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Political satirist Lizz Winstead was shouting at the TV long before it was cool. In 1991, watching CNN’s coverage of the first night of Desert Storm on a bad blind date, she looked around the rapt sports bar in horror and had an epiphany: “Are they reporting on a war, or are they trying to sell me it?” Thus began an obsession with “breaking down the media breakdown” that eventually led her to co-create The Daily Show.
In her new essay collection Lizz Free or Die, Winstead tracks her evolution from the perpetually “unladylike” youngest daughter of a large Catholic family in Minnesota to a comedian who found “a way to use humor to speak truth to power.” She writes of getting knocked up by her hockey player boyfriend in high school, spending a fortune on her dogs’ waste problems, and saying goodbye to her dying father with understated insight and, of course, humor—reminding us of its value as an antidote to both political and personal hardship.
These days, Winstead is busy touring the nation doing stand-up shows to benefit Planned Parenthood and gearing up for general election season. (“It is my favorite time to be out on the road,” she says.) I caught up with Winstead to talk about our lazy media, uterus-related legislation, and that time she got replaced by Jerry Springer.
Mother Jones: Tell me more about your moment of revelation while watching TV coverage of the first Gulf War.
Lizz Winstead: I remember watching the Vietnam War as a kid and seeing shooting and blood and bodies—and people were very serious. And then when I sat down [on the first night of Desert Storm] at that bar—and the bar atmosphere and the graphics and the theme song and the green light and the hot people. I wasn’t looking to analyze—it just all seemed like a movie. And I remember being so struck by the fact that they were trying so hard to sell me this war. And then to have this goofy date that I was with be like, “Wow, this is so cool!” And I was like, “Sold! Sold to you. You just bought it.” That was really crazy to me, that they could make something so serious so cartoonish. It was just like, “Oh my God, what is going on here? This is awful. How come they don’t have a person on saying, ‘This is awful’?” Instead they just keep reporting how great it is from 700 different people. There’s just one side and we’re all supposed to be on it. And patriotism is news. So, from that point forward, I just thought I’ve got to pay way more attention because it’s too crazy to not respond to.
MJ: The media landscape has obviously changed quite a bit since then. For better or worse?
“I think it’s always problematic when anyone says, ‘I only get my news from…'”
LW: Well, when there’s more of it and it’s on 24 hours a day, it’s gonna get worse. There’s just no question about it. There’s a lot of, “We’d rather be first than right.” A lot of breaking stories without facts. And when it comes to television news, it’s a lot of commentary and not a lot of reporting. You have people having conversations on couches. There’s a lot of wondering aloud and supposing and not a whole lot of introspection and fact checking. And so people tune in and out in a way that’s getting little bits and pieces of half of the truth.
MJ: It’s been said that young people get their news from The Daily Show. True? Good? Bad?
LW: Yeah, people have told me that themselves—that they get their news from The Daily Show. I think it’s always problematic when anyone says, “I only get my news from…” You should be getting your news from a bunch of different places. You should actually be reading longer pieces, where somebody did a whole bunch of research or was, you know, in the Sudan or Syria or wherever. When one only gets their news from a place that is, for the most part, looking through a satirical lens at how poorly we’re actually receiving information—I mean, that gives you a catharsis. But people need to get information to make themselves smarter, not just to make themselves feel good that someone is actually watchdogging the media.
MJ: Mother Jones interviewed you in 2004 when you were helping launch Air America. What did you take away from that experience?
LW: It was such a gigantic, ambitious task to put on 18 hours of programming every day and to get it all launched and ready to go in seven and a half months. I keep finding myself in these professional situations where somebody has given me a job I’ve never done before and I’m supposed to know what I’m doing. That’s what happened at The Daily Show, and that’s what happened at Air America too. It was a lot of people trying to figure out a lot of things and trying to get a message on the air. And because the radio airwaves at the time—and I don’t think it’s gotten much better—were like 91 percent conservative talk and 9 percent progressive talk, people were starving for any other side of the story. You could never keep anyone happy, because there was such a void that people were panicking.
The people who had launched the network in the beginning said they had money and then they didn’t have money and then we were like, “Oh my God, they really never had money.” So we were trying to stay afloat and get the programming out. But what was so amazing was that through the crazy turmoil of transition, no one quit. People were helping other people pay their salaries and make it work. The commitment to keep the message out there was the biggest takeaway from it. It was really a joy.
Working with Rachel Maddow and Chuck D every day was super fun. We had this little team that put on a show that was really fun and then we got canceled and replaced with Jerry Springer. And I got fired. We had new owners and new managers come in and they said comedy doesn’t really seem to be an effective tool to get people listening. I was like, “Since when?” It was kind of absurd. You know, one of the things that I never thought would happen to me is that I would be replaced by Jerry Springer. Like, I just thought I’d made different choices in my life.
MJ: In the book, you write about being an aspiring comedian in Minneapolis when there were just a handful of women in comedy. As your jokes started to shift more towards asserting your opinion, audiences got uncomfortable. Say more.
LW: It was such a subtle thing. I was kind of just going about my business, telling my little observational jokes. And then all of sudden I was having bad shows with material that had normally worked pretty well. And I was like, “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Am I dropping out vital information? Am I just low energy?” So I started taping the shows and when I listened back, I realized I had just shifted the introduction to the material in a more declarative way. “I think…” instead of saying “I feel…” I would say “I think…blank blank blank.” And it could be, you know, “I think Hitler sucks.” But the fact that I was saying “I think,” I would feel this recoiling—mostly from the men in the audience.
The covert message I kept getting back was: We will deal with a woman on stage if she can talk about how fucked up she is, how wrong she is, how shitty she feels about herself. But I don’t talk about that. And the fact that I don’t present myself that way, even when I’m saying things that are not threatening, threatened people. Simply by the fact that I’ve formed a clear opinion. You can only imagine once I started having opinions about politics and the world—that was really awesome to stand in front of a group of people shoving buffalo Cheetos, or whatever the hell they got a big basket of, in their face as they watched comedy.
MJ: So have we evolved a bit since then?
LW: Yes, I think so. The good news is that now we have an entire generation of men and women who’ve been raised in the ranks with there being a substantial amount of women doing comedy. So the shows I do now around New York have plenty of women. I think if you still have TV shows that are run by men that are really old-school, you’re still gonna have old-school problems. But as shows start coming up where younger men and younger women are running those shows, I think they run them the way their lives are—which is full of men and women. Which is great.
MJ: How’s the Planned Parenthood tour been?
I wish every city would stand up and say: “Planned Parenthood…You will not be fucked, because we have your back.”
LW: The take-home for me is that women rally when there’s a crisis. To me, Planned Parenthood—and the discussion about reproductive rights and health—needs to be part of your routine. Like going to yoga. Or breathing. You can’t just jump in when some horrible thing is about to go down. We cannot live in crisis mode. It needs to be this living, breathing thing. I wish that every city in America would stand up and say, “Planned Parenthood, we are so glad you are a part of our community. Just know that you can always count on us being there. We will be your champion. You will not be fucked, because we have your back.”
People who work in reproductive health care can’t be doing the heavy lifting and be the ones to [defend themselves] as well. The women who use the services and are sexually active and who use birth control and use these clinics have to be the people who say, “Part of being a human being is being a sexual being. And we’re not embarrassed. And we’re not going to mask that we’re sexual beings.” I’m tired of trying to dance around everything—even in this discussion that the country’s having about birth control. It’s incredibly valid that people use birth control for many other reasons other than just birth control, but we need to tell people that people use birth control for endometriosis first and then kind of slide in the sex thing, “Fuck that. It all needs to be valid.”
MJ: You write about accidentally getting pregnant as a teenager, having a terrible experience at a crisis pregnancy center, and eventually getting an abortion. What motivated you to speak out?
“There’s always someone trying to decide something about my crazy-ass uterus! Which I don’t really understand.”
LW: One thing was that the story is not extraordinary. It’s happening to women all the time. It’s happening to young girls who don’t know any better. And they wander into these awful places, pregnant, and they don’t have any information and they’re demonized by these awful people. And I think that the more women start having a conversation about abortion and about the lack of information that we provide, the more normal it becomes. I had so many women come up to me and say, “I have a story that’s so similar and I want to start telling it now.” I would never tell someone to tell their story, but hopefully by telling mine it will encourage you to make the decision on your own. Every time you tell your story, someone has to put your face when they are saying something hateful—or the face of their sister or their mom or their cousin or their coworker. If people know that people have abortions and go to Planned Parenthood and get birth control, it’s no longer that “bad” people have abortions. It’s that people have abortions—because they have to make a choice about how they’re going to move forward. [Click here to browse all Mother Jones coverage on reproductive rights.]
MJ: Between the Komen Foundation defunding Planned Parenthood and transvaginal ultrasound laws and the controversy around no-cost birth control coverage, it seems like there’s always something going on with reproductive rights these days. Thoughts?
LW: Yes, there’s always someone trying to decide something about my crazy-ass uterus! Which I don’t really understand at all. I mean, I don’t know how you arrive at: Your boss gets to make moral decisions about what kind of health care you have in your insurance plan? Like, that’s the world we live in. But I think that women aren’t taking it sitting down anymore. I think the Komen thing slapped them in the face. In Virginia, many people thought it was fine to propose a law that says you can have something shoved in your vagina against your will. And a lot of people didn’t seem to have a problem with that. I mean, it shocked enough people—except apparently Rick Santorum who fights on in this deafening world that is his own. It’s astounding to watch actually. I haven’t seen anybody with that kind of commitment to his conviction in a long time in politics. It’s certainly not a conviction that I believe in, but at least I know why I hate Rick Santorum. He’s made it perfectly clear.
MJ: So as a comedian, were you hoping Santorum would be the nominee?
LW: To me, it’s just all very frightening. Comedically, they both seem to be just fine. I’m not that worried. My worry, honestly, was that with this many in the race, it was just that much more disinformation that went unchecked. At least if it’s one dumbshit saying stuff, you can go, “Oh, there’s this one dumbshit who keeps saying stuff.” But with three or four of them just constantly blabbing, it’s a wall of crap that just keeps getting spewed. [Politics] just keeps getting weirder and weirder. At one point it may actually put me out of business because it may become a joke that you can’t make a joke about. That’s frightening. |
Point guard Kemba Walker will continue to check in with hornets.com periodically for his running 2016-17 blog. Keep checking back to see what Kemba has to say throughout the offseason heading into 2016-17:
Sunday, Sept. 25, 8:17 p.m.
Training Camp is just around the corner and I’m feeling good. I’m rehabbing my knee every day and getting stronger every day, so I’m ready to go. I’m excited to get things started. Media Day and Training Camp kind of mark the start of the season. It should be pretty fun. We’ve got a few new faces around here, so we’re just looking to get those guys acclimated to us and get all of us acclimated to them. Everybody’s put in their work this offseason and almost everybody has been here getting to work. That’s cool because guys could have been off doing whatever they wanted, but for those guys all to be here getting ready for the season shows how much they want to win and how much they sacrifice their time for the team. It’s not only about getting better - it’s also about team chemistry. We need to bond and get to know one another so we can play well together.
So far it’s been good though. The guys we got back, Ramon (Sessions) and B-Rob (Brian Roberts) have already played for Cliff (Head Coach Steve Clifford). I’ve played with both of them too, so that makes it a lot easier because we know what to expect from each other. Roy (Hibbert) is a quick learner and has been around so it won’t take him long to get used to what we do around here.
Our ultimate goal, as it should always be, is to get to the playoffs. Right now we’re focused on getting our individual games in order so we can play well together as a team. We’re working on our defensive techniques and working on a lot of small things so we can play well all the way through the end of the season and into the playoffs.
Now its time to get through Media Day, because things start to change once Training Camp opens. Things are about to get even more intense. Everybody has to be a lot more locked in and there is going to be even more teaching from Cliff. Things will be a lot more organized. I know we’re all looking forward to it.
I’m always ready to embrace my leadership role here, and the great thing about it is the guys allow me to leave. That’s one of the best part, when you have guys - even the older guys - who allow me to be who I am. That makes things a lot easier. Now it’s time to get things started. I’m looking forward to a special season.
160812_kemba_inside.jpg
Friday, Aug. 12, 12:45 p.m.
Hello Hornets fans! It’s been a while since we last talked but I wanted everyone out there to know that I’m feeling great! It’s been a regular summer for me so far. I have been doing a little bit of traveling back home to New York, back and forth from New York and Charlotte. I’ve just been working out, trying to get my left knee stronger after having surgery back in May and just get myself ready for the season. That is about it, nothing too glamorous.
We had a special year last year and played some great basketball. I was able to play through my knee issue during the year and throughout the playoffs. I just wanted to have a good year and I wanted to get back to the playoffs. I wanted to be there for my teammates. I wanted to be there for this organization. I wanted to make some noise in the league. We were still able to do that. I knew that my knee was going to be something I was going to have to work on after the season and that’s what I did. I am just happy to have everything play out the right way. I was able to finish the season off and now I’m feeling good. I’m still recovering and just can’t wait for the season.
There were a lot of us that were dealing with nagging injuries at season’s end, but we’re all better now and going to come back stronger. That’s the plan and It feels good. In this league, that’s what it is all about. A lot of guys throughout the league play hurt throughout the year with nagging injuries. No one is healthy, especially towards the end of the year. It’s all about sacrifice, it’s all about wanting to be there for your teammates. We were all pretty banged up but I am glad we got a chance to experience that, experience the playoffs, [experience] a Game 7 even though it was a pretty bad Game 7 for us. It was a great experience for us. Hopefully we can take care of our bodies during the year, and we all stay healthy during the year and experience that again.
Now that I’ve had time to reflect on it, last season was a confidence booster for me. I think it allowed me and my teammates to gain a lot of confidence coming into this season. We know what it takes to win, to get to that next level. For me personally, it has helped me become a better leader and I am looking forward to becoming an even better leader for my teammates in the upcoming season.
We had a pretty good offseason too, and it all started by re-signing Nic (Batum). Both MKG (Michael Kidd-Gilchrist) and I decided we had to be a part of the meeting with Nic because we had to let him know that not only does the organization want him to be here, but we as players want him here. Playing with Nic last year took this team to another level. It took my game to another level, as well as other players on this team. We had to let him know that we appreciate him and how much we really wanted him back here. He just makes everyone better on our team. He’s a special player and a great teammate off the court. So we just really wanted him to know that we wanted him. MKG and I took the day and made the trip to Dallas… it was a really special trip. The guys upstairs [the Hornets front-office] did a great job with their presentation, it was awesome actually, it was pretty special. They put together an amazing video for him and it was pretty incredible. They did a great job with that. They went back to his hometown in France and they went to Portland. It was actually pretty touching. I’m surprised he didn’t shed a tear. It was a really cool experience and I enjoyed it. For MKG and I to be there and go through that experience, it was cool. We thought it would surprise him when he walked into the room and saw us but we actually saw him in the hotel before the meeting and he was really surprised. I don’t think he had any clue that we were going to be there. It was pretty cool. We just felt as leaders we had to be there. We had to be there to show our face and let him know that we want him back.
We also brought back Marvin (Williams) and that was super important – super important. I would have been devastated if we lost Marvin. I was excited we got him back. He is such a good teammate – one of the best teammates I have ever been around. One of the hardest workers I have ever been around as well. He is just such a good, genuine dude. I am just happy we got him back.
It was pretty tough losing Al (Jefferson) though. Al was my guy from day one. He just came in and helped turn this organization around. He was a really special teammate and that guy in the locker room you are definitely going to miss – a guy who just knows what it takes. That is just the way of this league. Guys are going to go every year, and you are going to have different teammates every year. Especially depending on contract situations and the money situation. It’s a business and I am just happy he was able to go on to another great situation in Indiana. They have a great team, it’s not like he is going to a team who won’t be really good. I’m happy for him and I hope he stays healthy and has a great year.
But even though Al moved on, we got some new teammates, too. Playing with Roy Hibbert will be cool. Roy is huge, he’s a huge presence in the paint. I think he will be really good, especially with us. We have the reputation of really working hard and getting guys back to their old selves. Hopefully we can get him back to his old self, like the days he had in Indiana when he was a two-time All-Star. That will be great. We have the perfect guys for him in Cliff [Coach Steve Clifford] and Patrick Ewing. We have guys for him who will help him. I think he is going to flourish with us.
We also brought back two familiar faces to Charlotte fans. We have Ramon [Sessions] and we got B-Rob [Brian Roberts] back. It’s exciting. They are two guys I have always enjoyed playing alongside. Ramon is very fun to play with, he gets to the free throw line a lot, just like Jeremy [Lin] in that aspect. It’s going to be fun. Having B-Rob back, that’s going to be fun as well. His wife, she makes all the cupcakes, that’s another reason why I am super happy. Over the years I have learned so much from Brian, he probably doesn’t know, and I probably won’t tell him that much. I have learned so much from him over the last couple years that I have been playing with him and he is a really special teammate that I really enjoy playing with.
One of the things I’m most excited about this season will be the return of MKG. I can’t wait. Especially the glimpse we got of him last season and me being around him this summer, seeing how hard he has been working to get back. It’s going to be a special year for him and I think the league better watch out for him because he is going to have a huge year.
I’m excited to get this season started. I can’t wait. I’m going into year six confident as ever. I am excited to get the ball rolling. I am pretty sure we are going to come into the season as underdogs once again. So we will be ready to prove people wrong again, come in with a huge chip on our shoulder.
For me, this offseason was about rehabbing my knee and just polishing things up. I’m trying to keep shooting the ball the way I shot it last year, but even better of course. Just really tuning things up. I am keeping my routine the same. I am not trying to do anything different from last summer, just a lot of shooting. I’m just trying to play the same way but at a higher level.
I also had the chance to write for The Players Tribune this offseason. I just felt like some more voices needed to be heard on the subject. I had seen Carmelo Anthony’s post on Instagram and it kind of woke me up. Then seeing him and LeBron [James] and Chris Paul and D-Wade [Dwayne Wade] at the ESPY’s and the women in the WNBA speak out, I just felt like me being on this platform and having a pretty good amount of fans that would actually read the article, I just felt like I had to say something. I don’t know how much it’s going to help, but I would like to help. I would like to do whatever is possible to make this world better. That’s what it is all about. I am just tired of seeing bad things go on in this world. I have lost a friend, a close friend of mine to gun violence and I do not want to lose anymore. I don’t want to see other people lose their lives. These families are losing people to dumb stuff, some senseless act of violence. I’m just tired of seeing it. I think a lot of people are tired of seeing it. I just felt like I should have said something, and that’s what I did. I think it turned out pretty good and I think a lot of people really liked the article. I am glad they did and hopefully we can find a solution to this. We have just got to make the world a better place. For me it was also just another step in my maturation off the court. No question, I have always carried myself a certain way. I am just getting older, more experienced and like to think my voice can make a difference.
As for my goals this season, I just want to win. That is what I am all about. I am all about winning. Like I always said day one when I got to this organization, when you win everyone reaps the benefits. That is what it is all about. The more we win, that is when an All-Star Game will come for me or someone on our team, things like that. The accolades come the more you win.
I can’t even put into words how hungry I am for a playoff series win. I really can’t put it into words. Especially after last season going into that Game 7, and it was really cool. No one expected us to get to a Game 7. Now, the next step is to actually win one. I am super hungry and can’t wait to get started! |
Words of Radiance comes out in one week. Here are some early non-spoiler reviews: Alice at Tor.com, Carl at Tor.com, Eric & Josh at 17thShard.
On Saturday I went up to Weller Book Works and signed 500 copies of Words of Radiance. So if you ordered from them, it’s in the process of being shipped out. They’re shipping to people who live outside the US first, then to other states, and finally to Utah. They’re trying to time things so that your book arrives on Tuesday, March 4th, but shipping can be unpredictable. They’ll do their best.
On Monday evening, March 3rd, I’ll be at the BYU Bookstore presigning and numbering all of their books for the midnight release. Here’s another reminder from the bookstore that if you’re attending, they really want you to preorder so they can be sure to have enough copies. Full details on the midnight release are here.
There’s info on my entire book tour here. If you would like to get my newsletter (3 or 4 times per year) and have me send you email reminders when I’m signing near you, tell me your city here (be sure to check the box!).
Yesterday my store manager Kara put up a post about cool new Stormlight merchandise in the store. Take a look if you haven’t yet. |
Mill: A Simple Persistence System for Ada
Introduction
By Graham Stark
Mill is a simple persistence system for Ada. It's based on the PHP Propel system , which in turn is a port of the Java Torque project (http://db.apache.org/torque/). The Ada code uses the Gnade (http://gnade.sourceforge.net/) ODBC binding as its' back end. Mill is different in to Propel and Torque in that those are Object Relational Mapping systems whereas Mill is procedural, using records and functions instead of classes.
Mill is released under the GPL. It is far from complete, but it may do enough to be useful. It was written because I really liked working with Propel (I use PHP, I'm afraid..) and I was alarmed at the amount of code that seemed to be needed to get a database working in Ada (a language I otherwise have begun to really like). Mill has been developed using the Gnat compiler on a Linux box and presently is untested anywhere else. I don't see why it shouldn't work on, for example, Windows, but it uses Ada.Containers packages that, so far as I know, are implemented only by the Gnat compiler, and possibly other Gnat-specific features.
The generator is written in Python. You need to install:
A recent version of Python; the Cheetah Python template engine: http://www.cheetahtemplate.org/ The LXML library; Gnade: http://gnade.sourceforge.net/ AUnit Ada unit testing framework (https://libre.adacore.com/aunit/main.html) ODBC drivers for your database and OS. So far, Mill has been tested with MySQL 5.0
Postgres 8.x
IBM DB/2 version 9.1.2
(partially) Firebird 2.0.x
Then, just download mill.tgz and unpack it somewhere.
The Mill/Propel Definition files
Mill builds an SQL schema, Ada database code, and some associated files from xml definition files. These files use a slightly modified version of the Propel schema. There are two files,database-schema.xml, which describes the tables and the relationships between than, and runtime-conf.xml, which holds connection information and the like. Mill's xml/ directory contains quite a large example database definition, from the author's last project, and a simple example with three tables. We discuss the simple example here.
a) Database definition file database-schema.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" standalone="no" ?> <!DOCTYPE database SYSTEM "http://www.virtual-worlds.biz/dtds/mill.dtd"> <database name="adrs_data"> <table name="standard_user" description="A user"> <column name="user_id" primaryKey='true' type='INTEGER' description=""/> <column name="username" required="true" default='' type="CHAR" size="16" description=""/> <column name='password' default='' type='CHAR' size='32' /> <column name='salary' default='' type='DECIMAL' size='10' scale='2' /> <column name='rate' default='' type='REAL' /> <column name='date_created' type='DATE' default='0000-00-00' /> </table> <table name="standard_group" description="Group a user belongs to"> <column name="name" type='CHAR' size='30' primaryKey='true' default='SATTSIM' description="Model Name"/> <column name="description" type='CHAR' size='120' description="Description"/> </table> <table name="group_members" description="Group a user belongs to"> <column name="group_name" type='CHAR' size='30' primaryKey='true' default='' description="Model Name"/> <column name="user_id" primaryKey='true' type='INTEGER' description=""/> <foreign-key foreignTable="standard_group" onDelete="CASCADE"> <reference foreign="name" local="group_name"/> </foreign-key> <foreign-key foreignTable="standard_user" onDelete="CASCADE"> <reference foreign="user_id" local="user_id"/> </foreign-key> </table> </database>
This describes a three table database. Each table is described by a <table> element which contains <column> elements and, optionally, <foreign-key> elements. The DTD used is taken from Propel, and is unchanged except for (a) deletion of some validator elements I didn't see the need for and (b) addition of an extra ENUM data type. Note that Mill generates SQL definitions for the tables in the order in which they appear in the xml file, so, when declaring foreign keys, the parent tables need to be declared already;
The current version supports a very limited set of datatypes, as follows:
mapped to: Definition File Attributes SQL ADA type default type default DATE|DATETIME|TIMESTAMP - TIMESTAMP db-dependent Ada.Calendar.Time FIRST_DATE CHAR, VARCHAR size VARCHAR(size) '' Unbounded_String INTEGER - INTEGER 0 Integer 0 REAL|DOUBLE|LONGREAL - REAL 0.0 Real (Mapped to Long_Float) 0.0 BOOLEAN - INTEGER 0 Boolean False DECIMAL size,scale DECIMAL(size,scale) 0.0 Custom Decimal types 0.0 ENUM values INTEGER 0 Enumerated type first value
Obviously, this is not as complete as I'd like, but it's enough for me for now. Note:
Stream types (BLOB, CLOB) are not supported at all, as I can't see support for them in Gnade; All string types are modelled in Ada as Unbounded_Strings and in SQL as VARCHARS. I experimented with having one Bounded_String package for each different CHAR size declaration but the generated code got increasingly messy. Instead, when saving to or querying the database, the generated Ada code simply chops these unbounded strings off at the specified length. I also experimented with using Wide_Strings in place of standard strings, but the only ODBC driver that I could get to work properly with these was DB/2. Actually, storing and retrieving multi-byte characters using the single-byte character Gnade routines does work after a fashion, provided the database is set to support it, but string lengths and the like are likely to be reported wrongly. All fields are given defaults in both the generated SQL and Ada code, even if you don't specify one; ENUMs are mapped to integers in SQL. The values for the enum should be entered as a space-separated list in the values attribute; At present, all time types ( DATETIME, TIME, DATE, TIMESTAMP) are mapped on to the TIMESTAMP type in SQL and Ada.Calendar.Time in ADA. The package db_commons has functions to map from one to the other. Note that if you supply a default for this, it is inserted verbatim in the generated SQL, but TIMESTAMP formats differ between database implementations. Duration types are not supported at present. The default SQL timestamp strings are: Database Value Postgres MySQL DB2 Firebird The Ada Ada.Calendar.Time constant FIRST_DATE (in base_types.ads) is set to match the value for the corresponding database; Primary key fields are initialised to special 'missing value' fields defined in the base_types.ads package. This is so we can more easily define a Null record in Ada for cases where a retrieval finds nothing.
b) Data source definition runtime-conf.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <config> <propel> <datasources> <!-- NB ONLY 1st one gets processed --> <datasource id="simple_pg"> <adapter>postgres</adapter> <connection> <hostspec>localhost</hostspec> <database>simple_pg</database> <username>postgres</username> <password></password> </connection> </datasource> <datasource id="simple_db2"> <adapter>db2</adapter> <connection> <hostspec>localhost</hostspec> <database>simple_db2</database> <username>db2inst1</username> <password>xxx</password> </connection> </datasource> <datasource id="simple_mysql"> <adapter>mysql</adapter> <connection> <hostspec>localhost</hostspec> <database>simple_mysql</database> <username>root</username> <password>xxx</password> </connection> </datasource> </datasources> </propel> </config>
This describes connection information for the database. The format is unchanged from Propel. Some notes:
Presently, this file must be called runtime-conf.xml multiple datasources can be defined, but only the first one is used; the id field is ignored at present; the database name is the name of the database as defined in ODBC, not necessarily the name the database was originally created with.
Using Mill
Install mill somewhere, as above; Make a directory for the created files; In that directory, make a directory xml. Copy a sample database and datasource file from the mill xml/simple or xml/complicated directories into that directory. The filenames need to stay the same. Edit these files to match your odbc setup and proposed database; execute <mill directory>/scripts/mill.py <path to the directory you created>
If all goes well, the output directory should contain the following directories:
bin <- compilation target
database <- generated sql code
etc <- sample gnat makefile, sample odbc.ini code
src <- the generated ADA code
tests <- a simple test harness using AUNIT
xml <- the directory you created above.
DATABASE CODE
For our simple example, for a Postgres database, Mill generates the following SQL code:
-- -- created on 02-01-2008 by Mill -- drop database if exists simple_pg; create database simple_pg with encoding 'UTF-8'; \c simple_pg; CREATE TABLE standard_user( user_id INTEGER not null default 0, username VARCHAR(16) not null default '', password VARCHAR(32) default '', salary DECIMAL(10, 2) default 0.0, rate DOUBLE PRECISION default 0.0, date_created TIMESTAMP default TIMESTAMP '1901-01-01 00:00:00.000000', PRIMARY KEY( user_id ) ); CREATE TABLE standard_group( name VARCHAR(30) not null default 'SATTSIM', description VARCHAR(120) default '', PRIMARY KEY( name ) ); CREATE TABLE group_members( group_name VARCHAR(30) not null default '', user_id INTEGER not null default 0, PRIMARY KEY( group_name, user_id ), CONSTRAINT group_members_FK_0 FOREIGN KEY( group_name) references standard_group( name ) on delete CASCADE, CONSTRAINT group_members_FK_1 FOREIGN KEY( user_id) references standard_user( user_id ) on delete CASCADE );
Note that:
Mill can handle a certain amount of SQL dialect; the DB/2, MySQL, and Firebird SQL code is a little different in preamble statements, default declarations and the syntax of primary and foreign key declarations; as discussed above UTF support is currently jammed on even though Ada-side support is limited; Creating a database from the schema and registering it with ODBC is not covered here. However, the etc/ directory contains a simple Unix odbc.ini file which might be of some use for this.
ADA CODE
The src/ directory contains all the generated Ada code (except the test cases). Our example simple_pg database generates the following:
base_types.adb, base_types.ads : definitions of data types and constants;
db_commons.adb, db_commons.ads : some library routines, for example conversion routines for times;
db_commons-odbc.adb, db_commons-odbc.ads: ODBC-specific library routines;
environment.adb, environment.ads: password, user and database definitions;
logger.adb, logger.ads: a really, really crude logger package;
simple_pg_data.adb, simple_pg_data.ads: this contains the Ada record definitions for our schema;
standard_group_io.adb, standard_group_io.ads: database save/retrieve/delete routines for the Group table;
group_members_io.adb, group_members_io.ads: likewise for the group_members table;
standard_user_io.adb, standard_user_io.ads: likewise for the user table.
Base_Types.ads contains some standard definitions for missing values, as discussed above, and also defintions for any needed enumerated types and fixed-point types, plus a few convenience methods.
Db_Commons contains some conversion routines, and definitions for Criteria: a simple way, again borrowed from Propel, for building queries in a type-safe way (see below).
Simple_Pg_Data contains data definitions for our Simple_Pg database. It is designed to contain no references to SQL or databases at all. Each table is modelled as a simple record, using the mapping and defaults discussed above. Here is the generated code for our 3-tables (comments removed):
with Ada.Containers.Vectors; with Ada.Calendar; with base_types; use base_types; with Ada.Strings.Unbounded; package Simple_Pg_Data is use Ada.Strings.Unbounded; type Group_Members is record Group_Name : Unbounded_String := MISSING_W_KEY; User_Id : integer := MISSING_I_KEY; end record; package Group_Members_List is new Ada.Containers.Vectors (Element_Type => Group_Members, Index_Type => Positive ); Null_Group_Members : constant Group_Members := ( Group_Name => MISSING_W_KEY, User_Id => MISSING_I_KEY ); function To_String( rec : Group_Members ) return String; type Standard_Group is record Name : Unbounded_String := MISSING_W_KEY; Description : Unbounded_String := Ada.Strings.Unbounded.Null_Unbounded_String; Group_Members : Group_Members_List.Vector; end record; package Standard_Group_List is new Ada.Containers.Vectors (Element_Type => Standard_Group, Index_Type => Positive ); Null_Standard_Group : constant Standard_Group := ( Name => MISSING_W_KEY, Description => Ada.Strings.Unbounded.Null_Unbounded_String, Group_Members => Group_Members_List.Empty_Vector ); function To_String( rec : Standard_Group ) return String; type Standard_User is record User_Id : integer := MISSING_I_KEY; Username : Unbounded_String := Ada.Strings.Unbounded.Null_Unbounded_String; Password : Unbounded_String := Ada.Strings.Unbounded.Null_Unbounded_String; Salary : Decimal_10_2 := 0.0; Rate : Real := 0.0; Date_Created : Ada.Calendar.Time := FIRST_DATE; Group_Members : Group_Members_List.Vector; end record; package Standard_User_List is new Ada.Containers.Vectors (Element_Type => Standard_User, Index_Type => Positive ); Null_User : constant User := ( User_Id => MISSING_I_KEY, Username => Ada.Strings.Unbounded.Null_Unbounded_String, Password => Ada.Strings.Unbounded.Null_Unbounded_String, Salary => 0.0, Rate => 0.0, Date_Created => FIRST_DATE, Group_Members => Group_Members_List.Empty_Vector ); end Simple_Pg_Data;
For each modelled table, four things are declared:
the record itself; a constant Null record. This is returned by some failed retrieve statements and by a successful delete statement; a collection of each record, using Ada.Containers.Vectors; a simple to_string print statement, useful for debugging.
In the example, the group_members table is a 'join-table' containing foreign keys pointing to the user and group tables. Mill models this by inserting a vector field in the parent Standard_Group and Standard_User tables, each containing a list of Group_Member fields.
Standard_Group_IO (and Standard_User_IO, Group_Members_IO). Each table defined in the schema is given it's own package for interacting with the database. Here is the definition file for Standard_User_IO:
-- -- Created by ada_generator.py on 2008-01-02 16:42:08.780684 -- with Simple_Pg_Data; with db_commons; with base_types; with ADA.Calendar; with Ada.Strings.Unbounded; package Standard_User_IO is package d renames db_commons; use base_types; use Ada.Strings.Unbounded; function Next_Free_User_Id return integer; -- -- returns true if the primary key parts of User match the defaults in -- Simple_Pg_Data.Null_User -- function Is_Null( Standard_User : Simple_Pg_Data.Standard_User ) return Boolean; -- -- Returns the single User matching the primary key fields, -- or the Simple_Pg_Data.Null_Standard_User record -- if no such record exists -- function Retrieve_By_PK( User_Id : integer ) return Simple_Pg_Data.Standard_User; -- -- Retrieves a list of Simple_Pg_Data.Standard_User matching -- the criteria, or throws an exception -- function Retrieve( c : d.Criteria ) return Simple_Pg_Data.Standard_User_List.Vector; -- -- Retrieves a list of Simple_Pg_Data.Standard_User retrived by -- the sql string, or throws an exception -- function Retrieve( sqlstr : String ) return Simple_Pg_Data.Standard_User_List.Vector; -- -- Save the given record, overwriting if it exists and overwrite is true, -- otherwise throws DB_Exception exception. -- procedure Save( User : Simple_Pg_Data.User; overwrite : Boolean := True ); -- -- Delete the given record. Throws DB_Exception exception. Sets value to -- Simple_Pg_Data.Null_User -- procedure Delete( Standard_User : in out Simple_Pg_Data.Standard_User ); -- -- delete the records indentified by the criteria -- procedure Delete( c : d.Criteria ); -- -- delete all the records identified by the where SQL clause -- procedure Delete( where_Clause : String ); -- -- functions to retrieve records from tables with foreign keys -- referencing the table modelled by this package -- function Retrieve_Associated_Group_Members( Standard_User : Simple_Pg_Data.Standard_User ) return Simple_Pg_Data.Group_Members_List.Vector; -- -- functions to add something to a criteria -- procedure Add_User_Id( c : in out d.Criteria; User_Id : integer; op : d.operation_type:= d.eq; join : d.join_type := d.join_and ); procedure Add_Username( c : in out d.Criteria; Username : Unbounded_String; op : d.operation_type:= d.eq; join : d.join_type := d.join_and ); procedure Add_Username( c : in out d.Criteria; Username : String; op : d.operation_type:= d.eq; join : d.join_type := d.join_and ); procedure Add_Password( c : in out d.Criteria; Password : Unbounded_String; op : d.operation_type:= d.eq; join : d.join_type := d.join_and ); procedure Add_Password( c : in out d.Criteria; Password : String; op : d.operation_type:= d.eq; join : d.join_type := d.join_and ); procedure Add_Salary( c : in out d.Criteria; Salary : Decimal_10_2; op : d.operation_type:= d.eq; join : d.join_type := d.join_and ); procedure Add_Rate( c : in out d.Criteria; Rate : Real; op : d.operation_type:= d.eq; join : d.join_type := d.join_and ); procedure Add_Date_Created( c : in out d.Criteria; Date_Created : Ada.Calendar.Time; op : d.operation_type:= d.eq; join : d.join_type := d.join_and ); -- -- functions to add an ordering to a criteria -- procedure Add_User_Id_To_Orderings( c : in out d.Criteria; direction : d.Asc_Or_Desc ); procedure Add_Username_To_Orderings( c : in out d.Criteria; direction : d.Asc_Or_Desc ); procedure Add_Password_To_Orderings( c : in out d.Criteria; direction : d.Asc_Or_Desc ); procedure Add_Salary_To_Orderings( c : in out d.Criteria; direction : d.Asc_Or_Desc ); procedure Add_Rate_To_Orderings( c : in out d.Criteria; direction : d.Asc_Or_Desc ); procedure Add_Date_Created_To_Orderings( c : in out d.Criteria; direction : d.Asc_Or_Desc ); end User_IO;
With luck, the comments in the above should describe what the code does adequately. Note that, for tables with children, the Vector fields are not automatically populated; the Retrieve_Associated_Group_Members function can be used for this. The procedures declared at the end are for generating a Criteria: a type-safe way of generating a query for creation or deletion of records borrowed from Propel. For example, suppose you want to find all users with a user_id of more than 23 and a salary of less than 25,000. You could do this:
... use db_commons; use Simple_Pg_Data; c : Criteria; l : Standard_ User_List.Vector; begin Add_User_Id( c, 24, ge ); Add_Salary( c, 25_000.0, lt ); l := retrieve( c );
TEST SUITE
The test/ directory contains a simple AUnit test suite. For each record, the suite attempts to add records, delete some of them and then retrieve the remainder. As such, the suite is a good place to look for some usage examples. Note that, presently, the tests insert records containing junk data and make no checks for consistency: as such, any database with foreign key constraints will almost certainly produce failures until you manually edit the code.
This version has been built to use version 3 of Aunit (the latest at the time of writing); you'll need to make some manual tweaks to the generated code if using version 1. Version 2 was very different and the test code would probably never work with it.
OTHER FILES
The etc/ directory contains a Unix odbc.ini file generated from the runtime-conf.xml file, and a basic Gnat project file, with the test suite as the build target. As discussed above, these files have been tested only on my machines, and almost certainly would need modification to anyone else's system, but are included here in the hope that they may be useful. |
On the 15th of August, around 1500 people took part in a mass act of civil disobedience by occupying the Garzweiler open cast coal mine in the Rhineland, Germany. The Amongst the Elder collective reflect on their experiences of this action and pose questions about the effectiveness and limits of such mass actions in the future.
On the 15th of August, around 1500 people took part in a mass act of civil disobedience by occupying the Garzweiler open cast coal mine in the Rhineland, Germany. The mines in this area are the single biggest point source of CO2 in Europe, which as we all know are contributing to catastrophic climate change. These great scars cut into the Earth by huge diggers that look as if they came straight out of a dystopian film. They are destroying ancient forests and have already displaced 35,000 people, with a further 7,000 to be evicted to make way for destruction in the name of profit.
The mass action, called Ende Gelände, which echoing the slogan Ya Basta!, means 'here and no further', was the culmination of a ten day climate camp in the area. This was the biggest camp yet and was run in conjunction with a Degrowth Summer School, which brought together activists and academics to discuss the underlying issues behind the problems of climate change. This meant that the focus was not solely on reducing CO2 emissions but on critiques and alternatives to capitalism, never ending growth and to some extent hierarchy.
The climate camps, which have been running for several years, are a part of an ongoing resistance to the mining in the region. In the Hambach Forest, trees have been occupied long term and numerous actions have been taking place, including acts of sabotage to inflict financial damage on RWE who run the mine in order to slow the destruction of the mine.
'In the mine, on the digger!'
Much has already been written about the day of mass action, including moving accounts of the excitement and fears that people felt, who for many of which this was their first action. I can only reiterate what others have said: it was both at times an exhilarating and terrifying experience. The best forms of action, for me, are the ones where you go beyond boundaries that you thought couldn't be crossed and new possibilities are opened on the other side. In this case, this came from engaging in open confrontation with the police. Despite the baton charges, pepper spray and at times outright brutality, we repeatedly broke through their lines and reached our goal. In out witting and out manoeuvring the violence of the state, we continue to kill the cops in our head and realise that our power is much greater than we imagined previously.
This process was surely a radicalising one for so many people. Feeling our collective power and going beyond personal limits for a cause that you believe in, as well as seeing how the state and corporations collaborate to prevent such acts from happening can only leave you geared up and ready for more. What's more, most people got away with it completely. Though in Germany you are obliged to carry ID, hundreds of people refused to cooperate with police, which meant they were unable to process us and forced to release us all.
Limits to mass?
The fact that there were so many of us had many benefits, especially that it was so open to new people to participate and also that we could clog up police resources so effectively. However, these forms of action also have their drawbacks, which I feel it is important that we reflect upon in our continued struggles against climate change and capitalism.
Firstly, we should ask how effective were our actions and was it worth the cost? If our aim was to shut the mine, we did indeed mostly achieve this. But then, did we need 1,500 people for this to happen? Along side the mass action of Ende Gelände, a number of smaller autonomous actions have been taking place in the past couple of weeks, as well as part of longer campaigns. Diggers, train lines and conveyor belts have all been occupied by just a few people and have had similar impacts in terms of shutting down the mine. All of this is hitting the corporation running the mine in the pocket, as currently the share prices for RWE are at their lowest for 25 years.
Though for many the mass action was a radicalising one, for others it may have been traumatic and could have long term health implications. The mass gave us a feeling of safety and strength, but each time we pushed through a police line, we experienced pain and brutality and our numbers dropped. Somewhat like a war of attrition, we could be seen to be cannon fodder, with individuals sacrificed at each stage for the good of the whole. Was this necessary though, if just a few people can have similar impacts?
Secondly, quick decision making is problematic in large groups. A great degree of trust was put in the hands of the organisers to ensure that the plan was well thought through. I can't criticise the organisers for their secrecy around the plan. This isn't hierarchical organising, it's entirely necessary to have good security culture for an action to be successful. When parts of that plan weren't going as they were meant to, however, and there was a need to change the plan or there were opportunities for smaller groups to act autonomously, these weren't as readily jumped on as they could have been.
At one point, for example, I found myself in a group of around 10 or so people who had just escaped one kettle and managed to join up with another bloc who were entering the mine. Rather than changing course, or each affinity group making their own decision, the whole bloc walked straight into the kettle that we just escaped from. Though we kept a large number of police busy for a while, had we acted autonomously we could have had a greater effect by dispersing, occupying different areas of the mine or even escaping the mine to regroup and rethink.
In such situations it is vital that we work in affinity groups based on a high degree of trust and respect, as well as not always relying on consensus to make decisions. In one workshop it was suggested that we act like 'pirates' where snap decisions are made by a pre-agreed leader, but that this position is only for specific times and to be dissolved as soon as possible to prevent hierarchies from forming.
Beyond this, mass itself can be highly problematic. In appealing for unity, we can lose a great source of strength: diversity. Diversity of ideas, feelings, perspectives, tactics and strategies. Throughout the climate camp there were murmurs of discontent surrounding the 'action consensus' regarding non-violence, a sense of lack of solidarity for political prisoners and the sources of funding from political parties and NGOs. When we seek mass, discontent needs to be suppressed for the sake of the correct, media friendly narrative (which is a means to achieving greater mass). Mass also requires leaders, such as 350.org, a major funder of Ende Gelände, who say they “are building power for the climate movement in the lead up to climate negotiations in Paris later this year and beyond”. When organisations such as these attempt to create and lead a movement, there is a great risk of losing much in the name of unity.
More than mass: Autonomy and Solidarity
In our resistance and struggles there is space for mass actions such as Ende Gelände. But there is also a wide open space for other strategies and tactics. Ende Gelände has inspired and radicalised a huge number of people. Imagine what could happen if those people felt that they had the power and confidence to act of their own accord, rather than relying on the next mass orchestrated action.
This process begins with finding groups of affinity, people who you can work with and trust who share a desire to fight for something better than we have now. Hopefully, many such people found each other in the mine, supporting each other as we battled cops.
On top of this, we need confidence and tools to know how to act. This has been one of the great strengths of the Reclaim the Power camps in the UK. Through the process of 'activist speed dating' affinity groups are formed and given missions to carry out. They are not however, told how to carry their missions out, and therefore, whilst having a lot of support, they have a large degree to autonomy of how to carry these missions out. Subsequently, with the confidence gained from this process, many members of these affinity groups have gone on to carry out their own, sometimes high profile and high impact, actions. This is exactly the kind of empowering process that we need to continue to support in our resistance efforts.
In calling for a greater use of autonomous actions carried out by small affinity groups, this is in no way a call for a vanguard of militant self-proclaimed activists to lead the way to liberation. It is in fact the opposite. It is a call for each of us to trust in ourselves and our friends, to take power into our own hands and act according to our values and desires. We can all take action, in what ever form we feel appropriate, without waiting for the mass to be called upon from above. Further, when we feel the intensity and excitement of swarms of large numbers of people is necessary or strategic in our actions, then we can act more effectively based on our networks of affinity and trust.
Additionally, in recognising the need for diversity, we can also share more in terms of solidarity. We can understand that we don't all share the same critiques, analysis or strategies, but still support one another in our struggles where they come together in a shared desire for better worlds than the one that we have now.
Let us celebrate the successes of Ende Gelände! But let us also move beyond the appeals for mass. The struggles against coal, against climate chaos, against capitalism, growth, hierarchy and domination require more than mass. They require each of us to be able to find our own potential, our own strategies, allies and methods.
Down with coal! For ecologically and socially just worlds of our own making! |
LOS ANGELES — The State Bar Court of California recently suspended Stephen Christopher Ronca, a San Luis Obispo attorney, for mishandling his client trust account.
According to the March 12 decision, Ronca held a client trust account at Heritage Oaks Bank, which he withdrew from seven times without verifying that he had the funds available to use.
On April 24, 2014, and June 19, 2014, Ronca wrote two checks to Casa de Flores for $2,775 and $2,767. In August 2014, two debit transactions of $3,964.75 were made for an unknown payee. Two checks were written to Santa Maria Terrace on Sept. 2 and Oct. 20, 2014 for $3,250 and $3,084.44. The final check was written to himself for $200 on Oct. 28, 2014.
According to the court documents, the transactions were made without the amount of funds needed to make the transactions.
The California State Bar Court determined that Ronca’s conduct was “grossly negligent” and his acts clearly displayed moral turpitude. The attorney entered into a pre-trial stipulation with the courts that saved time and money, which was considered a mitigating circumstance.
Ronca was suspended for a period of 30 days followed by a one-year probation. In addition, the attorney will need to complete state bar ethics school and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam. During his suspension and probation, Ronca will need to submit quarterly reports to the California State Bar's Office of Probation and alert the office to any changes in his personal and professional status within 10 days. The attorney will also be responsible for court costs.
According to the State Bar of California website, Ronca's suspension is over and he has been eligible to practice law in California since April 11.
Ronca has been a member of the California State Bar since 1996. He is a graduate of the Western University School of Law and had no prior record of discipline. |
The Fars News Agency—partially funded by the Iranian government—says that Iran has built a flying saucer called Zohal and used this image in the story. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
To say the photo looks suspect is an understatement. But no context was given for the photo. However, the machine is said to be used for aerial imaging and was described as such:
The flying machine is equipped with an auto-pilot system, GPS (Global Positioning System) and two separate imaging systems with full HD 10 mega-pixel picture quality and is able to take and send images simultaneously. Zohal uses a small, portable navigation and monitoring center for transmission of data and images and can fly in both outdoor and indoor spaces.
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Now where it gets strange is that according to PopSci, the Iranian Student News Agency also reported on the story and used an image of the DraganFlyer X6 in their story, which is more of a rotocopter. So who the hell knows what the thing really looks like, if it even exists. [Fars via PopSci] |
Politico points out that some were fearful when a socialist became mayor of Burlington, Vermont:
On March 4, 1981, red dawn broke over the Green Mountains.
“‘Everyone’s scared.’ Socialist elected mayor of Vermont’s largest city,” blared the UPI headline over an article that began, “Self-described socialist Bernard Sanders… has invited the city’s business and political leaders to join him in creating ‘a rebirth of the human spirit.’ ” Readers could have been forgiven for concluding that some Pol Pot in Birkenstocks had just established a beachhead in Burlington, Vermont.
When Bernie Sanders won by 10 votes in a four-way mayoral race, Ronald Reagan had just entered the White House, the Cold War was in full swing, and people were seriously freaked out. “You would’ve thought that Trotsky had come to Burlington,” said Sanders’ confidant and one-time roommate, Richard Sugarman. |
Its been almost three weeks since our last invite giveaway and the time has come to conduct yet another one. This time around we are giving away free invites to a ratio free movie torrent tracker – PTN. PTN has never had an open signup during its lifetime and has been invite only from the start. However, as we have reported many times before, PTN occasionally opens invite applications to allow external users join the tracker. These applications however are considered quite tough (read the comments in previous threads if you are not sure :p) and obviously some of them do get rejected. So, is there really a difference between this giveaway and a regular invite app opening? Yes, there is. This is an official event organized with help from PTN staff targeted exclusively at FILEnetworks readership and therefore, usual entry requirements do not apply here. In other words you do not have to submit an application to get in – all we need is a profile link and a screenshot of the same profile page from any private tracker that you are already a member of (this is the standard requirement for most our giveaways). UPDATE: We have received over 600 requests. Please do not send any more E-mails. Although the giveaway was limited to 100 invites, we will try to fill at least the first 250 requests.
If you are one of out regular visitors, you probably already know all about PTN. For those that do not, it’s a ratio free, specialized private torrent tracker that indexes movies and movies only. The site has been online for a couple of years and despite tight rules regarding unwanted publicity and permanently closed signups, PTN has managed to amass an active user base of over 3500 members. The site’s most significant milestones during its lifetime was met early last month when PTN v2 was launched with a brand new look and a number of new features. Speaking of v2, we highly recommend you read this post which includes a detailed description and screenshots of the newly introduced features.
As mentioned earlier, PTN is a niche tracker. You won’t find games, music (except for a few official soundtracks or OSTs), books or other general content here. But yes, you will find a ton of movies related to a number of different genres ranging from action, adventure, fantasy, comedy, drama to thriller, horror, western and more. As at 20/10/2010, the indexed torrent count on PTN stood just above 5000, some of them being movie packs (multiple related films grouped into a single torrent). A screenshot of the torrent index including some of the available torrent categories can be seen below:
With the help of PTN staff, we will be giving away 100 free invites to our readers, no strings attached. As stated earlier there is no invite application involved – all you need to do is to send us an E-mail with the following format:
Subject of the E-mail should be ‘ PTN 01 ’. We use an automated software to filter the mails so don’t get this wrong.
of the E-mail should be ‘ ’. We use an automated software to filter the mails so don’t get this wrong. In the body of the mail, please include a link to a profile page on a private tracker of your choice– for example http://trackername.org/user.php?id=2447424 (you can visit the profile page on most trackers by clicking on the username located next to your ratio stats).
of the mail, please include a on a private tracker of your choice– for example http://trackername.org/user.php?id=2447424 (you can visit the profile page on most trackers by clicking on the username located next to your ratio stats). In the body of the mail, include a link to a screenshot of the same profile page you included in previous step. Note – screenshot should be un-edited and un-cropped. Please do not send images as attachments – upload the image file to an image host and include the link in the body of the mail.
of the mail, include a you included in previous step. Note – screenshot should be un-edited and un-cropped. Please do not send images as attachments – upload the image file to an image host and include the link in the body of the mail. Send your email to invites[dot]filenetworks[at]gmail[dot]com
Please allow one week for your invite to arrive – we have to send them out manually and it’s a time consuming task :p Currently the giveaway is limited to 100 invites. Depending on the demand, we might be able to increase this number perhaps in a future giveaway but this is unconfirmed as of now.
Either way if you manage to get in, please do respect the site’s rules. Relaxed entry requirements does not mean you will be immune to rule violations – staff will probably hunt down collectors, cheaters and hit & runners and ban them immediately after the giveaway. Good Luck!
Special thanks to lfc4ever (a PTN SysOP) and the rest of PTN staff for the excellent support given.
Note: Our Twitter Followers and FaceBook Fans should have received a heads up on this giveaway. You can follow us on Twitter or join us on Facebook to stay up to date.
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After a Michigan-area woman took it upon herself to open fire at two men suspected of shoplifting at a Home Depot, Oakland County prosecutors have decided to file charges:
Tatiana Duva-Rodriguez is accused of firing the shots Oct. 6 at Home Depot, 4150 Joslyn Road in Auburn Hills. Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper said charges were filed Tuesday morning.
“If this is proven, I find it very disturbing that someone would take out their gun in a busy parking lot and shoot at the tires of a passing car,” Cooper said.
“Once fired, the bullet could have easily ricocheted or fragmented and injured or killed someone else. It would have been much more helpful for her to take out her cellphone and shoot pictures of the shoplifter’s license plate.” |
Globally, 77,000 students from 400 schools in 148 countries take the transnational certificate that is an alternative to the HSC. "A bit of banter between the groups," says Alexandria Smith, left, with Annabelle McMahon. Credit:Janie Barrett The worldwide nature of the examinations means that students must wait 24 hours before discussing the tests with anyone. It is a longer wait than most for Australian pupils, who are some of the first in the world to hear the examiner call "pens down" at 11:30am. "It gives me time to make peace with myself," said 17-year-old Annabelle McMahon. "It's better for me because I get really nervous when I ask people about the exam."
Annabelle's St Paul's classmate, Alexandria Smith, echoed her sentiments. "I'm more happy not knowing anything. We can't improve it now. It is just more stress." Along with 60 of their classmates and more than 350 other NSW students, the pair will sit up to 12 exams between now and November 24, almost twice as many as their HSC counterparts. Overall, there are more than 80 IB exams in subjects as diverse as global politics, philosophy, English and maths, with a curriculum that focuses more on breadth than specialisation and has a compulsory community service component. The IB diploma goes for two years compared to the HSC's one.
"You can be tested on day one of year 11," said Alexandria. The teenagers said that finishing their IB almost a month after the majority of the rest of state's year 12 students was worth the wait. The last of the state's 77,000 HSC students will finish their HSC exams when the Visual Arts exam concludes at 3:30pm on Wednesday. "There is always a bit of banter between the groups," said Alexandria. "We have had six weeks to prepare and be better equipped for our exams." "For our HSC friends we are a bit jealous that they do get to go on to holidays now, but my HSC friends said I'm going to be jealous of your ATAR'."
Last year Australian students dominated the International Baccalaureate exams, performing well above the global average and claiming a high proportion of the top marks despite the relatively small cohort. Overall they made up 10 per cent of the top scores, despite accounting for less than 3 per cent of all students. The national average of 34.22, which equals an ATAR of more than 90, was well above the global average of 29.95. Antony Mayrhofer, the Director of Learning Services at St Paul's, said that the IB was becoming increasingly popular as an accreditation for Australian universities.
"But there is not a huge jump into the IB diploma in NSW," he said. "One reason is because the HSC is such a strong credential". The IB continues on Wednesday with Economics, English and Classical languages. The HSC finishes with Visual Arts, Food Technology, French Extension and Modern Greek Extension. |
Earlier this month Maine Democrats held a meeting where onetime Democratic state Senate candidate Richard Fochtmann decided to tell a joke.
“Today, you know, I saw a thing, and it said a lot of men — white men — are committing suicide,” he said. “I almost thought, ‘Yeah, great!’” This caused the Democrats in attendance to begin laughing . “Then I thought about it little more, and I thought maybe I shouldn’t say that out in public,” he concluded.
The Daily Caller reached out to Fochtmann, who wrote the comment off as a joke, though he says that it’s a “good thing” that it won’t be long before America is not a majority-white nation:
What the fuck is wrong with you, you sociopathic fuck!
Just imagine the spittle-flecked outrage at DKos if he had joked about, say, black women committing suicide.
And yet, Fochtmann only said what many good liberals are thinking.
No level of distress can bring liberals to feel human empathy if the person who is suffering isn't a minority.
Consider this example of how the news media frames this issue.
Unfortunately, in our current cultural environment, a lot of people find it tough to feel sorry for middle-aged white guys. As the Salon piece implies, such men have a branding issue and there will be no telethons or fundraisers to focus on their plight.
While they may be killing themselves at record numbers, it’s hard to reconcile this with the idea that they are somehow unfairly favoured in the workplace, since men –and largely white men – hold 95.6 per cent of all chief executive officer roles at S&P 500 companies.
It’s also hard to draw attention to the plight of middle-class white males without falling into the open arms of the men’s rights movement, a “manosphere” populated by misogynists who blame women and feminism for all of men’s woes.
A branding issue?!? Have you lost your fucking minds?
We aren't talking about male-pattern baldness here.
We can't "draw attention" to a public health epidemic because of political correctness reasons?
Isn't that proof enough that your worldview is bonkers?
One more example.
“I’ve watched white males rule this country from the beginning. The power that this traditional white male used to have is decreasing. We’ve evolved and white males aren’t necessarily at the root of power anymore. Everything from the Oregon military takeover to the abuse people have hurled at our president, I think a lot of that is at play,” she said.
What the fuck are you talking about? What the fuck does presidential politics have to do with suicide? I've got news for you: suicide is an extremely personal thing.
And then, finally, there is liberal smugness himself, Bill Maher.
“Middle-aged American whites are dropping like flies,” Maher said before Jay Leno pretended to collapse next to him to audience laughter. But what is killing the old guard? Drugs, alcohol, suicide and “possibly trying to fit into skinny jeans” the report finds (excluding that last bit).
The findings also include suicide rates for whites are now four times that of black Americans and due to a rise in heroin use among whites, the death rate from it is also up. But, no fear, Maher has some advice, “You’re white! Cheer the fuck up!”
Some asshole liberals like Bill Maher are bending over backwards to deny that there is a problem in the working-class white community.
This is despite the fact that rising mortality rates are scientific proof of distress in a species, genus, or race.
So pretending it doesn't exist is simply anti-fact.
However, most "bleeding-heart" liberals can't be bothered to work up even a smidgen of empathy based on stereotypes that don't even apply.
For instance, one of those articles above mentioned "chief executive officer roles at S&P 500 companies". The study is about working-class whites. Not rich whites.
Conflating those two things seems intentional. As if an honest examination of this public health crisis is not politically possible.
It's not hard to see what is happening here. You just have to be able to view the world outside of liberal identity politics.
For instance, there is the great, unspoken word - class.
The health of middle-aged non-Hispanic white Americans is deteriorating fastest.
The result of these trends, according to a new study, is a widening gap between wealthier and poorer Americans...
The results are stark. In 1980, a 50-year-old man in the wealthiest fifth of the income distribution could expect to live five years longer than a 50-year-old man in the lowest-income group. By 2010, the gap between them had jumped to 12.7 years.
In other words, the poorest fifth of 50-year-old American men can now expect to live just past 76, six months shy of the previous generation. The richest 50-year-olds should make it almost to 89, seven years longer than their parents' generation.
Obviously white CEOs and white blue-collar workers are living very different lives.
What's more that difference is increasing. Only by pretending that class doesn't exist can liberals continue to justify their complete lack of empathy for their fellow human beings.
As for why the condition of working-class whites has deteriorated to crisis levels, that's easy to explain too.
One such study published this week by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce suggests newly created jobs since the recession have been filled almost entirely by highly educated Americans. Of the 11.6 million jobs created between January 2010 and January 2016, 11.5 million went to folks with at least some form of college education.
"By contrast, workers with a high school diploma or less hear about an economic recovery and wonder what people are talking about," the report said. "Of the 7.2 million jobs lost in the recession, 5.6 million were jobs for workers with a high school diploma or less."
The study estimates these workers have recovered only about 1 percent of those jobs over the last six years and have enjoyed virtually "no growth among well-paying jobs with benefits." On net, there are now more than 5.5 million fewer jobs for individuals with a high school education or less than there were in December 2007.
Those workers without a college degree have seen their wages dropped dramatically in the last 35 years.
Some liberals , in order to avoid showing empathy for impoverished whites, will blame the victim for not getting a college degree.
Yet even a bachelor's degree is not a ticket to higher wages. Just a lot of debt.
What is happening here is a story of inequality and class, first and foremost.
That's not to say that race doesn't factor in. It does. Race is a factor, but in a much different way than the mainstream will tell you.
America’s underlying racism has a continuing distorting impact. A majority of the low-wage sector is white, with blacks and Latinos making up the other part, but politicians learned to talk as if the low-wage sector is mostly black because it allowed them to appeal to racial prejudice, which is useful in maintaining support for the structure of the dual economy — and hurting everyone in the low-wage sector. Temin notes that “the desire to preserve the inferior status of blacks has motivated policies against all members of the low-wage sector.”
Temin points out that the presidential race of 2016 both revealed and amplified the anger of the low-wage sector at this increasing imbalance. Low-wage whites who had been largely invisible in public policy until recently came out of their quiet despair to be heard. Unfortunately, present trends are not only continuing, but also accelerating their problems, freezing the dual economy into place.
Democrats have ignored the distress in the working-class white community. Democrats have rationalized it. Democrats have even justified it.
What Democrats haven't done is actually care about roughly a third of the population of America.
And then they wonder why whites rarely vote for Democrats, and why they keep losing. |
READER COMMENTS ON
"JUST IN: CONYERS SUBPOENAS KARL ROVE"
(38 Responses so far...)
COMMENT #1 [Permalink]
... leftisbest said on 1/26/2009 @ 4:43 pm PT...
Oh this is SO overdue. Kudos to Congressman Conyers for staying on top of this. It's time to bring all the crooks, liars and cheaters down and put them where the belong - behind bars. Only after a "fair and balanced" trial, of course!
:)
COMMENT #2 [Permalink]
... Lottakatz said on 1/26/2009 @ 4:46 pm PT...
"I predict..."
Anybody here remember The Great Kweskin rising from his coffin and making predictions; his first line being "I predict..." (the reference is appropriate I think because of the last 78 years of the mind numbing effects of the Neo-con zenith. After all this time the soul- killing and mind-numbing effects of the PTSD beginning to fall away...) I predict that when/if Conyers starts to cave he will be visited by Vice President Biden. That's Joe's job. That also assumes that Senator Conver's isn't acting in response to a visit or call from the VP. Rove could well be the first opportunity for the new President Obama's use of force majeure. Rove could very well end up sitting in a cell for presumptive contempt if he blows this subpoena off. I may be too optimistic but President Obama is playing chess while most everybody else is still playing checkers. He needs to break a couple of bones early so he won't need to slow down to do it later. Rove is the perfect target.
COMMENT #3 [Permalink]
... NewConstitutionalConvention said on 1/26/2009 @ 4:57 pm PT...
Ooooooh, another strongly worded letter from Mr. Conyers. If the last time Rove ignored his subpoena didn't have legal standing, why not go straight for contempt and put porky behind bars? Is there a statute of limitations on Contempt of Congress, because KKKarl has been in Contempt since he blew off the last subpoena?
COMMENT #4 [Permalink]
... Brad Friedman said on 1/26/2009 @ 5:06 pm PT...
This one is much more than a "strongly worded letter", NCC. At least for the moment...
COMMENT #5 [Permalink]
... Agent 99 said on 1/26/2009 @ 5:49 pm PT...
I ain't falling for anymore of this Democrats Get a Spine theater. When Conyers has Rove hauled in by the scruff of his fat oily neck, THEN I'll make a hairy deal out of it. Until then, pfeh, pfeh, pfeh....
COMMENT #6 [Permalink]
... christy said on 1/26/2009 @ 5:59 pm PT...
Here! Here! I totally agree. The Dems will have plenty of opportunity to cave in on this one. Somewhere, someway, somehow--they'll find a way.
COMMENT #7 [Permalink]
... odin ozdil said on 1/26/2009 @ 6:55 pm PT...
Hi Brad, I really enjoyed looking through your blog. My name is Odin from Brave New Films, and I wanted to know if you would be interested in keeping in contact with us for our future campaigns. As you can see from our website, www.bravenewfilms.org, we are a progressive new media company. A few examples of our past work include "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price," "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers," and the series "The Real McCain." If interested, please contact me at [email protected]. Thank you, -Odin Ozdil
COMMENT #8 [Permalink]
... Steve B said on 1/26/2009 @ 7:43 pm PT...
Seeing the enforcement of this subpoena is believing. I haven't yet seen it. I will not believe it until I see it. And,by the way, I am not holding my breath either. So,Mr.Conyers,if you really believe in the rule of law,PROVE IT!!
COMMENT #9 [Permalink]
... Lottakatz said on 1/26/2009 @ 8:20 pm PT...
I respectfully disagree with the nay-sayers for a couple of basic reasons: The Democrats have been under the heel of Neocons for so long they forgot how to close the deal, they don't know how to play an end game and they had no support for an end game. They do now and it's to their and the Administrations benefit that they play to a successful end. The people are screaming for blood (myself included) and that is a distraction. No matter how morally correct it may be in the long run it is a distraction to have it occupy a lot of time and attention up front. The criminal fallout for Bush and his folks needs to go on in the background because it's going to take a long time and be distracting. Rove is the first target for Conyers because he stands a good chance of being the arrogant asshole that he is and will give Conyers a good reason to put his head on a pike. This literally tosses red meat to those of us that need it (and our name is 'Legion') and scares the hell out of other folks that will be called to inquiry. It will assuage the desperate need for obvious justice and allow us to put that pot on the back burner where it belongs. We need some obvious process (for us process wonks) but the process is going to take so long all we really need is a highlight every now and then to make sure the process is working. This will solidify Conyers usefulness to Obama. The House to some good extent, and the Senate Specifically, is also a club, a fraternal organization, a medieval body that draws strength and derives authority from it's leader. Their leader (and their leader is President Obama because Reid and Pelosi, not global thinkers or good chess players, have failed them. Obama has the voters, Obama has the political capital and he has made it clear that they must prove themselves if they want a seat at his (the grownup's) table. Obama assembled the Republican leaders to his table along with the two biggest impediments to his agenda: Democratic leaders Reid and Pelosi, and owned them with three words, "Because I Won". That was a remarkable thing and no one in the media on the left seemed to truly value the significance. If Obama had said "We" it would have been ambiguous. President Obama is not an ambiguous guy. "We" would have included Reid and Pelosi as well as the voters as his team mates. By using "I" he refused Reid and Pelosi spots on his team. It was an astounding rebuke. They have to earn a place on his team. (Did you see the faces at that table? EVERYONE was obviously in shock and confused at what had gone on.) With three words he unilaterally dismissed the authority of the most powerful members of the Republican party in the House and Senate. Obama did exactly the same to Democratic leaders Reid and Pelosi and anyone not a natural ally or that was not immediately and effectively useful. And he made it personal. "I". ((Aside: he made it look like 'mentoring' and 'shadowing' for Reid and Pelosi which it was and this is how it played in the media. The media isn't on to him yet.)) Real politics is going on here and a lot of it is subtle and it's got deep patterns and small things easily dismissed as 'lighthearted moments' have deep and significant meaning. Conyers IMHO is one of the few people who gets it. Obama's playing chess on a masters level and we just haven't seen anything but the brutish checker playing of the right for so long we aren't used to seeing real politics anymore. We need to get up to speed. The smart guy won and I think the change is gonna' astound us all. Maybe I'm just over-thinking it and wrong as hell.
COMMENT #10 [Permalink]
... jacki penny said on 1/26/2009 @ 8:24 pm PT...
Brad & i are from "Mahzurrah"... i've already shown the gub'ment mine by paying taxes- now show me yours.
COMMENT #11 [Permalink]
... Larry Bergan said on 1/26/2009 @ 8:35 pm PT...
The title of the post makes me slobber, but I understand the skepticism. At least we can hope Karl Rove doesn't have assurances he'll come out of this smelling like a blossom. If we want to proceed with cleaning up the turds, we have to get rid of the asshole. I'm optimistic.
COMMENT #12 [Permalink]
... CharlieL said on 1/26/2009 @ 9:45 pm PT...
At the split second that the Rethuglicans believe that Rove is vulnerable, they will cut him loose and let him twist in the wind. Nobody really ever liked him, but they were scared to death of him. I await the moment with glee.
COMMENT #13 [Permalink]
... Jeannie Dean (not in) FL-13 said on 1/26/2009 @ 10:54 pm PT...
I tend to agree with NCC (comment #3). The House Judiciary Committee just doesn't have any teeth left, anymore. Rove is Rubber, they're glue. I doubt they can, even with all their new-found super-majority-subpoena-power, barely chaffe Rove's impenetrable exoskeleton of hardened turd. But I am very taken with LottaKatz's comments (especially #9)and I'm glad to entertain the notion that Obama is indeed that gifted. Forgive me for not remembering, but someone posted an astute comment here recently re: an independent prosecution of the Bush administration by the war crime investigative branch of the U.N. That thought has been shadowing me all week. How delightfully appropriate. How deliciously vindicating. How distinctively...inevitable? I've been amazed this week that the drum beat for investigations and prosecution of these shit-bags has become deafening! It's coming from the Blue Dogs, the Progressives, the MSM, and the rest of the whole world. This, for me, causes my sneaking, creeping optimism to come out of the closet for a spell and have a nice, uninterrupted, unpolluted cup of coffee.
Perhaps, says my "abused optimist", I'll live to see the Return of Justice. Maybe as LottaKatz supposes, just maybe if Joe Biden pays Conyers that visit to tell him to cool his heels--maybe it could be an indication of a back-room deal between Obama's people and the international community? Now THAT'd be 'check mate' for the books.
COMMENT #14 [Permalink]
... Agent 99 said on 1/26/2009 @ 11:56 pm PT...
Well, how in the hell would we get any of them nabbed and put in jail? Would the deal have been you-prosecute-and-we'll-extradite... really? Can he do that? Would he do that? I don't think so. That's a dream, and Obama is not a dream. Believe me, I hate to sound like Hillary Clinton, but Obama is charming and going way too far into his unification of the warring factions thing for me to believe that. We just want heroes. We just want saviors. We aren't getting them because we don't deserve them... we won't back them with our bodies, our deeds, our lives. We will adore them in words and on the internet, but that's as far as it goes. It will be a miracle if any of these criminals pays with more than just his or her [putative] conscience.
COMMENT #15 [Permalink]
... Jim said on 1/26/2009 @ 11:58 pm PT...
This will prove to be a dog and pony show.
Quite possibly Karl will be thrown under the bus only to appease those that want their heads.
To indict one means to indict them all (both parties).
My guess is 200 indictments would only be a start.
The Govt. is corrupt to it's core.
And 95% of the citizens are dead from the neck up.
COMMENT #16 [Permalink]
... Agent 99 said on 1/27/2009 @ 12:07 am PT...
Any back room deal would have been more like if-you-show-up-for-a-few-puny-hearings-everything-will-be-mellow. That's as far as this broken government, this fascist government would go. They have shown over and over and over again that they don't want to hold anyone to account. They only wish to play around with it enough that some of us think they want to but can't. The drill is come-out-with-tough-rhetoric-on-tv-and-then-completely-cave. They do that over and over and over because most of the people see the tough rhetoric and think it's all being handled... never think further about it... and then they vote for them next time they come up for election. That's the whole gig with sheeple. They've got our number, and Obama really has it. He's making some scary appointments, and showing every sign of continuing as though he were a darker shade of * in the Middle East. I know. I know. "It's only been a few days." "Give him time." "He's playing chess." Yadda, yadda. I want him to succeed. I want him to do well. I'm on his ass because I want it so much, but, really... now I'm going to sound like Erma... people have to quit dreaming and get busy forcing this stuff to come out well.
COMMENT #17 [Permalink]
... Lottakatz said on 1/27/2009 @ 4:55 am PT...
I hate to be a hope-monger. I'm not a hopeful person and would steal Skeptical Cynic's 'handle' if I could. If it being comprised of a double negative means the opposite of absolute cynicism then it doesn't suit me, but the word-play is choice President Obama is actually using standard negotiating tactics in a very well thought out and skillful way. I have been going over his moves routinely and even made lists and notes because he seemed to be pissing me off at every opportunity but making me feel he did the right thing. A few days later I would see the benefit of his actions in the context of an overall strategy. The only way it made sense to me is if he considered his campaign promises a contract with the voters and now had to be a negotiator skilled enough to get a good contract. I'm reverse engineering the argument of course. I got to that conclusion in a forward manner but once I got to that point everything fell neatly into place. Nothing to support my conclusion has to be forced. It feels and thinks right. To me anyway. Again, maybe I am just totally wrong. But I never left Missouri, I still live here (literally and figuratively) Jacki and I'm kind of wondering just what I'll see. I'm not going to automatically assume anything though, I stopped doing that about 3 days ago. Even if he doesn't deliver a damned thing beyond what he has already it's way better than McCain and Palin would have done. Our new Attorney General just said water-boarding IS torture. I feel like someone just turned off the shit shower. I do want to debate (in the most convivial and classic meaning of the term) some comments made though because they're good comments and are central to exactly why I was so angered by what Obama was doing and continues to do. Agent 99 made most of them and Jim made another and I'm in no way on your case's or ass's '99 and Jim. You just made the points that I've been obsessing over and I'm sleep disrupted; I won't go to sleep for the night for a couple of hours yet and I may as well write as watch another DVD Also your comments are an opportunity to clarify these points I've been mentally developing into actual positions and arguments to see if they hold up coherently. It's a form of self-checking.
-------- "This will prove to be a dog and pony show.
Quite possibly Karl will be thrown under the bus only to appease those that want their heads.
To indict one means to indict them all (both parties)." Once you get past the Executive office and senior appointees everyone else has good political cover. Congress was voting on horrific programs and policies based on what they were told by the White house and hand full of Congressional Committee chairs assure them. The Committee chairs gave assurances based on what they were told and were sworn to legally binding secrecy. The Justice Department positions had not been overturned by any courts when the early votes were taken. No liability. This does not relieve them of culpability on later votes specifically the one protecting the tel-com companies. Congress will not be indited except at the ballot box IMO. Low level appointees that were not privy to strategy sessions and documents and other incriminating communications won't face indictment either. Who planned and knew what, and when, is why the e-mails went missing and private accounts were used and the shredders in the Vice President's office overheated and started that fire. The shredder/fire connection is only a suspicion but I think a good one.
-------- "The drill is come-out-with-tough-rhetoric-on-TV-and-then-completely-cave. They do that over and over and over because most of the people see the tough rhetoric and think it's all being handled... never think further about it... and then they vote for them next time they come up for election." Absolutely correct. It's good politics. Anything that gets a politician elected is good politics to a politician. 'At least he's trying to do something' is good enough to get one re-elected if the standards are set low enough. The last two elections indicate that the bar is being incrementally raised for the House and Senate. Just 'trying' isn't going to be good enough because the longer the pain goes on the more demanding the electorate will become. People are sick of the shit and I have thought for quite some time now that cities could start burning. Last weeks riot in Oakland didn't surprise me. The country is threatened in every major aspect of it's function and this should enhance Obama's chance to succeed in delivering on his electorate-endorsed agenda as long as progress is seen by the electorate. If his opposer's are seen to be prolonging the pain of a dysfunctional government they will be punished in two years. A smart politician does whatever he has to do to get re-elected.
------- "Obama is charming and going way too far into his unification of the warring factions thing for me to believe that" The Neocon strategy and toolkit are well known after 20+ years of their ascendancy to power in various branches of government. Their moves are well known to Democrat's and likewise the Democrat's moves in opposition are well known to Neocons-con's. So far President Obama has confounded both traditional sets of moves by developing a third set of moves unknown to both parties. He has removed the comfort of ritualized, well known game-play. Obama's latest deal making regarding the budget is being decried as 'caving' on the tax cuts. An op-ed on another blog or TV pundit said that this was a serious mistake because it played into the tactics that the Neocons have been using for years. That an early concession was always met with resistance and the initial concession then became the threshold for even further demands. This is accurate as long as the method of tactical moves remains 'conventional'. It no longer is IMO. Obama is a counter-puncher. He sets up a situation by playing to a conventional scenario and then uses it to his advantage to deliver a stronger punch; his opposer's strength can become their weakness. Instead of starting low and negotiating upwards Obama started high and did so quickly. His op poser's see it as weakness or inexperience but it's not. By responding typically, they have have cast themselves as obstructionists and full responsibility for any delay is theirs. Obama spoke today and was not conciliatory, he was serious in tone and speech affect and said this was not a time for delay. He did not respond to McCain and Boehner is a conventional way. All he or his surrogates need to start doing now is to make it clear that further delay of the American Economic Recovery Act for the purpose of continuing and expanding Bush's tax policies is insulting after those policies were repudiated by voters less than 90 days ago.
--------- "He's making some scary appointments" He's consolidating his revolution as early as possible. He is reorganizing the nature of the power structure without regard to Party loyalty or personal loyalty. It will be comprised of those people that can be most effectively used. Obama has appointed natural allies to trusted positions because they love the work, are moving in the same direction he is anyway and are going to be easy to deal with. Obama has appointed holdovers that were neutrals or dissidents because they fall easily into the natural ally column and already had a network of other neutrals / dissidents built up in order to do their job. One knows and cares for ones own as a matter of survival. Their network will be useful to circumvent the Bush bureaucracy that is left at the lower levels. These are people hired for career positions of high authority (Senior Executive Service positions) by Bush appointees. Obama is appointing 'enemy' holdovers to high positions because he knows that they sold their soul and knowingly broke the law for a couple of dicks like Bush and Cheney. These appointee's need the President's cover. They are not motivated by morality. They will do anything the President asks to get what they need. He knows, they know, everybody knows. We want them in jail but they can actually be more useful in the Administration if they're used right.
---------- "I want him to do well. I'm on his ass because I want it so much" Exactly. I've got a shortcut to the new White House site and written a couple of 'questions' already but prior to him actually taking office. I still e-mail the Senate and House, my representatives and Committee heads and members. Obama's minions are looking for ways to keep us engaged because we are the key to his/our power; power is success. If we drift away the momentum stops. The Administration wants us to call the recalcitrant Democrats and Republicans and raise hell just like we did with the stimulus package and Telecom immunity. And we need to follow up those calls with calls to, now, the White House whenever that's appropriate. I'm holding off on the White House because I don't know if the President is doing right by me or not and he's surprised and confounded me routinely so I'm giving him breathing room. Clever bastard probably planned it that way
COMMENT #18 [Permalink]
... david baker said on 1/27/2009 @ 5:35 am PT...
If I WAS A DEMON AND I DIDNT THINK I HAD A SOUL TO KEEP ANYMORE AND I DID NOT THINK ABOUT ETERNAL LIFE AND THINGS AS BAD AS BEING IN HELL I WOULD SEE TO IT SOME HOW TO WASTE THIS GUY ALONG WITH OTHER BUSH HELPERS WITH MANY OF THE BUSH FAMILY AS THEY ARE DEMONS ALL OF THEM AND WE NEEED TO BE SURE NO MORE BUSH FAMILY WILL BE ENTERING INTO POLITICS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
THIS ERA OF HISTORY HAS DONE MORE DAMAGE TO OUR COUNTRY HERITAGE AND WELL BEING THAN ANY ADMINISTRATION EVER HAS ACCOMPLISHED. BUSH , CHENEY, RUMSFIELD AND OTHERS WHO STARTED THIS WAR IN IRAG SHOULD BE GIVEN A SHORT TRAIL AND THE FACTS LAYED OUT AND THEN CONVICTED AND EXECUTED USING A FIRING SQUAD AS THEY DO IN MANY COUNTRIES.
COMMENT #19 [Permalink]
... Michael Dean said on 1/27/2009 @ 6:54 am PT...
http://collindemsnews.bl...al-holder-threat-to.html [ed note: Michael, please read our commenting rules. No copy and pastes of whole articles. Thank you. --99]
COMMENT #20 [Permalink]
... BoRi said on 1/27/2009 @ 7:10 am PT...
Chairman John Conyers needs to talk to the Justice Department about offering a plea bargain to Jack Abramoff, R.R., G.N., M.S., and T.R. who used Indian casinos money to fuel Bush's Lieutenant Karl Rove political Hit Program. The scheme involved Bush appointing willing candidates, a major publishing company, money launderings, and tens of millions of Dollars. Some victims still don't have the slightest idea. Siegelman has been in Rove’s sights for over two decades, because he has not been easy to squash. He is very much like Joseph; God is with him. Watch what I say, Siegelman will be restored to a position greater than he ever had. I'm not going to speculate what God has in mind for those who conspired against him.
COMMENT #21 [Permalink]
... FARTO DAS MENTIRAS said on 1/27/2009 @ 9:02 am PT...
PLEASE DON´T CLOSE GUANTANAMO,
THIS WOULD BE A PERFECT PLACE TO PUT ALL THOSE CREEPS FROM THE BUSH ADMIN..THE LIARS, THIEVES, CRIMINAL TRAITORS.
MOST OF CONGRESS COULD FIT INTO THOSE BEAUTIFUL ORANGE SUITS....AS FOR THEIR ZIONIST/DOUBLE CITIZEN WAR CRIMINAL MASTERS, WATERBOARDING SHOULD NOT BE OFF THE TABLE!!!
COMMENT #22 [Permalink]
... Beau said on 1/27/2009 @ 9:58 am PT...
Just look at Rove's face. He clearly is a pig. Years of acting like a pig left their impression in his look.
COMMENT #23 [Permalink]
... NYCartist said on 1/27/2009 @ 10:17 am PT...
Add one more to the comments that say, which I reduce to the one word made so famous by former VP Cheney, "So?".
COMMENT #24 [Permalink]
... Phil said on 1/27/2009 @ 10:40 am PT...
5000 FBI agents can't bring Karl Rove in.
COMMENT #25 [Permalink]
... disillusioned said on 1/27/2009 @ 10:57 am PT...
Does anyone else ever get struck by the physical resemblence of Karl Rove and Rush L.? Anyway I don't really care so much if bush and cheney are strung up or executed for warcrimes or face life imprisonment, etc. However, I DO feel strongly that Rove is the single most damaging influence for the good of the United States to have hit this country in a generation. Rove needs to go to prison at the minimum, and if his actions can be construed as treasonous (because effectively he was trying to overthrow the US government by illegal means), he should be one of the few (the first?) person to be put to death under the treason clause. I'm highly skeptical Conyers has the backbone to follow through with the arrest after Rove ignores his subpoena.
COMMENT #26 [Permalink]
... Agent 99 said on 1/27/2009 @ 12:10 pm PT...
Lotta He's consolidating his revolution as early as possible. He is reorganizing the nature of the power structure without regard to Party loyalty or personal loyalty. It will be comprised of those people that can be most effectively used. This assumes he can control these people effectively and he's chosen some of the least controllable people there are. Rahm Emanuel will have absolutely NO compunction about eating him for breakfast if he doesn't toe the line on a bunch of issues, foremost among them the further enrichment and empowerment of Israel, and Rahmbo doesn't have a thing to lose by torpedoing Obama. Hillary will give him the Medal of Freedom in 2013 if he does. The old "friends close and enemies closer" chestnut is good counsel for gladiators. Obama is a one-man charm offensive and you can't charm people like Rahm Emanuel and Hillary Clinton. They are political Caligulas. Obama fucked up badly by alienating Howard Dean, and he better be going to the gym every day because he's going to get beaten to a bloody pulp if he can't turn into Mohammad Ali really fast. I really want to think he's got the balls, heart, and brains to deal with this stuff, but that's just it! I want to think that. Objective assessments don't bear out what I want to think. There really is some truth to the campaign tactics used against him. He is extremely short on substance, and very long on charisma. Is his brain only going to out-charismaticking everyone involved in the issues he has to face? That is so not going to cut it! Here, watch him doing his campaign bit to al-Arabiya via CNN. That's a damn modified for Muslims campaign speech. It's taking the myth of al-Qa'eda, "The Toilet", and that OBL is still alive, and turning it into a basis for sounding smart and tough. It's promising to go to them and charm their pants off to get back their good will. He fucking made his first call as POTUS to Abu Mazen, the NOT president of Palestine who is very clearly selling his own people down the river, and has made it clear that he's not going to deal with the elected body of the Palestinian government; to wit: Hamas. He's virtually indistinguishable from * on the Israel/Palestine question, even as you know Jimmy Carter has to have impressed upon him that Hamas is the genuinely elected government of Palestine. So, anyway, as I say, he's made some terrifying choices and is not doing such a great job in his first week. Every time I hear him, he still seems more to be on the campaign trail than anything else. He's made for soaring oration, but he's not showing me any statesmanship. He didn't in the Senate and I am scared to death he won't in the White House either.
COMMENT #27 [Permalink]
... Nunyabiz said on 1/27/2009 @ 12:13 pm PT...
Assuming Rove even shows up which is doubtful all it will be is a dog & pony show.
One or 2 people (probably only Kucinich) may ask a decent question, Rove will LIE there will be no follow up questions and rove will stand up flip them the bird and stroll out.
Hell even if Rove admitted to everything the seriously inept Democratic congress will do absolutely nothing anyway so why bother? If anything this will only close the book on the crimes committed by these fascist. Better to keep this pathetic congress out of it completely and let the private sector handle this. Get Vincent Bugliosi on his a$$ and I bet Rove sings like a canary with his tail feathers on fire. Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/w...W8bk&feature=related Part 2. http://www.youtube.com/w...h?v=THlq3dOeIHI&NR=1 Part 3. http://www.youtube.com/w...ij24&feature=related Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/w...e6bk&feature=related Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/w...oFvU&feature=related Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/w...B6ag&feature=related
COMMENT #28 [Permalink]
... NewConstitutionalConvention said on 1/27/2009 @ 1:40 pm PT...
Nunyabiz@ 27 said
Better to keep this pathetic congress out of it completely and let the private sector handle this. How 'bout a website/fund where people could donate $$$ towards a bounty for these war criminals. Yeah, a bounty to turn them into the Hague for a tribunal, similar to the bounties that Sadam and Noriega had put on them. Once it gets to $100,000,000, (maybe less) I'd bet there would be some blackwater types out there looking to cash in. Money is tight right now, but I got at least $5 on it.
COMMENT #29 [Permalink]
... Michael Dean said on 1/27/2009 @ 3:53 pm PT...
COMMENT #19 - 99 On the copy and paste comment - I know - the full posting I wrote on my blog repeated the main post info so I copied parts of my blog's post over as a comment. Plus, I didn't want to jump Brad's readers off his site. Sorry - won't do that again... And, thanks for the link over to my blog...
COMMENT #30 [Permalink]
... Agent 99 said on 1/27/2009 @ 4:00 pm PT...
Yer welcome.
COMMENT #31 [Permalink]
... dogismyth said on 1/27/2009 @ 7:21 pm PT...
are you kidding me???? Conyers is a FAKE, a liar and a treasonous bastard. How many subpoenas did he issue last year, and the year before?? Where did that get us?? No where. Conyers is a crook, who NEVER gets anything done. he just ACTS like he is doing something FOR THE PEOPLE. FUCH him, and you who support such criminals!
COMMENT #32 [Permalink]
... Disillusioned said on 1/28/2009 @ 9:02 am PT...
Oops I think my less than sign messed up the format. [ed note: Seems like it, and when that happens, unfortunately, it makes the software drop everything after it, so I can't retrieve it for you, sorry. --99]
COMMENT #33 [Permalink]
... Chandidevi said on 1/28/2009 @ 9:27 am PT...
The problem with Conyers is he makes a lot of noise and then doesn't follow through. In the 2004 election, Conyers was supposedly going to subpoena Kent Blackwell, SOS of Ohio. Nothing ever happened. It will be interesting to see if he follows through on this.
COMMENT #34 [Permalink]
... Lottakatz said on 1/28/2009 @ 4:00 pm PT...
"They are political Caligulas." True, as are they all. There is no historical name/reference that is too horrific to apply to a skilled, long time politician (as a class) and they ALL scare me. Emanuells' close ties are a worry because any solution based on anything but what will work toward justice for all parties is morally repugnant. He is by no means the only staunchly pro-Zionist in a powerful position. If there are religiously extremist countries in the ME with a nuclear arsenal you want one tied to you. all President's will have a strong Pro-Israeli position. I think that's where we are now. I know the plutonium for some of their arsenal 'came from' South Africa but I don't know that it was proved that it came from the US THROUGH SoA. Wouldn't doubt it a minute. I stopped being a Zionist when I got old enough (about 12) to realize that they weren't given flat, empty desert by the British and Allies after WWII. Whoever in Egypt gave the go-ahead for the first war was an idiot IMO because it gave the Israelis an opportunity to put in place the religious/imperial policy that no one in the West was prepared to stop or speak against at that time; which kind of brings us to where we are today and speaks to (in a way) your stated concern above. The sky raining WP is a war crime under any condition IMO and so is a disproportionate response. So is stealing some ones /homeland country a bite at a time because you can. Lot's of luck (to us sane people) with getting any that prosecuted. Bah! "Abu Mazen..." The dismissal of the coalition government that included Hamas was stupid in the extreme and led directly to Hamas gaining the governent. Between Bush and Mazen calling for elections how could the depth of cr+p not rise neck deep? Thanks guy's, the world needed that complication. I knew what would happen and I know you did also 99. Yes, calling him was an insult; he's looking for 'moderates' to talk to IMO. Wasn't a female Israeli politician that wants to halt and roll back the settlements (and who has aspirations to the Prime Minister position also invited to Washington? I could be/am probably wrong about that- I didn't pay much attention to her name and couldn't find her on Google when I looked. Ti*** something. Didn't know the correct spelling.
COMMENT #35 [Permalink]
... Lottakatz said on 1/28/2009 @ 4:04 pm PT...
My bad. I swear I will never get off on an obsessive response and paste it again. EVER. Swear. But I still have to type my responses in UltraEdit cause a short response takes 10 or more minutes (I never learned touch typing) and i need a spell check program. If I didn't spell check, my comments would be EVEN MORE unintelligible and I'd be banned from this Blog entirely. Srsly. My bad.
COMMENT #36 [Permalink]
... Agent 99 said on 1/28/2009 @ 5:29 pm PT...
Tzipi Livni. She is a war criminal. She is an exterminator of babies. She is a rabid exterminator of babies, and by many reports this is the popular stance within the Israeli electorate... which is meaningful to her party at this time because their election is a week away. Calling Abu Mazen first of anyone, let alone at all, was unforgivable, even if we want Obama to press ahead and do better. I won't ever forget that he did that, even if he manages to earn a measure of forgiveness down the road. He is under pressure as no new president in history has ever been, so I do try to take that into account, but he is also, or should be, one of the best-informed new presidents in history and some of the screw ups are outright no brainers for people of good will. I know he has other shit to consider than just good will, but he is making plenty of seriously disappointing and extremely consequential decisions, no matter what the pressures, even if understandable when the consequences aren't so dire. DON'T go obsessively pro-Obama. It will blind you. It will help give him room to underperform and wuss out on vital stuff. You are only his friend if you keep the pressure on him to live up to his promises of change. Already he's installing a solidly mainstream DC administration and insisting that he, himself is the change he meant. Hubris, Lotta, that's called hubris. You don't want it leading to nemesis? You be careful about cutting him slack. For him. For you. For all of us. All of us in the world.
COMMENT #37 [Permalink]
... stoneveneer said on 2/1/2009 @ 7:21 am PT...
Seems like the Dems might be developing a modicum of backbone these days. We'll see if this is just more bluster or if they actually put some teeth behind it this time...
COMMENT #38 [Permalink]
... stoneveneer said on 2/1/2009 @ 7:22 am PT... |
Number of foreigners claiming UK benefits leaps 41% in 5 years: More than 400,000 now handed payouts that cost taxpayers billions each year
Rise fuelled by four-fold increase in benefit claims by Eastern Europeans
Biggest number of individual claimants were from Asia and the Middle East
Over five years total number of benefit claimants is up by more than 700,000
Benefit claims by foreign nationals have increased by more than 40 per cent in the past five years, official figures show.
The astonishing increase has taken the number of non-Britons in receipt of benefits over 400,000 for the first time.
It means they are costing taxpayers billions of pounds a year.
Handouts: Benefit claims by foreign nationals have increased by more than 40 per cent in the past five years, taking the total number of non-British claimants to over 400,000, official figures show
The rise has been fuelled by a four-fold increase in benefit claims by Eastern Europeans, and sharp rises among African claimants.
The disclosure will lead to renewed debate about access to benefits by immigrants and concerns about benefit tourism.
It comes amid rising fears about the potential impact of tens of thousands of Romanians and Bulgarians who could come to Britain from January next year when restrictions on work and benefit claims must be dropped under an EU deadline.
The figures, released by the Department for Work and Pensions under the Freedom of Information Act, show a total of 406,900 non-UK nationals were claiming work-related benefits such as jobseekers’ allowance, incapacity benefit and disability living allowance in the year to February 2012. That is an increase of 41 per cent since 2008, when the total stood at 288,720.
A breakdown by continent showed the biggest number of individual claimants were from Asia and the Middle East. Their numbers increased by a third from 99,000 to 132,000 over the five years.
African nationals were the next biggest group. Their numbers went from just over 77,000 to more than 100,000 in five years.
But the biggest increases in benefit claims were among citizens of the accession countries – those former Eastern Bloc nations that joined the EU in 2004. From May 2011 Britain was forced to drop rules restricting benefits to these nationals and their numbers shot up from 28,000 in February that year to nearly 50,000 last year. The number of claimants stood at just 12,600 in 2008.
There were also a significant number of claimants from core EU countries such as France and Germany, which rose to 66,000 in 2012.
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the MigrationWatch think tank, described the figures as ‘very striking’ and noted that they did not include other benefits for which most Eastern Europeans, being low paid, would qualify.
'Very striking': Sir Andrew Green, chairman of MigrationWatch, noted that the figures did not include benefits for which the low paid qualify
Over the five years, the total number of benefit claimants, including Britons, has increased from 5.17million to 5.88million. There was 12 per cent rise among Britons.
The foreign nationals in the figures will include migrants who came here to work, study or join their families.
Ministers say it is impossible to predict how many Romanians and Bulgarians will come to Britain in January and have repeatedly refused to put out an official estimate, but MigrationWatch estimates the figure could be 50,000.
Even the countries’ ambassadors predict that it could be around 35,000.
Ministers fear a repeat of the 2004 debacle when the influx from the accession countries was grossly underestimated.
It is unclear how many of the 400,000 foreign claimants will be illegal migrants but previous analysis has suggested that up to two per cent could be in Britain illegally.
A DWP spokesman said it was tightening the rules ‘to ensure genuine workers and jobseekers get support, but not people who come to this country to take advantage’. |
Beijing has made an official complaint to the US following the controversial phone call between president-elect Donald Trump and Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen that upended decades of diplomatic protocol, according to China’s foreign ministry.
In a statement issued today (link in Chinese), Geng Shuang, a ministry spokesperson, said that Beijing has “lodged solemn representations” with the US over the matter, which is akin to lodging a formal complaint:
We have noted the relevant reports and lodged solemn representations with the US’s relevant parties. It must be pointed out that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing China. This is a fact that is generally recognized by the international community. The “One China” principle is the political foundation of Sino-US relations. We urge the US’s relevant parties to abide by the commitment to the “One China” policy and the three Sino-US joint communiqués, and carefully, appropriately deal with Taiwan-related issues to avoid unnecessary interference in Sino-US relations.
Yesterday, Trump accepted a congratulatory call from Taiwan’s Tsai. According to accounts of the call, he discussed strengthening bilateral ties with the island as well as increasing Taiwan’s international influence.
Taiwan has been self-governed since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, but China views it a renegade province. Since the US recognized the Communist government in Beijing as China’s seat in 1979, no US president, or president-elect, has spoken directly to their Taiwan counterpart, at least publicly.
After Trump’s call, the White House said in a statement that its “One China” policy is unchanged. Earlier, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi said in an interview that the call was a “little trick” by Taiwan played on Trump. |
For his Oscar-winning role in Dallas Buyers Club, Jared Leto lost 30 pounds, shaved his entire body, and refused to break character while filming the drama. And for his follow-up role in the upcoming Suicide Squad, Leto reportedly took his transformation into the iconic super-villain The Joker just as seriously.
In a new interview, Leto’s co-star Will Smith, who plays Deadshot, reveals that Leto completely disappeared into his character so much so that Smith still doesn’t know what Leto, the actor, is like in real life.
“[Suicide Squad] is insane,” Smith said in a Beats 1 interview Monday (via Complex). “I’ve never actually met Jared Leto. We worked together for six months and we’ve never exchanged a word outside of ‘Action!’ and ‘Cut!’ I literally have not met him yet. So, the first time I see him will be ‘Hey, Jared. What’s up?’ He was all in on the Joker.”
This summer, Leto and Smith’s Suicide Squad cast mate Adam Beach, who plays Slipknot, revealed that Leto sent out gifts in character as well.
“He sent [Margot Robbie] a nice love letter with a black box with a rat in it—a live rat,” Beach told E!. “It was beautiful. Then he sent bullets to Will [Smith] with a letter.”
According to Beach, Leto also sent the cast a video and a “dead hog.” Beach explained of the cryptic gestures, “Basically, what he said was, ‘Guys, I can’t be there but I want you to know I’m doing my work as hard as you guys. . . . The video he showed is in character. It blew our minds away. Then we realized that day, this is real.”
Leto isn’t the first character to disappear into the role of The Joker. While filming The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger kept a diary of the character. Ledger’s father, Kim, has since revealed, “He pretty well locked himself up in a hotel, in his apartment, for a month or so, to sort of galvanize the upcoming character in his own mind. . . . That was typical of Heath on any movie. He would certainly immerse himself in the upcoming character. I think this was just a whole new level.”
Ledger was awarded a posthumous Oscar for his chilling performance. Take a sneak peek at Leto’s Joker below in the Suicide Squad trailer.
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Old people aren't good at voting. I don't simply mean that they don't vote like I do, or I would also say that old people are bad at watching TV, picking restaurants and gauging my interest in stories about their friends' children.
No, old people vote shortsightedly, choosing the least progressive outcome. In surveys in the U.S. and the U.K., people over 65 — compared with people under 30 — were nearly twice as likely to be against gay marriage; twice as likely to be pro-Brexit; half as likely to support legalization of marijuana; nearly five times less likely to want to spend money on education; 60% more likely to vote for Donald Trump; and nearly 50% more likely to say immigrants have a negative impact on society, despite the fact that they are being wheeled around by them. Whether these figures are accurate is irrelevant, since old people are so bad at Googling.
Their poor choices were always a problem, but it's become far more acute now that there are so many of them. The over-65 generation does not accurately represent our country, because they are overwhelmingly white and actually vote. So, unfortunately, we're going to have to bar them from voting.
When I ran this idea by my 76-year-old father, he partly agreed. "If a 90-year-old has what you can define as dementia, you can test for it," he said. I explained that I was thinking more of 76. I also explained that the problem wasn't that seniors forget things as much as they remember the world of 60 years ago and want to reproduce it. But one challenge of arguing with older people is that because of all the cable-news watching and Founding Father — book reading, they know more. My dad mentioned stare decisis, using Edmund Burke's argument that society is so complex that radical change often has horrible unintended negative consequences such as Napoleon, communism and that horrible rap music.
He also argued that experts are often wrong: In 1980, pundits thought a movie star shouldn't be President; during the Great Recession, economists were sure the Fed's expansionary monetary policy would lead to inflation. "We might think that the England they voted for isn't going to do very well in the world. But we don't know that," he said. And said. And said.
Looking for a counterargument, I called Jason Brennan, a Georgetown philosophy professor whose new book is titled Against Democracy. He said my antidemocratic idea was worth investigating as it might lead to a better result. We should pick the best people to vote and take emotion out of the process. "If you go back 300 years, there's this idea that kings are majestic and the rest of us are not," he said. "We didn't equalize it by taking kings down. We said everyone has majesty. I think that's silly. We should think of voting rights as plumbing licenses." This made sense to me, since I would not want a really old guy working on my sewer pipes.
When I explained this idea to my mom, she quickly moved through the five stages of grief over a Hypothetical Situation That Was Clearly Made Up for a Column and Will Never Happen. "Whoa! What?" she said, before proceeding to "Most of the older people I know are more progressive than the younger people I know" and then "That's very anti-American!" She then tried "Take it away from very young people" before finally landing on "That's so sad and depressing. It would feel like being sent to pasture." I'm not sure how sprightly she thinks she is, but walking around a meadow sounds like a way more active lifestyle than watching MSNBC and playing Drop7 on her iPhone.
My mom had a point about her being politically active and progressive, since during my last visit she not only opened the door for a guy asking for signatures for a petition against building on New Jersey's majestic rivers but also invited him in, gave him a beer and wrote him a check for $40, which I thought was hilarious until she added, "Your wife gave him $20."
Admittedly, a law barring old people from voting might not make it past the Supreme Court, since some of the Justices are very, very old and the 26th Amendment is very clear. And I can't take something away from my mom that she enjoys so much, except that Drop7 game, which would be ironic, since she spent so much of my teenage years telling me to stop playing video games and go outside. Though it might not be the worst thing if we switched the election date and announced it only on Snapchat. |
Allen West still trying to overturn this election.
Allen West still trying to overturn this election.
Shortly after the hearing was rescheduled, an attorney for Murphy filed court papers seeking to intervene in the court case. According to Murphy’s attorney, Gerald Richman, the court papers filed by West’s attorneys were riddled with errors, including failing to name a defendant and how West would be “irreparably” harmed if the ballots and machines were not impounded. Ken Spillias, attorney for [Palm Beach Supervisor of Elections Susan] Bucher, filed court papers saying West’s “invitation for judicial intervention in the middle of an election is nothing short of an invitation to chaos.”
Rep. Allen West's first hearing in his bid to undo the democratic process and overturn Patrick Murphy's win was rescheduled from yesterday afternoon to today. West, in his usual belligerent way, is refusing to accept his loss and is trying to intimidate election officials both in and out of court Chaos seems to be what West is trying to achieve. He's got his ex-cop and ex-military buddies from the Enforces motorcycle club he belongs to observing the counting of outstanding absentee and military ballots, which seems like a clear effort to bully elections officials.
It's possible that this judge laughs West out of court. But West will still keep pushing in the courts, and there's another pending hearing in St. Lucie County, where West also lost big but refuses to accept the losses. Which means that Patrick Murphy will still have big legal bills to protect his win. We can help.
Please chip in $3 to help Patrick Murphy fight this legal battle.
This initial hearing didn't go well for West:
UPDATE: Judge denies Congressman Allen West's request for an injunction to impound voting machines and ballots in Palm Beach County.
Don't expect West to stop the fight in Palm Beach County with this decision. And don't forget that there's still a hearing pending in St. Lucie County. While it's a setback for West, he's not going to go away quietly. Or cheaply. |
Story highlights The wall must be impossible to climb without a ladder and resist attempts to penetrate through or under it
Bidders have about two weeks to develop and submit their plans
Washington (CNN) It should be tall, climb-resistant, difficult to penetrate and blend into the landscape.
Those are among the requirements for the US-Mexico border wall released by the federal government late Friday, kicking off a bidding process that will lead to one of the largest government construction projects in US history.
"The wall design shall be physically imposing in height," Customs and Border Protection outlined in the notice for contractors. That means 30 feet tall, although the officials wrote that "designs with heights of at least 18 feet may be acceptable."
The wall must also be impossible to climb without a ladder, and should make it difficult to use "common and more sophisticated climbing aids," like grappling hooks.
In addition, the wall must resist attempts to penetrate through or under it. The request specifically mentions it must successfully endure for at least 30 minutes -- but ideally more than four hours -- attempts to bore through it with a "sledgehammer, car jack, pick axe, chisel, battery operated impact tools, battery operated cutting tools, Oxy/acetylene torch or other similar hand-held tools."
Read More |
Written by: Jesse Squires
Welcome back to the weekly! I took a much needed break last week, so I’ll try to report on the last two weeks today. As always, if I missed anything, send a pull request!
Xcode 8 beta 6 was released this week. It’s a huge update from the previous beta, containing a number of completed swift-evolution proposals.
Generally speaking, it looks like the Core Team is still in the process of fixing, refining, and finishing Swift 3. There’s little to no activity on GitHub or the mailing lists about Swift 4 yet — aside from Chris Lattner’s original email and some initial minor discussions. In fact, if you look at the swift-evolution archives since Ted Kremenek’s “end of Swift 3” announcement, the past few weeks have had substantially fewer messages than previous weeks — roughly 100-300 instead of 500-1,000 messages.
I’m definitely looking forward to a calmer Swift development cycle that focuses more on stability and reducing churn for users — and so far it seems like Swift 4 will do just that! 😄
Starter tasks
SR-2354: [Compiler] inout parameter in subscript gives the wrong error message
parameter in subscript gives the wrong error message SR-2145: [Compiler] Incorrect fix-it application when correcting optionals as booleans in a ternary in a lazy-var initializer
SR-2083: [SwiftPM] Don’t error if a directory contains only ignored files
Submit a task by sending a pull request or opening an issue.
Commits and pull requests
Paul Meng merged changes to swift/sema to continue the work on SE-0110.
Daniel Dunbar implemented proposal SE-0135. (See below)
Jordan Rose fixed an issue to allow Any as an IBAction ’s sender and an IBOutlet ’s type.
Joe Groff fixed a SILGen and IRGen bug that caused crashes and linker errors when Objective-C generic classes conformed to Swift protocols.
Accepted proposals
SE-0135: Package Manager Support for Differentiating Packages by Swift version by Anders Bertelrud was accepted.
There was little feedback on the proposal, in particular relative to the complexity of the proposal and space of possible things we could do. We found this unfortunate, but are still accepting the proposal for the following reasons: Since we cannot anticipate in advance how widely or for how long the Swift 3.0 package manager will be used, we feel it is important to have some escape hatch for Swift/SwiftPM version specific dependency selection. The proposal is purely additive and intended to only be a short term mechanism. If it turns out to never be needed, or not suffice for the purpose for which it was designed, then we can remove it in a future release with little overhead.
SE-0137: Avoiding Lock-In to Legacy Protocol Designs by Dave Abrahams and Dmitri Gribenko was reviewed and accepted.
Community feedback to this proposal was light but positive. The core team agrees that the proposal is a reasonable change to make for Swift 3, even at this late date. Thanks go to Dave Abrahams for pushing to get this into the release.
SE-0137 Proposal summary:
We propose to deprecate or move protocols that shouldn’t be a part of the standard library’s public API going forward. We’ve always known that when Swift reached ABI stability (now slated for Swift 4), we would be committed to supporting many of the standard library’s design decisions for years to come. We only realized very recently that, although Swift 3.0 is not shipping with a stable ABI, the promise that Swift 3.0 code will work with Swift 4.0 means that many of the standard library’s protocols will be locked down now. Especially where these protocols show up in refinement hierarchies, we won’t be able to keep Swift 3 code working in the future without carrying them forward into future standard library binaries.
Mailing lists
Ivan Akulov announced that they have translated The Swift Programming Language book into Russian! There’s also a repo on GitHub where you can report issues. 😎
On the LLVM-dev list, Doug Gregor announced a job opening for a Swift frontend compiler engineer. 🤓
Finally
And finally — what were your #FirstSevenLanguages? 😂 |
Until recently the battle to avert catastrophic climate change – floods, droughts, famine, mass migrations – seemed to be lost. But with the tipping point just years away, the tide is finally turning, thanks to innovations ranging from cheap renewables to lab-grown meat and electric airplanes
‘Everybody gets paralysed by bad news because they feel helpless,” says Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief who delivered the landmark Paris climate change agreement. “It is so in our personal lives, in our national lives and in our planetary life.”
But it is becoming increasingly clear that it does not need to be all bad news: a series of fast-moving global megatrends, spurred by trillion-dollar investments, indicates that humanity might be able to avert the worst impacts of global warming. From trends already at full steam, including renewable energy, to those just now hitting the big time, such as mass-market electric cars, to those just emerging, such as plant-based alternatives to meat, these trends show that greenhouse gas emissions can be halted.
“If we were seeing linear progress, I would say good, but we’re not going to make it in time,” says Figueres, now the convener of the Mission 2020 initiative, which warns that the world has only three years to get carbon emissions on a downward curve and on the way to beating global warming. “But the fact is we are seeing progress that is growing exponentially, and that is what gives me the most reason for hope.”
No one is saying the battle to avert catastrophic climate change – floods, droughts, famine, mass migrations – has been won. But these megatrends show the battle has not yet been lost, and that the tide is turning in the right direction. “The important thing is to reach a healthy balance where we recognise that we are seriously challenged, because we really have only three years left to reach the tipping point,” says Figueres. “But at the same time, the fact is we are already seeing many, many positive trends.”
Michael Liebreich, the founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, agrees. “The good news is we are way better than we thought we could be. We are not going to get through this without damage. But we can avoid the worst. I am optimistic, but there is a long way to go.”
Also cautiously hopeful is climate economist Nicholas Stern at the London School of Economics. “These trends are the start of something that might be enough – the two key words are ‘start’ and ‘might’.” He says the global climate negotiations, continuing this week in Germany and aiming to implement the Paris deal, are crucial: “The acceleration embodied in the Paris agreement is going to be critical.”
THE TRENDS
1. Methane: getting to the meat
Facebook Twitter Pinterest A lab-grown burger. Photograph: David Parry/PA
Carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels is the main greenhouse gas, but methane and nitrous oxide are more potent and, unlike CO 2 , still rising. The major source is livestock farming, in particular belching cattle and their manure.
The world’s appetite for meat and dairy foods is rising as people’s incomes rise, but the simple arithmetic is that unless this is radically curbed, there is no way to beat global warming. The task looks daunting – people hate being told what to eat. However, just in the last year, a potential solution has burst on to the market: plant-based meat, which has a tiny environmental footprint.
What sounds like an oxymoron – food that looks and tastes just as good as meat or dairy products but is made from plants – has attracted heavy investment. The buzz is particularly loud in the US, where Bill Gates has backed two plant-based burger companies and Eric Schmidt, formerly CEO of Google, believes plant-based foods can make a “meaningful dent” in tackling climate change.
Perhaps even more telling is that major meat and dairy companies are now piling in with investments and acquisitions, such as the US’s biggest meat processor, Tyson, and multinational giants Danone and Nestlé. The Chinese government has just put $300m (£228m) into Israeli companies producing lab-grown meat, which could also cut emissions.
New plant-based products, from chicken to fish to cheese, are coming out every month. “We are in the nascent stage,” says Alison Rabschnuk at the US nonprofit group the Good Food Institute. “But there’s a lot of money moving into this area.”
Plant-based meat and dairy produce is not only environmentally friendly, but also healthier and avoids animal welfare concerns, but these benefits will not make them mass-market, she says: “We don’t believe that is what is going to make people eat plant-based food. We believe the products themselves need to be competitive on taste, price and convenience – the three attributes people use when choosing what to eat.”
Plant-based milks – soya, almond, oat and more – have led the way and are now about 10% of the market and a billion-dollar business in the US. But in the past year, sales of other meat and dairy substitutes have climbed 8%, with some specific lines, such as yoghurt, shooting up 55%. “I think the writing’s on the wall,” says Rabschnuk. Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson agrees. “I believe that in 30 years or so we will no longer need to kill any animals and that all meat will either be [lab] or plant-based, taste the same and also be much healthier for everyone.”
2. Renewable energy: time to shine
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Solar panel installation. Photograph: Kristian Buus/Corbis via Getty Images
The most advanced of the megatrends is the renewable energy revolution. Production costs for solar panels and wind turbines have plunged, by 90% in the past decade for solar, for example, and are continuing to fall. As a result, in many parts of the world they are already the cheapest electricity available and installation is soaring: two-thirds of all new power in 2016 was renewable.
This extraordinary growth has confounded expectations: the respected International Energy Agency’s annual projections have anticipated linear growth for solar power every year for the past decade. In reality, growth has been exponential. China is leading the surge but the impact is being felt around the world: in Germany last week there was so much wind power that customers got free electricity.
In the US, enthusiasm for green energy has not been dented by President Donald Trump committing to repeal key climate legislation: $30bn has been invested since he signed an executive order in March. “I am no longer concerned about electric power,” says Figueres.
3. King coal: dead or dying
The flipside of the renewables boom is the death spiral of coal, the filthiest of fossil fuels. Production now appears to have peaked in 2013. The speed of its demise has stunned analysts. In 2013, the IEA expected coal-burning to grow by 40% by 2040 – today it anticipates just 1%.
The cause is simple: solar and wind are cheaper. But the consequences are enormous: in pollution-choked China, there are now no provinces where new coal is needed, so the country has just mothballed plans for 151 plants. Bankruptcies have torn through the US coal industry and in the UK, where coal-burning began the industrial revolution, it has fallen from 40% of power supply to 2% in the past five years.
“Last year, I said if Asia builds what it says it is going to build, we can kiss goodbye to 2C” – the internationally agreed limit for dangerous climate change – says Liebreich. “Now we are showing coal [plans] coming down.” But he warns there is more to do.
Solar and wind are cheaper than new coal, he says, but a second tipping point is needed. That will occur when renewables are cheaper to build than running existing coal plants, meaning that the latter shut down. If renewable costs continue to fall as expected, this would happen between 2030 and 2040. At that point, says Liebrich, “Why keep digging coal out of the ground when you could just put up solar?”
4. Electric cars: in the fast lane
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Vehicles being charged at China’s leading maker of electric cars, BYD Co, in Shenzhen, China. Photograph: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Slashing oil use – a third of all global energy – is a huge challenge but a surging market for battery-powered cars is starting to bite, driven in significant part by fast-growing concerns about urban air pollution.
China, again, is leading the way. It is selling as many electric cars every month as Europe and the US combined, with many from home-grown companies such as BYD. US-based Tesla is rolling out its more affordable Model 3 and in recent months virtually all major carmakers have committed to an electric future, with Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover announcing that they will end production of pure fossil-fuelled cars within three years.
“We have a domino effect now,” says Figueres. These cars are “now being made for the mass market and that is really what is going to make the transformation”.
“I don’t think it is going to slow down,” says Viktor Irle, an analyst at EV-volumes.com. Drivers can see the direction of travel, he says, with a stream of choked cities and countries from Paris to India announcing future bans on fossil-fuelled cars.
It is true that global sales of electric cars have now achieved liftoff, quadrupling in the past three years, but they still make up only 1.25% of all new car sales. However, if current growth rates continue, as Irle expects, 80% of new cars will be electric by 2030.
The rapid rise of electric cars has left the oil giants, who have a lot to lose, playing catchup. The oil cartel Opec has increased its estimate of the number of electric cars operative in 2040 by five times in the past year alone, with the IEA, ExxonMobil and BP all bumping up their forecasts too. Heavy transport remains a challenge, but even here ships are experimenting with wind power and batteries. Short-haul electric airplanes are on the drawing board, too.
5. Batteries: lots in store
Facebook Twitter Pinterest A lithium-ion battery. Photograph: Alamy
Batteries are key to electric cars and, by storing energy for when the sun goes down or the wind stops blowing, they are also vital when it comes to enabling renewable energy to reach its full potential. Here too, a megatrend is crushing prices for lithium-ion batteries, which are down 75% over the past six years. The International Renewable Energy Agency expects further falls of 50-66% by 2030 and a massive increase in battery storage, linked to increasingly smart and efficient digital power grids. In the UK alone, government advisers say a smart grid could save bill-payers £8bn a year by 2030, as well as slashing carbon emissions.
Fears that lithium-ion, the technology that dominates today, cannot be scaled up sufficiently are overblown, argues Liebreich, as the metal is not rare. “I think lithium-ion is a banker in that you can be sure it will get cheaper and you can be sure there is enough.” He is also frustrated by frequent claims that a grid based on renewables and storage cannot be cheap and reliable: “That stupidity and absolute certainty is in inverse proportion to any knowledge of how you run an electrical system.”
It is true, however, that batteries will not be the solution for energy storage over weeks or months. For that, long-distance electricity interconnectors are being built and the storage of the energy as gas is also being explored.
6. Efficiency: negawatts over megawatts
Facebook Twitter Pinterest A zero-carbon house. Photograph: Alamy
Just as important as the greening of energy is reducing demand by boosting energy efficiency. It’s a no-brainer in climate policy, but it can be very tricky to make happen, as it requires action from millions of people.
Nonetheless, good progress is being made in places such as the EU, where efficiency in homes, transport and industry has improved by about 20% since 2000. Improving the efficiency of gadgets and appliances through better standards is surprisingly important: a new UN Environment Programme report shows it makes the biggest impact of any single action bar rolling out wind and solar power.
But again, continued progress is vital. “We need to drive energy efficiency very, very hard, even for European countries,” says Prof Kevin Anderson at the University of Manchester. “We could power down European energy use by about 40% in something like 10-15 years, just by making the most efficient appliances available the new minimum.”
In countries with cool winters, better insulation is also needed, particularly as a fossil fuel – natural gas – currently provides a lot of heating. “What is a crime is every time a building is renovated but not renovated to really high standards,” says Liebreich, who thinks labelling such homes as “zero-energy-bill” homes, not “zero-carbon” homes, would help overcome opposition.
One sector that is lagging on energy efficiency is industry, but technology to capture and bury CO2 from plants is being tested and ways to clean up cement-making are also being explored.
7. Forests: seeing the wood
The destruction of forests around the world for ranching and farming, as well as for timber, causes about 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. This is the biggest megatrend not yet pointing in the right direction: annual tree losses have roughly doubled since 2000.
This is particularly worrying as stopping deforestation and planting new trees is, in theory at least, among the cheapest and fastest ways of cutting carbon emissions. But it is not getting the support it needs, says Michael Wolosin at Forest Climate Analytics. “Climate policy is massively underfunding forests – they receive only about 2% of global climate finance.” Furthermore, the $2.3bn committed to forests by rich nations and multilateral institutions since 2010 is tiny compared with the funding for the sectors that drive deforestation. “Brazil and Indonesia’s governments alone invested $276bn in the same timeframe, in just the four key driver commodities: palm oil, soy, beef and timber,” says Franziska Haupt at Climate Focus.
In fact, new research has shown that better land management could deliver a third of all the carbon cuts the world needs, and Wolosin says there are some grounds for hope that new forests can be planted. “Achieving large-scale forestation is not just theoretical. We know we can do it because a few countries have done it successfully.”
In the past two decades, tree-planting in China, India and South Korea has removed more than 12bn tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere – three times the entire European Union’s annual emissions, Wolosin says. This action was driven by fears about flooding and food supply, meaning that global warming needs to be seen as equally urgent in this sector. Regrowing forests can also play a crucial role in sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere, which is likely to be necessary after 2050, unless very sharp cuts are made now.
The race against time
Will these megatrends move fast enough to avoid the worst of climate change? Opinions vary and Anderson is among the most hawkish. He says it remains possible for now, but is pessimistic that the action will be taken. “We’re pointing in the right direction but not moving [there]. We have to not just pursue renewables and electric vehicles and so forth, we have to actively close down the incumbent fossil fuel industry.”
Stern is cautiously optimistic, saying that what has changed in recent years is the realisation that green economic growth is the only long-term option: “There is no long-run high-carbon growth story because it creates an environment so hostile that it turns development backwards.
“There are some tremendous developments so I am very confident now we can do this, but the change, attractive as it is, has to be radical,” he says. “Will we have the political and economic understanding and commitment to get there? I hope so.” |
TOKYO (Reuters) - Nearly two-thirds of Japanese companies do not plan to hike their workers’ wages this year, a Reuters poll showed, a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s campaign for higher pay to spur a recovery and a way to end two decades of deflation.
People walk past an electronic board showing stock prices outside a brokerage at a business district in Tokyo, Japan, January 4, 2017. Picture taken on January 4, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
The Reuters Corporate Survey, conducted Jan. 4-17, also found that most wage gains over the past four years since Abe came to power have been minimal and that nearly one-quarter of firms have implemented none at all.
In each of those four years, just before labor and management kick off their annual “shunto” talks - which set the tone for broader wages - Abe has urged companies to raise wages to boost households’ purchasing power and stimulate spending.
But Japan Inc has generally resisted Abe’s plea. Although the yen has weakened recently, many companies were hurt badly by last year’s spike in the currency and are loath to commit to higher wages in the face of uncertainty amid threats about trade barriers by new U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Manufacturers’ profits may expand this year given the current yen weakening, but that could change depending on what Trump says and does,” said Hidenobu Tokuda, senior economist at Mizuho Research Institute, who reviewed the survey results.
As such, companies appear to opt to reward employees with one-off bonus payments after profits are secured, rather than promising a base pay raise.
“Without base pay rise, wage growth is unlikely to accelerate. On the other hand, prices may increase as oil prices rebound, which will curb (inflation-adjusted) real wages and hurt households’ purchasing power,” Tokuda said.
The monthly poll of 531 big and mid-size firms, in which about 240 responded, found 63 percent said they were not planning a base pay hike.
In Japan, an increase is pivotal for sustainable wage growth as the base salary accounts for the bulk of monthly wages. Base pay rises had been virtually frozen for over a decade since the early 2000s, until Abe swept to power in late 2012 with a pledge to reboot the moribund economy.
Prices as measured by core consumer inflation excluding fresh food have risen roughly 3.5 percent over the past four years. But much of that came from the 2014 sales tax hike to 8 percent from 5 percent.
But wage gains have so far been insufficient to offset higher costs of living, with real wages down 0.9 percent in 2015, sliding four straight years and undermining private consumption.
The Corporate Survey also asked companies how much they have raised wages since 2012. Some 23 percent said they have kept overall wages unchanged, while 51 percent have raised them around 0.5-1.5 percent. Only 26 percent said wages had risen by about 2 percent or more.
“We cannot afford to raise base salaries, but we have no choice but to do so given government policy,” wrote a manager of a transport equipment firm, who intends to offer a smaller raise than last year.
Managers answered on condition of anonymity in the survey, which was conducted for Reuters by Nikkei Research.
Graphic link to Corporate Survey: here |
Meryl Streep says she and other actresses are planning to make a series of "non-negotiable" demands in the wake of the sexual misconduct allegations that have rocked Hollywood, media and politics.
Streep on Thursday also called the allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein "the most gargantuan example of disrespect" permeating every industry.
She said women still don't have enough representation in leadership positions and that impacts how decisions are made. Streep said women in the entertainment industry are prepared to demand for equal representation in board rooms and other improvements to the American workplace.
"We are after 50/50 by 2020," she said to loud applause. "Equal means equal. And if it starts at the top, none of these shenanigans would have filtered down and it wouldn't have been tolerated."
Streep made the comments in a conversation with feminist icon Gloria Steinem at the Massachusetts Women's Conference in Boston.
"It's such an interesting moment, because this conversation about why this is so widespread, this is really worth having and it's fantastic," she said. "I can't help thinking it's just a door that's opening to a better world."
The 13th annual conference, which organizers say was attended by a record 16,000 people, also featured speeches from Academy Award-winning actor Viola Davis and fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.
At the two-day conference's opening night Wednesday, Steinem took a shot at President Donald Trump, calling the billionaire the "harasser in chief."
More than a dozen women have said Trump sexually assaulted or harassed them over the years. He has denied the allegations. |
Brawn was confirmed on Monday evening as managing director of the revamped F1 organisation, having been an advisor to Liberty Media in recent months.
“I’m majoring on the sporting side,” he told BBC 5 Live. “What I want to develop along with all the other stakeholders in F1, the teams, the FIA and so on, is to get a vision of where we want to be in the next few years.
"I feel and I know from experience that F1 tends to be reactive. It has a problem, it reacts and tries to find a solution, but very rarely has the vision of looking forward three-to-five years and deciding where it wants to be.
“So I think we know what fans want: they want entertainment, they want close racing, they want to be able to understand what’s going on. And I think everyone agrees on that. It’s finding the path with all the other teams and all the other people involved to achieve that.”
Brawn acknowledged that the rules, and the races, are currently too complicated.
“I think simplicity is a key objective for the future," he added. "I’ve watched F1 for the last few years as a spectator, and there are times where even I haven’t been sure what’s been going on in the race.
"And it’s a great sport, it’s a fabulous combination of the drivers and their personalities, their competition, and the cars and the whole thing. And we just need to look at it and see how we can improve the show.
“I think [the fans] want racing, and we haven’t seen too much of that. We've seen a great competition between two drivers in the same team for the last few years, and that’s no fault of Mercedes. They’ve done a fabulous job. I think the fans want racing, they want to understand what’s going on in the race.
“There’s different types of fans of course, and that’s where the complication comes. There are fans who come to the races, there’s the fans who watch TV, there’s the fans who watch through other media. It’s finding a balance between all of those requirements.
"We want the race, for instance, to be as big a show as we can make it, so when you come to a race for a weekend, you’re entertained from beginning to end.”
Silverstone too important to lose
Brawn insisted that the British Grand Prix and other traditional races will remain at the heart of the F1 calendar following Liberty Media's takeover.
“I think Silverstone is very important," said Brawn. "I think the core of F1 is the tradition.
"A lot of the new circuits are very exciting and they bring their own element to F1, but they’re in it because they want to be part of that show that includes Monaco, includes Silverstone, includes Monza, includes Hockenheim or Nurburgring.
"You’ve still got to retain those traditions to have the values of F1. All of the promoters are under pressure, and over the next period we’ve got to review all of it and see what can be done.”
Right time for F1 to move on
Speaking about Bernie Ecclestone's departure, Brawn paid tribute to F1's former boss' efforts in building up the sport - but hinted that the time had come for the championship to move on.
“He [Ecclestone] is going to be there to give us advice and be a reference if we need some extra support," Brawn said. "I think it’s the end of that era, and a different structure, a different approach for the future.
“Liberty Media, the new owners of F1, perhaps they see a different approach as being the next stage.
"Bernie is unique, the way Bernie built up F1 could never be emulated. He ruled over a unique era of F1. But he’s 86 now, and there comes a time when you move into the next phase.” |
Provision of more facts and objective information would have been of marginal significance in the Brexit vote. Michael Cunningham (University of Wolverhampton) offers his reflections on the EU referendum that point to the existence of substantial political limitations of evidence. He argues that one observes a widespread tendency among many voters to be resistant to facts challenging positions they hold. He concludes that what mattered in the vote was the fact that EU membership was a symbol of the cultural direction of the UK of which Remainers broadly approved and Leavers disliked.
A couple of days before the EU referendum in June 2016 two lorry drivers were waiting to deliver materials to a company which makes ornamental brick facings and related products near Crawley, in Sussex. The owner of the company (my brother) and the drivers started to discuss the forthcoming referendum and the drivers said they were going to vote to leave. My brother asked why and they said it was because of the `red tape’ surrounding the driving and operation of their lorries. My brother pointed out that virtually all the legislation and directives relating to this issue were domestic and had nothing to do Europe. They did not dispute his claim, which I think was correct, but said they would still vote leave because Europe did lots of things they did not like.
better or more facts would have had a marginal impact on the EU referendum
This anecdote is not to be read as a slur on lorry drivers; rather as an example of what I believe is a more widespread tendency of many voters to be resistant to facts challenging positions they hold since alternative facts can be marshalled or they can dismiss facts which challenge theirs as coming from partisan or unreliable sources. As will be indicated below, I argue that better or more ‘facts’, for which some groups called, would have had a marginal impact on the EU referendum. It is a banal but important point that all facts have to be interpreted and contextualised which makes an over-emphasis on their importance in political discourse and in the adoption of positions rather naïve. One example will be cited before I concentrate on the specific context of the referendum. The current and recent Conservative and Conservative-led coalition governments have defended their employment policy by using the fact that more people are employed in the UK than ever before. This may be true and, therefore, a ‘facts’ (and I do not think the opposition parties have disproved this claim). Quite clearly, though, this is not conclusive evidence of the success of the policy because the quality of jobs created and concerns over insecurity, ‘zero hours’ contracts and the rise of the ‘gig economy’ have been raised by critics of the government. Therefore, facts cannot in some simple manner determine the success or otherwise of this policy.
European Capital of Culture logo, (Wikipedia), licenced under Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported.
EU membership was a symbol of the cultural direction of the UK of which Remainers broadly approved and Leavers disliked
With respect to the EU referendum, there were three factors which made the political efficacy of facts and evidence even more marginal. One was the fairly extensive mistrust, and belief in the bad faith, of political opponents, the second was the issue of contingency and uncertainty and the third was the role of identity, culture and disposition in positions adopted, and sides taken, in the referendum and these will be considered in turn. One example of the first factor is the dismissal of the calculations and projections of the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) by some Brexit supporters on the grounds that the IFS was part of the ‘establishment’ or that it was biased because of its funding sources. This is despite the fact that many commentators consider the IFS to be an agency that strives for objectivity and adopts non-partisan positions. The disdain of some leading Brexit figures for ‘experts’ and the ‘establishment’ arguably created or promoted a reciprocal lack of respect for some Brexit figures by Remain supporters, particularly when the former invoked comparisons with Nazi Germany or were scaremongering about Turkish immigration. In politics more generally there may be a temptation to dismiss the claims of political opponents; however, the tone and temper of the debate were perhaps more acrimonious than is usual in British politics.
the tone and temper of the Brexit debate were more acrimonious than is usual in British politics
The second factor is that, arguably, one of the main themes of the referendum made the limitations of looking for facts and information to improve democratic debate particularly stark. Both sides were predicting how the UK would evolve and fare outside the EU and the pictures drawn were inevitably coloured by speculation, the amount of variables involved and contingencies. While some scenarios might seem more plausible than others, facts and information became even less relevant as the protagonists tried to give a vision of the UK (or possibly the UK without Scotland) ten years hence which had to factor in the responses of the USA, China, and the EU among other international actors to the UK’s departure. A moment’s reflection on the variables involved and the predictive inadequacies of economists and other social scientists reveals how little impact a recourse to facts or data will have in such an exercise. Neither of these two points is intended to support some extreme relativism or post-modern dismissal of facts; the contention is that the availability of more or better information would have been marginal to the EU campaign in either its prosecution or outcome.
those who supported Remain, disproportionately the young, the formally well-educated and residents of big cities; Leave supporters were a heterogeneous group
The third aspect of the EU referendum which raises doubts about the efficacy of increased information, data and perhaps dialogue is that some support for the two camps has been interpreted as representing two different political cultures or identities. Those who supported Remain, disproportionately the young, the formally well-educated and residents of big cities, were more supportive of a cluster of ideas around shared sovereignty, multiculturalism, cosmopolitanism and an identity that went beyond and superseded a British one. (This is pure speculation but I suspect there is a very strong correlation between voting Remain and speaking, for example, two other European languages). Leave supporters were a more heterogeneous group and encompassed both affluent, rural Conservative areas and post-industrial, working-class areas. For some Leave supporters, a more `traditional’ Britain (or more frequently, England) which embodied an arguably outmoded conception of national sovereignty and a more homogenous cultural and racial composition was the appeal. The European project was also often associated with a political elite which, for the working-class constituency, had failed to provide stable employment, affordable housing and adequate public services. Working-class support for Brexit was often interpreted by Remain supporters as a manifestation of the frustrations of those who had suffered economically in a period of de-industrialisation and globalisation. The argument is not that the material had no impact on the campaign but that a broad cultural identity and political disposition was significant. The importance of this is that the details of the workings of the EU, the possibility of institutional reform and the cost of its functioning (and debates therein) were of secondary importance. For many of the Remain and Leave supporters the details of the functioning of the EU were of marginal significance. For many Remainers the EU was a symbol of, and had a symbolic value as, a positive, inclusive, post-national, unchauvinistic form of politics whereas for many Leavers it symbolised a loss of national autonomy and British pride and caused, or coincided with, economic decline and marginalisation.
for many of the Remain and Leave supporters the details of the functioning of the EU were of marginal significance
Conclusion: the positivist illusion
The principal argument of this piece is that the provision of more facts and objective information would have been of marginal significance in the EU referendum. As it was not a contest between the parties in the manner of a general election there was no `track record’ of competence in government to be considered and debated by the electorate and, as indicated above, the debate was largely about the likely trajectory of the UK and the UK economy outside the EU. Therefore, hard data and uncontentious facts were even more sparse and marginal than in conventional political and electoral competition and discourse. Additionally, within the binary context of a referendum, EU membership was a symbol of the cultural direction of the UK of which Remainers broadly approved and Leavers disliked. Inasmuch as the contest was about disposition, culture and identity, ‘facts’ about the operation of the EU as an institution or its ‘real’ impact on the UK economy since 1973 were largely irrelevant. This is not to claim the electorate are irrational or atavistic. It is to argue, rather, that the positivist emphasis on facts, objectivity and evidence underestimates the role of emotion, ideology and identity in political affiliation and choice and overestimates the efficacy of improved and increased information.
The article gives the views of the author, not the position of LSE Brexit or the London School of Economics.
Michael Cunningham is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Wolverhampton. |
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Other cheetah sounds include purrs, bleats, barks, growls, hisses and chirps.
Many of their vacalizations are totally unlike those of any other cat.
Some are described here:
Churring: staccato growl, high-pitched
Nyam-nyam: cubs' sound when feeding
Ihn-ihn: mother's call to her young
Purring: like a house cat
Staccato purr: sound made by courting males
Bleating: like a meow - a distress call
Cheetahs can not roar. Roaring is made possible by a special two-piece hyoid bone in the throat. All of the non-roaring cats like the cheetah have a one-piece hyoid bone. Only 4 cats can roar: the lion, tiger, leopard, and jaguar.
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April 7, 2015, 12:09 PM GMT / Updated April 7, 2015, 6:41 PM GMT / Source: NBC News
A small plane crashed early Tuesday in an Illinois farm field, killing all seven people on board, including two Illinois State University athletics officials, authorities said.
The plane, a twin-engine Cessna, left Indianapolis just after midnight ET and crashed about a mile from its intended destination of Bloomington, Illinois, the McLean County Sheriff’s Office said. Bloomington is about halfway between Chicago and St. Louis.
The Chicago Tribune reported that the passengers were on their way back from the NCAA basketball championship, which was played Monday night in Indianapolis. Authorities said they could not comment on the report.
Fog may have played a role in the crash, authorities said. They did not immediately release the names of the dead.
Illinois State University President Larry H. Dietz released a statement Tuesday afternoon identifying two of the victims as members of the school's athletic department. One, Torrey Ward was an associate head coach for the men's basketball team and the married father of two. The other, Aaron Leetch, was deputy director for athletics for external operations and also had two children.
"Words cannot fully express the grief that is felt in the wake of such a tragedy," Dietz said. "We move between shock and profound sadness."
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were investigating. |
-- The New Jersey Devils will reportedly raise former defenseman Scott Niedermayer 's No. 27 to the rafters of Prudential Center at some point this season.Niedermayer, who won three Stanley Cups with the franchise and one more with the Anaheim Ducks before retiring this past offseason, was at the Honda Center on Friday night to watch the game between his two former teams. The Devils haven't confirmed the news reported originally by the Newark Star-Ledger -- it was a surprise to Niedermayer when he heard it -- but some of his former Devils teammates were excited to hear it."I think it's a great honor," said Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur , who won three Cups and two Olympic gold medals with Niedermayer as a teammate. "He's a part of what the Devils are all about, the way he played the game, the way he conducted himself. I had great experiences with him with the Devils and outside with Team Canada and he's a good friend. It's well-deserved."Niedermayer played 12 seasons with the Devils before signing as a free agent with the Ducks for the 2005-06 season. In 974 regular-season games with the Devils, Niedermayer had 112 goals and 364 assists. In 146 playoff games with New Jersey, he had 17 goals and 47 assists.Devils center Jason Arnott , who scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the Dallas Stars in Game 6 to get Niedermayer his second Cup, was happy to hear the news."The time that I played with him, unbelievable. For me, one of the best 'D' I ever played with," Arnott said. "No surprise."It's also the kind of news that makes the 36-year-old Arnott realize that time is sitting still for anyone."It's going by real quick," Arnott said with a laugh. "He's a year older than I am."Even Devils coach John MacLean , who will turn 46 next month, was playing in 1995 when Niedermayer won his first Cup in New Jersey."It's a great thing for Scotty," MacLean said. "He's a great player and a great leader." |
RBI Grade B Recruitment- Good news for all aspirants who are probing for job inpost as Reserve Bank Of India (RBI) has come up with latest recruitment notification. You all will be glad to know that finally your wait has come to end as massive number of vacancies is declared by organization. It is preferable that before moving ahead with registration process kindly visit its official notification released on.'RBI is very well known organisation in India. RBI is also known as. It was established in 1965. They conduct many exams every year on every grade like Grade A, B, C and D. Every Year many of lac of unemployed, freshers and experienced candidates may apply for these jobs but few of deserving candidates can get opportunity to get job in RBI. Please apply for this job if you are eligible.Reserve Ba… |
Nene Hilario, PF 17 MIN | 0-4 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 0 PTS | -3 +/- This series might now bode well for the Brazilian big man, and Game 1 was perhaps just the first of 4-to-7 poor showings. Nene does not match up especially well with Atlanta’s big man duo of Paul Millsap and Al Horford, who combined for 29 rebounds on Sunday, and he could be the odd man out in this matchup. The best chance he has of being offensively successful against Millsap is if he uses that nifty, big man footwork we’ve all come to know and love. He’s faster than Millsap is, and he’s surprisingly capable when he puts the ball on the floor, so while I can’t believe I’m about to type these words, maybe a Nene isolation or two would be a good idea. Nene was on the court for less than six minutes after halftime; each of the other Wizards starters got at least 16 minutes in the second half, as did Otto Porter; Drew Gooden was the only Wizard who entered the game to play fewer minutes in the second half. It was not a good outing, and there’s a pretty good chance the rest of the series will go the same way for Nene, but he’s got to be more active on offense.
Paul Pierce, SF 31 MIN | 7-15 FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 19 PTS | -4 +/- For the first time in seemingly forever, The Truth didn’t knock down any backbreaking, fourth quarter 3s in a postseason game. It hasn’t actually been that long, but can we just take yet another moment to revel in Pierce’s glory from the Toronto series? Pierce did plenty to help guide the young bucks to a W (despite at one point missing six consecutive shots), but he was one of the numerous culprits who left DeMarre Carroll wide-open on the perimeter in the first half, and Carroll beat Pierce on backdoor cuts more than once in the second half. Pierce came out hot in the first quarter, draining three shots in less than three minutes to open up the series. After the third bucket, somebody must have been using the sink elsewhere because the water in Pierce’s shower suddenly went cold. He missed open shots and contested shots, desperate to get his rhythm going again, and he picked up two early fouls in the process. He finally got back on track and finished with a modest 19 points on 15 shots, taking very few bad shots, and the threat of him getting hot again kept the Atlanta defense honest. He also drew a few double-teams early after starting so well, which opened things up for the rest of the offense.
Marcin Gortat, C 38 MIN | 5-9 FG | 2-2 FT | 12 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 12 PTS | 0 +/- I give endless credit to Marcin Gortat for his performance in Game 1, not because he played a stellar game by any stretch, but because he stuck it out. After a poor start, Gortat looked much better in the second quarter and better still in the second half. He stayed active throughout the game, both on offense and defense, something that Nene was not offering, and he kept a few possessions alive with well-directed tapouts on the glass. He loses some praise for allowing the Hawks to rack up so many offensive rebounds (16 in total), but in fairness, he was basically alone in the paint all game. With Nene essentially out of the game from the opening tip, it was up to the Polish Hammer to lock down the paint, and he gave a valiant effort. Gortat has had a tough season in some respects, but I really liked his energy level and performance after the first quarter on Sunday.
John Wall, PG 39 MIN | 8-19 FG | 2-2 FT | 7 REB | 13 AST | 1 STL | 3 BLK | 2 TO | 18 PTS | -6 +/- What a game by Colin Cowherd’s dancin’ fool. The reckless, immature, showboaty point guard who will never be an elite player led his young team to yet another road playoff win, and he did it with a bum wrist. Of course, he probably hurt the wrist dancing, not by landing on it, so it’s his own fault anyway. Shade sent Cowherd’s way aside, Wall was exceptional in this game. He made plays all over the court, he pushed the pace early and slowed it down when the train started coming off the tracks, he covered his own mistakes and those of his teammates on defense with three blocks (a game-high and two more than the rest of the Wizards combined), he took mostly good shots, and he didn’t try to force passes against a very smart Atlanta defense. Wall’s 13 assists were impressive, but he could have neared a new career high if his shooters had knocked down a few more open shots. He’s averaging a league-leading 12.6 assists per game in the post-season; Chris Paul is in second with a distant 7.9.
Bradley Beal, SG 40 MIN | 9-22 FG | 8-10 FT | 7 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 28 PTS | +8 +/- The younger half of the House of Guards was almost as impressive on Sunday, and he also played through an injury scare. (What’s a more dramatic word for scare? Terror? Consternation? Trepidation? I don’t know, but whatever it is, that’s what Beal endured.) Beal went down with a sprained right ankle with about eight minutes left in regulation, screaming in pain and pounding his fist against the hardwood. Each time his hand met the floor, another young Wizards fan burst into tears, terrified that the star 21-year-old was once again to be sidelined with a lower leg injury. Yet, taking a page out of Pierce’s playbook, Beal returned to the court after less than five minutes of game time. He didn’t take another shot after that, but the threat of him knocking down a momentum-shifting 3 kept the Hawks focused on him, which gave Wall and Porter room to operate. While he didn’t shoot especially well on Sunday afternoon, Beal improved as he went and didn’t let his misses affect his confidence, which was a problem he has struggled with in the past. To use a pair of sports cliches, it was “a real gutsy performance” by “a young man who’s just starting to find his way in this league.”
Drew Gooden, PF 14 MIN | 3-6 FG | 4-4 FT | 5 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 12 PTS | +10 +/- Every source I check says he’s 33, but I swear Big Drizzle has to be at least 50 by now. Still, the man is timeless. Gooden went 2-for-3 from deep and piled up 12 points and five boards, as well as the only block by a Wizard not named John Wall, in just 14 minutes. He also picked up four fouls in that time, which is what led to a Kevin Seraphin sighting, but we won’t fault him too much for that.
Otto Porter Jr., SF 34 MIN | 4-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 11 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 10 PTS | +11 +/- Who is this Otto Porter, and what did Randy Wittman do with the gangly kid who racked up numerous DNP-CDs this season? This postseason has been a coming-out party that Wizards fans expected more than a year ago but are still giddy for now, and The Formerly Goggled One is looking worthy of a sixth man or even starting role on a contender. He stroked 3s, fought for loose balls, and hit a nifty little floater in the first period. He also set a career high with 11 rebounds, which led to his first-ever double-double.
Kevin Seraphin, C 9 MIN | 0-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | +4 +/- Something had to give, right? Seraphin certainly wasn’t awful on Sunday, but he was easily the worst non-Brazilian Wizard on the court. It wasn’t his fault that he was in the game in the first place—with Pierce and Gooden in foul trouble for much of the game, Wittman somewhat surprisingly opted for #KSlife instead of #HumpDay. He banged bodies down low a bit, which Gortat surely appreciated, and he didn’t totally dominate the ball when it found its way to him, so some kudos are in order, but he mostly just took up space and gave other players a chance to rest. Somebody’s gotta do it, I guess. |
The “take a knee” movement crossed the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday morning as Hertha Berlin’s players and coaches kneeled before their Bundesliga soccer game against visiting Schalke in a call for “tolerance and responsibility.”
Hertha BSC stands for tolerance and responsibility! For a tolerant Berlin and an open-minded world, now and forevermore! #TakeAKnee #hahohe pic.twitter.com/spZvRSGVxQ — Hertha Berlin (@HerthaBSC_EN) October 14, 2017
Some NFL players, as well as a few other U.S. athletes, have been taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem for some time now, but Hertha Berlin is thought to be the first European soccer team to do the same. The German national anthem is not usually played before Bundesliga games and was not Saturday.
“Berlin is colorful,” the Hertha stadium announcer told the fans in attendance, according to ESPN. “Hertha BSC stands for diversity and against violence. For this reason, we are joining forces with the protest of our fellow American athletes to take a stand against discrimination. For a tolerant Berlin, both now and forevermore.”
Hertha Berlin features players from 10 nations and plays in a city with a sizable immigrant population, with nearly one in five residents being foreign nationals.
“Hertha always stands against racism. If we can fight against that as a team, and as the city of Berlin, then that’s something we want to do,” Salomon Kalou, a forward from Ivory Coast, said after the game (again per ESPN). “I think Hertha is living a good example to fight against this phenomenon. The idea comes from the whole team. We stand against racism, and we will always fight this behavior as a team, as a city.
“As Hertha we always fight against racism. For us, kneeling down is a way of fighting against this kind of behavior. It should not exist in any kind of sport. Not in NFL, and not in football or soccer, like they call it in the U.S. — it shouldn’t exist in any sport, period. For us, it’s a good example to show.”
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As a reminder, beginning tonight and throughout the spring and summer seasons, the new nighttime spectacular for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Rivers of Light, will now be shown on a nightly basis.
The show, which takes place on the Discovery River, will be performed twice nightly during this busy spring break/Easter season, from April 9 until April 22. Then, beginning April 23 and running through September 4, the show is currently scheduled to be performed once each evening.
The show begins with an awakening of fireflies that lead to a procession across the water. From there, clusters of lanterns appear as one of four beautiful animal spirit forms—the Tiger, Turtle, Elephant and Owl. Rivers of Light features song, light, color water, shaman storytellers, and more. I found the show to be beautiful. Rivers of Light lasts approximately 15 minutes.
For those looking to guarantee that they get to see the show, FastPass+ reservations are available to be made. In addition, Rivers of Light dining packages are also available at either Tiffins or at Tusker House.
For more helpful information, make sure to read up on our tips. |
SPRINGFIELD - The city is accepting bids for the demolition of eight blighted properties in various neighborhoods, the first phase of a $2 million citywide demolition program targeting business and residential sites.
The first phase includes two city-owned properties on Bay Street, taken by the city for nonpayment of taxes, that were used in the past for industrial uses including metal recycling and the storage of used automobile parts.
The demolition of the first eight properties, including advance asbestos removal, has an estimated cost of $400,000.
"All the properties are either condemned or deemed dangerous structures," said Tina Quagliato, the city's deputy director of neighborhood stabilization.
The bids are due May 6, at 2 p.m., at the city's Office of Procurement at City Hall.
The first phase includes the former Roy's Towing Used Auto Parts at 876 Bay St., and the former Cohen Bros. Metals Recycling facility at 846 Bay St.
In addition, the properties now out to bid are: 17 Sheridan Lane; 14 Dresden St.; 29 Kendall St.; 22-24 Medford St.; 124 Norfolk St.; and 399 Orange St.
Meanwhile, the city has other demolition efforts already under way including houses targeted at 59-61 Avon Place, and 15 Pine Street Court, costing $52,210 each for demolition and asbestos work. Demolition was occurring Monday at the Avon Place site and was planned this week on Pine Street Court
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the upcoming $2 million demolition program is important for removing blight from neighborhoods and for creating economic development opportunities.
"If it is a derelict property, we want to get rid of that negativity to any type of neighborhood," Sarno said.
The council approved the $2 million by unanimous vote in December, as requested by Sarno. It was part of a $5 million bond that also included funds for road construction and sidewalks.
Some of the properties are tax-foreclosed and owned by the city, and others are privately owned and being demolished by the city as allowed by court order, Quagliato said. The city attaches liens on the private properties to recover the cost of demolition.
'They are in terrible condition, I would say, overall," Quagliato said. "They are long-term blights on the neighborhoods."
The Building Department evaluates properties in various neighborhoods, and the city strives to demolish the ones in the worst shape first, she said. |
It's always more fun to be a former elected official than someone actually in office. Bill Clinton is only the highest profile example; now, Jeb Bush has taken advantage of the freedom accorded by not facing election to lay some cleverly constructed truths at the feet of assorted Bloomberg reporters and editors. He mixed mainstream-media-bait comments about how today's Republican party wouldn't welcome either Reagan (he'd be "criticized for doing the things that he did") or his father, George HW Bush (they'd both have "a hard time"), with slightly more subtle nudges to his colleagues about the calcification of party lines.
"I hope we don't all have this march" toward irreversible partisanship, he said. "If someone is a conservative or a liberal, we're sent this little book that says, 'you must not veer."'
Of course, there are such books – in the sense that there are keepers of partisan orthodoxy on either side. Whether by virtue of temperament or power structure, however, it's the GOP that, right now, seems most sensitive – or maybe, most enthusiastic – about conformist tendencies. (And I'd guess the Obama re-election team is jealous.) Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, was one of the first to jump on Bush's remarks. That's not surprising: Norquist is the martinet behind one of the more literal books of rightwing moral instruction, the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which holds the signatory to oppose "any and all" tax increases.
An astounding 95% of elected Republicans have signed Norquist's contract. I am hard-pressed to name any single policy aim that has that kind of backing on the Democratic side. In the legislature itself, Democrats have more caucuses than caucus unity. Whereas the GOP has the Republican study committee, famous for pressuring lawmakers to push a strict agenda, one that even House Republicans worry is set by outside groups more intent on ideology than moving legislation forward. Last summer, representatives staged an impromptu protest against the group's attempt to generate votes against House speaker John Boehner's debt ceiling compromise.
For a more recent example, see, well, the past year or so of the Republican presidential primaries, a race defined by its finish line on the far right. Wherever they started, by the end of their campaigns, Romney and Santorum only gave voters as their choice varying degrees of extreme: who was the hungriest for war with Iran, the least amenable to women's rights, the keenest to repeal healthcare reform, the toughest on immigration.
It's no secret that the Obama campaign hopes that this extremism, paired with a portrait of Romney-the-job-killer, will undo his opponent in the fall. The plan has many flaws, mostly having to do with the Obama team's inability to mount a positive case for their own stewardship of the economy. But there's also an underlying cognitive dissonance to the argument: to make Romney's past as a corporate hatchet man ring true, he must be painted as a cold pragmatist – and his obvious pragmatism gives his extremist rhetoric the kind of shaky foundation that might allow moderate voters to discount it.
And as president, Romney could very well negotiate the narrow-but-visible range of ideological latitude that George W Bush wiggled in. Progressives tend to forget that W disappointed many conservatives: he failed to follow through on turning social services into a "faith-based" enterprise and he practically invented what some bemoan as "big government conservatism". Traditionally, though, presidents have the luxury of defining their own course, with incumbency as the most powerful card in any re-election campaign.
On the other hand, it's no wonder that congressional representatives, low men on the Washington totem poll, are the easiest prey for anyone with a large bank account and the promise of activist involvement. They make campaign promises and, two years later, must face up to them. The difference in these post Citizens United days is that the promises aren't to constituents, they're to American Crossroads, the Club for Growth and random bored billionaires.
The power of these outside ideology police raises the question as to whether any of the polarization that has frozen Congress is for real. Is there a little Mitt in everyone who prostrates themselves for donations, their very willingness to bend their beliefs a sign that they aren't all that enthusiastic about enforcing them? We shall find out, because the mounting level of influence levied by conservative extremists has shaped a party that looks very little like America. As the leadership and pocketbooks of the GOP move right, the country has stayed mostly in the center. Republican officials have been able to believe their own funhouse mirror reflection because the money keeps working, keeps winning. Romney's own skilful manipulation of the Super Pac system could make for a victory that sustains the illusion of a relationship between the goals of the party and the goals of most Americans.
And unlike past administrations, where the president could reasonably push back on donors, the sheer amount of money involved in this election raises the question of just how more beholden Romney would be to the people who put him in office.
The Republican party rests on fault line that has been papered over with cash. Only if Romney wins, can they ignore its existence for a while longer. |
A bit of a scuffle broke out yesterday between two men inside Jintai Road Station on Beijing Metro Line 6. Fellow commuters gathered around to watch the spectacle with no one stepping forward to try to put an end to it.
Just then, a hero emerged from the crowd in the form of a young foreigner, who stepped between the two men to get them to stop their pointless dispute. For his act of heroism, the guy took a few incidental punches himself, according to NetEase.
Apparently, the impetus for the fight was that one of the men had shamelessly slid his way into the metro car ahead of other commuters patiently waiting in line. However, the carriage was too crowded, so the man was pushed back out, right into the midst of the aggrieved people he had impolitely left behind.
An eyewitness said that the fight between the two men was actually rather intense, with one of them forcing the other to the ground and grabbing his neck. Still not violent enough to cause a single soul to step in until the lone foreigner arrived on the scene. It’s all fun and games until someone gets stabbed or run over.
We haven’t seen such an inspiring act of expat heroism since one brave Beijinger took his righteous stand against cars in the bike lane.
[Images via NetEase]
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In their effort to shift austerity from tax hikes, France will cut spending for the first time in over 55 years, by $2 billion.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault confirmed on Tuesday that the French Government will decrease spending year on year. The government is facing opposition from lawmakers who claim the deficit will be higher than expected this year.
"This is the first time that we will propose to Parliament such a reduction. It is a structural effort," said Ayrualt.
The central government will cut spending in 2014 by $2 billion to avoid unpopular tax rises and quell unsustainable spending.
750 million euro will be cut from central government support and 750 million euro will be cut from ministry budgets. Ayuralt said the government’s priorities would remain unchanged: job creation, education, and housing.
Opposition lawmakers like Gilles Carrez who heads the finance commission at the national Assembly, said in an interview to Le Figaro the government would miss its targets, and that deficit in the euro zone's second-largest economy could reach 4 percent in 2013. Carrez calculated this to be €20 billion higher than anticipated.
After pledging to cut France's deficit to 3 percent this year, President Francois Hollande and the Socialist government revised their predictions and updated their deficit forecast to 3.7 percent of GDP.
Hollande has not yet been able to deliver on his promise of 0.1 percent growth, on which he campaigned a year ago.
Hollande isn’t alone. Within the 27 member eurozone, only Germany and Austria have managed to generate positive growth, the rest are left in a similar predicament as France- slow growth, high unemployment, a looming triple dip recession, and a need to somehow cut more.
To reach their budget deficit goal, France should cut the public deficit to 3.9 percent of gross domestic product this year, then 3.6 percent in 2014 and 2.8 percent in 2015.
France’s economy officially slipped back into recession in May, after it shrunk for a second consecutive quarter. The IMF has forecast the economy will shrink 0.2 percent this year, more than the 0.1 percent initially predicted.
Hollande has done all he can to appear to fight the German dictate of austerity, even auctioning off presidential vintage wines to contribute to the endangered budget.
President Hollande at first stood with Merkel on austerity, but after being met by 30,000 protestors on the first anniversary of his inauguration, among slews of other protests, he has shifted his position to resonate with public opinion.
France’s appeal to China
The President has asked China to increase investment in France, to create a balance in employment between the two countries, the head of state said at a speech at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday before members of the China Entrepreneur Club (CEC).
"There is no fear in French society," Mr. Holland assured the entrepreneurs, inviting the Chinese to up their stake in French projects, LePoint reported. Four percent of foreign investors in France are Chinese, and the CEC generates 245 billion euros a year. |
Fifty years ago this week, filming began of the original pilot for the series Star Trek. (credit: CBS/Paramount Pictures) Boldly inspiring no more
Fifty years ago this Thursday, on a series of rather decrepit soundstages in Culver City, California, Star Trek started filming its first pilot. It was rejected by NBC network execs who were nevertheless sufficiently intrigued to order a second pilot, spawning a show that lasted three seasons, went into countless repeats, and eventually led to more shows totaling over 700 episodes and a whole bunch of movies. But beyond entertaining millions, Star Trek in its various incarnations has had a profound impact on the American space program, primarily by inspiring countless people to pursue science and engineering careers, become astronauts, and even develop devices that they first encountered as props on a TV screen. But now that Star Trek’s influence is fading, what will influence and inspire future generations to work in the field of space? The pilot was high quality, almost at the level of a motion picture. When cultural critics today sneer at the show’s sets or aliens they are looking back through a lens of more than 40 years of TV production and technology. Star Trek was, of course, the brainchild of Gene Roddenberry, a former bomber pilot and police officer who had written other television shows and produced the short-lived series The Lieutenant. He pitched his science fiction idea to executives at Desilu Studios, owned by Lucille Ball, who at the time wanted to expand beyond producing only sitcoms. Star Trek was a bold leap for the studio, and despite the fact that Ball misunderstood the show at first—she thought it was about travelling movie stars—she stuck with it through cost overruns and naysayers. On November 27, 1964, the Friday after Thanksgiving, the studio started shooting the first pilot, known as “The Cage.” The pilot was expensive. It required a lot of sets that had to be custom built and costumes that had to be custom made because there wasn’t a Hollywood warehouse filled with Starfleet uniforms and alien masks. Ultimately it ran significantly over budget and schedule. According to Larry Nemecek, writing in Star Trek magazine, it took eleven days to shoot instead of the planned six. “The Cage” featured Captain Christopher Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter, commanding the starship Enterprise. Pike was brooding, angry, and tired, and at the beginning of the episode he is ready to give up his job after a disastrous mission that killed and wounded several of his crew. While investigating a distress signal from a vessel lost many years earlier, Pike is taken captive by a race of aliens that can project images into the minds of their captives which they do as a form of entertainment—perhaps an early example of Roddenberry engaging in social commentary about the medium that was paying his salary. Pike manages to defeat the aliens by demonstrating that humans would rather die than be caged, and by the end of the show he has undergone a transformation, deciding that he wants to be out exploring the stars. When Desilu producers showed the pilot to NBC executives in spring 1965 they got an unexpected reaction. The pilot was high quality, almost at the level of a motion picture. When cultural critics today sneer at the show’s sets or aliens they are looking back through a lens of more than 40 years of TV production and technology. At the time, Star Trek’s production and costume design, set construction and special effects were quite impressive, even more so when you consider that the average episode budget was not particularly high. The pilot had run way over budget—according to Nemecek, instead of the $451,503 budgeted, it cost $615,751, the equivalent of $4.73 million in 2014 dollars and a substantial investment at the time. But the NBC suits were looking for new shows and they thought Star Trek had potential. They told the studio to do something unprecedented for the time and shoot another pilot. Roddenberry went back to the drawing board, but he didn’t have to start over completely. Actor Jeffrey Hunter could not shoot the second pilot—his wife didn’t want him doing television—and so he was replaced by William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk. Shatner was more energetic and more positive, and Roddenberry wrote him as a confident, almost cocky leader who wanted to be boldly going where no man had gone before. Star Trek’s influence on the American space program and more generally science and technology has been chronicled in many places. Several astronauts have said they were inspired by the show, and some even appeared on its later incarnations. There were many other changes as well. Roddenberry had gotten pushback on two of the main characters, the Enterprise’s first officer, known only as Number One, and the Vulcan science officer, Mr. Spock. (Spock was originally supposed to be a Martian, but the producers realized that reddish makeup would make him look dark gray on black and white TV screens, so they changed the character to Vulcan and gave actor Leonard Nimoy’s skin a different hue.) Roddenberry got rid of Number One, and ended up marrying the actress who played her. He kept Spock, but it took him and Leonard Nimoy many episodes before they found the right tone for the character, whose race had been violent in the past but suppressed their emotions and pursued logic. That gave Spock an unusual appeal, particularly to female fans. Roddenberry made a number of other changes. He added a multi-ethnic cast including an Asian, a Scotsman, and an African American woman, and eventually a Russian. This was a forward-leaning move for the producer, but it was also in tune with NBC, which was encouraging greater ethnic diversity in its television shows. He also wanted the Enterprise crew to be fifty percent female, but the network was nervous that the audience would wonder about them fooling around, so he made it thirty percent female, a quarter century before the US Navy integrated its warships. Roddenberry also brightened up the show’s look. The ship’s corridors and bridge were a naval gray in the pilot, but Roddenberry had them repainted to reds and blues and other brighter colors. This too matched with another NBC initiative to appeal to people purchasing newly-available color television sets. The Peacock Network was the prettiest to look at. Star Trek had pretty good ratings, and more recently people writing about the show determined that even in its last season it was still relatively well watched and the network simply lacked the ability to track the audience demographics. But it was not until the 1970s, when the show ended up in endless reruns on syndicated television, that it took off, gathering an even larger audience and inspiring many people. Writers have generally credited the show’s appeal to its relatively positive view of the future: at a time when nuclear war was a very real possibility, Trek showed that humans would be around hundreds of years in the future and thriving. Michael Okuda, who worked on all of the Star Trek shows starting with The Next Generation as well as most of the movies, explained via email that the era in which the show aired was important to its overall impact. “In the 1960s, we feared the end was near: Nuclear annihilation. Falling dominoes and unending war in Vietnam. Racial tensions. Inflation. Overpopulation. Environmental disaster. Drugs. Distrust of The Man. (Any of those sound familiar?) One of the reasons Star Trek struck a nerve was because it was a beacon of hope.” Star Trek’s influence on the American space program and more generally science and technology has been chronicled in many places. Several astronauts have said they were inspired by the show, and some even appeared on its later incarnations. Numerous inventors and scientists have pointed to the show as the origin or encouragement for their work. One of the more amusing, and clever chronicles of this phenomenon was the 2005 documentary How William Shatner Changed the World, which included a number of interviews with people who developed everything from ion engines for spacecraft propulsion to the cell phone to medical devices. But as Michael Okuda notes, the way we view space exploration is different today. “Back in the 1960s, space exploration seemed like a real promise. A space fantasy like Star Trek seemed somehow plausible, at least in spirit, if not in detail. Today, real human exploration of space seems distant and improbable.” So what, or who, will influence the next generation of space enthusiasts? There is not, and maybe never will again be, a single powerful entertainment or event that that will positively inspire the young in large numbers. Probably the most obvious future real-world influence is likely to be Elon Musk. Musk is a unique combination of visionary, businessman, and spokesman who has become an icon himself, showing up in movies like Iron Man 2 and episodes of South Park. His most visible endeavors, SpaceX and Tesla, have garnered publicity far beyond their actual market impact. He has not quite reached Bill Gates or Steve Jobs stature yet, but he is quickly becoming one of the most recognizable names in high technology business. Undoubtedly there are countless young engineers and inventors who look at Musk and want to be like him and do things like he is doing. Admittedly, Musk also has a darker side and has been warning about the dangers of computer artificial intelligence, which he thinks is going to kill us all. If that’s true, then even escaping to Mars is unlikely to save humanity. Other real-world influences will probably be the Mars rovers, particularly Curiosity with its wild “sky crane,” and spacecraft like Rosetta and its bouncy lander Philae. Robotics are popular even among kids in grade school and it is not much of a leap to imagine a child with a Lego robotics kit seeing a rover on Mars and imagining building something like it when they’re older. Popular entertainment influences are much harder to guess. Certainly pop culture can have unexpected influences—many students now study forensic science because of the CSI franchise and similar police procedurals. The influence is not always positive: people in the criminal justice system refer to the “CSI effect” on juries that expect definitive forensic evidence in criminal cases because they see it all the time on television. Real world cases are rarely settled with a confession in the final act. Many young girls have taken up archery because of the Hunger Games franchise, but it seems doubtful that they’ll grow up to be professional archers. Last year’s big movie, Gravity, was a decidedly anti-space film whose primary message was that humans don’t belong in space (see: “Life in space is impossible,” The Space Review, May 19, 2014). Interstellar is director Christopher Nolan’s attempt to show spaceflight as humanity’s salvation, but it has garnered very mixed reviews. One movie that could have a positive impact is next year’s The Martian, based on the popular book that depicts a can-do astronaut who solves problems and never ever quits. That kind of hard-edge reality-based engineering drama could impact future generations to go into engineering fields (although, notably, the astronaut in the book is a biologist). It is also not simply the overall cultural environment that has changed, but science fiction entertainment as well. “Most sci-fi films these days are decidedly anti-space and are pessimistic about the potential for science and technology to enable a better tomorrow,” Okuda notes. “Compare the celebration of science, technology, and wonder that is 2001 to the dire future of Interstellar. Or the utopian vision of Star Trek with the dystopian (although fascinating) world of Battlestar Galactica. Even Star Wars, which celebrates the imagination, is set in a decaying universe in which scientific inquiry and exploration play no role in the plot, nor are they values embraced by the heroes.” No young person daydreams about someday designing weapons to battle killer robots who have enslaved humanity in a dystopian future. Science fiction writer Neal Stephenson noticed it in his own work and even started a Project Hieroglyph to start creating more positive visions of science and technology. Then again, perhaps, our current and future cultural influences are suffering the same fractionalization as our entertainment. There is not, and maybe never will again be, a single powerful entertainment or event that that will positively inspire the young in large numbers. “We need better dreams,” Okuda says. So this Thanksgiving, you can tip your wineglass and give thanks to the inspiration that started exactly fifty years before. Maybe if we’re lucky the next Gene Roddenberry starts filming on Friday. But don’t bet on it. Home |
BERKELEY, CA—Claiming that the eatery was already generating a buzz among locals with its “East Meets Mex” flavors, owners of the Bento Burrito location on Shattuck Avenue explained to reporters Tuesday how their new restaurant offers a totally unwanted twist on Mexican cuisine. “You’ll find all your favorite Mexican dishes on our menu, but with completely unnecessary alterations that no one wants or has ever once asked for,” said Bento Burrito founder Alex Cochran, noting that as part of the restaurant’s efforts to make arbitrary, superfluous Japanese substitutions, patrons would have no choice but to eat their house-made tortilla chips with wasabi instead of salsa. “Enchiladas are a delicious traditional Mexican standard, so there’s no need to add pickled ginger to them, but that’s exactly what we did. Or if you’re looking for lighter fare, simply stop in and shake your head at our tacos that come topped with a wholly uncalled-for pile of bean sprouts.” Cochran encouraged residents to check out the restaurant’s menu online, guaranteeing that every customer would be 100 percent infuriated by item names ranging from Teriyaquitos to Sake-ritas.
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In case you've been under a rock for the last decade, you might not know that today's technology wars aren't over who has the best prices, the most features, or the greatest quality. No, in 2011, instead of working on innovating, tech. giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Oracle, are now wasting their resources on intellectual property (IP) lawsuits. So, perhaps it should come as no surprise that networking powerhouse Cisco and social networking force Twitter, is joining the Linux patent protection group, the Open Invention Network (OIN).
The OIN was formed in 2005 by IBM, Sony, Philips N.V. and Linux distributors Red Hat Inc. and Novell. Then, as now, the group was created to defend Linux from patent trolls and other attacks from patent holders. It tries to do this with its own patents which are then available royalty-free to any company, institution or individual that agrees not to assert its patents against Linux. While it hasn't been done, these patents could also, in theory, be used by the OIN, or an OIN member, against a hostile company in a patent war.
After years of slow, steady growth, OIN has been growing significantly in the last quarter. During the second quarter of 2011 alone, OIN had 35 new companies join its community of licensees. The consortium now has 360 corporate supporters. OIN licensees, which include founding members and associate members, benefit from leverage against patent aggression and access to enabling technologies through OIN's shared intellectual property resources.
Why are companies doing this? Need you ask? Look at the mobile software patent wars surrounding Android, the insane court decision that's blocked the sales of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the European Union, and how Microsoft is trying to get patent contracts from such Linux using companies as Samsung.
No wonder companies like Google are building up their patent portfolios and Cisco and Twitter are joining forces with the OIN. Any major technology company CEO with a room temperature or higher IQ knows he or she needs patent ammo for the ongoing IP wars. As Keith Bergeit, OIN's CEO explained, "Increasing IP assertion and litigation activities and the increasing ubiquity of Linux together have combined to increase the value of OIN's license offering. For licensees, OIN creates a 'no fly zone' for Linux as it relates to IP assertion and litigation activity, helping to promote open source collaboration and the innovation that arises from it."
That's why, besides Cisco and Twitter, other major companies that have recently joined the OIN include CentOS, Data-Warehouse, Fujitisu, and Nationwide Mutual Insurance, Even so you might wonder why Cisco, which has a few patents to call its own, would join up. Keith Bergeit, OIN's CEO, speculated, "OIN believes that Cisco became a licensee to support for Linux as Linux has apparently become increasingly relevant to the core Cisco business."
Last, but not least, Bergeit told me that founding member Novell, although now a wholly owned subsidiary of Attachmate is still in the OIN. In addition, "Attachmate has guaranteed the performance by Novell of Novell's obligations as a licensee and member of OIN."
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For the first time, astronomers have discovered complex organic molecules, the basic building blocks for life, in a disk of gas and dust surrounding an alien star.
To the researchers' surprise, the organics found around a young star called MWC 480 are not only surviving but thriving in quantities slightly higher than those thought to have existed in the early solar system. The prolific amount of material reveals that Earth's solar system is not the only one to contain these complex molecules, suggesting that the ingredients required for life to evolve may exist throughout the universe. The scientists created a video tour of the star MWC 48 to showcase their discovery
An artist's impression of the protoplanetary disk surrounding the young star MWC 480, where the giant ALMA radio telescope has detected complex organic molecules – the building blocks of life – suggesting that the conditions necessary for life are universal. (Image: © B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF))
"The very rich organic chemistry present in the young solar system, as evidenced by cometary compositions, is far from unique," lead author Karin Öberg, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Massachusetts, told Space.com by email.
"It thus seems likely that the prebiotic chemistry that took place in the solar system, including Earth, is also happening elsewhere," she said. [Related: Signs of Alien Life Will Be Found by 2025, NASA's Chief Scientist Says]
Building blocks abound
Located in the Taurus star-forming region 455 light-years away from Earth, the star MWC 480 is about twice the mass of the sun and shines nearly 10 times brighter. A disk of material surrounds the million-year-old star, but scientists have not observed any obvious signs of planet formation.
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), Öberg and her colleagues observed MWC 480, finding enough methyl cyanide (a complex carbon-based molecule) in the disk surrounding the star to fill all of Earth's oceans. They also found a supply of other complex carbon-based molecules.
Volatile elements such as cyanides boil away at high temperatures. Despite this fragility, they are thought to be necessary for life. The carbon-nitrogen bonds of cyanides are especially important, as they are essential to the formation of amino acids, which in turn are the building blocks for proteins.
While astronomers have found simple volatilesin disks around other stars, complex organic molecules such as those spotted by the team have remained more difficult to pin down in previously studied disks. These complex elements exist in interstellar clouds between stars, but scientists were unsure if the elements could survive the energetic formation of a young solar system, where radiation could break apart their bonds. But the material surrounding MWC 480 is awash in the building blocks of life.
Öberg and her team found cyanides throughout the disk, in locations ranging from 30 to 100 times the distance of Earth from the sun. Scaling the massive system down, the region is comparable to the solar system's Kuiper Belt, the region beyond Pluto where cold planetesimals and icy comets reside.
By studying asteroids and comets, Öberg and her team determined that the disk surrounding MWC 480 contains more organic cyanides than currently observed in the comets of Earth's solar system. The presence of these complex organics suggests that the building blocks for life may exist in planetary systems throughout the universe.
"What I find most exciting here is the general context in which this places the assembly of planetary systems," Geoffrey Blake, of the California Institute of Technology, told Space.com by email. Blake, who was not involved in the research, authored a News & Views article that appeared alongside the research.
"We know from the Kepler mission and other searches that planets are incredibly common," he said. "From studies such as this, we are learning that the pivotal chemical compounds needed to seed early worlds with the volatiles required for life are universal."
The research, along with Blake's article, appears online in the journal Nature.
An image of the sky surrounding the young star MWC 480, which lies in the constellation of Taurus. (Image: © ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2)
Delivery: Earth
After planets in the early solar system evolved, they suffered constant bombardment from icy comets. These comets, leftovers from the birth of the solar system, are thought to have seeded Earth with water and other elements necessary for life to evolve. By studying the compositionof comets today, scientists can determine how plentiful complex organic molecules, such as methyl cyanide, were in the early solar system.
Because the cyanides around MWC 480 are located in a region analogous to the Kepler Belt, the same bombardmentmay occur for the planets that form around that star, or any other that hosts a similar disk. Since the early Earth contained far less carbon and nitrogenthan the planet does today, the process was highly important.
"The delivery of volatiles that contain these elements, and water, to the surface of the Earth is critical to life as we know it," Blake wrote. "Once on the surface, cyanides are likely very important to the origin of life."
Öberg's team relied on the extreme sensitivity of ALMAto detect the cyanides in gas form. The telescope is in fact an array of several individual 7- and 12-meter (23 to 39 inches) instruments whose positions can be shifted as needed.
"This huge improvement in sensitivity and imaging resolution is opening up entirely new frontiers in astronomy and exoplanetary science," Blake said. "We literally can image, with ALMA, the molecular gas in zones around young stars in which planetesimal formation is underway, in molecules we could never detect before."
ALMA, along with other imaging instruments, can be put to use searching for the elusive cyanides around other young stars, as well as the movement of ices, organics and rocks.
"We are exploring entirely new territory here," Blake said. "Until now, we had but one example to study the organic chemistry associated with the birth of planetary systems — our own solar system. Now, we will be able to examine protoplanetary disks around low-mass stars, high-mass stars, stars in clusters, stars by themselves, etc. Some chemical models have been run, but there is no substitute for measurements!"
Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. |
Image copyright AP
On 5 July, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, known by his supporters as Caliph Ibrahim, left the shadows and showed his face for the first time, in a Friday sermon in Mosul, Iraq.
While previous pictures of him had been leaked, Baghdadi had not shown himself in the four years since he became leader of what was then the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq (forerunner of Isis, then the Islamic State group).
Before April 2013, Baghdadi also did not release many audio messages.
His first written statement was a eulogy to Osama Bin Laden in May 2011.
His first audio message was released in July 2012 and predicted future victories for the Islamic State.
Since the group's resurgence, which began 15 months ago, Baghdadi's media output has risen. The amount of specific information about his background has also increased.
'Descendant of the Prophet'
In July 2013, a Bahraini ideologue Turki al-Binali, writing under the pen name Abu Humam Bakr bin Abd al-Aziz al-Athari, wrote a biography of Baghdadi.
Image copyright AFP Image caption Prior to his appearance in Mosul, there were only two known photographs of Baghdadi
It highlighted Baghdadi's family history which claims that Baghdadi was indeed a descendant of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad's Quraysh tribe - one of the key qualifications in Islamic history for becoming the caliph (historically, leader of all Muslims).
It said that Baghdadi came from the al-Bu Badri tribe, which is primarily based in Samarra and Diyala, north and east of Baghdad respectively, and known historically for being descendants of Muhammad.
Turki al-Binali's tract continued by highlighting that prior to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Baghdadi received his PhD from the Islamic University of Baghdad, with a focus on Islamic culture, history, sharia, and jurisprudence.
Baghdadi preached at the Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal Mosque in Samarra.
Baghdadi does not have credentials from esteemed Sunni religious establishments such as al-Azhar University in Cairo or the Islamic University of Medina in Saudi Arabia.
Nonetheless, he is more steeped in traditional Islamic education than either al-Qaeda's past and current leaders, Osama Bin Laden and Aymen al-Zawahiri, both laymen and an engineer and doctor respectively.
This has conferred on Baghdadi a higher level of praise, worthiness, and legitimacy among his supporters.
Rise to top
Following the US invasion of Iraq, Baghdadi, along with some associates, created Jamaat Jaysh Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamaah (JJASJ) - the Army of the Sunni People Group - which operated in Samarra, Diyala, and Baghdad.
Within the group, Baghdadi was the head of the sharia committee. US-led coalition forces detained him from February to December 2004, but released him since he was not viewed as a high-level threat.
After al-Qaeda in the Land of Two Rivers (al-Qaeda in Iraq) changed its name to Majlis Shura al-Mujahidin (Mujahideen Shura Council) in early 2006, JJASJ's leadership pledged baya (oath of allegiance) to it and joined the umbrella organisation.
Within the new structure, Baghdadi joined the sharia committees. But soon after the organisation announced another change to its name in late 2006 to the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), Baghdadi became the general supervisor of the sharia committees for the wilayats (provinces) within the new "state" as well as a member of ISI's senior consultative council.
When ISI's leader Abu Umar al-Baghdadi died in April 2010, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi succeeded him.
Place in history?
Since taking over the leadership of the Islamic State, Baghdadi has rebuilt and reinvigorated a battered organisation after the Sunni tribal sahwa (awakening) against it, which was then consolidated by the US military surge.
Compared with the Islamic State's first attempt at governance last decade, thus far, while still brutal, it is doing a better job, though questions still remain about its longer-term sustainability.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption Under Baghdadi, the Islamic State has become one of the most formidable jihadist groups in the world
Part of this is related to augmenting its cruel judicial punishments with a social service regime to create more soft power, but also to have a carrot to its stick.
Likewise, as a lesson from the tribal awakening, the Islamic State over the past couple of years has either assassinated key leaders within the sahwa movement or brokered "repentances" from those that would like to join the organisation.
This, in ways, has helped blunt more of the potential for a large-scale uprising similar to last decade, though there have been calls and rumours that some tribal elements that have not "repented" will take on the Islamic State.
Moreover, if one looks at the locations that the Islamic State has targeted to take over or currently controls, many are along both the Euphrates and Tigris rivers as well as areas that have oil in both Iraq and Syria.
Baghdadi and the rest of the Islamic State leadership realise that if one has a monopoly on the energy (whether for human consumption or electrically powered devices) along with its growing military might, it is a lot easier to consolidate its writ, even if parts of the population disagree with its ideological project.
While we may not know the future of the Islamic State, it is clear that Baghdadi has steered the organisation back to prominence. In many ways, he has eclipsed even the founder of the group Abu Musab al-Zarqawi last decade in prestige, resources, and potential for the future.
His true significance will likely come more to light following his death, since, as we have seen with al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri has had a difficult time replacing Bin Laden.
For now, the Islamic State's "Caliph" is the new star of the ascendant "Caliphate Project".
Aaron Y Zelin is the Richard Borow Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Rena and Sami David Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence. He is the founder of Jihadology.net. Follow him @azelin |
Tommy La Stella has reported to the Chicago Cubs' Double-A affiliate in Tennessee, after he was first assigned to the minors July 29.
He's expected to play Wednesday, batting second in the order while starting at second base.
After being sent to the minors in favor of Chris Coghlan, La Stella decided to go home instead of report to Triple-A Iowa. At the time, he said he didn't feel like his life should revolve around his career.
"I don't need to make every life move centered around my profession, because that's not who I am," he told ESPN.
In 51 MLB games this year, La Stella has been effective, slashing .295/.388/.457 with two homers, nine doubles, and only 22 strikeouts in 122 plate appearances.
''It's a good thing,'' manager Joe Maddon told reporters. ''We want him back He's going to be very helpful for us down the road. I like him in the clubhouse. I like his personality here. ... It's going to work for both sides I think." |
In the first of an experimental new series, we look at the individual performances against West Ham, rate them out of 10 and provide a single word review of their day.
Please note, we reserve the right to invent our own words at any time. Or, when circustmances dictate, use more than one word which may or may not include words we’ve invented.
Vito Mannone: 6/10 – ok
Carl Jenkinson: 7/10 – solid
Per Mertesacker: 7/10 – improvable
Thomas from Ireland: 7/10 – safer
Kieran Gibbs: 7/10 – strained
Mikel Arteta: 10/10 – impeccable
Aaron Ramsey: 7/10 – busy
Santi Cazorla: 9/10 – magical
Gervinho: 6/10 – bypassed
Lukas Podolski: 7/10 – assisty
Olivier Giroud: 9/10 – scoretacular
Subs:
Andre Santos: 7/10 – focused
Theo Walcott: 8/10 – effective
—
Feel free to discuss and post your own ratings, but the reason I say this kind of post is experimental is because such discussion often becomes stupid very quickly.
Normal comment policy applies, if you’re not familiar with them, please read. |
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The New Orleans house I’m sitting in at the moment is finished with meticulous detail: cypress crown molding and trim, recycled loblolly-pine posts, Art Deco Oriental rugs. To my left, there’s a bathroom with wood wainscoting and a refinished 100-year-old claw-foot bathtub on a decorative-tile-lined platform. Almost exactly five years ago, all of this was submerged by toxic floodwaters. Its restoration was made possible by two years of sweat, occasional tears, and a Road Home grant from the Louisiana Recovery Authority.
Now a supplemental appropriations bill that passed the House earlier this month would take $400 million from post-Katrina recovery programs like Road Home in order to fund other projects, including $304 million for Deepwater Horizon-related remediation and investigation. To some Louisiana residents, using any taxpayer money, much less hurricane-relief money, to clean up BP’s oil just adds insult to injury. “Any provisions related to the spill should be paid for by the responsible party,” says Monika Gerhart, director of policy and government relations for the Equity and Inclusion Campaign, a nonpartisan advocacy organization. “We’re not yet recovered. So don’t take our housing money.”
For anyone who hasn’t been to New Orleans lately, here’s an update: It still needs so much work that visitors pay to take “disaster tours.” In a June 7 letter to the House Committee on Appropriations, Louisiana Recovery Authority Chairman David Voelker pleaded that the rescission of already-dedicated rebuilding funds be stricken from the bill. Without them, Voelker estimates, 19,000 homes statewide will go unrestored, nearly 7,000 of them in Orleans Parish. “If you just drive around, you can see the people need it,” says Taylor Henry, communications director for Republican Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao, whose district includes New Orleans.
The appropriations bill does provide $5.1 billion to FEMA, which could theoretically pay for projects such as rebuilding New Orleans’ Charity Hospital or go to city schools that are still waiting for their disaster-relief funds. Or the money could go elsewhere. An executive summary from appropriations chairman Rep. David Obey (D-Wisc.) notes that the FEMA funds might go toward efforts to clean up after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, and Gustav, as well as the Midwest floods of 2008 and California wildfires. “The way the money will be used will be up to FEMA’s discretion,” says House appropriations committee representative Ellis Brachman.
Rep. Cao, like every other member of Congress from Louisiana but one, voted nay on the appropriations bill. (Cao also has the distinction of basically telling the president of BP America that he should have to stab himself to death during a congressional hearing last month.) Democrat Charlie Melancon was the only rep who voted for it. Though he argued against the cutting the rebuilding funds, according to a statement on his website, he supports spending for other provisions in the bill, like funding the Afghanistan surge and assisting those impacted by the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Rep. Melancon’s communications director says that he is “working with Sen. Landrieu, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, to remove the cuts from the final legislation so Louisiana can continue to rebuild homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.” Likewise, Cao’s spokesman says that “We’re doing all we can to persuade our friends in the Senate not to pass this.”
If the Senate does approve the cuts, it could be bad news for a lot of New Orleans neighborhoods. Like the one I’m staying in. This house has been painstakingly restored. But both the houses I can see out my front door are abandoned. |
Throughout her career as a neurobiologist, Peggy Mason has been told over and over that the rats she experiments on are not capable of empathy. Only humans and other primates can understand the emotions of another. Most other animals can't. And certainly not beady-eyed rats. But what she was witnessing in the lab was telling her something very different. In experiments, Mason and her colleagues at the University of Chicago were finding that when one rat was placed near another jailed rat, the free rat would open the hatch for a rescue — something it wouldn't do for a toy rat. What's more, when given the choice between saving a fellow rat and some delicious chocolate, the free rat would open both cells and then share. The study, published in Science in 2011, was a breakthrough. If rats were capable of basic forms of empathy, then perhaps empathy was common — or even universal — among mammals. Studying animal empathy could give us insight into how human empathy evolved. ("I consider myself just a fancy rat," Mason told me.) But almost immediately, Mason's results met intense skepticism. Alex Kacelnik, a behavioral ecologist, argued that Mason was simply projecting humanlike feelings and emotions onto these rat "rescues" — a tendency known as anthropomorphism. "We don’t have evidence that there is an internal first-person experience that leads the animal to do it," Kacelnik tells me on a Skype call from his office in Oxford. "Do they experience any emotion when helping a partner? It may as well be, but we don't know." In a response to Mason's study, Kacelnik and his colleagues wrote that tiny ants can also appear as if they are "rescuing" other ants in some situations. But ants are nearly brainless, and few consider them capable of empathy. Alan Silberberg, a psychologist at American University, also wondered if Mason was inferring too much from the data. In his view, the free rat opened the cage for selfish reasons: It liked playing with the other rat. He published a paper replicating Mason’s design, but with a twist. He showed when the rats couldn’t play with each other after the trap opened, the free rat wasn’t as interested in conducting the jailbreak. These criticisms don't mean Mason’s findings are incorrect. But they do illustrate a core difficulty in studying animal empathy: While it's easy to observe animal behavior, it's near impossible to confirm the motivations behind that behavior. The quest to understand animal empathy has been long and fraught, but it isn't trivial. If animals can indeed feel emotions like our own, the revelation may one day lead to treatments for conditions where social bonding is difficult — like in autism — or is nonexistent, like in sociopathy. We should care whether animals have empathy. It would mean animal brains are not that different from our own.
For decades, scientists trying to study animal empathy have run into a simple fundamental problem. "There are so many possible interpretations of [empathetic] behavior that all need to be eliminated if you're going to say they're responding because of the emotions of another animal," James Burkett, a neuroscience researcher at Emory, explains. After all, psychologists can't put a rat on a couch and ask it about its feelings. Early experiments to prove that animals have empathy were all confounded by this limitation. In 1959, Russell Church, who still conducts neuroscience research at Brown, showed that rats conditioned to press a lever for food will stop when another rat is shocked in an adjacent cage. He argued this was a sign of anxiety, and a possible sign of empathy. Then in 1962, George Rice and Priscilla Gainer at Agnes Scott College went a step further, arguing that rats would try to save other rats in trouble. In their experiment, rats were placed in two adjoining see-through cells. One of the rats was put into a harness and hoisted above ground — an unpleasant experience that caused wailing. The free rat in the other cell could then push a lever to lower the harness. Rats would push the lever to "free" their fellow rats, but wouldn't push the lever if a block of Styrofoam were being hoisted. Rice and Gainer concluded that "this behavior might be homologous to altruism." But other psychologists at the time weren't convinced by these conclusions. They easily found alternative explanations for the rat behavior. "It is hard to imagine that empathy — a characteristic so basic to the human species — came into existence only when our lineage split off from that of the apes."
A rebuttal article in Science argued that Rice and Gainer's rats were simply responding to the loud noise of the other rat's screams. These critics showed that rats would use the lever to free anything making a loud noise — not just their fellow rats. This wasn't empathy, their argument went; this was wanting their fellow rats to shut up. Undaunted, other scientists kept searching for animal empathy. A few years later, in 1964, scientists found that "rhesus monkeys will consistently suffer hunger rather than secure food at the expense of electroshock to a [another]." Jules Masserman, who once served as a president of the American Psychiatric Association, also noted that rhesus monkeys were more likely to go hungry for those they were familiar with. Most psychologists, however, refused to believe that animal empathy was possible. The field was dominated by behaviorism — which held that animals don't have observable mental states, just actions. Behavior could be understood in terms of rewards, punishment, competition, and consequences — but not emotion. Whenever animals displayed behavior that looked like empathy, behavioralists could easily attribute it to stimuli response. And for a long time, the skeptics prevailed. Scientists simply didn't have the tools to demonstrate that animal empathy was real. That is, until Jeffrey Mogil, a geneticist at McGill University, noticed his mice behaving oddly in the early 2000s.
Though he hurts mice for a living, Mogil says it's not for a lack of his own empathy. His research is about understanding why two people may experience pain in different ways, with the hope of developing better pharmaceuticals for managing it. "My sympathy is mostly reserved for chronic pain patients," Mogil tells me. For decades, Mogil and his team have conducted experiments testing the pain threshold of mice in order to see what role genetics play in pain tolerance. In one experiment, the researchers would take a mouse from a cage, restrain it, and then dip its tail in a hot 120°F bath. They wanted to see how long it would take for the mouse to yank its tail out — a measure of how well the animal withstood pain. In the early 2000s, Mogil and his team began analyzing data from thousands of tail-dip trials. And they happened upon a bizarre pattern. The order in which the mice were tested in each trial seemed to matter a lot for pain tolerance. That is, on average, the first mouse taken from a communal cage and dipped in hot water experienced the least amount of discomfort. The second one felt a little more. And so on. That "was really, really surprising to us," Mogil tells me. It was as if the first mouse had somehow told its cage mates, "That really hurt." And upon hearing that, the other mice winced. Mogil's was the first evidence that animals other than primates could experience "emotion contagion." This is considered by many to be the most basic form of empathy. When I see a broken arm, I wince. When one mouse is in pain, others feel it. Mogil staged several follow-up experiments to solidify his hunch. First he repeated the tail-in-water test, but instead of putting the mice back into the same cage, he put them into a different one. When that happened, he says, "this effect goes away completely." Another test showed that mice feel greater pain when they are around other mice in pain. This is especially true if the mice know one another (i.e., they were cage mates beforehand). That was just the beginning. Mogil later showed that mice were capable of consolation — another sign of empathy. In one experiment, researchers "jailed" certain mice and injected them with vinegar, a painful experience. Other mice were then placed in the "jail block" and were free to visit the imprisoned mice or ignore them completely. When the mice were familiar with one another, the free mouse would visit with the caged ones. "If you think about that for a second, that's crazy," Mogil says. It doesn't make any sense for one mouse to approach another that is in pain — after all, that pained mouse could be dangerous. "The only reason you would do it is if you were trying to help."
Mogil's work inspired Mason and her team, who took it a step further. Mason's study was evidence of "pro-social behavior": a form of empathy where animals engage in actions that benefit the group rather than an individual. That said, there do seem to be limits to animal empathy. The highest level of empathy is called cognitive empathy. This is the ability to think through feelings and weigh options: "Emily seems upset right now, does she want me to ask what's wrong?" No researcher I spoke with for this article would go so far as to argue that animals have cognitive empathy. That's distinctly human. But scientists have made extensive progress studying the lower, gut-level forms of empathy, in order to understand how this capacity might have evolved in animals. That, in turn, might shed some insight into how the more advanced forms of empathy seen in primates and then humans developed. "We should think of ourselves as a part of a continuum," says Larry Young, a neuroscientist at Emory University. "These animals have some basic fundamental underlying neural mechanism that cause them to engage in a behavior similar to what we do." Young and his colleagues recently published a paper in Science that took an important next step toward proving that the small acts of empathy displayed by rodents are, in fact, like our own. The study in question involved prairie voles, one of the few species of mammals that mate for life. Young found that prairie vole companions will look out for one another much like human spouses do. When one vole is scared, its counterpart will come over to comfort it by licking. They won't do this for strangers. The vole mates are also emotionally in sync: Their stress hormones will rise and fall with one another when one is shocked and the other is not. (Experiments have shown that this behavior seems to be inborn, not conditioned.) More importantly, Young and his team discovered that these bonds are facilitated by oxytocin, a neurochemical found in all mammals that is believed to help facilitate social interactions between humans. "Oxytocin is what makes the brain pay attention to the social cues of the partner," Young explains. In humans, variations on the gene for oxytocin have been shown to predict social problems in childhood and relationship stability later in life. Studies have shown that nasal injections of oxytocin may help autistic people — who often have trouble interacting with others — maintain eye contact. When Young blocked the oxytocin receptors of prairie voles, they stopped caring for one another. "We share the neurocircuitry of this with animals," Young says about his results. "We can come to the conclusion that what we have is not necessarily so unique."
The wrong conclusion to take away from all these studies is that these rodents are humanlike. The right conclusion is that we're animal-like. Frans de Waal is one of the world's leading primate behavior researchers. Since the 1970s, he's made thousands of observations of primate communities. He's shown that many primates will console one another after fights. He's seen them hug and kiss. In 2010, he co-authored a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science compiling data from more than 3,000 observations of chimpanzee fights. The paper found that chimps will commonly console the losers of fights — a behavior especially pronounced among chimps with kinship bonds. De Waal thinks it's wrongheaded for some scientists to dismiss observations of empathy in animals. After all, it makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. If human empathy is so robust and adaptive, it must have evolved from more primitive forms. "It is hard to imagine that empathy — a characteristic so basic to the human species — came into existence only when our lineage split off from that of the apes," says de Waal. "It must be far older than that." If human and animal empathy are the same, it means lessons learned from the brains of animals can be applied to heal our own. Young is hopeful his continued work on prairie voles will yield animal models for psychiatric drugs. With a good animal model he could, in theory, test whether a drug would make the prairie voles more or less likely to comfort one another. He could test to see if there are certain genes responsible for empathetic behavior, and target those for intervention. "We know that there are many psychiatric disorders where the ability to empathize is deficient," Burkett says, "but we have no treatment for those deficiencies." Perhaps the fluffy, heartsick prairie vole can open that door. We still don't know how many animals can actually empathize. But the mounting studies suggest there's a fundamental baseline, at least among mammals. "When we're talking about the ability to sense the emotion of others, and to respond to them in some way, that's probably very widespread," Burkett says. The capacities may vary depending on how animal societies are structured. Chimps and primates are thought to have the most humanlike emotional capacities. Dogs have evolved to live in packs and are attuned to our emotional needs. Cats, evolved to be solitary hunters, care much less. Many of the researchers I spoke to say those who discount animals' ability to empathize are making empathy out to be more complicated than it actually is. In Silberberg's view, for instance, empathy requires that an individual knowingly act at a cost to itself to aid another. But what difference does it make if chimps know why they're helping out a friend? Isn't it enough that they engage in the behavior, just like we do? "Let's say you are living in a house with children, and you are crying, and your children approach you and touch you," de Waal says. "You're not, at that moment, thinking, 'Are they now altruistic or selfish when they do this?' That would be a silly distinction. Because your children are responding to your emotions." That's all that really matters. |
Hey guys,We have received permission to post our work from Bioshock Infinite and I just wanted to share some of the character work that I contributed to the project. I definitely encourage any of my fellow Irrationalites (if you're watching) to post your work here as well - or make your own thread - whatever, we're all adults here.This is really just a sample of the work that was done. I think the total amount of characters is around 60, divided between 2 character artists and some outsourcing support. So, it would have taken forever to prepare them and would have been a bit over overwhelming. I took on the role as lead character artist during development and, other than the responsibilities that come with that, mainly focused on our general population and combat characters.Hope you enjoy it, thanks for looking.Gav |
Calling someone a “bird brain” might not be the zinger of an insult you thought it was: A new study shows that—by the total number of forebrain neurons—some birds are much brainier than we thought. The study, published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , found that 28 bird species have more neurons in their pallial telencephalons, the brain region responsible for higher level learning, than mammals with similar-sized brains. Parrots and songbirds in particular packed in the neurons, with parrots (like the gray parrot, above) ranging from 227 million to 3.14 billion, and songbirds—including the notoriously intelligent crow—from 136 million to 2.17 billion. That’s about twice as many neurons as primates with brains of the same mass and four times as many as rodent brains of the same mass. To come up with their count, the researchers dissected the bird brains and then dissolved them in a detergent solution, ensuring that the cells were suspended in what neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel of Vanderbilt University in Nashville calls “brain soup.” This allowed them to label, count, and estimate how many neurons were in a particular brain region. The region that they focused on allows some birds to hone skills like tool use, planning for the future, learning birdsong, and mimicking human speech. One surprising finding was that the neurons were much smaller than expected, with shorter and more compact connections between cells. The team’s next step is to examine whether these neurons started out small or instead shrank in order to keep the birds light enough for flights. One thing, at least, is clear: It’s time to find a new insult for your less brainy friends. |
International scholarly groups are protesting the recent convictions of six Turkish scientists on terrorism-related charges after trials that were widely condemned as unjust. The convictions of the six academics, including Kemal Gürüz, a chemical engineer and the former president of the country's Council of Higher Education, come at a time of increasing concern regarding the state of academic freedom and independence in Turkey.
Gürüz was sentenced to 13 years and 11 months in connection with the controversial Ergenekon trial, which involved 275 defendants, mostly military or ex-military officers but also journalists, politicians, academics and others accused of plotting to overthrow the government. The five other academics involved – all medical doctors and all former rectors of Turkish universities – were also convicted of membership in a clandestine terrorist organization seeking to destabilize the Turkish government. They received sentences from 10 to 23 years in length, according to the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies, which commissioned an inquiry into the scientists’ cases and found that they did not receive fair trials.
As “no convincing evidence of any wrongdoing on [Gürüz’s] part, or that of the other five defendants who were sentenced, was ever produced, the trial and resulting sentences appear to have been a blatant miscarriage of justice,” said Carol Corillon, the executive director of the network.
As The New York Times has reported, the Ergenekon trial was initially seen by many as a welcome attempt to curb the powers of the military – which has been behind three coups in modern Turkey’s history – and bring about democratic reforms. “But as the case grew and ensnared journalists," the Times stated, "academics and prominent government critics, it came to be seen as a politically motivated attempt at silencing dissent.” The trial was perceived as targeting secularist opponents of the Islamist-inspired government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In an op-ed in the Times, Emma Sinclair-Webb, a senior Europe researcher at Human Rights Watch, wrote that the "proceedings were also overshadowed by concerns about the fairness of the trial. These ranged from questions about the flimsy nature of evidence against some defendants, the implications for media freedom arising from the prosecution of journalists as coup plotters, concerns about the appropriateness of the application of terrorism charges, objections to the misuse of protected witnesses, which impeded the defendants’ ability to challenge the evidence against them, and in particular the prolonged pretrial detention of some defendants.”
Two of the six scholars sentenced last week – Mehmet Haberal, a transplant surgeon and founding rector of Başkent University, and Fatih Hilmioğlu, a gastroenterologist and former rector of Inönü University -- had been detained for more than four years before their trials began.
“Visits with the two of them were far and away the saddest and most depressing parts of the visit,” said Peter Diamond, Institute professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a co-author of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies' report on its mission to Turkey. “Each of them had been in prison for over four years already; both [were] in bad health. This was taking a terrible toll.”
Diamond said he believed the medical doctors and university rectors were targeted as part of a broader attempt to intimidate secularist-minded university leaders and exert greater government control over universities.
As for Gürüz, who is known as a prominent voice for secularization in higher education, Diamond said the motive seemed to be “revenge.” As head of Turkey's Council of Higher Education from 1995 until 2003, Gürüz enforced the ban on Islamic head-scarves at public universities. Apart from the sentence handed down in the Ergenekon trial, Gürüz also faces charges as part of a second judicial proceeding stemming from an unarmed intervention by the military in civil affairs in 1997 -- the so-called “Postmodern Coup" trial.
In a call for letters on behalf of Gürüz, the Scholars at Risk Network wrote, “We are particularly concerned by suggestions that the repeated prosecutions of Professor Gürüz stem from his many years of work actively promoting reforms in Turkish higher education, including his advocacy of a Western-oriented higher education policy and support for international higher education exchanges between Turkey and other nations. It is precisely through these partnerships, many of which Professor Gürüz personally helped to establish, that many members of the international higher education community have come to know and respect Turkish higher education institutions, professionals and students. The suggestion that somehow Professor Gürüz is being prosecuted based on these efforts is disturbing and risks eroding Turkey’s otherwise much deserved positive reputation in the sector.”
The Turkish embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. The sentences of these academics come on the heels of a number of other cases calling into question issues of academic independence and freedom in Turkey, including, as the Middle East Studies Association’s Committee on Academic Freedom has documented, a pattern of arrests and detentions of scholars and students who research Kurdish issues. There have also been reports of infringements of academic freedom on the part of government-appointed rectors, and, in February, the association wrote to the prime minister condemning the “excessive” use of police force to disperse student protesters at Ankara’s Middle East Technical University – a response that’s seen as a precursor to the government’s suppression of the Gezi Park protests that followed.
Asli Bâli, an assistant professor of law at the University of California at Los Angeles who researches Turkish issues for the Middle East Studies Association's Committee on Academic Freedom, said the government recently announced plans to replace private security forces on campuses with state police forces and to revoke scholarships for students known to have participated in the anti-government protests.
All of this can be seen as part and parcel of the same general trend, Bâli said. “There are multiple elements of the trend. One is the government’s attempt to gain control of public universities, which have [historically] been the site of the exclusion of their own constituents” – specifically, Muslim women wearing head scarves. (The ban on students wearing head scarves was lifted in 2010.)
Faculty and administrators perceived by the government to have been aligned with the secularist military-bureaucratic alliance that previously controlled the regulation of higher education, academics researching Kurdish issues, and scholars or students who were involved in the recent anti-government protests are all under pressure, Bâli said. “Unless you’re ideologically aligned with the government you’re going to have extreme difficulty doing your job as an academic or a student.” |
Steve Aoki loves to soar above the crowd, whether riding an inflatable rubber raft or simply diving over a melee mustache first. But the Dim Mak honcho’s acrobatic inclinations were thwarted this past weekend at a performance in Puerto Rico when an ill-considered trampoline jump sent him ricocheting against the side of the stage, reports In the Mix. (Insert EDM-themed “drop” punch line here.)
The rambunctious producer of “Dangerous” and “Emergency” emerged more or less unscathed. “I wanna let everyone know that I’m A-OK!” he tweeted upon his return from the emergency room. (Fittingly, Aoki was wearing a KR3W “Protect Your Neck” t-shirt when it all went down.) “Went to hospital got CT Scans and no spinal injuries from my stagedive trampoline fail!” He even went so far as to post a “blow by blow” photographic account of the mishap, along with a photo of himself in the ER, arms still outstretched. We would worry that the fall had caused him to get stuck in that position, but as this gallery attests, Aoki’s arms are always in that position. |
March 5, 2016 by Dane Arr
Russian president Vladimir Putin says that Western governments are enslaving humanity through vaccines.
‘When your children are barely human, psychologically-altered bots, their nerve cells and synapses failing to connect, and their neurodevelopmental processes dulled to the point of restricting them to sub-human level repetitive grunts and gormless stares, what are you going to do then?’
An insider from the Ministry of Health in Russia has revealed that an explosive report is being prepared that will be presented to the Kremlin on Tuesday regarding the huge vaccination cover-up being perpetuated by the US government agencies and its regulatory bodies, which is having disastrous consequences around most of the world.
It is understood President Putin personally requested the report. He instinctively mistrusts the vaccine agenda and wants the report to investigate the state of play regarding vaccines, Big Pharma, and
Western governments, in order to formulate a solid, direct response that will stand his people in good stead for the future.
According to the Ministry of Health insider, the report validates President Putin’s suspicions. There is a huge conflict of interests between the government agencies which regulate vaccines and the corporations that approve and implement the vaccines.
This investigation, involving internationally respected scientists and leading medical professionals, won’t be a laughably corrupt affair involving a payroll of ‘scientists’ who are willing to say or do anything for a dollar or two. Considering the fact that leading scientists and doctors who have dared voice concern about state-enforced vaccinations have been dying under mysterious circumstances in the US in recent years, kudos must be given to those brave enough to continue speaking out.
It is claimed the report will declare the situation a ‘self-perpetuating criminal racket.’ Educational institutions and scientific bodies are also ‘motivated by greed and generally corrupt.’ A recent study by the University of Bristol that declared diet soda to be healthier than water (a study covertly funded by the Coca Cola Company) is presented as an example of the absurd situation in the West at the moment, and is held up to ridicule.
The report says that President Putin believes the next stage of human evolution is currently in “grave risk” and that Western and global powers are “intentionally decelerating the process for their personal gain.”
“We as a species have the choice to continue to develop our bodies and brains in a healthy upward trajectory, or we can follow the Western example of recent decades and intentionally poison our population with genetically altered food, pharmaceuticals, vaccinations, and fast food that should be classified as a dangerous, addictive drug.”
“We must fight this. A physically and intellectually disabled population is not in our interests,” the report states.
Describing the average government-controlled Westerner as an “intensively vaccinated borderline autistic fat man slumped in front of a screen battling a high-fructose corn syrup comedown,” the report states that such tactics used by governments to subjugate their citizens are not only “dark/evil” but “counter-productive in the medium to long term.”
Russia under President Putin has been giving away land for free in the past few years to people willing to farm organically and sustainably. The goal is to become the world’s “leading exporter” of non-GMO foods that are based on “ecologically clean” production.
The Security Council report comes just months after the Kremlin announced a stop to the production of all GMO-containing foods, which was seen by the international community as a major step in the fight against multinationals like Monsanto. Russia continues to lead the way in the realm of natural, organic farming.
Source: yournewswire.com |
President Trump said Tuesday the U.S. will not launch a full-scale war in Syria, seeking to ease concerns that last week’s missile strike could escalate American involvement in that country’s civil war.
Trump declares to Fox News: "We are not going into Syria." https://t.co/fPTi6EK3Aj pic.twitter.com/wPxtpXlnXR — Andrew Kirell (@AndrewKirell) April 11, 2017
“We’re not going into Syria,” Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network.
Trump suggested his decision last week to launch 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian air base used in a sarin gas attack was purely intended to curb Syrian leader Bashar Assad’s use of chemical weapons against his own people.
“But when I see people using horrible, horrible chemical weapons – which they agreed not to use under the Obama administration, but they violated it,” the president said.
Read More |
Jon Voight says “God answered all our prayers” with President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHouse committee believes it has evidence Trump requested putting ally in charge of Cohen probe: report Vietnamese airline takes steps to open flights to US on sidelines of Trump-Kim summit Manafort's attorneys say he should get less than 10 years in prison MORE’s White House win.
Speaking at the Make America Great Again Welcome Celebration on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Thursday, the “Deliverance” star told the crowd, “We will be part of history, all of us.”
“And President Lincoln, who sits here with us,” Voight continued, “I’m sure is smiling knowing America will be saved by an honest and good man who will work for all the people, no matter their creed or color.”
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The Academy Award winner was one of a limited number of Hollywood stars to lend their support to Trump throughout the 2016 White House race.
“We have all been witness to a very grueling year and a half for the president-elect,” Voight said on Thursday. “We’ve been witness to a barrage of propaganda that left us all breathless with anticipation not knowing if God could reverse all the negative lies against Mr. Trump, whose only desire was to make America great again.”
“He certainly didn’t need this job,” Voight, 78, said to applause.
Trump is expected to deliver remarks at the pre-inaugural ceremony, which features performances from “Soul Man” singer Sam Moore, country star Toby Keith and rock band 3 Doors Down, among others. |
Bright orange bikes were quietly removed from racks around the city Monday after what was supposed to be a feel-good campaign by Windmill Development, the company behind the redevelopment of the former Domtar lands, hit some bumps, including running afoul of city bylaws.
The bikes began popping up this month as part of a contest. People were asked to take a selfie with one of the bikes and post it under #zibibike, after Zibi, the name of the planned development on Albert and Chaudière islands and the Gatineau shore. Windmill planned to donate $1 for every post to Causeway, an Ottawa organization that hires marginalized people to refurbish bikes, among other things. It also plans to give away an $850 bike to one of the participants.
The campaign was supposed to have continued for another week, but the company removed the last of the bikes Monday, said partner Rodney Wilts. He said the company decided to end it early out of concern that the orange bikes could be using space on bike racks needed by cyclists.
“We’d hate to be in a position where someone was biking into work or off for a social engagement and couldn’t find a bike spot because of us.”
The campaign, Wilts said, was meant to promote bike culture and raise money for a good cause.
But it ran into some problems, including with Ottawa’s bylaw department.
Roger Chapman, chief of the city’s bylaw and regulatory services, said Monday that the Zibi bicycles “are being used as a method of advertising and therefore violate the city’s Signs on City Roads By-law.”
Wilts said Windmill talked to the city last week and said the bikes were being pulled.
The Zibi bike campaign also faced some blowback on social media, largely from people opposed to the development.
Members of a group that believes the massive development should not take place on unceded Algonquin land began putting bumper stickers on some of the racks with orange bikes that said #uncededbikeracks. Douglas Cardinal, the architect who designed the Canadian History Museum, is among people who say the former Domtar lands should not be a private development but a gathering place for First Nations. He has filed an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board of Ottawa’s approval of the development.
Windmill officials said the campaign was aimed, in part, at encouraging bike culture in the region.
“We love biking as much as you do. In fact, one of our development principles was to create one of the bike-friendliest communities in the world,” the company said in a blog post.
Wilts said Windmill received 400 to 500 pictures of the bikes and donated $2,500 to Causeway. He said the Windmill Group had people cruising around making sure that the orange bikes were not getting in the way of bike commuters looking for parking. Windmill ended the contest early, he said, after bike traffic picked up last week.
“We hope the spirit of the campaign and its intended pro-bike messaging will be embraced, raising more funds to support the great work done through Causeway and its programs, and ultimately grow awareness to contribute to a growing bike community,” Windmill said.
[email protected] |
Disclaimer: The below review is my opinion, which I will try to provide as many examples for and as much evidence as possible to support. Readers can learn more about how I conduct my reviews, my methodology, etc – here. More information on review badges here.
This review’s roll was #36 (at the time of the roll, EtherealVPN)
Written Feb 18, 2017
Signing up for the service: On the front page of EtherealVPN’s website, there is a ticker widget that reads “EtherealVPN is (blank) fast and private!” In place of the “blank” is a scrolling descriptor, which jumps between “extremely”, “especially”, and “incredibly”. Just a little ways further down is a statement claiming complete anonymity with “no logs”! In this case. such a claim is similar to buying junk food with promises that it will make you much healthier written on the box – it couldn’t be less true. How can people make such claims with a straight face and no irony?
Signing up with EtherealVPN was interesting. I don’t think I’d ever before seen a website as focused on securing itself, while simultaneously disregarding the user. The service goes to all the trouble to include reCAPTCHAs and 3rd party DDoS protection, BUT neglects an SSL Cert, and earns itself a T (not trusted) rating on Qualys’ SSL Server Test. When I originally attempted to sign up for service, I received an error saying that I was not allowed to sign up for service again and that it was against the rules. Since I was connecting from a VPN with a shared IP, I figured at some point in time, a user on the same VPN service I use personally had signed up – and that EtherealVPN logs the IP on the site in order to restrict signing up for another account.
Why they do this is anyone’s guess, it’s very un-user friendly and very un-privacy-friendly. It was obvious that this service had been set up by someone with no intention to run the service as a business as payment was forwarded to what seemed to be a random gmail address.
The VPN Comparison Chart shows that EtherealVPN didn’t support OpenVPN – but this was marked as such merely because I could never find direct mention of it in the site’s official documentation that it was supported at the time I did my initial research for the service. I thought I would give it a shot just in case, but this was verified by the site’s lack of OpenVPN config files once I signed up and opened the downloads section of the site.
Configuring the service: As EtherealVPN does not support OpenVPN, a connection was never configured. (As I refuse to connect using non-Linux/Android, non-manual configs as per my review methodology)
Speed & Stability tests: As EtherealVPN does not support OpenVPN, a connection was not configured. (As I refuse to connect using non-Linux/Android, non-manual configs as per my review methodology)
Getting support: I sent support an email asking about their lack of OpenVPN support as well as a few other questions and also to request a refund. After a few days of waiting I never received a response from support.
Getting a refund: As support never responded, I was unable to get a refund.
Concerns in Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy: Unless I’m very much mistaken, I could not find terms of service or a privacy policy for EtherealVPN anywhere on their website – or even from a third party search. This is unfortunate from a company standpoint. I know the “obtuse” stamp typically signifies a set of terms that are labyrinth-like and overly-complicated, however as it is the stamp of shame made for failing in this area (and being obtuse just so happened to be the most common way a company fails in it), I will “reward” them with it, regardless. A total lack of transparency is just as bad.
Final thoughts: EtherealVPN is an oddball. I actually wonder if they’re serious about running a real VPN company. They make little to no effort to run a relevant protocol where privacy is concerned. Their website is totally insecure. They have no terms of service or privacy policy (at least not one that can be found by digging around on the website in a reasonable amount of time). Oh, but don’t worry – if you want to be a shill for them, I WAS able to find the referral section displayed prominently in the user drop down menu… It’s clear what EtherealVPN’s priorities were when they made the site.
I think, at this point, it goes without saying that for all the reasons mention above, EtherealVPN qualifies as a “Pile of Junk”. Avoid it at all costs if security and privacy are of any concern whatsoever.
And you know what? Even if it isn’t.
FROM THE VPN COMPARISON CHART CATEGORY VPN SERVICE EtherealVPN JURISDICTION Based In (Country) Fourteen Eyes? Not Disclosed Enemy of the Internet Not Disclosed LOGGING Logs Traffic Logs DNS Requests Logs Timestamps Logs Bandwidth Logs IP Address ACTIVISM Anonymous Payment Method Email Accepts Bitcoin Yes PGP Key Available No Gives back to Privacy Causes No Meets PrivacyTools IO Criteria No LEAK PROTECTION 1st Party DNS Servers No IPv6 Supported / Blocked No Offers OpenVPN No OBFUSCATION Supports Multihop Supports TCP Port 443 Supports Obfsproxy Supports SOCKS Supports SSL Tunnel Supports SSH Tunnel Other Proprietary Protocols PORT BLOCKING Auth SMTP P2P SPEEDS US Server Average % Int’l Server Average % SERVERS Dedicated or Virtual SECURITY Default Data Encryption Strongest Data Encryption Weakest Handshake Encryption Strongest Handshake Encryption AVAILABILITY # of Connections 1 # of Countries 7 # of Servers 8 Linux Support (Manual) WEBSITE # of Persistent Cookies 1 # of External Trackers 1 # of Proprietary APIs 11 Server SSL Rating T SSL Cert issued to No SSL Cert PRICING $ / Month (Annual Pricing) $1.67 $ / Connection / Month $1.67 Free Trial No Refund Period (Days) 0 ETHICS Contradictory Logging Policies Falsely Claims 100% Effective Incentivizes Social Media Spam POLICIES Forbids Spam No Requires Ethical Copy No Requires Full Disclosure No AFFILIATES Practice Ethical Copy Give Full Disclosure
If you like the project and find my work useful, please consider donating – your generous contributions help pay for the hosting, tools, and time I need to do my research and keep the data fresh. |
January 3, 2016: We hope for a safe, expeditious end to this armed occupation so that myriad of local and non-local stakeholders can continue to work together to restore Malheur in ways that are supportive of both the local ecology and the local economy
By Bob Sallinger
January 3, 2016: Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt to protect the vast populations of waterbirds that were being decimated by wanton killing by the plume trade. The 188,000 acre refuge represents some of the most important bird habitat on the Pacific Flyway. It is one of the crown jewels of the National Wildlife Refuge System and belongs to all Americans. In 2013, the Refuge adopted a long-term management plan developed through an inclusive collaborative process that brought together the local community, tribes, conservation groups, state and federal agencies, and other stakeholders. These stakeholders have continued to work together to implement this strategy which includes one of the biggest wetland restoration efforts ever undertaken.
The occupation of Malheur by armed, out of state militia groups puts one of America’s most important wildlife refuges at risk. It violates the most basic principles of the Public Trust Doctrine and holds hostage public lands and public resources to serve the very narrow political agenda of the occupiers. The occupiers have used the flimsiest of pretexts to justify their actions—the conviction of two local ranchers in a case involving arson and poaching on public lands. Notably, neither the local community or the individuals convicted have requested or endorsed the occupation or the assistance of militia groups.
Portland Audubon fought 100 years ago to protect this incredible place. The powerful images taken by Portland Audubon founder, William Finley, of Malheur’s incredible bird populations and the wanton killing that was being inflicted upon them, caused President Roosevelt to make Malheur one of the first wildlife refuges in the Western United States. Portland Audubon calls upon the local, state and federal authorities to once again protect this incredible place for the amazing wildlife that live there and to preserve this natural heritage for current and future generations. Portland Audubon greatly appreciates the outstanding federal employees that staff the refuge, as well as members of the local community who have rejected this occupation. We hope for a safe, expeditious end to this armed occupation so that the myriad of local and non-local stakeholders can continue to work together to restore Malheur in ways that are supportive of both the local ecology and the local economy—the occupiers are serving nobody’s interests except their own.
The following vision was adopted for the refuge by a diverse array of stakeholders including members of the local community in 2013.
Together with our surrounding community, partners, friends, staff, and all those who cherish this unique place where desert and water meet…
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge commits to care for, conserve, and enhance the health of the Malheur Lake, Blitzen Valley, and Double-O units, including the playas, dunes, marshes, rivers, meadows, and ponds that are all part of this landscape.
We will observe nature and manage in harmony with ecological forces, while recognizing and maintaining the Refuge as a key anchor for migratory and breeding waterfowl, waterbirds, shorebirds, songbirds, and raptors.
We will work diligently to improve the health of the land and water, reducing the destructive impact of carp and other invasive species, addressing imbalances in floodplain function, and restoring the original abundance of fish and wildlife for which Malheur is famous.
We will celebrate and welcome our visitors, noting and protecting the features that draw people again and again—the expansive landscape, the plenitude and diversity of wildlife, and the signs of a timeless history.
We will allow and enhance opportunities to experience abundance, solitude, and renewal, for people birding, fishing, hunting, and learning on the Refuge. In respect to our ancestors and their fortitude, we will carefully preserve the legacies they left behind on this land. Collaboration with our neighbors, partners, and friends will be a critical cornerstone in our day to day work; we recognize that nature crosses our boundaries and we can be successful only in partnership. We recognize that our activities are inextricably linked to the health of the local economy. We commit to environmental stewardship and sustainable management.
We commit to learn from our efforts, successes, and failures; to be humble about what we know; and to continuously strive for greater understanding in our stewardship of this remarkable place.
For more information about Portland Audubon's relationship with Malheur National Wildlife Refuge contact: Conservation Director, Bob Sallinger at bsallinger@audubonportland,org or 503 380-9728.
Photo by Candace Larson
Photo by Candace Larson, taken at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge |
Image: BBC
This Christmas, Doctor Who will undergo one of the biggest transformations in its 54-year history: for the first time, the Doctor will regenerate into a woman. But outgoing showrunner Steven Moffat has decided now, three weeks before he’s effectively done with the series, is the best time to put his foot in his mouth over the change.
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Speaking to the Doctor Who , Moffat deflected a question about why it took until now—and a new showrunner in the form of Chris Chibnall—to cast a woman in the title role. Defending his decision to not cast a woman during his own tenure, Moffat simply stated that such a decision would’ve upset “ Daily Mail -reading viewers,” and, weirdly enough, invoked Brexit in the process: Speaking to the Radio Times as part of an extensive interview about his time onDoctor Who, Moffat deflected a question about why it took until now—and a new showrunner in the form of Chris Chibnall—to cast a woman in the title role. Defending his decision to not cast a woman during his own tenure, Moffat simply stated that such a decision would’ve upset “Daily Mail-reading viewers,” and, weirdly enough, invoked Brexit in the process:
This isn’t a show exclusively for progressive liberals; this is also for people who voted Brexit. That’s not me politically at all – but we have to keep everyone on board.
Okay, sure, Doctor Who is designed to be a show that appeals to a broad spectrum of viewers—young, old, men, women, even conservative or liberal. But it’s pretty disingenuous to paint a show about an often non-violent protagonist who abandons an isolationist society to use its advanced technology to right injustices and defend the defenseless from evil—including fascist pepper pots!—as something that isn’t anything other than wildly left-leaning at its core. The Doctor, regardless of incarnation, is pretty much a bleeding heart ( hearts , technically) liberal in quasi-immortal form. It’s also a pretty weird thing to say considering Moffat immediately went on to add that the time was right to have a female Doctor given it was something most of the Who -watching audience were asking for:
All credit to [Chris Chibnall]. It’s going to work, I know it is. More and more of the audience were asking for it. It’s is absolutely the right choice. Now is the time.
This This isn’t the first time Moffat has tried to cast the decision of having a female Doctor as a political one, but it kind of begs the question: now that we have a female Doctor on the way so soon—literally weeks away—what on earth was the point of re-litigating a silly, moot argument? |
Act I
Some time ago. Tristan’s ship at sea. Dawn.
Tristan, Knight of Cornwall, is escorting Isolde, Princess of Ireland, to Cornwall where she is being forced to marry King Marke. A sailor sings a mocking song that offends Isolde. When Brangäne, her faithful servant, spots the Cornish coast, Isolde is overcome by rage. She casts a spell upon the ship, summoning the sea and death to rise up and to devour all on board. Brangäne tries to calm Isolde’s rage, and Isolde demands Brangäne to summon Tristan before her – she will not step ashore unless he drinks a cup of atonement with her.
Tristan evades Isolde’s request based on custom: the bridal escort remains apart from the bride on a bridal journey. Brangäne pushes Tristan to obey until Kurwenal, Tristan’s loyal servant, refuses on his master’s behalf and begins to brag about Tristan’s slaying of Morold, Isolde’s intended fiancé.
Kurwenal insults Brangäne one step too far; she flees the men’s chamber. Brangäne returns to Isolde, who struggles to contain her anger at such disrespect. Isolde finally shares the truth with Brangäne: Tristan, badly wounded after killing Morold, landed on her shore under the false name of Tantris. As she began to heal his wound with her renowned powers of healing, powers inherited from her mother, she quickly saw through his disguise and recognised him for who he was – the murderer of her beloved Morold.
She raised his sword to take revenge and murder him, but when their eyes met, love was born instead. And now, she is being ushered to a fate she does not want and cannot believe he wants either. His silence and duty are destroying her heart. She asks Brangäne to help her murder Tristan for revenge. Brangäne reminds Isolde that they have brought her mother’s magic potions with them. She could use the love draught to bind her and King Marke. But Isolde has another match in mind for herself and Tristan: the death potion.
The crew prepare the ship to arrive at shore; Kurwenal tells the bride to make ready to disembark and greet King Marke and the kingdom. Isolde refuses to finish preparing unless Tristan appears before her to drink atonement. Kurwenal agrees to summon Tristan. Brangäne agrees to prepare the death drink. Tristan and Isolde finally meet face to face.
Isolde demands vengeance for Morold’s death. Tristan offers Isolde his sword to slay him there, but she beckons Brangäne to bring the drink of atonement. Isolde offers it to Tristan, and, aware of something much deeper inside his own heart, he drinks it. Isolde drinks the potion as well.
But Brangäne has exchanged the death draught for a love potion. As the ship reaches Cornwall, Tristan and Isolde, in the belief that they are about to die, declare their love for one another and embrace, just as Melot and King Marke arrive.
Act II
A garden within King Marke’s castle, soon after the wedding of Isolde to King Marke. Black night.
King Marke and his companions are away on a surprise night-time hunt. Although their hunting horns can be heard in the distance, Isolde is oblivious to them: she thinks only of Tristan. Brangäne warns her to be suspicious of Melot, who, she fears, has organised the hunt as a trap for the lovers. Isolde dismisses Brangäne’s warning and orders her to extinguish the light – the signal that it is safe for Tristan to come to her. Brangäne tries to stop her, but Isolde is entranced by love. Impatient to be with Tristan, Isolde puts out the light herself and sends Brangäne to stand guard.
Tristan arrives; he and Isolde greet each other ecstatically. Tristan and Isolde lose themselves in an ecstasy of love: every touch is electric. But their bliss cannot be sustained by the sunlight of day – the presence of the court and King prohibit their love by day. Night is their only refuge. But slowly, they realise that even night limits their union because the sun will always rise to separate them. They come to realise that their love can only be fully united in the eternal darkness of death. And so they vow to pursue death together just as Brangäne screams out: the hunting party has returned and Melot’s trap has been sprung. King Marke confronts Tristan and asks him to account for his betrayal. Tristan is unable to explain his actions and asks Isolde to follow him into death. He accuses Melot of treachery and challenges him to fight. Tristan offers no defence and deliberately impales himself on Melot’s sword.
Act III
Tristan at his father’s estate, some time later.
Tristan lies unconscious, with his ever-faithful servant Kurwenal caring for him. An ominous shepherd’s pipe can be heard in the distance. When the shepherd appears, Kurwenal asks him to play a more cheerful melody should Isolde’s ship appear on the horizon. Gradually, Tristan regains consciousness. Delirious with pain, he thinks only of his reunion with Isolde.
Kurwenal explains that he has sent for Isolde, and Tristan hallucinates that he sees her vessel coming towards him. Hearing the shepherd’s pipe, Tristan recollects his parent’s deaths when he was a young boy, and feels the melody now calling him. Tristan laments the drink which he and Isolde brewed and the madness he now lives – ever-waiting for Isolde to arrive and escort him to death. He deliriously imagines Isolde coming to him across the water. Kurwenal sees nothing. However, a change in the shepherd’s melody confirms that Isolde’s ship has been sighted.
Kurwenal goes to look for himself and sees that Isolde is indeed arriving.Tristan throws Kurwenal out to go and greet her, and explodes withdeadly passion for her.Tristan sees Isolde and rushes to her, only to die in her arms. Isolde tries to get one last breath from Tristan but is only able to follow him into death herself.
Kurwenal’s heart breaks seeing his dead master. The shepherd announces the arrival of a second ship: it contains King Marke, Melot and soldiers, as well as Brangäne. Thinking they have come in pursuit of Isolde, Kurwenal charges at Melot and kills him. As King Marke looks on in horror, Kurwenal rushes into death. Having learned from Brangäne about the love potion, Marke has come to unite Isolde and Tristan and yield his own claim to her. All is dead. Isolde and Tristan transfigure through death. |
Student Raising Hand Unknowingly About to Call Professor “Mom”
Quiet, reserved student Stephen Miller is reportedly raising his hand in class right now, unknowingly about the call the professor “Mom.” The tired, confused kid just isn’t getting a firm grasp on the force diagram on the board, and is also blissfully unaware that he’s about to embarrass himself in front of the entire class.
In a quick effort to make better sense of why the static friction arrow is pointed upwards, Miller could not have prepared himself for the demoralizing event that would soon unfold. On the positive side, experts expect him to relive the moment enough times in the upcoming weeks that he would never forget the application of normal forces of a sliding object on a rough surface. At press time, a Yak describing his blunder had reached 136 upvotes and two comments. |
BY: Follow @DavidRutz
Protesters demanding a "budget for the people" stormed the offices of the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.
The Twitter account "People's Action" tweeted out videos of protesters entering the building and chanting "shut it down!"
The protesters stated their opposition to priorities in President Trump's budget, which they said "will hurt our communities," and they railed against Heritage as being Trump's think tank.
The group said a "pro-corporate agenda" is "killing us all."
This sign is best art the @Heritage lobby has ever seen. We say NO to the pro-corporate agenda killing us all! #RiseUp2017 #Budget4ThePeople pic.twitter.com/BxwZPiYRhy — The People's Lobby (@peopleslobbyusa) April 25, 2017
Some inside the Heritage Foundation building countered the demonstrators with a protest of their own, holding "Repeal Obamacare" signs at the windows for those outside to see.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available. |
How does a therapist identify a narcissist in therapy? They leave this to the narcissist. Narcissists self-identify.
They cannot help it. To an experienced therapist, a narcissist identifies themselves.
What if you’re not experienced, however? Or you’re a client in joint therapy as a partner or family member? How do you recognize them? Here’s a list of behaviors to look for:
They come dictating the terms. They’ve labeled their partner as the main and only problem, and signal this to the therapist.
They expect things done “their” way, otherwise they threaten to quit therapy or leave their relationship.
They hoard therapy time, derail the focus of conversations, absorb the therapist’s energy on what’s wrong with their partner.
They refuse to cooperate with simple therapy processes if they are held accountable to change or own their role in healing the relationship.
They dismiss the views of others in the family when those views differ from their own.
They lack empathy for others, but mostly because they feel it’s beneath them, and associate this trait with those who are weak, for example, they may refuse to participate in empathy/active listening exercises when asked to reflect back the words and feelings another person expressed.
They try to get out of taking responsibility for their hurtful actions, and instantly dismiss any complaints as “against” them, unjustified, untrue, perhaps also complain that therapist is siding against them.
They interact with the therapist, as if it were a competition, for whose in control of the focus, and direction of therapy with regard to what the “real” issues are, etc. (It’s common for them to contact the therapist privately to provide a bullet list of ways their spouse “needs” to be fixed — either prior to the initial meeting or shortly thereafter.)
They come with rigid, predetermined ideas of “what’s happening” in the family — and what or whose to blame — and this view is designed to make them look good — and key others bad.
They display a “neediness” to be seen as ideal, never questioned, and expect others in the family to promote the “image” they have of themselves (“or else”).
They feel entitled to make their pain, disappointments, concerns, etc., the sole focus of therapy, and may retaliate, pout, act bored or display anger if others’ concerns get attention.
They feel “entitled” to preferential treatment in therapy, and expect the therapist to side with them and their case against their spouse or family member.
They feel it necessary to let the therapist know, directly or indirectly, if they’re pleased or displeased, a form of emotional manipulation of therapist to keep them on track, focused on their concerns.
They belittle or lash out or make excuses to get out of showing empathy or hearing another family member’s pain.
They use the “gas lighting” technique to redirect focus of discussion away from others’ complaints .. and casually treat or make others feel like they’re the “crazy” ones, to include lying, making up stories, accusing others of what they do.
They are dismissive or scornful of those who do not conform with their wishes, and attempt to discredit or dismiss their views, thoughts, perceptions, etc.
They feel entitled to not follow the same rules as other family members, and to make or break rules as they please.
They demand a lot and give little or no emotional support to others, and pretend they are autonomous, and don’t “need” a thing from others.
They expect loyalty and relentlessly seek proof of this — using a combination of rewards (i.e., money) and punishments (i.e., shaming, guilting) to keep their victims hooked.
They have little or no capacity to listen to or understand another’s pain even when they are the ones who have wronged or hurt the other, i.e., infidelity.
They exhibit temper tantrums or avoid situations, i.e., therapy, when things don’t go their way.
They demand everyone in family — to include therapist — stay focused on their pain, and satisfy their “neediness” to make their concerns the sole focus of everyone’s attention.
They feel entitled and think its okay to hurt others to keep them “in line” — and, refusing to acknowledge that they’ve hurt others, they act as if others should appreciate the favor.
They look for evidence of their “effectiveness” in intimidating or making others feel small, subservient and in agreement that they deserved any punitive or cruel treatment.
They expect others to feel honored by their presence or attention, however minimal or cruel.
Their goal is to prove their superiority in relation to others, make others feel insecure and inferior as a way of getting others to act subservient — and feel very insecure when this fails, which is when they may either attack, avoid or turn on the charm.
In short, they cannot help it. They take pleasure in exercising their power to disarm others, subvert their will, keep their attention captive, which is also what makes them their own worst enemy when it comes to relationships.
With that said, overt narcissists are easier to identify, than covert ones. Overt narcissist are proud of their ability to openly bully and con others. In contrast, covert narcissists tend to avoid confrontation, and present as laid back, likable; they are skilled at setting their partner up to get angry, accuse them of being crazy, needing medications. In worst case scenarios, they work behind the scent to turn others, even the children, against their partner, making them appear as demanding, controlling, emasculating, and so on.
The biggest problem is their inability to feel or empathize with other’s pain, in particular, for those they’ve hurt. This is connected to their inability to feel and deal with (to self-soothe) their own pain, rooted in a limiting belief that has trained their brain and body to experience, thus, perceive pain overall as evidence of weakness, defect and inferiority. |
I recently did a TED Talk here in Brooklyn and the conference’s theme was teamwork. The first thing I thought when assigned the task was, “I don”t want to be part of that.” Teamwork is the bane of my existence. Almost every day I attend meetings with creative types where 50% of our time is spent placating the incompetents. We say, “That’s an interesting idea, Jennifer,” but we”re thinking, “can I go back to my desk now?”
Today’s work culture is all about the team and has supplanted the power of the individual. That’s downright un-American. Glenn Beck recently had Michelle Malkin on his show, and they were both talking about the “tinkerpreneurs” who built this country. Malkin had given Beck’s book a rave review and it has inspired her to do her own book tentatively called Who Built That: The Tinkerpreneurs Who Built Everything From the Bottle Cap to Bridges. Both books take a huge dump on the idea of the team. They strive to put the maverick back in the driver’s seat of American history. As Beck puts it, “The power of an individual who trusts his gut can be found in the story of the man who stopped the twentieth hijacker from being part of 9/11.” On the show, they discussed Obama’s “You didn”t build that” quote and both agreed it’s a very dangerous mentality that belittles the entrepreneur.
It’s not just a pain in the economy’s ass. Collectivism is a virus that has infected everything we do. I”m presently trying to get my kids into better schools and I”ve noticed the administrators fall into two categories: those who encourage the individual and those who think teamwork trumps personal development.
“Only incompetent people love the team, and they love it because it makes it harder to discover their incompetence.”
If my daughter becomes obsessed with sharks, I want you to teach her the math of sharks. How many are left? Teach her the geography of sharks. Where are they most prevalent? Teach her economics by discussing Japan’s harvesting of shark fins, etc. I asked one teacher if she”d be willing to tailor assignments to a particular student’s interests and when I provided the above example she said, “Well, we”d try to get everyone involved in sharks so they could share her interest.” What a depressing notion. Now every student has to be dragged into every other student’s passion until nobody’s passionate about anything.
Outside of my personal experience and a briefcase full of hunches, all I had to prove my hypothesis were books such as Free Radicals: The Secret Anarchy of Science, which discusses how important it is for scientists to have the freedom to be eccentric nonconformists. So before the talk, I interviewed doctors, scientists, and engineers. They all had very different experiences but almost unanimously agreed that teamwork is overrated. The engineers acknowledged that they need teamwork to get the job done, but most of them explained that their jobs were relatively mundane and involved replicating the work of pioneers from long ago. When I asked them what happens to the geniuses in their field today, they said most get bogged down by the team and are seen as troublemakers when they stray from what has become a very structured way of doing business. They all told me they would be nothing without inventors such as William Shockley who invented the transistor and courageously brought us from the era of vacuum tubes to the semiconductors that define computer hardware today. The message I got from the engineers was basically that their jobs are all about teamwork but without innovators, there are no jobs there in the first place.
The doctors I spoke to, especially the older ones, rolled their eyes when I brought up teamwork. They said the very nature of medicine is anti-teamwork because making one valid discovery is based on dozens and dozens of experiments that don”t pan out. To drag a team down an endless list of dead ends simply isn”t plausible, they said. Barry Marshall couldn”t convince his peers that stomach ulcers were caused by bacteria, so he swallowed the bacteria himself and was proved correct shortly after when it gave him both an ulcer and a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
The engineers lamented the lack of individualism in their profession and the doctors seemed annoyed by teamwork, but the scientists I spoke to about it were downright pissed. “Scientists are lemmings.” one biochemist told me. “They”re teamwork at its worst. They”re a mob.” He went on to tell me that his day consists of trying out ridiculous hypothesis after ridiculous hypothesis and when he’s finally successful, his peers viciously attack his findings trying to find a hole. When the data proves him right, everyone jumps onboard and wants to be part of the findings.
He told me when you hear of scientific teams working on a project, it’s usually one leader and several glorified employees. There was a plethora of examples of renegade scientists changing the world (most of whom are mentioned in Free Radicals), and I listed them all in my talk. Craig Venter was one of the first to sequence the human genome and he was able to think that far outside the box because he did LSD by himself. Barbara McClintock was a funny old lady who researched chromosomes by herself for thousands of hours. She is the reason we understand the evolving nature of dangerous tumors. Her studies of cytogenetics are the reason we know to finish all of our antibiotics. Without her, cancer treatments would still be in the dark ages. Kary Mullis improved the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique and it was so consequential that like the transistor, biologists talk of their field as pre-PCR and post-PCR. James Watson codiscovered DNA’s structure with fellow molecular biologist Francis Crick. Isn”t that kind of a team?
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LONDON - London could not remain Europe’s financial centre if Britain left the European Union at an upcoming referendum, top European politicians said on Monday, warning that reaching a free trade agreement with Britain would not be the bloc’s priority.
A European Union flag and the United Kingdom's Union flag fly outside Europe House, the office of the European Commission in London, Britain January 20, 2016. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
Painting a bleak picture for Britain outside the EU during a simulated negotiation of what would happen in the event of an “out” vote, politicians from several European countries said Britain would not be able to “cherry pick” a new deal post-exit.
“There is no such thing as a free lunch. Brexit is something which does not only affect you but affects our country,” said former German deputy finance minister Steffen Kampeter.
“The cherry-picking proposal, after torturing us over months, is not acceptable.”
Kampeter said Germans would not back their government agreeing to a post-Brexit deal that gave London an advantage over Frankfurt as a financial centre, while former Irish Prime Minister John Bruton said Dublin would seek to take London’s crown.
Former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta said Italy would support moving Europe’s financial centre away from London if Britain left the bloc, while France’s Noelle Lenoir, a former minister of European Affairs, said the opportunity to move the EU’s financial hub to a euro zone country “could be a blessing”.
“How can you expect that after you leaving the European economy ... that economy would accept that its financial centre is outside its borders,” said Karel de Gucht, former European Commissioner for Trade, representing the EU institutions in the debate hosted by think tank Open Europe.
Representing Britain, former finance minister Norman Lamont said Britain would seek to cooperate with its former partners in areas such as trade and security, but the other eight countries represented quickly lined up to make clear it would not get an easy ride.
“You were our best friend, and we had a marriage. Now we are divorced,” said former Swedish Minister for Trade Ewa Bjorling.
Related Coverage Cameron and Merkel agree more work needed for February deal on EU reforms -spokesman
Bruton said Ireland expected the European Commission “to drive a very tough deal” with Britain in any trade talks, while others said the EU’s priority would be completing existing negotiations such as the TTIP deal with United States.
Others were wary of making exit attractive to increasingly popular anti-EU groups in countries such as France and Spain.
“The common interest of the remaining members is to deter other exits,” said Leszek Balcerowicz, former Deputy Prime Minister of Poland. “This should have an impact on the terms Britain gets - they should not be too generous.” |
FRISCO, Texas – FC Dallas’ fullbacks could soon be in store for a lot more involvement in the offense. If the club makes the anticipated switch to a 4-4-2 formation with a diamond midfield, the entire shape of Dallas’ attack will change.
“What ends up happening [in the diamond] is the outside midfielders will have the responsibility of really being tucked in, [they] will be a little bit more central with the responsibility of going out where before, they were out trying to come in,” head coach Schellas Hyndman explained on Wednesday. “The biggest responsibility will be on the defending side because now what you’re going to give up is the flanks.”
This translates into a lot more movement up and down the pitch for the fullbacks, who will be trying to create space and serve balls into the box from the outside while defending service back in their own end. Kellyn Acosta, who played both right and left fullback (in addition to defensive midfield) against the LA Galaxy last weekend, says playing as an outside back in a diamond is a lot more work for his position, but it can also be a lot more fun.
“A fullback has more of a role to get up and down the field more often because in a diamond, [the midfielders] are more central, so that flank is wide open for fullbacks,” Acosta told MLSsoccer.com on Wednesday. “It’s an opportunity for myself to get forward and create chances for my teammates.”
With regular starter Zach Loyd not with the team for their two-match road trip on the West Coast due to a knee injury, Acosta is likely to see a lot of time at right back in Portland this Saturday (11 pm ET, watch on MLS Live) and then in Southern California against Chivas USA next Wednesday. The young Homegrown signing and US U-20 national team player says he looks to Barcelona’s attack-minded fullback Dani Alves for inspiration when playing that position.
Michel's natural position is left back and he agrees with Acosta that playing fullback in the diamond 4-4-2 can create space for them to make more attacking runs, but they also have to be cognizant of counterattacks because of the more open flanks. He says that’s where newcomer Erick can show his quality on the pitch.
“Erick’s a great [holding] midfielder,” Michel explained through an interpreter. "What he does best is stay in a defensive position and we didn’t really have that before, a true defensive midfielder. It gives us more confidence going up, knowing that Erick’s in that position."
Get more FC Dallas news at FCDallas.com
Michel had seemingly fallen out of favor with Hyndman after being pulled at halftime of FCD’s draw with the Montreal Impact on July 20 and then did not start the subsequent two matches. Hyndman emphasized that the issues with Michel had nothing to do with a rift between the two, but that they were more to do with the 31-year-old’s fitness.
The Brazilian admitted that not being used to the unforgiving Texas heat was a factor in his recent tiredness, but he feels that he has worked through those issues in training and the workout room. He came on at halftime of the Galaxy match and served two free kicks that ended up going into the back of the net, displaying once again the value he brings to the squad.
“Yes, absolutely it showed the importance of having him on the field that we’re back into scoring on set pieces,” said Hyndman. “I think it was a combination of getting him back on the field with great services and also our attacking players.” |
If you've been eyeing LG's circular G Watch R , your wait is about to come to an end, at least in the UK. Clove and Unlocked Mobiles are set to commence sales of the smartwatch in the country, with initial stock expected tomorrow and first orders shipping from October 27.
The G Watch R costs £224 ($358) on Clove and £229 ($366) on Unlocked Mobiles, making it slightly more costly when compared to other devices in this segment. The Moto 360, for instance, is priced at £199 ($318) on Clove, and although the retailer is out of stock, it has mentioned that additional inventory will be arriving in November.
Found a better deal on the G Watch R in the UK? Let us know in the comments. |
Gen Con 2016 is finally in the books and what a week it was. From the games, to the events, to the atmosphere of the convention in general, it truly was “the best four days in gaming”. We begin our annual Gen Con recap by talking about the games. And then later in the week we will discuss our thoughts on the convention in general. But let’s get started by talking about the new game releases at Gen Con 2016
Gen Con 2016 Games
Favorite Game I Bought:
Tony – Cry Havoc (Portal): If you would have asked me this question after Thursday night, it would probably have been a different game because our first play was a bit of a disaster, having got a ton of rules wrong. However, after getting some clarifications from Portal, we tried Cry Havoc again and I LOVED it. This quick playing, asymmetrical, area-control war game hit all the right marks for me. Each faction felt very different, and the game play was really unique. I actually wanted to play it again right away.
Alex (and Stephanie) – Mystic Vale (AEG): A unique take on a deckbuilding game, Mystic Vale is the first using a ‘card-crafting’ mechanic, giving players the power to stack different powers and abilities on the cards in their deck. I had the opportunity to demo this with the designer, John D. Clair, and it hit me in my sweet spot of games that are quick to get into, but have some strategy and depth in the decision-making. The quality of the cards are great, and the artwork is absolutely beautiful. This hit the table every night we were at Gen Con, and I foresee Mystic Vale being a popular game in my house and with my gaming group. I’m looking forward to more expansions and games using this type of mechanic.
Andrew – Order of the Gilded Compass (Grey Fox Games): This game kind of flew under the radar for me most of the convention. I had heard some rumblings about it, but it certainly wasn’t making a huge splash. I had some time to kill Sunday before heading home and stopped by Grey Fox for a demo. And I’m very glad I did. The game is a dice placement game with various locations that can be different during setup for additional replayability. It plays up to 5 players, and we played the full game in a 4-player demo in about 40 minutes. Looking forward to getting more plays of this game.
Jeff Petersen (and Brian Biewer) – Potion Explosion (CMoN): I was looking for a good family game that was not too childish, and this fits the bill. Potion Explosion emulates the Candy Crush feel with marbles and includes strategic elements with choices of potions and timing of their use. I had a great time playing with fellow gamers at the con and then again on the day of my return with the family.
Walt – Hit Z Road (Space Cowboys/Asmodee): Martin Wallace is more well-known for heavy strategy and/or train games, but this year he debuted two games at Gen Con that are much more family friendly: Via Nebula (which is my runner-up for Favorite Game), and Hit Z Road, a quick, cool dice chucker with an auction mechanic. Even though it’s a lighter game, it’s still a tough one to beat. I hadn’t heard about this game at all prior to Gen Con, but after seeing a demo, I was hooked, and decided to buy it.
Heather – I have to pick just one?! Impossible. Favorites included Potion Explosion (CMoN), Mystic Vale (AEG), Ice Cool (Brain Games) and Junk Art (Pretzel Games). To be fair, I think all these games were already purchased before I got to the Con late on Friday, but I’m glad Tony snapped them up to add to our game library before my arrival. (Thanks Tony!) I’m looking forward to introducing my non-gamer friends to almost all of these!
Brian Winters – Adventure Land (HABA): While HABA is typically known for little kid games – within the last year they branched out and made some for older kids and old kids like me. Adventure Land is a fun, well-developed, and light tactical game. It’s not a deep thinker but by far it’s no stinker.
Sarah – Onitama (Arcane Wonders): I hate demoing games at Gen Con because it makes me nervous when strangers watch me while I am learning a new game. That being said, the instructions for the demo took approximately one minute, I completely understood the game, and I beat Brian. Onitama is simple and elegant. It also has a high replay value due to the number of move cards included in the game.
What Game I Wish I Could Have Bought:
Tony – Giant Rhino Hero (HABA Games): This year we made our annual pilgrimage to the HABA booth to request them to sell Giant Rhino Hero here in the States. It’s somewhat available in Japan, but really expensive to try to import. However, word from the big-wigs at HABA USA is that they are finally considering releasing it here in the future. Fingers crossed!
Alex (and Stephanie, Tyler) – Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle (USAopoly): While not breaking new ground with mechanics; the theme, cooperative nature, and deckbuilding of Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle makes this an insta-buy for me. I love the fact that as the game progresses, your character levels up and gains powers as they go through Year 1 to Year 7. There was no way, however, I was going to brave the onslaught of people attempting to get the limited daily copies at the opening of the exhibit hall. Fortunately, I have it on good authority that this game will be released in September, just in time for my birthday!
Andrew – The Last Friday (Ares Games): While I was able to get most of the games I wanted this year, I did miss out on The Last Friday. I really like the horror-movie theme of the game and would like to give it a try at some point. Unfortunately copies were limited and because hidden movement games are hit and miss for me, I didn’t prioritize running to Ares each morning to try to snag one of the few copies at the convention.
Jeff Petersen – Ice Cool (Brain Games): It was sold out early, and was in the back of the hall. I will learn to start back there one of these years. I like to bring one dexterity game home to play with the family. It is a fun game of chase with the flicking of penguins.
Brian Biewer – Above and Below Kickstarter Edition (Red Raven Games) – I wanted to buy this for my daughter as she LOVED the base game. I passed on it on Friday, but decided to get it Saturday…and it was sold out. Above and Below is also sold out online as of the time of this writing, excluding price gouging Amazon/Ebay/BGG Marketplace offers. I do not need this game THAT badly…
Walt – Inis (Matagot/Asmodee): By the time I sat down for a demo of this on Friday afternoon, I was told that the small number of copies they had were sold out, and it wasn’t known if they were going to be getting any more. People kept comparing this to Kemet and Cyclades, which, as those who know me can attest, are the types of games that are not in my wheelhouse. However, there was just something about this Celtic-themed area control and card drafting game that won me over as soon as I started playing it. Very cool mechanics and card powers, and gorgeous component artwork. I’ve added this one to the top of my list of games to buy (after my wallet gets a much needed break!)
Heather – Lotus (Renegade Game Studios): After hearing about Lotus, it sounded really neat and the artwork on the box looked beautiful. Unfortunately they sold out before I even got to Gen Con! Thankfully Walt was able to snag a copy and we played on Saturday night. It was a great game and it’s no wonder why it went so fast. I love how the players are creating different flowers with their cards and that it’s friendly to both gamers and non-gamers. This game is definitely on my buy list.
Brian Winters – Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu (Z-Man Games): Sadly, I got to watch Tony, Alex, Heather, and Steph play this one and we just ran out of time to do another. I love all things mythos, but Z-Man, like many other publishers sold out Saturday morning. I now need to wait until this hits retail in September.
Sarah – Ticket to Ride: Rails and Sails (Days of Wonder): I really like Ticket to Ride and the addition of boats looked interesting; unfortunately it was sold out by the time I got to Asmodee’s booth on Saturday.
Favorite Unreleased Game:
Tony (and Brian Winters, Jeff Petersen, Tyler) – Adrenaline – (CGE): We had a chance to demo the prototype of Adrenaline and loved it. It was a fast paced game based on a first person shooter style deathmatch. Made by a company most known for complex eurogames, Adrenaline actually has a bit of a euro feel to it as there are no dice, low luck, and the most victory points wins.
Alex – Sagrada (Floodgate Games): A game of dice-drafting and placement, Sagrada has you placing dice to create a stained-glass window. Following stringent rules for placement, with different scoring conditions and special powers each game, Sagrada is a Kickstarter that I am looking forward to backing, based on my play of the game at Gen Con.
Andrew – Star Wars: Destiny (Fantasy Flight Games): While I may have told myself I’m never playing a collectible game again…Star Wars: Destiny may change all that. I was able to play through a few rounds of demo games and I’m excited to see more. The gameplay is straightforward and of course it’s always fun to play with characters from the Star Wars universe. I liked it much more than any of the sets I’ve played from Dice Masters. The result of the dice roll itself really controls the game in Dice Masters, but I felt like I had plenty of ways to mitigate a bad roll here. Coming this November, I’m sure I’ll be looking for a way to organize a few hundred dice for this game.
Brian Biewer – Arkham Horror LCG (Fantasy Flight Games): Arkham Horror/Cthulhu theme? Check. Cooperative LCG. Check? Pre-ordered at Coolstuff already? Check!
Walt – 4 Gods (Ludically/Asmodee): Yep, I spent a lot of time at the Asmodee juggernaut of booth(s). All I knew about this game before the con was that it was designed by the designer of Archipelago, but this title is very different. Two words: real-time Carcassonne! Ok, it’s a little more than that, but not much more. Players are drawing tiles with different landscape features and trying to fit them into a central framed grid on the table, working from the outside in, and claiming areas with their minis when they can – and they’re doing this all at the same time. It was frantic, but a lot of fun. P.S.: Alex, I liked Sagrada too!
Stephanie – Pathfinder Adventure Card Came – Mummy’s Mask (Paizo): If you go back to previous year’s recaps, you will note that I am a huge fan of the PACG. Early on Thursday, I was able to get into a demo. Since they don’t even have a release date yet, there wasn’t a full set to peek through. Paizo introduced at least two new characters (Spiritualist, Slayer), new types of Blessings mechanics, “triggered” traps, and more I can’t remember. I appreciate how each version of the PACG brings something new and just doesn’t repeat the same mechanics with a new story. I will have this in my hands as soon as it is released.
Most Surprising Game:
Tony – Get Rich Quick (FoxMind Games): I stopped by the FoxMind booth to chat with them and they told me about their new game Get Rich Quick. To be honest, if I were just walking by, I would have dismissed this game immediately. It has all the look of your typical mass-market game. However, that was apparently on purpose as this is FoxMind’s gateway game for their fans to transition them from easy, mass-appeal games to more hobby-style games. Under the clever layer some familiar graphic design is actually a euro game with simultaneous action selection and a worker placement mechanic.
Alex (and Heather) – Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu (Z-Man): I feel the Cthulhu mythos has reached its saturation point in board game design, so I did not have a great interest in what I thought was a reskin of Pandemic, one of the greatest games ever produced. How wrong I was! Not a simple re-theming, Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu uses some of the traditional Pandemic mechanics while adding some interesting variations on others and adding some completely new ideas. This game was a pleasant surprise to play, and I’m looking forward to picking up a copy!
Andrew – Sakura Arms (BakaFire Party): When I heard that there was going to be more of an international presence at Gen Con I was excited to take a look at what types of games were being developed outside of America and Europe. I was headed to the NECO booth, planning to demo Iki. They weren’t running a demo at that time, but BakaFire was there demoing his newest game, Sakura Arms. The game is 2-person duel where players manage the distance between themselves and their own resources. Cards are used to attack, but only work at certain distances. There is also a deck-building element. Each player chooses two Megami, each of which has 11 cards. You choose 10 cards from the 22 available to play with. Its beautifully produced and a great, quick playing game. Sakura Arms was available in Japanese with printed English rules and paste-ups and I’m excited to get it sleeved and playable.
Jeff Petersen (and Tyler) – Codenames: Pictures (CGE) – I have not enjoyed my plays of Codenames. I am one of the worst clue givers in the history of the game. Almost all of my clues have a one after the word. I was not looking forward to Codenames: Pictures, but surprise it was fun and much easier for me and am I guessing for families to play.
Brian Biewer – Bloodborne (CMoN) – I bought this because I love Eric Lang games and I love Bloodborne. I figured I would be able to play it once with my family and then rely on friends to play any other time due to my family typically not liking aggressive games. My entire family enjoyed the game. It is not as confrontational as I thought it would be and the decisions that need to be made, especially around when to retreat to bank your blood, were more engaging than I thought they would be. I REALLY liked this game!
Walt – Game of Thrones: Hand of the King (Fantasy Flight Games): What’s most surprising about this choice is that I’m actually picking a Fantasy Flight game! I wasn’t prepared to like yet another GoT-themed game, but this smart puzzly card game is actually light on theme. There is a grid of cards on the table depicting all our favorite GoT characters, and players are selecting them to place in front of them, following some strict selection rules. Rule the largest number of Houses at the end of the game to win! The bonus cards players can acquire do add some nice thematic touches to the game (the Khal Drogo card lets you immediately take the Daenerys card, of course). All in all, a fun, thinky game that even non GoT fans can enjoy.
Brian Winters – Mystic Vale (AEG). I’m not much of a deck building guy but it won me over from the start. It’s innovative “card crafting” makes the game much more deep and thinky than most deck building games I’ve ever played. Instead of grabbing a card for your deck, you have over twelve choices (if can afford them) to build and improve your base cards. Mystic Vale was a welcome surprise and this was one of the first deck builders I truly enjoyed playing. I have to say I think other designers will try to emulate the “card crafting” element and I won’t blame them one bit. It’s pretty slick and cool once you first see it in play.
Sarah – Stockpile (Nauvoo Games): I am not a fan of the stock market. Booorrrriiinnnggg. Then my husband, a CPA, made me demo Stockpile. We bought it approximately four seconds after the demo was completed. This game was surprisingly fun, especially given the theme. The demo was engaging and the designers were both genuinely nice guys.
Most Disappointing Game:
Tony – Codenames Pictures (CGE): While I’ve always enjoyed Codenames, I’ve never been one of the people who thought it was an amazing game. It was fun, but nothing I reach for regularly. I was hoping that Codenames: Pictures would add some excitement to the game for me. But it actually didn’t play any different from Codenames, and if anything, it was a bit duller and easier. I can’t see a reason why someone would ever need to own both.
Alex (and Tyler) – Star Trek Ascendency (Gale Force Nine): It is well-known that I am a sucker for all things Trek, so I was looking forward to checking this out. I had heard good things from friends who had a chance to have a more-involved demo about the creation of the galactic map and the various powers of the different races. However, finding out Star Trek Ascendency was three-player-only (before expansion) and took at least 3 hours to play will leave this title off my table and on my shelf 99% of the time. Disappointing!
Andrew – Potion Explosion (Cool Mini or Not): I knew that Potion Explosion probably wasn’t a game for me, but I was excited to try it nonetheless because the coolness factor is off the charts. I was able to play through a couple of games and it really just missed the mark entirely. First some of the marbles that came with the copy I played were in bad shape. Misshaped and dented to the point that one really wouldn’t go into the cardboard dispenser without a push. The dispenser itself took a lot of work to put together and needed a few taps occasionally to get all the marbles to come out. Not sure if those issues are widespread or just a bad copy, but production issues aside I just didn’t have much fun playing it. Just never felt like I really had any interesting decisions to make.
Jeff Petersen – Costa Rica (Mayfair Games): I didn’t make time to sit down at many demos in the dealer hall and I am sure I could have found a few games that were really disappointing. But Costa Rica was the worse new release gameplay that I had at Gen Con. I wanted to like it, but the randomness really hurt our play. I had the worse luck in pulling tiles and the game was over. Too much luck and not enough strategy even for a kid’s game.
Brian Biewer (and Sarah) – Aquarium (Z-Man Games) – I really want a good aquarium building game. This was not it. Aquarium was a bidding/set collection game. The aquarium theme was tacked on. It really could have been about ANYTHING. I MIGHT have liked it more had I not had my mind set on finally playing an aquarium building game.
Stephanie: Star Wars Rebellion (Fantasty Flight Games): Star Wars? Check. Fantasy Flight quality components? Check. Overly complicated rules? Um, yeah. Overly long demo where the demoer talked too much and we played too little? Yup. I don’t know if it was the overly complicated rules or the way in which the demoer was explaining the game, but I was literally falling asleep during this demo. On paper, Star Wars: Rebellion was perfect for me. Totally fell flat.
Brian Winters – I can’t say any new games really disappointed me. I did play Flip City for the first, and maybe the last time, but I really didn’t have any lemons aside from that one time.
That about wraps up Part 1 of our Gen Con recap. In part two, we discuss the convention at large. What about you? What games were your favorite from the show? Which ones fell flat for you? Let us know in the comments below. |
DEFINITION: Personal Income tax as a percentage of total tax collected by the country. Data is for 2002. SHOW ALL LESS
APA MLA MHRA CSE AMA Chicago Bluebook Bluebook/JOLT Citation
"Countries Compared by Economy > Tax > Components of taxation > Personal income tax. International Statistics at NationMaster.com", OECD Revenue Statistics. Aggregates compiled by NationMaster. Retrieved from http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Economy/Tax/Components-of-taxation/Personal-income-tax
"Countries Compared by Economy > Tax > Components of taxation > Personal income tax. International Statistics at NationMaster.com, OECD Revenue Statistics. Aggregates compiled by NationMaster." 2002. <http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Economy/Tax/Components-of-taxation/Personal-income-tax>.
'Countries Compared by Economy > Tax > Components of taxation > Personal income tax. International Statistics at NationMaster.com, OECD Revenue Statistics. Aggregates compiled by NationMaster.', <http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Economy/Tax/Components-of-taxation/Personal-income-tax> [assessed 2002]
"Countries Compared by Economy > Tax > Components of taxation > Personal income tax. International Statistics at NationMaster.com", OECD Revenue Statistics. Aggregates compiled by NationMaster. [Internet]. 2002. Avaliable from: <http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Economy/Tax/Components-of-taxation/Personal-income-tax>.
"Countries Compared by Economy > Tax > Components of taxation > Personal income tax. International Statistics at NationMaster.com", OECD Revenue Statistics. Aggregates compiled by NationMaster. Avaliable at: nationmaster.com. Assessed 2002.
"Countries Compared by Economy > Tax > Components of taxation > Personal income tax. International Statistics at NationMaster.com, OECD Revenue Statistics. Aggregates compiled by NationMaster.," http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Economy/Tax/Components-of-taxation/Personal-income-tax (assessed 2002)
"Countries Compared by Economy > Tax > Components of taxation > Personal income tax. International Statistics at NationMaster.com", OECD Revenue Statistics. Aggregates compiled by NationMaster., http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Economy/Tax/Components-of-taxation/Personal-income-tax (last visited 2002)
"Countries Compared by Economy > Tax > Components of taxation > Personal income tax. International Statistics at NationMaster.com", OECD Revenue Statistics. Aggregates compiled by NationMaster., http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Economy/Tax/Components-of-taxation/Personal-income-tax (as of 2002)
SHARE TWEET EMBED Economy > Tax > Components of taxation > Personal income tax: Countries Compared Map |
The rushed burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani may be undone as several remedies may address the issue when the time comes, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said Saturday.
“Of course, this being a political issue, let us not lose hope, because this can be reversed anytime,” said Pimentel, chief ally of President Rodrigo Duterte at the Senate.
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Pimentel is strongly against Marcos’ burial; his father, former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr., was among opposition leaders detained during the strongman’s repressive martial rule.
It was the President, whose father Vicente served in the Marcos Cabinet, who had allowed the late dictator’s interment at the LNMB. Pimentel, who heads the President’s party, said he is not keen to raise the matter again to Mr. Duterte as Marcos has already been buried.
But he said, Mr. Duterte could still have a “change of heart.” Or else, the next President could undo the burial.
“Then by 2022, when we have a new President and he believes that there are disqualified persons buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, then he can order their transfer, or their removal,” he told the Inquirer when reached by phone.
Pimental said the Commission on Audit (COA) may also “disallow all expenses connect with the burial once it reviews the transactions” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which was tasked to make the funeral arrangements.
Such disallowance would compel the military to “justify, explain or return the sum spent.”
“If it was allowed, then what was done must be reversed,” Pimentel said.
The senator noted that the state has remaining claims of money from the Marcoses, who is known to have amassed stolen wealth of about $5 billion to $10 billion.
“They owe the state a huge debt, and yet the state even gave them a favor,” he said.
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“This is not because of the legal (aspect). It is because a benefit is given to a person or his family against which the government has financial claim, which has not been returned and/or repaid,” he continued.
The issue of Marcos’ burial also prompted Pimentel to file a measure that would set aside land within the LNMB for the burial of “Filipinos of historical interest,” separate from plots reserved for the military.
This area, per his proposal, shall be called Libingan ng mga Makasaysayang Pilipino, where former Presidents of the Philippines, statesmen, dignitaries, and national artists and scientists may be interred.
Creating such delineation would “preserve the LNMB as a military memorial consistent with the purpose intended” when it was established in 1947, he said.
As protests continued over the burial, Pimentel said Filipinos should continue exercising their constitutional rights and take the time for some reflection on how much we value lessons of history.
“This will strengthen our democracy. This will also show the people that the Philippines has a lot of problems, this is one of them but this is not the only one. So, therefore, this will also prompt us to value our time, value our priorities,” Pimentel said.
“Let us allow all of these exercises to happen and then we will learn some lessons, and we will be a better democracy, a stronger country and a more historically conscious people because of all of these developments,” he said.
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poster="http://v.politico.com/images/1155968404/201703/369/1155968404_5361775535001_5361764326001-vs.jpg?pubId=1155968404" true Mulvaney justifies budget: We can't ask a coal miner to pay for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
As they fleshed out the budget blueprint released Thursday morning by the White House, Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney said officials from the administration of President Donald Trump asked themselves: Can we ask the taxpayer to pay for this?
For a dramatic uptick in military funding, Mulvaney said, the answer was yes. For a wide array of domestic programs, it turns out, the answer was no.
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Trump’s budget, which Mulvaney said was assembled in part by examining excerpts from the president’s speeches and media interviews, delivers on his campaign promise to build up the military, designating an additional $54 billion in defense spending. The budget pays for that additional spending by cutting funding to nearly every other department, including 21 percent budget cuts at the departments of Labor and Agriculture, 28 percent at the State Department and 31 percent at the Environmental Protection Agency.
“When you start looking at places that we reduce spending, one of the questions we asked was can we really continue to ask a coal miner in West Virginia or a single mom in Detroit to pay for these programs? The answer was no,” Mulvaney said Thursday morning on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “We can ask them to pay for defense, and we will, but we can’t ask them to continue to pay for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.”
Federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would be cut entirely under Trump’s budget blueprint, which also reduces spending on the Coast Guard by 14 percent and FEMA by 11 percent.
Asked how cuts to the State Department’s budget might affect the U.S. military and its activities around the globe, Mulvaney said “make no mistake about it, this is a hard-power budget, not a soft-power budget. That is what the president wanted and that’s what we gave him.”
And asked about cuts to educational programs, including aid to low-income students, teacher training and after-school and summer programs, Mulvaney said that they, by and large, are ineffective and cannot justify their existence.
“A lot of those programs that we target, they sound great, don't they? They always do. We don't put a bad name on a program. Programs are always wonderful. It’s always small business or whatever. They don't work. A lot of them simply don't work,” he said. “I can't justify them to the folks who are paying the taxes. I can't go to the autoworker in Ohio and say ‘please give me some of your money so that I can do this program over here, someplace else, that really isn't helping anybody. I can ask them to help pay for defense. But I can’t do it anymore. I can’t go to them and say ‘I need your money to go help this program.’” |
SOUTH Korea's "battle of the singles" - a highly-anticipated mass dating event organised on Facebook - fizzled out yesterday, with thousands of lovelorn men at the venue but few women in sight.
The event was triggered last month after two young men jokingly floated the idea on the social networking site and eventually prompted more than 36,000 Facebook users to sign up.
But only about 3500 people - mostly men in their 20s or 30s - turned up. Many of the women who did show up brought male partners just to watch the event.
"Apparently most of the participants were young men ... many left fairly quickly as the place was increasingly filled with guys," a police officer in Seoul told AFP.
Romantics who braved temperatures of around minus 10 degrees Celsius mostly milled aimlessly around the venue in a city park during the two-hour event.
Women had been asked to dress in red and men in white when they gathered at the park in Seoul's Yeouido financial district.
The two groups were asked to stand facing each other a few metres apart until the event started at 3pm, then walk towards a potential date and grab his or her hands.
But the face-to-face fizzled out after it became clear that there were simply not enough women to cater for a horde of men.
"Where the hell are the girls? I can't find any," said Kim Sung-Sik, a 23-year-old college student, describing the event as "utterly disappointing".
"This is awful... I didn't come all this way to get stuck in a bunch of smelly guys," said another male participant who declined to be named.
"It looks like there are more doves flying around here than there are girls ... I feel like I'm in the army again," he said, referring to the two years of military service mandatory for all South Korean men.
Similar male-dominated scenes have been reported in other cities where the same "battle of the singles" events were arranged.
Out of a population of some 50 million, South Korea - one of the world's most-wired nations - has 31 million smartphone users and nearly 20 million users of either Facebook or Twitter. |
(CNN) Special counsel Robert Mueller has asked the White House to preserve all documents relating to the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower that Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort had with a Russian lawyer and others, according to a source who has seen the letter.
Mueller sent a notice, called a document preservation request, asking White House staff to save "any subjects discussed in the course of the June 2016 meeting" and also "any decisions made regarding the recent disclosures about the June 2016 meeting," according to the source, who read portions of the letter to CNN.
The letter from Mueller began: "As you are aware the Special Counsel's office is investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of Donald Trump. Information concerning the June 2016 meeting between Donald J Trump Jr and Natalia Veselnitskaya is relevant to the investigation."
The preservation request is broad and includes text messages, emails, notes, voicemails and other communications and documentation regarding the June 2016 meeting and any related communication since then.
On Wednesday, the White House counsel's office sent a notice to White House staff informing them of the document preservation request. A second source confirmed to CNN the letter was sent to White House personnel.
Such notices are frequently sent in the early stages of investigation and puts those who receive it on notice of the need to hold on to the material and specifically not to destroy documents that could be relevant to the investigation and requested in the future.
A White House spokeswoman told CNN they don't comment on internal communications and the special counsel's office declined to comment.
CNN reported last week that the White House scramble to respond to revelations about Donald Trump Jr.'s emails may have exposed the aides involved to special counsel scrutiny about what they learned about that meeting.
White House aides and Kushner's legal team began strategizing late last month over how to manage the disclosure of newly discovered emails setting up the June 2016 meeting, according to sources close to Kushner's legal team.
Their public relations efforts culminated in a series of stumbles in response to inquiries from media outlets about the June 2016 meeting.
Some of the President's closest aides, who were traveling with him back from Europe helped strategize about a response for Trump Jr., according to people briefed on the matter. The New York Times first reported on the crafting of the statement.
A sensitive legal matter such as this would normally have been handled by the attorneys, given that it was about the Russia investigation.
But the President's lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, who is designated to handle personal legal issues, was not traveling with the President and was largely uninvolved, according to the people familiar with the matter. The Times reported last week that the President himself approved the statement, raising the possibility the President may have opened himself up to new legal issues not covered by attorney-client privilege. Jay Sekulow, the President's attorney, denied that Trump was involved.
"I wasn't involved in the statement drafting at all, nor was the President. I'm assuming that was between Mr. Donald Trump Jr., between Don Jr. and his lawyer. I'm sure his lawyer was involved, that's how you do it," said Sekulow in an interview on CNN's New Day. |
BTW
A day after Seattle Seahawks star Michael Bennett accused the Las Vegas Police Department of racially profiling him and putting a gun to his head during a recent incident, the police union is targeting the defensive end.
On Thursday, the president of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Protective Association wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell requesting the league conduct an investigation and “take appropriate action” against Bennett after he accused the police of racially profiling him.
“Michael Bennett’s claim that our officers are racist is false and offensive to the men and women of law enforcement,” wrote Detective Steve Grammas. “We hope you will take appropriate action against Michael Bennett.”
Bennett, in a Twitter message released Wednesday, said Las Vegas police, who were investigating an apparent casino shooting, targeted him in a crowd of people running from the scene, pinned him to the ground, put a gun near his head, and said they would “blow [his] fucking head off” if he moved.
“Las Vegas police officers singled me out and pointed their guns at me for doing nothing more than simply being a black man in the wrong place at the wrong time,” wrote Bennett, one of the players poised to take over the NFL’s social justice baton from Colin Kaepernick.
Later on Monday, Bennett spoke during a press conference about the traumatic experience he and his family had suffered. “It’s a tough situation,” Bennett said.
Michael Bennett addresses Seahawks media, walks off after getting emotional talking about his daughters. pic.twitter.com/sY1V0Ih9ZA — Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) September 6, 2017
Here’s the video released by TMZ—which also reported that Bennett did not comply with officers when they told everybody in the area to get on the ground so they could investigate—that shows Bennett being arrested.
Grammas wants an investigation of Bennett, but based on this statement by Goodell released on Wednesday, it sounds like the league is standing behind Bennett.
“Michael Bennett represents the best of the NFL—a leader on his team and in his community,” Goodell said. “Our foremost concern is the welfare of Michael and his family. While we understand the Las Vegas police department will address this later this evening, the issues Michael has been raising deserve serious attention from all of our leaders in every community. We will support Michael and all NFL players in promoting mutual respect between law enforcement and the communities they loyally serve and fair and equal treatment under the law.”
Bennett has not yet publicly responded to Grammas’ letter. |
Changes in alcohol consumption should not be simply about cutting it, but about optimising it
DISMAY greeted last week’s news that the “ideal” amount of alcohol for an adult to drink is just 5 grams a day – equivalent to roughly two standard glasses of wine or 3.5 units of alcohol each week. This is far less than the current guidance for safe drinking from the UK government, which suggests 21 units a week for men and 14 for women. Warnings of nanny statism duly flew, with reports suggesting that people would soon be “allowed” to drink only a quarter-pint of beer a day.
Leaving aside the question of whether or not the state has a duty to counsel its citizens against drinking themselves to death, this is an unhelpful reaction to helpful research. The point of the study behind the headlines was to find the average intake that would best balance the beneficial and deleterious long-term effects of alcohol. For years now, drinkers have received confusing messages about how much alcohol they should drink. For every study confirming that alcohol reduces heart disease, there seemed to be another attesting to drink-related liver disease or cancer.
Alcohol reduces heart disease but increases liver disease and cancer. Where is the balance point?
The new research promises to bring some clarity by modelling the daily intake across the entire English population that would maximise the benefits, in terms of heart attacks avoided, and minimise the downsides, in terms of cirrhosis and cancer. “We were surprised it hadn’t been done before,” says Peter Scarborough at the University of Oxford, co-leader of the team whose results appear in BMJ Open (DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-000957).
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The “Goldilocks” level of consumption turned out to be 5 grams per adult per day. At this level, the model predicted that about 840 more people would die every year from heart disease, because alcohol’s beneficial effects kick in at higher intakes. But there would be 2670 fewer deaths from cancer and 2830 fewer deaths from liver disease – saving in the region of 4600 lives overall. But there were still net health benefits if average consumption was more than double this level – closer to the 13 grams per day that English drinkers actually averaged in 2006, when the study’s underlying data was gathered.
The Goldilocks alcohol figure is not likely to be the same in all parts of the world, since disease burdens differ from place to place. For example, heart disease rates are already low in Japan, so it would be difficult to compensate for the negative effects of alcohol.
So while one might expect this result to inform government guidelines on drinking, those predicting a drastic curtailment are being over-dramatic. For one thing, many questions remain open, such as how other aspects of people’s lifestyles affect the risks of disease from alcohol, including diet, smoking, exercise and, of course, medical histories. And the guidelines have much to do with lessening the impact on society of people whose drunkenness leads to accidents and violence.
So there is no clear mandate for a major decrease in target consumption. In fact, the study’s findings on abstinence are among its most striking: less than 1 gram per day was associated with increased mortality, since teetotallers are at higher risk of heart attacks. Changes, then, should be driven not by the desire to simply cut alcohol intake, but to optimise it: to see the glass as half full, as well as half empty. |
Just the other day as I was waiting at my local grocery check-out line, I watched a customer open her purse and go for her check-book as she got ready to pay the cashier. Fumbling through her purse, she found a pen and started to fill in the particulars on the check, all while chatting on a Samsung Edge phone. Deep inside me I heard the Oh No, Here we Go again.
Normally this would frustrate the best of us that are waiting in line, especially when it’s a Friday afternoon and you have got your six-pack dangling on one hand ready for the weekend. This time however, I decided to roll with it and time the transaction. A whooping 3 minutes and 28 seconds for a purchase of $17.38 during the peak hour in a retail store.
I’m sure that in those precious 3 minutes and 28 seconds, I could have easily opened up a cold one and chugged enough to breathe and proclaim “Happy Weekend!” .
This week, when I saw the headline “Apple Pay a Hit in China with 3 million users in just two days”, I was fondly reminded of the lady in line from Friday.
How did the 3 million Chinese iPhone customers know about my 4 minutes of misery and decide to sign-up for Apple Pay?
Thus began the journey to find out what the heck is actually going on with Apple Pay and its aspirations.
What is Apple Pay and How does it Work?
Apple Pay was introduced in September 2014 amidst much hype and coverage at the Apples iPhone 6 event .The idea behind the smart e-wallet offering is simple. When faced with a point of Sale transaction, you pull out your iPhone 6 and hold your iphone near the contactless reader with your finger on Touch ID and volla OR just use your Apple Watch by double clicking the side button and hold the display of the Apple Watch up to the contactless reader. A quick tap and you are done.
The whole concept relies on digital wallet technology. Encrypted credit card data is stored on the secure element chip of an iphone. To execute a payment, the credit card data is communicated from the digital wallet to the payment terminal by a near field communication (NFC) Chip. Only the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch currently contain the NFC compatible chips. The encrypted credit card data held on the secure Element is not uploaded to iCloud nor are your credit card details transmited to merchants. Apple uses tokenization to scramble the information so that it cannot be re-used for fraudulent purchases.
I thought that all these security buzz words such as NFC chip, tokenization, scrambling and encrypted wallet would make us feel secure and give us the comfort of waving our iPhone the next time we see the over worked cashier at our local grocery.
Not so fast!
Barriers to Switching
There are multiple barriers to switching when it comes to Apple Pay and other e-wallet technologies. A study showed that at the end of 2015, of the 128 million apple pay capable devices, only 10% had Apple Pay up and running.
When it comes to opening up one’s wallet, the first and the most significant barrier to adoption is the lack of trust. Consumers have raised privacy/security concerns when considering the switch to mobile payments.
Just after a month of Apple Pay launch, we saw the news around CurrentC hack in the mobile payment space. This is the system that CVC spearheaded to implement their own QR code based payment system. Why in the world would they do that when you have Apple Pay and Samsung Pay?
Stores are reluctant to pay the $200 – $500 per POS(point of sale) device to accept mobile payments. What about the Banks? Banks are worried that Apple may enter the online banking space. This was one of the reasons why Apple pay had to face a formidable challenge when trying to get a foothold in the Australian market.
There is also the argument around how much of the transaction value does the bank keep versus what apple makes. Apple’s contract with the banks make sure that no incremental costs are passed on to Apple Pay customers. This means that between the Banks and the merchants, some one has to cover the costs so that Apple can make also make a profit via this offering without passing incremental cost to the customers.
It is indeed a complex world of banks, credit card companies, Apple, Retailers and competitors trying to make money of the e-wallet transaction. This complexity inhibits the faster adoption of the technology by the retailers, although this is changing in recent months. You can find all the local list of retailers that support Apple Pay here and this list is beginning to grow.
The other barrier to entry is the hardware. Only iphone 6 models and the Apple watch currently support Apple Pay. The competitors to Apple in this space are catching on pretty fast as well. We have Samsung Pay as well as Android pay.
Apple Pay Vs Samsung Pay
As Apple is focused on resolving another security issue with the FBI, Samsung is pushing hard on its Samsung pay offering. Yesterday it announced a promotion offering free wireless charging pad to new Samsung pay users. Samsung is also promoting its offering via regular media commercials.
https://youtu.be/czcb5dXjlZA
Unlike Apple, Samsung enabled its devices to use both the NSF technology as well as the MST (Magnetic secure transmission) technology. By introducing MST, it allows any retailer to accept Samsung pay without investing in new POS.
The MST service is already built into Samsung’s Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, Note 5 and S6 edge along with all the newer models. If your bank does not support Samsung Pay, you can also get a pre-paid debit card and use it with your Samsung Pay.
It is clear that Samsung is pushing hard to establish itself as a tough competitor to Apple Pay. Personally, I think the concept of NSF technology feels more secure than the MST. The question is, Can Apple design something that does not require retailers to upfront investments into their POS in order to support Apple Pay?
What about the 3 Million Chinese?
Although Apple is expected to face tough competition in the mobile payments arena from China’s home grown Alipay, It has made significant inroads by aligning itself with Key Chinese banks to support Apple Pay. Atleast 15 chinese banks had agreed to make their cards compatible with Apple Pay, including leading lenders Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank and ICBC.
The move into China, the world’s biggest smartphone market will prove very important for how the new e-wallet technologies are adopted by consumers. Alipay service accounts for 70 percent of the current mobile payments market in China. And yes you can download the AliPay iOS app right from the Apple Store.
There are also other local players in the marketplace as well such as TenPay and Baidu with its mobile wallet app.
It will important to see how some of the Chinese merchants position their payment systems in order to be compatible with Apple Pay. The current 3 million Chinese that signed up would probably be the ones that shop at premium retail locations.
It is possible that Apple will position itself as a luxury brand in the world of e-payments. Although Tim Cook talked about the economic softness in the Chinese market during the last earnings call, the news so far this year is pretty encouraging when it comes to Apple Pay progress in China.
Summary
It is going to be very important to see how Apple positions its Apple Pay moving forward. There have not been too many direct Apple commercials on Apple Pay. Apple has been using its co-marketers to primarily promote the offering as seen in the CapitalOne ad here.
I will be curious to see if the NFC chipset is going to be available in the newer iPhone SE phones. Not including the Apple Pay tech in the newer phone models will only provide Samsung more opportunities to gain market share.
The e-wallet technology is bound to change how we shop in the future. We can only hope that when Apple introduces its new iPhone 7, there are additional features to make it easy and safe for people to switch into Apple Pay. Not only does this offering provide convenience to the customers but it also provides value to the merchants by speeding up their transaction time at the stores.
As far as the lady in the line is concerned, I’m sure one of these days, she is going to surprise me by waving her new Samsung device at the grocery store clerk so that I can save 4 minutes between picking up my 6 pack and chugging a cold one to start the weekend!
Enjoy Your Weekend!
Update: 7/28/2016
Apple Pay is now a part of the iPhone SE device. Furthermore, Apple plans on supporting Apple pay transactions via Safari on Mac moving forward. It is becoming clear that Apply Pay will become a key catalyst for Apple’s services revenue growth in the future. |
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rawdownloadcloneembedreportprint text 2.56 KB The Nooblet ToolBox v1.0 By: (name withheld incase this goes in the shitter) Okay, so I cut this out of a draft I had made earlier and then copied something else and it was all gone, so I'm going to try to re-type what I was going to say as accurately as possible. Yes, I am frustrated. Here we go. Description: This toolbox is pretty simple. It's not gonna teach you to be the master l33t hack3r you always hear about... well... maybe. It depends who you're hearing about. The kid that "hacked the whole school!!!"? Yeah no. I'm not saying you'll be so much better either. After mastering the toolbox, you'll continue to grow. This is your repository of tutorials and you are to use it wisely. If you are the ones who come to these places to "hack" your exes FaceBook accounts, you better leave. People like that are not wanted here. If you are one of those THINGS and you download this toolbox, I'd like to personally let you know that the creator HATES YOU for doing that, you worthless dirt scum you. And yeah, I get it guys and girls. Most people that have a decent amount of knowledge about trust on the internet know NOT to download this exact kind of stuff. I can only ask of your trust, and I know that's risky for you. Most of this is txt files. Some is video, some is exe and paf. It varies. Your browser and AV will most definitely detect a lot of this stuff as a virus, which I promise it is not. Yes it is true that this zipped file contains malicious software. There's malicious files, and if you don't know how to handle them or get it via other browsers/getting it yourself, then do not download. If I am not being clear, the malicious files are tools themselves that you're going to be using. Those are for you, not me. This is going to be full of tutorials, so if there's something you do not know, LOOK IT UP on the vast interwebschz. Not difficult to understand. Also, you'll notice that a good amount of the tutorials/items in this toolbox are copied and pasted from the internet. Yup. Someday, that website won't be there. So, I took it upon myself to save a considerable amount of tutorials for offline usage and learning. Disclaimer: I (and any other accompanying people/services) am/are not liable for anything you do with this information nor any trouble you get in to. It's all on you, not us. The size of the toolbox is ~1.5GB and is hosted on MediaFire and Mega. I hope you know what you're doing. Download below. MediaFire: http://www.mediafire.com/download/nhzf28c61kt10ir/[TOOLS].zip Mega: https://mega.co.nz/#!xMZyhIyD!mQri42Xqx3AG2Nj3qBVyKn-6sYliF6MXDFZPjivDn1E
RAW Paste Data
The Nooblet ToolBox v1.0 By: (name withheld incase this goes in the shitter) Okay, so I cut this out of a draft I had made earlier and then copied something else and it was all gone, so I'm going to try to re-type what I was going to say as accurately as possible. Yes, I am frustrated. Here we go. Description: This toolbox is pretty simple. It's not gonna teach you to be the master l33t hack3r you always hear about... well... maybe. It depends who you're hearing about. The kid that "hacked the whole school!!!"? Yeah no. I'm not saying you'll be so much better either. After mastering the toolbox, you'll continue to grow. This is your repository of tutorials and you are to use it wisely. If you are the ones who come to these places to "hack" your exes FaceBook accounts, you better leave. People like that are not wanted here. If you are one of those THINGS and you download this toolbox, I'd like to personally let you know that the creator HATES YOU for doing that, you worthless dirt scum you. And yeah, I get it guys and girls. Most people that have a decent amount of knowledge about trust on the internet know NOT to download this exact kind of stuff. I can only ask of your trust, and I know that's risky for you. Most of this is txt files. Some is video, some is exe and paf. It varies. Your browser and AV will most definitely detect a lot of this stuff as a virus, which I promise it is not. Yes it is true that this zipped file contains malicious software. There's malicious files, and if you don't know how to handle them or get it via other browsers/getting it yourself, then do not download. If I am not being clear, the malicious files are tools themselves that you're going to be using. Those are for you, not me. This is going to be full of tutorials, so if there's something you do not know, LOOK IT UP on the vast interwebschz. Not difficult to understand. Also, you'll notice that a good amount of the tutorials/items in this toolbox are copied and pasted from the internet. Yup. Someday, that website won't be there. So, I took it upon myself to save a considerable amount of tutorials for offline usage and learning. Disclaimer: I (and any other accompanying people/services) am/are not liable for anything you do with this information nor any trouble you get in to. It's all on you, not us. The size of the toolbox is ~1.5GB and is hosted on MediaFire and Mega. I hope you know what you're doing. Download below. MediaFire: http://www.mediafire.com/download/nhzf28c61kt10ir/[TOOLS].zip Mega: https://mega.co.nz/#!xMZyhIyD!mQri42Xqx3AG2Nj3qBVyKn-6sYliF6MXDFZPjivDn1E |
Stephen Colbert continues to make comedic hay at Goldman Sachs’s expense. Colbert has been holding hostage what he says is a misplaced credit card belonging to Buckley T. Ratchford, a partner at Goldman Sachs.
Colbert has promised to return the credit card if Ratchford appears on “the Colbert Report” to talk about Wall Street bonuses– not a welcoming invitation from a king of skewering politicos and bankers. Colbert vowed to reveal one number from the credit card each night until Ratchford agreed to an interview. (The first revealed number was a “5.”)
Last night, Colbert made a show of reading an email he said was from the Goldman Sachs’s office of global security — “which I believe is a euphemism for assassination squad,” he said — to ask Colbert to return the credit card.
“I know when I’ve been beat,” Colbert conceded, and then made himself a copy of the credit card with one of those clackety carbon paper credit card copiers. “I don’t really need it any more.” |
The Show starts with Rockstar Spud in the ring, the crowd already booing him. He praises Dixie Carter for doing what she said she was going to do and that is bring the World Heavyweight Championship back home to TNA. She comes down to the ring and talks about what happened to AJ is what happens when you cross the boss, and if anyone else is wanting to play the same thing will happen to them. She then talks about tonight being the beginning of a new era in TNA, and how the role model of that new era is her champion Magnus. Magnus cuts a promo about the start of the reign of Magnus. Dixie then says none of this would be possible if it wasn’t for the help of Team Dixie and invites them down to the ring. The Bro Mans with DJ Zema Ion, EGO, Gail Kim and Lai’d Tapa all head to the ring. Dixie gives them all a huge thank you and says that they will be well rewarded in their next paychecks. She goes on to talk about the with a house all on the same page that TNA will finally be able to begin a new era, and after tonight the last man standing in the way will be delt with by her nephew Ethan Carter the Third. EC3 makes his entrance, but before he can say anything Sting’s music hits and he is in the audience. Sting cuts a really good promo about how TNA is actually a house more divided than ever. Starts calling out Magnus as still being a paper champ and that he has sold out. He then says that we want revenge for last week. This brings out Samoa Joe, Joseph Park, Eric Young, Gunner, Storm, and ODB and a huge brawl begins. Sting eventually corners EC3 in the ring and starts beating him with a bat before team dixie starts to retreat. Rockstar Spud comes back out with a ref and says that if they want to fight they are going to have a 12-man tag right now
Team Dixie(Bad Influence, The Bro Mans, DJ Zema Ion, and Lai’D Tapa) vs. Team Sting(Samoa Joe, Gunner, James Storm, Eric Young, Joesph Park, and ODB)
This isn’t much of a tag team match as it is just a series of random encounters throughout the brawl that never really stopped. Joe and Ion are the first two in the ring and Joe has no problems taking care of Ion. The next two are ODB and Tapa who battle for a short while before they both go tumbling to the outside, letting Daniels and Storm take center stage, that Storm gets the better of before they continue the fight outside the ring. Gunner and kaz are in the ring for a split second, before Robbie E and EY start a good back and forth in the ring, while everybody goes to their corners finally. EY starts to get eh offence going which brings Jesse in to try and make the save, but Park negates that for a little bit. Eventually, however, the Bro Mans do start double teaming EY, after Ion gets involved. Ion start celebrating only to get cut off by a fallaway slam by ODB. Tapa takes her out with an NFL-like shoulder tackle, bringing in EY and Daniels to slow down the action, with a chin lock on EY. EY fights back and gets the tag into Joe, who goes off on Daniels, before diving through the ropes to take out the Bro Mans. Kaz and Park are now in the ring and Kaz takes down Park with a kick to the face. The kick busts open Park’s lip and the Abyss personality appears and takes out everybody on Team Dixie, and even Gunner and Storm who happened to get in his way. Eventually the only two left in the ring are Joe and Daniels. Joe locks in his Coquina Clutch for the win.
Winners: Team Sting(Samoa Joe, Gunner, James Storm, Eric Young, Joesph Park, and ODB)
This match was at the very best controlled chaos. It was a good segway from last week, into this week however with the good guys getting retribution for the hits that were taken out on them last week. It also shows where the battle lines are starting to be drawn for the near future.
In the back, Velvet Skye and Austin Aries are talking, but get interrupted by a clearly jealous Chris Sabin, when Velvet won’t say what they were talking about he says they will talk about in the ring.
Kurt Angle is shown arriving and is on the hunt for Dixie Carter and/or Al Snow.
In the ring, Sabin is berating Velvet. It doesn’t take long for Aries to come to the ring in defense of Velvet. Sabin asks Aries if he is trying to steal Velvet away from him. Aries says that isn’t the case and he is just telling her to stick up for herself, and her man actually be a man. This turns into a challenge for the X division belt, but with the stipulation that Velvet be in a cage at ringside, to make sure Sabin can get the job done himself. Sabin doesn’t want to agree, but Velvet cuts him off saying she never wanted to be put in the middle of his matches in the first place and accepts for him.
In the back once again and Kurt is still on the hunt for Dixie. Also, Bruce Prichard is seen walking up and talking to Samuel Shaw. Prichard says he really liked Shaw’s performance in the ring, but needs to get over his creepy obsession with Christie Hemmee. As soon as Shaw hears Prichard says Christie’s name he goes from respectful of the praise to full on crazy and beats the hell out of Prichard, screaming to never say her name again.
Magnus walks into the locker room of EC3 and gives him a pep talk about Sting, and how EC3 needs to take Sting very seriously. There is a little bit of tension between them as they both feel like they should be Dixie’s go to guy, but it’s really down played.
Back to the ring and Bully Ray is headed out for his match against Ken Anderson. Anderson attacks Bully from behind and the match is underway.
Bully Ray vs. Ken Anderson No Disqualification match
Anderson has the early advantage after the sneak attack as the brawl outside the ring. Eventually they both get in the ring and bell sounds to get the match officially started. Anderson continues to have the advantage and goes for the Mic Check to end this one early but Bully reverses it and gets his first offense of the night. Bully almost immediately goes outside to get a chair, on the other side of the ring however anderson is doing the same. When they both get back in the ring they play dueling chairs that Anderson gets the advantage of quickly. He gets a little over zealous however allowing Bully to hit a spear and take get the offense going. Bully places a chair on top of Anderson and grabs his chain and wails away. He then wraps the chain around his arm and hits an elbow drop on Anderson, but only gets the two. Bully gets in the face of the ref allowing Anderson to take out Bully. Anderson goes under the ring and finds a section of guardrail. They both take turns trying to hit splashes on the guardrail and both hit nothing but guardrail. Anderson, recovers and hits a Mic Check on the guardrail, and goes for the pin, but only gets a two count. Undeterred Anderson grabs a table from under the ring and hits a Green Bay Plunge through the table, but once again can only manage a two count on Bully. Anderson now getting frustrated grabs a second table, but is cut off as he gets back into the ring. Bully sets up the table and then goes and grabs the lighter fluid from under the ring. He taunts Anderson with it which just gets Bully Mic Checked. Anderson sprays the fluid all over the table but before he can light it Bully hits a low blow, and a jumping piledriver for the win.
Winner: Bully Ray
This was a really physical bout. Lots of weapons and strong moves. Both men looked like they wanted to kill each other. Bully gets the win in the end, but it feels like he still hasn’t gotten the revenge he seeks for the death of the Ace’s & 8’s.
Kurt Angle is still searching for Dixie when he finds Al Snow, he grabs him and starts looking for answers, but when Snow won’t talk, Angle throws him down and is on his way to the ring. In the ring, Dixie says involving his family last week was across the line and calls Dixie out to the ring. Dixie comes to the ring and tells Angle that things are changing in TNA and he just needs to look at the big picture. She says she did what she did to protect him. She did want Kurt getting himself hurt, because then he wouldn’t be able to make any money for her or his family. She tells Kurt to trust he because she doesn’t want him making the same mistakes as AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy. Angle tells her thanks, but no thanks and that after his match, he will be in Sting’s corner tonight. Dixie at this point says Kurt is clearly not in a mental state to be able to wrestle and says the match will happen next week, and then asks security to escort Kurt from the building. When Kurt won’t leave, Roode comes down hits his version of the Attitude Adjust, now being called the Roode Bomb, on Angle.
Jermey Borash is in the back, with Madison Rayne. Before Rayne gets a chance to talk Tapa gets in her face and Kim attacks her from behind leaving Rayne is bad shape for their match.
Dixie is in the back with Earl Hebner, she tells him that due to his actions in the AJ Styles match last week he won’t be the official for the Sting vs. EC3 match tonight, and she says she has the perfect ref in mind.
Madison Rayne vs. Gail Kim(C) Knockout’s Championship match
Rayne is clearly the worse for wear as the match gets underway, giving Kim the early momentum. But a reversal shows Rayne still has signs of life, before Kim gets the offense rolling once again. KIm starts to get a little cocky and starts trash talking Rayne who fires up and eventually knocks Kim out of the ring in an offensive flurry. Rayne chases after Kim but is cut of by Tapa who picks Rayne up in a choke. The ref steps in and sends Tapa to the back for the interference. The damage has already been done however as this gives Kim the opportunity to lock on the figure four around the ring post. Rayne rolls out of the ring and as Kim lets the ref count Rayne barely makes it back in in time. Kim tries splashing Rayne in the corner, but Rayne uses kims momentum against her to throw her down and get the pin and become new Knockout’s champ.
Winner and New Knockout’s Champion: Madison Rayne
Nothing to special about this match unfortunately as typically the knockout’s have really good matches. The ending was also somewhat sudden as it wasn’t a typical finisher to end the match.
Sting is with JB in the back and says that he knows he has a lot of friends in the back, but he doesn’t want them to help him out tonight, because all tonight is about is getting his hands on EC3.
Dixie is in her office talking to The American Wolves. She says that she can’t wait to see their tryout match, and hopes that she is impressed enough to grant them a contract. The Wolves inform her they actual already have signed TNA contracts, and hand her a legal envelope. She reads it as it says TNA has a new investor.
The introductions are made for both EC3 and Sting, as they wait on there special ref. Rockstar Spud
Ethan Carter the Third vs. Sting w/ Rockstar Spud as the guest Referee
This match is all Sting. The only time EC3 ever gets anything going is when Spud interferes. Initially Spud kept Sting from doing anything in the corners always insisting on a clean break. Sting got feed up and to the match to the outside and ran EC3 into the steps and suplexes him on the ramp. Once they get back in the ring however Spud tries to stop Sting from hitting a Stinger splash which leads to EC3’s biggest offensive flurry of the match. Sting cuts it off and finally hits the splash in the corner and locks in the Scorpion death lock. Spud attacks Sting to break up the hold. This doesn’t stop sting at all however as he fights off both Spud and EC3. Sting hits the death drop, and SPud refuses to count. Sting literally grabs Spud’s hand and forces him to count, but Magnus pulls Spud out of the ring. Magnus takes his shirt off to reveal a striped shirt on, while Sting is distracted EC3 goes for the roll up, and Magnus quick counts Sting giving EC3 the win.
Winner: Ethan Carter the Third
This was really more a of a squash making Sting look super strong more than anything. The only times when EC3 showed any life at all where when Spud was getting in the way. The quick count keeps the undefeated streak alive, and now EC3 can say he beat Sting.
After the match Sting grabs a mic and tells Magnus he will do anything, to get him in the ring and a shot at the title. Magnus declines telling him that he lost the opportunity to ever fight for the belt again back at Slammiversary. Sting continues to talk and get under Magnus’ skin, eventually Magnus says that he will give Sting a shot but only if its title vs. career. Sting accepts and the match is set for next week.
TNA clearly had two weeks worth of Genesis in mind. They spent most of the first hour just with the backlash from Dixie’s actions last week. The matches all night were really nothing special. It does look like TNA is going all out with the in ring action next week with a full slate of matches that should be really good. There was a lot of story elements this week that was nice to see, hopefully next week TNA can deliver with the in ring action next week as well.
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Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Nuclear Physicist Walt Patterson told the BBC's Nik Gowing that even after the plant was shutdown its core would need to be cooled
Japan's prime minister has declared a "nuclear emergency" after a number of reactors shut down in the wake of a massive earthquake hitting the country.
Eleven reactors at four nuclear power stations automatically shut down, but officials said one reactor's cooling system failed to operate correctly.
Under Japanese law, an emergency must be declared if a cooling system fails.
In total, the country has 55 reactors providing about one-third of the nation's electricity.
In a statement, the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum said Prime Minister Naoto Kan had declared the emergency "in case prompt action" had to be taken, but added that "no release of radioactive material" had been detected.
AFFECTED POWER PLANTS Onagawa - all three reactors shut down automatically
Fukushima Daiichi - reactors 1,2 and 3 shut down automatically; reactors 4,5 and 6 were not in operation; reactor 1 was not cooling as expected
Fukushima Daini - all four reactors shut down automatically
Tokai - single operational reactor shut down automatically
It added: "Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (Nisa) of the [Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry] set up an emergency preparedness headquarter... in an effort to collect information on any possible damage to the NPPs (nuclear power plants).
"Since emergency diesel generators at the Fukushima-1 and -2 NPPs are out of order, (energy company) TEPCO sent the emergency report to Nisa. There is no report that radiation was detected out of the site."
The reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi power station that triggered the emergency alert was the 40-year-old Reactor 1, one of six on the site.
Reactors 1, 2 and 3 automatically shut down when the Magnitude 8.9 quake shook the plant, while reactors 4, 5 and 6 were not in operation as they were undergoing scheduled inspections.
The reactors are Boiling Water Reactors (BWR), one of the most commonly-used designs, and widely used throughout Japan's fleet of nuclear power stations.
Heat is produced by a nuclear reaction in the core, causing the water to boil, producing steam. The steam is directly used to drive a turbine, after which it is cooled in a condenser and converted back to water. The water is then pumped back into reactor core, completing the loop.
Local evacuation
A statement by the power station's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, said that pressure inside the reactor had risen after the cooling system had been damaged by the quake.
About 3,000 residents within a two-kilometre radius of the power station, located about 170 miles north-east of Tokyo, were told to leave their homes as part of the emergency procedure.
Even when the reactor is shut down and the nuclear fission is halted, an intense level of heat remains and needs to dissipated, which is the role of the cooling mechanisms.
Dr Richard Phillips from the University of Leeds said that a reactor has to be rapidly cooled when it is automatically switched off.
"One power station failed to cool sufficiently but the stations are robust and there is no expectation that any leaks will occur," he explained.
"Once checks have been undertaken the stations should be back online in a few days."
It is understood that the earthquake cut electricity supplies to the power station, and the back-up generators did not come into operation when the outage occurred. As a result, not all of the cooling systems were available.
World Nuclear Association (WNA) spokesman Jeremy Gordon said the state of emergency was a legal requirement and did not mean that there was a genuine case for concern.
"It allows authorities to take additional measures," he told BBC News. "It empowers officials in the local region, such as the fire service, police etc to take the action they need to take, but at this stage it is purely precautionary."
Under Japanese law, a nuclear emergency must be declared if there is a release of radiation, if there is a dangerous level of water in the reactor, or if the cooling mechanisms fail.
"It is important to remember that for a large reactor like that, it would have a number of diesel generators that are supposed to start up automatically, when the plant is disconnected from the grid," Mr Gordon said.
Safety systems have operated as they should Dame Sue Ion, Royal Academy of Engineering
"But it is not the case that you have just one generator - the nuclear business is not like that, you never rely on just one thing. You always back up your back-ups."
Mr Gordon added: "It is hard to find a country more experienced in earthquakes than Japan, and they are also one of the most experienced in nuclear power."
He said that the country has been commercially operating nuclear power stations for 45 years, during which time there have been a number of major earthquakes.
"The most recent quake to affect a nuclear power station was in 2007, and it hit the seven-reactor Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant very hard as I think the epicentre was very close by.
"It was shaken a lot harder than anyone ever thought it would be, so it was an example of how the over-engineering in nuclear power station design goes beyond the super-conservative regulatory requirements."
But Steve Thomas, professor of energy policy at Greenwich University, said the reactors were only now just beginning to come back into operation.
"There were things that should've held together but didn't, and it's taken them years to get [the reactors] back in service," he told BBC News.
"I think it was a shock to the Japanese that the plants didn't hold up as well as they should've done."
'Earthquake proof'
Nuclear engineer and fellow of the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering Dame Sue Ion said Japan had extremely tight standards when it came to ensuring nuclear power plants were earthquake-resistant.
"Authorities, utilities and reactor vendors ensure that appropriate safety systems are incorporated at the design stage and implemented in construction and operation," she observed.
"Systems automatically shut down when trigger points are reached to allow for relevant safety inspections to take place before restart.
"Japan's nuclear power stations are being shown to be robust against the threat of earthquake: Safety systems have operated as they should."
The Japan Atomic Industrial Forum said that it would continue to post regular updates on its website to keep people informed about developments at Fukushima. |
‘When the Army completed its search operation, it handed the men over to the Provincial Armed Constabulary… The PAC men kept threatening the public at gunpoint.’
Photojournalist Praveen Jain was in Hashimpura on May 22, 1987, where he saw a PAC and Army crackdown unfold. Some of the photos he clicked would go on to serve as prosecution evidence against PAC men accused of massacring civilians and since acquitted by a court. Jain, Associate Photo Editor with The Indian Express, recounts what he saw that day.
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‘While conducting the search, Army men were beating up the young men with their fists and rifle butts.’
There is this one image that has remained in my memory ever since I saw it. As Army men barged into a Muslim home and dragged the men out one by one, a little boy ran in fear, then suddenly stopped and started offering namaaz — he was turning to the almighty for help. Looking at the child’s face, I could sense how helpless he was feeling. I don’t know what the child’s fault was.
‘They were pleading with the Army to leave their men alone.’
It was the morning of May 22, 1987. I was then with Sunday Mail, working as chief photographer. I had been asked to go to Meerut; I was told that there were communal clashes there. Until then, it was only an assignment.
When I reached Meerut, a police officer told me, “Why you are here? Go visit Hashimpura mohalla (part of Meerut city). That is the place where the Army is conducting its search operation.” That is when I reached Hashimpura.
[related-post]
The moment I entered the mohalla, the tension was noticeable. Army men were marching in groups. Young men were being dragged out of their homes. I took my Canon in my hands and started clicking photos. What was very disturbing was the sight of the distraught women. Standing on their terraces, they were shouting at the Army men, pleading with them to leave their men alone. Not one woman came out on the street, though.
As the operation got more and more intense, it soon became apparent that things were getting risky even for me. I had to hide inside a Muslim family’s house. Today, I cannot remember the name of the family. The Army by then had started entering almost every home. They were conducting their search very fast.
‘They were taken to the main road, asked to put their hands up.’
It was mostly the young men who were dragged out. And while conducting the search, Army men were beating them up with their fists and rifle butts. As I was trying to capture one of these pictures, one of the Army personnel saw me and tried to stop me. He asked me to leave. As far as I can remember, I was stopped twice but I did click my pictures, hiding at different places at different times. When the Army completed its search operation, its personnel handed the men over to the Provincial Armed Constabulary.
‘It was mostly the young men who were dragged out.’
When I moved out of the house where I was hiding, I saw some men being told to kneel down, others being dragged out, and some others being brutally beaten up. All through, the PAC men kept threatening the public at gunpoint. By then, I had taken more than 15 photographs.
These men were taken to the main road outside the mohalla and made to kneel there. They were all asked to put their hands up. I quickly captured another set of photos. The trucks had already arrived. The young men were segregated from the group and told to get into the trucks. I thought these were preventive arrests. At that point, I thought these men were being taken away to maintain some peace, as curfew had been clamped in Meerut.
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It was a three-hour assignment. I then returned to Delhi. It was only after I got back that I got to hear about how Muslim men had been killed in Meerut that day. |
Everybody wants your data one way or the other. It’s not just the NSA, Google, Facebook or your phone provider. Even your torch app or online store tries to get access to your data. Yet, we have to exchange messages all the time with family, friends, colleagues or government. This is precisely where end-to-end encryption comes into play (have a look at the image above) by scrambling your data into an unreadable form before it leaves your device, and only the right recipient holds the capability to read it. Following section will discuss different aspects of email privacy and security. You will learn why end-to-end encryption is at the heart of secure email.
Email and digital communications
We continuously send emails to family, friends or colleagues. On a daily base 215.3 Billion emails get sent. This number is expected to increase by 17% in 2019. Needless to say, email has become the backbone of digital communication. This is what makes email super enticing for both surveillance and mass spying.
Free is not ‘free’
All the traditional email service providers, say it’s all for free. However, in reality it isn’t. One has to give up one’s data while using those services. We believe this is a big deal !
Ever wondered how much google really knows about you ?
Retaining email privacy and security is not easy
The task of taking back control of email privacy and security is not easy. Following are some of the reasons:
User-friendliness versus data privacy and security:
Several services emphasize usability (which is not a bad thing in principle). But this goes at the cost of changing user habits and stealing data. Users end up becoming negligible towards their data privacy.
Attempts to outlaw encryption:
The continuous attempts to ban encryption in the US and Europe and the massive efforts of NSA (in global surveillance revelations) have shown the extent to which encryption can be sabotaged and can be used as a tool to provide an illusion of security and privacy. The reasoning behind proposals to outlaw encryption is that it is used by bad guys (cyber criminals, terrorist, etc…). However, this argument is as shallow as banning mobile phones, because bad guys use them as well.
A false impression of security:
This is somewhat an overlooked aspect. Why isn’t there a massive usage of secure email solutions? The most probable explanation is the lack of awareness and knowledge among end-users. Most people do not know what real online privacy and security means. Somewhere this is absolutely logical as it’s our job to give users easy to use secure email solutions. We should not ask people to dive into the technicalities. However, lots of internet organisations simply abuse the trust of their users by either backdooring their applications, or secretly snooping or selling their data. In some cases they even provide secret access to spying agencies without any legal court order at hand.
‘True’ end-to-end encryption is at the heart of secure email
Users have to put a level of trust in their provider irrespective of the (so called) claims of “zero-knowledge” of various service providers out there. These providers pretend to “know nothing about you”. However this is not true. We’ve seen various cases of highly-audited and technically sound mechanisms of secrecy that still leak information (i.e., meta-data: to, from, time, message count, account creation time, …).
This kind of information can be anonymized to a certain extent either by hiding it, replacing it or even encrypting it. Unfortunately we haven’t seen a mechanism yet that allows for complete protection against this kind of information leakage though, some interesting research projects do exists: DIME, LEAP, ….
We believe the starting step is to set the record straight. We do not want to give a false impression of “we know nothing about you” but instead show a high level of transparency that will lead to legitimate trust.
In our opinion, end-to-end encryption plays a crucial part in achieving secure email. It protects the user’s message content by providing confidentiality, integrity and authenticity.
At Mailfence – a secure and private email service, we believe that it is extremely important to safeguard online privacy in order to preserve our basic values and freedom of speech. The opposite – all-round surveillance – is just too dangerous. We think together we can make a change and stop our society from being monitored 24/7. It can be done by all taking small yet effective steps. If you agree with us, join the movement for secure email and share our message.
Follow us on twitter/reddit and keep yourself posted at all times.
– Mailfence Team |
EU Reform: barking cats 26/06/2004
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The mantra of "reform" of the EU is ever-beguiling - for those who have little idea of how the EU works and what it is intended to do. Yet, we have been here before.
After the low turnout in the 1999 European elections, and the resignation of the Santer Commission, we began to see a subtle change in the rhetoric coming from the EU institutions.
Instead of "integration", we started hearing calls for "reform", and all community initiatives began to be couched in those terms. But, as one would expect, in the Community dictionary, "reform" is simply another word for integration.
Nobel Prize-winning economist, Milton Friedman, and his wife Rose offered the best explanation of why "reform" cannot succeed and why, therefore, it cannot be real.
In a book written by the couple, they launched an attack on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for its bureaucratic controls on pharmaceutical drugs, which served only to increase their price and keep effective products off the market.
They recalled that, when one of them had suggested in a Newsweek column (8 January 1973) that for these reasons the FDA should be abolished, the column had evoked letters from persons in pharmaceutical work offering tales of woe to confirm the allegation that the FDA was frustrating drug development.
But most had believed it should be reformed rather than abolished. The Friedmans addressed this point in What would you think of someone who said, "I would like to have a cat provided it barked"? Yet your statement that you favour an FDA provided it behaves as you believe desirable is precisely equivalent. The biological laws that specify the characteristics of cats are no more rigid than the political laws that specify the behavior of governmental agencies once they are established. The point was, and is, that if organisations are set up in a certain way, their behaviour is pre-ordained and no more able to change than a cat can bark.
What the history of the European Union tells us is that it was set up in a certain way, to do certain things. It embodies at its core the supranational Commission. All the other institutions were designed in such a way that they would either present no challenge to the supremacy of the Commission, or help it in its task of acquiring power.
Given the structure and relationships of the institutions, as indeed do dogs bark and cats meow, so does the European Union necessarily act in the manner it does. That is what it was designed to do.
Thus, as Thatcher said in her book Statecraft, long after she had retired from active politics, "Europe as a whole is fundamentally unreformable". At least she got there in the end. The mantra of "reform" of the EU is ever-beguiling - for those who have little idea of how the EU works and what it is intended to do. Yet, we have been here before.After the low turnout in the 1999 European elections, and the resignation of the Santer Commission, we began to see a subtle change in the rhetoric coming from the EU institutions.Instead of "integration", we started hearing calls for "reform", and all community initiatives began to be couched in those terms. But, as one would expect, in the Community dictionary, "reform" is simply another word for integration.Nobel Prize-winning economist, Milton Friedman, and his wife Rose offered the best explanation of why "reform" cannot succeed and why, therefore, it cannot be real.In a book written by the couple, they launched an attack on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for its bureaucratic controls on pharmaceutical drugs, which served only to increase their price and keep effective products off the market.They recalled that, when one of them had suggested in acolumn (8 January 1973) that for these reasons the FDA should be abolished, the column had evoked letters from persons in pharmaceutical work offering tales of woe to confirm the allegation that the FDA was frustrating drug development.But most had believed it should be reformed rather than abolished. The Friedmans addressed this point in a subsequent column , entitled "Barking Cats" (19 February 1973), which has singular relevance to the European Union. They argued:The point was, and is, that if organisations are set up in a certain way, their behaviour is pre-ordained and no more able to change than a cat can bark.What the history of the European Union tells us is that it was set up in a certain way, to do certain things. It embodies at its core the supranational Commission. All the other institutions were designed in such a way that they would either present no challenge to the supremacy of the Commission, or help it in its task of acquiring power.Given the structure and relationships of the institutions, as indeed do dogs bark and cats meow, so does the European Union necessarily act in the manner it does. That is what it was designed to do.Thus, as Thatcher said in her book Statecraft, long after she had retired from active politics, "Europe as a whole is fundamentally unreformable". At least she got there in the end. |
23 December 2016
Nathan Catt, Matt Garvey and Semesa Rokoduguni all return to the Bath Rugby starting line-up for the crucial Aviva Premiership fixture against Wasps at the Ricoh Arena on Christmas Eve, kick-off 14:00.
The trio, who missed last week’s 38-3 victory against Cardiff Blues, come back into the side to face an in-form Wasps side, who lie two points above third-placed Bath in the Aviva Premiership table in second.
Rokoduguni, who is the Club’s top try scorer in the league with five tries so far, takes his place on the right wing, with Aled Brew, who opened his account with a try of his own against the Blues, continues on the left wing.
Tom Homer starts once again at fullback with Ben Tapuai and Jonathan Joseph making their first start together in the Premiership in the midfield.
The half-back pairing of Kahn Fotuali’i and George Ford, who co-captains the team with Garvey, will look to pull the strings in this much-anticipated encounter in Coventry.
Ross Batty, fresh from his try-scoring exploits in Cardiff, one of which included a 70m run-in, starts at hooker with Catt and Max Lahiff either side.
Luke Charteris and Dave Attwood make up the second row with Garvey, Francois Louw and Taulupe Faletau lining up in the back row to complete an imposing forward pack,.
Director of Rugby, Todd Blackadder stressed the importance of this weekend’s fixture: “We’re really looking forward to Saturday’s game and the squad will take a great deal of confidence from last week’s performance against Cardiff.
“However, we are well aware of Wasps quality all over the field, and will have to be at our very best to ensure that the scoreline is in our favour at the final whistle. It’s a crucial festive period for us and a win would set us up really well for the visit of Exeter Chiefs on New Year’s Eve.”
David Sisi, who made his comeback from injury for Bath United earlier this week, has been dual-registered with London Scottish to get valuable game time following his return to action.
Unavailable for selection: Matt Banahan, Dan Bowden, David Denton, Rhys Priestland, Henry Thomas, Anthony Watson.
Bath Rugby team to face Wasps
15. Tom Homer
14. Semesa Rokoduguni
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Ben Tapuai
11. Aled Brew
10. George Ford ©
9. Kahn Fotuali’i
1. Nathan Catt
2. Ross Batty
3. Max Lahiff
4. Luke Charteris
5. Dave Attwood
6. Matt Garvey ©
7. Francois Louw
8. Taulupe Faletau
Replacements
16. Tom Dunn
17. Nick Auterac
18. Kane Palma-Newport
19. Elliott Stooke
20. Tom Ellis
21. Darren Allinson
22. Adam Hastings
23. Max Clark |
Right now, ramps are hotter than poppa bear’s porridge. You can’t walk into a farmer’s market or restaurant without catching a whiff of their pungent delights. This is good for our taste buds–mine do a little dance with every rampy bite–but not so good for the plants themselves.
We humans tend to get carried away when we like something a lot–think about the last time you were alone with a dozen doughnuts or the last two seasons of The Office or The Harlem Shake. Sometimes we just can’t stop ourselves.
With ramps, that tendency poses a real risk. As Kentucky writer Joyce Pinson explains in today’s guest post, we might be loving our favorite edible root to death.
*
County lines are a good thing. They identify who we are, and where we come from. But county lines, especially here in the mountains, can be a barrier to communication and progress. On the creek where I live, we keep our heads down. We tend our gardens. We go to work. We go to school. We go to church. But for the most part, we do not interact with many people beyond our immediate community.
Our news, however, comes from pretty far off–Huntington, Hazard, and Charleston. The nearest of those is some fifty miles away….and worlds removed from everyday living amongst our hills and hollers.
In between the folks along my creek and those far-flung news sources, there’s a lot of territory. Thankfully, the Eastern Kentucky Food Systems Collaborative is building connections across county lines. They’re bringing together farmers, chefs, academics, and eaters from across the region. Friendships form. Alliances are made. Outside the meetings, we talk on the Internet, blurring the unseen barriers of county lines with lightning speed. Together, we hope to redefine Appalachia’s agricultural future and recapture our historically self-sustaining way of life.
On my creek, which is called Johns Creek, the tradition of ramp eating is lost to the ages. But up Widow’s Branch, over the mountain in Freeburn, folks still know what ramps are and where to find them. But you have to ask with caution. Like moonshine, ramps are valuable. They are grown in the secret places. Purchasing fresh ramps is a covert operation. When friends show up on my porch with the fresh stinkies, I ask no questions. I pay the price. I dance a jig. I heat up the cast iron skillet and dump in some bacon grease. It will be a good day!
I talked to a chef last week who gladly pays $15 a pound for the hillbilly stinkies. That is cash money. In a good location, you could easily harvest 8 or 10 pounds in an hour. The thing is, those that do harvest often dig up whole colonies, leaving none to reproduce seeds and clumps of greens for future financial gain or reinforced biodiversity.
As luck would have it, an area nonprofit called Grow Appalachia came into a large quantity of ramp seeds. They connected with me and my friends at the Eastern Kentucky Food Systems Collaborative, and together, we made sure the seeds were distributed.
In secret, farmers stomped through the hills looking for the ideal location to plant the seeds, a north slope under a canopy of trees offering just a dappling of sunshine. We will report back on seed germination rates. We will keep mum about where the seeds were planted, hoping nature will take its course and the ramps will spread rapidly.
By planting ramps, we’re trying to help repopulate our dwindling supply. Growing from seed takes time; but once plants take root they can be thinned and replanted, spreading the wealth so to speak. As my patch grows, I will continue to expand ramp plantings in hopes of re-establishing this native plant, which is emerging as an important source of supplemental income for a region in economic transition.
And as we come together to bring change in Appalachia, we realize it is possible to respect our culture and traditional foodways while moving toward a more self-sustaining future. It happens one ramp seed at a time; one farmer at a time. It happens when people talk across the county lines.
Now be honest, do I stink? Giggles. |
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According to an investigation from Mike Adams, the blueberries you commonly find in your favorite cereals, muffins and breads may not be actual blueberries.
It turns out, that many of the “blueberries” are nothing more than hydrogenated oils, liquid sugars and artificial colors. There are absolutely zero nutritional benefits in these fake blueberries, yet you would never know, because the boxes still say they’re healthy. The video below will expose a deceptive and dishonest practice that big-name food companies use to trick you into thinking you’re eating healthy.
The Alleged Offenders
Blueberry Bagels sold at Target
Total Blueberry Pomegranate cereal by General Mills
Kellogg’s Blueberry Pop Tarts & Blueberry Frosted Mini Wheats
Betty Crocker’s Fiber One Blueberry Muffin Mix
Remember to Read the Ingredients List
If any of your favorite blueberry products were mentioned in the video above, go to your pantry right now and read the ingredients list. You may be shocked at what you’ll find. I hate to recommend wasting food, especially in tough economical times, but just know it may be healthier for you, if you didn’t eat any more of these fake blueberry products.
It’s not always easy to avoid fake blueberry products, but you can take actions to prevent them from making their way into your pantry. When you’re browsing the shelves at your local supermarket, be sure to read the ingredients list and find out what is actually in your food. If you see Red #40 or Blue #2, then you know they added artificial colors to give their “blueberries” more blue.
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Anna Bligh is expected to take Queensland back to the polls within weeks. In the third of a series of reports from Larvatus Prodeo, Mark Bahnisch looks at the impact of the independents and third parties.
Anna Bligh is expected to take Queensland back to the polls within weeks, clinging to power in the face of a resurgent Liberal-National Party under Campbell Newman. In the third of a series of reports from Larvatus Prodeo , we look at the impact of the independents and third parties ... One of the many peculiarities of Queensland politics is the entrenching of the "just vote one" culture under an optional preferential voting system. In 1998, Labor was able to form government because One Nation exacerbated the conservatives’ perennial plague of preference drift and exhaustion. Peter Beattie subsequently trumpeted the refrain that voters should not allocate preferences, to a degree where it became almost the rule rather than the exception. (Antony Green has a useful and informative post on OPV’s political impact.) The formation of the LNP was a response to this dynamic. But it's now coming back to bite the ALP, as its primary vote continues to slide. But the fact that there are long-term independents well dug in, and renewed disunity on the Right through the emergence of Bob Katter's Australian Party, suggests that there are also pitfalls for the conservatives. Thus, unless the landslide of LNP dreams does come to pass, the Greens, Katter and independents have significant potential to affect the shape of the campaign and its outcome. Queensland has not traditionally been fertile territory for the Greens, in part because in a state with a unicameral legislature and a massive metropolitan council, they have, until recently, been unable to build a base of elected representatives. Labor MP Ronan Lee defected to the Greens in 2008, but lost his seat of Indooroopilly to the LNP in 2009. Larissa Waters was elected as the party’s first Senator only in 2010. Because they lacked elected representatives, the Greens have also lacked resources and organisational capacity, and have often been unable to fully leverage their voting potential. There’s much evidence of that potential in some inner-city results, particularly in Mount Cootha and in Andrew Bartlett’s strong performance as a candidate for the federal seat of Brisbane. Ironically, perhaps, some of the best organised and most successful Greens branches are in Sunshine Coast territory where the LNP piles up huge majorities. While in Cairns and to a lesser degree Townsville, potential strength is poorly articulated, probably to Labor’s benefit. So most eyes will be on Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser’s seat of Mount Cootha, and on Kate Jones’ seat of Ashgrove, where Campbell Newman is the LNP candidate. Antony Green has written a suggestive piece mapping the 2010 federal results onto state boundaries. If the Greens’ 2010 vote was reproduced in Ashgrove, Mount Cootha and Brisbane Central, all three Labor seats would probably fall to the LNP because of preference exhaustion. In fact, Fraser and Brisbane Central MP Grace Grace are likely to have more resilient primaries, though nothing can be taken for granted. The Greens have sometimes fancied their chances in these contiguous electorates, but those chances would probably be higher if the LNP were the incumbents. Nevertheless, former Bob Brown adviser Adam Stone will give Fraser a run for his money, and in doing so, impact on Labor tactics. The contest for Ashgrove, of course, has the potential to be the pivot for the entire campaign. Campbell Newman was right to say that his tactic of running for premier from outside parliament is a high-risk game. The electorate straddles leafy, wealthy and hilly districts around Ashgrove, Red Hill and The Gap and the lower lying and poorer Mitchelton, Gaythorne and Enogerra, with significant indigenous, military and public housing populations. Greens candidate Dr Sandra Bayley has been campaigning across the electorate, emphasising environmental issues, particularly surrounding coal seam gas. It's yet to be demonstrated whether CSG is a vote changer, but there is no doubt that as an issue for inner-metropolitan voters, it symbolises concerns about the future in a way not dissimilar to climate change. Word on the ground is that, as with incumbent Kate Jones’ campaign, the Greens' door-to-door campaigning is having an impact, highlighting Newman's incapacity to deal with either local issues or, convincingly, with broader environmental issues, where he falls back on stock generalities about his council record. Complicating the Greens’ prospects are a lack of awareness of optional preferential voting, and the extraordinary hyperbole haunting Ashgrove, which is proving a strange attractor for candidates of all stripes and none, making it much more like a first-past-the-post contest. If there is a credible chance that Newman will not win, and that is not implausible, the implosion of the LNP statewide campaign will almost necessarily follow. More broadly, the Greens will run on issues of integrity and performance, citing their federal record, something of a double-edged sword for the Labor response, given the reality of the agreement that constitutes the Gillard minority government. Waters' profile is not yet sufficient to be a determining factor, but Bob Brown can be expected to add some heft to the campaign. Issues of public sector pay, workers’ rights and IR may also play a role; issues which expose some of the divisions within the ALP and its union base. The central theme of the Greens’ campaign will be the dangers unrestrained mining activity poses to the natural and social environment of the state. Newman's small target strategy implies a narrow focus on "cost of living" and "debt" and "mismanagement". It is, though, difficult to see how some of his attempts to fudge social and environmental issues can be maintained, particularly since it is also in the ALP’s interest to highlight at least some of these. There are unlikely to be many electorate level preference deals between the ALP and the Greens, which will also shape the campaign by necessitating an ALP appeal on issues of concern to intending Greens voters over the heads of the Greens themselves. The impact of Katter’s push is less easy to quantify, though such polling evidence as does exist points to a weaker reflection of the One Nation pattern of demographics and geographical distribution. In a way, Katter is offering a much more consistent package than Pauline Hanson’s: essentially agrarian socialism with a mixture of old school Laborism. There’s no doubt that’s a message with great power to resonate in many pockets of Queensland. But he faces similar problems to Hanson as a leader without a coherent and established party. Yet, Katter may cause profound trouble to the LNP in particular, though he should also at least worry the ALP in seats around Ipswich, the northern outskirts of Brisbane and in regional cities. It’s quite possible that KAP will hold its two seats (both LNP defections), and with five of the six independents recontesting, the LNP’s road to majority government becomes a more rocky one. OPV, the decreasing ability of the ALP and LNP to straddle both sides of the fence on several key questions, the potential loss of control over issues driven the need to respond to and defuse the Greens and to Katter, and the very evident volatility of the electorate and the configuration of political forces: all these ingredients, and the cauldron of Ashgrove, make for quite a heady potion. *This article was originally published at Larvatus Prodeo |
Bowe Bergdahl’s Attorney Wants Him Awarded with POW Medal
Bowe Bergdahl was a deserter.
Even the Obama administration knew that Bergdahl, was planning on “going over to the other side” when he deserted.
A military investigation discovered that Bergdahl was hoping to escape to Uzbekistan and then to Russia.
At least six US heroes and as many as 14 were lost looking for Bowe Bergdahl.
Sadly these 6 heroes who were killed while looking for Bowe Bergdahl will not get any press today- during Bergdahl’s trial. pic.twitter.com/PUpR0GxChE — Jim Hoft (@gatewaypundit) October 16, 2017
On Friday Military Judge Col. Jeffery Nance ruled Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will be dishonorably discharged and receive no prison sentence for endangering his fellow soliders after abandoning his post in Afghanistan.
Now Bergdahl’s lawyer wants his client awarded a POW medal for his time with the Taliban after he deserted his post in Afghanistan.
Military.com reported:
The lead defense attorney for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl said he wants him to receive the Prisoner of War medal. His civilian lawyer, Eugene Fidell, on Friday said his client should be recognized for the five years he spent in Taliban captivity after deserting his post in Afghanistan, according to an article by USA Today. “We have long felt he was entitled to the POW medal,” Fidell said, the newspaper reported. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Bergdahl’s defense team plans to push for the award as part of the process to appeal his dishonorable discharge. |
Whatever promises President Trump made that he hasn’t kept as yet, there is one that he is definitely keeping; trimming the bureaucracy in Washington.
According to Government Executive reports, nearly 10,000 federal employees have been cut from the payroll in the first six months of his presidency.
Government Executive states: "A July jobs report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Friday showed non-postal federal agencies employed 2,188,900 workers at the end of the month, down 2,200 from June and 10,700 from January, when Trump took office."
The 2013 sequestration triggered by the 2011 Budget Control Act forced agencies to cut roughly 57,000 jobs, the largest plunge in any single year since 1997.
As Jazz Shaw pointed out at HotAir:
Over the past two years there were a total of 50K federal workers added to the previous staffing levels in 2015 and 2016. Barack Obama added 60K in his first six months in office and George W. Bush inflated the rolls by 36K during the same period of his first term.
Trump's fiscal 2018 budget request, presented in May, showed these prospective cuts: |
Last month, The Office ended its nine-year run on NBC with what was ostensibly a happy ending. At least three of its main characters threw caution to the winds and left their respectable office jobs in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to start a glamorous limo-laden life at their new company ... in Austin, Texas.
As a dedicated viewer who wants only the best for her favorite characters, I should have been happy. But I felt my chest tighten a bit when I heard yet another sales pitch for Austin, when I started calculating how many transplants the "Athleap" company would employ in Austin. And then I got to fretting over where all those employees were going to live.
Although the new fictitious company on The Office would base its business model on professional sports teams – still a vacuum in Austin – the narrative made sense. According to the latest data, for the second year in a row, Austin is the fastest-growing large U.S. city, and it's now the 11th largest overall. To a large and understandable extent, this population increase has been marketed as a story of success, of Austin thriving when other cities are faltering, of more jobs and rising home values, and an increasingly livable, walkable city.
But it's also, increasingly, a story of displacement.
When the housing market crashed in 2009, even the sturdy Austin economy felt its effects. Though the population continued to increase, with banks unwilling to lend money, there was very little new construction. This helped us get where we are today: The latest data from Capitol Market Research shows an occupancy rate of 97.4% in the city; rents, according to the latest data available from the Census Bureau, are the ninth highest in the country and expected to rise.
Now in 2013, new development is everywhere you look Downtown. But what, exactly is being built? The answer is not reassuring. "Most of them are one-bedrooms, and they are going to rent for really high prices," explains Foundation Communities Executive Director Walter Moreau. "Apartment construction is back with a vengeance, but it may not even be enough to keep up with all the people coming here."
Forces of Change
City Demographer Ryan Robinson notes the "intense gravitational pull" of Austin for recent college graduates – per capita, Austin leads the country as a postgraduate destination. On the one hand, he says, Austin has become "the manifestation of Richard Florida's The Rise of the Creative Class," the book that argues knowledge and creativity attract their kind. So it makes sense that a company – even a fictional one – catering to professional athletes would relocate to a city that doesn't have a pro sports team. Austin is a cool place to move, and it's a cool place to have a cool business. That reputation is worth a lot when it comes to attracting the creative class.
But Austin is also drawing in plenty of real immigrants, from places where jobs aren't as plentiful, who have lower education levels and lower incomes. "They are really what I call economic migrants. They are coming to us from other parts of the country which ... are still very much struggling in post-recessionary America," says Robinson. "They may not have a job lined up in Texas, but their prospects for a job are still far, far greater in Texas."
Even with rising costs, notes Robinson, Austin is relatively affordable compared to other large cities, though he acknowledges there has been some cost erosion over the past few years. That erosion has a distinct "spacial component," with housing becoming much more expensive in the central city than it was just a few years ago, leading to a "sorting out" of the different households entering the city. "If you are one of the young, talented, and connected," he says, "you not only want to live in the central city, but you can probably afford to live in the central city. If you are not a piece of that incoming stream, if you are coming here without a college degree, without much experience, and without anything lined up, it's going to be close to impossible for you to live inside the central city." The real estate web site Trulia reflects rental prices Downtown at about $1,850 monthly per bedroom. While rates are comparable in near-south and near-east neighborhoods, those numbers drop to the $400-500 range as you move further from the center of town.
At the same time, in a process that is almost the reverse of the white flight of the Fifties and Sixties, minority populations that have lived in central Austin for generations are now finding it unaffordable. They are moving further out, to the suburbs or to areas of Austin that have fewer services. This recent history is reflected in a report from affordable housing nonprofit Green Doors and the Kirwan Institute called "The Geography of Opportunity in Austin and How It Is Changing." The report highlights disparities in opportunity for Austin's poorest residents, and it shows that African-Americans and Latinos are more than twice as likely as white Austinites to live in low-opportunity neighborhoods (see "Expensive Geography.")
Green Doors Executive Director Frank Fernandez explains what these low opportunity areas are, and what they mean for residents. "People are getting displaced, they are moving further out – where they don't have bus service, where they don't have jobs, where they don't have health clinics," he says. "Just from a vitality perspective, it really does start to create this bigger and bigger divide, which at some point creates problems, when you have people who are able to benefit from all the wonderful things in Austin, and a growing underclass that is really isolated from it. ... Not only is it harder to afford a place to live in Austin, but it's increasingly pushing us into the extremities of Austin, or the bad parts of Austin that are really isolated from opportunity."
If things continue in this direction, adds Robinson, Austin will become increasingly divided, with concentric rings of affordability circling the city. It's a problematic concept, considering the exponential transportation costs, quality of schools, and lack of services found in the outskirts. "I can't see a future, unless something changes in terms of housing production, that's really not pretty strongly crafted by those 'rings of affordability' or 'rings of affluence,'" says Robinson. "Simply put, if we continue on this trajectory, we will become increasingly expensive, and households that need reasonably priced housing and affordable housing will be increasingly pushed into the periphery.
"Are we going to be Monaco on the Colorado?"
Changing Austin
The changing demographics have moved much faster than public policy, or even public perception. Moreau notes that in the last five to 10 years, the number of extremely low-income families in central Austin has declined, and it's not due to them getting any richer. "The market is so expensive that poor people can't stay in Austin any more," he says. "In some ways, our perception of ourselves hasn't caught up to the reality, especially if you lived in Austin in the Sixties or Seventies. We were dirt cheap; this is where slackers and creatives and musicians could crash. You could rent a bedroom or apartment in Austin because it was really inexpensive. Now we're number nine in the United States for median rent. ... We're only a few notches below New York City for average rents. I think it gets to the heart of what we think about Austin. Are we still a hip, weird, caring community? Or are we going to let it be too expensive for all but young, wealthy people?"
Between 2005 and 2011, Austin's growth has been disproportionately skewed towards the higher end of the socioeconomic spectrum. During that period, those households making $183,000 per year or more grew by 53.4% – the highest of any demographic. The only group that saw a decline were those making the least money annually, less than $21,950; that population dropped 0.7%. The change – or displacement – is starting to manifest in ways visible to people who aren't demographers.
"There's just far fewer individuals ... who live here who are at that, say, $70,000 or less mark," says Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Assistant Director Rebecca Giello. "There's just a disparity in that growth, for middle-class and lower-class. That's where you begin to see the gaps or the income divide." The divide is starting to have a tangible impact on Austin communities, recently leading community advocates Austin Interfaith to jump into the details of development.
Bonus Rounds
Although the old proposition that "development should pay for itself" seems ever more remote – rising population means rising property values mean rising costs – there has been an increasing push to make development pay for at least a few of Austin's resulting expenses. Many housing advocates are pushing harder than ever to focus what Robinson calls the "spigot of national investment money" on Austin's affordability crisis.
Right now, the city is attempting to move from the thoroughly unsuccessful "interim density bonus program" – voluntary, and completely unused by developers – to the actual density bonus program, officially approved as policy by City Council in 2011 but not yet codified into ordinance, a change expected to happen this summer. Both programs ask (and the new version will require) that developers contribute "community benefits" of various sorts to the city in exchange for requested additional development entitlements (e.g., greater permitted height, capacity, or other variances). The community benefits may include additional affordable units within the development, or "fees-in-lieu" – that is, money contributed for affordable housing elsewhere.
The details of the new Downtown Density Bonus Program – part of the larger Downtown Austin Plan – are currently being finalized by city staff, after matters came to a head at Council in March. Council Member Bill Spelman was frustrated by Council's inability to impose affordable housing funding requirements on a Downtown boutique hotel: Absent a change in the ordinance, requiring a particular benefit in exchange for the approval of a zoning variance could be interpreted as illegal "contract zoning." Spelman, however, refused to submit to Council's apparent impotence.
"It seems to me we ought to be applying our own policy which we passed with a unanimous vote," he said. "I have the discretion to vote in favor or against any CURE [Central Urban Redevelopment] zoning case. The zoning comes before this Council. ... All of us, as Council members, have the discretion to vote 'yes' or 'no,' based on how well we think it's going to fit our vision for the city, and how well we think it's going to provide benefits to the city, and the community as a result. Our collective decision on that subject, I believe, was made when we passed that policy – whether it's codified or not.
"I, for one, will vote in all cases in favor of that policy. It is in my discretion to do so, and I believe that was a good policy, which we passed on a unanimous vote. I am going to uphold it," said Spelman. Soon thereafter, Council took a deep breath, issued an ultimatum, and demanded that the community benefits portion of the Downtown Plan, at least, be codified by staff posthaste, and at its June 20 meeting, Council was briefed on the progress (see "The Latest in Density Bonuses: New Teeth," below).
When Policy Creates Reality
Normally, this process would be the type of sausage-making that would be of interest almost exclusively to developers, their hired guns, and city planning nerds. But, with the crisis in affordable housing having crossed streams with an unanticipated lack of affordable housing bond money – after the narrow defeat of a major bond vote last November – it's a process under wider scrutiny than a comprehensive plan usually receives. The rejection of the bonds suggests that not all Austinites are equally convinced that affordability needs addressing – or more precisely, not everybody agrees on the best strategies to address affordability.
In May, Council moved to eliminate the CURE zoning that, among other things, lets Downtown developers circumvent the community benefits exchange for the city permitting greater height. And an unlikely showdown occurred between a representative of Austin Interfaith and the only member of Council to vote against the proposal, Mayor Lee Leffingwell.
The crux of the dispute was over AI leader Kurt Cadena-Mitchell's assertion that the delay in codifying the density bonus program meant that $20 million that would have gone towards affordable housing had been lost. Leffingwell replied that this number – what developers might have allotted, in theory, for affordable housing – was an illusion. If mandatory community benefits had been in place, and construction costs were consequently greater, argued the mayor, it was impossible to know what would and would not have been built.
That is most certainly true. Though the city has theoretically "lost" not $20 million, but more than $53 million (if every potential affordable unit had indeed been built) in affordable housing funds because of developers declining to employ the interim Density Bonus Program, the fact is that the program was ignored for a reason. Charging $10 for every square foot of space gained through a Downtown zoning change was consistently deemed by developers as unreasonable – or as they put it, using the program would mean their projects wouldn't "pencil out" financially. It's not at all certain that, if the program had been mandatory – especially during the recession – any of the buildings now under construction Downtown would exist.
Nevertheless, Cadena-Mitchell says it's time for a new type of involvement from AI, and that going forward, the group plans to weigh in on zoning cases that could affect affordability. And as he points out, this doesn't apply only to Downtown. "We're not anti-density," he said. "There are a lot of folks that say density, in and of itself, is good. We don't necessarily disagree that density is good, but density is not the absolute good." Density advocates range from the business community that wants to revitalize underutilized Down-town real estate to mass transit, anti-sprawl, and environmental advocates who argue that residential and commercial density is more sustainable. Cadena-Mitchell argues that there are higher priorities. "We believe that everybody has a right to live in a home that's affordable – to have a home," he says. "That's a moral right. And it's a moral imperative to create a society that provides that. The same is not true for density. We don't say things like, 'we have a moral right to density,' or 'we have a moral right to a walkable neighborhood.' Those are good things, but the primary objective is that people have a place to live and call home."
As things stand, the city is limited in its ability to demand affordability from developers. A few parts of town, like Downtown, West Campus, and now (potentially) East Riverside have density bonus provisions in their redevelopment plans that include affordable housing; some planned unit developments (including the Mueller neighborhood) also have affordability requirements. But, in a larger sense, the city is fairly limited in what it can ask developers to do.
Will the new Density Bonus Program work? Only time will tell, but it's worth noting that the developers of a proposed office building at Third and Colorado voluntarily committed $220,000 to Foundation Communities in a private agreement, and in the process avoided a public political debate.
Nevertheless, it turns out that a lot can happen when people start paying attention. Under the ever-watchful oversight of Austin Interfaith, developers wanting to redevelop the Section-8 Oak Creek Village Apartments recently struck a deal with existing tenants that many are hoping will serve as a model for other developers. With a Housing and Urban Development contract set to expire, and developers eager to capitalize on prime Bouldin Creek real estate, things didn't look good for the current residents.
But now, though the project is still waiting on federal tax credits (another steadily diminishing resource), developers have agreed, privately, to retain every affordable housing unit that would be lost, relocate tenants if needed during construction, and maintain the new affordable units for the next 35 years. If they fail to provide the promised affordable units, they cannot exercise the entitlements granted by the revised zoning.
Housing advocates hope the Oak Creek project will serve as a model, one that promises to benefit developers, increase density, and retain affordability in the urban core. "This kind of thing is what we need in Austin, if we are going to maintain any level of deeper affordability in Austin," noted Planning Commissioner Danette Chimenti. "This is precisely the kind of project that we need." Nevertheless, subsidized housing represents only a fraction of what might make Austin housing more affordable.
Disappearing Housing Stock
Elizabeth Mueller, a professor in UT's School of Architecture, has been looking at patterns in Austin's market-rate affordable housing, which she says is quickly vanishing. She is currently at work on a proposal to track the city's non-subsidized affordable housing stock, and a strategy to preserve it.
Mueller explains that, in her opinion, the areas of the city that are most vulnerable are the transit-oriented corridors. Historically, busy streets have been seen as areas best suited for apartment buildings, with single-family homes relegated to more interior, homogeneous neighborhoods. Multifamily construction serves as a buffer between those neighborhoods and the busy streets and shopping centers.
Many of the large complexes born out of the historic form of this philosophy are concentrated in parts of town that are now seeing dramatic change. For East Riverside (running roughly from I-35 to Pleasant Valley), major complexes have been host to lower-income residents as well as UT students for decades. Due to federal tax incentives, many of the buildings were built in the same period of time (during the Seventies and early Eighties), are roughly the same age, and have become the "de facto stock" of (nonsubsidized) affordable housing for the city, explains Mueller, and they're reaching the end of their functional usefulness at about the same time. Council recently passed a much-belabored "regulating plan" intended to revitalize these areas; the question is, will what replaces these buildings be available and affordable to the people who live there now?
"A lot of them are kind of at this point where they're really vulnerable to redevelopment, just at the point when the city is creating these different ways of looking at these corridors, and wanting to re-envision them as being mixed-use and higher-density and designed to support transit," says Mueller. "I think that's kind of the perfect storm."
Last year, the Wood Ridge Apartments (on Burton Drive south of Riverside) presented a worst-case scenario for rapidly aging affordable housing. For years the apartments functioned in increasing disrepair, until a collapsing walkway highlighted hundreds of city code violations. The apartments have remained under scrutiny, residents were evacuated and remain displaced, and the owners eventually sold the property as a way out of the mess, after paying about $220,000 in fines. Without affordability standards in place, it's hard to imagine the sale, the repairs, and the fines won't translate into higher rents.
"Overall, when you think of where the majority of low-income people live in Austin, the majority live in older properties. They don't live in housing that has any subsidy attached; they live in market-rate housing that's just cheap because it's old," says Mueller. "If we lose it, it would be a big loss. It would cost the city a tremendous amount to try and replace that stock." New buildings are more expensive, and the city just doesn't plan for that, says Mueller. Nor do we often see the unsubsidized stock of housing as valuable affordable housing.
She urges the city to identify existing affordable housing units in changing neighborhoods, and consider buying and renovating them into a stock of housing throughout the city before each area becomes a lot more expensive. Council recently directed city staff to review what is going on with this housing stock, research how it might be preserved, and develop a way to pay for that process.
Don't Forget ...
The November defeat of the affordability bond has led to much official hand-wringing, but also the formation of a formidable group of boosters angling to propose another housing bond (see "Then There's This: Housing Bond Back on Ballot?" May 3). Yet with many more demands looming on the city's existing wish list – as well as the mixed results for the May school bond package – it remains uncertain whether there will be sufficient political momentum for a fall proposition.
Meanwhile, in yet another attempt at a partial solution, the city is looking at a proposal that could reduce its reliance on affordable housing bonds, by reconfiguring the Housing Trust Fund, ideally resulting in nearly $10 million in revenue annually by 2018, enough to fund existing programs if not expansion.
But in any event, it will take more than a few city programs or bond votes to make a dent in the need for additional affordable housing. Moreover, notes Giello, increasing pressure on the lowest-income housing not only displaces populations but has other ripple effects, especially on social services. Housing the homeless and getting that population stabilized lessens the burden on many other social service systems – which in turn, has a direct property tax impact on everyone in the community.
"When people think affordable housing, it's really important that they're not just thinking about things coming out of our office that we fund and make affordable in their community. It's things that are in their community today that will be lost over time, and won't be affordable as it's redeveloped," says Giello. "Without affordable housing ... you lose the opportunity to have your teachers, your pedicurists, your daycare providers, the people who work at your grocery store. ... You just lose the ability to have folks that work in a community live in the community." |
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Out and Proud Apparel seeks to provide Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender individuals a clothing and accessory line that inspires pride, acceptance, and unites us as a community.
I have yet to see a brand specifically geared towards the GLBT community. Of course there are the basic graphic tees and generic gay pride accessories out there, but not an actual brand. My goal is to create this brand, a brand that will be something we as a community are proud to wear and people everywhere will recognize. No flashy sayings, just a high end brand with a simple logo and a lot of attitude!
I take great pride in making sure all my clothing is of remarkable quality. I've hand picked each fabric for durability, comfort, and longevity.
Pictured on Heat; Racerback Tank/ Drawstring Sweatpants/ Snapback Hat
Pictured on Frankie; Racerback Tank/ Basic T-Shirt
Pictured on Taty'Jana; Racerback Tank/ Drawstring Sweatpants/ Snapback Hat/ Basic T-Shirt
Pictured on Catherine; Polo Shirt/ Basic T-Shirt/ Snapback Hat
Pictured on Holly; Basic T-Shirt/ Snapback Hat |
Austrian Finance Minister Hans-Joerg Schelling (R) gestures as he presents the 2016 budget in front of the parliament in Vienna, Austria October 14, 2015. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria’s Finance Minister Hans Joerg Schelling said on Monday he expected the country’s 2016 budget to meet European Commission’s criteria on deficits as some of costs for dealing with migrants would be taken out of the calculations.
Earlier this month, the European Commission said Austria, as well as Italy, Lithuania and Spain, risked breaking European Union rules with their budget plans.
“As far as we know ahead of the meeting (to discuss the budget in Brussels), our budget will be accepted and the commission has acknowledged that the migrant (issue) was unforeseen and extraordinary,” Schelling told ORF radio.
He said it was yet to be decided how the costs would technically be taken out of the calculations. “But it’s clear, that (something) will be taken out of the calculation.” |
This article traces the history of the involvement of the American Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) with Russian-language publishing from its beginnings to the end of the twentieth century. During the period between the two world wars this was the primary source of Russian Orthodox theological and philosophical literature. In addition, it served as a catalyst for ferment within Orthodoxy by providing a forum for heated debate, especially in the pages of Put’, a unique interdisciplinary journal of Christian thought. The unique role of the YMCA Press in the Russian emigration has been noted in a variety of studies. However, such evaluations usually do not pay attention to the original Protestant leadership of this remarkable Orthodox publishing house, the political impact of its avowedly non-political efforts, and the recent activities of the YMCA Press in Russia and Ukraine after the end of communism. The Press played a major role in preserving an important aspect of prerevolutionary Russian culture in Western Europe during the Soviet period until the repatriation of this culture following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In this way, the Press contributed to the expansion and enrichment of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
This publishing house for all these years has been giving to Russians living in Russia the real bread of life. … I really have to testify that the hunger for books is really a much greater hunger than the hunger for food. … The greatest help that we can receive is precisely the kind of help that was given to us by Paul Anderson. (Anderson, n.d.a, preface) |
Education Secretary-designate Betsy DeVos arrives before testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press)
WASHINGTON – With the U.S. Senate evenly split, it fell to Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday afternoon to cast a historic vote confirming Michigan's Betsy DeVos as the nation's 11th education secretary, ending a pitched battle by Democrats, public school teachers and their allies to derail her nomination.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer expressed a vote of confidence from President Donald Trump in his newest Cabinet secretary despite her opponents' characterization of her as unfit and unqualified to serve.
"The president believes strongly that our nation's success depends on education of our students, and Betsy DeVos has devoted nearly three decades of her time and talent to promoting educational opportunity," Spicer said. "She will ensure that every student has access to a good school whether it’s public, private, parochial, charter or any other kind."
In casting the tie-breaking vote, the vice president echoed those comments.
"Countless students have benefited from her efforts to promote an educational marketplace defined by innovation, opportunity, and real, meaningful choice," Pence said in a statement.
Ignoring the fact that the vote was so close because of two key Republican defections, Spicer castigated Democrats for creating a "partisan logjam" to DeVos' nomination as well as to other Trump nominees. DeVos was expected to address employees at the U.S. Education Department for the first time on Wednesday afternoon.
In the weeks since a rocky confirmation hearing for the job to run the Education Department, DeVos, 59, who has long been a polarizing figure in Michigan's political and education circles for her support of school vouchers and charter schools, became a cause celebre for those organizing against her. Congressional offices were inundated with angry calls urging her to be rejected and her performance as a nominee was ridiculed on NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
But even with two Republican members of the Senate — Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — coming out against DeVos' nomination, it still left Democrats with a 50-50 tie. Pence, in his role as Senate president, cast the tie-breaking vote in her favor as expected at 12:29 p.m.
It marked the first time in U.S. history that a vice president was called upon to break a tie vote over a presidential Cabinet nomination. The votes are usually routine regardless of which party is in power: No nominee has been rejected since John Tower's nomination as defense secretary in 1989.
In order to confirm DeVos, Republicans also held off confirming U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., as attorney general, needing his vote. Both of Michigan's U.S. senators voted against her.
►DeVos confirmation: Some 'disappointed,' others praise 'new chapter'
►Related: Betsy DeVos having her 15 minutes of fame 'at the wrong time'
Immediately following the vote, both sides reacted swiftly.
Donna Brazile, interim chair of the Democratic National Committee, targeted potentially vulnerable senators who backed DeVos, including Jeff Flake of Arizona and Dean Heller of Nevada, for defeat in 2018, saying "their constituents ... will cast their votes next year to kick them out of office for selling out their state’s public school children."
Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.6-million-member American Federation for Teachers, added that because of the outcry over DeVos' nomination, "the 'public' in public education has never been more visible or more vocal."
Meanwhile, the conservative Club for Growth said DeVos' win beat back a full-court press by teachers unions aided in part by its own "six-figure investment in TV and digital ads, and robocalls, to caution potential Republican defectors." Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, a likely Republican candidate for governor next year, praised the vote, saying, "For 28 years, Betsy DeVos has made it her mission to ensure children receive a quality education, and now she will be able to do that on a much large scale."
►Editorial: Betsy DeVos and the twilight of public education
►Related: What you need to know about Betsy DeVos
As secretary, DeVos takes over an agency with some 4,500 employees and a budget of about $70 billion that administers and establishes policies for federal assistance to the states for secondary schools and higher education, as well as helping to enforce federal laws involving schools.
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., himself a former education secretary and chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that moved her nomination to the floor, praised DeVos' background, saying her support of charter schools and vouchers has helped "to give low-income children the same choices wealthier families have."
"Some people don't like that," said Alexander. "Betsy DeVos has committed no more Washington mandates. ... She's led the most effective school reform movement in the last 30 years."
Some Republicans have called for the department's dissolution, arguing it is a federal intrusion into what should be a purely state and local institution. However, DeVos has vowed not only to enforce public laws but to support traditional public schools, saying she advocates for any kind of school that gives parents and students the choices they want.
She has also repeatedly said, however, that decisions about school policies belong mostly with the states.
Democrats, noting that she and her wealthy family — she is the wife of Amway heir Dick DeVos, a former Republican candidate for Michigan governor — have spent millions on behalf of conservative candidates and causes, rejected her claims, noting she had no experience as an educator, administrator or even as a parent or student in public schools. Collins and Murkowski, too, said they worried that her commitment to public schools was not great enough to earn their support, since there are few choices to public schools in their rural states.
Democrats went further, arguing that she doesn't understand the policies she'll be tasked with enforcing, noting that in her hearing with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, she fumbled a question about a landmark 1975 law protecting education for students with disabilities, seeming to not know about it. She also made a joke at the hearing, saying she would not necessarily support banning guns from all schools because of the potential threat from grizzly bears in some wilderness areas.
"It's not Democrats who are bitter about the election," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. "It's the American people who are bitter about the nomination of Betsy DeVos." He added that she "could not answer the most fundamental questions about public education."
U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn. called hers "the most embarrassing confirmation hearing I have ever seen."
"We often have philosophical differences but one thing I think we all agree on is our Cabinet secretaries must be qualified and up to the challenge of running an agency," said Franken. "Betsy DeVos has demonstrated that she is not qualified to run the Education Department."
But even as Democrats went to the Senate floor to talk throughout the night about DeVos before the vote, Republicans continued to defend her, saying that her support of charter schools and school choice, if anything, suggests a secretary who is prepared to shake up traditional education.
“I have every confidence that Mrs. DeVos will lead the Department of Education in such a way as to put our students first,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Monday.
Since her nomination in November, Republicans and DeVos' supporters have argued that her support of charter schools in Michigan has led to improvements in education. But Democrats and DeVos' other critics have maintained that the evidence suggests otherwise, including in Detroit.
While DeVos has said “a lot that has gone right in Detroit” because of charter schools given the level of poverty, data from Detroit Public Schools and charters schools have shown neither with particularly strong results.
A Free Press review of 2015 results on the Michigan Student Test of Educational Performance showed that 9.6% of students in the district were considered proficient on the exam, compared to 14.5% of charter schools. DeVos has also been criticized in Michigan as having helped to defeat efforts to subject charter schools to more scrutiny.
Speaking on the Senate floor Monday, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., argued against DeVos’ confirmation, saying she has “undermined efforts to regulate Michigan charters even when they’ve clearly failed” and that “her hostility toward public education disqualifies her.”
After the vote, Stabenow said she was deeply disappointed.
Many of DeVos' critics said the level of organization and outpouring of constituent anger aimed at DeVos' nomination indicates that she will be watched carefully.
"Today’s outcome marks only the beginning of the resistance," said Lily Eskelsen García, president of the 3 million-member National Education Association. “The level of energy is palpable. ... We are going to hold her accountable."
Contact Todd Spangler: 703-854-8947 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler. USA TODAY's Greg Toppo contributed to this story.
Read or Share this story: http://on.freep.com/2kJvuNg |
A San Diego sheriff’s deputy was caught on video tasing and wrestling a 12-year-old boy in a parking lot. Witnesses say the cop tried to suppress the video, while the sheriff argued the boy had attacked the cop and the use of force was justified.
Activists from Filming Cops shared the video with the Free Thought Project on Sunday. The graphic footage, riddled with expletives, shows a boy being wrestled to the ground and shocked into submission with a Taser. The altercation took place on Saturday, in the parking lot frequented by skateboarders in the community of Fallbrook, north of San Diego, California.
Witnesses who recorded the event told Filming Cops that the deputy punched the boy in the face before they began filming. They identified the boy as a 12-year old named Joshua. Afterwards, they said, the deputy approached them with a drawn Taser and demanded to see the recordings, erasing all but one.
(Warning: graphic language, violence)
At a press conference on Monday, Sheriff Bill Gore defended the deputy’s actions, saying the teen was a runaway, and that Deputy Jeffery Banks was merely trying to bring him home to his mother. He said the boy had been missing for about a day and a half, and had been reported as a runaway at least five times before.
“When you see the video, the juvenile is struggling on the ground. He’s not obeying commands. He’s wrestling with the deputy,” the sheriff said, adding that the deputy only used a Taser after the teen bit his forearm.
“In actuality what we had was an out-of-control juvenile,” Gore said.
READ MORE: Former marine tased to death by police in upstate New York
According to Jan Caldwell, spokeswoman for the San Diego County sheriff’s department, the deputy tried to take the boy home, and only used force when the teen “refused, gave him attitude, and bit the deputy on the hand during the confrontation,” reported CBS8.
“The deputy reached out to him at that point and he became combative and assaultive. He had his hands in his waistband part of the time so we didn't know if he had a weapon or a knife or a gun,” said Caldwell.
“The use of force is never something pleasant to watch, believe me,” Sheriff Gore said at the press conference. He also denied that the deputy deleted or confiscated any videos from the eyewitnesses, claiming that he only made a copy for the department records. Gore praised that as “good policing.”
Gore also defended the use of the Taser, saying it “caused minimal damage to the suspect.” According to the sheriff, the boy’s mother apologized for his behavior.
Runaway teen bit deputy before getting shocked with Taser, sheriff says http://t.co/usWbHIvZDd#sandiegopic.twitter.com/yCvsqZbHwJ — San Diego News (@sandiegonewz) June 15, 2015
Witnesses to the incident, however, described it as “terrifying.”
“He said put your hands behind your back,” one of the teens told CNN affiliate KFMB. “[The boy] said ‘I can't. You're stepping on me.’ That's when they tasered him.”
Following his arrest, the boy was taken to Temecula Valley Hospital for examination. From there, he was taken to juvenile hall. According to reports in the local media, he has been charged with resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. |
Niue has announced a new marine park in a bid to conserve and protect its marine resources for future generations.
Photo: RNZI/Sally Round
The park will extend over 126,909 square kilometres, and encompasses the island itself, as well as various offshore reefs and submerged atolls.
It makes up 40 percent of the nation's Exclusive Economic Zone and includes the Beveridge Reef, home to some of the highest densities of the threatened grey reef shraks found anywhere on earth.
Photo: RCCNZ
The Niue premier Sir Toke Talagi said the initiative has global significance and is an effort to build awareness around climate change.
"I believe that is very very important for us firstly so we can show our own people that we care about what's happening around us and the oceans and so on," said Sir Toke.
But also to demonstrate to the world that in fact even though we might be small we are quite happy to make a contribution towards this, to ensure that they can focus the attention on the oceans that they are polluting at the present moment."
Sir Toke Talagi said commercial fishing would be banned within the sanctuary which they hope will be policed by a drone. |
Like last year, the scholarship offers full, four-year tuition to any woman seeking an undergraduate degree in any STEM field and applications will be reviewed by a board of over 60 women working in places like NASA JPL, Harvard Medical School and the National Science Foundation. Ideal candidates will be "an ambassador for their field" and are asked to submit a three-minute video lecture on a science topic they are passionate about. Applicants must be enrolled or planning to attend college in United States during the 2017 academic year, but any STEM field is fair game. (Sorry, no graduate students, however.) The deadline for submissions is December 11th at midnight and ten finalists will be asked to submit additional materials.
"I'm so excited that we're able to offer another scholarship for a woman studying STEM. A lot of us at Cards Against Humanity have backgrounds in science and tech, and the underrepresentation of women in these fields is staggering," Cards Against Humanity's community director Jenn Bane said in a statement.
To date, the scholarship has raised over $975,000 on the profits of that aforementioned Science Pack. More details about the application process can be found at the Science Ambassador Scholarship website, and for prospective applicants who need a little inspiration, here's last year's winning submission from Sona Dadhania, who studies Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania: |
The NHL has provided more than $2 BILLION of committed contracts in terms of players to the Olympics. The Capitals have provided in our six players more than $200 million worth of talent as well, I believe. And in payment back we received two free tickets to each game per team :-). Seems like a fair exchange, huh? And we aren’t allowed to do any press work on site or media streaming in any way or use the Olympic logos or see our players or park at the arena and on and on. I bet I am violating some rules in blogging about the Olympics as I am not paying a penny to do so. I didn’t ask for permission or credentials either. I love the Olympics but we don’t have a fair exchange of value that is for sure. >>Capitals owner Ted Leonsis
I like international hockey, but there are some absurd sides to the [space for rent] Olympics that make this avenue toward a "best-on-best" hockey tournament almost intolerable to me -- not the least of which is the U.S. broadcast rights holder's failure to reliably and promptly televise the games for which the NHL has shut down.
Looking for highlights of these NHL players on the NHL Network? Sorry, not allowed. Want to watch an authorized live stream? Sign up and install this Microsoft plug-in. Want to know when the game will be on? It's after curling, already half-way through the first period, on a different NBC cable outlet, until a bit later when we'll switch the channel again. Deal with it -- and in the meantime, check out this dancing "competition" where the winners are determined by judges of debatable impartiality.
Dick Pound, the anti-doping hero of so many famous sweeping claims about drugs in the NHL, is on the International Olympic Committee and -- wouldn't you know it? -- finds the Olympics essentially beyond reproach, no matter what happens.
Pound believes criticism of the current Winter Commercial Games is due to a bored media, which is some kind of irony considering his standing m.o. to use the media as a way of drumming up publicity for his World Anti-Doping Agency claims.
The Credit Card Olympics controllers are so determined to appear pure and commercial-free (well, an alternate universe definition of "commercial-free") that the venue every hockey fan knows as G.M. Place is now absurdly referred to as "Canada Hockey Place." Per traditional policy, the IOC covered the advertising from the boards in G.M. Place -- only to replace it with a mash of pastel Olympic imagery that actually makes the puck harder to see on TV. That's right: In order to form a more perfect, tightly controlled commercial union, viewers suffer.
The Olympics so carefully guards the sanctity of the five rings logo that every episode of Law & Order, The Biggest Loser, and whatever they call Jay Leno's oxygen-consuming existence features a network logo on top of those sacred five rings. Go to the right fast-food joint and the five rings are all over it, while my television tells me I too can eat junk and drink soda like an Olympian. (Cue John Belushi, cigarette in hand: "I ran a lot of miles training for that day. And I downed a lot of doughnuts ... Little Chocolate Doughnuts.")
The whole goalie mask "propaganda" issue was just par for the course. The Fast-Food Olympics wants to sell us on pageantry and tear-jerk personal stories (unless a luger dies ... then it is unfortunate "operator error"). Just don't let Ryan Miller tell us that personal story in a small way, with a few token images on his mask, including the "S" denoting the college half of his hockey-crazed family has attended. I've no doubt the small concession to allow Miller to keep the tribute to his late cousin was a careful P.R. decision.
Restore the World Cup, Kiss the NBC Visa Coke Samsung Olympics Good Bye
I'm being a bit flippant and rant-ish, of course. I get the financial realities of putting on a showcase of, um, "sport." And the Soft Drink Olympics need, um, "partners" to help foot the bill. But as an NHL fan and a distressed observer of the pre-packaged soap opera the Electronics Maker Games have become, I no longer see the fit. The problem is the rope-a-soap-dope Olympics and hockey are after two different things, and two different audiences, which is why NBC understandably chooses figure skating over Canada vs. USA hockey in prime time.
Allow me to quote Gary Bettman in a momentary rap of reason:
"This is one of the things we don't have control over. We bring in 140-plus players and we participate in the Olympics by stopping our season for two weeks, but this is the IOC's show, the broadcasters' show and the IIHF's show. There are a lot of things we don't have control over and going forward, it may be we need to be a little more involved than at least to this point we've been allowed to be."
Unfortunate CBA-bargaining tactics aside, forgive me for being in full agreement with the commissioner here.
I understand the NHL players' desire to continue this arrangement, and I suppose there's no replacement for the Olympic village "experience" (though do NHLers really fit there?). But I wonder if they couldn't be coaxed away from interrupting the NHL season to appear on MSNBC and instead throw weight behind a more regularly scheduled World Cup that puts hockey first. Why, then their national teams could even train together before the tournament, instead of leaving their national pride at the mercy of a chemistry experiment.
Then there would be no worries about the two-week interruption, the compressed schedule and implied injuries it causes, the lack of broadcast control -- and all the other side effects that are the cost of placing your best-on-best hockey tournament under that Most Holy and Pristine Logo with the five rings. Right after curling and NCIS reruns. |
Story highlights Shooting happened at Jamaican restaurant in southwestern Los Angeles
No one has been arrested, police say
(CNN) A shootout at a crowded house-based restaurant in southwestern Los Angeles on Friday night left three men dead and 12 other people injured, and investigators are trying to determine who fired, police said.
The gunfire happened in a house that contains a Jamaican restaurant at about 12:30 a.m. PT a few blocks south of the Santa Monica Freeway, near the Crenshaw neighborhood, police said.
Details about what led to the shooting or how many people fired guns weren't immediately available. Dozens of police officers rushed to the house after the shooting was reported, Los Angeles police Sgt. Thomas Bojorquez said.
Police were questioning two people Saturday morning in connection with the shooting, but no one had been arrested, police Sgt. Mike Lopez said.
All of the 12 injured were taken to a hospital, and some were in critical condition on Saturday morning, Lopez said.
Read More |
There’s going to be a Full Moon right before Halloween this year, but it’s not “that” kind of full moon. It Came from the Video Aisle! hits bookshelves October 28th, promising to take readers inside Charles Band’s Full Moon Entertainment Studio like nothing before.
For our younger readers who don’t know what a “video aisle” is: Once upon a time, there were these places called “video stores.” In them were row after row, shelf after shelf, of movies on VHS (and later DVD and Blu-ray). These were the video aisles. People like you would peruse these aisles looking for movies to rent for a night or two and then return to the store. Some of these movies were more cheaply produced and made exclusively for the home video market.
One of the greatest purveyors of such direct-to-video movies was a man named Charles Band. First he ruled a theatrical empire. Then he began casting a Full Moon over video stores right at the dawn of direct-to-video fare.
It Came from the Video Aisle! is his story…
Synopsis:
Charles Band’s Full Moon Entertainment was the most remarkable B-movie studio of the 1990s, responsible for a barrage of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror classics during the last true “golden age” of the home video era. From Puppetmaster to Trancers and beyond, Full Moon transformed the VHS experience for fans worldwide, bringing the inner workings of the movie-making process into the living room, and in turn creating a ravenous fanbase that remains to this day. This book tracks the history of the company, from its late ’80s birth among the ruins of the American drive-in through to its bid to survive in the modern digital world. Featuring rare artwork, behind-the-scenes photos, and over 60 exclusive interviews with the cast and crew who helped to create the legendary B-movie studio, this is an essential read for any cult film fan still lamenting the death of the “mom ‘n pop” video store.
Boasting interviews with over 60 directors, actors, producers, and crew and featuring over 400 behind-the-scenes photos, posters, and artwork (many never before published), It Came from the Video Aisle! is going to be a must-read for any fan of Full Moon or the golden age of home video entertainment when his company launched. Even though Charles Band personally authorized this book, I’ve been told there are some sordid details regarding the company’s history that just can’t be sugarcoated.
Featured interviewees include Charles Band himself, Richard Band, Jackson Barr, Adolfo Bartoli, J.R. Bookwalter, Jeff Burr, William Butler, J.S. Cardone, Benjamin Carr, Peter David, Sonny Carl Davis, Mike Deak, Danny Draven, Richard Elfman, Jack Ersgard, Ernest Farino, Jeff Farley, Brent Friedman, Stuart Gordon, Trent Haaga, Kenneth J. Hall, Linda Hassani, Sam Irvin, Mel Johnson, Jr., Rolf Kanefsky, John Lechago, Jacqueline Lovell, Lee MacLeod, Peter Manoogian, Mark Manos, Ed Naha, Ted Nicolaou, Dennis Paoli, Dave Parker, Vlad Paunescu, Albert Pyun, Mark Rappaport, Fred Olen Ray, Ethan Reiff, Duncan Rouleau, David Schmoeller, Gary Schmoeller, Pat Siciliano, Venesa Talor, Tim Thomerson, Cyrus Voris, and Graeme Whifler.
Nathan Shumate, Jay Woelfel, Chris Endicott, Thomas Sueyres, Dave Wain, and Matty Budrewicz are amongst the guest contributors. Full Moon fixture C. Courtney Joyner penned the foreword.
Finally, from the press release, a little something about the authors of this massive 480-page tome dedicated to all things Full Moon.
About the Authors:
Dave Jay is a London-based writer. He is the principal author of Empire of the ‘B’s (published by Hemlock Books) and has contributed towards cult film magazines such as Fangoria, Gorezone, Delirium, and Horrorhound. He also works as a music writer/producer, having had music featured in film and television, including Driven, “The Last Castle,” and the soundtrack album for Austin Powers in Goldmember.
William S. Wilson resides in Williamsburg, Virginia, and has written articles for genre magazines Fangoria and Deep Red. He has also contributed to a number of film guides including Horror 101, Hidden Horror, BFI’s 100 European Horror Films, and the 101 film book series edited by Steven Jay Schneider (Paranormal Activity).
Torsten Dewi lives in Baden-Baden, Germany and has been a professional writer for the last twenty years. Alongside his co-writing credit for Empire of the ‘B’s, he has written numerous successful novels, genre screenplays for the international market (Lost City Raiders, Post Impact, and Sumuru), and hundreds of articles for a broad selection of magazines including Playboy and TV Zone. His non-fiction work includes a guide to the “Babylon 5” universe, a Dune photobook, and three annual guides to science fiction on TV.
You Full Moon fanatics can go ahead and pre-order It Came the Video Aisle! right now from Amazon. |
As it promised mere weeks ago, Jawbone has launched a new version of Up for iOS that syncs data from numerous health services and doesn't require its own tracker. Confusingly, the Jawbone app which does require an Up or Up24 tracker is also called 'Up' and is still available. However, the new version is more of a fitness catchall app that works with Apple's Health and over a hundred other apps (and their trackers), like RunKeeper and IFTTT. In fact, the new Up wants to manage all aspects of your health by tracking your sleep, nutrition and workouts. Once it learns your habits, the "Insight Engine" will then give you personalized health tips and other info. There are also social functions, including team tracking and the ability to boast about fitness milestones. Apple had pulled HealthKit apps a few days ago due to bugs, but after some scrambling they're now back -- you can grab Jawbone's UP for iOS here.
Update: Jawbone has told us that the new Up app doesn't work with Nest after all, despite the app saying otherwise. We've updated the post to reflect that. |
TWO elderly women died of hypothermia in their own living rooms earlier this winter.
At an inquest into their deaths yesterday, a top doctor questioned how the pair could have come to such a tragic end in 21st century Brighton and Hove.
Margaret Ethel Littledale, 83, and Hanora Theresa Reed, 93, were both found dead in their living rooms at their homes in Chiltington Way, Saltdean, and Storrington Close, Hove, just 10 days apart.
They had contracted hypothermia due to plunging temperatures in January and were dead a number of days before the alarm was raised.
Both Ms Littledale and Ms Reed died in similar conditions with no immediate family and limited contact with the outside world.
Campaigners have said while people dying of the cold seems unthinkable, it is a major problem nationwide and also easily preventable.
The inquest at Brighton Coroner’s Court heard the pensioners both died alone when temperatures fell in January this year.
During the hearing, Dr Mark Howard, consultant autopsy pathologist, said: “One would not expect this to happen in a major 21st century city like Brighton and Hove but it does.
“People should check on neighbours and friends. Just popping in every other day could save lives.”
Ms Littledale, a former teacher, was found on January 11 after last being seen on January 4.
The inquest heard temperatures on January 8 fell to minus 1C.
Ten miles away, Ms Reed, a former caterer, was found on January 21, having last been seen on January 14. Temperatures hit zero on January 16.
Jessica Sumner, from Age UK Brighton and Hove, said: “We tend to think we are a really well developed country. Why on earth would someone die because they are cold?
“It is almost unthinkable and this is preventable. The trouble is most people do not realise there is help available or that they need help.”
Veronica Hamilton Deeley, senior coroner for Brighton and Hove, said: “The problem is the insidious nature of the cold.
“It is a silent killer which can kill people in their homes without them knowing about it – like carbon monoxide. It overwhelms their ability to respond then the body is in grave danger unless someone intervenes.”
FRIEND NOTED HOW COLD HER HOUSE WAS
MARGARET Ethel Littledale lived alone but had a comfortable life with no evidence of neglect, her inquest heard.
The coroner described the 83-year-old as someone who “had been a teacher and was a sensible intelligent woman” and had been “obviously looking after herself”.
While she had no immediate family, she had a few friends who she would see now and then.
She made journeys into Brighton on the community bus and was visited at her home in Chiltington Way, Saltdean, by a friend named Kerry.
She would clean for her once a fortnight and also visited her for tea, wash her hair, clean her feet and open jars or tins she was struggling with.
Kerry often noted how cold the house was but Margaret never complained.
She last saw her on New Year’s Eve.
She had a modern central heating system in the large house as well numerous electric heaters and plenty of blankets and duvets.
But after being last seen on January 4, she died in her home of hypothermia when temperatures plunged below zero.
She was found on January 11.
Police officers found the heating was not on when they broke in.
The the electric heaters were all unplugged and Margaret was found dead in the living room.
The coroner recorded her death as misadventure and the cause of death as hypothermia.
She said: “She was living her life as she always did but then unexpectedly and insidiously events took a turn which led to her death.”
WOMAN, 93, DECLINED HELP
HANORA Theresa Reed was 93 years old and described as fiercely independent woman.
But she had been suffering from deteriorating health.
Described as frail, elderly and malnourished she was also registered blind.
She lived in an unkempt flat which was unkempt but she refused help.
Her inquest was told her standard response to help was to say “thanks but no thanks”.
She stonewalled any attempt at social service intervention by social services.
She had a distant niece named Margaret who kept in contact and her response to how she was feeling was: “Keeping on, keeping on.”
A home visitor would attended weekly and took her shopping, a man named Michael Rycroft from St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP).
He was the one who informed the police when he could not make contact with her.
It was said she had grown up outside Cork, Ireland, and did not even have running water as a child, something which may have contributed to her attitudes in later life.
Pathologist Dr Mark Howard said if she had accepted help from social services she may have survived, even if it was just Meals on Wheels.
Coroner Veronica Hamilton Deeley recorded a narrative verdict and said her cause of death was hypothermia.
She said this was from frailty of old age, poor oral intake and a low body mass index.
AGE AFFECTS OUR ABILITY TO DEAL WITH EXTREME COLD
HYPOTHERMIA will attack you until you lose consciousness. Then you are left defenceless to die.
That was the shocking description of what it is like to die from hypothermia given at the inquest by Doctor Mark Howard.
He said the women would not have known what was happening to them as the cold took hold.
He said many people underestimate how easy it is for your core temperature to drop, at which point your body will start to shut down.
Hypothermia is caused when a person’s body temperature drops below 35C, compared with its normal 37C.
It can quickly become life threatening and should immediately be treated as a medical emergency.
It is usually caused by being in a cold environment but can be triggered by a combination of factors.
Living in a poorly heated house is just one of them and those who are elderly or ill are particularly at risk. Each year approximately 1,600 people are diagnosed with hypothermia in hospital and more than 70 per cent of these cases were people over 60.
The signs of hypothermia vary depending on how low a person’s temperature has dropped but initial symptoms include shivering, tiredness, fast breathing and cold or pale skin.
As the temperature drops the shivering becomes more violent.
The shivering will eventually stop before you lose consciousness.
When discussing the case of Margaret Littledale, coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley said: “We know she was mobile but there is compelling evidence our bodies’ ability to deal with the extremes becomes worse as we get older. She may not have felt as cold as she was, especially if she had been cold for a long time.”
The inquest heard the women may not have had any idea what was happening to them. Ms Hamilton-Deeley said: “Imagine sitting down not knowing how cold you are, getting drowsy, completely unaware you are dying and then going to sleep and never waking up. It is insidious.”
Jessica Sumner, chief executive of Age UK Brighton and Hove, said the charity was spearheading a campaign for warm homes which sees them give the elderly access to room thermometers and energy efficiency programmes.
An older person dies every seven minutes in the UK from the cold weather.
She said: “I think some of the danger is around the more sedentary lifestyle.
“If someone cannot get out and stay mobile, a lot of older people just sit down watching television and they are not keeping their bodies moving. It is not only the mental impact of feeling isolated but also the motivation to get up and move around is diminished. It is not just about the loneliness but the lack of activity within their own home, which is exactly why we promote room thermometers.
“If you look at it you realise if you need to move around to get your core temperature up.”
At the inquest, Dr Howard said: “If you did find someone who was terribly cold, the temptation might be to get them in a warm bath but that could be the worst thing, you need to warm them gently.
“Anyone even with minor hypothermia needs medical attention and the first thing should be to call an ambulance, stay with them and try to warm with a blanket, duvet or by putting your arms around them.”
ALONE IN THEIR HOMES THEY DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE DYING
ISOLATION in the elderly is frighteningly common.
For these two women it was this solitude that claimed their lives as winter took hold.
Sitting alone in their homes they didn’t even know they were dying as their bodies slowly shut down through hypothermia.
A simple visit from a friend, relative or carer may have saved them.
When I walked into the small lobby of Brighton Coroner’s Court, it appeared the inquest had been cancelled.
There was nobody around: no witnesses, no family members, friends and even acquaintances.
Usually inquests are attended by numerous interested parties and those close to the deceased.
But not this time.
I waited for someone to walk in but no one did.
I even went and knocked on the office door to check if the inquest was still going ahead.
The coroner’s officer informed that it was just me.
Once the proceedings started it was the coroner Veronica Hamilton Deeley, the pathologist Mark Howard, and the coroner’s officer Mark Johnson.
These two women died alone.
Claimed by the cold, they had nobody to look out for them, speak for them or mourn them. |
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