is less than 1% as thick as Earth’s, and its gravity is a third of ours.
JPL Scientists with three Mars rovers in the Mars Yard testing area
“Temperatures on Mars are more extreme than they are here on Earth,” says Nagin. “The atmosphere and the gravity are of course different, and it gets warmer than people think—so that creates these giant thermal cycles. The wind is not very significant.”
And finally, that aspect of timing, which is more critical in space than it tends to be here at home.
“There are launch windows that we have to meet: on Earth, if you have a problem, you can let a few weeks or months slip by, but with planets, if you miss your launch window, you slip by a few years—and that’s a long time to have to maintain your spacecraft and your people.”
Communicating Across the Great Void
Mars is one place that’s not very communication-friendly. For one thing, its distance from the Earth ranges from 34.8 to 250 million miles, depending on where in their orbits the two planets are at any given time. So how do NASA engineers talk to Curiosity?
“We can’t just joystick the Rover, like the Chinese did with their rover that they landed on the Moon,” shares Nagin, “because the moon is just three light seconds away, while a signal to or from Mars can take anywhere from five to twenty minutes to arrive. So we use remote sequencing. While the Rover is asleep, we’ll take a look at how she fulfilled the prior days’ activities. If that went well, we decide what we want to do the next day.”
"It’s critical to diagnose the true root cause of a problem rather than the symptoms.”
Translation: Get the scientists to agree on their priorities.
Once that hurdle has been cleared, Nagin continues, “We lay it all out in software similar to a GANTT chart. We get it all lined up and prepped, and then convert all the commands from the different teams into sequences, which are then converted to binary code that the Rover will understand.” She adds that it used to take mission control sixteen hours to plan Curiosity’s day; now, with all the experience behind them, it takes just nine.
The command sequences are then labeled for the spacecraft they’re destined for, and mission control wraps it another layer of metadata that addresses the command package to the specific antennas that will beam them to Mars.
In this case, it’s the Deep Space Network Station, or DSNS, with antennas in California, Spain, and Australia, and the specific frequencies they use are the F-band and S-band radio waves.
“Depending on where Mars is [in relation to Earth] at the time of transmission,” adds Nagin, “it could take anywhere between five to twenty minutes to transfer.”
Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Telecommunications Network: Curiosity transmits to Earth directly or via three relay satellites in Mars orbit.
Repair Shops on Mars?
Not likely to happen anytime soon. So how do you fix things that break on the ground out there? The usual can-do entrepreneurial spirit does come up against some hard realities on Mars.
“Obviously, you can’t fix the hardware. It’s gone,” says Nagin. “And that’s why you need [those] redundancies. So we’ll have two or more of the same computer on board, for example. You can also have functional redundancy, meaning functions that can be performed by several different pieces of hardware.”
What’s more common, she adds, is the software workaround. “We can load software after launch. We can patch it. Or we can do a full reload if it’s really bad.”
Then there are what Nagin calls “ground workarounds.” This refers to transferring the responsibility of performing the function in question back on Earth, in mission control.
“As a mission gets longer, some of the top expertise might still be with the original engineers... recovering that knowledge becomes progressively more challenging.”
“It might be slower and harder,” she says, “and it depends on whether it’s feasible and won’t break the project budget. The first thing you have to do is understand what happened up there, because it’s critical to diagnose the true root cause of a problem rather than the symptoms.”
Transferring Critical Knowledge
Perhaps ironically, the one obstacle Curiosity’s human team is coming up against is the slow loss of human expertise, now that NASA’s Martian missions have been going on for a few years.
It’s not that the engineers are getting any less smart or capable.
“As a mission gets longer,” Nagin explains, “some of the top expertise might still be with the original engineers who’ve since moved on to other projects.” Or, as tends to happen with us humans, simply passing away due to old age, like with the Apollo program, she adds. “So recovering that knowledge becomes progressively more challenging.”
But NASA is not one to sit idly by. The agency has taken active steps to ensure that the volumes of expertise and knowledge that have been building up inside its mission personnel’s heads are captured, maintained, and shared. They’re capturing it all in a formal “lessons learned” process and database, which are made accessible to other missions, says Nagin. In addition to that, JPL follows a set of design principles that enable missions to communicate their know-how with each other and avoid reinventing the wheel.
With everything that’s on the table during these missions, not least the multi-billion-dollar budgets that make them possible, knowledge transfer has to be top priority.
Event Horizon
Success is a funny thing. If it’s too easily attained, we don’t value it. But the higher the odds are stacked, the more euphoric that feeling of accomplishment. Landing a Rover on Mars and remotely operating it for four Earth years counts without question as one of the great achievements of humankind.
And yet, it’s the lessons learned on the ground that NASA’s team can share with the rest of us that are likely to prove more valuable to more industries back on Earth: figuring out how to approach what you don’t know you don’t know. Simulating environments, conditions and scenarios whose characteristics and parameters are unlike that of our own (or what we’re used to). Communicating and prioritizing when your most critical team member is a machine. And most importantly, ensuring that the knowledge accumulated and vetted over numerous team changes—not to mention over successive massive budgets—is well documented and transferred to new generations. |
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A Real Madrid youth team proved sportsmanship is still alive and kicking in the modern game with a wonderfully kind gesture during their match with Sevilla.
Footage from the game shows the young Los Blancos stars storming through on goal before finding the back of the net in their match in Tres Cantos, Spain.
However, the goal was scored when the Sevilla shot-stopper was down on the ground injured, meaning Real had an open-goal to shoot into.
While the Sevilla keeper received some treatment on the pitch before later being taken off, the Real Madrid team huddled together for a chat.
(Image: CEN/Youtube)
Among themselves they decided to allow Sevilla to run through and score an equaliser, to make up for the fact they were without a keeper when they conceded.
The goal was crucial, as it meant the two teams drew 1-1 at the final whistle. And the gesture garnered huge praise from everyone in attendance.
(Image: CEN/Youtube)
The gesture comes to light in the same week that a referendum took place in the Catalan, which saw police using force to block people from voting.
Barcelona's game with Las Palmas was subsequently played behind closed doors as many people in the streets outside the Nou Camp were caught up in violence.
(Image: CEN/Youtube)
This isn't the first time a young Spanish team has been celebrated for an unlikely act of sportsmanship on a football pitch.
One of Barcelona's youth teams were rewarded for their sportsmanship with the Laureus Award for the Best Sporting Moment of the Year.
(Image: CEN/Youtube)
Barca's Infantil B team consoled their weeping opponents, Omya, following a 1-0 win in the final of the World Challenge Cup in Japan.
They were applauded for choosing to sympathise with their devastated opponents rather than celebrate their victory in front of them. |
Spirit was taken more seriously here than any tournament I’ve been to; there was a Spirit Director and each team had a designated Spirit Captain, ours was Qxhna. I don’t remember having either for U23’s and certainly not at any US tournaments so I’m guessing this is new or something BULA instated. I didn’t quite know what kind of role the Spirit Captain would play going into the tournament. My initial thought was spirit gifts, team cheers and the like, but beyond that I wasn’t sure. I had forgotten about the WFDF spirit scoring system, I know we are starting to use it at Nationals and other major US tournaments but it’s typically an afterthought–something the captains did while we were getting food in our bodies and hydrating after games. Qxhna was tasked with rounding us up after the games and facilitating the scoring process. She did a great job from Day 1 of explaining the scoring scale and reemphasizing each category, reminding us the importance of scoring accurately and opening up the conversation for anyone to state their case. (Rules, Fouls, Fair Mindedness, Attitude and Communication are the five categories, scored on a 0-4 scale) There was an interesting conversation about expectation bias after the last pool play game, were we scoring based on whether our expectations were exceeded/subceeded*. I think that definitely played a big part, we were expecting a lot of physicality and abrasiveness in the Russia game, but weren’t met with it. In fact, their Spirit Captain consulted us after the game about how we scored them and how they could improve. It’s actually kind of nice to have someone solely dedicated to thinking about that, to alleviate some of the captains’ responsibilities.
I dug it. It made us all more hyper-aware of how we were presenting ourselves to other teams and representing everyone back home. We never had a collective conversation about winning the spirit award, it’s an uncontrollable to a degree–you can control your actions not how they are interpreted or scored. I think it was a testament to that pool of women’s teams; sometimes being competitive isn’t widely-viewed as synonymous with high-level of spirit. I thought we did a good job of playing our game throughout the week, no matter the team and I’m glad that didn’t get lost in translation. I don’t think there were any instances where I’d rather have had an observer or game advisor on the field. Maybe for off-sides calls or something. We just didn’t need them, even in the close games. I was so dang giddy to find out we won the award I think I tipsily squealed.
Towards the end of the tournament, I’m not exactly sure how this transpired, but I think the Spirit Director encouraged us to interact with other teams more, introduce ourselves on the sidelines and field and such. I think Nora had the idea to do an informal meet-and-greet before games, shake each others hands and introduce ourselves to a few of our opponents. We did it for the Canada semi-final and it was actually a really interesting experience–I think it added that much more accountability to everyone playing. Before the game you shake hands, after you meet in a spirit circle; doesn’t leave much room to play with anything other than the utmost respect. Both added a level of connectedness with your opponents I hadn’t experienced before.
Becoming more familiar with the scoring system gave me a new perspective on SOTG, I’d encourage everyone to take a look at the scoring sheets WFDF uses and the explanation of the sheet. Often times, teams throw out scores solely based on attitude (which is one of the components), “Oh they were nice and fun, give them fours.” I know I’ve done this, and the WFDF explanation document specifically states “do not score a team because you felt the team was ‘nice’ or because they made a funny game in the circle.”
I’m sure I would have different feelings on this if we were involved in games with questionable calls, especially if the outcome didn’t fall in our favor. This was absolutely the most spirited tournament I’ve played in, and not in the sense that it was fun and the atmosphere was exceptionally positive; we were playing at the highest level without any third-party officials and decided our desire to win a world championship would not come at the expense of the foundation of our sport. As did Russia.
I’m proud of our gold, and proud of our Spirit Award. It makes the former that much better.
*maybe my memory precedes me and we scored as a team, I’m really not sure.
*Google just taught me there is no opposite of “exceed,” so i’m going to make up a word.
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Batman: Arkham Origins stars noted voice actors Roger Craig Smith as Batman and Troy Baker as Joker, reports Joystiq.
Smith replaces longtime Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy; it was initially reported that Conroy would not appear in Arkham Origins at all, but he said last week that he is involved with the franchise in some capacity.
Smith's credits include Ezio Auditore da Firenze in the Assassin's Creed games and Chris Redfield in the Resident Evil series. Baker most recently lent his voice to BioShock Infinite protagonist Booker DeWitt, and stars as Joel, the male lead in Naughty Dog's upcoming survival title The Last of Us. He also appeared in Batman: Arkham City as the actor behind Two-Face and Robin.
Batman: Arkham Origins, which is in development at WB Games Montreal, launches Oct. 25 on Windows PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U. Check out our Arkham Origins interview and hands-on preview here. |
Image copyright AFP Image caption Turkey is a major transit point for migrants trying to reach the EU, as well as hosting millions itself
The EU has approved €3bn ($3.3bn; £2.2bn) in funding to help Turkey cope with record numbers of Syrian migrants.
The organisation hopes the fund will lower the number of arrivals into EU nations.
Under the deal, the EU's executive is contributing €1bn to the fund, while the 28 member states will contribute the rest.
More than a million migrants reached the EU last year by sea, many of them travelling through Turkey.
Turkey is home to nearly three million refugees, most of them fleeing the conflict in neighbouring Syria.
A deal was struck last year between Turkey and the EU, offering Turkey funding and political concessions in return for tightening its borders.
However, financing was only secured on Wednesday after Italy dropped its objections.
Italy had questioned how much of the money should come from EU budgets but the measure has now passed unanimously.
Welcoming the move, European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: "The money we are putting on the table will directly benefit Syrian refugees in Turkey.
"I also welcome the measures already taken by the Turkish authorities to give Syrian refugees access to the labour market and to reduce the flows." |
Hi guys, we're so happy you stopped by! Thanks to your help we will be able to make Ringbow a reality and revolutionize the way we use our touch devices.
IGN - "definitely worth it"
Robert Scoble - "I want one!"
Mashable - "Ringbow will bridge the gap between touch control and accuracy while gaming"
Pocketgamer - "you should check out the new "next-generation" gaming peripheral"
Engadget - "Ringbow promises directional pad-assisted touch gaming"
Joystiq - "solving the "pesky touchscreen D-pad" crisis"
Geek - "the perfect compliment to touchscreen gaming"
Gizmag - "take the best bits of a computer mouse and a gaming joystick and puts them into one device"
So I guess Ringbow is a ring?
Ringbow is the world’s first wearable accessory for touch devices that provides the functionalities of a mouse, keyboard and joystick simultaneously with your touch. Ringbow transforms touch screen gaming, allows remote control of your operating system, applications, music apps and presentation tools, allows you to operate and answer your phone remotely and turns your device into a multi-user or multi-player platform.
Since touch screens are controlled with fingers, a finger-worn tool, specifically a ring, is the natural choice for complementing them. Operating Ringbow with your thumb, in conjunction with using a touch device, enables countless new features and a much more efficient user experience. Ringbow multiplies the functionality of your finger together with allowing amazing simultaneous actions providing powerful capabilities and layers of functionality that are simply not available in today’s technologies.
Operating the ring with your thumb while using your finger to touch a device provides powerful capabilities and layers of functionality that are simply not available in today’s technologies. Ringbow multiplies the functionality of your finger together with allowing amazing simultaneous actions.
Ringbow lets you free your fingers from your device, leaving your hands available to do whatever you feel like doing: eating a sandwich, drinking a beer, high-fiving your buddy or stroking a puppy. Whatever you'd choose to do with your hands!
Ringbow innovates touch devices’ gameplay, offering unique additions to existing mobile games as well as developing new games that couldn’t previously be played on touch devices. Ringbow also makes porting consoles games and PC games to mobile devices easier than ever which can be done without affecting and damaging their great experience.
Ringbow in a nutshell;
* the world's first touch-screen gaming accessory
* a comfortable ring that you wear on your finger whilst gaming
* adds layers of functionality to each touch
* acts as a mouse/joystick device to use for gaming
* builds a new platform for existing and new games
AT&T FOUNDRY & RINGBOW - We collaborated with the AT&T Foundry to explore the potential of Ringbow. Take a look at how they envision the Ringbow device - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFJw1ZXFvB0
It simply works
Using Ringbow is extremely easy and staggeringly simple. It is designed to provide natural gaming control, similar to the way we operate our console’s controllers. This allows for an intuitive gaming experience and a sense of tactile feedback which greatly enhances the user experience.
Ringbow works on Android, iOS (coming very soon) and supports any Bluetooth enabled device. It works natively with the operating system and with a large variety of existing applications, although our mission is to provide users with brand new cool features. To do that we've partnered with some leading game developers so that Kickstarter supporters will receive a package of exclusive games with their Ringbow. We also hope that you’ll use our API to enhance your own apps so we can add them to our games and apps directory.
Ringbow offers a D-pad style controller, communicates via Bluetooth and lasts 5 hours per charge. The Ringbow box includes:
- The Ringbow game-ring accessory device
- Micro-USB cable for charging
- Ringbow control panel application for Android & iOS devices
- Game package (see below) including games that were especially designed to support Ringbow, native control of the operating systems and a list of many games that naturally supports Ringbow and works automatically.
- Developers kit includes the Ringbow APIs and plug-ins, technical support, creative guidelines and 24 hours assistance from our team.
We plan on shipping the product in time for the holiday season.
This very first Ringbow model is described as a gaming accessory but it can do much, much more. You can use Ringbow for remote browsing while reading; to correct misspelled emails; to act as a remote control for your TV; to answer phone calls while driving; to transform your tablet into a gaming console for your kids;
Back us and you'll be among the first to get your hands (or should we say fingers!) on a Ringbow
For the last 2 years we have been researching the concept of Ringbow and developing the product. We’ve built a number of working prototypes in a variety of ergonomic designs, conducted an impressive commercial pilot with AT&T and recently completed the final Ringbow design and we are now ready to manufacture it for the masses! Prospective partners, distributers and users have recognized Ringbow's great potential, but in order to take the product to the market we need your help.
Your support will allow us to establish a production line, manufacture the product and expand our games and applications offering so that Ringbow users will enjoy a new and exclusive experience.
The funding goal represents the costs of tooling, plastic molds, product certifications and additional software development.
KICKSTARTER BACKERS WILL BE THE FIRST TO RECEIVE RINGBOW DEVICES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
We hope you find Ringbow a powerful and creative tool and hope that you choose to support it. We appreciate your help in spreading the word. Thank you!
Engadget demo: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/15/atandt-foundry-innovation-center-opens-its-doors-in-palo-alto-to-h/
Old garage-made movies that helped us explain the Ringbow concept:
http://youtu.be/tsqiQb_F5Gs , http://youtu.be/8PkiOj2MZGA
Accolades;
Selected to present at Futur En Seine, 2012
Chosen as Microsoft’s ‘Think Next’s’ top 20 Leading Technologies of the Future
Ringbow Gaming Package
All of our backers will receive the Ringbow Gaming Package which includes games designed specifically for the Ringbow functionality, and special editions of games that have been enhanced by Ringbow thanks to the special features of our device. The Ringbow Gaming Package includes so far: - Vector Runner Ringbow Blast: The highly popular Vector Runner by Littlegrey Media receives a boost with the new Ringbow features that introduce new skills for your runner, such as jumping, shielding and bonus combos available only in this Ringbow version. |
Comedian Soojeong Son conducted a social experiment where she and her friend walked up to guys and whispered provocative remarks into their ears. If she thought that her study was going to erupt in outrage, anger and embarrassment, she was dead wrong.
Apparently there is something called “drive-by harassment,” where men walk up to strange girls and whisper sexual comments to them. Fuck, you creepers are pathetic. The comedian flipped the script and the results are actually hilarious.
The girls preyed upon men in Bryant Park in New York City by saying things such as “I love that cock,” “I want to fuck you,” “Mmmm that dick” and “I want to destroy your dick.” Despicable.
The reactions? Smiles from ear-to-ear. The gentlemen completely embraced the crude catcalls in the video for the social experiment called “The Shame Game.”
“The lesson here,” said Son’s friend in the video, “is that no one learned anything.”
The conclusion? Men are just pigs. Oink! Oink! My good man!
I hate to be hypocritical and have a double standard, but it’s so creepy when a guy shouts sexual comments at a random girl just trying to walk to work. However when a girl does it, I must admit there is something rather seductive about it. Maybe because it practically never happens. Maybe if girls were shouting, “I love your bulge!” every single day I would soon tire of it, get upset and start wearing baggier shorts. But probably not. |
Baylor Regent Dr. Ron Wilson, who participated in a meeting Tuesday with members of the school’s faculty and staff, said afterward it would take too much time and cost too much money to produce a written version of the scathing Pepper Hamilton review of the sexual assault scandal that engulfed the university’s athletic department.
“Pepper Hamilton is an oral report so the process of writing would take four to six months. Also with the personal nature of the information so much of it would be redacted. Plus, the cost would be a factor,” Wilson said.
The Pepper Hamilton law firm, which the university hired to conduct the independent review, produced a 13-page findings of fact that didn’t identify any specific cases or cite any individuals by name.
The university has rejected repeated calls to release full details of the report, which led to the decision on May 26 to fire head football coach Art Briles, reassign Chancellor and President Ken Starr, and suspend Athletic Director Ian McCaw.
Starr and Briles have since reached settlements with the school and on Monday McCaw was introduced as the new athletic director at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
The meeting Monday at the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative facility in Waco was the first of four scheduled “in an effort to enhance communication” and to “provide additional insight into the university’s response to sexual violence and the implementation of improvements,” according to the Faculty Senate and Staff Council, which is sponsoring the sessions.
The two-hour meeting, attended by several regents and interim Baylor President David Garland, included a question-and-answer session for which questions had to be submitted in advance.
Wilson, said the meeting Tuesday went well, but said nothing new was addressed.
“We didn’t say anything new. Nothing new was brought up that hasn’t already been said in the media and online,” Wilson said.
Baylor staff member Ron English said the group generally understood why more information couldn’t be released from Title IX reports and the Pepper Hamilton review.
“The safety of the students is the most important. They have to be safe and they have to feel safe. With people’s identities and the private nature of some of the content, it’s understandable” English said.
“I think the main thrust of the meeting was giving an opportunity for faculty and staff to ask the regents some very direct questions about what’s happening here. Issues with Title IX, the health and wealth of the university, the supporting of the students, all of these questions were asked,” English said.
“People are just worried about the future. The main question was ‘how can we help?’” English said.
The remaining three meetings will be on Dec. 1, in the Powell Chapel at George W. Truett Seminary, Dec. 6, in Bennett Auditorium and on Dec. 15, at the Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas, which Executive Vice President and Provost Greg Jones will attend instead of Garland. |
Nov. 15 (UPI) — For the first time, the Pentagon will pay for gender-reassignment surgery for an active-duty soldier because doctors deemed the procedure medically necessary, a department spokeswoman said.
Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said the infantry soldier underwent the surgery Tuesday at a private Pennsylvania hospital. Military hospitals do not have the expertise to conduct this type of procedure.
“Because this servicemember had already begun a sex-reassignment course of treatment, and the treating doctor deemed this surgery medically necessary, a waiver was approved by the director of the Defense Health Agency,” White said. “The Supplemental Health Care Program will cover this surgery in accordance with the Department’s interim guidance on transgender servicemembers.”
The soldier, who identifies as a woman, got her Combat Infantry Badge in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan in 2003, a source close to the solider told NBC News.
In August, President Donald Trump signed a directive to prohibit people who identify as transgender from serving in the armed forces. His order also prevented the Department of Defense from using federal funds to provide medical treatment like sex-reassignment surgeries and medications.
“In my judgment, the previous administration failed to identify a sufficient basis to conclude that terminating the departments’ longstanding policy and practice would not hinder military effectiveness and lethality, disrupt unit cohesion, or tax military resources, and there remain meaningful concerns that further study is needed to ensure that continued implementation of last year’s policy change would not have those negative effects,” Trump’s memo read.
Last month, though, a federal court partly blocked the order while a lawsuit against it works its way through the courts.
Washington, D.C., District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said a group of transgender military members are likely to win their suit against the Trump administration and lifted part of the ban pending the results of the case.
The ruling left the ban on medical treatments in place, but the soldier’s surgery was approved under a waiver due to its medical necessity.
A study by the Palm Center in August found the cost to replace the transgender troops banned by the Trump order would cost $960 million, many times more than the $8.4 million it costs annually for gender transition healthcare. |
Discourse of the Bear
This is a story by Julio Cortazar, from the book Cronopios and Famas.
"Discourse of the Bear I'm the bear in the pipes of the house, I climb through the pipes in the hours of silence, the hot-water pipes, the radiator pipes, the air-conditioning ducts. I go through the pipes from apartment to apartment and I am the bear who goes through the pipes. I think that they like me because it's my hair keeps the conduits clean, I run unceasingly through the tubes and nothing pleases me more than slipping through the pipes, running from floor to floor. Once in a while I stick my paw out through a faucet and the girl on the third floor screams that she's scalded herself, or I growl at oven height on the second, and Wilhelmina the cook complains that the chimney is drawing badly. At night I go quietly and it's when I'm moving most quickly that I raise myself to the roof by the chimney to see if the moon is dancing up there, and I let myself slide down like the wind to the boilers in the cellar. And in summer I swim at night in the cistern, prickled all over with stars, I wash my face first with one paw then with the other, finally with both together, and that gives me a great joy. Then I slide back down through the pipes of the house, growling happily, and the married couples stir in their beds and deplore the quality of the installation of the pipes. Some even put on the light and write a note to themselves to be sure to remember to complain when they see the superintendent. I look for the tap that's always running in some apartment and I stick my nose out and look into the darkness of rooms where those beings who cannot walk through the pipes live, and I'm always a little sorry for them, heavy beings, big ones, to hear how they snore and dream aloud and are so very much alone. When they wash their faces in the morning, I caress their cheeks and lick their noses and I leave, somewhat sure of having done some good." |
In terms of prediction models for forecasting, they say the simplest model is often the best. For example, no matter how many variables are studied in the crazy world of the stock market, very few models out-perform those that simply look at recent stock prices to predict future prices.
Using this theory, the AFL Bluster has run analysis on the last 20 years of AFL ladders to create a forecasting model to predict the finishing positions for 2016.
Many of the model's predictions seem fine and dandy, but there are few eye-brow raises worth discussing. Here is 2016 ladder as predicted by the model:
Fremantle - the model predicts the high finishing to continue for Freo this year. I think it would be a very impressive effort to pull off two years on top, but we have seen over the last 20 years that "premiership windows" are staying open for longer. Think Brisbane in the early 2000s, Geelong 2007-now, Hawthorn 2010-now and Sydney who have finished in the top eight 13 of the last 14 years.
Hawthorn - it would be a brave model to predict a fall from grace at this point.
Sydney - based on the last 14 years, its understandable that the model has them lingering in the top 4 like a bad smell. I however don't see this happening...
Geelong - recent history shows that when Geelong drop out of the 8, they don't stay out for long - and that's exactly why the model has shown a return to the big-boys club in 2016 for the Cats.
West Coast - similar to Geelong but in reverse - we've seen the Eagles charge up the ladder one year, only to fall all the way to bottom again next year. Hence the tentative prediction of 5th from the model, despite the pundits predicting their momentum to grow. Time will tell here. I'm not convinced.
Adelaide - very hard to gauge where this team is at. The model has them continuing to climb, but not by much.
Western Bulldogs - similar to the Crows in a lot of ways, I'm very interested to see if either of the clubs can build on what they started last year.
Kangaroos - they have hovered between 7 and 13 for the past 8 seasons. The model has them in there again. It would be surprising to see them fall outside of this range.
Port Adelaide - the model has not been as quick to pencil them in for finals as the experts have been. Probably fair enough - history has shown it is difficult to regain momentum after a stutter. Another year of heart-ache? Let's hope so.
GWS - a very smooth upward trend is predicted to continue for the babies (still?) of the competition. The same was thought of Gold Coast though, so be careful here.
Richmond - this was a very interesting one. The Tigers were starting to show something last year and had some good momentum towards the end of the season. The model has about as much faith in that continuing as those who have seen this all before. How savvy this model is.
Collingwood - "stop the rot" appears to be the order of the year. I think the model is spot on there.
Essendon - ah, the benefit of knowing what's actually going on. The model is predicting the trend to reverse for the Bombers and the climb up the ladder to begin. It could be forgiven in thinking this as the Dons rarely stay down the bottom for long. It will be a tough ask with half a team of amateurs. Good luck.
Carlton - again, the dignified recent history of the club has the model predicting a bounce-back, of sorts. The rest of us expecting another heavy-weight of the competition to be playing the part of anchor this year.
Melbourne - set to make it 10 straight years without a finals appearance, unless the model is severely wrong. They have averaged a finishing position of 15th over this time period, and hey-presto, this is the prediction for this year. Boooring.
Gold Coast - had a nightmare season last year and the model is again playing on the "hard to regain momentum" trend that is prevalent over the last 20 years. We agree. They had their chance, now its time to rebuild... already?
Saints - looking at the trend-line for the last 6 years, it would be easy to believe that they have hit their bottom and are now yo-yoing back up. The model thinks not. |
Irish – sorry, Maltese – musical comedy duo the Rubberbandits answer the most frequently Googled questions about them. If you’ve ever asked the internet ‘Who are the Rubberbandits really?’ or ‘Why do the Rubberbandits wear plastic bags?’, this could be just the video you’re after… Or it might not.
Who are the Rubberbandits really?
Blindboy Boatclub ‘A few people have asked us that. My real name is Danny Glover.’
Mr Chrome ‘And my name is Mel Gibson.’
BB ‘Yeah.’
MC ‘He's the black one. And I'm the one who nailed Chris to a cross. Pictorially speaking. And with a hammer.’
Why do the Rubberbandits wear plastic bags?
BB ‘It makes us very sexual to women. We asked a couple of girls what they liked most about life, and they said definitely their number one thing was shopping. So we try and look like shopping then, in order to obtain flap.’
MC ‘And they're head-condoms because we like mind-fucking girls.’
BB ‘Mm-hmm.’
Are the Rubberbandits gay?
BB ‘We're gay in Ireland for tax reasons. Because in Ireland you get a tax break if you're gay, so we walk around and we hold hands, we go for dinner, we kiss each other, but that's because we get a tax break. Then when we go to England we don't have to be gay then, so we can kiss girls, all that type of thing. But back home…’
MC ‘[Whistles] And that's a… Not a… Just so you know.’
Why do the Rubberbandits hate Danny Dyer?
MC ‘We don't hate Danny Dyer.’
BB ‘We don't hate him. We first met Danny Dyer in Torquay. And he had a broken down car, and he needed to get petrol into the car, so we helped him out by… We went to the petrol station, we took mouthfuls of petrol and ran towards his car and spit it in. It took about 40 trips to fill the engine of his car, and he never paid paid us, he just span away, and we had nothing but the taste of petrol in our mouths. He got nickel poisoning.’
MC ‘Yeah.’
BB ‘Nickel poisoning! Nickel poisoning isn't an enjoyable…’
MC ‘And it all spiralled out of control when we tagged a pagoda, we said “Danny Dyer's a fool”, and we wrote it on a pagoda, and people started thinking that we actually hated him. But we don't hate him.’
BB ‘We don't hate him. We just… If we see a pagoda, we'll write something about him on it, but…’
MC ‘More often than not it'll be positive.’
BB ‘Sometimes we'll write a positive thing on a pagoda about him.’
Are the Rubberbandits teachers?
MC ‘I taught a fella how to jump off a building.’
BB ‘How did it go? Did it land well?’
MC ‘Yeah. He was grand.’
BB ‘Was he grand?’
MC ‘Yeah.’
BB ‘Oh, you're like one of those…’
MC ‘Because I taught him how to do it.’
BB ‘How to do it properly.’
MC ‘Yeah.’
BB ‘How to land. Like one of them base-jumpers.’
MC ‘Yeah.’
BB ‘But taller.’
MC ‘Well, it was only, like, about eight feet.’
BB ‘That's not a building then.’
MC ‘He was a child, though.’
BB ‘Ahh. So you taught a man who was a child…’
MC ‘Yeah.’
BB ‘…to jump off an eight foot building, and he landed perfectly.’
MC ‘Yeah.’
BB ‘Yeah, so we are teachers, yes.’
Are the Rubberbandits from Ireland?
BB ‘No, not at all, we're from Malta.’
MC ‘Malta.’
BB ‘We're from Malta. We originated there… Malta has two things… Two things I love about Malta: they have the finest collection of megalithic tombs in western Europe and, of course, it is home of the Maltese Falcon, the eggs of which we commonly know as Maltesers. So, yeah, we're from Malta. Malta.’
MC ‘Malta?’
BB ‘Malta.’
MC ‘Malt?’
BB ‘Malt.’
The Rubberbandits’s ‘Continental Fistfight’ plays the Edinburgh Fringe, Jul 30-Aug 25 |
Emacs has a few mechanisms for choosing which major mode is selected when you find a file.
auto-mode-alist determines the mode from the file extension, e.g. you might want to load a c++ mode for a file named a.cc.
interpreter-mode-alist chooses a mode depending on the first line of a file. If a file begins with #!/bin/sh you probably want to choose shell-script-mode .
I worked on a code base where the extensions used a variety of capitalization. The perl scripts could be .Perl, .perl, .PL, .Pl or .pl and there were numerous other extensions. It is fairly easy to make a regular expression to match all of these but I thought it warranted a helper function.
I want '(pl perl) to transform to \.\([Pp][Ll]\|[Pp][Ee][Rr][Ll]\)\' . The basic technique is to make a character class with the upper case and lower case version of each character in the string. We also accept a symbol on the input in order that the caller doesn’t have to add double quotes to every element.
(mapconcat ( lambda (c) ( let ((c (upcase (char-to-string c)))) (concat "[" c (downcase c) "]" ))) (symbol-name s) "" ))
This code converts 'pl to [Pp][Ll] .
We want to handle a list of extensions so we can cope with permutations of .pl or .perl. We therefore surround the previous mapconcat with the following.
(mapconcat ( lambda (s) ...) l " \\ | " )
The final part of the function adds the appropriate prefix and suffix to make the regex work in auto-mode-alist.
( defun file-extensions (l) (concat "\\. \\ ( " (mapconcat ( lambda (s) (mapconcat ( lambda (c) ( let ((c (upcase (char-to-string c)))) (concat "[" c (downcase c) "]" ))) (symbol-name s) "" )) l " \\ | " ) " \\ ) \\'" ))
I added a wrapper function to marry the regex to the major mode.
( defun ext-mode-map (extensions mode) (cons (file-extensions extensions) mode))
And now you can simply specify your mode mappings like this:
(add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist (ext-mode-map '(pl perl) 'cperl-mode)) |
Victim Taylor Samson (left) and William Sandeson (right) found guilty of murder. Andrew Vaughan/CP
It was supposed to be a quick drug deal before a night out with friends. Taylor Samson, 22, was a physics student at Dalhousie University; family and friends say he had been selling marijuana for years. His girlfriend told jurors that Samson left his frat house on the night of August 15, 2015 with only a duffel bag—no keys, no medication for a chronic liver condition. She knew he had been dealing, although he tried to shield her from the details. She figured she'd see him again soon.
She never did. No one would, except for his killer and two witnesses.
Justin Blades and Pookiel McCabe, two other Dalhousie students, say they were hanging out in McCabe's apartment near campus when they heard a gunshot. Then there was someone at the door. It was their track teammate, William Sandeson, who lived just down the hall. He was panicking. The guys came over to his apartment and saw a man slumped over in a chair, bleeding from his head. Sandeson paced, saying something about how he had to clean up. Bloody money and drugs littered the floor. They left but when they returned they saw bloody streak marks leading towards Sandeson's bathroom.
Sandeson would initially offer up several different stories to friends and police about what happened that night. Since his third interview with police, he has maintained that his $40,000 deal to buy 20 pounds of weed from Samson—an exchange that people on all sides of the case say was unusually large for both men—went awry when two unknown people broke into the house.
Sandeson said the culprits were dressed in morphsuits—full body clothing items made of a spandex-like material that covered the assailants' heads, faces and eyes—and that they forced him to turn off the security cameras he kept running in his apartment building to protect his drug dealing business. According to this version of events, which Sandeson's defence continued to the maintain throughout the trial, one of the assailants shot Samson in the back of the head and they fled through Sandeson's apartment window.
On Sunday, a 12-person jury in a Nova Scotia Supreme Court decided they didn't buy that story. Instead, they believed the Crown attorneys, who argued that Sandeson had planned to murder Samson and take the weed to sell for himself, then took Samson's body out of the apartment in a hockey bag and somehow got rid of his remains.
The jury convicted Sandeson, 24, of first-degree murder in Samson's death after more than 20 hours of deliberations. The result capped off a two-month trial, putting an end to what had been one of the most talked-about Nova Scotian murder cases in years. Yet despite the verdict, many questions remain.
***
When Sandeson was charged with Samson's murder, he was only about a week away from his first year of med school. How exactly did the respected student athlete, who was repeatedly honoured as an "All-Canadian Scholar" for his well-rounded accomplishments and worked in a group home for people with disabilities, get to this point where he was shooting another student in the back of the head in a drug deal?
The Crown said Sandeson's motive to murder Samson was simple: money.
The trial heard that Sandeson was in a significant amount of debt, owing about $70,000 on a $200,000 line of credit and had been under pressure from his parents. Police also noted that only $7,200 in cash of a $40K drug deal was recovered.
The trial heard little about Sandeson and his drug dealing past. His ex-girlfriend, Sonja Gashus, testified that she thought he was tying up some loose ends and leaving the business on the night Samson died. "I believed it was him making a deal and he was going to get out of that whole thing," she said, according to the Canadian Press. Gashus dated Sandeson for about eight months. She says he told her to stay away from the apartment that night, then got a text at about 12:30 in the morning saying it was OK to come back. When she did, the apartment smelled like bleach.
Defence lawyer Eugene Tan told VICE that his client asked his family not to be there when the verdict was read, as emotions were "running high on both sides."
While Samson's body was never found, the Crown was able to point to circumstantial evidence that suggested he could have been buried at Sandeson's family farm near Truro, NS.
Police later found a shower curtain from Sandeson's apartment, covered in Samson's DNA, on the property of Sandeson's family farm. They also found a rotten-smelling hockey bag.
And while the jury never heard the following information, a bail hearing revealed that Sandeson sent a series of texts to a friend describing how he'd kill Gashus if she was cheating on him. The texts said that if she was being unfaithful he would kill her, dump her head and hands in lye to disintegrate them, and leave her body at the farm.
Police found a 9mm Smith & Wesson in a safe in Sandeson's apartment with Samson's DNA on it. A blood-spatter expert testified that the gun was used to shoot someone at very close range.
Sandeson's lawyer would argue that his client was "not a criminal mastermind" and argued that if he committed a premeditated murder, why would he keep the gun in his bedroom?
***
Everyone close to Samson who spoke with VICE said they knew he was dealing. It was a way to pay his way through school. At well over six feet, he was described as "a leader" and "larger than life." Friends and family remember him as someone always quick to help out his family and who was very involved with his fraternity, Sigma Chi.
Thomas McCrossin, one of Samson's closest friends, told VICE that Samson had a modest upbringing in the town of Amherst where they both grew up—a rural Nova Scotian town of less than 10,000 people where the median household income is about $20,000 below the national median. McCrossin says his friend had an "undying entrepreneurial spirit," and planned to get out of the business and grow his tutoring company. Samson made YouTube videos that explained mathematical concepts in the hopes that struggling students who couldn't afford one-on-one help could at least follow along online.
"For a while there when he died I felt almost lost," McCrossin said. "That man I would have trusted with my life. There's not really anyone else I would do that with."
***
While the guilty verdict includes a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years (Sanderson will be eligible to apply for parole after 23 years, because of time served) and some measure of closure, Samson's family is still searching for his remains.
Samson's mother Linda Boutilier says she has searched through the woods near Truro, the town where Sandeson's family farm is located, looking for anything that could help her find closure. A couple friends will join her in her search, but "it's a lot to ask of a person," she says.
Some of Samson's friends from Amherst have set aside for a scholarship in his name. A friend of Boutilier's has also set up a GoFundMe to help her continue searching for his remains. They say they want to help Boutilier hire "cadaver dogs, private investigators, search teams and more" as regional police can no longer spend the kind of resources she wants to see dedicated to finding her son.
Boutilier says she's already worked with a cadaver dog and a volunteer who had donated some spare time. They found two hits, but both turned out to be false alarms.
Linda Boutilier walks out of the courtroom with a friend
"People say [Taylor is] chopped up everywhere, so who the hell knows," Boutilier told VICE. "I'm immune to that."
***
By Sunday morning, a few days into the wait for the verdict, Samson's friends were starting to get stir crazy. Three people began playing mini golf in the courtroom hallway—with a Tim Hortons cup as the hole and a walking cane used by Samson's father as the club. The previous afternoon, McCrossin had made a brief appearance in a tuxedo-themed morphsuit—a darkly humourous reference to Sandeson's claim that two men in morphsuits had been responsible for Samson's death.
"It was funny," one woman yelled at McCrossin, "but you still suck."
The mood shifted on Sunday when a pair of sheriffs walked into the room to open the courtroom doors. The jury had reached its decision.
Samson's brother, stepsister, and friends sobbed while they waited, shaking. As the ruling was read, Samson's survivors cheered and clapped when the verdict came down.
Sandeson sat frozen in place. Three of his friends sat quietly in the back of the courtroom, looking grim. (They declined to speak about the case to VICE.)
Sandeson's next move remains to be determined. He's expected to be in court for sentencing on July 11. His lawyers have not said whether they will be appealing the decision.
As Sandeson walked out of the courtroom Sunday for another night in what could be decades in prison, his victim's family has two lasts message for him.
"Turn around and take a bow, Billy," Linda Boutilier said.
Samson's stepsister, Kathleen Hollett, simply yelled: "Tell us where he is."
Follow Katie Toth on Twitter. |
Apr 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards forward Nene (42) is fouled by Toronto Raptors forward Amir Johnson (15) while attempting to dunk the ball in the first quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
That really just happened.
The Washington Wizards played one of their best games in franchise history, completing the sweep over the higher seeded Toronto Raptors.
Washington Wizards 125 Toronto Raptors 94
I legitimately pinched myself numerous times throughout tonight’s game.
Not only did the Wizards complete the sweep, but a Randy Wittman-led squad will likely force the Raptors to rebuild their team. They beat the Raptors that bad.
Like everyone who stepped on the court in a Washington Wizards uniform, John Wall was absolutely fantastic tonight. He attempted just 5 shots, making 3 of them, but orchestrated the offense beautifully.
Whether it was dropping the ball off inside to Marcin Gortat or finding Bradley Beal on the perimeter, Wall continued to dazzle us with his ridiculous passes. He dished out 10 assists in just 25 minutes of action. Wall got some well-deserved rest at the end of the game.
Gortat, who has benefited greatly from Wall’s magnificence, was also fantastic. He continued to catch and finish, scoring 21 points to go along side 11 rebounds. He missed just one of his 9 shot attempts.
Wall’s back court mate, Bradley Beal, was just as good.
Instead of settling for mid-range jumpers, Beal continued to find three point shots and attacked the basket off the dribble. He helped put Kyle Lowry in foul trouble early after he bit on his pump fake inside. Beal scored 23 points and stole the ball 4 times.
Oh, and he also made this ridiculous shot. It was just that kind of night for the Washington Wizards.
Bradley Beal! RT @bballbreakdown You know it's not your night when…: https://t.co/0PX0Cl9R5g — ThatNBALotteryPick (@ThatNBAPick) April 27, 2015
Needless to say, it didn’t take them long to gain an insurmountable lead.
By halftime, the Washington Wizards completed the sweep.
Wiz up 66-50 at the half. 24 minutes from #SweepTheNorth. — Wiz of Awes (@WizOfAwes) April 26, 2015
Wall did his best Lowry impression, picking up three fouls before the end of the first half, but Washington got a great lift from Ramon Sessions and Drew Gooden.
Sessions scored 15 points on 5-7 shooting from the bench. He drilled three 3-point shots in that span.
For whatever reason, Sessions has become a competent three point shooter since arriving to the nation’s capital. He’s benefited from playing along side John Wall and it wouldn’t surprise me if we see more of that back court going forward. Kudos on the trade deadline deal, Ernie Grunfeld.
Drew Gooden, well, was unstoppable tonight.
I can’t believe I actually wrote that sentence. DREW GOODEN. IN 2015.
He scored 13 points, and he also knocked down three 3-point shots. It might not seem like a big deal, but…it’s DREW GOODEN.
They aren’t ordinary threes. It’s like, Brian Cook on steroid threes. Gooden has become the ultimate “No, No, No, No, YES!” player.
Wizards' 14 3-pointers a franchise record. — Jorge Castillo (@jorgeccastillo) April 27, 2015
It got to the point where I was seriously begging Drew Gooden to stop hitting threes. Washington was up 30+, but nope, Gooden kept hitting shots. Talk about throwing salt in the wounds.
Paul Pierce haunted the Raptors again, but at this point, it’s honestly not even surprising.
I can’t stress this enough: Please enjoy Paul Pierce while he’s still rockin’ a Washington Wizards jersey. He won’t be in the NBA for much longer, but man, he’s still so much fun to watch.
Pierce scored 14 points and hit some momentum building three point shots in the game. The great thing about Pierce is, not only does he make important shots, but he makes sure to interact with the fans afterwards. He just really knows how to energize the team and it has been evident throughout the entire series.
Otto Porter chipped in with 7 points and 7 boards. Rasual Butler, Martell Webster, Will Bynum, Kris Humphries and Kevin Seraphin also got a chance to play during the blowout.
I’m still having a hard time processing what just happened.
After entering the series as the underdog, the Washington Wizards have dismantled the Toronto Raptors in four games. I honestly thought they would come into the game with too much confidence, but Washington took care of business early and sent the Raptors to pack their bags.
The Wizards will now have a chance to take a small break before getting ready for their next opponent. They’ll take on either the Atlanta Hawks or Brooklyn Nets.
Wow. |
The BRICS countries have already agreed on the amount of authorized capital for the new institutions: $100 billion each. Source: Shutterstock
Very soon, the IMF will cease to be the world's only organization capable of rendering international financial assistance. The BRICS countries are setting up alternative institutions, including a currency reserve pool and a development bank.
The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have made significant progress in setting up structures that would serve as an alternative to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which are dominated by the U.S. and the EU. A currency reserve pool, as a replacement for the IMF, and a BRICS development bank, as a replacement for the World Bank, will begin operating as soon as in 2015, Russian Ambassador at Large Vadim Lukov has said.
Brazil has already drafted a charter for the BRICS Development Bank, while Russia is drawing up intergovernmental agreements on setting the bank up, he added.
In addition, the BRICS countries have already agreed on the amount of authorized capital for the new institutions: $100 billion each. "Talks are under way on the distribution of the initial capital of $50 billion between the partners and on the location for the headquarters of the bank. Each of the BRICS countries has expressed a considerable interest in having the headquarters on its territory," Lukov said.
It is expected that contributions to the currency reserve pool will be as follows: China, $41 billion; Brazil, India, and Russia, $18 billion each; and South Africa, $5 billion. The amount of the contributions reflects the size of the countries' economies.
By way of comparison, the IMF reserves, which are set by the Special Drawing Rights (SDR), currently stand at 238.4 billion euros, or $369.52 billion dollars. In terms of amounts, the BRICS currency reserve pool is, of course, inferior to the IMF. However, $100 billion should be quite sufficient for five countries, whereas the IMF comprises 188 countries - which may require financial assistance at any time.
BRICS Development Bank
The BRICS countries are setting up a Development Bank as an alternative to the World Bank in order to grant loans for projects that are beneficial not for the U.S. or the EU, but for developing countries.
The purpose of the bank is to primarily finance external rather than internal projects. The founding countries believe that they are quite capable of developing their own projects themselves. For instance, Russia has a National Wealth Fund for this purpose.
"Loans from the Development Bank will be aimed not so much at the BRICS countries as for investment in infrastructure projects in other countries, say, in Africa,” says Ilya Prilepsky, a member of the Economic Expert Group. “For example, it would be in BRICS' interest to give a loan to an African country for a hydropower development program, where BRICS countries could supply their equipment or act as the main contractor."
If the loan is provided by the IMF, the equipment will be supplied by western countries that control its operations.
The creation of the BRICS Development Bank has a political significance too, since it allows its member states to promote their interests abroad. "It is a political move that can highlight the strengthening positions of countries whose opinion is frequently ignored by their developed American and European colleagues. The stronger this union and its positions on the world arena are, the easier it will be for its members to protect their own interests," points out Natalya Samoilova, head of research at the investment company Golden Hills-Kapital AM.
Having said that, the creation of alternative associations by no means indicates that the BRICS countries will necessarily quit the World Bank or the IMF, at least not initially, says Ilya Prilepsky.
Currency reserve pool
In addition, the BRICS currency reserve pool is a form of insurance, a cushion of sorts, in the event a BRICS country faces financial problems or a budget deficit. In Soviet times it would have been called "a mutual benefit society", says Nikita Kulikov, deputy director of the consulting company HEADS. Some countries in the pool will act as a safety net for the other countries in the pool.
The need for such protection has become evident this year, when developing countries' currencies, including the Russian ruble, have been falling.
The currency reserve pool will assist a member country with resolving problems with its balance of payments by making up a shortfall in foreign currency.
Assistance can be given when there is a sharp devaluation of the national currency or massive capital flight due to a softer monetary policy by the U.S. Federal Reserve System, or when there are internal problems, or a crisis, in the banking system. If banks have borrowed a lot of foreign currency cash and are unable to repay the debt, then the currency reserve pool will be able to honor those external obligations.
This structure should become a worthy alternative to the IMF, which has traditionally provided support to economies that find themselves in a budgetary emergency.
"A large part of the fund goes toward saving the euro and the national currencies of developed countries. Given that governance of the IMF is in the hands of western powers, there is little hope for assistance from the IMF in case of an emergency. That is why the currency reserve pool would come in very handy," says ambassador Lukov.
The currency reserve pool will also help the BRICS countries to gradually establish cooperation without the use of the dollar, points out Natalya Samoilova. This, however, will take time. For the time being, it has been decided to replenish the authorized capital of the Development Bank and the Currency Reserve Pool with U.S. dollars. Thus the U.S. currency system is getting an additional boost. However, it cannot be ruled out that very soon (given the threat of U.S. and EU economic sanctions against Russia) the dollar may be replaced by the ruble and other national currencies of the BRICS counties.
Full text available on Vz.ru.
All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta. |
Earlier in the season, building on a piece by Peter Edmiston, I compared the scoring efficiency numbers for Grizzlies players based on whether Andrew Harrison or Wade Baldwin was running the offense, the point of which was to measure which of the two rookies allowed the offense to function more efficiently.
If we want to figure out what value Douglas really brings to the Grizzlies, we can do a similar comparison for Harrison and Douglas. Using NBA Wowy (a really handy tool), I’ve pulled shooting numbers for the Grizzlies based on who was primarily initiating the offense.
First, I excluded any minutes during which Mike Conley was on the floor, which is necessary to isolate the minutes during which each player was acting as the primary initiator of the offense (Tony Allen was not considered a PG for the sake of this exercise because, dude, be serious). I also had to make Harrison and Douglas mutually exclusive; in other words, for Harrison, I excluded all minutes he played with Douglas also on the floor, and vice-versa. Like I said, it’s a bit messy, but it’s also the only way to keep there from being any “noise” related to other point guards.
The charts below compare four key stats (points per shot, points per possession, effective FG%, and true shooting %) of the four non-PG starters with Harrison or Douglas on the floor. (Note: I used these four players because they generally had the highest amount of minutes with both point guards, which was necessary due to the limited minutes Douglas has logged with the team.)
Note: Of course, we have to slap a SMALL SAMPLE SIZE warning label onto Douglas’ numbers. Toney has been with the team for just 11 games, joining first due to an injury exception before latching on with a pair of 10-day contracts more recently. As such, it’s hard to say that any of these numbers are conclusive. But hey, it’s all we’ve got to work with right now, so it’ll have to do.
Observations:
Of the four players charted, it’s Tony Allen and Marc Gasol who appear to benefit the most from Douglas’ time on the court, and if you go back to Mark’s comments in the video, it makes sense. Over the course of the season, Harrison has improved in bringing the ball up the court and getting the team into the offense. It’s when the initial play breaks down that Harrison struggles, and that’s where Douglas’ veteran savvy comes in handy. If the first play breaks down, Douglas is more likely to be able to get the ball to Marc (or Tony) in better position to score. And while some of this discrepancy might be due to sample size, TA and Marc’s offensive numbers are anywhere from 17% to 30% higher with Douglas on the floor, and that’s too big an improvement to ignore, even when acknowledging other factors that might be in play.
Z-Bo’s numbers vary the least from Harrison to Douglas. It appears it hardly matters who’s running the backup point guard spot for Zach. His shooting numbers are slightly higher with Harrison on the floor, but he’s a tiny bit more efficient per possession with Douglas. Given the small sample size with Toney and the fact that Zach has been effective isolating against backup bigs, it’s likely those differences are negligible, nothing to waste worry over.
JaMychal’s numbers have the widest variance, and based on the evidence, as limited as it is, it appears that Green is more efficient with Harrison. The reason behind that is a lot less clear. The discrepancy could be due to noise unrelated to Harrison or Douglas; it could just be a blip due to sample size that will correct over time; or maybe there’s some mystical force keeping Toney and JaMychal from playing well together. I honestly have no answer other than to say that it’s a situation to watch moving forward if Douglas ends up sticking past his second 10-day.
A few offensive numbers from less than a handful of players likely doesn’t tell the whole story, though. It’s also worth comparing the on/off numbers for Harrison and Douglas. After all, even when Harrison was struggling at the start of the season with the offense, he still managed to show enough defensive acumen to keep him on the floor.
The ORtg with Douglas on the floor is 112.3 compared to 106.8 off, a difference of 5.5. With Douglas on the court on the defensive end, Memphis has a DRtg of 100.3. When he’s off? That number goes up to 105.8. In other words, Douglas is a +11 in terms of net rating.
For Harrison, the ORtg drops from a 109.5 to 104.2 when he comes onto the floor, while the defense improves modestly (105.8 to 104.9). In other words, Harrison is a net -4.5 per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor, meaning his defensive improvement just isn’t enough to make up for the damage he does to the offense.
Of course, the on/off numbers are useful, but it may also be worth seasoning them with a good pinch of sodium chloride. During his time with the team, Douglas has faced: New Orleans, Philadelphia, Portland, Golden State, Cleveland twice (once without Lebron, Kyrie, and Kevin Love), Phoenix twice, Denver, Minnesota, and a Spurs team without Kawhi. That’s hardly a murderer’s row of competition. Harrison, on the other hand, has played major minutes in a good portion of the team’s games to this point.
Looking at the numbers, it appears that they bear out what we’ve seen. Douglas has allowed the Grizzlies’ offense to function more efficiently without sacrificing on the defensive end. And while Harrison has shown the potential to eventually be a competent rotation player, he isn’t quite where Douglas is.
This means that if the Grizzlies, who still think they can be competitive this season, can’t improve the roster by making a deal before the deadline, Douglas might be worth the price of admission.
Follow @sbngrizzlies |
Microsoft, via their new "Scroogled" campaign , has just put Google on blast for their practice of scanning through every word of every email so as to target ads to Gmail users. The problem with this campaign of Microsoft's is the manner in which they're portraying Google's handling of Gmail emails. If you've yet to see it, then take a quick look at the Scroogled video, where Microsoft ultimately offers their Outlook services in lieu of Gmail:
The agency Microsoft hired for this campaign did a great job of planting mental images of employees at Google actually reading through emails, and it seems as though that's the single thread Microsoft hopes to hang on to here to gain traction and (surprise, surprise) make money.
What -- you didn't think Microsoft actually cared about the ethical points they raise in the campaign, did you? More on this in a bit.
You see, Microsoft knows that the average user doesn't have a clue about crawling, algorithms, or anything else that's of a remotely technical nature. As such, Microsoft's able to present this whole thing as Google nefariously reading every single word of every single email, including emails non-Gmail users send to Gmail users.
So, what's the truth? Does Google really "read" every single Gmail email? No.
Google has algorithms baked into their services, like Gmail, that scan through words, then make decisions to tailor ads based on various factors that may or may not include the words they've scanned. In other words, the only thing in Google that's "reading" your emails is the very same type of thing that "reads" your emails to identify spam (Care to venture who else identifies spam by checking the contents of your emails?), or to properly handle send/receive requests, etc. It's a process; an algorithm.
There's not a physical body sitting there reading through the countless emails that find their way through Gmail's servers. The algorithm doesn't care about the context of the words, outside of to tailor ads. Where that's concerned, Microsoft was eager to make the point that Google incorrectly tailored an ad in an insensitive manner with a Gmail user whose cat died.
Logical fallacies abound in that example of theirs (maybe that Gmail user has other pets or will be looking to get a new pet, and that coupon is something they can actually use), but since Microsoft's primary point was Google being insensitive and getting it "wrong" with their ad, I wonder what ads Bing might show me for searching for something like "my dad died." Your mileage may very, but here's what I got:
Oh, yeah, that's fantastic, Microsoft. My dad died, so I want to write him some poems and then see amazing deals on Yahoo Shopping. Good point you made about Gmail and the cat, though. Seems legit.
I'm just being facetious there, but the example above goes to show the point that Microsoft is capable of being equally as "insensitive" in their targeting. Personally, I understand that search/ad algorithms are far from perfect on any platform, but Microsoft seems to want people to believe that Google is somehow intentionally insensitive with their ad targeting while they're stripping your emails of every morsel of privacy they can.
That's just not the case, though I'm not so disillusioned as to believe Google's privacy measures are by any means perfect or 100% transparent. There was the case of Google firing a couple of employees back in 2010 for reading emails and chat logs of Gmail users, but that could have realistically happened anywhere.
Back to the Scroogled video, Microsoft makes mention that you cannot opt out of Google "reading" all of your emails. That's not true, as evidenced by this YouTube video posted in 2011 by Google Business that clearly shows the ability to opt out. For those of you who are interested in doing so, here's how to opt out of email-based ad tailoring in Gmail: (Update: It appears that opting out of ads in Google via the method below does not opt you out of Google's contextual ads -- the ads Microsoft is pointing out in their campaign; however, if you view Gmail via the basic HTML view, you will not be shown ads in Gmail. From Google: "If you do opt-out, you may still see contextual ads based on the message you are reading as well as other relevant ads. If you don't want to see ads in Gmail, you can choose to use Gmail’s basic HTML view, or POP1 or IMAP.")
1: Visit this link, then sign in: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/preferences?hl=en
2: Click "Opt out" on the left-hand side
3: Click the "Opt out" button
Alternately, Google allows you to freely set up your Gmail account with third-party email clients, so you can avoid ads altogether if you so choose!
So, what's the truth behind the Scroogle? Well, Microsoft's side is that Google doesn't care about your privacy, so you should instead use Outlook because Microsoft won't serve you ads based on the content of your email. Google's side is that they champion the privacy of their users and they're creating a better ad experience, though you can opt out of email-based ad tailoring if you so choose. But the truth is that Google is currently making bucketloads of cash, and Microsoft wants a slice of that pie. Either way, you and I simply boil down to dollar signs. Microsoft wants to be the ones who advertise to you, not Google.
Also, privacy is a hot button topic, so Microsoft went for it. It's incredibly easy to get people to feel like they're violated on the Internet these days, but in this case, the truth is that an ad-tailoring email algorithm simply doesn't care about the things most would define as an actual invasion of their privacy. I've had a stranger dig through an email account of mine before, and trust me when I say that this isn't even remotely close to that sort of genuinely infuriating invasion of privacy. But that's just an opinion forged from personal experience.
Whatever you feel Google (or Microsoft, or any other email provider, for that matter) might be doing with email data behind the scenes is your call. As for me, I remain a content Gmail user, still puzzled by the fact that email ads even really work, since I never, ever see them. Ever. They're there! But I just don't see them. Kind of like Google and the contents of my emails. *wink*
What are your thoughts? Do you think Google is crossing a line by tailoring email ads? And what of Microsoft's goal with this campaign? Do you think they really care about the privacy of Gmail users, or do you agree with me that they're just shooting for fatter pockets? Get busy in the comments below! |
Studies of fossil coral reefs exposed at an amusement park in Mexico suggest a rapid rise in sea level some 120,000 years ago, during a warm spell in Earth's history. PHOTO: © KEN GARRETT
Andrea Dutton's hunt for ancient coral reefs has taken her from white sand beaches along the Indian Ocean to wave-beaten cliffs beside the Caribbean. But the geologist's strangest field trip may have come last year, when she spent days at a Mexican amusement park carved from the seaside jungle of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Dutton was not there for the water rides and wild animal exhibits. She had made the trek from her lab at the University of Florida in Gainesville to sample the rocks that the park's builders had cut and exposed: the remains of coral reefs more than 100,000 years old. Dutton was stunned by the star and staghorn corals preserved in the outcrops—including a mosaic of fossils in the walls of an underground room next to a jaguar pen. “It was the most amazing exposure to a reef of that period that I have ever seen, or ever will,” she recalls.
Dutton seeks out ancient reefs to understand what's in store for Earth's coastlines. She's one of a small cadre of scientists scouring the planet for evidence of how high the oceans rose when polar ice melted during previous global warming spells. The jaguar pen's fossil reefs, for instance, are providing insight into one past episode of sea level rise, driven by the decline of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica more than 125,000 years ago.
Accurately measuring ancient sea levels has proven to be difficult work. But by marrying gritty fieldwork with computer models, Dutton and others are showing with increasing certainty that the sea was many meters higher at times when the past climate was only slightly warmer than today. The results are providing important—and sobering—evidence for how high the seas might climb in the future.
“There are a lot of things I'm uncertain about as a scientist,” says Dutton, one of the leaders of PALSEA2, an international effort by scientists to nail down the details of ancient sea levels. “But we're certain sea level is going to keep rising” with the extra heat already added to the climate in recent decades. “And not just a little bit. We've got a long way to go.”
TO REACH THAT CONCLUSION, sea level researchers have focused on three periods when fossil and chemical evidence indicates that slight wobbles in Earth's orbit, sometimes abetted by elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), triggered global temperatures that were as warm or warmer than today. Some 3 million years ago, global temperatures were 1 to 2 degrees above modern levels and CO 2 levels were about the same as today's 400 parts per million (ppm). In more recent episodes, some 125,000 and 400,000 years ago, the world was close to today's temperatures, but CO 2 levels were likely far lower, at about 250 to 300 ppm (see graphic, p. 755).
In the early 2000s, when Dutton first began trying to gauge past sea levels during these periods, some scientists still simply measured how high an ancient shoreline—a beach turned to sandstone, for example, or rocks holding fossils of corals or mollusks—sits above today's sea level. They would date the outcrop, and announce how high the ocean's surface once stood.
Geologist Andrea Dutton examines fossil corals, such as these reefs in Florida, as part of her studies of past sea levels. PHOTO: © MAGGIE STEBER
The results were sometimes a mess. For instance, when scientists sought to determine what the sea level was 400,000 years ago, shorelines at some sites suggested it was as much as 9 meters higher than today's. But on several islands—Bermuda and the Bahamas—the evidence suggested a difference of as much as 21 meters. The sea could only have risen that high if much of East Antarctica's ice sheet, the world's biggest single mass of ice, had melted. Some scientists doubted that scenario, arguing that the high-standing beaches and corals were a fluke, perhaps created by a giant ancient tsunami.
In fact, a dizzying number of things can cloud efforts to use the past as a crystal ball. The chemical makeup of fossil coral changes over time, making it tricky to calculate its age. There's uncertainty about the depths at which corals grew, complicating efforts to estimate past sea level from an ancient reef 's current height above the sea. Ice sheets can be so massive that their sheer gravity drags the ocean's water closer to them; when ice sheets are at their maximum, nearby seas are unusually high, whereas other places are below average, potentially skewing estimates of sea level around the globe. And heavy ice sheets can dimple the crust under them, while nearby land bulges upward. As Jerry Mitrovica, a geophysicist at Harvard University, puts it, Earth “is dynamic, it's evolving. And that's what distorts this lens.”
In the last few years, Maureen Raymo, a marine geologist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, New York, has learned just how maddening these complications can be. In 2009, she teamed with scientists from four other universities to figure out how high seas rose during the Pliocene, some 3 million years ago. That's an era scientists are particularly interested in, because CO 2 in the atmosphere then mirrored modern levels. Initially, Raymo expected to gather precise elevation measurements along hundreds of kilometers of ancient shorelines on several continents, adjust for the weight of past glaciers, and then emerge with a fairly precise estimate of sea level.
“That did not happen,” Raymo recalls. The measurements were “all over the place.”
That's when she learned the importance of one more factor, called dynamic topography. The geologic drama of Earth's tectonic plates is usually associated with earthquakes and fault lines. But massive sections of the planet's crust can also slowly tilt back and forth, rocking like rafts on the ocean. In the United States, for instance, the southern part of the eastern seaboard has been gradually rising relative to the northern part. Ancient shorelines in the southern region may have been uplifted by as much as 60 meters over the past 3 million years, according to one estimate.
For Raymo, that dynamic lift made one of her main research targets—a 900-kilometer-long ancient shoreline running from Georgia to Virginia—nearly unusable. Don't believe “anyone who tells you they know the Pliocene sea level to within 10 meters,” she says.
FOR PERIODS MORE RECENT than the Pliocene, however, answers are coming into focus with the help of sophisticated computer modeling. In 2012, for example, Raymo and Mitrovica argued that astonishing high-end numbers for sea level rise 400,000 years ago, from Bermuda and the Bahamas, were largely an illusion created by the weight of ice from an earlier ice age. Bermuda and the Bahamas sat on a spot that had bulged upward during the ice age and sank afterward, they concluded. After adjusting for the effect, they pegged sea level at 6 to 13 meters above today's. Since then, observations in South Africa have pointed to an even narrower range of 8 to 11.5 meters, according to a 2014 study in the Journal of Climate.
Along with computer models, studies done in places far from the influence of ice sheets have helped to sharpen the view of the past. Dutton, for example, headed to the Seychelles islands, 1500 kilometers off Africa's eastern coast in the Indian Ocean, to survey shorelines from 125,000 years ago. Besides being geologically quiet, the islands have ancient corals that grew vertically up the sides of rocky outcrops, providing a relatively easy-to-read yardstick of changing sea levels. (Then there are the palm trees and the silky soft beaches. “You have to choose your profession very carefully,” Dutton jokes.)
Looking back GRAPHIC: A. CUADRA/SCIENCE
Other researchers are trying to directly measure the major contributor to past sea level rise: losses of polar ice. This month, a team led by John Stone, a geologist at the University of Washington, Seattle, is scouting a place to drill into the bedrock beneath ice sheets in West Antarctica's Pirrit Hills. Their goal is to find radioactive isotopes generated by the rock's exposure to cosmic rays. The presence of the isotopes would indicate that the ice had once vanished there, exposing the bedrock. And because the isotopes decay into other elements at a predictable rate, the researchers hope to use them as a clock that shows when the ice melted. “I really do think we're going to end up knowing something significant once we get these cores,” Stone says.
ALREADY, the sea level findings indicate that it may not take much more warming to melt large parts of major ice sheets. Current forecasts suggest a bump of up to 4.8°C by 2100 could lift sea levels by as much as a meter—exposing many coastal communities to serious threats from erosion and flooding. But clues from multiple past warm periods indicate that over time, ice sheets are sensitive to even smaller temperature increases, Dutton says. She was lead author of a study in Science this year that noted modern temperatures are close to those 125,000 years ago, when the sea level likely was 6 to 9 meters above today's.
“That suggests … we've warmed [our climate] so rapidly that the ice sheets are out of equilibrium. And they're playing catchup,” she says.
For societies today, though, the biggest question may not be how high the sea ultimately rose during past warmings, but how quickly it happened. In particular, researchers would like to know answers to two questions: Did Antarctic ice melt in sudden surges and, if so, exactly what climate conditions unleashed such an event?
“The biggest question everyone has is, ‘eHow quickly is the West Antarctic Ice Sheet going to collapse?’” Dutton says.
She thinks the fossil reefs in the Yucatan amusement park could help provide answers. A 2009 study of the coral's growth patterns made headlines after it concluded that, some 121,000 years ago, the sea rose as much as 3 meters in less than a century. The surge appears to have drowned one reef, setting the stage for the growth of a second, higher reef, says Paul Blanchon, the study's lead author and a geologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico's Institute of Marine Sciences & Limnology in Puerto Morelos.
Dutton has doubts about that scenario. She thinks it's possible the estimates were thrown off because the land was sinking as North American glaciers receded.
To get a clearer picture of how fast sea level rose, she would like to return to the Yucatan, as well as to reefs in Australia and Florida. She hopes to drill meters-long reef cores recording past changes in sea levels that can be dated, much as tree rings record past weather. A core where all the coral is close to the same age could indicate that water rose quickly at that time, forcing the coral to grow rapidly upward. A single core with corals spanning thousands of years would indicate a gradual change.
But given the difficulties associated with analyzing fossil corals, don't expect them to produce fine-grained estimates, such as how fast seas rose over a decade or even a century, warns Peter Clark, a geologist at Oregon State University, Corvallis. “We can talk about meters per thousand years, but I don't think we can get it any finer than that,” says Clark, one of the two top authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's most recent assessment of sea level science.
Dutton hopes further work in the Yucatán could also help resolve another issue: whether seas rose quickly some 120,000 years ago, after roughly 13,000 years of warmth, as Blanchon has suggested, or soon after the warming began, as she believes. Because the climate varied even during the warm period, knowing the timing could help scientists better decipher what conditions triggered an ice sheet collapse, Dutton says. And understanding those conditions could, in turn, offer clues to the future of today's West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which is already showing signs of an accelerating retreat. “That's why this question—did it happen in the beginning or the end—[is a] first order question now,” she says.
Answering it could require studying many more ancient shores, now perched high above seas that are, once again, on the move. |
Proposed forestry accounting changes would allow New Zealand to claim credits without cutting emissions, NGO claims
By Karl Mathiesen
New Zealand has been accused of manipulating its carbon accounts to avoid tough climate action, in a wheeze hinging on vast pine plantations established in the 1990s.
In New Zealand’s submission to the Paris climate agreement, the country proposed a simplification of forestry accounting rules.
Currently, the commercial forests are subject to a complex, fluctuating system of carbon credits and deficits as trees grow and are cut down.
The government is proposing to treat these plantations like continually standing forest, with the carbon storage averaged over time.
What might sound like common sense is in fact a cynical attempt to cook the books, according to a report from charity the Morgan Foundation on Wednesday.
Between 1990 and 2005, New Zealand planted 500,000 hectares of pine plantations, increasing the total plantation area by almost 50%. This means a huge bubble of maturing forest will be cut down in New Zealand over the coming decade. Under current accounting rules, the country would have to pay back carbon credits that had built up as the forests matured.
But the New Zealand proposal would allow the country to keep the credits and not have to pay back any of the carbon lost when the plantations are harvested.
“The issue is the timing of the change: right when, under existing rules, New Zealand’s forestry ‘credit card’ is maxed out,” said the report.
After the government refused to release details of how much this rule change would save the country in actual emissions cuts, the Morgan Foundation developed its own model. The results found that the government would be able to claim 79 million credits – roughly the amount of carbon the country emits in a year.
This would have a large impact on New Zealand’s commitments to the Paris agreement, which pledges a reduction of 30% below its 2005 level of pollution by 2030.
Study author Paul Young said: “This will mean that New Zealand’s current 2030 commitment is not in fact a progression on past targets, violating a key principle of the Paris Agreement. This risks setting a harmful precedent that could hugely undermine global climate change efforts.”
Under the Paris agreement, countries are encouraged to set their own goals and have some leeway to make their own accounting rules. Peer pressure is the main tool to prevent countries from exploiting the system. To account for the advantageous timing, New Zealand should raise its level of ambition significantly, said Young.
It is not the first time New Zealand’s carbon emissions accounting has been labelled dodgy. In April, the Morgan Foundation found New Zealand was holding millions of fraudulent carbon credits bought via a loophole from Ukraine and Russia.
In a separate assessment to be released this week, Climate Action Tracker (CAT) deems New Zealand’s climate policies to be “inadequate”. Overall, CAT estimates New Zealand’s forestry and land use carbon sink will decline from 30 MtCO2e to 11 MtCO2e by 2030 due to “increased deforestation and forest ageing”. “Uncertainty remains” over the way in which the New Zealand government will account for these changes, said the CAT report.
New Zealand’s government has been contacted for comment. |
If you’ve found (or bought) Lava Hound card – you’re lucky! It’s a really powerful legendary card in Clash Royale. Moreover, the combination of Lava Hound and Balloon is one of the most powerful attacking combination in the Game and gamers call it LAVALOON! This combination is popular among clash Royale players and meet relatively often. In this post, I’ll describe a decent Lava Hound and Balloon deck for Arena 9, with the help of which I successfully compete on that arena being an 8 level player only.
Lava Hound is a legendary card in Clash Royale that costs 7 drops of elixir. Onto arena, this card turns into a big, slow flying creature that attacks only buildings and ignore all other enemy troops. The distinctive feature of this character is that after its dead it divides into a bunch of small Lava Pups, which angrily attack all enemies around them. The only minus of this character is slow speed of movement.
Balloon is an epic card that costs 5 drops of elixir. Balloon, just like the hound, also attacks only buildings and ignore all enemy troops. The character of this card has a decent hitpoints and relatively big damage power. Due to these features, this card is a good pair for Lava Hound.
The combination of Lava Hound and Balloon (LAVALOON) is a very powerful attacking combination in Clash Royale!
An excellent deck with Lava Hound and Balloon for Arena 9
In the picture below, you can see a decent deck with Lava Hound and Balloon for Arena 9:
In more detail about cards in the deck:
Lava Hound and Balloon. The main attacking combination in the deck. While the enemy troops attack the hound, Balloon relatively easy attack a Tower. Witch. Useful card both in attack and in defense. Due to its ability deploy skeletons onto arena can relatively successfully resist against PEKKA, Giant, Prince and other such type characters. Dart Goblin. Quite a good card that unlocks on the 9th Arena. Due to its fast speed of movement, high rate of fire and decent damage power is a great choice for support Lava Hound and Balloon in attack.
Skeleton Army. This card for defense purpose mainly. Arrows. The main purpose is eliminating Minions and Minion Horde with the help of which often try to stop balloon or hound. Electro-Wizard. Another legendary card in the deck. This character cops good with Sparky, Inferno Tower and Inferno Dragon. Rage (or Clone). Card for increasing of attacking power.
A few tactic tips for Lava Hound and Balloon deck (Arena 9)
A few simple tactic tips for the deck that helps to defeat higher-level players:
The best time for using LAVALOON combo is the last minute of the battle (time of double elixir). I recommend to deploy Lava Hound first on the lowest part of arena. That allows to gather enough of elixir for deploying other unit and makes attack more powerful. Two another good working combination with this deck: Lava Hound, Dart Goblin and Rage (or Clone). Deploy goblin after the hound and cover both of them with Rage! Don’t deploy goblin until enemy troops and Tower start to attack Lava Hound.
Balloon, Skeleton Army and Rage. Such combo works great when opponent spent all his elixir (see video below). I make such trick: 1) I deploy Lava Hound on the one flank. 2) Than, when the opponent deployed his troops for Lava Hound eliminating I deploy Balloon with SKA and Rage on the different flank.
You can easily replace Rage with Clone. The effect is also good. But I prefer Rage due to its better effectivity in defense.
In the video below, you can see the great examples of attacks with the deck described above:
Good luck! |
Is it possible to license tweets and adapt them into a screenplay? If so, someone call Harmony Korine. We found his follow-up to Spring Breakers.
Last night a young lady by the Twitter name of @_zolarmoon randomly decided to bless her timeline with an absolutely ridiculous, absurd, so-outrageous-it-can't-be-true-which-probably-means-it's-very-true tale of strippers, Hooters, Florida, and murder. To quote Zola herself, "this story long but it's full of suspense."
It starts when Zola, a loquacious Hooters waitress, strikes up a friendship with a "white bitch" customer (Zola's words, not mine) who several tweets later is revealed to be named Jessica. The two girls get to vibing over their shared "hoeism," forming such a bond that the next day said White Bitch Jessica invites Zola to travel to Florida with her. Zola, despite reservations over having just met "this here bitch," agrees to go because apparently Florida is ripe for dancing and "hoeism," and one can rake in as much as $15k.
And that's as much recapping as I'm going to do because to go further would be to rob you of the narrative experience. It's like reading an episode recap of Sunday night TV without actually watching the episode. Do yourself a favor on this dreary Wednesday and read every single tweet, then try and recall the last time you got this type of entertainment for free. Zola just fucked around and filled the Wednesday ratchet entertainment void left by no new Empire tonight, b.
POST CONTINUES BELOW
And this, folks, is why Twitter is the greatest social media platform out. It's not like you're getting three-act stripper odysseys on Facebook. Read the entire story, as screenshotted by some hero on imgur or on Storify.
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Image copyright Science Photo Library
The BBC has been criticised after it was revealed it is using powers under anti-terror spy laws to catch people who are not paying the licence fee.
The story is on the front page of Friday's Belfast Telegraph.
The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) was introduced in the year 2000 to aid the fight against terrorism and organised crime.
The DUP's Gregory Campbell said the act was designed to combat terrorism, not licence fee evaders.
He said there was an onus on the authority that collects the licence fee for the BBC to reveal whether RIPA was used more in Northern Ireland than in other parts of the UK.
"What I have said to them is this, because Northern Ireland has a higher evasion rate than other parts of the UK, are they concentrating their activities in areas where evasion is higher. They won't answer.
"It's a bit like the police saying we've caught so many people for drink-driving and that's good.
"But if they had a police car sitting at the same pub every Friday night of course you would expect people to be caught drink-driving."
'Regularly inspected'
In a statement, a BBC spokesman said: "Legislation explicitly grants the BBC the right to use these powers to detect unlicensed use of television receivers.
"We're regularly inspected by independent regulators and have always been open about using this power when there is no other option to help reduce evasion on behalf of the vast majority of the population who pay for their licence."
Emma Carr, director of the Big Brother Watch campaign group, said there was a lack of accountability in the laws and there needed to be a review of how they were used.
"Public authorities like the BBC, the police and anybody else who has access to these powers, it's all internally signed off, unless you're talking about things like tapping people's phones," she said.
"So it is an unaccountable culture that's emerged from this and that was never the intention. It was sold to the public as absolutely necessary for (combating) terrorism, paedophiles, very serious crimes.
"Unfortunately it started off with a handful of organisations being able to use these powers, then everybody else seemed to want in on the fun." |
A man who killed a Toronto police officer with a stolen snowplow on a winter morning two years ago has been found not criminally responsible.
Richard Kachkar was behind the wheel of a snowplow that struck and killed Sgt. Ryan Russell on a Toronto street on Jan. 12, 2011.
The 11-year police veteran was trying to stop Kachkar when he was killed.
On Wednesday afternoon, a jury found Kachkar not criminally responsible in the officer's death.
The judge had told jurors during the trial that there was "no doubt" Kachkar drove the snowplow that killed the 35-year-old Toronto officer. What was at issue in the trial was the accused's mental state.
Christine Russell, the widow of Toronto police officer Ryan Russell, told reporters that she doesn't feel any closure as a result of the verdict in Richard Kachkar's trial. (CBC)
The verdict the jury delivered on Wednesday indicates that jurors believed that Kachkar could not appreciate what he was doing when Russell was killed, because he was mentally ill.
The CBC's Steven D'Souza reported that Kachkar showed no reaction to the verdict in court.
D'Souza said the courtroom was packed with members of Russell's family, as well as a number of police officers.
"As the verdict was read, you could see a lot of them shaking their heads and [the officer's wife] Christine Russell … immediately put her head down," he reported shortly after the verdict.
For now, Kachkar will remain in custody, until an Ontario Review Board hearing is held at some point in the next 45 days. That board will decide what psychiatric facility he goes to. The Russell family will have an opportunity to read victim impact statements at that time.
D'Souza reported that as Kachkar was led away, a friend of the Russell family told him to "go to hell."
Family statements
Later in the afternoon, the slain officer's widow read a victim impact statement to the court.
She spoke of their son, Nolan, and how he asked at the funeral where his father was. She said her son is now beginning to understand.
Glenn and Linda Russell, the parents of slain officer Sgt. Ryan Russell, are seen leaving a Toronto court after the verdict was announced in the Richard Kachkar trial on Wednesday afternoon. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
"One night he was very upset," she said in the statement. "I asked him why he was crying and he said, 'Because daddy can't come down from heaven and read to me.' Just recently he told me, 'I'm not happy because I want daddy to come home."'
The slain officer's father, Glenn Russell, also read a victim impact statement to the court.
"You, Richard Kachkar, smashed my family to pieces," he said.
He said that Kachkar has "no idea how much grief and pain" he had caused.
"When you ran my son down with that plow and left him bleeding to death in the snow, a large part of myself died."
He also said there "isn't an hour of the day" that goes by that he does not think of his son.
"There is no closure ... trying to cope with it is an exhausting task."
The officer's sister, Tracey Russell, also spoke in court.
"It has been two years and the pain is still very much a part of our life now.... Ryan has a little boy, Nolan, he is a lovely baby ... [who] will never know his daddy."
Outside court, the officer's widow told reporters that she felt no closure as a result of the verdict in Kachkar's trial.
"I believe that Ryan deserved a lot better than this and he was serving and protecting all of us and he was killed in the line of duty. Nothing changes that," she said on Wednesday afternoon.
'He was very dear to us,' police chief says
At Toronto police headquarters, Chief Bill Blair said the jury had a tough job and police are thankful for the job they did.
Blair said there wasn't any verdict that would bring a sense of satisfaction to the people Russell left behind.
"We lost a man and a family lost someone very, very dear to them and he was very dear to us," he said Wednesday.
Toronto police Chief Bill Blair said that there wasn't any verdict that would have brought satisfaction to the people left behind in the wake of Sgt. Ryan Russell's death. (CBC)
"And the tragedy of that is not relieved by this verdict. But we understand the nature of the verdict. It was a tough case."
Mary Vruna, the lead detective on the case, also said that the verdict would not change the loss that Russell’s family and friends must live with.
"It doesn't matter what decision they would've come up with, whether it was not criminally responsible or a conviction for murder, it doesn't change the loss that the Russell family, Ryan Russell's friends and Ryan's wife and son will carry with them for the rest of their lives."
Testimony from police officers, psychiatrists
Kachkar's trial began in February. The jury began deliberating on Monday.
The jury heard testimony from police officers, paramedics and other people who saw or interacted with Kachkar on the day that Russell was killed.
A snapshot from a video shows Richard Kachkar fleeing a shelter in downtown Toronto. (Court exhibit)
Jurors also saw video of a barefoot Kachkar fleeing a shelter in downtown Toronto before his deadly interaction with the police officer.
They also heard testimony from a man who saw Kachkar run out of a Tim Hortons and take off in the snowplow.
Footage captured on Russell's dashboard camera was also shown to jurors, as well as audio recorded during the doomed officer's last radio call.
"He's coming after me. Hold on," Russell said.
The defence called three psychiatrists who each diagnosed Kachkar as being in a psychotic state and not criminally responsible when the officer was killed.
"These are not run-of-the-mill psychiatrists, these are people who have a lot of experience — one of the individuals had assessed Russell Williams," D'Souza reported. Williams is the former CFB Trenton base commander who was convicted of murdering two women and sexually assaulting others.
"So, these are people who have seen a lot before." |
A new three-day music and camping festival is coming to Todd Mission, Texas. It's called Middlelands, and it marks the first joint venture by festival monolith's Insomniac and C3 Presents.
Insomniac is one of the largest festival producers in the world, with more than 1,000 events under its belt, including the international brand Electric Daisy Carnival. C3 Presents is a Texas-based company most famous for its work with Lollapalooza, including Chicago and all international editions, as well as Austin City Limits.
Electric Daisy Carnival Is Coming to India
“Over the years, we’ve imagined building something new and unique with our friends at C3 Presents,” says Pasquale Rotella, Founder and CEO of Insomniac, in a press release. “Bringing together our teams will enhance the magic, diversity and community that can be created at a destination festival like Middlelands.”
Middlelands will debut in spring 2017 with three days of cross-genre artists, four nights of camping, large-scale art installations, and creative ancillary activities. Early promotional photos hint at a Medieval theme.
EDM's Big Asia Play: Promoters Look to Break New Market With Festivals, Conferences
“We are looking forward to working with Pasquale and the Insomniac team on this exciting new festival in our home state,” says C3 Partner Charlie Walker in a press release. “Insomniac shares our vision for a quality fan experience and the fusing of our two worlds is a great opportunity to see what the next level of festival can deliver.”
Fans looking for more information on Middlelands can sign up for email notifications at Middlelands.com, or follow the festival on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. |
How do you stop one anti-government extremist from coordinating a trillion dollar “paper terrorism” scheme involving a raft of false financial documents, or deal with another who sues prosecutors for allegedly conspiring against him by using poor grammar?
This is the question that state governments and federal agencies are faced with, ever since a surge of people who consider themselves "sovereign citizens" began acting on their belief that all aspects of law and government are illegitimate. The Southern Poverty Law Center estimates that in 2011 there were approximately 100,000 "hard-core" believers in sovereign citizen ideology, though it's a tough number to nail down because the movement is so disparate. For the same reason -- and because, by their nature, members of the movement don't believe in laws -- it's also tough to draft legislation to specifically target those crimes favored by sovereign citizens.
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Some of those crimes involve filing fraudulent tax returns, liens and foreclosures, frequently known as "paper terrorism." In fact, insofar as the sovereign citizen movement has leaders, it's in the form of so-called "gurus" who peddle materials on how to conduct these schemes. One prominent sovereign leader, Tim Turner -- who refers to himself as "president" of the "Republic for the united States of America" [sic] -- was recently convicted for "attempting to pay taxes with fictitious financial instruments," among other things. In addition to his own alleged tax crimes, Turner also purveyed a "series of seminars claiming he could help his clients get out of paying mortgages, credit cards and income tax bills using a series of sovereign tricks," the SPLC reports.
Another sovereign citizen, David Russell Myrland, he of the particularly bizarre grammar-based conspiracy lawsuit, spent around 20 years illegally practicing law and teaching others to cheat on federal income taxes. In 2012, though, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 months in prison for threatening to kidnap a mayor in Washington state.
These cases sometimes take years to build, and they don't address the problems that arise with the more common sovereign practice of filing false tax liens (charges imposed on property to ensure tax payments) against public officials, sometimes worth millions of dollars. Usually, these liens are left undiscovered until the official in question goes to take out a mortgage or a loan and finds their credit effectively ruined. Most of the time, sovereign citizens can exploit loopholes in laws that require clerks to process the filings without asking questions.
One way states are addressing the issue is by passing legislation to close that loophole. Indiana is the latest of at least 15 other states to pass a law to allow clerks and state officials to reject fraudulent filings before they can do any damage.
Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson, a Republican, told Salon that Indiana's new law aims to stop two typical types of filings: harassment and "straw man" filings. Harassment filings are those used "usually for a retaliatory purpose," Lawson said, against an elected official who has confronted the sovereign citizen in some way. In Indiana, there have been two recent harassment filings made against federal judges and one against a local mayor, amounting to millions of dollars in fraudulent liens. "Straw man filings" simply express a sovereign citizen's contention that the government is illegitimate, and are easy to identify because they are often in all caps and interspersed with colons, make multiple references to the Bible or the Constitution, and generally contain noticeably odd language and punctuation.
In the past, Lawson explained, her office would be able to identify these fraudulent filings, but they "couldn't question the content" and were still required to process them. At best, the filings clog up the system. At worst, they can seriously damage an official's finances. "The most effective way to stop these filings is to do it preventively," Lawson said.
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Some states are hoping to prevent these filings in a different way -- by enacting tougher penalties that could serve as a deterrent. In New York, a bill would "ensure that appropriate punishments and deterrent exist in relation to the malicious filing of false or fictitious liens against ... police officers and elected officials," by making filing them a felony. The punishment would be a fine of $10,000 per filing and up to a year in prison.
The bill, which was introduced and deferred to the state judiciary committee back in January, was pushed by Orleans County District Attorney Joe Cardone. Cardone told Salon that he had heard about a federal statute that helped crack down on false liens filed against federal officials, "but there was really nothing at the state level." Though he says the practice hasn't occurred much in his area, the bill closes a loophole in the system in which "you might have a forgery statute that might cover the situation, but it won't have as high an offense as this."
Bill Fulton, a former confidential informant for the FBI on the Schaeffer Cox militia case, who has continued to work with law enforcement on sovereign citizen issues, argued to Salon that the idea behind the New York bill is not to stop them from filing the liens but to prosecute before they can file multiple liens. Under the current law, Fulton said, by the time officials catch on to the lien scam, there could already be 20 to 30 fraudulent filings in the system -- which could amount to multiple fraud felonies.
"They're not going to follow the law, but what it will do is allow law enforcement to deal with them before they clog up the court system and before they cause additional problems," he said, noting that "sovereign citizens have convinced themselves that this is all legal and this is all OK." The law would be like "early intervention," Fulton said. "If we can get them early enough to discourage them, then hopefully they won't continue down that path."
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Georgia implemented a similar law in 2012, which went into effect last July. The law, pushed by state Rep. B. J. Pak, a Republican, made it a separate crime to file false liens, punishable by 1 to 10 years in prison, a fine up to $10,000, or both. Pak told Salon that though the law is pretty recent, he hasn't heard of any filings since it's gone into effect. "I'm hoping no news is good news, that it's becoming a deterrent." He added that the next step might be targeting sovereign citizens that have been filing false foreclosures on homes, which Pak says is in the "same kind of wheelhouse."
For instance, in Georgia itself, 12 sovereign citizens were indicted in 2011 on several charges related to an alleged scheme to break into unoccupied homes, file the deeds for themselves, and then file additional fraudulent liens and lawsuits against any law enforcement or public official who tried to kick them out.
In these schemes, the "rightful owner has a hard time getting possession of their house; they have to go through this protracted process to determine which deed is real and which is fake," Pak said.
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Though state governments may be able to effectively utilize deterrence to prevent "paper terrorism," there are still those more disturbing cases in which sovereign citizens have resorted to violence when confronted with law enforcement. In 2010, for example, two sovereign citizens in Arkansas were killed in a shootout after the two men opened fire with AK-47s during a traffic stop, killing two police officers.
That's why the FBI has labeled sovereign citizens a "domestic terrorist movement," and it's why the White House established a new "Interagency Working Group to Counter Online Radicalization to Violence" in February of this year. The group organizes efforts to crack down on potentially violent individuals and movements, like sovereign citizens, "who use the Internet to recruit others to plan or carry out acts of violence."
That's also why local police departments have been taking additional measures to instruct officers on how to deal with sovereign citizens, including hiring specialized trainers like Detectives Rob Finch and Kory Flowers. Finch and Flowers have been making the rounds across the country, training approximately 15,000 police officers and 5,000 public officials in how to recognize and deal with a sovereign citizen who might, when pushed, resort to violence. "To them, a police officer is just a man in a Halloween costume," Finch recently told the Los Angeles Times. |
In spite of his inflammatory rhetoric around crime and immigration, Donald Trump’s tax policy reveals a more positive side, says John Redwood MP.
So far Mr Trump has got into the race and stayed in it largely by dealing with the darker issues of crime, terrorism and migration. The US and EU establishments dislike his rhetoric associating crime with migration and his policy of a border fence or wall with Mexico.
Mr Trump does have a more positive side. His tax plans are for a major tax cut for America. He proposes that no-one on an income below $25,000 should pay any tax. He recommends just 4 bands of tax at zero, 10 per cent, 20 per cent with a top rate of just 25 per cent, making US personal income tax very attractive by advanced world standards. He wants to see a single 15 per cent rate of profits tax for all businesses, with a one off lower rate to get US corporations to repatriate profit and cash sitting offshore. He would abolish the death tax.
These proposals gained only a passing reference in his acceptance speech at the Republican Convention. If he starts to market these ideas more widely they could prove very appealing to many Americans. His tactic appears to be to detach worried low and middle income democrats to his cause by offering policies to boost their incomes and lower their tax bills. We know that many of them are not enamoured of Mrs Clinton, as they demonstrated by their support for Mr Sanders in the primaries.
Mr Trump is also attacking head on the past US establishment’s policy of military intervention in the Middle East. Whilst he is not an isolationist, he may well find a fertile political territory of people who resent the loss of life and the money expended on foreign wars, when there is little settled democratic government in the affected areas to show for them. |
This lawsuit is priceless!
A Manhattan man has sued the city, NYC Transit, Au Bon Pain Store, two local hospitals, Kmart, a “Latina” dog owner and anyone else he could think of – for two undecillion dollars.
Anton Purisima, 62, filed the hand-scribbled lawsuit in Manhattan federal court seeking more money than what’s on the planet — and, in turn, likely setting a new record for a lawsuit money demand.
Purisima, who is representing himself, appears to be more of a mathematician than a lawyer.
He correctly listed the obscure number few have heard of – which is written with a “2” followed by 36 zeros – in a fabulously frivolous 22-page complaint that rambles on by accusing the defendants of everything from civil rights violations to attempted murder.
While its difficult to decipher just what Purisima is accusing the defendants of, some allegations are clear.
His claims include having his middle finger infected and bloodied after being bit by a “rabies-infected” dog on a city bus and then having a “Chinese couple” taking unauthorized photos of him while he was being treated at a local hospital.
The suit claims the pain and damages he suffered can’t be measured in money and are, therefore, “priceless.”
Included in the suit as evidence is a photo of his bloodied finger.
Purisima’s number is unlisted and he could not be reached for comment. |
We're giving a lot of space to the Digital Bolex project because it's genuinely different and original. And the news keeps coming, and it's getting weirder, but still plausible. In fact there are such dramatic ideas coming from the little Kickstarter company that you have to begin to wonder how much it's going to change the world of video
The new lenses are designed to be cheap, but of the highest quality. These two attributes are normally opposites but by introducing a fundamentally new lens topology, complexity is reduced, and the money saved can go back into the optics themselves.
We won't go into detail here because it's a complicated subject and Joe Rubenstein covers it nicely on the Digital Bolex site.
Radical
What's radical about these lenses is that they come with a fixed focus and a fixed aperture. The lenses are kept simple by having no independently moving elements. If one part moves, they all move. Of course, having a fixed focus is a pretty big downside, but there's more to it than that. Need different apertures? Buy more lenses.
In fact, there is a focus mechanism, and it's built into the lens mount, not the lens itself. This, to put it mildly, is pure genius, because it means that you only have to buy one lens mount mechanism and it will work for all Digital Bolex lenses. The complexity is taken out of the lenses and because you only need to buy the lens mount once, all the lenses become cheaper.
The focus is electronically controlled and is initiated by the camera's crank.
Inexpensive
Cheap really does mean inexpensive with these lenses: they're going to cost between $200 and $300, and the mount will be between $500 and $600.
But wait: there's more!
Turret
Because the lenses are so small, and because they share a lens mount, it's possible to fix several of them at once on a rotating turret. You'll be able to change lenses in seconds, without exposing the sensor to dust.
Rubenstein goes into detail about crop factors etc, and you can read about it in detail here.
We may be wrong, but we wouldn't be surprised if this announcement about lenses quadruples interest in the Digital Bolex Project. |
Forget all of this video game nonsense: pinball is the real king of gaming. After all, it involves large pieces of metal flying around at high speed. [retronics] agrees: he has resurrected an old Briarwood Aspen pinball table using an Arduino.
When he bought the table, he found that the electronics had been fried: many of the discrete components on the board had been burnt out. So, rather than replace the individual parts, he gutted the table and replaced the logic board with an Arduino Mega that drives the flippers, display and chimes that make pinball the delightful experience it is. Fortunately, this home pinball table is well documented, so he was able to figure out how to rewire the remaining parts fairly easily, and how to recreate the scoring system in software.
His total cost for the refurb was about $300 and the junker was just $50 to start with. Now for $350 you can probably find a working pinball table. But that’s not really the point here: he did it for the experience of working with electromechanical components like flippers and tilt switches. We would expect nothing less from the dude who previously built an Android oscilloscope from spare parts. |
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While rumors continue to fly about what killed Amy Winehouse — the latest suggest that crack and heroin may have been involved — the singer’s parents continue to maintain that she was sober when she died, and that in fact, she died from alcohol withdrawal.
Unlike withdrawal from cocaine, methamphetamine or heroin, alcohol withdrawal can indeed be deadly — but few alcoholics ever experience the most serious consequences of withdrawal. They either do not succeed, or even attempt, quitting alcohol cold turkey, nor are they much hindered in getting enough alcohol, since it is relatively inexpensive.
Only about 5% of alcoholics suffer the DT’s (delirium tremens) from withdrawal that can be associated with deadly seizures. Of that minority, around 5% of cases are deadly if untreated. Treatment typically consists of replacing the alcohol with benzodiazepines, which, like alcohol, calm the brain by acting on the neurotransmitter GABA. These drugs can then be slowly tapered.
Treatment prevents the “shock to the system” that can lead to seizures due to the elimination of a substance on which the brain has become physically dependent. With treatment, withdrawal deaths occur in less than 1 in 2,000 hospitalized patients.
PHOTOS: The Life and Times of Amy Winehouse
More commonly, it is the over-consumption of alcohol that kills. Studies find that alcohol is responsible for more than twice as many deaths as overdose from other drugs, though alcohol is often a factor in other drug overdoses as well. It is also more likely than other drugs to be involved in homicide.
But because drinking is so much a part of American and British life — in both religious and celebratory experiences — it’s hard to think about alcohol as a killer or even as a drug.
That’s partly why society tends to worry less about the deadly consequences of alcohol than of those associated with other drugs. We believe the familiar to be safe and the unusual or unknown to be threatening. That also helps explain why, for instance, people fear flying more than they do driving, even though flying is actually safer when you look at the statistics on injury and death.
MORE: Amy Winehouse and the Pain of Addiction
Similarly, we fear as-yet-unproven links between chemicals in plastic and birth defects, but devote little attention or funding to prevent the No. 1 known cause of intellectual disability in children: fetal alcohol syndrome.
Much the same way we fear flying because we have no control over the plane, people become anxious over the fact that they have no control over what companies put into baby toys and packaging. But they do have control over their own alcohol consumption, which makes it seem less scary.
Confusing the situation further, moderate consumption of alcohol is actually associated with health benefits — such as reduced risk for heart disease and clot-related stroke — while excessive use can turn deadly.
So how does alcohol usually kill? There is little recent research on the question; the latest study to look at deaths caused directly by alcohol or alcoholism (excluding accidents and homicides) found that there were 23,199 such deaths in the U.S. in 2007.
MORE: New York State Passes ‘Good Samaritan’ Law to Fight Overdose
A 2004 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which dug more deeply and included more indirect causes of alcohol-related death, found that nearly 76,000 American deaths involved alcohol in 2001. About half of those deaths were related to chronic conditions linked to heavy drinking; the rest were caused by acute incidents like drunk driving accidents and homicides. About three-quarters of those who died from alcohol were men over age 35, but 4,554 people under 21 also died from alcohol-related incidents, mostly accidents.
Here are the top causes of alcohol-related death based on the 2004 CDC research, and the number of people killed:
1. Alcohol-related liver diseases: 19,616
2. Accidents involving transportation (mainly cars): 14,368
3. Injuries including falls, fires, firearms, hypothermia, choking and drowning: 7,716
4. Homicide: 7,686
5. Suicide: 6,995
6. Alcoholism and chronic alcohol abuse, unspecified causes: 5,841
7. Alcohol-related heart disease and stroke: 5,157
8. Overdoses of other drugs, which included alcohol: 3,694
9. Cancer of organs other than liver: 1,625
10. Pancreatitis and other damage to pancreas: 1,261
11. Damage to brain (including some cases of death by withdrawal in alcoholic psychosis or DT’s): 1,033
12. Alcohol poisoning/overdose: 333
While studies that try to tease out causes of death in situations like accidents or homicides may overestimate the role of alcohol, it’s nonetheless clear that heavy drinking is a major cause of mortality — much greater than the illegal drugs combined.
Maia Szalavitz is a health writer at TIME.com. Find her on Twitter at @maiasz. You can also continue the discussion on TIME Healthland’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIMEHealthland.
Correction [Aug. 2]: Due to an editing error, this piece originally misstated that few alcoholics experience withdrawal. In fact, withdrawal is common, but the most severe withdrawal is rare. The article has been updated to reflect the correction. |
Rainhard Bringing Back Sweetback’s Milk Stout
TORONTO, ON – Rainhard Brewing has announced that an award-winning beer previously available as a limited seasonal brand is returning this week, and will be sticking around as a year-round offering.
Sweetback’s Milk Stout is a 5.25% abv and 25 IBU stout that was awarded Gold in the Stout category at the 2016 Ontario Brewing Awards. It’s described as follows:
Milk Stout is a traditional beer style unique in its use of lactose, an unfermentable sugar, to add sweetness. Also known as Sweet Stout, it’s the alternative to the Dry or Irish stout. Our take on the style is creamy and easy-drinking, with notes of cocoa and cold-brewed coffee.
Sweetback’s Milk Stout is available starting today (September 1st) in bottles and on draught at the Rainhard taproom and store, and at select beer bars in Toronto and surrounding area. |
"You should quit being a Chode and take such offense to something like that. The word is all over the world. And even referred to in the Bible. Have a nice Day."
The word that the author of this message is referring to is "faggot."
I've never been OK with the word "faggot" or its shortened form, "fag." Even before I came to terms with my sexuality, I found it to be quite repulsive. In my younger years I never heard it used in anything other than a derogatory fashion. After coming to terms with my sexuality, I heard people in the LGBT community using it in a joking way. Regardless of the intent behind its use, I've never been able to fully swallow that word and refrain from tensing up when it's used around me. I've always spoken out against its usage, even to those on the Web whom I have no personal connection with, in a loving and respectful manner. And although the words quoted above, written in response to my attempt to express my feelings on what I deem to be a hateful word, isn't well-intentioned, the author is correct in one thing: The word "faggot" is all over the world.
Let's take it back. The word "faggot" definitively means "a bundle of twigs bound together," and in England "fag" can also mean "cigarette." I get the "don't be offended; 'faggot' just means 'a bundle of twigs'" argument from many straight people, and even from some gay people. Yet digging a bit deeper and looking at the etymology of the word "faggot," we find that faggots were especially used for burning heretics. Now, the assertion that male homosexuals were referred to as "faggots" because they were burned at the stake is an etymological urban legend. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, "Burning was sometimes a punishment meted out to homosexuals in Christian Europe ... but in England, where parliament had made homosexuality a capital offense in 1533, hanging was the method prescribed."
In any case, the word came to be embraced by many who were against sexual liberation in the 20th century. While homosexuality slowly became more public in the 20th century, those against it used the term as hate speech. When gay men were being arrested, imprisoned, committed to mental institutions and, yes, even killed for their sexuality, "faggot" was the word that was spit out of their tormenters' mouths. I've always believed in the power of words, and this particular word has a very negative, dark history. Now, there are many opinions on why the term "faggot" came to mean "homosexual man" in modern English. Regardless of how it came to be, it happened, and the majority of theories derive from negativity.
In recent years I've become friends with people in the LGBT community who use the word in an attempt to be endearing or playful. The word "faggot" gets tossed around so much now in the LGBT community that it has resurfaced as a part of our vocabulary. One reason for that is the LGBT's community attempt to reclaim the word and redefine its meaning, but that sets up a situation in which it is OK for "us" to use the word but not for "them" to do so, which only draws a line deeper in the sand and distances us from unity and equality.
But why must we feel the need to reclaim a word? If you attempt to follow the definitions of words in the LGBT vocabulary, you'll find that terms are constantly changing and being improved. We once got away with referring to transgender people as "trannies," but now that is considered offensive, and many transgender people today, especially younger ones, prefer the term "trans*" (yes, with the asterisk; it's important). I would much rather embrace the word "gay" than "faggot." The word "gay" has a much more positive and encouraging history and definition: "happy." As someone who has had the word "faggot" written on his car and yelled in his ear by middle school bullies, and who has heard it used in hate speech directed at me and my LGBT family, I think that paving a new path is what's important. Redefining the past does nothing for our future. It is our future that, together, we should define with words of love. |
Share. The Avengers and Iron Man 3 are probably safe. The Avengers and Iron Man 3 are probably safe.
Guardians of the Galaxy has surpassed Iron Man to become the third highest-grossing Marvel Studios film at the domestic box office.
The sci-fi action comedy has grossed $319 million in its ninth week of release. Only Marvel Studios’s The Avengers and Iron Man 3 have higher domestic box office totals than Guardians of the Galaxy at $623 million and $409 million respectively.
Exit Theatre Mode
Guardians of the Galaxy's has a worldwide cume of $644.3 million. The film is poised to overtake Marvel’s fourth highest-grossing movie worldwide, Thor: The Dark World, which has grossed $644.8 million worldwide.
Last week, 2014’s biggest domestic hit surpassed Iron Man 2’s domestic box office totals. It is unlikely that Guardians will catch Iron Man 3’s domestic gross of $409 million.
Marvel was so confident in Guardians of the Galaxy that it announced a sequel coming on July 28, 2017 at San Diego Comic Con days before the first film’s release.
Michael Martin is a freelance writer from Seattle who is one of the last people on Earth who hasn't seen Guardians of the Galaxy. Follow him on Twitter. |
The world's first test-tube burger, made from lab-grown meat, has been cooked and eaten in London.
The 142g (5oz) patty, which cost £250,000 to produce, was prepared by its creator before an invited audience.
Scientist-turned-chef Professor Mark Post produced the burger from 20,000 tiny strips of meat grown from cow stem cells.
He believes it could herald a food revolution, with artificial meat products appearing in supermarkets in as little as ten years.
Prof Post's team at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands conducted experiments which progressed from mouse meat to pork and finally beef.
He said: "What we are going to attempt is important because I hope it will show cultured beef has the answers to major problems that the world faces."
He said: "Our burger is made from muscle cells taken from a cow. We haven't altered them in any way. For it to succeed it has to look, feel and hopefully taste like the real thing."
Prof Post is confident he can produce a burger that is almost indistinguishable from one made from a slaughtered animal.
He believes that livestock farming is becoming unsustainable, with demand for meat rocketing around the world.
Unveiling the research last year at a science meeting in Vancouver, Canada, he said: "Meat demand is going to double in the next 40 years.
"Right now we are using 70% of all our agricultural capacity to grow meat through livestock. You can easily calculate that we need alternatives."
Multi-step process to turn stem cells into burger
A multi-step process is used to turn a dish of stem cells into a burger that can be grilled or fried.
First the stem cells are cultivated in a nutrient broth, allowing them to proliferate 30-fold.
Next they are combined with an elastic collagen and attached to Velcro "anchor points" in a culture dish.
Between the anchor points, the cells self-organise into chunks of muscle.
Electrical stimulation is then used to make the muscle strips contract and "bulk up" - the laboratory equivalent of working out in a gym.
Finally the thousands of beef strips are minced up, together with 200 pieces of lab-grown animal fat, and moulded into a patty.
Around 20,000 meat strands are needed to make one 142g burger.
Other non-meat ingredients include salt, egg powder, and breadcrumbs.
Red beetroot juice and saffron are added to provide authentic beef colouring.
A major advantage of test-tube meat is that it can be customised for health, for instance by boosting levels of polyunsaturated fats, said Prof Post.
Manufacturing steaks instead of minced meat presents a much greater technical challenge, requiring some kind of blood vessel system to carry nutrients and oxygen to the centre of the tissue, he added.
The animal welfare organisation Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) welcomed the research.
A spokesman said: "One day you will be able to eat meat with ethical impunity.
"In-vitro technology will spell the end of lorries full of cows and chickens, abattoirs and factory farming. It will reduce carbon emissions, conserve water and make the food supply safer." |
Share. Metal made beautiful. Metal made beautiful.
“Cars. To some, they’re just transport; a convenient alternative to highly flammable dirigibles, or walking,” says Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson in Forza Motorsport 5’s pensive intro. But in a monologue not dissimilar to the one he provided to open Forza 4 Clarkson goes on to describe why cars are far more than this. He describes how they represent both the glory of technology and the essence of freedom. He explains how they mark the moments by which we define decades, as on-screen a set of keys is wedged into the palms of a grinning teenager.
“Cars are some of the most intoxicating, most beautiful things ever forged by mankind,” he muses.
Superficially speaking Forza 5 is just looking to turn us on before we even turn a key, but once you’re inside it’s instantly clear that Forza 5 is here to accelerate Forza’s transition from a series that simply features cars to one that truly celebrates them. The cars here aren’t just thumbnails in a scrolling menu; every one has a history and a reason to admire it. Forza 5 clearly wants to be the defining cocktail of global car culture and it’s a philosophy that’s extends from Clarkson’s slightly wistful opening montage to deep within the guts of career mode. Thanks to a well-chosen bunch of unprecedentedly lavish car models and the help of all three hosts of the UK’s Top Gear, Forza 5 is a virtual love letter to every vehicle it contains. And while the overall track count teeters on the wrong side of thin and the lack of dynamic time or weather stings, it’s one that’s technically very hard to fault.
Kickstart My Heart
Featuring just over 200 cars, Forza 5 is several hundred cars shy of Forza 4’s eventual count of well over 600. The important thing is that every car that did scrape into Forza 5 for launch deserves to be here. Iconic classics, from old-school European grand tourers to hulking US muscle and timeless Italian supercars to cult performance hatches and sedans. Cutting-edge current models, from affordable modern rides to today’s money-no-object hypercars. World-famous F1, GT, and touring cars and, for the first time, hardcore open-wheelers like the ludicrous Ariel Atom V8. It’s all wheat and no chaff.
The best place to dribble over them is in Forzavista mode, where they look absolutely remarkable. You can’t pop the hood on everything, but the level of attention paid to even the smallest of details can be downright astonishing. Explore every inch and you’ll find the cars modelled down to manufacturer stickers on the inner-edges of doors. The detail really is something else, from the speckled surface of a steering wheel in an enduring ’90s hatchback to the staggering crispness of the tiny labels accompanying the multitude of switches in a Le Mans Prototype. Forza 4’s Autovista mode already gave us an appetiser of this two years ago so the novelty is suppressed slightly, but the fact that every car can be so closely inspected is exceedingly cool.
On track, things are equally impressive. Supremely realistic lighting slides over bodywork, casting impeccable shadows. Brake lights glow more realistically than ever. Flecks of rubber collect on the paintwork. Cosmetic damage doesn’t really handle massive accidents but small scrapes and nudges are well-translated to your car’s panels. You’ll even see specks of different coloured paint from rubbing against opponents.
It’s not universally beautiful, though. Small effects like tyre smoke and the puffs of dust kicked up by cars putting a wheel off-track don’t amaze, and the rudimentary pit-stops look uncharacteristically shonky.
The audio, however, is uniformly excellent, whether it’s the chirping of tyres under brakes or the throbbing of a helicopter overhead. And the engine notes? Well, they’re better than ever. Turn it up loud; that’s an order.
Unsurprisingly, the cars still handle as good as they look and sound. Better, in fact. It’ll certainly feel familiar enough to returning Forza fans, but there’s more nuance to how the cars shift about on their newly modelled suspension and more bite to the way tyres cling to the asphalt. The cars feel more distinct from each other than ever before too; the finesse required to thread a 600bhp, one-and-a-half metric ton V8 Supercar through The Esses across Mount Panorama is very different to the way you need to coax the thoroughly insane, rally-bred Ford RS200 around the famous Top Gear Hammerhead. Of course, it always has been – but here it feels more credible than ever. The way Forza 5’s cars communicate weight is tremendous.
The Xbox One controller’s haptic triggers give you feedback on when your wheels are slipping under the throttle and losing grip under braking, and I was surprised at how much this adds to the driving experience.
It’ll take you a while before you’re able to try all the cars because there’s been a change to the way we’re allowed access to them. Forza 5’s somewhat neutered free-play mode only lets you use your own garage cars or ‘rent’ one for free from a small selection, and driver levels no longer come with a reward car at every promotion. It’s a bit disappointing, although it does make you think harder about, and become more attached to, the cars you ultimately do buy.
Exit Theatre Mode
As always, cars can be upgraded, tuned, and painted. The best tunes and designs will be curated and suggested to players, but you can still manually search other players’ designs for the content you’re looking for. I honestly can’t say I was a massive fan of defacing my cars with the admittedly small selection of liveries available during the review period but you don’t have to apply a design. Thankfully, opponent designs can be switched off too, so if you prefer the traditional look over racing against a bunch of gaudy Hot Wheels also-rans you’re covered.
The whole reason you’ll be at the mercy of other racers’ tastes in tribal vinyls, however, is because of Forza 5’s seriously cool new Drivatar AI. In single-player, Forza 5 will pit you against opponents which race according to the real-life driving behaviours of the Forza players they’re based on. Racing is a lot more dynamic and unpredictable as a result. Some Drivatar opponents take unconventional lines into corners, and many are happy to pound several cars wide into bends that regular, computer AI would have tracked around in a polite convoy.
You can tune the Drivatar difficulty to be just right for your skill. You now just need to finish in the top three to earn gold completion so if you can repress your need to outright win every single race (and instead opt for a level of difficulty that’ll see you occasionally out-raced by the top two or three cars) you’ll be satisfyingly challenged every time you hit the track. As with turning off assists and refraining from the rewind feature, you earn extra XP for increasing the difficulty so it’s totally worth having it set where it’s hard to win but you’re still able to progress.
It's also worth mentioning that even when you aren’t playing Forza 5, the AI based on your behaviour is, so each time you log in you’ll collect credits based on your Drivatar’s performance.
King of the Mountain
Forza 5’s track selection is also down from Forza 4, but the ones that are here are largely very good. New additions like Bathurst and Spa are genuine highlights, and (although the finish line at the former is in the wrong place) the absolute joy to be gleaned from bombing flat out into The Chase at Bathurst or Eau Rouge at Spa cannot be understated. These highly technical, world-class circuits are immensely fun to lap around. Importantly they mostly look as remarkable as the cars. Detail decreases the further off course you look but up close the imperfections on the track surface really sing, and the trackside objects and painted walls really do look realistically weathered.
Dynamic time of day is again absent from Forza 5, as is changing weather; two omissions that are beginning to weigh heavily against the series. I will say the early morning sun in several of Forza 5’s tracks probably looks good in screenshots but feels a little overplayed here. I certainly got to a point where I was a bit tired of driving into a blindingly white orb and yearned to take on Mount Panorama at midday rather than 8am.
Exit Theatre Mode
There are just 14 track locations, so although most have more than one layout the final track count is arguably on the wrong side of light; you’ll generally find yourself hitting the same courses at least once in basically every race series. However, there’s no shortage of stuff to do on the tracks we do have. The varied racing series will keep you busy for a long time, and all of them are introduced by one of the Top Gear lads, who personally explain the significance of the participating cars. The credibility and humour these voiceovers bring to Forza 5 really works, whether it’s Richard Hammond beaming enthusiastically about classic US racing muscle or James May mildly appalled at the inclusion of a VW Beetle.
Then there’s the Rivals functionality, returning from Forza 4, which constantly rewards you with cash and XP for beating the player ahead of you and will again encourage many late nights chasing one more ghost. The standalone Rivals Mode features again too, with custom events hinged around certain tracks and cars. Of course, there’s also robust multiplayer for when you want to race real people rather than Skynet versions of them. The racing is fairly typical but it’s also highly customisable. If, like me, you still miss the endurance races, here's where you can set them up. |
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“We cannot become what we need to be, remaining what we are.” – Max Depree
How does one become a better person?
Back when I was studying in university, I didn’t like myself very much. I was rude, selfish, emotionally stingy, self-centered, judgmental, highly critical, very obnoxious, and arrogant.
When I think back about it, a lot of that came from insecurity with myself — a lack of self-esteem. I didn’t like myself, and this projected in my behavior toward others. I was dissatisfied with things about me, and hence I was dissatisfied with things about other people.
Subsequently, I decided to work on becoming a better person. I didn’t like who I was becoming and I wanted to change that. After all, it’s quite miserable to live a life of self-hate. They say misery loves company, but I think the company that misery attracts is self-debilitating in nature. It only makes you unhappier and unhappier, and no sooner turns you into a wrenched sight. Not a pretty vision, me thinks.
Today, I’m a lot happier with who I am. I can’t say that I’m perfect or that I’ve achieved my ideal self, because there’s still so much I’ve to work on. I also think that becoming a better person is an ongoing goal to be worked on, and there’s never a real end point to reach.
In this massive 101 list post, I share with you 101 ways to be a better person. 🙂 If you just follow a tip a day, you’ll go a long way toward becoming a better, more likable, person. Remember this isn’t about making yourself liked by others — it’s about becoming someone you truly love and adore, which will in turn attract the right people and opportunities into your life.
Here goes:
This is part of the Inspiration & Motivation series. Check out all the articles in the series:
Be a Better Me in 30 Days Character Transformation Program
If you are into character development, then you can’t miss the 30BBM program here at PE.
Be a Better Me in 30 Days (30BBM) is an intensive, action-driven character transformation program to help you be a better you in just 30 days.
30BBM is packed with 30 high impact tasks to be done one per day, from unrooting your undesired traits, embodying your ideal traits, upholding virtues, switching limiting thoughts, exploring your annoyances, working on forgiveness, and many more. You will be doing some really deep, serious, inner work in the 30 days ahead – which will undoubtedly transform you into a better, more conscious, more aligned person – both to yourself and to others around you.
Read more: Be a Better Me in 30 Days Program
Images: Hands holding plant, Family running, Partner, Level up, Mentor, Courage, Hug, Man on mountain, Boy and girl, Woman in white, Listener, Meditation, Mother, Handbook, Resilience, Journaling, Teacher, Men jumping |
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The man had been taking part in a charity skydive
A non-league football match in Salisbury was disrupted on Saturday when a parachutist landed on the pitch.
The game between Salisbury City and Chester at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium was stopped shortly before the final whistle when the male skydiver landed.
The man had been taking part in a charity skydive when he made an emergency landing due to low cloud.
Chester player Danny Higginbotham said it was the "most bizarre" thing he had ever seen on a football pitch.
Writing on Twitter, the defender for the Conference Premier side said: "Half-way through the second half, out of nowhere a parachutist landed on the pitch.
"No idea where he was supposed to land but he hit the ground hard."
'A shock'
Onlooker Joel Holt said when the man landed, there was a "big cheer" from the 900-strong crowd.
He said the man then went round high-fiving people in the crowd before being escorted away.
Mr Holt described the incident as "a shock", and "not something you see every day".
A Salisbury City spokesman said the man was an "experienced skydiver" taking part in the South Coast Skydive in aid of the charity Clic Sargent.
He said the man had dived from 15,000ft, but encountered heavy low cloud so missed the airfield and had to make a quick decision to land on the pitch.
The spokesman confirmed the man was escorted from the ground carrying his parachute, and was interviewed briefly by the police and a match safety officer before leaving without charge.
He said the incident "went down very well" with both sets of fans who "took it in good humour".
The final score of the match was Salisbury 3-1 Chester. |
…being one of my favorite quotes of the con so far, courtesy of Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman during an 80-minute Q&A on how science fiction led him into economics. The night before, a couple thousand of us got to be flies on the wall for another hour-and-a-half free-form conversation between Krugman and Charlie Stross.
You gotta love this event. A science fiction convention featuring three solid hours with a Nobel-winning economist, bestselling author and NY Times columnist. And what did I see the local media taking footage of? Furries and people in Star Wars costumes. So remains the face of fandom to the self-proclaimed Those With Lives.
‘SOkay, though. I finally met Charlie Stross in the flesh, and Jetse de Vries. Reacquainted myself with John Scalzi, who is too nice to exist. Bumped too infrequently into Elisabeth Bear (and hope to rectify that in the following days). Met Kim Binsted (U Hawaii, AI dudette), Kathryn Myronuk (of Sinularity U) and Brad Templeton (of the EFF, and author of perhaps the most articulate critique of BSG’s failed finale I’ve read). Glenn Grant. Nalo Hopkinson (who made it after all). Dave Williams. Others too numerous to mention.
Panels have all gone down well so far; the reading (with Scalzi and Jon Courtenay Grimwood) was a glorious triumvirate of literary nihilism full of Russian vivissectionists and flayed gods and shapeshifting rapist-missionaries; my contribution was, if anything, the lighthearted comic relief.
Another cool quote: “Fungi are Nature’s Internet” (although I forget the attribution). Not to mention the aforemention updated Turing test criterion.
Biggest Letdown so far: an hour-long event called “Neil Gaiman Reads Cory Doctorow”. Yes, technically that is what happened— but as Glenn pointed out, I think most of us were probably expecting the man to read aloud…
Pictures to follow, but only when I get home. For some reason my laptop isn’t detecting the damn camera card when I slot it in… |
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Steven Universe: Save the Light is coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One next week, and a brand-new baddie is coming with it. Meet pompous Homeworld commander Hessonite.
The follow-up to Grumpyface’s outstnading mobile RPG Attack the Light, Steven Universe: Save the Light is a console RPG featuring an original story developed with series creator Rebecca Sugar. A mysterious warrior steals a powerful weapon from the Crystal Gems’ Beach City home, so Steven and friends embark on an adventure to retrieve it before it’s used for not-so-good. Now we meet the evil gemstone pulling the strings. Here’s Hessonite making her grand entrance.
If the voice sounds familiar, that’s because they’ve tapped Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Christine Baranski to play Hessonite, infusing her with the perfect blend of menace and aloofness.
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For the geologically-minded Steven Universe fans, sessonite is a variety of grossular, which is in the garnet group of minerals. Due to its red, orange and yellow coloring, it’s also known as cinnamon stone. Spicy!
Steven Universe: Save the Light launches on PlayStation 4 on October 31 and Xbox One on November 3. |
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